New Day, New Life

"I'm glad it was so nice," Khaat smiled. "Sounds like it was picture perfect."

"Tea is ready," Kate said. "This is a special tea recipe for a spiced tea that Robert brought back from India. I think you'll like it." She passed everyone a mug of tea. Angus got his dessert ready with the grilled pineapple and the frozen yogurt and honey. He served it along with the tea.

"This should go together nicely," he said. "Its easy and its one of my favorites." Khaat took a forkful of his dessert and tasted it.

"Its wonderful. It tastes fresh--just like the islands themselves. Its perfectt. And I love the tea. Thank you. Its perfect. I think I really could get to like it here. I'm not sure, right now, that I even want to go home. I think I could like not ever going back to england again."

"Don't think you're alone in those thoughts, Khaat," Robert smiled. "I think several of us have thought that at one point or another."

Steven chuckled as he walked back in and sat next to Cassidy. " well it would have been but for a small girl with a bottle who squirted me with water as I knelt in front of Cassidy, it left me sticky for the day till we went shopping " he said slipping his hand in hers. Cassidy took the mug from Kate and smelt it " wow, its smells wonderful " she said then blowing across it then tasting it " umm lovely" she said and sat back against Steven who drank his own mug beside her. " I have to admit this day turned out wonderful " she said " though tiring with the extra weight out front , how you coped with three I don't know, I bow to your persistence " she said and made a small bow to Khaat.

Steven chuckled holding Cassidy close to him " Cassie, may be you should shower and change " he said not having called her that since she took up with Clay. Now he felt he could use it knowing things between them was and going to be more stable.

"How did the water leave you sticky?" Brian frowned. "Water isn't usually sticky."

Robert looked at Khaat as Cassidy went up to change. "Khaat, you have been up out of bed all day. I won't tell you that I don't let anyone else do that. You know that. Its about time that you went to rest. You've really pushed it today. Brian--would you mind taking your lovely lady to rest, please? I'm sure she'd rather have you tuck her in rather than me."

"I can tuck myself into bed," she said.

"Not yet. Not by yourself you can't. Another day or so perhaps," Robert said. Brian laughed and got up and helped her up.

"Lets not see if we can argue with that. Lets just go. We'll bring the babies later. Don't worry." He took her to their room and tucked her into bed. He kissed her and turned out the lights. "Get some sleep. And if you need anything, just call."

"Night," she said, as he left the bedroom and went back out to join the others. He refilled his mug of tea and checked on the triplets. All seemed well there.

Steven looked at Khaat " it doesn't but mixed with juice it does, as I found out later " he said watching as Cassidy looked at Robert as he spoke to Khaat and told her to sleep. Cassidy looked at Steven and smiled " I should wash and change my clothes " she said and stood up after giving Steven a quick kiss she headed to her room.

Steven sat back smiling as he heard talking coming from out side and saw Jack and Jess walk in Jack seemed soaked threw to the bone " wow what happened ?" he asked trying hard not to chuckle at how much like a drowned cat he looked with his dark hair now dripping and covering his eyes.

Jess spoke trying not to laugh " he was throwing a frizby back to one of the local children tripped and fell head first into the water that's wasn't the worst of it when he cam up he was pushed back by another wave till we got him out looking like a drowned rat.

Brian laughed. "So do I take it that surfing lessons won't be your speed? Does that mean I"m doing that all by myself?"

"Surfing?" Angus said, interested. "I'm in! I want to learn. I've always wanted to do that. Do we have boards?"

"Alas," Robert laughed. "Surfing was not an emergency I equipped you for. You'll have to buy your own."

"Even better. I'd like to choose my own board. Sounds great to me," Angus grinned. "When can we do this?"

"I have a lesson scheduled at sunrise," Brian said. "I'm sure whoever wants to come along can do so."

"Can we have a late breakfast?" he asked.

"I can manage to have breakfast ready for you lot when you get back," Kate said. "Its no trouble. You'll be hungry for an old fashioned hearty breakfast by that time. I think you should go. Robert, you going?"

"Surfing?" he frowned.

"Are you afraid to?" she asked.

"Ha!" he laughed. "Hardly. Of a bit of water? No. I just dont' want to embarrass the young people."

