#scarsdale

Jacob gives the new girl a suspicious once over, then gasps "Aunt Hannah, she has pie stains on her sleeves. She stole my.. our pie"

"I paid for it" the other sluagh childling protests defensively even as she sinks back

"She paid for it. And there's cake yet."

Jacob wanted the pie, but now that it is gone, he wants it even MORE.

He hurmphs, but sets the place for the girl.

"Thank you, bubbeh." An affectionate pat on the boy's cheek. Hannah might not be his mother, but she has taken to being an Aunt - especially when Miriam's work pulls her out of town for days at a time.

Jacob can't help but like his aunt even at her cheek pinching, but he shuffles to show he is not easy prey before saying "you're welcome"

Two cups of tea appear, along with sugar and a carton of milk marked with a purple dot.

Melia dares to ask "You have a wilder daughter named zara? is she... ghost like?"

A soft chuckle. "Oh, sometimes. She's a pale little thing. Like her siblings."

"To be honest, I can't keep track of all of her names, she has so many of them these days."

Jacob makes note of this clumsy questioning "Why do you want to know?"

Melia perks at Hannah's comment, that sounds like this Zara might be the lady she seeks OR at least know where to go from here, then she hears jacob and goes "Well uhm...I wanted to meet her" Ignoring that she didn't know who Zara was per se before the name was mentioned here

"Are you not a ward at the Hollow, then? " Hannah tilts her head.

The little girl shrinks into her bundle of cloth again, her whisper coming out"i'm not sained yet."

"Oh."

Jacob ducks his hands under the table, and sends a text. 'TXT: Sis. Scarsdale. One of us. Looking for you

TXT: !

TXT: omw

TXT: Thx. She ate my pie 😞

Melia hides in her bundle, a hand popping out now and then to grab the drink and carry it into the cave of layers

Two bowls are set out - the contents are greyish-brown and lumpy, but at one point it was a very nice stew.

"thank you again, Mrs Hannah"

Melia can't believe her luck, is it luck? what if this Zara isn't the witch she hopes for, but rather is a noble loving wizardess?

She takes her soup.

Hannah, meanwhile, works on plating some perfectly fresh pot roast. "Aaron, Tzip, dinner! There's company!"

Tziporah has been here a lot less, more often at Earth Runes, probably smitten by that Scathatch boy! But she also shows up for holidays and Sabos

She bounds down, "Company?" Then sees the bundle of clothing sipping Soup "Hello. I'm Tziporah"

Aaron appears behind her. His kind eyes take in the wayward girl without surprise, as if Hannah often takes in stray sluagh, and he gives his wife a kiss on the cheek when he claims his plate.

The girl rises from her table as an elder is about to take a seat "hello sir? I'm Melia" And only when he says it is okay does she slide back in

"And..hello, Tziporah" She adds

Tziporah asks Hannah "Need any help?" She doesn't see it as sexist that the women often handle the kitchen work. There's expectation, obligation, and then there's domain. Hannah has domain

Aaron shyly introduces himself, and settles in.

Melia decides she likes Aaron. He's not a sluagh, but he's not loud

Tzipporah and Hannah can chatter, while the boys are quiet, but the food is both tasty and plentiful.

ANd it does get quiet at the table, even if it isn't at the counter and stove. Melia savors the soup nice and slow. She likes to imagine if it were poison, and she would die tragicly, and everyone would wonder what great secrets did this girl have that she needed to be removed. It would be a very grand mystery.

Because sluagh childlings tend towards morbidity

It is late in the main course when the kitchen door opens - no knock, no forewarning or asking of permission - to reveal a white-haired wilder.

"About time" Jacob mmphs "sluagh should be prompt" But his eyes are grateful she came.

"Missouri, brother."

The bundle of clothing has frozen in mid soup sip

Tziporah sets up a plate for Zara promply "Hey sis."

"Hello Mama. Papa. Tzip."

Aaron gets a kiss on the head, and Hannah insists on kissing both of Zara's cheeks and there's fuss and more food and...

an introduction, as Jacob takes it under himself to say "This is Melia Furchtengarb, piebane. Piebane, this is Zara. My sister who chose Missouri"

Okay, the boy's a bit saucy about it, but he really wanted that pie

Zara's keen senses can pierce the darkness to see a blush in the bundle "ch-charmed, Miss Zara. I.. have a note?"

An elegantly arched eyebrow at the moniker.

Tzip gives Jacob a light scuff

"Indeed? Zara Manynames, Miss Furchtengarb, at your service."