#scarsdale

Zara now has more siblings here than she ever imagined she'd have, and who she enjoys more than she thought possible.

She was an only child! What happened?

Hannah and Aaron are a bit mystified too, but they take it in good stride. Chayse gets little odd jobs now and goes to it with her kith's name sake stubborn work effort. Vashti soon drawn into the Mets vs Yankees debate, but in true pooka fashion is so vague no one call tell which team she favors, rahter she seems to encourage them to talk about past encounters between the two teams and if the games in question where fair or not in their view?

And Zara, no longer an only child 'spies' on every conversation, every teasing laugh, every warm greeting, and stories of how folks are doing. Even as she cooks side by side with her mom. It feels almost as warm as a balefire in this house right now.

Indeed, love and joy make the air sparkle with glamour. It's good to be home.

When the meal is ready, Tizzy is there to help set the plates, and Vashti assists. Chase wants to help, so instead she uhm supervises perhaps?

Miriam helps as well, of course, and puts Jacob to work if she catches him trying to slouch along with the 'menfolk'. 😉

Earl gets a quick look, silent recruitment to help carry out dishes.

Earl knows 'eye talk' and does so without complaint or hestitation.

Chase makes a mental note of this, some part of her processing this with other lessons she's seen of Mama putting Buck to work too. There's a valuable life lesson she'll learn about proper and fair partnership from this later. But for now she sniffs happily at the smells.

("The man might be the head, but the wife is the neck!")

("And she can turn the head anyway she wants!")

And then, the food is set. For many of them, this holiday ritual is known right to their bones by now, but the childlings get shown how to do it, and the gentile faction is properly respectful and attentive.

The goyim are family, too.

And so they are. Soon, Zara is offered that which most brings her joy! (Earl will have to settle for being in the top ten 😉 ) As she is given Apple Cake! Ala sluagh!

(Earl's in the top 5, at least!)

It smells SO good! Even a dusty mouth might water!

And there's some truly delightful mold splotches, dark green with dusty white edges!

Yum!

Among this group, Zara need not huddle as she eats or hope no one sees her ever, though is still her delicate self.

And conversations do arise, Tizzy tells of the new sidhe childling at Earth Runnes "Cute kid, Nema." / And Miriam explains her latest creation, a blanket that connects to the internet for messaging, which she calls her 'Text-Tilez', the Bes Din is giving it a look over.

Hannah is happy to talk about the neighbors, and how apparently Mrs. Stienmetz daughter, the middle, you know, who had the thing? she ended up married, and is now pregant, the steinmtz are delighted!

Zara exchanges looks with Earl.

Earl looks back at Zara and takes her hand with a squeeze.

She smiles, and dreams.

As chatter goes on, food celebrated, and candles burn , this blessed holiday has no magical attacks, no intruders of doom, no dark prophecy, and , barring the usual baseball rivalry, no threats at all! It would appear even the forces of darkness that exist to appear only to be thwarted by heroes have SOME decorum, at least today.

(End Scene and a most joyful Rosh Hashanah )