A Birth day

"Good," Angus said. "Jack's heart is in the right place, and he takes his job very seriously. He does, though, always want to keep as much under his own control as he can because, i think, he wants to make sure things are always done right the first time around. I don't fault him for that. I really don't. And he's really good about making sure the grounds crew has backup and partners and that they have everything they need. He doesn't, however, always take some of that same advice when its given to him."

"Like someone else I know," Marcus pointed out, glaring at Angus.

"Now, Marcus, the boy's gotten better about that even for what little time I've been here, Give Angus a bit of credit," Elwood said.

"He has but it could be better," Marcus said.

"Lovely breakfast," Elwood said, "Thank you. I'm quite full now."

"Are you ready to go outside, then," Andrew asked.

"God, I can hardly wait," Elwood said. Andrew brought the wheelchair and took Elwood outside to the Fae garden, something Elwood had waited months to see. Angus got up and went to the deck door. He watched Andrew take the chair outside and Elwood kicked his shoes off. He shakily stood up and walked a few steps in the green grass, the first time he had felt grass under his feet in well over 50 years. It made Elwood more emotional than he expected. Andrew helped him walk a bit and then brought the chair to help Elwood sit. Andrew sat in front of Elwood and seemed to be helping him to work through some very strong emotion.

"Is he doing alright?" Marcus asked, joining Angus at the window.

"I can hear him in my head. He's angry," Angus said. "He's so damned angry."

"At what?" Marcus frowned.

"Pearl. She was so overly controlling that while she believed she was keeping him safe she stripped from him even the tiniest joys of life. He feels like she wasted half a century of his life because she kept him in that damned tower room and in that bed. That's why he wanted to die. And, right now, he's confused by us. He's seeing that even though we've known him for such a short time, we're showing more affection and treating him like we really want him as part of our family than Pearl ever was able to show him. He's angry for spending so many years wanting to die, and now, he's starting to think that maybe he doesn't need to die just to escape all the misery---because he doesn't have that misery anymore."

"And that is huge improvement, then," Marcus said.

"It is. He's wondering if he'll see Christmas. He's thinking about how many decades and decades its been since he celebrated Christmas because Pearl wasn't into it."

"Well, your house knows how to celebrate Christmas. You lot can certainly make him a happy Christmas this year."

"Maybe. Maybe we could," Angus said. "I'm afraid I don't have any Christmas ideas yet."

"I'm sure Ruby will," Marcus laughed.

Ruby heard Elwood and smiled as Andrew took him out side. While Aria sat with the babies Ruby walke dover to where Angus and Marcus stood and heard them " oh I do" she said and chuckled " but it is good to see him finally happy after the dreadful time he had in that tower" she added and chuckled as she saw a curious fae fly over to Elwood with a flower for him. " okay maybe I should think about what were having for dinner or do you have any suggestions on that Angus?" she asked looking at him with a smile.

Aria chuckled and looked into the play pen to see both babies now curled up taking a nap. Standing up she walked over and pored herself a coffee then returned to her spot. Opening the paper that Elwood had left behind while he went outside.

"I heard Elwood talking in the last couple of days," Marcus said, "that he's been hungry for a pot of good old fashioned beef vegetable soup. He was saying his mum served it with a hot ham and cheese sandwich and some hobnobs that his mum always added chocolate icing to. He said the house elf could not manage vegetable soup, and Pearl detested it. So he hasn't had it in decades."

"Well, that would be easy enough to manage," Angus said. "Is there anything he really wants to do?"

"He wants to be able to go spend a couple days looking in a library, and maybe a day or so in a nice potions lab--or so Andrew told me," Marcus said.

"Well, we happen to know a man that has a three floor library and a bigger potions lab than St. Mungos," Angus replied.

"I hadn't considered that," Marcus grinned. "I bet, if we talked to Kate or Robert, they'd take him to the farm for a couple days. They have more in common than they realize, and it might do Elwood good to have a wee bit of a change of scenery."

"Might do Robert good too. He's been surly lately. Maybe some time in his own place would be good for him."

"I can go talk with Kate or send her a note," Marcus said.

"If we're going to do that, I need to get to Clive's and get him some jeans, a sweatshirt or two, a good winter coat, some gloves and boots and a hat. All kinds of gear for living out here in the country," Angus said.

"Ruby, you and Aria are good at picking out clothes. If the weather clears, why don't the two of you go see Clive in Venice and take the babies and get some some new winter coats while you're at it? Unless you want me to resize their six month coats? I mean, they were really tiny last winter," Marcus said.

Ruby and Aria listened to the guys talking and when clothing was mentioned they smiled . Ruby looked to Marcus and nodded " sure we can do that, babies need new coats and winter things " she said looking at the sleeping toddlers in the play pen. " as for the dinner I'll get on it, I can make hob knobs from scratch then add the chocolate on top while the soup is simmering." she said standing and moving to the kitchen as she gathered the ingredients . Soon she was chopping away at the vegetables to add to the soup.

Aria stayed beside the Babies and read her paper as she watched them and nodded she agreed " we both could do with a new coat" she said to Marcus " I'll make sure its your style" she added with a chuckle as she turned a page of the news paper she held.

"I'd appreciate that," Marcus said. "He's learned to keep a black wool dress coat for me as a work coat, and I do need a new one. But I also need a new ski jacket and a new leather missions coat."

"He needs clothes, period," Angus said. "When he came here, he had almost nothing at all but black suits with white shirts and black ties. Bodyguard suits. I had to get him a pair of jeans."

"I had a pair of jeans when I came."

"One. Black dress jeans. You didn't have a single pair of blue jeans."

