Feminine Fire

"Sure," Angus said. "I'm putting dinner together. Its been a long difficult day for everyone and I wanted to pamper them a little I''m going to make a chicken stew and some fresh crusty bread, a salad, and a blackberry cobbler. The bread is still rising, not quite ready to bake. You're welcome to help with whatever you like. Jess had been helping in the kitchen, and I sorta miss her help. But she's got a lot of things on her mind, I think."

Khaat woke to find Abbey tugging on Khaat's blanket, trying to find a way to learn to climb up to be with her mother. Khaat levitated Abbey who simply giggled and then when she landed on Khaat, she curled up with her just cuddling. Khaat could hear Max chattering behind the sofa and knew he was chattering at Dakota. She'd heard it too many times. Khaat began to quietly tell Abbey a story. Abbey seemed to be sucking up every little detail.

Cassidy smiled and nodded " I guess what with Khaat being so close to her delivery time" she said " yeah I can tell " she said and patted her own tummy lightly. Cassidy gathered best she could all the things for the salad and began putting it together feeling light headed she sat down at the table and continued in silence to put the ingredients in a large bowl. she looked up occasionally but didn't speak. Soon the salad was done and she placed it in the fridge then moved to start the blackberry cobbler. " I missed this Angus " she said glancing at him " I mean the cooking in a kitchen and having people around. " she said as she glanced out to see khaat with Abby and smiled hearing her talking to Abbey.

"Well, I enjoy having people in the kitchen with me. Back home in Tuscany, the kitchen is the center of the house. When somebody cooks, its a family event. Everyone gathers there and talks, usually over a bottle of wine or limoncello. But its the companionship that really counts. Its family. Thats what its about. I miss it when I'm in the kitchen alone." He listened to the story Khaat was telling to Abbey. He smiled. "Abbey loves that story. She makes Khaat tell it over and over and over. You watch. She'll soon be asleep in Khaat's arms. Abbey is a cuddler. Khaat tells her story and Abbey cuddles and then feels happy enough to nap a bit. It works every time. Dakota is a different story. She'd rather had one of us run out her energy for her and then konk out because she's got all that fire spent. She doesnt' usually have time for stories. Makes me wonder what these two new ones will be like."

Cassidy looked at Angus and sighed deeply as she continued to put the cobbler together, " you and the others are my only family " she said wiping a tear from her face as she continued making it . soon it was done and she Pour sugar syrup around slices and placed it in the oven to bake for 45 minutes. She sat back down " I...I hope I'm just as good with my daughter as she is with her own, didn't exactly have a good role model when I was growing up " she wiped off some syrup from her hands and cleaned up the table ready to be set for the next meal.

"Oh, you'll know because you'll want to give her what you didn't have. It'll work out. We only parent, usually, in one of two ways. Either by giving our kids everything we had or by giving them everything we didn't have. And usually they turn out okay either way. Either way, its your best, and its enough. It'll be alright."

Khaat looked down and saw Abbey had fallen asleep sucking her hand. She just enjoyed holding her. She worried that Abbey would get forgotten and pushed aside because of the other two that were coming. How had it all come to this? 2 years ago, children were not even in her thinking. Now she had 4 babies she was responsible for. What was all this? When was she going to wake up and find it was all a dream of some sort or another.

Brian walked back in from outside, and saw Khaat with Abbey. His mind stopped spinning seeing the peace in front of him This was what it was all about. He shook his head, wanting to kick himself for ever doubting it. He went over and brushed Abbey's hair softly as she slept. "Can I get you anything?" he asked.

"A good massage?" she laughed. He went down and sat on the other end of the sofa and gladly started to massage her feet and her legs. It was heavenly.

Cassidy saw Brian with Khaat and turned her head away from the scene " your right I will teach her and raise her better than I was " she said and finished her cleaning " there ready for the next meal , do you want me to start the bread rolls?" she asked trying to avoid looking into the living room and hoping he would not see the pain in her eyes that she knew was there but she could not hide. she moved to the sink and washed her hands free of the sticky syrup. Moving to the tea pot she pored a cup of tea for herself feeling a need for it now.

