"Jenna just give me the flour. I'll make the cake." Nicko tried to tug the flimsy bag out of Jenna's hands.
"How hard can it be to just follow directions?"Jenna held onto the bag, pulling it back toward herself.
"Harder than you think." Nicko tried again.
"You think I can't do it?"
"Of course not! I just want to make it."
Sam watched the bag start to bend in his sibling's hands. "Nicko, Jenna, maybe you could make the cake together," he started to say when the bag of flour, unable to handle the stress, ripped open at the top. Flour exploded through the air in a glorious mushroom cloud. When the dust cleared enough to see, Jenna, Nicko, the counter space and the floor around them were shrouded in white.
Before anyone had a chance to register what had happened Simon's voice cut through the air, "What have you done?" He stood in the open doorway gaping at the mess his younger siblings had created.
Jenna's high pitched squeal came next. "Nicko!"
"How is this my fault?"
"Put the bag down before you make more of a mess!" Sam cried, fighting a smile. He snatched the ripped bag from Nicko's hands and set it on the counter top.
Septimus tried to hide his smile behind his cleaning cloth until he made the mistake of sharing a look with the twins. Simultaneously, Septimus, Edd, Erik and Jo-jo broke out into uncontrollable laughter. Sam managed to keep his composure but couldn't smother his smile. Simon sighed and finally stepped inside.
"Septimus, can you take them outside & help them get cleaned up?"
Sep surveyed his brother and sister. "I don't know, the idea of the queen walking through the Castle covered in flour is pretty appealing" Septimus suggested before dodging out of the way of Jenna's flying fists.
"Jenna stop! You'll get the flour everywhere!" Sam reprimanded. Jenna already had Septimus in a choke hold on the floor.
"Stop it you two! I just finished cleaning over there," Jo-jo moaned.
"Jenna, get off me! I give! I give! I'll do it." Septimus gasped. Jenna harrumphed and led her brothers out the door. Simon sidestepped the hurricane of a girl and snickered at the boys, earning him a punch in the gut from Nicko.
The door swung open for a second time before Jenna could even reach for the knob. Silas stood in the doorway. His eyes landed on his youngest children and confusion flooded his face.
" You were supposed to be cleaning the house not making it worse!"
The kids winced at his tone but Simon had other thoughts on his mind. "Dad, where's mum?"
"She's with Sally. I wanted to see how far along you were. She's starting to get suspicious." Silas stared at the mess of flour on the wood floor. His eyes wandered along the path Jenna and Nicko's footprints had made and he couldn't help wondering aloud, "How are you going to fix this?"
Simon saw the look of despair in his father's eyes and tool charge.
"Two hours. Give us two more hours." At Silas's doubtful glance Simon added, "Surely Sally can manage to keep mum occupied."
Silas shook his head. Ignoring the panic on the twins faces he said, "Alright, two hours. I'll see what I can do."
"I'll come and get you guys," Jo-jo offered.
Silas nodded. He looked at Simon and shook his head once more. "I'll see you all in two hours then." And good luck, he added silently as he turned away. Jenna, Nicko and Septimus trailed out after their father.
As soon as the door shut behind their siblings Edd rounded on Simon. "Are you insane! How are we supposed to fix all of this and cook a meal in two hours?"
"Easily," Simon rolled up his sleeves and walked over to the counter area. "You guys already had most of the room clean right?"
Edd nodded.
"Good. Then we just have to clean up this mess and make supper. That's not hard. Sam, you were fixing the fish right?"
A good fifteen minutes later, Nicko pushed the Big Red Door open to find Simon mixing cake ingredients in a bowl, Edd helping Sam season the fish and Erik and Jo-Jo wiping up the last of the flour footprint trail.
"Well, you all clean up nicely," Nicko joked.
"No thanks to you," Jo-Jo said and ruffled Nicko's hair. Nicko swatted Jo-Jo's hand away muttering, "Don't do that, I'm not a kid anymore."
Septimus walked over to Simon. "Since when did you learn to bake, Si?" Septimus asked.
"Oh, I've actually always had an interest," Simon said dismissively.
"Lucy taught you didn't she."
"Maybe."
"Excuse me, Edd," Jenna said. On the other side of the counter she was trying to reach the cupboard so she could begin setting the table.
"I'm not Edd, Jen," the boy said sounding exasperated.
"Yes you are, now move please." Jenna shouldered past him.
"How do you do that?" Erik asked from across the room. They never were able to fool Jenna with the old switcheroo.
Jenna smiled and pressed a finger to her lips. "Royalty never share their secrets."
"You were our sister before you were Queen, Jen," Sam said as he poked her in the ribs. Jenna hopped away from him giggling. Nicko ran up from behind and tickled her on the side. Jenna shrieked, banging against the counter in an effort to avoid the attack.
"Hey, hey, watch the batter!" Simon cried cradling the bowl in his arms. Septimus popped up on Simon's other side and swiped a finger through the batter.
"Sep!" Simon swatted at him, barely brushing the end of Sep's green robe. While Simon was distracted, Erik jumped in and took another swipe at the cake batter.
"Guys, stop!"
Jo-Jo went to make a move but Simon evaded him. "I will dump this bowl over your head, Jo!"
