April 22, 2019

(continued from Park)

Tav glanced behind him, high over the town of Hogsmeade, chuckling when he saw that he'd beaten his mum. He thought for a moment it was his extreme skill, but then came to the conclusion that she'd let him win. Still pleased, he set down on the ground and waved as she landed.

"Excellent timing, eh." he beamed.

Kiara chuckled, " Yes very, you a excelent flyer Tav, my old broom had hard time keeping pace with you" she said smiling as she waved her hand temporarily shrinking the brooms to fit in there pockets.

"Alright, lunch first yes? could sworn I heard a hungry stomach back there" she said with a wink as she guided the way to the pub... well it was more a reasturant to her then a Pub...No way she would bring Tav to a normal one... well at this age anyway.

As they entered it did look pretty busy, a line of people waiting for tables...

Tav followed close behind his mum, hungry and impatient for the approaching meal. As they entered, he sighed, noticing how many people there were. They would probably have to wait now before they got a table. A pang of sadness hit his chest and the entire day of lonely birthday emptiness hit him again.

Kiara noticed Tav's disapointed look at the line, she smiled shook her head and gently took his hand...

"No worries Tav, got it covered" She muttered to him as she took him up to the front desk ment souly for reserved tables...

She muttered "Headmistress's table please, one guest"

The host nodded and lead them to a table cut off table slightly from the rest of the crouded reasturant...

"Any drinks?" the host asked.

Kiara nodded to Tav first letting him go first... she was a regular.. and had this host many times... he knew she always had Tea..

"Um, chocolate milk." Tav beamed, elated as he took his seat. Disappointment fled as a demon before a crucifix and everything was great again.
"Wow, you have your own table." he commented, having overheard her murmured request. Awe flickered within his eyes. There was nothing about Kiara that didn't amaze him. She was amazing in his young proud opinion.

Kiara laughed, " Perk of being Headmistress, Tav... Technically I am only supposed to do this for meetings, and buisness related things. So Shhh.." She said making a quite guesture with her finger over her lips. "Our secret eh? otherwise everyone will expect me to give em a birthday lunch" She said with a smile.

The host returned with the drinks... "Chocolate milk for the young Sir and as ususal Tea for milady Headmistress" he said putting the drinks on the table in front of there owners

"Know what you want to eat?'"he asked

"Chicken salad for me Zack" She said in amusment she always called her Millady Headmistress... it always sounded so funny to her, always mad her laugh..

"Tav? Anything you want" she said.

Tav's eyes twinkled. He loved a good secret.
"Okay. I can keep it secret." he swore, delighted she trusted him with something so important. But then again he was nine now, no longer a little boy of eight. He sat up straighter in his chair when asked what he wanted to eat.

"Toad-in-the-hole, please." he requested, his favourite. The very thought of the sausage baked in the succulent batter made his mouth water. Sipping his chocolate milk, he sighed happily.
"Thanks, Mum." he murmured, giving her a smile.

Kiara smiled in return, "You are quite welcome Tav, couldn't have you all sad and alone on your birthday. Not at all fun, I know" taking a sip of her tea..

She looked at Tav for a moment, and said three words she had said to surprisingly very few people in her life...

"Hey I love ya Tav, when I see you sad I am Sad, So I naturally try my best to make you happy again. I am glad it is working... happy birthday Tav" She said.

"Yeah, still, its awfully thoughtful of you. I mean you are my mum now and all." he trailed off. "But I don't expect you to know everything about me or Da overnight. That wouldn't be natural like." he nodded matter-of-factly.

Her words made him blush; his face quickly matching his bright hair.
"I love you too..." he murmured in reply. "Thanks."

Kiara smiled, it was true, about her not knowing everything overnight.. she was still learning about her new family.. but she had asked Ciaran when Tav's birhtday was.. around the begining of the month and they planned the party since then.

She felt bad slightly right then and wondered if Tav was angry with his Dad about seemingly "forgetting" his birthday.

Her smile widened at his retured statment "Anytime Tav...." she said chucklling at his blushing red face.

"What was your last birthday like?" She asked.

He shrugged, remembering the great day that his da had spent with him. They had gone to the muggle zoo and the cinema. Ice cream, cotton candy and popcorn had been completed with a huge cake his grandmother had made for him and he'd opened presents with his aunts, uncles and cousins gathered around.

"It was with everyone." he murmured, shrugging again as if it didn't matter. "My grandmama made a cake and I had presents. It was lots of fun."

Kiara gave Tav a sympathic look, ignoring the urge to smile and ruin everything. She was surprised actually that Tav wasn't suspictious of the happenings of today.. why no one seemed to remember his birthday.. and why she just happened to find him and take him out for fun in Hogmeade.

"I am sure we can plan something Tav... Infact I promise you we will, infact when we are done with stuff you want to do in Hogsmeade, do you want to go home? I am sure I can make you a good cake... likely not as good as you grandmother's but still.. We could watch moives.. play games " she said hoping she was putting on a believeable preformence. In face she had no doubt Tav's grandmother was starting the finishing touches on his cake right now...

Then the server came with there food, "Here we go, Toad-in-the-hole plate for the young Sir.. and Chicken salad for Milady Headmistress. Anything else I can get you?" he asked.

Kiara shook her head, "Not for me, Zack thank you"

"Really? Wicked!" Tav beamed, euphoria spreading through his mind at the idea of Kiara and he doing something special together. Already he felt special, sitting there with her for their meal. She was a busy person, maybe even more so than his da and yet she'd taken time for him. It was terribly nice of her.

