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2010
Author: Bronwyn Dewhurst
Date: 01-23-16 13:57
Bronwyn crawled out of bed and padded barefoot to the bathroom. After taking care of business, she walked into the bedroom again and pulled a pair of fluffy socks from a chest of drawers. She donned the socks, slipped on a heavy cardigan over her pajamas, and went to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee.
The cat Shadow was already in the kitchen, waiting patiently by his bowl of food. Bronwyn added some kibble to the bowl, freshened up his bowl of water, and then debated what to fix for breakfast. As it was New Year's Day, a holiday, breakfast ought to be something spectacular. If only she weren't so tired from the late night yesterday evening.
After a great deal of deliberation, Bronwyn and Toby had gone to Alanna's wedding to Reed. Toby hadn't wanted to go at all and had listed all the reasons why they shouldn't, but it had been Bronwyn who'd finally convinced them why their attendance mattered. Neither supported the wedding, since Reed had the reputation as a bully and a prick, and there was something very suspicious about how quickly the engagement and marriage came about.
They needed to go for Alanna, plain and simple. For whatever whack-job reason, she wanted to marry Reed, and that had to be reason enough for Bronwyn and Toby to lend her their support. In all fairness, the wedding had been a stunning affair, and the reception afterwards was the fanciest event Bronwyn had ever attended. If she'd had a bottomless purse, she would have stuffed it full of hors-d'oeuvre and desserts like chocolate truffles and cheesecake bites. She might have even filched the 1000 galleon bottle of champagne that seemed to run freely all night.
Bronwyn decided to fix pancakes with maple-flavored sausages, bacon, and mixed berries. The aroma of coffee and bacon soon awoke Toby, who came into the kitchen with his hair mussed and wearing nothing but flannel pajama bottoms.
"A feast fit for a king!" Toby exclaimed, pressing his lips to Bronwyn's cheek for a quick kiss.
"I thought we should celebrate the new year," Bronwyn said, flipping a pancake.
"2010!" Toby whistled. "When did that happen?"
"About ten hours ago."
"Ha." He kissed her again and then went to get the morning newspaper, which the delivery owl had slipped through the mail slot in the front door. "What time are we due at your parents' house?" he called out from the foyer.
"Five," Bronwyn replied. Her parents were hosting New Year's Day dinner.
"Did we settle on a menu for tomorrow?" Toby stood in the doorway with the paper open in front of his face.
The couple was hosting a dinner with friends tomorrow night. Bronwyn was especially interested to hear about Chance's adventures in the dating world.
"Honey glazed scallops," Bronwyn said. "We just need to remember to pick up some brown rice tomorrow, and maybe some veggies like broccoli."
"Right. Honey from the Beck hive," Toby mused. His parents had recently gotten into beekeeping and had given everybody jars of honey for Christmas.
"Oh, we can even make honey cake for dessert!" Bronwyn exclaimed. "We just need to get some chocolate for melting."
"I'll make a grocery list," Toby said, folding the paper back up and putting it on the edge of the counter.
A little while later, breakfast was ready. The pair sat down at the table and talked about their new year's resolutions.
With Leroy
Author: Finley
Date: 01-24-16 09:39
"I don't know why you bother coming home," Leroy said. "If I didn't have to be here, I wouldn't come home at all."
"The fact that you call this place home suggests it does have some meaning for you," Finley pointed out.
"Well, I don't have any other place to be, do I? This is home whether or not I want it to be," Leroy answered.
The tension that had passed between them last summer appeared to have dissipated during their time apart. Leroy had seemed genuinely glad to see Finley again, and vice versa. He still looked the same, which was a relief since Leroy had a definite weight problem and usually appeared bigger to Finley after every long absence. Maybe Leroy had finally reached his maximum, or the growth spurt he'd experienced this fall had helped him maintain his appearance.
"It's really not so bad a place," Finley said, "and you know why I come home every chance I get. It's because I miss you."
Leroy's face turned a little pink. "I miss you too," he said. "It's not the same without you."
"I wish you could come to school with me."
"Me too."
They fell into thoughtful silence. The two friends were seated in the lunchroom and ate roast beef with potato gratin.
After a few minutes of giving their lunches their full attention, they found themselves distracted by Charla, who was giving a tour of the facility to a woman dressed in a nice pair of slacks and a woolen sweater. Charla had apparently been assigned the task by Mrs. Gill and took the job very seriously. She sounded like a museum docent.
"And over here you'll find the condiments station," she announced, gesturing her hands at a side table containing bottles of ketchup, mustard, and HP Sauce. There was also a napkin dispenser, salt and pepper shakers, and a bowl of sugar.
Leroy snorted under his breath. Either he was far enough away not to be heard, or Charla pretended as if she didn't hear. It was fairly obvious she was trying to make a good impression. After all, the woman had come to the orphanage to see about adopting a child. Like so many of the other older children, Charla was desperate for a family and often felt like she would spend the rest of her days at the orphanage.
The woman smiled and let her eyes travel the length of the room. For a second, they landed on Finley. It was in that moment that Finley felt like she had seen the woman before, but she couldn't remember where. In all honesty, it seemed unlikely, since the place Finley spent most of her time these days was Hogwarts. Maybe the lady only looked like somebody Finley had seen before.
