A Birth day

Jess listened to Angus tell her Robert knew he was at St Mungo's and then the reason why the nurse had been following her since the office " ah , that's the reason why" she said and groaned looking at the nurse . But hearing Elwood talk and cast the charm she laughed and motioned to the nurse " that's a very good way to deal with stupid Elwood" she said and chuckled handing the half cup to the nurse and raised an eye brow.

" now you see just how stupid the question you asked is" she said and shook her head in disbelief" why do i get the ones that should not be in healing?" she asked herself then listened again to Angus talk to Elwood and smile. Looking to the nurse she spoke again to her " I'm guessing Robert sent you to me so you'd learn not to ask a Dum question." she asked her and the nurse nodded . " and have you?" she asked and again she nodded " good now get back to tending to the patients and just remember, a half dose is as in if I say 10 millilitres but give half over ten minuets ,give five over a half hour period, witch is half a dose, now go" she said waving her out of her sight " and Jack wonders why I have a head ache when I come home" she said rubbing the bridge of her nose " I'll check back on you later, Elwood" she said with a smile.

"Let's go home," Angus told Marcus. They apparated back home, and Angus was starting to feel glad that the day was coming to a close. The kids were home, and they had already washed up for supper.
"Ru, I'm going to ask everyone to come together for a few minutes for a family meeting. I don't think it will take long, but this is something we all need to be on the same page about."

Angus asked Edward to gather up everyone on Edward's half and come over. Then he sent a note to Jessie asking Jessie and Yu and Cris to come. Edward came over with Simone, Evan, Tara, Faith, and Evie. Sam and Victor and Ginger and Anise were already there.

"Let's give it a couple minutes to see if Jessie and Yu and Cris can come," Angus said.

"While we're waiting, does anyone want a cold soda or something to drink?" Marcus asked.

Most everyone voted for soda, so Anise and Ginger took it upon themselves to get the drink orders and take everyone whatever flavor of soda they wanted.

Ruby smiled seeing Angus and Marcus arrive back " I have supper ready " she said smiling as she saw him send out a note. Soon Chris with Jessie and Yu following knocked and walked him.

"Hey guys, got you note Angus" Jessie said as Yu stood holding him while Chris ran to Anise and smiled handing her a picture he had drawn. Ruby walked over and handed them both a soda and Jessie took his while Yu opened it and handed it back to him then opened his own. Aria chuckled and smiled a she returned with her own soda and sat down next to Marcus on the couch handing him one.

" here" she said placing the cold can in his hand.

Anise and Ginger praised Cris on his drawing, and once everyone was served, they sat down, and Cris sat down between them.

"Thanks," Marcus told Aria.

"I know you all want to get to your suppers," Angus told them all, "but we've got some news. Some of you know, and some of you don't. When we defeated Pearl last night we found her husband, Elwood very much alive. There's a story there, but, the bottom line is that he is extremely frail and thin and fragile. He tells me he is 122, and Pearl was killing to steal the magical systems' energies from people to keep him alive. She's been doing this for him for 80 years. He has believed he is terminally ill and has learned to hate Pearl for keeping him in this skeletal state for almost a century.

"However, Robert says there is treatment for it now," Angus explained, "but is not certain if Elwood can be saved or not because he is so thin and fragile. Elwood is Suzanne's grandfather meaning he is the great, great grandfather for Caprice, and, biologically the great grandfather for Sam, Victor, Ruby, and Jessie. By marriage, it makes him, a great grandfather in law to me. And I'm sure I'm missing some other connections, but you get my drift.

"Here's the thing. Ruby and I don't have the heart to let Elwood simply languish away either in St. Mungos or to be shuffled off to St. Oswalds' to die. He's family, and he believed his entire family except Pearl were dead, believing Pearl had killed them all. Clearly, that's not the case. We've decided to bring him here and to give him the bedroom that Aria and Marcus were using. I'm going to take the bed out of there and put the hospital bed in it and try to fix it up for him so that it's someplace he wants to be. He's agreed to come for a couple of days for a visit, but I'm hoping we can surround him with enough family that he wants to stay.

