Marriage is Murder

"Who's there?" came a loud shout from an open upper window. Rene poked his head out the window long enough to see Michael and Jim. Michael saw Rene still liked to wear the typical brocade hiats he had years before. This one was out of a pewter gray colored brocade. "You two did not come on your own," Rene told them. "What does Robert want, then?" He disappeared from the window and came downstairs in his long flowing light gray robe with the dark gray brocade over robe that matched the hat. He motioned them to a table under a tree covered with white blossoms and motioned them to sit.

Michael noticed that Rene's garden was already blooming, even though the rest of Paris was not. "Can't wait for the flowers to start on their own, Rene?" he asked.

"And why should I?" Rene asked. "I love spring. Why should I endure that dismal overcast muddy and rainy stage? Why should I not have beautiful blooms if I so choose?"

"Because your neighbors are going to smell the lovely flowers?" Michael laughed.

"My neighbors? Nah. They're much too busy going to muggle bars and numbing their senses with muggle escapes. They will not care. Believe me. They wont' even notice. But--if Robert is sending you to see me, did his new farmhouse burn down already? Or is he finally going to remodel that awful black marble ministry atrium? That thing is dreadfully dark and dismal."

Jim smiled and moved to sit under the beautiful tree " its actually Khaat we've come from, she would like you to do her a secret garden and over see the making of a kids play area for there children, If your not busy that is?" he said softly as he could smell the scent off the tree and smiled. " it smells wonderful, looks even better" he admitted he just wished his own garden looked as good but thanks to foot balls and tea party's it looked a mess. He let Michael talk now while he looked around at the spring like garden and its flowers he felt he could spend hours just siting and reading in it if he was home.

"Does she want just plans for it, or does she want me to actually oversee it? Surely you've not just come for a playground?" Rene said. "I am an expensive designer for a child's playground."

"Don't haggle costs with me, Rene," Michael scowled. "This is my goddaughter, and what she wants, she gets. If I have to pay every cent of it myself. If she wants a secret garden for her children, then thats what she'll get. But as it so happens, no. Thats not the entire assignment. She and her husband want to make their estate self sustaining. Entirely They're working on expanding the estate and Robert wants you to design the landscaping, the new barn, and an addition to the main manor house."

"it sounds like its a small house," Rene said.

"Not at all," MIchael said. "But--we do have 5 children living in it, and their parents, and Robert and Kate a good portion of the tie, Angus Donohue, and guests."

"Alright, alright," Rene said. "Do I presume correctly that there will be space for me somewhere?"

"Of course. How soon can you be ready to go?"

"I need at least a day to finish up another project here. And then I can come. "

"Fine," Michael said. "Shall we return tomorrow after lunch time then?"

"That would be fine," Rene said. "And you'll hire a crew, or should I bring one?"

"You can decide that for yourself after you see the size of the job," MIchael said. "But this is not a conjured job. It has to be done with muggle materials. Use magic means if you want, but muggle materials. "

"Fair enough," Rene said.

Jim looked at him and nodded " yes she is very assertive about that" he said and smiled hearing him say he would " good Khaat will be over joyed hearing your doing it for her" he said smiling as he stood up waiting to see if Michael was ready to head back to give the good news to Kate and Khaat. Jim walked around the small courtyard " this place is amazing still " he said " makes me want to do something with my garden back home but I think the children would wreck it with in a week" he said smiling as he looked up at the tree they sat under.

"Arent most of your kids old enough now to know better?" Michael frowned.

"Maybe we should threaten to make a dungeon in your cellar," Rene cast him a mischevious look. "We dont' have to actually do it. We just need to make them think you will so that if you do make yourself a cortyard garden that they don't trash it."

"Jim wouldn't mind that, bu this wife sometimes gets a bit more anxious than Jim does," Michael laughed. "I'm afraid the only one spending time in the dungeon would be him."

"Would be hard for her to do that if we dont' actually make it," Rene replied.

"At any rate, one of us will come back after lunch tomrrow noon and will take you to Brians."

"Brian's? I thought we were going to Khaat's."

"Well, who do you think she married?"

"Didn't she marry that illegal potionsmaker?"

"Oh, that was a long time ago. Nobody even knows if that sot is alive. She was rightfully awarded a divorce to him for complete and utter abandonment. She's married to Quinn now and doing very well."

"Glad to hear it. She deserved better than an international wizarding criminal."

"Agreed. Thank you, Rene. We'll see you tomorrow. We should be going."

"See you then," Rene said, waving them farewell. Michael led the way out of the courtyard.

"That went exceptionally well, all things considered," Michael said to Jim.

Jim chuckled at Rene's words " yeah to get away from the kids , ow and they do they just chose to ignore it when I'm away witch is pretty much all the time" he said smiling as he watched Michale stand up and say it was time for them to head back to Khaats " yes and she has five beautiful kids too, they do her and Brian proud" he said smiling as they moved to the door and out into the alley. He chuckled as he thought more about it " you know I might just add that dungeon into the cellar, be a good place to hide all the potions and stuff I don't want them to get to" he added chuckling as he ported back to Brian's house.

Angus was just finishing the touches on very large chef salads with crab, a wide assortment of gourmet baby greens, vegetables, and fresh fruit. he'd made a fresh herb dressing for over it and a fresh batch of hawaiian sweetbread crostinis with a cheese spread to go alongside. He had made pitchers of sweet tea and of raspberry lemonade.

"You're back just in time," Robert said. "Angus has lunch ready. Let's eat." He and Kate had already moved Dakota and Abbey to the table and were now moving the triplets. Brian and Khaat joined them at the table as Angus floated the very large salads to the table to finish setting it. "So--I take it that Rene is coming?" he asked

"Yes. He's a bit moody, but then this is Rene we're talking about," Michael laughed.

Jess chuckled and sat the twins down at the table as Jack had Andrew in his high chair and gave him his spoon he seemed happy looking at the food " me like all " he said as Jack gave him some lemonade in his sippy cup and he drank it smiling. Jess gave the twins their bottles and they too liked the drink. Jim sat down " yeah but that garden of his was beautiful" he said and smiled as he took some baby greens and some salad and started to eat loving every bite.

"Yes, it is," Brian said. "I remember one night I was wounded by a sectumsempra that I'd gotten in a standoff with Gelding. It was one of my first nights working for Robert...."

"Oh, yes. I remember that," Robert said.

"Yeah. that was ugly."

"That was because you were stupid," Robert said, taking a crostini. "You let him get you much too easily and then you thought you wouldn't bleed out and could keep chasing him."

"Anyway, somehow I ended up at Rene's and he called Robert and saved my life. that garden is beautiful at night."

"That was before Rene's daughter died," Robert said. "I put her behind you to watch out for you. When you finally fell, she took you to her father." Brian got quieter at the mention of Rene's daughter.

"I miss her," Brian said quietly.

"So do we all, Lad," MIchael said. Michael had been with her the night she was killed, and there had been nothing he could do.

Jess felt the sadness and sighed looking at them all shaking her head as she fed the twins one my one and herself. Jack fed Andrew as they others ate listening to the story that was unfolding in front of her as she ate her food. Jim smiled and looked at Michael.

"Wow" he said " that isn't good " Jim said then looked at Brian when he said he missed her " yeah I guess you would " Jim too a cup of tea and drank " I bet she was a wonderful girl shame I didn't meet her think I was on a mission back when that happened"