A Birth day

"I think we're ready whenever you are, Jack," Anise said, as Sam and Victor finished packing the kite, the frisbee, and some cold drinks. 

"Just bake it, Ruby. Soda bread doesn't need to rise," Angus told her. It doesn't use yeast. It uses soda instead, so there's no rise time involved. Just stick the loaves in the oven and bake them off. The Asian salad sounds good. I'll maybe roast a chicken, then, and make potatoes au gratin and maybe some pan roasted vegetables as a side--if you or Aria would slice more potatoes for me."  

He mixed up two chocolate firewhiskey cakes and put them in the oven. He made one for Owens' family and one for the duplex for supper later that night. While the cakes were in the oven, he got the sheet pan vegetables ready to roast, made the icing for the chocolate cakes, and make two very large jars of fresh piccalilli, one to send to Owens' family. That gave him the idea of sending the fixings of a good ploughmans' for them, so he boiled some eggs to make some hasty pickled eggs, mixed up a batch of Scottish oatcake, and assembled some other things to send along. 

"By the time I stop getting ideas of things to send them, they'll have food for a week," Angus said. Minos fluttered back in, and he had four Fae with him. They were helping him to carry a white glass jar, and they took it to Angus. Minos had sketched the directions on the jar. 

"This is for Marcus?" Angus asked, and Minos nodded. Minos did some charades, and Angus understood. "I see. He's to rub it lightly over the bruised area at bedtime tonight, right?" Minos nodded, pleased that Angus understood it so quickly. "Thank you, my friend. We'll try it. We appreciate it." Minos nodded, glad to be of help.

Aria finished making up the picnic basket with food and drinks then handed it to Jack to carry. " okay guys lets go" he said holding out his hand for them to take hold of. Once they had he ported them right to the spot and smiled pausing to take in the view " this is it, beautiful" he said smiling.

Ruby nodded to Angus and placed the brad in the oven to cook " okay in" she said as Aria walked over . Hearing him ask about cutting more bread she chuckled.

" I'm on it" she said and washed more potatoes the began to slice them again and place them into a clean bowl ready for Angus to use as he needed. " that enough for you" she asked but paused as Minos flew in with others carrying a large bottle well large for him. She listened to Angus talk to him and relay the instructions." I can do that before bed." she said and looked at Marcus " if that's okay?" she asked smiling to him. " Fae magic is usually very strong but Minos seems to have figured out a way to make it work with our physiology " she told Marcus. " plus couldn't harm to try."

"It is beautiful," Ginger said. "Looks like a place that should have magic all its own."

"That would be fine," Marcus said. 

"I'm sure Minos has done all sorts of potions and remedies for all sorts of being. After all, Faries can live about 1500 years, so our entire lifespans aren't even a blip of their radars," Angus said. Minos signed a message to Angus, and it made Angus smile. "I stand corrected, Minos," Angus said. "He said the length of time one lives doesn't matter. He says the only thing that matters is love. Friendship, family, those sorts of things, whether its two minutes or two centuries. He says he does not consider us less because our lifespans aren't as long. He is still glad to be here with us, and he is glad for our friendship."

Angus went back to the kitchen and made his potato gratin and put the chicken in the oven. He got the cake out of oven to let it cool so he could frost it.

"I think another hour," Angus told Ruby, "and I'll have this basket put together to take to Owen's family. He lives in Cornwall. It's been a long time since I've been there, but Owens comes from a family of commercial fishermen. Owens told me once that he tried to be the next fisherman because that was what the family expected of him, but it bored him half to death. His job with us is what makes him feel worthwhile, and it certainly is better pay." He went to the bookcase, got into the wooden box on the top shelf, counted out a handful and put them into a pouch. Then he opened a drawer in the desk and went through an envelope. He drew out a couple gift certificates and put them into a clean envelope. Then he packed the pouch and the envelope in the very bottom of the basket that he was packing to take to Owen's family. 

"I thought perhaps having a little ready cash might be helpful for them, and I also had a couple of gift certificates that I thought they might have use for. One is for Sparks, in case they need a takeout meal. And, the other one is for the St. Mungos' food services, in case they have some long days or long nights sitting with Owens and could use a sandwich or some coffee or need some childcare services or something."

"Between the ploughmans' you're making and the supper, and the money and the gift certificates, I think they're going to find your basket is very helpful," Marcus said.

