Sand and Snow

steven moved quickly into the room "did that coat rack come in here with my hat " he said "damn thing took it down stairs " he said and sighed " that thing hates me big time " he said looking at them on the bed " i have don't nothing to it it just hates me " he folded his arms till he saw his hat on the floor slightly crumpled "aww my hate" he said and picked it up sighing"ok that thing is tooth picks " he said slightly smiling to them knowing they would know he was joking .

"When you find it, get Khaat's clothes back, would you?" Brian asked, laughing. "It dropped your hat when it saw all the pretty things in her closet. I dont' think it hates you. It swipes everybody's stuff. Its just an arrogant hat rack. You ought to see what Michael has to go through daily to get his hat and his jacket."

"Be nice to Snidely," Khaat frowned. "He's sensitive."

"Sensitive?" Brian laughed out loud. "Snidely? Are we talking about the same hat rack?"

"The truth is that he misses Rob. Rob used to pay attention to him and play poker with him. Snidely misses his buddy."

"Well, lets send him to Rob, then," Brian shrugged. "Make everybody happy."

"I don't know if that makes Rob happy or not."

"Since when have I ever cared about making Rob happy?" Brian scowled.

"Don't be jealous," she kissed his cheek. "I live with you and I wear your ring. Not his."

"Touche," he sighed.

cassidy sat with the girls playing with them wondering what was going on in the kitchen she could har things going on and it peeked her intrest she so wanted just to look but she'd been ordered not to "have you ever been tempted just to sneak a look Angus?" she asked .


upstairs steven g r him teh hat rak or at last teach it not to take stuff thts not its u just givoaned at the two of them " aw can't you teach it not to take stuff " he said shaking his head as he left the room "well michaels wel a d truly embeded himself in the kitchen he kicked us all out " he said and sighed " and I didn't get my coffee" he said and chuckled

"Yes," Angus said softly. "I was. Once. At a summer barbeque. The next thing I knew he'd sent me off to Siberia. I was standing in the snow, naked." He laughed. "And he never said a word. Robert brought me back before I froze. It wasn't funny then. It is now. If you go into the kitchen, take your coat, thats my best advice. But, whatever he's fixing, it will be the best food you've ever had in your life. Thats a guarantee."

"Angus!" Michael bellowed. "Go find that damned hatrack and ask it where it hid my Edamame."

"Edamame? What's that?" Angus frowned. "Great. I"m off to find Snidely. What the hell am I looking for?" He looked at Cassidy.

"If you want coffee, here," Khaat said. She got out a pad of paper and a pen and scribbled a note to Michael, transfigured it into a little paper bird and sent it to the kitchen. In mere seconds, a carafe of French Roast floated upstairs on a tray, accompanied by stoneware mugs. And laying on the tray was a pink rose.

"See? Michael loves me," she smiled proudly. "If you want something, just ask. I"ll get it. Help yourself to coffee. I guarantee its wonderful."

Cassidy smirked at that thought and blushed " I think i would rather stay clothed thank you, there's only two times i want to be.... never mind" she said and continued to play with the girls "can' twait to tate what ve it is hes cooking " Cassidy looked at Angus when Michael shouted "whats Edamame?" she asked just as Dakota threw her toy at her but she cought it "want me to help steven should be down soon, besides im curiose as to what Edamame is". Cassidy handed back the toy to Dakota who pouted because it had not hit her.

Steven saw the coffee and pored a cup sighed as he drank " I can't get threw the day with out it " he said and smiled "thanks Khaat " he said " better get down stairs, i hope that hat rack stays away from me " he chuckled as he headed down stairs .

"Yes. That hat rack is harder to catch than he looks, and I have no idea what the hell I'm searching it for. I guess I"m taking anything edible away from it," Angus sighed.

He started up the stairs and met Steven halfway up. "You--go watch the babies. Cassidy and I are chasing that damned hat rack for something called Edemame. I have no idea what it is, but I presume its edible because Michael wants it in the kitchen pronto."