"Didn't need them til I came here."

"The man wore black suits on his days off and to just hang out in. You should check out his wardrobe and find out where the holes are. You're going to find he needs jeans, sneakers, sweatshirts, tee shirts...He could use a few pair of zubaz...."

"What?" Marcus laughed. "I don't even know what that is."

"They're comfortable lounging trousers. I use them as pajama bottoms."

"I thought you used pajama bottoms as pajama bottoms."

"Half of them are pajama bottoms but half are zubaz," Marcus said. "That's why there's no shirt to match half of them. Do fix his pitiful wardrobe, Aria. He's a workaholic, and he's completely skimped on the casual clothes."

Aria heard Angus and chuckled " all right I'll get Clive to send over some clothing in your colors and a new mission jacket" she said smiling as Angus continued telling her about his clothing and how he wore nothing but suits till he came to work for Angus " don't worry Angus he'll have all those and the necessities , in time" she said not wanting to change Marcus but subtly add to his wardrobe.

Ruby looked at Angus " so anything you need?" she asked him " other than a new winter coat and boots" she said as she thought about the ones he had worn last winter. " maybe a pair in black for missions?" she suggested from the kitchen as she added oats to the mix in the bowl to make the hob knob bisects to go with the dinner meal.

"New boots would be great. Oh, and a good pair of black winter mission gloves," Angus said. "Clive knows what I like. I don't know where he gets them but they're black leather, they're actually pretty thin, but they're warm as toast. Thanks."

"I love your winter mission gloves," Marcus said. "I wish I had a couple pair myself. And he definitely needs new black mission shirts, Ruby. He's almost out because he's been losing one in every mission he goes on lately, and he's starting to run short. That, and he needs a new pair of warm winter slippers. the other morning, I saw Finn dash out the door, and he had something with him. I didn't see what it was but it had to have been one of his slippers because his left slipper is just gone, and I've looked everywhere for it."

"Figures. Bullfrogs, slippers. What next?" Angus sighed.

"The dog is bored."

"That's it. I'm definitely buying him some sheep and goats to run after," Angus said.

"Do you have a sheep pen?"

"Not yet, but I'll have one. I'll put one in. Mark my words, and Kate will be thrilled because she's always wanted to harvest her own goat hair and sheep fleece for her textile art pieces. Now she can. Robert will be annoyed, but that's up to Kate to deal with, not me. And she'll be elated that our dog is not eating her bullfrogs." He accio'd a pad of paper and a pen, making a list, and thinking out loud. "2 Wensleydales, 2 Herdwicks, 2 Cotswolds, 2 Longwools, 2 Angora goats, 2 cashmeres. That'll work for starters."

"That's a dozen, you know. Is that where you want to start?" Marcus asked.

"Its where Kate will start. And I have to leave room to grow, so I'll put in a big sheepfold and probably a shelter in the fold unless Jack can absorb them into the barn, but I'm not sure we can just keep absorbing whatever critter we come across unless we enlarge the barn. Maybe I can go scout out where to put it while Elwood and Andrew are outside and the girls are in Venice."

Ruby listened to Angus and nodded making note of the gloves he wanted " we'll get you some too" she said to Marcus as he said he liked Angus mission gloves then she heard Marcus mention Angus shirts she chuckled nodding her head " so I have seen " she said " I'll make sure Clive has a good stock on stand by and that your wardrobe is well stocked " she said with a smirk.

Aria nodded to Marcus " and I'll make sure you have a good pair of mission gloves too, ones that are thin but warm" she said with as smile as she finished her coffee and sat down to read the paper again while Ruby continued to make the soup and biscuits.

"Just tell Clive Marcus wants a pair of the same winter gloves I have," Angus said. "He'll know exactly what you want." He got up and headed towards the stairs.

"Wait a minute. Where do you think you're going?" Marcus frowned, bouncing up.

"Unless you want me going outside in only a pair of pajama bottoms, I'm going up to find some jeans and sweater or something," Angus said.

"Wait. Wait, wait, wait. How are you going to put on a pullover anything with your arm in a cast and your shoulder all effed up?"

"Dunno. Hadn't gotten to that yet," Angus said.

"Sit. Sit down, and I'll find you something. I admire that you want to be fully functioning. I get it. But your timing sucks. You're pushing things entirely too soon," Marcus said. Angus looked at him, and Marcus pointed back at the bed. "Sit your bum. I don't intend to have to tell you three times. I'll take care of it." Marcus went upstairs, and he came back with a pair of jeans, a solid flannel shirt in an cream color, a cashmere cardigan in a medium brown color. He also had a tan colored puffer vest with him in case Angus wanted to go outside. Marcus helped him dress. "You do know that you are not going to have the energy yet to go touring the entire estate, right? And with one hand, you can't use a walker or a rollator. As i see it, you may have to use your all terrain wheelchair for long trips like this for a day or two until you rebuild your energy. It's coming along nicely, but it just isn't all back yet--unless you somehow plan for me to carry a chair for you."

Angus sighed, annoyed.

Ruby heard Angus and nodded " got it" she said and smiled as Marcus saw him trying to head upstairs and told Angus to sit back down. " best do as he says , he doesn't take no for an answer, kinda like you" she said with a chuckle as she saw him sit on the bed as Marcus went up to fetch some clothes for him. " okay I think I got a pretty good list" she said showing Aria who nodded and handed her Marcus list she had made.

" I think we wait until we know what the weathers doing , then head out" she Aria said as she saw Marcus return and place the clothing next to Angus , Aria moved to pull the privacy screen around them both.