"I hope so," Angus said. "He's got a wife, a daughter whose six, a son who's two, and a new baby. I'm sure his wife has her hands full. And not only is Owens a friend, but I'm also technically his supervisor. I feel like we owe it to him to wrap around them right now. I honestly don't think either of them have any other family except each other, so she has to be struggling at the moment."

Ruby saw what Angus was doing and smiled as she watched him take the certificates and galleons and place them into an envelope as he made the basket for Owens and his family. " they will love it" she said as she walked over with a large flask with some home made lemonade inside " to help them wash down all that food you gave them" she said " its a spare flask so we won't miss it" she placed it into the basket and looked at Angus " so when do you want to take it over" she asked " before the breads done or after?"  Aria chuckled from where she sat.

" you can go I will keep an eye on the babies and Marcus" she said placing down her wordsearch" and you won't be gone that long ether." she added as she walked over to them " go and enjoy yourselves with Owens and his family." she said glancing at Marcus.

Jack looked at Anise and Ginger and smiled " yep it certainly does have that vibe about it" he said " right I'll leave you guys be while I head back, send word when you want to be picked up" he added and waved as he ported back to the barn this time to start feeding the animals.

"Great idea," Angus said. "They'll appreciate it, I'm sure. I think we need to wait until all the food is ready. After all, we're making it for them."  

It was another hour before the bread, the cake and all the rest of it was finished and ready to take to Owens family. He added some jars of his homemade jams and jellies, assembled it all in a huge rectangular wood basket so that it looked like it was almost overflowing with food, and then added, just as a little decorative touch, a glass vase with some fresh flowers from the garden. By the time he had it assembled, it had a whole roasted chicken, a potato gratin, a large dish of oven roasted root vegetables, the Asian salad Ruby had made, the lemonade, the bread, the jams and jellies and the piccalilli, a jar of Angus's peach chutney, the pickled eggs and the rest of the cheeses and meats, the Scottish oatcakes Angus had made, the flask of lemonade, the chocolate firewhiskey cake, the money and the gift certificates and the flowers. 

"Angus, that is stunning," Marcus said. "That should certainly help them, I should think."

"I hope so, Marcus. You might have to help me carry it, Ru," he told Ruby. "It's a lot for one hand. I think it's ready, but I want to take a short detour to Honeydukes and pick up some candy to add to the basket. After all, chocolate cures just about everything. Shall we go?"

Ruby chuckled and nodded as he said they should wait till the food was done " oh , that's a good idea not be good to show up with an empty basket and no food" she said chuckling as did Aria. After a moment of Angus and herself filling the basket Ruby checked everything was in place and nodded to Angus " I can do that" she said lifting it, it was a bit heavy but she could manage a she took hold of his good hand so they could port to Diagon alley. " it so does " she said and looked to Aria " want anything bringing back?" shea sked.

ria say and thought for a moment them smiled " vanilla fudge please, a big bag of vanilla fudge" she smiled as she looked at both Angus and Ruby who nodded to her as they ported out of the duplex leaving her and Marcus with the babies " I'd just sit down and relax for a while " she said smiling up at him.

Ruby felt and smelled the hustle and bustle of the alley around her and smiled " its busy today" she said holding the basket close to her so it would not be bumped.

Angus apparated them to Hogsmeade to Honeydukes. He had noticed the extra busyness in town today. The center of town seemed to be very busy with people sweeping up confetti, streamers, bunting and just general rubbish.  

"I think they're cleaning up after the dance here last night," Angus said. "By the looks of things, it must have been a success."  When they went in, Claire Belby, Marcus's mother, was quick to step in to help Ruby. Angus found Jonathan on a ladder adding some Sherbet Lemons to a large jar on one of the top shelves.

"Good morning, Angus," Jonathan said in a chipper mood. "Hold on. I'll be straight down."

"Take your time," Angus said. Jonathan climbed down and went over to Angus.

"Michael's already been in for a five pound box of fudge," Jonathan said. "He filled me in on last night, and about Marcus's knock to the head. How's he doing?"

"He's got a whale of a headache and a bruise the size of my fist on his forehead," Angus said. "He's a bit lost without his memory, but Aria's with him right now. Robert's very optomistic that this is temporary."

"Oh, I'm sure," Jonathan said, not overly concerned. "He had this happen twice before, as it happens. The first time it happened, it was on one of his very first missions. Jonathan disappeared into the back, and came back with a big glass gallon jar full of an assortment of Honeydukes best candies. 

"That's enough to keep them for a year," Angus laughed.

