Feminine Fire

"I doubt it," Khaat said. "Have you ever noticed how much food this troop eats? Angus works more time than anyone knows, when he tries to do it all by hand rather than using magic to help just to feed everyone. Have you ever noticed that for a house that is supposed to be basically two adults and two babies there are never less than at least six people and usually more like ten or twelve. And some of those adults eat more than you and I do. And just think we're about to add two more to that list of people. I think if we did it all by hand, cooking alone would be full time.

"The meatloaf looks nice. Alright my veggies are peeled and coated with olive oil and herbs and salt. She used magic to drop them into the same roaster with Jess's meatloaf. "The veggies give the meatloaf a good flavor and vice versa. Alright. Now how are you at pound cake? I can use some of the raspberries to make a sauce and we can put the rest into the trifle with some fresh whipped cream. Oh and we need a salad. I'd turn that meatloaf down though. They could be gone three or four hours and if we do that the meatloaf will be either burned or dried out to a crisp before they get back."

Jesica nodded and smiled " I can do that I have a recipy an old freind gave me , never used it but I guess nows a good time" she said and gathered the ingrediants 3 cups cake flour,6 large eggs,1 pound butter,1 pound sugar,2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract,1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup buttermilk,1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon baking powder. Jesica looked at them all and began by Sift the flour, baking soda,and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Then she stir in salt and the sugar using a large spoon . Next she add the butter melt it in a pan over slow heat to make it blend easier then came the eggs, whole. At this point she took out a mixer and begin mixing on slow. Slowly she add the buttermilk, and then the vanilla extract. After it is thoroughly stirred, she turn the mixer up to medium for a few minutes and then finally on high and added just a touch more buttermilk. she heated the oven to 325 degrees.


taking her cake pan she oiled it with butter. Then lightly flour the oiled pan and shook the excess flour from the pan then gently poured in the mix and then into the oven for an hour. she cleaned up and sat back down pouring out some juice from jug as the heat in the kitchen made her thirsty she did the same for Khaat. " ok Khaat break time" she said and chuckled.

OOC: We forgot to have them leave, but we will presume they have been gone for a couple of hours now, if that's okay with you.

Kate came into the kitchen. "It smells fabulous in here. But I have a couple little girls who need a snack. They're in need of an afternoon nap. It took them awhile to wind down, but they're ready now."

"Certainly," Khaat said. She filled up two bottles with milk and handed them to her mother. "They still like bottles when its time to sleep."

"Of course they do. They're still little. You have lots of time with that. There are no rules here, Khaat. If they like it, then so be it."

"Do you need us to help?"

"At least one of you. Your father is busy. He's communicating with Brian through the fireplace. So far, all seems well, but I can't ask him to put one of the girls down for a nap."

Khaat didn't want to neglect her girls, but it was getting hard to pick up one and carry it upstairs. "Jess?" she didn't want to ask because she sensed Jess might be tired. "I hate to ask, but do you mind helping my mother with the girls and putting them down for a nap in the nursery?"

"No, down here," Kate said. "Your father wants them down here. He wants them close."

Jess moved to the living room with ehr and picked up Dakota she turned to look at Kate as she said they were to stay down in the living room , accioing their cots she moved them till the sat against a wall and placed Dakota in, covering her up gently with her blanket " kate how do you keep yourself from worrying so much " she asked moving to sit with her " I guess I care about him a lot " she said and took a deep breath in as she med a pot of coffee and tea float threw setteling in alight float betwen them and pour out three cups she handed one to Kate and one to Khaat then took her own " it will be all right" she said not sure who she was reasuring then or her self.

"Thank you," Kate said to Jess as she took the mug that was offered to her. "First of all, I completely trust in Robert's ability to train his men. He's been doing it for 40 years. He's good at his job. Second of all, at our ages, Robert and I have lived through a wizarding war and Voldemort's tyrany. Any of us could have been killed at any time. It changes your thinking when you have lived through that. And, when you get to our ages, we are starting to come to terms with our mortality. Neither Robert or I will live forever, and we're good with that. If Robert died tomorrow, I would miss him. Terribly. But I have the farm, my art, my daughter, my grandchildren, the shop...I have a very completely wonderful life. Robert being in it makes it perfect, but I could still seek and find joy in it even if he were not here.