"We need to not overwhelm him but he's going to need round the clock care. I'll see if Andrew wants to take some of his care on. If not, I'll see if Jess can find us some additional help. As for his things, the only thing we've managed to salvage so far from the castle of Elwood's personal belongings is his huge collection of rare, first edition books. He says there is nothing else there he wants. We've submitted an order to Clive for clothes for him, but he's not going to need a lot at first. I'm going to get him whatever he wants and whatever he needs.

"The bottom line is we all have another family member that has suffered 80 years of suffering at Pearl's hands. He deserves our best. Can we count on you to help us with Elwood?"

Jessie and Yu stood listening while Chris knelt at the table drawing and listening to what Angus said. Ruby walke dover and stood with Angus taking his hand in her own as he continued to talk about Elwood.

"well I for one would be happy to meet my great grandfather" Jessie said Yu nodding behind him. " he deserves to know happiness and family." he said holding Yu's arm as he spoke but Yu smiled behind him. Aria listened to Angus then looked at Marcus she knew she would have to move all there things from the room to the cottage and she smile nodding .

"I'll grab our things tomorrow and clean up the room ready for him." she said as she sipped on her soda. Letting the others voice their thought about Elwood.

"I'll help Angus get the bed out that's in there and get the other bed moved in," Marcus said. "Do you know what else you're going to want in there, Angus?"

"The hospital overbed table," Angus said, "because he isn't going to be strong enough to be on his feet for awhile. A nightstand. Maybe a pair. I don't know. Some nice lamps. He has been very clear--no red, no velvet. He says he wants warm, comfortable fabrics. I might put a recliner in there for him so he has a comfortable chair. A bookcase for his books. We might have to leave them in a reduced size, but I'll check with him to see if that's going to bother him. If he wants them all full sized, I'm going to have to enchant the room to be bigger on the inside.

"I really want to get him a nice armoire that has both a closet rod and some shelves and drawers as sort of an all-in-one unit. It will need to store his clothes and, for now, medical supplies until he's strong enough not to need them. We can store his toiletries in there for now as well until he's strong enough to use the bathroom. We'll have to have the wheelchair for him, and we'll have to put the enchantment back on the stairs for that. And, of, course, we're going to have to decorate it somehow. He's been surrounded by formal luxury, but I honestly dont think that's quite his style. What do you think about us decorating his room, nicely but with a lot more of the rustic decor that the rest of us prefer. I think he wants to get as far away as possible from anything that reminds him of the castle. He has made it very clear to me that that tower room she had him in for the last century felt like a prison to him."

"Then, perhaps, when he's able, he'd like to be outside in the sunshine and the fresh air," Marcus said.

"I'm sure he would," Angus said.

"Maybe the kids could do a couple nice landscapes either in chalks or watercolors or colored pencil. We could frame them for Elwood's room," Simone suggested. "And we can put some fresh flowers and a couple plants in the room.

"Good idea," Angus nodded.

Jessie stood and heard Angus mention an over bed table " there's one in the barn its still in good condition , I'll bring it tomorrow after I've cleaned and sterilized it " he said " we could ask Brian if he has any furniture in the attic he doesn't use and wouldn't mind donating to Elwood's room, if it is red I'll change the color on it" he said and smiled.

Aria heard Marcus and smiled " we could ask Jack to help out with the heavy lifting." she said standing as she placed her now empty can in the recycling bin before she headed back " ruby and I can focus on cleaning the room ready for redecoration." she added as Ruby brought out the hot food and placing it on the sideboard.

"okay foods ready to eat there's plenty for any one who would like some" she said and smiled seeing she had made enough to feed an army.

"Brian has a warehouse of things that he doesn't use anymore, Jessie," Angus said. "It's actually on the Colorado ranch property. He's fine with us using anything out of there that we want to use." He went to the desk, opened one of the drawers, and opened a metal box that had a lot of different keys in it. He rattled through the keys until he came to the warehouse key, and he tossed it to Jessie. "Help yourself. Just bring my key back. I have an overbed table here down in the basement. But, the warehouse might be the place to check for the armoire, the nightstands, the lamps, and maybe even a recliner and a bookcase. Just go rattle around in there and see what you find. If you want to go with him, Yu, you both know that Cris is welcome over here anytime. Or if little What's-His-Name--Jack's new shadow--wants to lend a hand, it would be good for him, if Jack can unhook him from being chained to Jack long enough to go along with you. Whatever you want to do."

