Days Later
Chapter Three
Now the Summers clan was not the only ones working in frenzy, across town Oz Osborne was very busy settling down in his new home and making sure the Bronze reopened on schedule. Realizing there was too much work for one man to handle, Oz called his family and friends for help. Angel O'Connor, Oz's childhood best friend and corporate Businessman, and Lindsey McDonald, Oz's brother-in-law and lawyer, were brought in to help Oz handle his business dealings and contracts with the Bronze. With their help he was able to get his liquor and restaurant license quickly with little hassle, the contractors agreed to work over time, and for a few big name bands to play at the Bronze. His sisters Darla Osborne and Drusilla McDonald having a wonderful eye for fashion and style helped create the perfect atmosphere for the revamped Bronze. They also helped ensure the mansion kept its natural elegance and class by decorating and picking furniture form a mixture of the classical and Victorian period and hiring a staff of landscapers to rejuvenate the gardens. The big reopening being days away now, Oz, Darla, and Angel are sitting in the lounge of the mansion waiting for a shipment of artwork from the Mystical World.
"Oz why didn't you just use my guy in New York," said an irritated Darla, "Marcus would have had a wider selection and better service then this Mystical World place."
Oz just calmly replied, "The Summers are wonderful people. They have been quite helpful in looking for the pieces that I want. I've enjoyed spending time with them; they seem like good, honest people who care deeply for their family and others. The whole family at the moment is busy with a fundraiser for the local youth center."
"Hmm…how nice," stated Darla, "for such good people they have awful business practices, the shipment they promised is two days late. They should worry more about themselves then others if this is how they run there business."
"Darla it's not a big problem. I've already talked with Joyce this morning. There was a problem with delivery which has been worked out and she is personally coming over with the shipment for the house and her husband is taking the other shipment to the Bronze."
Still not convinced she just said, "I still think you should have called Marcus, he has always had extraordinary service not like this local place."
"Sis you know I want to use local businesses as much as possible in my dealings. It's a good way of getting known in town and forming connections."
Angel having been quiet since now decided to speak up, "As admirable as it is to want to jump into this community's business ventures you should use caution in your dealings with these people, your new to town and very rich, many people here might try to take advantage of you."
"Ha like the people in LA and New York don't want to take advantage of people like us. That's one of the big draws of this town for me. Its small, a real community where everyone knows everyone else in town, people around here care about one another. I can imagine myself raising a family here." Said Oz honestly.
"Please tell me you're joking!" cried Darla, "You can't be considering this dull place as your official home. These people are beneath you Oz, they spend there lives uncultivated with little excitement. The Bronze's reopening is like a gala event to the town." 'He has finally gone insane, this place is like backwater country, and life here is as exciting as watching paint dry'
"Ok that was uncalled for Darla you haven't even met anyone from the town yet, so you shouldn't judge. The people here are nice and I have found the most stimulating conversations I have ever had with Mr. and Mrs. Summers, I can't wait to I meet their daughters. Just because you wouldn't want to stay here doesn't mean I won't. I like the peacefulness here." 'this town has a quickie element to it and this house is a dream come true for me, I wish Darla and Angel could see that'
"Well Oz I can understand your need to get away from city life, since I often feel like getting away from the world and just staying at the Hyperion, but I agree with Darla in that this town seems dull." 'of all the places to choice to settle down he picks this town, well I guess I should just be supportive for now'
"That's just because you guys haven't mingled with the locals yet, I'm sure once you…" "Buzz Buzz" "Oh the door that must be Joyce." Said Oz. A few moments later the butler came in with Joyce.
"Hey Joyce it's nice to see you, here let me introduce you to my sister Darla Osborne and my friend Angel O'Connor, guys this is the lovely proprietor of the Mystical World Joyce Summers."
"Hello it's nice to meet the both of you." Says Joyce, she then turns to Oz, "I'm sorry the shipment was delayed I hope it wasn't much of a problem."