The boys all backed away laughing.
"Alright, alright that's enough boys," Sam said. "We're down to an hour and a half. Let's get busy."
"Sarah, keep your eyes covered!"
"Silas, where are you taking me?"
"You'll see but you have to keep your eyes closed. Watch your step here, that's it. There's a few more." Sarah felt herself move through multiple twists and turns. Silas had her by the hand and wouldn't say a word about where they were headed. Suddenly, Sarah felt like she was in an enclosed space. Her arms brushed brick on either side. Sounds of children playing floated from far off, sounding like they were in a tunnel.
"Silas…"
"We're almost there, love. It's just a bit farther." The couple squeezed through tight passages and passed a few friends who called hello although Sarah hadn't been able to see who they were.
Finally, after a series of stairs that left Sarah's calves burning, Silas said, "Here we are!" He stopped so suddenly Sarah ran into his back. She placed a hand on his shoulder to steady herself.
"Can I look now?" Sarah asked, anxious about where they could be. Although the surroundings on the walk up had felt suspiciously like The Ramblings Sarah hadn't recognized any of the turns.
"Not yet. Okay- No keep them closed! I mean, Sarah, what did you tell me you wanted for your birthday this morning?"
"Silas, what is this about?"
"Just trust me. What did you want?"
"Why?"
"Honey, just answer the question for me, please."
Sarah sighed. "I said I wanted to see all of the children."
"Right. Okay. Good." He sounded nervous.
"Silas, what have you-"
"Open your eyes."
"What?"
"Open your eyes, Sweetheart."
Sarah put her hand down and blinked a few times to help her eyes adjust. They were standing in a dim familiar alley way. It took Sarah a second to recognize it as home. Her eyes fell on the Big Red Door and she couldn't help feeling a flutter of disappointment in her stomach followed by suspicion.
"Silas, what is this?" Sarah asked.
He smiled and motioned toward the door. "Go on."
Sarah gave her husband a face but pushed the door open and took a step inside.
"SURPRISE!" Eight voices screamed when Sarah passed through the door. Sarah screamed in response and jumped back stepping on Silas' feet.
It took a full ten seconds for Sarah to register the scene in front of her. Crammed into the Heap's small room in the Ramblings were all eight of her children. In the center, the dining table was set with mismatched china. A plate of something sat on the table steaming and filling the room with a warm, delicious scent. The bed in the corner was made and the layer of dust that had an easy tendency to build was wiped away. All the children sat around the table smiling at their mother's shock.
Completely overwhelmed with emotion, Sarah began to cry.
"Mum," Jenna ran to Sarah. "What's wrong?"
Sarah pulled Jenna into her arms and held her arms out for the boys. She laughed at the smiles on their faces as they rushed her. She held the children tightly kissing each on the cheek, if she could reach.
"Sam, look at you in your wizard robes!"
"Edd, Erik you look so grown up!"
"Jo-Jo, what have you done with your hair?"
" I thought you were out at sea, Nicko! You said you wouldn't be back for another day at least."
"Simon, you look so professional in your alchemy robes!"
"My goodness how you have grown, Septimus!"
Silas wrapped his arms around the mess of people and laughed. They all sank to the floor in a mess of arms and laughter. Happy tears streamed down Sarah's face but she didn't care. She had her family together for the first time in years and that was all that mattered.
The family dinner carried long into the night. The room was cramped and crowded and hot but the family didn't care, although they did fight about who got to sit next to the open window. The fish was perfectly cooked and the cake could not have tasted any sweeter. Silas watched his wife carefully through the night. He watched as her worry lines faded and her shoulders relaxed. The weight she was carrying had finally lifted.
Silas watched as Septimus grew more and more comfortable around his brothers. Septimus tried not to show it but Silas could tell they made him nervous. However, they had happily accepted him into the family, glad just to have the boy back.
"Sam, what are you doing?" Septimus' voice drew Silas back to the present. Septimus had been helping clear dishes from the table when Sam stopped him. Sam smiled and pulled Simon up from his chair to stand next to Sep.
Sam moved his hand between the tops of his brothers heads before pulling a face and saying. "Ah, Simon. I am sorry to be the one to tell you this but," Sam gave a dramatic sigh. "Septimus is officially taller than you."
Septimus' eyes lit up and he rounded on Simon's shocked face. "Ha! I told you!"
Erik elbowed Jo-Jo in the side and said, "You owe me a half-crown."
Simon shook his head. "No way! That is so not fair!"
"There is no justice in the world when the youngest is the tallest," Nicko bemoaned from his chair.
Septimus smirked at Nicko. Nicko glared and muttered, "I could strangle you."
"You aren't tall enough," Sep fired at him.
Nicko jumped up from his chair yelling, "I'll force you down to my level, come here!"
Nicko launched himself at Sep. Sep laughed and ducked away. Nicko caught the edge of his robes and forced him to the ground. Jo-Jo and Edd jumped to Nicko's aid and started tickling Septimus. The laughter that filled the room carried out the open window into the night.
Sarah would long remember that night as the best birthday she'd had.
A/N: Simple fic about when the kids were older. I just wanted to explore the family dynamic. Thanks for reading!
Until next time, GeekyZelda