#gavin capp

It was a prediction she kept to herself, as the issue was mostly about herself. She just didn't feel like being besieged by hordes of Capps right this second, not after the gaffe she'd made when going to visit the pregnant Patience and being turned away for bringing two sisters with her. Being frowned at by a burly bodyguard butler who was literally Bigfoot was an experience she never wanted to repeat!

However, needs must, and Miranda slipped on her signature ice cool blue glasses to meet guests arriving in the foyer. Patience was among the first and the young woman, clad in soft cashmere, lilac and grey, wrapped her arms around her 'aunt' (her mother Juliette was Miranda's cousin, so aunt was an easier term than some clunky alternative that everybody guessed at but nobody really knew). "Clovis sends his apologies, he's home with Lysander," Patience said in Miranda's ear, still holding her. A very polite thing to issue the status of the plus one to the party host.

The birthday girl herself enjoyed the benefits of being a guest at her party rather than the burden of organisation. Miranda gifted her baby sister a mocha brown suit to wear in her newfound years as a woman of a more distinguished age; Ginger changed into it immediately and sang the praises of her sister's choice all throughout the evening. "Ladies, gentlemen, honoured guests - my style icon," she had announced after tapping a silver spoon to a champagne glass. Her sweeping arm and upturned palm were directed at Miranda, who received applause.

That's how Nathaniel knew his cousin Ginger wanted to explore campus and meet new people as soon as she arrived to begin her freshman year. She was asking Gavin for the best food spots, then which clubs to join, then which classes had the cutest students. Nathaniel didn't need to hear a word from his other cousin to know that the escalating excited questions were making him nervous - Ginger came from a more rambunctious part of the family and they had a reputation to uphold! For now, she would have to be satisfied with pub patrons to fill her number list.

Then there was the poor lad whose father died, Rocky. Nathaniel heard sobs from his room that were muffled by Gavin's shoulder - the good man could relate and offer support, having grown up in the orphanage before aunt Cordelia knelt down and took his hand. No living parents... Nathaniel mused that his mum and dad hadn't been perfect, but at least he had them. With a start, he remembered that Gavin just lost his step-dad too! Those liberal students who spoke out in class about checking one's privilege could be onto something...

In the end, Rocky got expelled because he couldn't focus on study anymore, poor sod. The Capulet House class performance record maintained its picture of success; nobody could be too hard on a bereaved student, for one, even if the faculty were unmoved. But Daisy Greenman graduated with honours and showed off the Capp family's acknowledgement of, and support for, diverse learners such as faeries.

She'd wanted to brave the day to be with him. He'd expressed concern about things like installing blackout blinds, even boarding up the windows in the interim. She'd smiled and slid her hands under his sweater, and layers were peeled off from there, sunlight be damned.

It was a kind of love that Gvaudoin didn't mind being seen by anyone strolling by on the perfect blue spring morning at Mission University. Gavin was graduating so it was like a PSA with PDA: other ladies out there need not apply for this gentleman! A far bolder statement than what Fricorith was doing with Ginger; dating under darkness. They looked so sweet together that perhaps it was about enjoying each other before telling the world.

Still, Gvaudoin liked her way better.

Mummy and daddy, great aunty Regan and great uncle Kent, uncle Gavin too: all treated her like one of them. Not once since moving to the main house had there been any ushering out of the room for the grown-ups to talk 'serious business', or leaving out of poker night. She was a lady now, and ladies needed to learn things, like how to destroy opponents on any stage in a way that made it seem like the loser's idea to tap out. Every morsel of exclusive knowledge in social grace made her hungry for more; it was only til she raked in all the chips at the poker table that she realised not every family member was so happy with her progress.

Great aunt Regan wasn't the sweetest to begin with but she was family. Even if she did glare and gruffle as she shuffled her cards. Sometimes uncle Gavin's gaze wafted away as Patience described the layers of meaning in her latest painting, and a gallery already being interested in it.

What was an heiress to do?

Well, mummy told her to focus on herself, so that's what she did. She announced her intention to not attend Land Grant University and get straight to her duties at the helm of the winery - then mummy's smile slipped off her porcelain face. Patience felt like a lonely little girl at the kid's table once again, til she spoke to daddy. He said: "Hey, Pay-Pay" (his pet name for her), "don't worry about it. I didn't go to uni and look at me now!" He was apparently self-imposing a strip poker rule for nights without Patience present to incentivise improvement; it seemed, to Patience, this was self-motivation and a desire to learn, occuring in spite of a lack of tertiary education. There, see, mummy?

"J ~ meet me in the conservatory ~ J x." Junior's handwriting was a uniquely mangled interpretation of cursive from his years of half-assing private tuition (in his surprisingly self-deprecating words); Juliette understood the font well, thanks to his weekly love notes. This piece of scribbled scripture was different, though. It was an invitation in which the words appeared to wobble (more than usual) with anticipation. Juliette smiled, popped a strawberry in her mouth, and made her way to the staircase.

Junior was standing in his swimmers by the bubbling spa. His shoulders visibly relaxed when Juliette drew closer and accepted a glass of Capulet white from his outstretched hand. What she said next almost brought him to his knees: "The answer's yes."

Thank goodness Juliette was a studied people reader - she sensed he might fumble the velvet box into the pool and came to his rescue by speaking the best word in the world, well ahead of her cue.

The news went down well at poker night, during which Juliette excused herself to take supper in the kitchen with her baby brother Gavin and tell him about the upcoming wedding. He was a nice boy who tidied away dishes without a second thought and offered his congratulations. The orphanage hadn't diluted any sweetness; becoming a Capp hadn't spoiled him.

Daisy was an old childhood friend. As life went on, they'd fallen out of touch, but reconnecting felt seamless. There'd been a single thread between these Best Friends Forever all along; the last remnant of old friendship bracelets, held by the inner children who cheered them on now, all grown up. Ariel promised to keep better touch with her BFF beyond graduation; Daisy promised she and her boyfriend Rocky would take good care of Capulet House for the remainder of their studies. The two couldn't help sharing a giddy giggle together about how handsome the said boyfriend was - well bloody done, Daisy!

Cousin Gavin arrived shortly before Ariel moved back home. He set down his suitcases and received her tour, which touted the topline amenities of the space - bottom line, he would want for nothing. Ariel knew her cousin's orphaned pre-Capp background and wanted to impress him, but it seemed he was well and truly used to privileged spaces by now thanks to growing up in the main house. Still, he had the good grace to express his gratitude, perhaps a little more humbly than the average family member would. Such a charming young man.