Snowflakes and Shopping Bags

"I presume she's going back to Jeffrey," Khaat said quietly. "She doesn't want us to follow her. You follow her. I'm liable to be rude if I do it. Its not that I don't feel for her because I do. But I don't believe she stayed long enough to work out her issues long term. She truly needs to be back with Jeffrey. But it is exceptionally rude, after as hard as Steven has worked to make this relationship work with her for her to up and run off without so much as a word. It makes me feel sorry for Steven."

She looked at Angus, "Please go send word to Steven and to my father at once." Angus moved and sent Steven and Robert a notice by the floo network in the store quickly. Angus saw that Khaat had clearly run out of patience in dealing with Ronata's difficult behaviors, and he saw she truly had no desire to make the situation worse. He knew Khaat' didn't trust her own temper where Ronata was concerned, and that really was rather wise. Angus didn't question Khaat. His job was not to question her but rather to merely follow her instructions.

Jess looked at Khaat and Angus then stormed after Ronata her issues with her now at there head "shes not soing this to a nice guy Khaat , not again " she said and stormed after her she cought up with ehr standing at a corner shaking her head "Hey !! you can't do this to steven hes a good man and your messing with his head and heart " she said turning ehr to face her , she saw a blank look in her eyes.

"she turned to face Jess and saw anger "I can't... I just can't , Im going home ...Im going back to Jeffery, I can't hurt him but I am if I stay" she said tears running down her face "theres too much pain in here " she placed her hand on her heart.

jess looked at her now even more annoyed "yeah maybe it is best you go Ronata , you have dione this too many times , I'll take you and then come back but you have to agree nebvr to see him again ,GOT THAT !!!" she said shouting at her , she saw her cover her ears at her shouting like a small girl . Taking Ronata Hand she ported away.


Returning she shok her head and walked over to Khaat and angus as she kicked the desk she stood beside "she is so self centerd , shes with jeffery he said he'd contact steven once he's assessted her but he said she might not be back, in my opinion best thing , I know sounds harsh but hey shes been a pain in his rear since she returned " she said folding her arms as she looked at them both.

"She's been a pain longer than that," Khaat said quietly. She handed Ronata's purchases back to the clerk and got Ronata's money back, agreeing to give it back to Steven. At that moment, her father arrived in response to Angus's message.
He walked over to Khaat. "Where is she?" he asked Khaat.

"Gone. Jess took her back to Jeffrey," Khaat said.

"I'm not surprised," Robert said. "She came back entirely too soon for her to have made any real progress. She must have pushed Jeffrey into not staying the first time she went. Jeffrey won't let her go this time. He has more than enough grounds to keep her there for whatever it takes. You all okay?"

"We're fine, Daddy," Khaat said, kissing his cheek. "Angus sent a message to Steven. I presume he'll be here any time now."

"Believe me, my darling," Robert said, "Unpleasant as it is, it will not be any sort of surprise to him. He's getting very tired of trying to help her be something she isn't simply because its what she kept saying she wanted. He's truly had enough. I've seen it coming for weeks."

Steven aperated beside Robert and looked around at them all "what?" he said " she's gone, right ,back to jeffery?" he asked feeling some what relived tjhat it had happened now rather than in several years.

"I tried Khaat I did, but she was never the same , she wasn't the woman I married , i'd go so far as to say she was a pain. " he looked at them then around the store "wow, so this is the store you were talking about , neat" he said noticing jess walk over and hug him "Hey, Im fine jess, really, i expected this. " he said and smiled as he held her back knowing it was for her rather than himself.

"God I hope jack doesn't show up and see me huging his wife, I don't want to be sparked out on the floor ...well not till training anyway" he said and chuckled the sparkle in his eyes telling all that he truly felt free and relived.

