Chapter 32
Dawn, Buffy and I plan what we’re going to have the dumb supper, and they invite Anya, Xander and Giles, and offer them the opportunity to set places for lost loved ones as well. The only one who comes back with a request on that is Giles who wants to set a place for Janna Kalderash, Jenny Calendar, his former partner who was a computer teacher at Sunnydale High School and helped their group on several occasions. She’s the reason that Willow got involved in magic in the first place, giving her a place at the table seems like a no-brainer.
We’re preparing a roast for the day and Giles has brought things to make something he calls Yorkshire Puddings, which are apparently not dessert, and something which need gravy. We’ve bought several bottles of sparkling grape juice to have with dinner so that Dawn can toast the same way as the rest of us.
We’re having peas, carrots and roast potatoes on the side, and Anya and Xander are bringing an actual dessert with them.
Dawn doesn’t complain about being asked to clear off and set the table, and even finds one of her mother’s old tablecloth to lay out as a base for the meal, and finds fancy plates and things to use too, because we’re setting the table with two extra places there’s not room to lay out the food on the table to take servings from, so we set everything out on the counter and take from the dishes buffet style to sit down at the table.
We take turns going around the table and offering pieces of the meal to Joyce and then Jenny, welcoming them to the feast and thanking them for their contributions to everyone’s lives.
“Now what?” Anya asks.
“We talk about our good memories with them both.” Willow says, “Well, I know you and Tara didn’t know Miss Calendar—but you can talk about Buffy’s Mom—if you want or other people you’ve lost, I guess would be okay too.”
“And you can get a place for them if you’d like.”
“Oh, no.” Anya says, “Like I said before I don’t need that. Anyone I know who is dead, I don’t have anything left to say to. Well, except Joyce. I liked her cooking and celebrations here because even better than the cooking she always made me feel welcome, unlike someone’s family.”
“Anya.” Xander remarks, “I’ve told you not to bring my family up like this.”
“I didn’t.” She points out, “No one would have known if you didn’t loudly complain.”
He makes a disgruntled noise but, upon catching Giles’ expression towards him, apologizes and looks very red about the ears.
“I like how much style Miss Calendar had!” Dawn blurts out, “She always dressed so cool.”
Giles smiles fondly at that thought.
“Especially her earrings.” Dawn continues.
Giles is blushing at that, almost as much as Xander was, less bout the face and more about the neck.
“You’re right about Miss Joyce making everyone feel welcome.” I agree with Anya, “She had such lovely energy and was so generous.”
“Thank you.” Buffy says, softly, “You both.”
Dawn is quiet for a moment and then says, “Are you okay with me asking her for advice in a tarot reading?” to Buffy, “There’s someone—something I want her input on, and well—I can’t exactly ask her otherwise.”
“I’m sure that’s fine.” Buffy says, a little distantly.
Dawn looks over at me chewing on her lip.
“I remember the time she almost caught one of our round robins.” Xander says, “but we’d happened to stop by Willow’s for a book.” He gives a huff of a laugh.
“Round robin?” Dawn queries.
“Oh, you know, it’s when everyone calls the other person’s—”
“Xander.” Buffy hisses and nods her head towards Dawn.
He stops and swallows, “Just a—uh—research thing.”
Dawn rolls her eyes, “Oh, really? Because I thought it involved you guys sneaking out or something.”
“Anyway.” Xander says, “Jenny was so smart, and she got us out of some tight corners…like with the robot demon.”
“I didn’t think she was here when Ted—” Dawn says.
“He wasn’t a demon.” Buffy remarks, “Just an asshole, a controlling asshole.”
“No.” Xander says, “There was this demon who came from a book, and Willow—” he stops, and changes tune after a moment, “anyway he was controlling some of the boys in computer class to help make him a robot body he could go in to. Jenny’s online coven helped cast the spell to defeat him.”
Dinner continues with more anecdotes and tall tales, and it’s while the plates are being cleared and leftovers put away, I’m getting out the tarot cards and Anya asks me:
“Why didn’t you set out a plate for your Mom?”
I shrug, “I tend to talk to her when I feel like it.” I explain, not so much lately though, I realize, maybe I should, “I feel close to her when I do readings, sometimes.”
Anya nods and starts to ask something when there’s a hammering on the door. No one has time to get anywhere near the door before there’s a hammering again.
Xander is the first one who gets to the door and opens it. He doesn’t say anything at first he just lets the door swing open which reveals Quentin Travers and two other council members standing on the door step.