A Birth day

"Sounds like Sam is probably in denial that she could find someone else who wants to take her," Tara said. "Sam will wise up, but its probably good that Anise isn't going to wait on him to wake up because I think its good for her to know that he isn't the only guy out there. You'll have to let us know how that dress works out for her. She borrowed Faith's sparkly hot pink dress. She tried it on when she was here, and I have to tell you she looked amazing in it, like it was made for her. Ginger borrowed one of Evie's green dresses. With Ginger's chestnut hair, it looked every bit as fetching as Anise's. She said Victor's even managed to rent a green waistcoat and tie so he coordinates with her dress."

"See you, Jessie," Angus said, heading home and inside.

"Angus," Marcus said when he came back in. "You might want to talk to Robert and see if he can talk to not only Daniella but also Lee."

"Why?" Angus asked. 

"Check out this newspaper from last night in New Orleans. I've been getting New Orleans newspapers, even if they are several hours late since we started having trouble with Priscilla," Marcus handed him the newspaper. "Page seven."  Angus took the paper and opened it to page seven. There was an article about the quick repair and the Grand Reopening of House of Voodoo, and there in the photo, standing outside the front door was Priscilla--or a woman who was using polyjice to impersonalte her.

"This was from last night?"

"The photo was supposedly taken yesterday morning, New Orleans time," Marcus said. 

"Can I borrow this? I need to try to take this to Robert."

"Certainly. I'll come with you. I've already asked Simone to watch the babies for a minute. She came over with a shopping bag full of new baby clothes and she went upstairs to get them cleaned up and dressed. She's into full Grandma mode, so we're good."

"Let's go, then," Angus said.

"We're leaving, Simone," Marcus called.

"Okay," Simone called back down from the nursery. Angus and Marcus took the newspaper and walked across the yard to the main house.

Ruby listened to Tara and nodded " I agree she shouldn't live her whole life pining after one man" she said " oh I haven't see the dress yet , sounds perfect for her." she said smiling as Tara told her about Gingers " wow that will make her hair pop" she said as she walked over to them " okay now you guys are settled I'm going to head back, I'll se you after school ," she said giving Ginger and Anise a hug before she ported back to the duplex to find no Marcus and no Angus " okay where they run off to now?" she asked walking in and over to Simone smiling as she knew it was fine for both of them to head out.

She made two cups of coffee and walked over to Simone placing one down she sat down " Anise and Ginger are at Evens and with Faith and Hope." she said smiling " so how the babies been?" she asked

"Thank you," Simone said. "Coffee sounds great. I had one cup at five, but I haven't had time for a second up. The babies have been fine. I just washed them up and dressed them, and I just brought them down so I could eventually heat up some of the oatmeal and stewed cinnamon apples I made a bit earlier this morning for them, but when I put them in the playpen, they both went back to sleep. So I guess breakfast will wait."

"I found them each the cutest little floral pinafore dresses," Simone told Ruby, "and some long sleeved knit tees to wear under them. The pinafores are in denim and are fully adjustable, so you won't have to be careful with them and they'll be able to wear them all spring and summer. I did try to get socks and shoes on them, but they're not having the socks today. They pulled them off as fast as I put them on and then shied them at me. So they're barefoot today. Oh, and Marcus and Angus haven't gone far. They saw something in a newspaper that did not make them happy, and they took the paper and went over to the main house. I doubt they'll be long."

"Hey, Simone," Edward called, as he came over. "Oh, Ruby, you're back. Anyway, one of my mates is a fish monger in Edinburgh, and he sent me a message that he got some beautiful salmon in and he offered me first crack at some. I'm going to pop up and get some for us. Anything else we need while I'm out?"

"Yes. Fresh milk and fresh cream," Simone said. "Oh and a couple dozen eggs please."

"Milk and eggs. Got it," Edward said.

"Milk, cream and eggs," she corrected. 

"Yeah. Got it," he said. "Ruby? You need anything?"

Ruby listened to Simone and chuckled " they do look cute this morning thank you, don't worry we always have a fresh pot on the go." she said smiling then she chuckled as Simone told her how she made them breakfast but all they wanted to do was sleep " yeah they had a bit of a late night last night but I don't blame them." she heard Edward walk in and talk about Scottish salmon. " oh that's going to be very good" she said smiling then chuckling as Edward got the list wrong she shook her head and chuckled . " is he always like that?" she asked smiling as she peeked in on the babies.

I have to admit I do miss Aria since she went to Paris with Brian and Lucian" she said " its been quiet" she said and chuckled a little. " I do hope they won't be away for too long but Angus thinks it could be months with the amount of people they have at the embassy." she added as she blew over the top of her cup and took a sip from it.

"Actually, I think he remembered the cream but when he's in a hurry, he tends to not repeat it back verbatim to me," Simone laughed. "I think he was in a bit of a hurry to get to see Hugh--that's the fishmonger friend. There's a pub next door to the fish shop, and Edward can't seem to get away from there until he and Hugh have had a proper pint--even if it is first thing in the morning. He'll be along but it could be..." She was cut short by the rather loud sound of tapping on the kitchen window. "Well, now. There's a very large, rather cranky, horned owl on your sill. Looks like he has a message." 

Simone got up and opened the window, and Angus's big owl, Luigi, flew in and plunked himself down on the kitchen table and dropped the message in Ruby's coffee cup. The bird squawked at Ruby.

