A couple of days later
25th of February, 1970

A week after Father McKenzie's return in Boston, neither the Howards, nor the people from their inner circle were moderately passing. Without any turmoils. Nor any occured issues.

When Shona finished her school, Valerie attended the institution as she got her daughter and went back at home as the young girl aimed to her bedroom to do her homework unlike her occupied mother, who was managing up to prepare the dinner meal for herself and her daughter. Not until the young lady found her phone ringing on the counter top, abandoning the bake process for a while until she joins the battlefield for cooking.

Once the maid sighed, due to the realization of ringing phone, she walked up until grabbed the earpiece as her other hand's fingers lowered down for the black cord, playing with them idly.

"H-Hello?" The redhead evoked an echo through the earpiece, wiping with the back of her petite hand her sudoriferous forehead, lowering her head as she fixed her hazel green eyes on her comfy, fuzzy slippers.

"Hi Val!" The young woman immediately recognized the person's voice as it was feminine, a genuine smile blossoming on her still fresh, youthful face.

"Oh hi, Judy! Tell me how your day passed." Valerie responded enthusiastically once she spoke with the former nun.

"It hasn't been something special, however, it passed well as I and Timothy spent our leisure time with Agnes whilst Ellie and Tristan were in the kindergarten until either of us went to the kindergarten to drive them to home." The blonde uttered rejoicing. "How about your day, Val?" She furthered as she cleared her throat.

"Oh, I am currently baking potatoes and chicken in the oven, while Shona is in her bedroom, doing her homework. In general, you know how I spent my day, if you are not mistaking." Valerie sneered amiably, without taunting her friend.

"Shona is such a workaholic especially after she gets back at home from school." The middle-aged mother attempted to not offend the housekeeper's sole child with her exclaimation, omitting a chuckle in low voice. "At least, she's excellent student!"

"She's undeniably an excellent student with brilliant marks though she isn't fan of Math."

"That's wonderful, but it's going to be fine with Math."

"Yeah, howsoever, it depends of her, Judy!" Valerie declared hastily, pragmatically as she removed her hand from the phone cord. "Her potential is great." In the meanwhile, she glimpsed at the oven, scanning how much time remains until it eventually bakes the dinner meal.

"I cannot disagree! The children have a lot of opportunities and potential though some of them are way too lazy to show it until something chimes them to do it."

"Correct! It's up to them generally but I cannot judge anyone's choice since I am not their parent."

"You seem some kind of antsy." Jude noted something leery behind the younger mother's identity as the former sister of the church was beyond concerned about her friend, showing interest to discover what's it.

"Well, I am checking the oven and I don't want to end up in setting on fire by an accident the kitchen." The redhead replied, chewing her bottom lip instinctively, blandly. "And I would like to apologise for my hasty voice but the dinner is going to be ready within minutes." She expressed her apology without dithering.

"Ah, it's okay! You shouldn't apologize at all, Val." The former holy woman accepted her apology. "It's still baking as you are nearby and you can glance at the oven's timer anytime."

"Exactly! What did you have for dinner?"

"I cooked tomato soup earlier and we ate this with Boston salad that I made."

"That sounds mouth-watering!" In the meantime, the maid licked her lips greedily as she could no longer wait for her dinner to be ready and sit on the kitchen table and share a remarkable dinner meal with Shona. Furthermore, she couldn't resist the hunger that hit her abruptly once the both women commenced to discuss the topic food. Clammy slombers betrayed to flow down, slithering her jawline until they verge to the ground, tumbling down like a crystal rain drop. "Mmmm!" The young lady hummed inwardly, melodiously.

"It is," Jude confessed cheerily, pursing her plump, rosy-coloured lips through her broad, charming smile. "And it's very healthy."

"No shit, Judy! I am sorry for interrupting you but the dinner is going to be ready approximately in a few minutes."

"It's okay! Good night and send greetings to your daughter!"

"Thank you and send greetings to Timothy and your beautiful little angels!" The Russian-American took a deep breath, blinking. "Good night, Judy!"

Then they hanged up as she set the headset back, stepping in front of the oven by reading properly the remaining time until it finally bakes as five more minutes until the dinner's ready. Subsequently, the housekeeper started to prepare the kitchen table for dinner by setting two empty, unused on the counter top for serving the dinner meal.