"They have kids, so I doubt it," Jonathan laughed. "If they need anything or if Marcus does, you let me know." 

"I will," Angus said, rearranging the basket. He finally decided on enlarging the basket a bit to accommodate the candy that Jonathan was sending plus the fudge that Ruby was buying.  "Please put whatever Ruby's buying on my account, won't you?"

"I'll be happy to," Jonathan said.

Ruby walked with Angus and was glad when Claire took the basket from her and set it down next to the counter. she smiled and walked over to Angus " Aria wants fudge, vanilla fudge" she said as she looked around the shop " oh that looks lovely" she said and then went to look around finding about six more items she needed and placed them into a bag at the counter " thank you" she said and smiled to Angus. Seeing the size of the jar Jonathan held dh chuckled as he spoke " oh I agree with Jonathan, kids love sweets and sweet things" she said and chuckled.

Seeing the basket enlarge slightly and the candy be placed in it she smiled and moved to pick it back up " okay where to next?" shea sked standing with both hands holding the basket as she waited for Angus to be ready.

"Cornwall," Angus told her. He apparated them to a little speck of a village right on the coast in Cornwall. The little cottages looked like they had stood here for hundreds of years, housing fishermen and their families. Owens' house was right on the coast road on a dead end street that overlooked the harbor. It was a bit of a winding walk to get there, but there was something Angus liked about the view that he really liked. He could see how a fisherman would love it here, but he could also see how a fisherman's wife could learn to hate it. The ocean could be a shrew, and he was certain that, over the centuries, many a fisherman's wife had walked these cobblestone streets, cursing the village and the sea, waiting on pins and needles to know if their husbands were coming back from their fishing trips.   

He heard the chaos of three out of control children screaming and acting up as he knocked on the door. She answered the door, looking disheveled and exhausted, like she hadn't slept in a week.

"Hi, Audrey," Angus said. "This is my fiancee, Ruby. We brought you a few things that we thought you might be able to use."

"Angus," she seemed surprised. Seeing him instantly brought tears to her eyes, and she tried to brush them away quickly. "The place is a mess, but, well, come in, and I'll put the kettle on."  

Angus led the way inside, stepping over toys and a diaper that the baby had just yanked off. The baby was dashing about the house in his birthday suit with jam on his face and hands. The toddler was screeching at the six year old, and the six year old wasn't having it. She promptly beaned the toddler with a dirty plastic cereal bowl, causing the toddler to screech and wail. Audrey was trying to regain control but it wasn't working. They weren't paying one bit of attention to their mother. 

Angus took the basket to the kitchen table and set it down. Audrey put the kettle on and got out three clean mugs.

"Any news on your husband?" Angus asked her.

"I should be there right now, but I can't find a sitter. They've got some American bloke tending him til Robert comes in. What does a yankee know about my husband?.."

"is his name Nigel, by chance?" Angus asked.

"That's the name. Nigel--no American is named Nigel," she sighed.

"Audrey, I know Nigel. He's as British as you and I are, but he works in New York. And, he's one of the very best healers here or there, either one. He's in good hands."

"He's still critical," she said quietly. She seemed numb to the children's chaos. 

"Why don't you sit and let us lend you a hand. We'll get the tea, and we'll try to put the kids to rights. Have you eaten today?"

"No time for food. I used the last of the cereal and the milk and the bread for them for breakfast. I don't have time to go to the shop..." her voice trailed off as she began to cry. 

"Ru, see what you can do with the kids, will you? I'm going to make a floo call and try to get her some help with all this," Angus said.

Ruby looked around when they ported in and smiled " beautiful place" she said as they walked towards a cottage but she looked at Angus hearing what sounded a whole horde of children. She smiled and nodded as Angus introduced her once the door was open and she stepped inside . Letting Angus take the basket she smiled to the baby who sat naked as they day he was born on the carpet, Ruby made a toy stand up and start dancing making eh baby giggle she picked him up and redressed him in his diaper and a onesie that she had seen clean laid on the floor. Hearing Angus she chuckled . " on it" she said softly a she cast a cleaning spell sending the toys to the toy box like toy solders making the toddler follow them laughing as one fell over she looked at Ruby who nodded as she picked it up and made it walk with the others as she clapped her hand amused.

Picking up a book she sat down and stated to read using her soft voice and making the caricatures have their own voices while around her the room changed to an organised clean room. " you have a wonderful home here Audrey, and your children are a credit" Ruby told her with a smile as the baby patted the page for her to continue which she did with a chuckle.