Anam Cara | Ian Kabra

[03]

Elvira hummed to herself as she drove her car through the gates of the Kabra Mansion with a slight smile. She passed through the gardens in the front, by the fountain in the middle, and finally parked her car beside the door. She grabbed her bag she had placed on the passenger's seat, got out and walked away from the car, locking it behind her as she went. She greeted the man standing beside the front door she had seen before, as every time she came to the mansion for a visit - which was rather often - she saw him. He even nodded at her as she passed and with that, she took the now familiar route to Natalie's room.

It was Natalie's birthday today, and a celebration was going to take place later on in the afternoon in the Mansion. Elvira knew some members of the family would be present but she didn't know who they would be or how many. She had only come earlier today because Natalie had claimed she needed her help getting dressed and preparing everything, as she apparently was the only person she knew that had an actual taste and she couldn't ask Ian because he had business to take care of as head of the Lucian branch. Naturally, Elvira had accepted Natalie's invitation.

She was walking through the corridors of the mansion as if she knew exactly where she was going - although she only had a vague idea of where she wanted to go - when she heard voices coming from the side. There were many of them, she realised, and one of them she recognised as Ian's. After some hesitation, she got in the room.

It was the kitchen, she realised, and it seemed as if it had been bombarded by flour. In the middle of the war, was a blond boy she had met once before in the Cahill reunion named Dan Cahill. A few ways away stood his sister, Amy Cahill, and a far distance away was Jonah Wizard. Elvira couldn't help but raise an amused eyebrow at the sight as her eyes trailed to the last person in the room.

Ian was dressed more casually than he usually was and was holding a cup of what she could only suppose was tea at hand. He was looking at the mess in the kitchen in disdain and as he met her gaze, he rolled his eyes. She couldn't help but smile.

"Dan insisted on baking Natalie a cake," Ian answered her unspoken question, drawing attention to her at once. She sent him a thankful smile, completely missing the way Amy, Dan and Jonah exchanged a look at the interaction. Ian, however, noticed. He cleared his throat as he walked towards her, getting ready to leave the room. "I trust you all remember Elvira Stewart."

"Sure we do," Jonah grinned over at her. "Why don't you help us with the cake? Unless, of course, Ian needs you or something."

Jonah and Dan exchanged a grin and even Amy smiled slightly. Ian, on the other hand, only let out a deep sigh of obvious exasperation as Elvira glanced from him to his friends and back. Uncertainly, she replied.

"I actually came earlier because Natalie asked me to help her," she admitted as she looked up at him, slightly hesitant. "Although, if you need my help with anything-"

"I'm fine," he assured her at once, his whole body turned towards the door as he got ready to leave. "Do you want me to escort you to Natalie's room?"

"I remember how to get there, actually," she smiled in response. Ian only nodded at her in return, sent a swift glare at Jonah, Amy and Dan before leaving the room. The moment he was gone, Jonah and Dan burst out laughing.

"I'm sorry for them," Amy spoke softly after sending a stern look at Jonah and Dan that did absolutely nothing to make them stop laughing. She sent an apologetic smile at Elvira. "We've made a mess of the kitchen but we'll clean it up. I'm sure Natalie is going to like the cake, it just has to stay a surprise."

"I'm not going to tell her anything," Elvira replied at once, "although I doubt she doesn't already know."

Jonah and Dan had finally stopped laughing enough for Dan to speak up. "Why would she know? We've kept this a secret."