"I am sorry, Steven," Khaat said. "You did try. You really did, but she just wasn't able to adjust to wizarding life in England. That's all there is to it. She wanted to pretend that she was something she wasn't. And that was making at least your life far more difficult than it needed to be. I'm sure you'll hear from Jeffrey in a day or so. Once he has time to assess her a bit."

She was glad to see he wasn't griefstricken. He really didnt need to have anything else that was painful in his life. "You know, Steven. I was telling Jess that Angus here had seen several items in a catalog from a leathermaker in San Antonio. I was hoping she and I could go there for an overnight to do some shopping. Perhaps you and Angus might consider going with us? If you don't mind a couple days back in Texas. You know what a collector Brian is of Native American art. Angus knows where the art gallery is that Brian likes, but I really don't think he's going to let me go off by myself to Texas. I dont see him doing that."

Steven smiled at Khaat "sounds great and yeah i'll come i need new stuff for the house "he said still holding Jess as he looked down then at Robert "do you have something to pry her off ?" he said chucklaing "I really am ok, maybe a little disapointed, but Im fine ,I just want to get my life back to how it used to be with john , christmass is coming and being with freinds is more important than some one who doesn't even care about who they hurt " he said prying jess off him " jess its ok , besides jack is waiting back at the house " he said smiling "I think he'd enjoy the hung ." he saw her smile and nod as she stepped back.

"ok so your going now I take it ?"he asked folding his arms in front of his chest , he watched her for a responce but also scanned arounbd the room always on duty when it came to Khaat even with robert and Angus in the room

"We were going to lunch. I really, really want some good Italian food. You're coming, right?" Khaat asked.

"I know a beautiful little place in a muggle section of London that looks like it was right out of Rome," Robert smiled. "And besides, I'd love to get away from my paperwork at my desk for awhile. Unless you mind your father tagging along."

"Never," she smiled. "You're always welcome, Daddy. But how come you've never taken me there?"

"Your mother and I do have to have some secrets, my darling," he laughed. "Is anyone else hungry? Besides you, Angus? You're always hungry."

Steven nodded "sounds great "he said hoping being with his freinds would take away the pain Ronata had left him with but he knew it would pass he was determined he would not let it get to him for in his mind she was not worth it.

He took Robert a side for a moment to talk to him."erm.. Robert would it be possible you send some one to my farm to collect all of Ronatas things, I know she's not coming back and would like her things gone " he asked yes to him it hurt a little that she was gone he could not deny that he had feeling for her but he had to move on." its sounds harsh, but i can't face them right now, send them to her at Jefferys please." he looked at Robert hoping he could see in his face he was some what happier knowing she was not coming back .

He looked behind Robert and smiled at jess trying to put a pink muffler on angus. "jess you know it looks better on you , pink realy is your color" he said and smiled at her noticing a hat and gloves to match and he grinned.

"I'll do it myself," Angus said, taking off the pink scarf. "If you and Robert promise to take very good care of Khaat. I really don't want to be fired the second day on my new assignment."

"You won't be fired. If she gets hurt on my watch, Brian will just fire me," Robert laughed. "Or try to. You know where we're going, right, Angus?"

"I do indeed," Angus laughed. "How could I forget?" He apparated out to go to Steven's.

Khaat went over and whispered something into the shop clerk's ear, and the clerk smiled and nodded and took a few notes on a notepad. Khaat handed him over Brian's credit card, and the clerk took her payment and returned the card to her and thanked her.

She went over to Jess and said very softly in her ear, "I do really need to come back here. Once we get rid of all of them. Is that good with you?"

Steven looked at Angus and smiled "thanks Angus, I owe you one really big one"he said to Angus as he left "ok Im starved now wheres this restaraunt ?" he said and offered his arm to jess since she was closest to him "I have a hankering for italian pasta" he said and grined knowing all would be taken care of so that when he returned home nothing would remain and he could move on with his life.

He walked with jess over to khaat and robert "ok we're ready aperate away" he said grinning as he stood facing both of them.