Marriage is Murder

Kieran ordered cocoa for them all and took them into Khaat's favorite sitting room. It was a room decorated with some of Brian's favorite art pieces.

"So spending Brian's cash? What's this about?" Kieran asked, passing out mugs of cocoa. "I would like you to try this. This is not Kate's recipe. Its mexican hot cocoa. Made with the best Mexican chocolate that we could find, fresh cream, raw sugar and fresh ground cinnamon. Its one of my favorite recipes." Khaat tasted her drink.

"Kieran, this is excellent. My mother would love it. She might swipe the recipe."

"She can have it," Kieran said.

"Are you familiar with this auction house?" She handed Kieran the catalog.

"Yes. I am," Kieran said. "Brian has sent me on many, many auctions of theirs. They are very reputable and Brian has a standing account. He's, not surprisingly, one of their best clients. Although, he hasn't been to one of their auctions in the last 3 years."

"Thats because of me," she said.

"And he doesnt regret a moment of it," he said, looking through the catalog. "Oh he does have exceptional tastes. He's picked out some outstanding pieces."

"Kieran, would you help me select one more? Something that will blow his mind?"

"Is this for his birthday?"

"Well, yes. But I want to get him something special. Daddy just determined that the triplets are indeed Brian's."

"What? Really? But I thought...oh, congratulations. Really. So my little brother has actual, biological offspring."

"So it would seem," Khaat said.

"I'll find something for you to give him," he said. "I have some ideas. If you want to go, then you all have perhaps 2 hours before we need to port to New Mexico."

"Thank you," Khaat said.

Jess took the mug and tasted it " never mind Kate I might swipe the recipe" she said and smiled loving how the hot chocolate tasted as she drank it also warmed her with was a bonus. Jess nodded and smiled as Kieren congratulated Khaat at finding out the triplets were Brian's " means the Quinn blood line still continues" she said smiling at him . Finishing her mug she placed it in the kitchen which she found easily. returning she looked at Khaat hearing that they had 2 hours before they had to leave. she found a seat and sat down to wait.

"I'll go change," Kieran said. "You might want to change too. We are going to the desert, you know. You're going to be entirely too warm in those clothes."

"Oh yeah. It should be a very comfortable 70 degrees during the day and in the 40s at night. Short sleeves during the day and perhaps a jacket.You can borrow some of my clothes, Jess. Let's go see what we can find in my closet." She motioned for Jess.

She found a beautifully beaded native american blouse and chose to wear it with a pair of knee high fringed, deerskin boots. She changed her jewelry to silver and turquoise and grabbed her deerskin fringe jacket to go with it.

Kieran passed by her room when she was pulling her hair back with a rubber band.

"Wow," he smiled. "Now you look like a local. Except the rubber band. Did you miss the barrett Brian bought you?"

"What barrette?" she asked. He looked in her jewelry box and it wasn't there. He frowned and went to Brians' drawers. He searched a moment and found it. He got it out and handed her the little box.

"He forgot to give it to you. It was supposed to be a Christmas present." She opened it and saw it was a beautiful silver barrett that was set with a spray of turquoise stones. It was amazing. She used it to clip her hair back into a very full ponytail that had loose curls on the ends. Then she used a glamour spell to refresh her makeup.

"You look utterly amazing," Kieran said. "Hold on." He got his wizarding camera and took several pictures of her. "I have an idea of my own," he merely smiled.

Jess moved with Khaat and kieran and smiled seeing Khaat finally smiling again. Jess found a simple tan shirt and a pair of light slacks with a similar pair of boots but lower cut around her ankles. But she found them to be comfortable to wear. " how do I look Khaat" she said and turned around smiling at her. " I like the shirt its warm yet comfortable " she said and chuckled " you might not get it back Kieran" she said but looked at Khaat " looking good Khaat " she said moving to tuck a stray hair back in place " wish I looked half as good as you do "

"You do," Khaat said. "You look fine. Its just that Brian bought me all this stuff so I feel like I should use it."

"Well, you both look wonderful," Kieran said. He and Michael took them to New Mexico and rented a muggle car so that they could look the part. Kieran took them to the auction house. Michael led them to a preview room where they could look over the items that were up for auction. They concentrated on the pieces that Brian wanted the most, but she also saw some others that either interested her or looked far better in person than in the photos.

Kieram found them and told them quietly that they needed to register and get seated because the auction was going to start. Khaat registered them all and then they found seats in the center of the room. Aisle seats with Michael on the end seat, Khaat next to Michael, Jess on the other side of her, and Kieran on the other side of Jess.

Jess smiled " this should be interesting " she said looking at the catalog in front of her she hoped they could get threw this with out any incidents and with out Brian knowing they left the main house. She watched others take there seats and looked at Khaat at the Auctioneer then at Michael " um should I sit on my hands so I don't make a bid for some expensive item?" she asked him hoping not to do that Jack would not be pleased if she came home with some wood carving that had broke the bank.

"Not unless you bid on everything," Khaat smiled. She bided her time, bidding on and buying some smaller items. Kieran focused on part of Brian's list and Khaat focused on some of it, and Michael focused on part of it. They clearly had recognized Kieran but not any of the people with him. They didn't take Khaat seriously until she made a very shrewd buy of an item that was worth far, far more than what she paid. It hadn't been on Brian's list, but she had wanted it as a gift to them. That alerted the serious buyers that there was another very serious buyer in the room.

"Well, welcome to the club," Michael told her softly. "It seems they are seeing you might be more than you present. Good. That means this should get very interesting. You'll have to be on your toes now about it. Don't get caught up in the excitement of it. What did you buy that papoose cradleboard for? Was that just a test?"

"No," she said. "Not at all. He'll love it."

"Um...okay," he said. "Oh look. That bronze sculpure he wanted is up next. I'll take care of that one."

Jess looked round at the others in the room keeping her eyes open for any one wanting to cause trouble it was then a lovely blanket caught her eye and she smiled " Khaat do you think you could get that for me it would look good in our bed room" she asked seeing the deep rich reds and other colors standing out along with the white pattern in the center. She looked from Khaat to Michael and back hoping they would help her get it. She watched as Khaat bid in several pieces, her blanket moving closer to being bid on.

"I'll try," Khaat said. When the blanket came up for bid, Michael actually bid for it and since he was unknown here he figured he could get it without driving the price up. He got in on it early, before others caught onto it. And he forced a close on it before others could get in. That all combined to make the price very affordable.

And then there was a last minute addition. A gorgeous landscape of daily life in a native american village. It had brilliant colors. She liked it a great deal. Kieran bid on it for her and got it under bid. And in between the bids, they let several of the more popular pieces go in order to find the select pieces they had come for.

Khaat felt herself getting thirsty. Kieran pointed to an intermission in the program and said there would be several food truck vendors with almost every imaginable food choice outside in the parking lot. He suggested they go find something to eat and perhaps some coffee.

"That's fine," Khaat agreed, "I could use both."

Jess was very happy when the blanket was bought she lent over to Michael "thank you so much" she said and grinned knowing it would be spread on her bed that night. Jess felt thirsty her self and when Kieran mentioned an intermission she was glad " have we got time to grab something to eat?" she asked feeling some what thirsty her self from the heat that people's body had generated in the room along with the heat of the day. The more she thought about it the more she could use a cold soda or two.