Look what the cat dragged in! | OTA

[gardenplots]

Maggie hadn't phoned. Hadn't called. Didn't want to make a fuss. Briefly, she toyed with the idea of not coming back. But then Sebastian had been utterly sweet and utterly unreasonable and asked her to marry him.

Poor dear. She thought he'd understood.

Then news came of Itchy, and Maggie knew she was needed at home. She packed her bags, patted

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[maskofhearts]

Hadyn had had the luxury of a lecture the night before. Not only on the disappointing behavior he'd been exhibiting of late but also a laundry list of other faults: his public displays of affection, his public arguments, his inability to learn his lines, his emotional outburst over the death of an old man, the fact that he was digressing in his training (which had been spat with such scorn Hadyn thought he'd be better over never lift a sword again than to promise to improve), and lastly that he might well give up the foolishness about medical school. How could the future Ace leave to learn medicine? It was beyond ridiculous to Laureline.

She went on of course, explain yet again why he was meant to be an actor- beyond the obvious talent for it.

And thus his night went.

But today wasn't as bad, he supposed. Except the last person he expected to see when he moved into the kitchens was Maggie.

"Am I still asleep?"

[gardenplots]

Maggie looks over the rim of her glasses and sets down her tea.

"Not that I'm aware of, Dear. If it's any help, your eyes are open. Would you like a cup of tea?"

It's like she never left.

[maskofhearts]

"....I guess so." But he was still not convinced that this was going well.

Frowning, though, he sat on the stool by the counter and waited for Maggie to pour him a cup of tea.

"I didn't think you were coming back."

[gardenplots]

She chuckles and pours him a cup. The sugar bowl and creamer are already out. If he wants lemon, he'll need to do that himself. She sizes him up and puts one of the blueberry muffins onto a plate and slides it over.

"No need to sound so disappointed. I was tempted, but this is my home. I missed my gardens and friends. And how have you been?"

[somuchheart]

Blythe will probably finally come across her late in the afternoon in Town. The older woman will earn a glance - then another curious look - and then a startled one when Blythe figures out who it is.

"Maggie?" There's a moment's pause after the question. If Maggie answers affirmatively, well, Blythe will be bestowing all the hugs.

[gardenplots]

"Blythe! Darling!" Maggie shifts her French market bag to her other hand and hugs right back. "Goodness! Let me get a look at you. You're looking well."

She really ought to have called first, but it seemed just as easy to simply come home and tell everyone in person. She supposes she should stop by and let Ceiro and Judith know she's returned.

[somuchheart]

"Really? You're so nice, Maggie." She smiles a little up at the woman. "Are you just back for a visit? Or for good?"

[gardenplots]

"Oh, for good. An old cat like me needs her family about her." She links her arm through Blythe's. "Now, tell me all about what's been going on."

[gardenplots]

Maggie turns at the sound of her name and breaks into a wide smile when she recognizes Judith and the baby.

"My dear girl Lady! I was just thinking of you. I'd planned to toddle up to the Castle as soon as I finished my shopping here." She gives Judith a swift peck on the cheek. "And your little man." She allows Tristan to grab hold of her index finger. "And how are you good sir?" she coos. "He's gotten so big!"

[gardenplots]

"Much better. Thank you, Dear." Maggie smiles down at the cooing baby. "What a grip you have on you! I've missed everyone quite a bit. I'm sure I have a great deal of catching up to do."

Feel free, of course, to fill her in on everything.

[uncutclarity]

Avery definitely does not have to go grocery shopping anymore. When Maggie had left, she'd still be a Nine, and her appearances at the store had involved pointing at the products Diamond Castle needed in bulk with a clerk following behind her scribbling things down. Now she only had to stock her own kitchen and Isaac and Gwendolyn usually saw to that too.

So it was more like she was browsing the chocolate aisle, really, when she looks up to see a familiar face and her face lights. "Maggie! You're back."

[gardenplots]

"Hello, Avery, Dear." Maggie pecks the younger woman on the cheek. Her market bag already contains a tin of Dutch processed cocoa. "You caught me. I'd planned to call on every one, but, naturally, I arrived and realized I hadn't a thing at the house--not even tea! First things first."

[uncutclarity]

Maggie gets a warm hug in return, and then the Jack of Diamonds wrinkles her nose. "No tea at all? Well, I suppose that's one advantage of Castle living. I'm convinced Isaac would hurtle himself from the ramparts before allowing us to run out of tea." But she hadn't grown up in the Castle either - any of them. In fact, her parents' little cottage wasn't all that far from Maggie's villa.

[gardenplots]

"True, true, but you know me, Love. I adore my garden. It's so nice to have my morning cuppa and look over it. Couldn't do that in the Castle."

And too much sugar is bad for one.

"I hear congratulations are in order?"

[sevenbyright]

Sieben is cutting through the Heart gardens to admire the lovely flowers, and not at all to check the progress of the delphiniums he'd requested from Penny. She'd gotten them and planted them without saying a word or asking why.

He almost doesn't notice her when he walks past the opening in the gardens, but then he pauses and takes a step back.

"This is an unexpected hallucination."

[gardenplots]

Maggie looks up from the foxglove, brows arching delicately. "Sieben, Darling, have you been into the mushrooms?"