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Ivy finished setting the table, hearing Lila complaining about how making a dinner on short notice was murder on her nerves. The assassin knew that Lila was mad at Damin and was taking it out on Ivy's idea to have a friend of her daughter's and the child's parents come over for dinner.

It was something that normal families did, well, somewhat normal families and Ivy knew her daughter wanted to see Cookie again.

After sitting the last plate down and pushing booster seats in two chairs for the kids, Ivy went to see how Damin was doing with getting Eve to agree on a dress for dinner.

Eve glared at the vampire doctor as he had talked her into a white dress with a mellow green sash around the waist. She had nearly had a fit when he tried to put matching bows in her hair. Thankfully her mother didn't insist on her wearing shoes for dinner or to be in the house at all, just tights for dinner.

Sometimes Eve wanted to hug her mother tightly. She turned as she heard her bedroom door open and her mother came in, dressed in a simple pale green dress. Eve ran past her, wanting to know if Cookie had arrived yet.

Eve ran to the door, trying to reach for the knob. When she couldn't reach it, she knew her mother would. At that thought, Ivy came from the dining room and Eve asked her to open the door politely.

Ivy nodded and opened the door, smiling in greeting with her daughter behind her. The assassin remembered Lam and was glad that they hadn't canceled since Eve was happy.

Once the door was open, Eve hugged Cookie in greeting. "Hi, Cookie," she said cheerfully.

Ivy on the other hand merely invited Lam in with a greeting of "Good evening." She left the door open and went to see if Lila was done with dinner yet or if she was still complaining.

Eve was happy to see Cookie again and pleased to hear the compliment for the usually gloomy manor that she lived in. "Uncle Damin and my nanny cleaned," Eve had watched while her mother hid.

Eve heard a mew from the top of the stairs and grinned as she remembered Lava. "I have someone to show you," Eve said with a smile.

Ivy smiled, "You're welcome. I was glad when you and Cookie could come at least though I hope Varian gets well soon." The assassin led the way into the kitchen, where Lila was putting the final touches on a strawberry cake for dessert.

The nanny smiled in greeting at Lam, not moving from the cake till it was finished and done.

Eve led the way up the stairway to where Lava, her black and red chimera kitten waited while playing a toy that the ragdoll had gotten for him.

Lava stopped playing when it had heard the noise, hearing and understanding.

"Cookie, meet Lava, my new kitty," Eve introduced him, letting the kitten come over when Lava wished.

Lila nodded at the wave as she had her hands full. "I'll make sure to save a few slices for them. Thank you, I've been working on it all day, at least after cleaning the manor up a bit." The nanny shot Ivy a dirty look for the fact that the assassin wasn't fond of cleaning.

Ivy merely smiled, the smile reaching her eyes though it didn't often. "I'll put dinner on the table, the roast beef smells wonderful."

Eve grinned as she had thought Lava would like to meet Cookie. Lava purred at the scratching, mewing back in reply about how it liked living with Eve. The toddler had talked her mother into giving Lava his own room and letting her buy the kitten enough toys to last years. In short, Lava was being spoiled by Eve and being well taken care of.

"I've been having Lava be the subject of some of my newest pictures." Eve didn't know where her mother had put the pictures though.

Ivy smiled, "I wouldn't mind the help." The trays holding the roast beef, salad, and rolls that Lila had made. Lila continued her work on the cake, trusting Ivy and Lam with the food she had made.

"I'm glad, I wouldn't want him to be unhappy," Eve was very glad that Lava was happy with living with her.

Lava mewed abut some drawings and sketches that he had sat still for Eve to draw. The kitten liked the attention even though he had no idea why she was drawing him. Then the kitten told Cookie about the drawings on the walls of his room that Eve had done.

Ivy nodded, leading the way to a bright though slightly gloomy dining room. There was a white table cloth on the long wooden table. She didn't want to admit that this was the first time she had anyone besides her family over on an event that require the use of the table.

"Sit them anywhere on the middle of the table." Ivy noticed a vase with brightly colored flowers, knowing Lila had put it after Ivy had given up on talking her out of the flowers.

Eve nodded, "I tried to make it look nice." Lava didn't like being picked up against his will, so Eve let the cat move ahead of them. She opened the door to a room only a little smaller than her own, but landscapes lined the walls with creatures that the toddler noticed Lava seemed to like hearing about. Some were winter and others were springtime.

Kitten toys and a few beds were scattered here and there on the floor, according to where Lava had left them.

"Grandpa Louie helped me with the pictures," Eve said as Lava looked at Cookie, curious about her reaction.

Ivy sat the tray on the table, but smiled slightly, "They were Lila's idea. She thought they brightened the room up a bit." Ivy went to get the remaining four trays, the food on them being something for dessert.

Lila finished the cake and sat it on one of the trays.

Lava went to get his favorite toy, wanting to play with Cookie. Eve watched with a smile though she did have some new pictures she had done of some of her friends. "I'll be right back, Cookie. I need to get something from my room, I made something for you."

Eve ran out of the room to the room next door, looking through pictures on the easel. She hoped her mother hadn't picked up the picture of Cookie because it was important to Eve that her friend got the picture.

Lila carried in the last tray, "Ivy, did you see some of Eve's new pictures? She was excited about one though she wouldn't tell me about it."