Closed You're how old?!

Professor Cyndi Kingsley

Gryffindor HoH | Mother of 3
 
Messages
35,918
OOC First Name
Cyndi
Blood Status
Mixed Blood
Wand
Knotted 15 Inch Flexible Oak Wand with Meteorite Dust Core
Age
4/2005
Cyndi Kingsley took an anxious look at the clock before turning her attention back to the oven and moving slightly quicker. She had asked Ava to show up around this time. It was Monty's birthday, and they'd planned a surprise dinner for him. Cyndi only had to hope Monty hadn't made other plans as she hadn't sent him a message inviting him. The Gryffindor had left that detail for the last moment, whenever Ava showed up. Confident it would work out somehow, the woman pressed on with her meal preparation. "Man, I could use some wine right now" she muttered to herself as she began to prepare a salad to go with the meal. She wanted everything to be perfect for their friend. It had been ages since they'd all been able to get together, and it would be a fun evening once it got going.
 
Ava was very excited for the evening, and was forever grateful that Braxton agreed to babysit again. She was enjoying being a stay home mom (there was no way she was going to call it retirement), but definitely enjoyed seeing her friends as well. It had been a long time since the three of them had caught up, so tonight was going to be even more special - well, more special than turning 54. She was grateful that Cyndi would be doing most of the cooking - cooking wasn't really her forte' and she decided to stick to what she knew. Entering Cyndi's home, she heard her friend's mutter, and Ava laughed with a reply, "Ask, and ye' shall recieve!" Ava held out the wines she had bought - both red and white.
 
Only a select few people could access the home without setting off the alarm, but that didn't stop Cyndi from jumping near out of her skin at the familiar voice. She grinned as she clutched her chest, a nervous laugh escaping her lips. "Merlin, you scared me Ava. Use the big glass" she nodded towards the cabinets. She deserved it after this fright! The woman continued cooking, making small talk with her friend as she put the finishing touches on their meal. Spinning around, Cyndi gave her friend a sheepish grin. "So...how should we invite Monty to this shindig?"
 
Ava laughed when she saw the fright Cyndi got, before nodding her head. She was glad Cyndi was ready for the big glasses already. "I'm sorry that I scared you! I'll make more of a noise next time." She giggled before grabbing down three large wine glasses. Ava handed Cyndi hers, as she sipped on her own wine, chatting to her friend before Cyndi asked about Monts. "I think we tell him there's an absolute emergency and he has to come immediately or else."
 
Monty had had better birthdays. He'd also had much, much worse birthdays, granted, but comparing his fifty-fourth to his thirty-fourth only served to highlight the saddest similarity: he was alone. And now he was older and creakier and, owing to a recent lapse in self-discipline, a little bit fatter, which made the being alone part all the harder to swallow.

He flipped through the TV channels absently and with a mild sense of self-loathing. He ought to have been reading, inventing, doing something other stewing on the sofa in his pyjamas, but he was already two and a half beers in, and the only thing that was going to motivate him to move was finishing the third one. Perhaps he should get a cat, he thought. No - terrible idea. A hypoallergenic cat? Better, but it was too big a commitment. Besides, he wasn't quite over the shock of finding Isolde dead in the bottom of her cage. And how on earth was he going to replace that owl?

He wasn't aware that he was drifting off until he was groggily awakened by his mobile phone chirping. Saveli, probably, asking how he was. She had been in contact all day, to make up for not being able to visit. The girls had come down with a virus and Monty had insisted he didn't mind. He reached for his phone and squinted at the screen.

Christ. An emergency. What emergency? Cyndi hadn't specified, only that he needed to come at once. Judging by the spelling, she had written it in a hurry. Christ - Monty was still in his pyjamas. He rolled off the sofa and started in a run up the stairs.

Hang on. Cogs of suspicion whirred, or tried to whir against the flow of beer. It was his birthday. And would Cyndi really have alerted him of an emergency via text message? It smelled like a set-up. But that didn't necessarily mean it was a set-up, and he didn't have the mental clarity to think into it. There might have been an emergency. Better safe than sorry.

He threw on a jumper over the top of his pyjama shirt, dialling Cyndi's number at the same time. He didn't wait to find out if she would pick up before he apparated to a quiet spot a little way down her street, which had exactly the sort of effect on his phone signal as you would expect. As the house came into view he sped up. This had better not be a set-up. No, it had better be a set-up. As long as Cyndi was OK.

