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 Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 8:13 pm
"Accelerated growth," Beatrix said, packing the fact away back in her head for later. "Well, that will make for some interesting tests. - Has he shown any signs of magical aptitude? Or anything unusual? - Of course, living in this household, I imagine a great deal goes on anyway..."
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Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 8:26 pm
"Hey, now." Jack grinned, lifting his mug for a long sip. Setting it down again, he shook his head. "I'm safe, Bea. You know that. Nothin's leakin' anywhere. All the kids are safe." He glanced over at Antony, though, and tilted his head in consideration. "I haven't noticed anythin', though."
"He is too magic," argued Evie cheerfully. "He watches my movies with me and he lets me brush his hair. Magic is just being friends."
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Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 8:22 am
For some reason Antony got a worried look on his face. "Ah, well, um... no, not magic, so to say," he said, tugging on his dress shirt's collar.
"He's pretty normal, other than the growth thing," Shade said as he finished his sandwich. But his eyes were on Antony, since he could tell the kid was hiding something.
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Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 8:29 am
Beatrix was liking Antony's self-effacing manner a great deal; Evie, though adorable, was grotesquely twee. No wonder she had John wrapped around her miniscule finger. She drained her teacup. "How long did his growth periods take, Mr. Shade?"
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Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 8:30 pm
"What, a month? It took less for the cabbage stage, I think," Shade said, thinking about it. His grasp on time wasn't nearly as good as it was for most people. He lived too long.
Antony started playing with his sandwich.
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Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 9:12 pm
"I see," said Beatrix, even though the irony contained in that sentence and in her eye-bandage was obvious. "Not literally, of course. - I suppose this is something I shall have to play by ear, then. I'll keep you informed; I suppose it's best to keep some kind of cabbagey solidarity - I didn't mean to barge in on either of you," she said frankly. "I should have... called ahead, but..."
She cleared her throat, a little embarrassed; Jack could guess why she hadn't called ahead. "Thank you for the tea. And for - well, it doesn't matter. Jack, you do have a phone in this establishment?"
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Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 9:17 pm
"'Course I do, luv." Standing, Jack reached out to take her hand and pull her to her feet gently. In fact, everything about him was quite gentle considering some of the pot shots Beatrix had taken at the house and his company kept. "What d'ya need?"
Brunswick cocked his head to one side, watching and frowning. Evie, meanwhile, smiled and then turned to study Antony's sandwich with him, leaning far over the edge of her cup to better see the contents.
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Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 9:26 pm
Silently the boy broke off a piece, offering it to her. He still felt guilty for not telling the whole truth about his "magic."
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Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 9:29 pm
"Just your number, you egg," she said, equally gently and a litlte awkward, which was odd. "I was hoping I could - call sometimes. Or write, even. Email. You know I'm less snappy in writing, Jack. I was hoping - I didn't want this to be a one-off, I miss being your dowager aunt."
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Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 9:37 pm
"You've always missed that, Bea." He shot a smile in Shade's direction. "So long as Shade doesn't mind, you can come 'round whenever. We can't promise the state o' ourselves, o' course. I might just fall for the big, manly man. Still," here he pulled Bea into a sudden hug, "come 'round. I've missed you."
Evie accepted the bit of sandwich with a bright smile. "Thank you, Antony," she said. "You really are a prince like Miss Calli says."
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Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 9:43 pm
"Don't mind at all," Shade said cheerfully. "In fact, Antony looks quite fond of you," he added with a glance at his boy. It was definite. The kid was hiding something. But Antony smiled brightly at Beatrix.
"Please come by again?" he asked. "I'd like that."
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Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 9:48 pm
Beatrix returned the hug awkwardly, Thwomp trailing back from his investigation of Evie to his mistress' shoulder. "Don't even start that, Dexter," she muttered to Jack, empty threat entirely, "or I will break down, I'm not quite ready for your forgiveness yet."
She pecked him on the cheek and turned in the direction of Antony's voice, smoothing down her skirt. "I would like that too, Mr. Antony," she said, and reached down to pick up her cabbage. "Thank you for being so kind to me. You were the soul of hospitality. - Mr. Shade, Eve, Brunswick. I'm sure you'll see more of me in the future than you have the stomach for. Next time I'll bring tea. Jack, d'you mind showing me to the door? - and thank you, Mr. Shade, I'm sure that we will be cabbage parents-in-arms together."
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Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 10:27 pm
Obedient in a way that would make anyone who knew him laugh, Jack slipped his arm through Bea's unoccupied one and began steering her towards the front hall and freedom. Behind them, Evie stood up in her cup and waved. "Goodbye, Miss Bea!" she called. "I hope you bring your cabbage back when it's a baby."
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