"No problem at all. Do you have time to stay for some tea?" asked Oz. Deciding to please her brother Darla add, "Yes please stay Mrs. Summers, my brother has done nothing but sing your family's praises." 'say no say no… I don't want to hear anymore about the wonders of the Summers clan'
Very flattered Joyce responds, "I'm sure he has been exaggerating, but thank you for those kind words. I would love to stay for some tea and please call me Joyce." Putting on a smile, "Then you must call me Darla." While she spoke Oz had called the butler to deliver tea. Angel just sat quietly observing the room.
"How have you been lately Joyce? I haven't seen you at the shop when I go in." asked Oz.
"I've been busy helping my daughters with a project over at the youth center, so Giles has been taking care of the shop by himself."
"I'm sure Oz has told me before but how many daughters do you have?" asked Darla.
"I have five precious girls I love them to death but they are all grown up now."
"Five grown children!" exclaimed Darla, 'Who in their right minds want that many children! Can you say stretch- marks' "You look quite good for a woman who has had five children!" Joyce Beams at the comments. "You must have had them when you were young; you don't look even look over forty!" 'teen mother probably'
"Please stop you flatter me too much. I will admit I had my children young, I got married at eighteen and had my first child Willow at twenty-three. Few years later I had Buffy, then Kendra, Faith, and finally Dawn." Said Joyce, while Darla looked upon her in shock. 'All those little brats one after another'
"It must have been quite difficult for you and your husband to raise so many small children at once?" asked Angel.
Almost having forgotten the other man in the room Joyce was started to hear his voice. "Oh…yes there were many ups and downs in the beginning years, but we had a great support system with our families. Having our own business made it easier for us to take care of the children, but when they got older we would send them to the youth center for classes and activities."
"The youth center now that's the place your daughter Buffy works isn't it?" asked Oz.
"That's right. Buffy loves the center. When she was younger she was just such a ball of energy that she took advantage of all that was offered at the center, classes, sports, activities, you name it she was in it. She was very close with the coordinator Nikki Wood, and when Nikki passed away when she was in high school, Buffy decided to devote her life to helping other children at the center the way Nikki helped her." 'I'm so proud of my baby, she is doing what she loves in life, if only she would settle down and start giving me grandbabies…oh well'
"Your daughter sounds like a remarkable person Joyce." Stated Oz, "Giles was telling me the other day how she is putting together a fundraiser for the center."
"Yes that's right," answered Joyce, "Buffy has been putting the event together every year since she was sixteen. The night is filled with activity, there are a few performances made by the children and volunteers, followed by dinner and then an auction, the rest of the evening is filled with music and dancing."
"Sounds like quite a event," said Darla, "is it open to the whole town to come or is it by invite only?" 'sounds interesting but it will probably be mundane'
"Well people can buy tickets for the night, but with each passing year the event has been growing, that I think this year most of the town will be there. I was talking with Buffy and she was telling me how so many people had already bought tickets that she plans to move the event to a larger area."
"Your daughter must be ecstatic that her night will probably be a success," said Angel, "but isn't she overwhelmed by all the work?"
"Well when Buffy puts her mind to something nothing can stop her. Buffy had a hard time finding a large enough dining hall for everything, she decided to hold the event outside, so she went to ask the mayor if it could be held at the Crescent Moon Park and somehow she was able to convince him. Now Buffy has decided to theme the night, "A Mid-Summer's Night Dream" She wants the night to have a touch of magic."
"Wow ambitious!" said Oz in awe, "if there is anything I could do to help please let me know. It sounds like a grand event please put me down for a table of tickets."
"Thank you so much Oz I will be sure to let Buffy know. Well enough about my daughter and her project, how are you doing? Are you ready for your Big reopening?" asked Joyce. The rest of the visit went pleasantly enough. At the end, Oz invited Joyce and her family to be his V.I.P. guests on opening night.