***

A day later

26th of February, 1970

Whilst Shona was at school and the twins were attending regularly kindergarten, Jude, Timothy and Valerie were home alone in the two story mansion with Agnes Jude.

Timothy was brewing coffee not only for himself in the kitchen, but also for his wife and the housekeeper. For this purpose, he has already prepared on the counter top three clean, mere mugs.

Valerie and Judy were sitting on the goth leather couch as the redhead held the infant in her arms as she was allowed by the blonde.

The daylight dispersed through the French window in the living room as the curtains were opened, bathing the room in pale light. The days were scarcely sunny though it hasn't been snowing for a week. Although the circumstances, the climate in Boston was obnoxiously chilly.

"Just look at you, little beautiful angel!" Valerie complimented the young girl, running her fine, long fingers through Agnes's golden scalp, tangling the tresses between her fingers, looking down at the her plump, childish face, admiring her beauty.

"Nana!" Agnes addressed the maid, followed by a chirpy giggle.

"It seems she's fond of you, Val!" Judy added a commentary as she couldn't contain a raspy chuckle, planting a kiss on the top of Agnes's head as her other hand rubbed the little girl's back, fixing her hazel eyes on her youngest daughter.

"Just as her friend and aunt." The redhead replied, grin distorting in the corner of her plump, naturally rosy-coloured lips. "I am slightly young for aunt how I think." The Russian-American carried on as her sense of humor bashed to hysterical, uncontrollable laughter Jude and Agnes Jude.

"Oh come on, Val! You are approaching your early thirties."

"I will be 30 in late April."

"I know. I am already in my fifties." In the interim, the former monsignor arrived with two mugs of coffees for the ladies, leaving them on the coffee table as he drew instantly the both ladies' attention.

"The ladies first!" Timothy exclaimed merrily, a content smile curled up on his lips.

"Thank you, sweetheart!" Jude expressed her gratitude.

"Thank you, Tim!" Valerie responded joyfully as she couldn't resist her instictively growing smile on her young-looking face.

"No need to," Timothy answered, winking at the both ladies as Agnes was cuddling in the maid's chest, resting her head on her ribs, her ears hearing the hammering heart. "I will be right back." He promised by walking away from the living room as his imminent destination was the kitchen to re-enter the room with a mug of hot caffeine beverage.

"Okay." The both females said in unison.

"So you are the most beautiful little angel I have ever seen with your sibling twins, Agnes!"

"Mama!" Agnes Jude evoked as she cooed jubilantly, sensing her heart molting after hearing her mother's voice especially by the way she spelled the sentence, addressed to the youngest Howard. Smug, affectionate smile flourished on her lips.

"Your mom is right, Agnes! I mean the rare bird." Valerie said in teasing manner her friend's nickname that Timothy addressed her. Once Timothy stepped inside the living room and heard rare bird he couldn't endure the growing motion of his gleeful smile. He buzzed in melodic way, locking up their stares.

"Val!" The blonde swatted lightly the redhead's shoulder without causing further damage to her skin and abiding incessant welts, and pinkish tints. The both adults snickered vigorously. The former monsignor strolled up to the sofa as he relished the moment of drinking his morning coffee with a pleasant company. "Timothy has the right to call me like that." The former pious member of the church scoffed the housekeeper.

"What to call you?" He proudly enquired his wife, catching the both ladies' attention momentarily.

"Mommy and Nana," Then three adults stared down at the young girl, paying utterly attention to her. "What's a rare bird?" Timothy instantly realized for what the both women cackled moments ago. At last but not least, little did Agnes know what does rare bird means as she has heard it amidst her parents though the family's friend mentioned the significant word.

"It's actually rara avis, sweetheart! Rara avis is the latin word for rare bird and it means an exceptional person. Someone unique! Someone different!" Timothy began to explain to Agnes as he seated next to his wife with a mug of hot coffee in his hand, grasping it. Whilst his other hand stroked Agnes's still growing mane of honey curls, descending down to her shoulders. 

"Is Mama a rara avis?"

"She's undeniably a rara avis, honey!" The middle-aged man responded boldly, ardently. Jude couldn't resist herself from growing content, glowing smile across her plump, natural lips.

***

A several days later

7th of March, 1970

"Happy Birthday, Daddy!" Ellie, Tristan and Agnes said jubilantly all at one as the youngest child was in her mother's arms, her wee arm clasped around her mother's shoulder. 

