Daphne was making a face. You'd think Queen Mab was visiting with the way everyone was hopping about on pins and needles. She wondered if anyone had bothered to mention to Jodie that the MacDougal who was visiting was not a MacDougal but a MacAren. Specifically Cullen's mother Branwyn. Daphne was thinking not.

"Jodie, can I speak with you in the store room?"

Jodie looked up from where she was cleaning a table with furrowed brow. Daphne had said that very nice, and not that Daphne wasn't nice, but it sounded unnatural.

"Sure."

Once they were in the store room, Jodie looked to Daphne. "What is it? Is something wrong with Carly? Are you and the baby okay?"

"Oh for gods' sakes. I'm fine. Carly's fine. You might not be. Do you know why all the MacDougals, especially Cullen, are dancing around like they have ants in their pants?"

Jodie shook her head. "I haven't noticed, to be honest."

"Oh for fuck's sake, Jodie. Seriously? Seriously?"

Sometimes Daphne wanted to choke her.

"What?" She had been a bit preoccupied, and if there were problems in the family, she didn't want to interfere. "Did something happen I should know about?"

"Cullen's mum is the one arriving today."

Daphne waited to let that sink in.

Jodie blinked in shock, then started to hyperventilate. "His mum? But... why? He didn't tell me she was coming." She had to sit down on a crate. "I've never met someone's mum before. One boyfriend didn't have a mum, another never knew his mum, and my third boyfriend didn't want me to meet his mum because he was already married."

She quickly looked up. "What do I do?"

"He didn't tell you because he's a man. They don't think like we do." Daphne made a face. "I don't think my telling you what to do would be appropriate. Just be nice, I guess? I don't know."

She was going to faint, or say something stupid, she just knew it. "What if I go off on one of my tangents? I can't focus when I'm nervous! I say very random things! Oh this will be a disaster!"

"Calm down. It can't be worse than me meeting the Weasleys. I brewed the poison that nearly killed their daughter. You haven't done anything of the sort. Just be yourself, and tell Cullen he needs to tell you things from now on."

Daphne took her arm and led her back to the pub.

She hoped she wasn't shaking or anything like that. Jodie just knew she was going to knock something over and upset someone. Spotting Cullen, she detached from Daphne and made her way over.

"Cullen? Do you have a moment?"

"Aye? What's wrong, darlin'?"

She took a deep breath. "I've been informed of your mother's arrival and in the future I would greatly appreciate notice before one of your immediate family members arrives for a visit. I think it would save me from having a panic attack. Is that possible?"

"I dinna tell ya?" Cullen scratched his chin. "I thought I did."

Brody walked by and hit Cullen up the back of his head.

"Ya will do fine, Jodie," Duff offered. "Aunt Bran is like ya."

"But I've never met anyone's mother before. Not even a schoolmate's mother. And I doubt I can compare her to my own mother because I fervently believe there is no other woman like her. What do I do?" She asked, trying to get an idea of how to act.

She was not given a chance to answer.

"What do we do about what?"

Everyone turned with a jolt. Somehow Branwyn had snuck in and gotten in the middle of their group. Her dark hair was down and falling over one shoulder.

"Mum," Cullen said, straightening up.

Jodie took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. She would not foul this up. She just wouldn't. For once, she was grateful that Carly wanted to sleep in for the day.

"Mrs. MacAren, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Jodie Dorny, the woman currently seeing your son." She held out a hand and prayed it didn't shake too much.

Branwyn raised a brow at Cullen before taking Jodie's offered hand. "No one calls me that. I'm Branwyn."

Daphne was watching with interest. This woman was soft-spoken and serene. Not like any of the other MacDougals.

"Might I have tea? Jodie, would you join me?

She thought her heart would pound right out of her chest. "I'd be honored... Branwyn."

Daphne moved quickly and whispered in Jodie's ear. "You'll be fine. I'll be right over there where you can see me. Just relax and talk to her like she was me or Cullen or Carly, someone you're comfortable with."

Daphne did not understand why she was so protective of Jodie. She just knew that she was.

Jodie nodded a bit and followed Branwyn to a nearby table. She gingerly sat, wondering what sort of talk was appropriate with a boyfriend's mother. Cullen's mother seemed much more soft-spoken than the rest of the MacDougals. Even their whispers were louder than her normal talking, so it was throwing her off balance.

"Cullen only recently mentioned he was... sort of seeing a girl. I didn't even know your name until today."

Cullen was blushing as he sat the tea down. Branwyn looked up at him and made a shooing motion.

"He's not terribly communicative."

Jodie took a deep breath. "Well, I understand. If it's any consolation, I wasn't aware you were coming until two minutes before you stepped through the door. I'm not very good at receiving communication either."