Khaat immediately picked up on Cassidy's tension. "We're going upstairs. Now," she told Brian.

"What?" Brian looked up, frowning, as he watched Khaat clutch Abbey to her. She was hoping that Jess hadn't picked up on the abrupt turn of her moods. She accio'd Dakota out from behind the sofa and suddenly apparated upstairs. He was confused completely. He thought things had been fine--weren't they? "Damnit, Khaat!" he cursed. He got up and walked upstairs. As he walked upstairs he heard the bedroom door shut.

Khaat had felt the massive rise in negativity in Cassidy. She didn't want this again from her. She understood she was hurting. She knew that better than most people what that was like. But the amount of negativity was too much for Khaat. It caused her distress of her own. Brought back things that she had experienced that Cassidy couldnt' conjure up in her worst nightmare. And so she had removed herself and her children from it in order to reduce the negativity in the house. She was more afraid now of Brian. He was not going to like Khaat feeling like his wife and his family had to hide in their own house.

Steven walked in and saw the tension and sighed looking at Khaat and Brian he knew just who it was " give me a moment Khaat please " he said and moved to the kitchen. " Cassidy please come with me " he said but noticed how she didn't move taking her hand he moved her up the stairs and to Khaat's room where he knew she would have gone. He placed cassidy in front of Khaat and Brian. " Cassidy if this is whats causing the negativity inside you, get over it quick, we can't have it here, what happened wasn't your fault he was a total jerk" he moved her to face him. " That is Khaat and Brian, they are in love, just because you feel love hurt you, don't take it out on them , hes gone, live your life for you and your child" he sighed as he spoke again to her " Love will find you no matter what you do don't push it away and don't run when it happens, just let it happen because it will find you in the strangest of places" he saw in her eyes her letting go and pulled her to him and held her again.

Cassidy heard Steven and she knew he was right she could not hide from it especially around others, her bottom lip quivered and when he pulled her to him again she could not help her self. slowly she looked at Brian and Khaat "I'...I'm sorry" she said and buried her head into Stevens chest his arms around her making her feel safe just as she had been before.

Steven looked at them as cassidy held him and he sighed " leave her to me, she'll be ok " he said stroking her hair as he spoke.

"That's fine," Brian said, agreeing with Steven. "I know its been hard. But, Cassidy, you're better off to grieve and get it overwith rather than running from it. It doesn't help anything for you to try to cope this way. Steven, in my office is a diet and exercise plan that I designed for her to get her back in shape. The folder is on my desk with her name on it. Get her on it. The food will help,and the exercise will help with her stress and help her tone up for her pregnancy and her delivery. This is not an option. This is important to her and her baby. Cassidy, I expect you to be working on getting back in shape. Now. Besides, it will give you something to focus on. Steven, tomorrow, you take her and at least get her a bassinet and a few baby essentials. Make sure we have it covered and packed. You both got all that?"

Steven listened and nodded " as soon as she is awake I will be on her " he felt her look up at him " from as soon as you open your eyes miss " he said and felt her sigh " hey none of that" he said and looked at Brian again " don't worry she will have all she needs and it will be packed " he said and turned Cassidy to Brian.

Cassidy wiped her face as Brian spoke to her then nodded " its just everything I ever loved, left or went bad on me and it hurt" she said " my mother, my father now..." she looked down " clay" she glanced at Steven for a second and nodded " I know you will be there waiting after my shower, just remember , don't walk in this time " she said.

Steven smile and wiped her cheek " Er that mistake is one I do only once " he said and smiled at her his thumb brushing her cheek gently quickly he pulled it back and looked at Brian "I'll get her to rest and get that folder, is Angus aware of the requirements she needs or should I pass the folder to him ?" he asked