Angus drew his wand and began to sneak up the stairs as noiselessly as he could. He couldn't believe he was trying to sneak up on a hat rack. "Don't hurt it," He whispered to Cassidy. "Khaat likes the stupid thing." About that time, Brian peeked his head out the bedroom door and Angus jumped, startled. "Stop that! You scared the life out of me!"

"What the devil are you sneaking up on?" Brian frowned.

"Snidely."

"Why?" Brian frowned.

"He's taken something from Michael called Edemame, and we've been sent to get it back."

"He's sent you to sneak up on a hatrack for a package of soybeans?"

"Soybeans?"

"Thats what edemame is. Soybeans. Prepared either like lima beans generally, or simply cooked to an al dente stage, seasoned and eaten one at a time, like popcorn or M&M's. Get the idea?"

"So...I'm looking for a package of frozen green bean sorta things."

"Yeah."

"Great," Angus sighed sarcastically.

Cassidy followed him up the stairs s he chuckled as she saw Angus jump at Brian's voice she looked around as Angus spoke to Brian and raised an eye brow at what Edamame was. "Then its got to be in a jacket pocket thats hung on the rack " she said still looking in the nursary but not seeing any thing she turned back to face him "at least we know that it is now, but what does he want that for " she asked now moving to the room she used .

Steven moved down stairs to the girls Dakota threw her toy at him and he sighed and picked it up he sat down and gave it back as he chuckled at her " long day kid " he said pulling a face and hearing her chuckle at it.

" My guess is that he's using it as part of a vegetable dish or a salad," Brian shrugged. "Khaat? Where would Snidely go?" She stirred and woke.

"Snidely? Again? What is the problem? I never had any trouble with him," she frowned.

"That's because he likes you," Brian said. "He's got part of Michael's groceries now." She sighed heavily. She called loudly for Snidely. The hat rack poked out from a doorway, saw Angus and Cassidy and ducked back into the extra guest room, slamming the door.

"Great," Brian sighed. "Well, you've got him cornered at least."

"Don't scare him," Khaat said.

"Are we talking about the same hat rack?" Brian frowned.

"Brian, give him your hat."

"My what? My hat! No!" he said. "I'll give him your hat."

"Fine. Give him my hat," she said. He went into her closet and got out a wide brimmed straw beach hat. He took it and gave it to Cassidy.

"See if the ruddy thing will trade you the hat for the beans," he suggested.

"He's not bad. He's just lonely," Khaat said sleepily, drifting off again.

"I can't believe we're doing this for a hat rack," Brian sighed.

Cassidy spotted the door move and stood be side it taking the hat she moved slowly inside seeing it hiding in a corner she sighed but moved forward "if you give us the bag of beans I'll give you this nice hat " she said holding it out but it seem to ignor her she turned to Angus "why don't you try im getting know where " she said but as she finished a hook shot out grabbing the hat and dropping a large bag at her feet so fast she fell back and landed on her bottom "ouch, he did that delibratly" she said looking up at Angus from where she sat but she could not help laugh at how silly she looked " ok lets get this to michael " she said and stood up rubbing her sore bottom.

"He likes you," Angus laughed. "Good job." He reached down a hand to help her up. As he pulled her up to her feet, Snidely offered Cassidy a strand of Khaat's pearls. "See? Maybe Khaat's right. Maybe he is a decent fellow. Maybe he just misses playing cards with Rob."

At the mention of a deck of cards, Snidely dashed off and somehow turned up a deck of playing cards and a large box of matchsticks and returned excitedly. Angus laughed. "Matchstick poker. Alright. You behave, and I'm in. " Snidely seemed to agree because he seemed to get excited. "Okay. I'll take the beans down to Michael. You two come along."

He headed downstairs. He floated the beans into Michael. "You owe me a pint for that, Mikey," Angus teased.

"You're getting dinner. You want a pint too?" Michael replied.

"Yes. And maybe a game of poker with Snidely."

"You're pushing it, Shaggy," Michael replied.