"I'm sure your cake would be great." he assured her, smiling. "That all sounds great!"

He took his food from the waiter, thanking him as he dug into it.
"Tastes great!"

Kiara smiled, and nodded it warmed her heart that being with her made him happy, it seemed like in comparason to how his birthday was going so far.. his last birthday was much better. She was honored he valued her company as much she his.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence Tav" She said as she crossed her fingers under the table. She has made the actual cake, and let Tav's grandmother decorate t as well as add or correct anything she saw fit.

"Been years since I made a cake" she admitted before she tried her salad.

She smiled and nodded " Everything is wonderful.. thank you Zack"

After eating afew bits she looked to Tav again.

" So what is you favorite Ice cream flavor Tav?' she asked.

"No problem..." Tav smiled, swallowed a bite of his food. It wasn't as good as his da's but it was still still tasty.

"What kind of cake do you like to make?" he asked, curious. His da liked fluffy white cake with little or no frosting, he on the other hand, loved any kind of cake, with lots of globs of frosting and sprinkles. "Do you like frosting?"

"Chocolate!" came his swift answer.

Kiara smiled as she thought of the cake she made Tav, "I like to make any kind of cake, the kind I would make for you.... hmm how does chocolate cake sound? with vanilla frosting and chocolate sprinkles?" she said.

" It depends Tav, but generally yes I do like frosting, vanilla is my favorite" she said with a laugh.

"Good, we will get some ice cream after we are done here. Have you thought what you want to do after this?" she asked.

Tav nodded, "That sounds great."

He liked vanilla frosting as much as chocolate or any other kind. When it came to sugar he wasn't picky. Finishing up his food, he sipped his chocolate milk. Sighing with contentment, he leaned back in his chair as he'd seen both his da and Horatio do.

"Ice cream sounds great. I don't know yet." he added. "What's your favourite ice cream?"

Kiara chuckled to her self as she observed Tav, he was so cute. She thought for a moment as she folded her napkin over her finished plate.

"Well that is a good question... I don't normally have ice cream, I guess I don't have a favorite" she said a little sheepishly.

" But I think I will take you word for it and try the chocolate" she smiled.

The server came back to take there plates, " I hope everything was satisfactory, and I couldn't help it was your birthday young sir, Happy birthday" he said as he handed Tav a cookie.

Kiara giggled softly "Thank you Zack" she said as she paid there bill.

"Oh okay, I see." Tav nodded. His da didn't have a favourite ice cream either... in fact he was fairly certain he didn't even like ice cream, although he did eat it. his smile grew as she mentioned trying his favourite due to his word.

"Thanks!" He took the offered cookie and birthday wishes. How bad was it that the waiter knew it was his birthday and his da hadn't...

Kiara chuckled and checked her watch, she had afew hours to be with Tav until she was to take him home for the party. Despite the want to have him see his party she was having fun and enjpying her Step Sons company he was suck a sweet boy.

"Come on Tav let us go to the Ice cream parlor, after that we can think of something to do next okay? she asked.

Tav followed after Kiara, wrapping half of his cookie up in his handkerchief for later. The other half he quickly ate, humming happily as he took Kiara's hand.

"Yay!" he cheered, almost wishing she could walk a little faster. When his mind was on ice cream the world was a great place.

Kiara chuckled at his excitment, certainly glad she brightened his day up.

As they came up to the Ice cream parlar she ringed the bell to get the attents attention.

"What can I get you?" She asked.

'Two chocolate cones please" she asked.. The she seemed to pause thinking about something.

"Make one of them a birthday chocolate cone please" She said titling her head to Tav and winked.

The Attendant nodded, "Of course! how old is the lad turning?"

"9" she answered, a hint of pride in her voice, he was such a good kid.

The attendant smiled and lit a candle shaped like a 9 in the ice cream before handing it over to the costumers.

"Here you go, Happy birthday lad" she said with a smile.

Tav eyes widened into enormous saucers as elation filled his childish mind. A perfect wax '9' for his cone. How wickedly cool was that!

"Whoa! Thanks!" he cheered, taking the morsel given to him. Looking up at Kiara, he beamed. "Thanks, Mum!" he repeated, sincerity lacing his words.

Looking back into the flame, he made a wish and blew it out. The smoke curled up straight into his face and his smile grew as he knew it would now be fulfilled. It was a simple enough wish... That Kiara would always be his Mum.

Kiara beamed right back at him, "Glad you like it Tav" she said as she put a few coins in the attents hand. " Keep the change "

She took a taste of her cone... it was cold, of course, and her and cold didn't really get along... she probably wouldn't eat it all.. but it wasn't bad.

"Hmmm not bad" she said with a chuckle as she watched Tav blow his candle out.

"I hope your wish comes true Tav" she said as she patted him on the shoulder....

"Now... where to next?" she asked now that he had lunch and desert.

There were many shops, including a toy shop, and a quidditch supply shop among other things. and of course shops for Students to get supplies and new books for school.

"Tastes great!" Tav cheered, nearly devouring the top half of the cone before he paused to comment. "How's yours?" It was a rather silly question, since the ice cream had been taken from the same tub, but he asked it nonetheless. Her answer pleased him and he pulled her gently along as he walked out of the shop. "Oh don't worry, it will. Smoke went straight." Tav assured her, blissfully unaware of the chocolate dripping from his chin.

"Could we look at the brooms?" he asked, pointing to the newest one resting in the Quidditch ship window. Already several other little boys and girls stood drooling over the latest design.