Branwyn laughed lightly. "And Cullen wasn't the one who told you either, was he? It was your pregnant friend with the mother bear tendencies."

She let out a small grin and looked over at Daphne. "Yes it was. I hadn't even noticed the boys were in a tizzy. I daresay I wouldn't have known who you were until you told me."

"I suspect Brody would have told you. Probably after I sat down."

Neither of them talked for a moment while Branwyn sipped her tea.

"So tell me about yourself, Jodie. How did you meet Cullen?"

Jodie let out a small smile. "Well, Brody hired me when I needed a job to pay rent. I started wiping down tables, and when my sister came to live with me, he agreed to watch over her while she did her schoolwork when I was at my other job at the clinic. I ended up spending much of my time here, so things naturally progressed into friendship, and then recently into a relationship."

"And I see Brody is still taking in any woman who needs his help." Branwyn smiled. "How old is your sister?"

"Carly will turn seventeen in two weeks. I have another younger sister who turned fifteen in April. I'm the oldest." Jodie took a sip of tea, smiling when she noticed that Cullen had made it the way she liked it. "Carly often spends her days here. You might meet her. How long are you staying, not that I presume you are extending your time here."

Branwyn smiled into her teacup. "It's nice to see Cullen taking interest in a lady. I was afraid he'd want a stronger personality. Like his cousins. I'm afraid he has too much of my quiet to him."

She paused.

"I'll be here as long as my mother wants me to stay. She gets upset that her daughter isn't more like her, I think."

"Well, your son takes after you. What attracts me is his gentle personality. I'm not a fan of violence, and yes, I realize the irony of that and dating in the MacDougal family."

Branwyn laughed loudly at that. She also noticed that they were being closely watched. Not just by the pregnant woman. Brody and Cullen seemed to be hovering.

"Seein' Jodie a'fore ya see yer old mother? Makes sense, knowin' how ya dinna like loud noises. Did she tell ya she talked her da into sendin' her to hoity-toity Beauxbatons? Dinna want to go to school in Scotland like everyone else."

"Good afternoon to you as well, Mother," Branwyn said as Nessa sat next to her.

"So it's a party then? Excellent."

Suddenly the table contained Nana and Daphne as well. Daphne was concerned. She wanted Cullen's mum to like Jodie.

Jodie smiled at Branwyn. "You went to Beauxbatons? My mother is French, and I spent three of my years after Hogwarts attending university in France. I would have loved to attend Beauxbatons, but my family didn't have the money to send me there since it was too far."

"Hamish doted on Branwyn," Nana replied tartly.

"I did. I wanted to attend away from home, see something different. Madame Maxime was all too happy to have me." She smiled brightly at Jodie.

Daphne was grinning. Looked like Cullen had chosen a girl that was like his mum.

Jodie sighed and put her elbow on the table, her hand cupped in her palm. "I would love to travel. The only place I've been besides the United Kingdom is France, and since family lives there, I don't really consider that a vacation."

"You should come to Nem's Nook for a visit," Branwyn said. "It's a whole different world."

Daphne put an elbow on the table. Her smile was getting wider.

Nana sighed.

"Where's Carly today, Jodie," Brody asked. "Should I send Duff around to fetch her?"

"She slept in today." Jodie looked at her watch. "She should be waking up around now. She might want some lunch, so if Duff isn't busy, he's more than welcome to escort her here. She would enjoy it, I'm sure."

"Why don't you send Tavish," Branwyn offered.

Everyone turned. There was a younger man in a MacDougal kilt standing near the door that apparently no one had noticed.

"Bless me," Nana said loudly. "Dinna stand in the shadows, lad. Come give your Nana a squeeze."

Daphne eyed him appreciatively. Tavish MacDougal, huh? He was somewhere between 18 and 25, she'd guess. The dark hair was long and pulled back, and he was a bit more olive than the other MacDougals, like he spent more time outdoors than in.

Jodie's eyebrow went up. Carly would very much enjoy the attention of an attractive man coming to call on her. "If you'd like. I can give you the directions to the flat. Carly can be a bit of a handful, though."

Branwyn chuckled. "Tav can handle anything. He's not like the rest of them either. His mother attended Durmstrang, and so did Tav."

Daphne actually chuckled. "Oh that's perfect. Send him."

Jodie wrote out the instructions on a napkin and handed it over. "She should be up and able to let you in the wards. Hopefully she won't be too much trouble. She's not a morning person."

She turned back to Branwyn. "Have you been to any other places?"

"Italy and Germany. My husband liked to travel. You should make Cullen take you to the MacAren castle in Germany. That's a lovely spot. Germany is a gorgeous place. They prefer more pink stones as opposed to our gray. Or the MacArens did."

