Sand and Snow

"So what are we waiting on?" Angus asked. "Let's get the girls and lets go. I'll go pack their bags." He flicked his wand to start the kitchen to clean itself following breakfast and then headed upstairs.

"I'll go put a few things in a bag for us too," Khaat said. "Anybody else need to run home and grab a few things? Swimsuits? Changes of clothes? Now is the time if you need to go." She went upstairs to pack a few things for her and Brian for the day.

"She's right," Brian said. "And I think I could hold down the place long enough for you all to go if you want to go grab a few things. It should be warm enough now for you to use the beach if you want. I'd take us out when we get there, but I don't think Robert would approve so soon after my surgery.

Angus came back downstairs with an oversized diaper bag on his shoulder and a baby in each arm. Khaat followed with a bag over her shoulder as well.

"So how much did you pack, Khaat?" Brian couldn't help laughing. He knew how she usually packed.

"I behaved myself," Khaat announced proudly.

"That would be a first," He said, standing up, balancing on his crutches.

"I'm ignoring that," Khaat said. "Bring the girls, Angus, would you?" She took Brian's arm and portkeyed out to the living room of the villa in Tuscany. But she purposely made it a bit tougher for him to land on his feet. She was determined that he wasn't going to find it easy to deal with. She watched him stumble, his crutches clattering to the floor. She used her wand in order to keep him from reinjuring his knee.

He ended up falling on his behind on the floor. He looked up at her scowling. "You did that on purpose," He said.

"I did?" she asked innocently. His scowl only became deeper at her. He had deserved it, and they both knew it, though, so he wasn't going to stay angry with her for long.

Angus arrived with the girls and looked at Brian sitting on the floor, the crutches askew. "Did you forget how to land?" he asked.

"She did it on purpose," Brian said.

"Then you must have deserved it," Angus shrugged. He put the babies on the floor. "Here. Go get Daddy."

Both girls started to babble and try to talk at the same time to Brian and started crawling to him. He forgot about being angry and decided to stay right where he was and play with the girls so long as they didn't crawl on his bad knee.

Angus went upstairs taking the baby bag and Khaat and Brian's bag, along with his own. He came back downstairs and set about making a nice tall pitcher of iced tea and ordering groceries for the day for them all. He sent the grocery order out to his brothers to bring to them. He promised them they would have the fresh foods within the hour.

Khaat decided she was going to take a walk on the beach. Brian reminded her to take her walking stick and to not go far. She agreed and headed for the beach.

"Sure," Khaat said. "I just want to feel some of that warm sand under my feet. Maybe a little of the Mediterranean across my feet. I don't want to go far. Nice suit."

"Did you pack your suit?" Brian asked.

"I am not wearing a suit," she frowned. She was far too self conscious of how thin she was to wear a suit.

"I happen to like that little figure in a bathing suit," Brian flashed her a quick grin. "Allow me." He flicked his wand and transfigured her clothes to a fushia colored suit with some beautiful flowers--a copy of one she had admired in a magazine--and a lovely coordinating sarong tied around her waist. "Now," he told her, "Go enjoy yourself."

She knew Brian was merely refusing to allow her to stay in her shell, and as uncomfortable as she was, she also appreciated him for making her reach beyond what she was comfortable with in order to get past her own insecurities. It was necessary.

"Shall we?" she looked at Jess.

"It does feel good," Khaat said. She wateched Jess lay out the towel. "Thanks. I like the sand under my feet too," She stretched out on the towel and let herself relax. That didn't happen too much anymore. But it was part of why they'd bought the villa. It had beach on three sides and a beautiful yard and garden. It was a place that still, despite all the trouble she had seen here, felt peaceful to her. She really could see herself someday retiring here, leaving the British rain and cold behind and going to the warmth of the Meditteranean coast. If the trouble that plagued her life left her long enough for her to grow old and perhaps maybe even enjoy some grandchildren or great grandchildren.. Most days that didn't even seem like a remote possibility for her.