He reached the door and knocked in a hurry.


Godmods approved
 
Normally, Cyndi might have questioned the benefits of texting Monty such a message over say more reliable magical methods of communication, but what was done was done. The woman took another sip of her wine, realizing she'd finished her glass and topping herself off.

It didn't take long before there was a rapid set of knocks at the door. No doubt it was Monty. " Aww, he cares. That was so quick" Cyndi stated, hand to heart before she shut the lights which she should have done quite a few moments ago. Sending a quick spell to her front door, Cyndi heard it creak open like something from a horror movie. She'd have to remember to ask one of the men to grease it again.
 
Ava giggled at Cyndi's comment about Monty caring, hoping they hadn't stressed him out too much. As Cyndi put out the lights and the door creaked open, Ava quickly hid behind the couch, trying to stifle her laughter and be as quiet as possible when Monty walked in. They waited a few moments for him to be properly inside before jumping out, waving her wand for the lights to come back on as they jumped. "Surprise!" Ava yelled, shooting a few celebratory sparks from her wand as well.
 
Monty knew something was awry when the door opened by itself with a prolonged creak. And he was sure the lights had been on when he was walking up the driveway. He hesitated on the front porch, wondering if he had time to nip home and put some proper clothes on. Then he decided against it. He'd stumbled here half drunk in his pyjamas, and it would all have been for nothing if he didn't at least get to make Cyndi feel terrible about it. Grinning to himself, he crept down the hall, peering into each room. God, he hoped it was a trick. What sort of a friend turned up at the scene of an emergency with a big smile on their face-

Monty was expecting the surprise, but he almost jumped into the wall anyway when he saw Ava there as well. "You - I knew it. I knew it! As soon as I saw the door open, I knew it. You absolute - both of you - look at me, I'm not even dressed, for goodness' sake." He paused to lean on the doorframe, laughing. He loved Cyndi and Ava. He really did. "What is this? You shouldn't have. Really, you shouldn't have. I could have died!"
 
"Surprise!" Cyndi yelled alongside Ava. Monty was appropriately shocked and the woman couldn't help but laugh as she listened to him even though she knew she should feel a little contrite. He could have died after all. "It's a party, silly" Cyndi waved her wand so the banner that read 'Happy Birthday' unfurled from its place on the wall. "A pajama party apparently" she added with a grin. She'd let Ava borrow some in a few once they'd settled Monty in some more. "We have food...and gifts for your birthday!" she exclaimed, moving forward to grab Monty by one elbow. "Come on!" she gave him a tug, her wine sloshing in the glass but thankfully remaining contained.
 
Last edited:
Monty's laugh was contagious - Ava couldn't help join in with breathless laughter, almost losing it when Monty exclaimed his near death experience. She managed to bring herself back to semi-calm to hear Cyndi announce a pajama party. "They're the best kind!" Ava added, moving forwards with Cyndi to attach herself to Monty's arm. "Happy birthday Monts! I'll go get us some wine - uh - some more wine!" She giggled, grabbing her wand to move the wine and presents towards the lounge. "How young are you today again?" She teased her friend.
 
All right, maybe Monty was being a little dramatic, but he wasn't as young as he used to be and his heart couldn't take these sorts of scares. He had almost composed himself when Cyndi unfurled the birthday banner. Perhaps it was the adrenaline, or the alcohol, or a mixture of the two, but it was suddenly the most hilarious thing he had ever seen. He made a slight protest about the effort his friends had gone to, but none when they steered him into the lounge, nor when Ava suggested opening another bottle of wine. At least he wasn't the only one who had already started drinking. "Forty-five," he answered without missing a beat, and he laughed at how much he sounded like Arvo. "You really didn't have to do this," he said again as he sat down. "Look - presents as well! I'm touched, thank you." He really was touched, but not just by the food and the presents. Their company and laughter was the greatest gift of all, and they were sharing it with him. "Should I open them?"
 
"Forty-five my a--" Cyndi snorted before finishing off her glass of wine. "Not yet! We need pajamas too" the woman declared, heading for the door to change upstairs. "I've got some you can borrow Ava, c'mon!" Cyndi was off then, heading upstairs to quickly change. She raced around her room, tossing about some options for Ava before settling on a long night dress she had purchased and a long robe to match. Monty was a smart cookie. This was a great way to party. Slipping on some fuzzy slippers, Cyndi was ready to go.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top