Snowflakes and Shopping Bags

"I hope," Khaat said. "Brian deserves the best. You know, this house here was never used much until after I had Abbey. Then he moved here from Paris to be with us. He promised me, when things were so ugly those first few days, that he was going to make sure that Abbey and I never wanted anything as long as we lived. And then Mis's problems with Dakota became a lot more realistic to me the closer she got to being due. I had no idea he had come into so much money, but he's kept to his word. And you know, he hasn't left the money go to his head either. Its just a means for him to get whatever the people in his life need.

"I need to buy some things for Mis too, but she's more into Goth fashions. I think I'm going to have to go into muggle London to buy things for her. I would have never thought that my list would get this long. And then there's Eli, Fauve, Thierry, Chris, David, well,...the list just seems to go on and on."

She saw a sweater for her mother that she liked. Pink, feathery soft, and it looked thick and warm. "What do you think? My mother?"

jess chuckled "yeah just when you think you have it all sorted you remember more " she said smiling "ow that would be perfect for her"she said "ok I can come with you for mis's too, brian would kill me if I let you go alone , come to think of it so would jack " she said and chuckled thinking of his face as he watched her leave to go shopping again with Khaat.

Ronata walked over "hey found anything , Im kinda stuck I found some things for steven and andrew, but I can't decide on a sceme for the living room like you too , I keep changing my mind" she rubbed the back of her neck and sighed "sorry guys" her mind was not on this place one bit why she had no clue it puzled her as to why she could not focus on christmas.

"Well, I saw several different themes I liked. Come over here," Khaat said. She showed Ronata one that was made from simple rustic, country styles of decorations. Garland that looked like it was made from cranberries and popcorn. Grapevine birds nests with silk birds, ribbons, glistening snowflakes, and things that would fit Steven and Ronata's country decor.

She also found another one she liked that was done in red, gold and green, all sorts of glistening lights and ornaments.

Then she found a third one that was done in crystal icicles, blue lights, blue ornaments, and ornaments that looked like ice sculptures.

"Do any of these work?" Khaat asked.

Ronata looked at them and nodded "yes , the rustic ones should do well in the main hallway , the ribis across the top of the fire place " she said and smiled and took down three garlands and a wreath with twqo placesettings "Thanks Khaat , since coming back its been hard to focus on stuff like this But im determined to make good of my return " she siad and smiled "I over heard you were thinking of going to london I'd love to come with you , if thats all right " she said softly as an assistant took her things from her.

Jess smiled a s she saw Ronata finally deciding on something and getting out of her slump and into the christmas spirit now. she smiled as she walked over " well I for one will be hapy that you are coming with us right Khaat" she looked at her.

"Absolutely," Khaat smiled. "I have to find some things that fit Mis's tastes. She's still into the whole goth thing. I don't pretend to understand it. I just accept it. Oh, and I mentioned to Jess that Angus told me about some things for Brian in San Antonio at a leathermaker's. I don't know how you feel about portkeying with me there, but I think jess would like to go. I thought perhaps we might be able to make an overnight of it. The riverwalk is supposed to be beautiful at night by canal boat. I think Angus would go with us. Brian would never dream of letting me go that far without either him or Angus, and its hard to buy for Brian if he's along. So I'll borrow Angus, I think."

Ronata smiled "sure , and sounds wonderful " she said and grinned as she tought about the romantic canal Khaat had discribed "humm, so Im guessing jack and steven won't be coming ?" she said still grinning slightly at the thought of nearly and all girls outing but she also knew Brian would be curiose at it also.

"Im ok with porting" she said and smiled "jeffery ported me back from the scatuary to your place, remember? "she said and started to think maybe things would be better if she spent some time away from steven and with khaat and Jessica who seem to want to pull her up. "I think it sounds great and yess jess very romantic if your into that" she said her smile slipped a little but didn't leave completly

"I'm not into romance if Brian isn't there," Khaat laughed. "But I have heard that the lights and the music are gorgeous at night. Hm..Romance. Maybe I should stuff a girl into Angus's stocking."

"Stuff a what into my stocking?" Angus frowned, coming around the corner. "A girl? She'd be awfullly small, wouldn't she?"

"I'd put her in a bugjar for her own protection," Khaat laughed.

"Oh no. Not a bug jar," Angus laughed. "Can't she be human at least?"

"You're so picky, Angus," Khaat laughed. She picked up a baby pink muffler and wrapped it around Angus's neck playfully.

"Pink?" he frowned. "Pink is really not my color, Khaat. Now that tan plaid, maybe. And the black one is even better."

"I like the pink. It gives you a nice rosy glow to your cheeks."

"Now I know I don't like it," he said, taking it off and laying it back on the shelf. "Hey, what about a black fedora for your father to go with his coat? It would look very impressive." Angus showed her a sharp looking black fedora.

Khaat looked at Jess and Ronata. "What do you think? Does it look too scary? Daddy doesn't look too scary already?"

jess sighed then laughed at Angus with a small girl in a bug jar and more so with the pink muffler around his neck "ow I agree with Khaat it so brings out the red tinges to your cheeks " Ronata said nothing but smirked trying to hide it "but I agree the black is very sheek and the fedora for Robert would so give him the I don't take no messing finishing touch " she said picking one up and handing it to Khaat carefuly.

Ronata watched as she did so and shook her head at getting Steven one ,she knew he was not into that kind of thing he was more a steadson than fadora and cowboy boots more than western shoes she sighed now once more stuck for what to get Steven , but she knew a night away from him would help her decide both what to get him and whee her life was going

Khaat had been very deliberate in not saying anything negative to Ronata, but it seemed to her that Ronata had left Switzerland prematurely. Jeffrey was good, and Khaat knew it. But she also knew that he didn't work miracles. Ronata's depression seemed to be rather deeply engrained and she seemed to not be able to ever be happy. Not ever. She always seemed to want things she just didn't have. She had been that way ever since Khaat knew her. That wasn't to say Khaat didn't sympathize for her miscarriage but Ronata didnt seem to every cope with any sort of pain in her life well. She still had that need to be fragile. Khaat didn't feel that Ronata would ever truly think she was happy unless she got whatever that was, and at thsi point that seemed to be a baby. Khaat didn't understand why Ronata couldn't be happy with the love of her life, but no matter how much she had Ronata seemed to need more.

Khaat drew a black muffler off of the shelf and she draped it around Angus's neck. "That really does look better," she told him. 'It's yours. Consider it a gift."

"You don't have to do that," he said.

"Yes I do. Or you'll freeze." She handed him a pair of black leather gloves. Warm ones. The leather was soft and supple and they looked like he wouldn't be hampered by breaking them in. "Try these on," she told him. He obeyed. They fit like they were made for him. "Done," she said. "I refuse to let you freeze this winter. This is very different from where you lived."

"Thank you," he smiled, kissing her cheek gently.

jess chuckled at the addition of the muffler and matching gloves "you should make those standered winter issue " she said with a thought fuilled smile at her as she picked up a russian styled hat " that will look good on jack don't you think she picked up a leather set of gloves and a scarf in tan and smiled she would get them for jack to wear.

Ronata felt the pull of the sactuary eating at her finally she gave in "I'm sorry I have to go" she said and quickly moved to the entrance and out side she paused looking back at them all stood in a cristmass suroundings be fore she started to walk away.

Jess saw her stop and took a step forward then turned to look at Khaat "shouldn't we go after her?" she asked but she knew Ronata didn't want her to "you know where shes going don't you" she said seeing the look on her face.