"And as for Robert, he loves that farm, he loves his work. He has hobbies, he loves potions, he loves so much, so many things. I know he would miss me, but he loves Khaat and Brian with all his heart and those babies. One of us will leave the other first. Its just the way of life. We're reconciled that we will still find joy and move on during the short time we are apart from one another, and we're planning a wonderful romantic date that will last for the rest of eternity when we find each other again on the other side of the veil. So, for us, its all good."

Jessica sat and listened to Kate in her own way she understood what she meant and smiled she knew jack would not want her sitting around grieving if he went and he would want her to go on with her life and the children she now had to think that way each time he went away. “ Your right Kate , jack would not want me to sit around he'd want me to get on with my life “ she said smiling to her as she drank her coffee “ I'm thinking of switching to fruit teas I think there is too much caffeine in coffee for me” she said and waved her hand to change what lay in her cup to cinnamon and orange tea. Taking a sip she smiled “ now that's very tasty” she said and chuckled as she stood to check her pound cake. Moving she slowly opened the oven and smelled the delicious aroma that came from with in it. She took it out and lightly tapped it finding it done. Moving to a cooling wire she tipped it out and let it cool. Moving back in she smiled to Khaat “ cakes done do you want to let it cool before making the trifle?” she asked as she took up her cup again.

"Yes," Khaat said, "It will cut easier that way. I'll be right back." She got up and went into the living room where her father was getting up from a crouching position in front of a magical fire he had put there in order to communicate with Brian.

"Daddy?" she asked softly. "Any news?"

"All is well so far," he said. "No injuries. Gelding's houses are gone, but he was not in them. That is a bit worrisome, but we'll find him. They've taken out the Ethan Burke's house, and they have two more top aides to take out. I've had the Paris office knocking out all the finances of everyone we know to be associated with them. I expect them within the next hour." He caressed her cheek. "Brian is very capable. He won't do anything stupid. He'll be back. I promise." She sighed heavily, not wanting to betray how she felt, but he saw. "Come here," he said softly. He wrapped her into a hug. "I'm sorry, Khaat. I am so sorry you're being used against me like this. You know if I could just wipe them all out I would." He kissed her cheek.

"Its okay. Better me than someone else. I'm getting used to it," she smiled at him.

"That's my girl." He laid his hands on her stomach. He paused and looked at her smiling. "One of them seems to be following Brian's footsteps. He loves to kick and punch. He's going to be a fighter."

"Do you know its a boy?"

"I'm not telling," he smiled. "I thought you wanted it to be a surprise."

"We do."

"Then I"m not telling. You feel alright?"

"I"m fine," she said.

"You should get off your feet. Your ankles are swelling from so many hours standing in the kitchen. And..." he touched her face. "You're overheated. Sit. I'll get you something cold to drink." He lowered her to the sofa and made sure she put her feet up. Then he went out to the kitchen. "I don't want Khaat's feet to balloon up on her. I want her to put them up for a bit." He got her a tall glass of iced tea, with a lot of ice and took it in to her. "Here. Try this."

"Thank you," she told him.

Jessica looked at Robert and nodded " were almost done, she can tell me what to do from where she is " she said to robert as she sent her cup to the sink as she tested the cake finding it still hot moving into the living room she watched Khaat and saw her ankles " Khaat you should rest " she said softly sitting next to her on the couch she accioed a wizards chess set " will you teach me how to play ?" she asked feeling focusing on something else might take her mind of where jack was. She smiled a litte as he said no injuries glad for that news at least. She started to set up the peices and wondered if it was like regular chess , it had been years since she played and she'd only followed Roberts guidence last time.

Kate came in from the kitchen and she took a seat not far from where Robert had taken a seat.

"Sure," Khaat said, when Jess mentioned chess. When the board was opened, Khaat flicked her fingers at them. "Begin!" she commanded. The pieces took their places on the board for the starting of a game. "Would you like to make the first move?" she asked her.

She heard one of the babies begin to stir and when they did, Max ran and jumped into the crib to check. He curled up next to the little girl and began to purr soothingly. Before the child could fuss more than a small whimper, the comforting sounds of Max's purring had lulled her back to sleep. Khaat just smiled. "I hope he's good with the fact that we have two more coming."

Jess looked at Kate and staired blankly at the board she moved a pawn and sat back " I know you will win as your beter than me but I am her e to learn " she said and smiled at her she turned to watch max with Dakota and smiled at him " hes a realy good baby sitter wish I had him when mine were that young" she said and chuckled softly turning her attention back to the board and her game. She watched Kate intently to see if she could figure out her next move but saw nothing " you know kate you'd be good at poker I can't tell what you next move is" she said and chuckled softly.