"I dare you," Brian challenged. "The cost of a 5 star dinner for all of us."

"You're on," Robert said. "I'll see you at sunrise. Bring your muggle money. You're going to need it."

Steven looked up and smiled " wow I always wanted to learn how to surf " he said and sat forward as Cassidy walked in wearing a light and airy summer dress with light blue flowers on and a pair of slip on sandals she smiled seeing the look on Stevens face and the others.

" let me guess surfing right? " she said and sighed " the one thing I would love to learn and I can't do right now " she said still smiling " hey Steven, you go and learn I can sit on the beach and laugh as you fall off dear " she said and chuckled patting his hand as she sat next to him " besides I can learn from your mistakes " she said and he lightly tickled her making her laugh.

" who says I'm going to fall off I might be good at it " he said holding her close to him. Cassidy didn't move from him but rested against him comfortable to do so as she looked at Khaat and Brian.

"Don't worry," Brian said, "Khaat would love to go too, but she can't do it either. She wants to go, and she's always wanted to try it, but, well, thats just not obviously on her list either. But if I know her, she'll be wanting to go out and do something before too awfully long."

"Not until I say so, she's not," Robert said. "Give it another couple of days for her incision to heal. Magic does heal things quicker, but not instantaneously for some things. Its not a miracle. Then we can let her go out and start building up her strength a bit."

"I know she wants to try to just step in and take on the job of parenting the kids herself," Brian said. "But she is not going to be up to parenting 5 babies by herself. And I don't want her doing it without me."

"What's eating at her?" Robert frowned.

"You. She didn't get it. I hope she does now."

"You had to tell her?"

"Yes. I did," Brian said. Robert sighed.

"Well, perhaps that was best," he said.

Jack looked at the two of them talking and then looked at Jess she smiled and shook her head and he chuckled and sat back in his chair. He looked at Cassidy and Steven. " so how longs the engagement?" he asked pulling Jess to sit on his lap with him as he held her.

Steven looked at Jack and sighed " its not an engagement more a commitment, it means that I won't look at any other woman and she will be committed to me, its kinda like being boy friend and girl friend, but with the added bonus that when both of us feel the time is right we could take it to the next level and become engaged" he said then chuckled " ok it will be several months , till at least after the baby's born and may be never but I will be happy just to be beside Cassie" he said softly as she took his hand.

Jess shook her head at Jack but then heard Steven tell him about their commitment. " Good Steven, take your time and see if things work out right this time" she said smiling.

"Probably the best choice," Brian agreed. He heard some slight fussing from one of the newborns. He got up and went over. "Hm...and I remember when diaper changes were still cute and impressive," he sighed. "Now it just is what it is." He got a stack of three diapers. "I just know this will start them all needing something at once." He changed the first baby.

"Would you like a small snack for them before they go to bed?" Angus asked.

"You mean before I try to go to bed. Yes, please." Angus went to the kitchen to heat up three bottles. BY then Brian had the second diaper changed. Angus brought the three bottles and handed one to Brian. Brian picked up one of the boys and began to feed it. Angus picked up the other boy and began feeding him. Julia would have to wait a second. Brian just didn't have enough hands to take care of feeding two at once. Not very easily.

Jess stood up and walked over picking up Julia and the bottle meant for her , she smiled " we're her to help Brian you don't have to feel that you have to do it on your own " she said and chuckled as she placed the bottle near Julia's mouth who found it and sucked hungrily on it as she held her.

Steven smiled down at Cassidy then looked at Brian " thanks Brian " he said unable to stifle a yawn himself as he watched the three of them feed the triplets now looking forward to feeding his own twins and Cassidys daughter. " I'm actually looking forward to three babies in the house " he said giving Cassidys hand a gentle squeeze. He saw the tiredness on her face and sighed " think its time Cassidy went to bed to sleep" he said and stood up pulling her with him.

" Yes, sorry guys, us mothers to be need our beauty sleep" she said and chuckled as with Steven he lead her to her room. Jess smiled as she watched Julia finish the bottle, she burped her and changed her then covered her over " Do you want a hand taking these three through to your room Brian?" she asked