A "Magical" Dinner Party

Closing up the shop early, Monday took the stairs two steps at a time as he hurried to make sure everything was ready for their coven's Valentine's dinner. He had spent a few hours the night before preparing the dishes and rearranging the furniture to make room for everyone - five coven members (hopefully) this year - since Thursday and Friday were off doing their thing as always - as well as Candle and Ganymede and a few extra chairs in case unexpected guests arrived. It was always a good idea to set an extra chair a dinner - or so his mother always used to tell him. You never know who could show up unannounced.

Popping a few things in the oven, Monday ran down the stairs when the doorbell rang and brought up some catered desserts. Monday had asked a bakery in town to do desserts among them were two dozen heart-shaped cookies, a black forest layer cake and some chocolate covered fruit which he put in the fridge until later.

Gabriel had definitely not left it all to Candle to prepare, even though he knew that he could have if he had really wanted to. Candle already did enough helping around the shop, looking after the general housekeeping, Garry and making sure Ganymede was generally okay - all of which he was extremely grateful for.

Seeing that everything was okay for now, Monday checked that Garry was behaving and then went to his room to have a quick shower and change for the evening before his coven started arriving.


(As always, no set posting order, feel free to jump in whenever you want.)

@Lotharingia @EmiRose @Emy @PixelatedGlory @Pallas @Kait

Monday and Garry had both heard the door ring, and Monday was thankful Ganymede had decided to answer because he was holding a hot casserole dish of vegetables that he had roasted ... some of them had even darkened to a nice brown crisp.

Setting the dish on a rack, he took off his oven gloves just as a blue streak went zooming past his shoulder towards the door... Garry ... Monday chuckled to himself.

"Wendsday, Tuesday... Wendsday, Tuesday... " Garry squawked happily in greeting, landing close by, when he saw who was at the door. He knew the coven witches - had seen them before and it was a happy surprise to see them again.

Following behind the parrot, Monday grinned when he saw the two witches. It had been quite a while since he had been able to get out of the house safely with all the snow that had been falling. At times, Monday had felt unnaturally anxious, afraid it never would. Thankfully, it had and the roads and paths seemed clear once again.

"Welcome, and thanks for coming tonight," he greeted Wednesday and Tuesday warmly, looking at the two women, just very happy to see them both well, alive, and safe.

"I see you have met Ganymede," he said as he glanced down at the nek0, feeling oddly proud for some reason. "oh, and Garry too," he added laughingly when a loud squawk was heard from behind him, reminding him of his presence.

At the mention of Garry sending a Valentine, Monday glanced at the bird strangely ... He had found the curtain in the shop window ... his red damask turn of the last century curtain with an oddly shaped hole (heart?) bunt out of it. He doubted very much that it had been Candle, especially considering the singed cut out was a good 15 cm from the floor... the perfect height for a parrot.

Ignoring Monday quite deliberately now. Garry flapped his wings when Candle came in the room and puffed out his feathers, happy to see her, watching as Monday formally introduced everyone and invited them into the house, offering everyone a drink.

"What can I get you Tuesday? Wednesday? Candle?" Monday asked politely as he looked at Ganymede and told him to help himself to the beverages in the fridge that he had picked up for him when they had gone grocery shopping the day before.