Nana sighed. "Come and see me when yer done here, Brannie."

"Yes, Mother."

After she left, Branwyn leaned across the table. "She gets irritated when I talk about building stones and architecture."

"Why?" Jodie inquired. "One of the things I adored about Oxford was the extraordinary lines and details in the stonework. I loved the rustic and authenticity of the stones."

"It's not Nessa MacDougal's favorite subject. A building only has to be functional to her, rather than pretty."

Daphne was just watching. Branwyn MacAren was regal and educated without coming off as superior.

Jodie nodded. "Functionality and practicality are certainly factors when building a residential or commercial buildings. I can agree with her." She paused nervously. "Not that I don't agree that said building shouldn't be aesthetically pleasing."

Daphne rolled her eyes.

There was a commotion at the door and she turned. Carly did not look pleased with Tavish MacDougal. At all. He let go of her arm and stalked purposefully towards Duff.

Carly glared at Tavish as she stalked over to the table her sister was sitting at. "Is there a reason you sent a Scotsman to my door to manhandle me all the way here? I didn't even get to finish doing my hair. If I had been in my night clothes he would have drug me down here in those! I didn't even have a chance to put on shoes!"

Jodie turned to look at the man who had brought her sister to the Three Broomsticks. "You have my permission to glare at Duff, Carly."

She just huffed and started to march over to her booth. On the way, she slapped Duff on the arm.

"And that's my sister, Carly," Jodie said to Branwyn. Like I said, a handful."

Branwyn started laughing.

Daphne did too. In fact, Daphne made her way over to Carly to laugh at her in her face. "Did he tell you he went to Durmstrang? That's as good as being in Slytherin."

"I don't care if he can walk on water or shoots rainbows and unicorns out of his arse, when a woman says she needs to put on a pair of shoes and brush her hair, you let her." Carly sent another glare towards Tavish. "Who the hell is he anyway? All I know is he's Duff's brother. And who the hell is with Jodie?"

Daphne sat down. "All I know is he's Duff's brother as well and that he doesn't say much. He went to Durmstrang. The lady with your sister is Cullen's mother. They're getting along great. Don't even know why I was worried."

Tavish stalked over to the table. Brody and Duff were watching and looking amused. He set a bowl of yellow watermelon before Carly with absolutely no expression on his face.

"I'm Daphne Greengrass. This is Carly Dorny. You should have let her brush her hair."

"She doesn't need it."

He was looking at a spot above Carly's head. Daphne pursed her lips and raised a brow at Carly.

Carly crossed her arms. "Excuse me? What the hell is that supposed to mean? And what is this?" She held up the bowl. "Did Brody send you over here to apologize? If this is your apology, you can shove it up your arse. I'm going back to my flat to brush my hair and put on my shoes!"

Tavish did not move, and there was no way around him. Daphne started snickering. This was sort of fun. He was so serious and disaffected. He moved suddenly and turned her fork into a brush with his wand.

Carly blinked. "A fork. A fork?! You want me to brush my hair with a fork? You are so--" She huffed and threw the fork at him. It bounced off his chest and onto the floor. "You're such a male! I can't brush my hair with a fork, no matter if it's transfigured."

She looked over at Duff and Brody. "Make him move so I can go home."

This was the most amused Daphne had been in a long time. She could see Tavish was not backing down. Even Branwyn and Jodie had stopped chatting to watch the action.

Tavish moved deliberately and placed the transfigured fork on the table gently.

"The fork had been washed, duchess. What? You're too good to use something that belongs to a MacDougal when they help care for you? I see now. Go. Get your fine shoes and untainted brush."

Daphne could feel the spark in the air. The two of them were rubbing one another so the wrong way, and it was delicious.

Carly's eyes slowly narrowed. "I am not above you. Your family has been nothing but decent to me and my sister. I would thank you not to imply that I'm above you, because I'm not. Now, I'm going home to brush my hair and use my hair products and then put on shoes that help my ankles because I was sick recently and they've been sore." She stepped closer to him. "Untwist your knickers and get the pole out of our arse, MacDougal."

He leaned into her personal space. "Not wearing any."

She clenched her jaw. "Back off or I'll strangle you with your kilt."

"You'll try."

Duff pulled his brother back. "To your corners."

Daphne was grinning from ear to ear.

"I think handful might be a bit of an understatement in regards to your sister," Branwyn said to Jodie.

Jodie couldn't help the grin that formed when she looked over at her sister, who was still glaring at Tavish. "I actually think it's a large understatement."


{SUMMARY} Cullen's mother comes to visit with yet another MacDougal in tow. Much entertainment is provided to Jodie and Daphne.