Charla gestured for the woman to follow her into the kitchen. As soon as she was out of the room Leroy said, "She's really hamming it up, isn't she?"
"Totally," Finley agreed. "Let's hope the effort works and she gets adopted so we never have to see her again."
New Year's Day Gathering
Author: Marzipan
Date: 01-24-16 14:02
The FitzRoy-Ravenscroft clan gathered at Georgia's South Kensington home for lunch on New Year's Day. The visiting family included Georgia's parents and grandmother, Marzi and the boys, and Marius and his new fiancée, Morag MacDougal. Marius and Morag had known each other at school but had recently reconnected through work. Marius was a landscape architect, who had been hired by the firm for which Morag worked. The pair got reacquainted and hit it off, which led to the quick engagement.
Morag was being grilled by her future great grandmother-in-law, who had become very hard of hearing over the last few years.
"Will it be a summer wedding?" Tullia Wildsmith asked, in a loud voice.
"No, ma'am," Morag said again. "We're getting married in the spring."
"What?"
"In the spring."
"In the summer?"
Marzi walked over and a hand on her great grandmother's arm. "Great grandmother, would you like me to warm up your tea? It looks like it's gotten cold."
"Oh, yes. Biscuits would be lovely, dear."
Marzi shot Morag a sympathetic smile and took her great grandmother's teacup out of the elder woman's hand. She wandered into the kitchen with it, where Georgia was preparing a plate full of an assortment of cookies. Some were wafers, others chocolate-covered, while others had fruity jam in the middle.
Marzi set to heating up the tea. Her mother looked over and remarked, "You seem to be holding up well."
Marzi looked over at her mother. "All things considered, yes. I thought I would have a much more difficult time, what with it being the first holiday season without Weston, but I suppose I anticipated the worst. It really hasn't been so bad."
"I'm glad to hear it," Georgia said. "Do you think you're ready to start dating again?"
Marzi looked surprised. "No."
"When you are ready, I think it might be fun if we double date. I haven't dated at all since Constantius died. I think I'm ready now."
"Constantius has been gone over eight years now. If it's taken you that long to feel ready to start dating, why do you think I'll be ready after four months?"
Georgia tsked tsked as if the question were absurd. "Don't you think it would be fun, going out with your mother and talking about men? We never were able to before."
Marzi thought about pointing out that the reason they hadn't had mother-daughter gossip sessions about boys was because Georgia had walked out on her as a newborn. They'd only reconnected as adults, and their start had been a rocky one.
"I'll let you know when I'm ready to try dating, but I can tell you it probably won't be soon."
"Well, you should at least find a date for Marius' wedding."
Marzi shot her mother a look but didn't say anything. Instead, she held out her hand to take the cookie platter and carried it and the teacup back into the living room. She handed the teacup to her great grandmother and passed the cookie platter around the room.
What A Way To Start The New Year
Author: Plum
Date: 01-25-16 14:05
Ruta's voice calls from the fireplace, "Plum?" A few seconds pass then again, "Plum?"
Stirring from a window seat and clearing her throat a few times to find her cracking voice Plum replies, "Coming, Ruta."
She moves to the fireplace where the flames form an outline of Ruta's features. The face smiles and in Plum's fevered imagination the smile brightens the flames forming it. Ruta starts talking before Plum has a chance to say hello or even to sit down.
"You must have had a late night at the wedding and reception. You look awful. I'd hoped you would drop by the party but I understand family obligations."
Plum starts to shake her head but thinks better of it. "Didn't make it anywhere. Evan and Alex both came down with fevers and stomach upsets, so much so I ended up taking both to St. Mungo's. We got back home just before midnight then around three I got sick as well."
"You want me to come over? I could bring soup or something."
"No, but thank you. I wouldn't want you to catch this."
"I'll still do some soup or herbal tea or something and send it over."
"Thank you, but don't go to any trouble."
"No trouble. I am sorry to have bothered you but I didn't know you were sick. I wanted to make sure you got the memo about the date and time of the Dartford deposition changing."
"I did and with it being moved up I hope I'm over this virus."
"If not, Jordan should be back so he could go in your place since he's familiar with the case and the client."
"He'll be back. He's coming back sometime today, or that's what he's told me. He wants to be somewhat readjusted to our time by work Monday after having spent two weeks back home."
"I'll let you get back to resting. Expect the soup soon. Let me know if you need a hand what with both the boys sick too."
Plum again says, "Thank you."
Ruta's head outline vanishes from the flames. Plum adds a couple more logs to the fire and rather than returning to the window seat she plops on the couch and pulls a throw over her. She lies there a moment then with great effort gets up again. She'd best check on the baby and Alex.
Alex is sleeping though somewhat fitfully. Evan needs a nappy change but hardly stirs from his own napping. The pediatric healer gave them both something to help settle their stomachs and it tends to make them sleepy, for which Plum in her own ill state is grateful. Feeling as she does she's not sure she could handle a crying Evan and a whiny Alex.
Back on the couch she pulls the throw over her again, wishing Anthony were here. But, maybe no. Not this one time as he'd likely be sick as well. She wouldn't wish that on him. Hoping Anthony won't be overly disappointed to learn Plum did not attend Alanna's wedding when he himself had wanted to go though he can't say he cares at all for Reed, she falls into her own fitful doze, fitful partly because she can't seem to get comfortable and partly because she's listening for sounds from the boys' rooms.