"Can we put a jar of some sort of hard candy in there for him?" Ginger asked.

"I'd love to, but Honeydukes is rebuilding after their fire," Angus said.

"I happen to know where the Belbys are," Marcus said. "I bet I could talk them into making something for him. Do we know what he likes?"

"No, but I can find out, I think," Angus said.

"Why don't you let me?" Simone asked. "I think Edward and I should go introduce ourselves to him in the morning. We could go and perhaps chat him up a little and see what he likes or doesn't like. You're going to be busy enough."

"If you like, that's fine," Angus said. "Ru,. we have all sorts of clothes for the babies in their closet and their drawers that don't fit anymore. In fact, I reckon they're almost all too small...."

"I can go baby clothes shopping?" Simone asked hopefully.

"By all means, Gran," Angus said.

"Yes!" Simone beamed.

"So, while Simone spoils the minions rotten, could you and Aria maybe pack up everything out of there that is too small or that they aren't going to use anymore? that will leave a lot of room in their closet and in their drawers. Then, Marcus and Aria can have some closet space and a couple of drawer for them to keep a few changes of clothes in."

"Now that is an excellent idea," Edward said. "They still spend enough time here that they need to have some things here."

"We do have a lot of unused space in the basement still, so I honestly am considering making another bedroom down there so we have another guest room," Angus said. "What do you think, Ru?"

Jessie listened to Angus and aught the port key with a chuckle with one hand " sure will" he said " Hey they might have that cabinet for the dinning area for the cabin" he said and nodded to Angus " I'll look around shrink a few things and bring them back for your approval" he said smiling as Yu nodded behind Jessie .

"I'll make sure he doesn't over do what he brings back, and his name is Joseph at the moment I believe hes out for another day, I'll talk to Jack and see. " he said looking to Angus and Marcus. " Jess is taking care of him too." Ruby stood with Angus and nodded as he said about adding a room down stairs " yeah, there's that storage room that's doing nothing we can shrink all the paperwork and put it in a tote out of the way." she said smiling.

Aria looked at Marcus and nodded she agreed with Angus " sure some clothing here in case we need to shower and change would be beneficial but we don't need too much" she added as she heard him mention going threw the girls clothing and putting small items to one side thinning out the clothing they had since they hardly used any of it " what about donating the small clothing to St Mungo's for those less fortunate?" she suggested leaning back on the couch. " but yeah we can do that" she said smiling as Ruby nodded too.

"Good idea," Angus said. "Ah, well, we'll scratch him off our list, then. I'll leave you and Yu to handle getting the furniture then. Do try to see if there is a comfortable recliner in there, please? if not, I'll simply buy him one. And I'll leave Ruby and Aria to go through and pitch the baby stuff, and their gran can go bananas buying for them.

"We want to help. What can we do?" Ginger and Anise asked.

"Where are you going for the baby clothes, Simone?" Angus asked.

"That big muggle store in London. They have the best," she said.

"Oh. Harolds?" Tara asked.

"Harrods," Simone nodded.

"Why don't you girls tag along and buy him some good looking and comfortable blankets and sheets? Make sure you consider a couple of throws for draping over his legs, and some very thick and absorbent towels. Remember, his room has to function like a hospital room but we don't want it to look like one."

"How do we know what colors to get?" Ginger asked.

"Your Uncle Evan knows southwest art too," Evan said. "If your dad doesn't need me, I'll go along and help you narrow down your choices. If we get done in time, maybe we can stop at Florean Fortescue's for ice cream."

"Yes!" the girls were wide eyed. "But what about work tomorrow?"

"I'll ask Jack if you can help me, at least for the morning. He understands the importance of family. And he'll understand this," Angus said."

"So we'll have extra large Knickerbocker Glories for lunch, then," Evan told the girls.

"Yes!" the girls were elated.

"What about us?"

"You get to muck stalls," Anise teased.

"Not fair!" Sam said.

"We'll bring you some," Evan promised.

Angus scribbled a quick note to Jack, explaining that they were going to bring Elwood to stay with them, and he could use the girls tomorrow, hopefully just for the morning but maybe for the day. He wasn't sure. He asked permission for the girls to have some time to help prepare for Elwood, and then he sent the note to Jack by paper bird.

"Now, what am I forgetting?" Angus asked.