"Oh no. I'll get some paper towel," Simone said. "Maybe we can still read the message. He seems like he knows you." Simone put the owl treat jar on the table in case Ruby wanted to reward him for a soggy message, and she got some paper towel to mop up the splashed coffee. Minos fluttered in and sat down on the table at a safe distance from the owl, just watching the him.

Ruby chuckled and nodded " could be just that" she said smiling as Simone continued talking about his friend Hugh " its good he ahs friends in other places." she said " and getting out and about it good" she said looking at the babies. She heard Simone talk about the pub next to the fish mongers and chuckled " I'm guessing he's never come home totally drunk?" shea sked knowing Edward had good sense not to do that at any point in time.

Ruby looked at the kitchen then to Simone " do you know any good lunch dishes?" sha sked " I know Angus has plenty but I want to surprise him with something new" she asked her hoping she would have some they could make together or even if she could let her use the recipe. it was now she realized there was a noise at the window, seeing Luigi she accioed an owl treat but when he dropped it in her coffee she sighed " next time beside it not in it please" she said giving him the treat and taking it out " good morning Minos" she said seeing him sat close by . I have a soggy message to open" she placed it down and cast a drying charm then opened the note.

Luigi seemed to not have seen a fairy before because after he ate his treat, he stared at Minos, his little birdy head tilted completely to one side, trying to figure out what the heck Minos was. It made Minos giggle. 

"Minos has the most infectious little giggle," Simone laughed. 

The note was from Nicky next door. 

"Ruby, I am to tell you that Angus and Marcus are going with Robert, Michael, and Michael's lady to have tea with someone named Lee at Lee's office, wherever that is. They expect to come straight back after their meeting is concluded. Angus says I am to tell you it is just a quick trip. And, the pink kitty pancakes were a big hit with Abbey and my Molly. However, they are planning on having a very important tea party with their stuffies this afternoon, and I have been told, most firmly, that the tea party will be a complete disaster without Angus's pink kitty cookies--another recipe that I do not have. Do you by chance have any idea how to make these cookies or do you know where I can find the recipe? Thanks so much, Nicky."

Ruby looked at Simone then to Minos hearing him laugh " oh , he does " she said chuckling as she read the note " okay its from Nicky in the main house., she's saying Angus and the others went to Paris for a business lunch with Lee and the pink kitty pancakes were a hit with Abby" she paused and looked at Simone " its the only way she'll eat pancakes, " she explained then chuckled " and now are having a stuffie important meeting with some kitties cookies.as it would be a disaster without them" she read trying not to chuckle at the mention of how important the cookies were, then she read that Nicky didn't have the recipe and she gasped " oh my I know where that is " she said placing the note down ion the table. Standing up she walked to Angus office and wrote down the recipe and sent it over to Nicky.

"Dear Nicky here's the recipe you requested , sorry Angus forgot to give it to you before he left to go to Paris, I also enclose the cookie cutters he uses too, I hope all goes well at the stuffie meeting, Ruby" she added the kitty cookie cutters she had found for Angus and sent it over to Nicky.

" That was close , almost had a Abby emergency " she said and chuckled " she didn't have the recipe for the cookies that Angus makes for her for her tea parties, so I sent over the recopy and cutters so Nicky can make then for her." Ruby explained while she went back to sit and finish her coffee.

"Well, thank goodness you knew where that recipe was," Simone laugh. "I think it's cute that those little girls already want to make sure they can be good hostesses at their stuffies tea party, especially since they honestly haven't been to more that probably one or two. I don't know either of those girls well, but Kate tells me that storybooks are just about Abbey's favorite thing in the world. She tells me Abbey has an enormous library of storybooks and knows many of them by heart. Abbey's fourth birthday is coming up soon, and I think the gift that Angus is having made for her should be done on time. He commissioned it at Christmas from one of the master cabinet makers in the village in Tuscany. In fact, Edward made a copy of Angus' sketch. I think its' going to be adorable."



Simone accio'd a scrapbook, and when she got it, she opened it and flipped through several pages and then left it open to one page and turned the book so that Ruby could see it. Angus had done a full color sketch of a child's bookcase with a door on it, and the door was painted to look like one huge child's storybook, with the side of the bookcase painted to look like the spine of the book and the top and the other side of the cabinet painted to look like gilded pages. To open the bookcase, the child had to open the book. 

"I think it's such a clever idea, and one of our artists in the village has been working on the art work for the cabinet for weeks," Simone said. "It should hold loads and loads of storybooks for her. That reminds me. I know we all missed Caprice's first birthday in all the chaos of Suzanne trying to kill people. Perhaps we could make a batch of cupcakes for a little belated celebration and let her have at one and make a muddle of it. What do you say?"

Ruby listened to Simone and smiled not having a clue about what Angus had had commissioned until Simone showed he the sketch " oh wow , that's amazing I'm sure she will love it" she said and nodded when Simone mentioned they had missed Caprices first birthday. " with everything going on it just slipped passed I guess but that idea sounds perfect" she said smiling at Simone's idea of cupcakes.

Getting up she started making cupcakes and reheating the kettle for fresh coffee she mixed some butter cream to pip on the top and looked at Simone " do you have any candles in yours?" she asked Simone knowing Angus and herself didn't have any. Once the mix was done she placed it into the cup cake paper holders and slipped them into the oven. " won't be long I made several different colours of butter icing for the top." she said showing, pink, blue and yellow along with orange and light purple..