It was Timothy's 46th birthday as he wasn't aging at all. Not only his complexion was hardly inked in natural wrinkles of the aging process, but also his appearance hasn't changed at all with a handful of exceptions as well in the past years. It has been approximately a half a decade since he left Briarcliff with Jude for better life and building a family together, starting from the zero. The last time when he wore a clerical attire was years ago, when he rescued Jude from the sinister madness and he was lastly seen in a conservative, rigid, dark priest's garments, embodying the devotion to the church and God, besides spotlighting his ecclesiatical title which he was once addressed. When Jude was no longer part of Briarcliff's responsibility and was residing in Timothy's owned mansion, he never dressed up himself in the garments which he usually had on himself ever again. His charachter and demeanor were peculiarly changed since their arrival in Boston's countryside, accomplishing a mutual atonement for his wrongdoings and unacceptable deeds towards his rare bird.

Further, the kitchen's table was adorned with slices of cakes in the plates, glasses of beverages as the twins were sitting on their chairs with Jude and Timothy. 

"Happy Birthday, my love!" Jude bucked up in felicity, blooming smile on her lips.

"Thank you so much for being part of my birthday," He paused, clearing his throat. "As I am very proud to call you my family with the lovely little angels that I love and the beautiful wife I am so lucky to meet her, and share this remarkable moment together, besides I love her." The former priest carried on as he stroke his youngest daughter's hair and Tristan's crispy short golden one, admiring their physical features as much as his wife's. 

They couldn't oppress smiles, crawling on their lips. In the meanwhile, Timothy got from the chair as he leant to peck kisses on each child's warm temples and cheeks as he concluded with a passionate though short-termed kiss by capturing her mellow, luscious lips as he cupped her cheeks in the palms of his larger, elegant hands, closing their eyes to relish the sweet moment. 

After the couple broke off the kiss as they drew forthwirth their children's attention as they admired their parents' perfevid love, giggling inwardly for themselves.

"Mommy and Daddy are a wonderful couple, aren't they?" Ellie inquired rhetorically.

"They are, Ellie! They are so special couple." Tristan commented optimistically, arching an eyebrow idly.

"I love you, darling!"

"I love you too, rare bird!" Jude and Timothy took their time to admire one another's faces once they broke off the kiss and eventually opened their eyes.

"Timothy, I have something for you." The middle-aged mother cautioned plainly.

"What's the surprise?"

"You should wait." She got from the chair as she set Agnes on her seat, occupying it as the former sister of the church pressed lightly her lips on his. "I will be right back, sweethearts!" Then the blonde walked away from the kitchen as she towered the stairs up to the second floor, galloping in the bedroom by rummaging one of the drawers of the dresser unless the present she has got for Timothy is being found.

The children and the former monsignor waited patiently downstairs in the kitchen. A handful of minutes later, the middle-aged woman returned in the kitchen as she hided behind her spine the present for her husband, holding it in her both hands as she was gamely approaching him. Grin flashed on her face when she was gradually ambling up to him. Little did Timothy know what she was concealing behind her rear, having the sixth sense what she would have brought for his birthday. 

Without any hesitancy, she showed to her husband what she has exactly brought for his birthday, flabbergasting him.

"That's," The younger man stammered, in fact, he was dazed by the tickets Jude has reserved not only for them, moreover for their children for Elsa Mars's show. His chocolate eyes lowered down, inspecting the tickets'. "Spectacular! We are going to attend Elsa Mars's show on 27th of March." He proceed with uttering as his utterance tended to be more murmur. 

What astounded the former holy man was actually his wife bought tickets for the entire family altogether to go watch Elsa Mars's show on live and listen to her songs. He kept his wits about Jude's opinion on the former freak show owner. It was overwhelming for Timothy since he knew Jude disliked the German emigrant, due to the fact it reminded her of the woman which Judy used to be a few decades ago before joining the church and finding God in the churlish, eerie darkness. 

The children couldn't suppress, nevertheless, overhear what their father evoked out loud as Jude nodded her head through an effloresced innocent, radiant smile. 

"Elsa Mars!" The twins and Agnes squealed euphorically, raising their hands in the air as their high-pitched in euphoria voices levitated in the kitchen. "We will see her on live!" They resumed to squeal excitedly, catching their parents' attention puntucually. 

"We will see your idol, of course!" 

To be continued...