Marriage is Murder

"I had all five of ours," Brian said, stifling a yawn himself. "Abbey woke me up with her screaming. She does not like storms. Not like that. Khaat is back but she just got back. I'm not waking her for a bit. She looks exhausted. I can't tell whats fatigue from feeling sick and whats just too little sleep and too much work."

"How about you let me sort that out?" Robert asked, arriving with Kate. "Oh, Brian, do me a favor and send an owl to kieran and ask him to give extra pay to the night shift in Paris. They're repairing the room of my barn.

"Will do," Brian said.

"Come sit and eat before you go to work, Robert," Kate said

"Yes. I intend to. Brian, don't wake Khaat. I'll take over for the day shift."

"thank you."

"And yes, I will check her before I go this morning."

"I'd appreciate that too."

Jess grabbed some breakfast for her and jack while cassidy did the same for herself and the kids and sat back down the kids eating some what quietly. Jack yawned and sighed " ow boy haven't ever felt this tired in my life " he said and began to drink his coffee slowly as he yawned again feeling the caffeine take hold and he sat up Jess shook her head seeing him yawn. Steven aperated in some what out of breath and a leaf sat in his ruffled hair.

" that tree did a lot of damage , don't worry the animals are fine " he said and sat down taking a mug of coffee and drinking it to warm himself after being out in the cold.

"Well, breakfast is ready," Angus said. He saw the leaf in Steven's hair and was about to say something when Brian felt like playing a bit of a joke on him. He flicked his fingers and caused the leaf to sprout into a vine that quickly grew all over Steven's head, entwining with is red hair, starting to sprout little pink flowers.

Kate and Robert and Michael burst into laughter.

"Pretty!" Abbey giggled.

"I really should have thought of that myself," Michael laughed.

"More! More, Daddy!" Abbey bounced in her seat.

"Whatever you say, Sweetheart," he said. He cast Jack an evil glance and caused a whole headful of little tiny hot pink flowers to bush out all over Jack's head like a bushy head of hair. She clapped and squealed with delight.

Jess and cassidy laughed out loud and Jess picked a flower from jack's head and handed it to Abby " might teach you to stay awake around Brian as you never know what hes going to do next " she said unable to stop her self laughing at Steven who pulled it from his hair and placed it on the table.

" nice Brain " he said laughing himself as he took a pink flower and gave it to cassidy who smiled at him and heard James giggling as he reached for it Steven gave him one but he just shredded it and threw it up in the air giggling as he did so. Steven sighed and shook his head and dished up some food for the kids.

"You do intend to change them back before they go to work, right? They're soon going to have to start their jobs as security officers at St. Mungos," Robert said.

"Hm..Should I or shouldn't I?" Brian mused thoughtfully.

"I say leave 'em," Michael laughed.

"but how would you like it, Michael?" Kate asked.

"Thats the whole point, my dear," he laughed. "I don't have to worry about it."

"Really?" she asked. She snapped her fingers and Michael's hair was immediately turned to waist long, sparkling blue dreadlocks that jingled together when he moved like tiny musical bells. He merely laughed at it.

"Dreadlocks? Really?" he laughed

"Nice touch, Kate," Robert laughed.

Jack, Jess cassidy and Steven all burst out laughing at the light blue jingly dread locks " well at least we'd know if he was coming " said Steven trying and failing at removing the flowers from his hair. Jack looked at Steven and reversed the spell as Steven did the same for him glad now not to be sprouting flowers but his own hair or in jacks case lack of hair.

" awe that's a shame now I know what you looked like Jack with hair " Jess said chuckling " kinda" she said cassidy' s cheek had turned red with laughing so hard at Steven but now she just sat smiling as Jess had spoke.

"Shall I change you back?" Robert asked Michael.

'Oh, eventually," Michael said, unconcerned. Robert laughed and changed him back.

"its nice to have a laugh at breakfast," Robert said.

'It certainly is," Brian said. Kieran and Fi arrived for breakfast.

"Sorry we're late," Kieran said, seating Fi. "I guess we're just catching up on a bit of extra sleep."

"No problem," Angus said, getting up and filling plates for them and delivering them to them.

"Its good to have you around the table again, Fi," Brian said.

"Don't get used to it," Fi said firmly. "My place is in Colorado now with Kieran. He can't run that huge place alone."

"I know," Brian said. "I'm just enjoying it while I have it."

"Jess, I think we probably ought to go into Madam Malkins today. They're predicting warmer weather coming later in the week, and that should bring in customers who are putting away their winter clothes. Angus..."

"Don't worry," Angus said. "We will have enough people to watch the kids."

"Kieran and I will lend a hand," Fi said.

"Khaat is here," Brian said. "She's just getting some sleep. She'll be glad to help if she's needed."

Jess looked as Fiona and Keiran aperated in she smiled and nodded " my shift at St. Mongo's doesn't start till this afternoon so we can go this morning " she said and ate her breakfast handing James and Jaylen some toast witch they chewed Alex and Catlin were both still eating their food in the bowls. Jack stood up and took his plate threw to the kitchen returning and poring out a cup of tea feeling the coffee would wake him to fast.

" we really should get the spring line up and running , those samples you sent were wonderful Catlin's wearing one of your dresses, she love's it and the blanket she cuddles it at night " Jess said smiling.

"I'm glad," Fi said. "The spring line is done. I did it in the fall. I shipped it to the store at the holidays You should have it in your back room. I have to make things a season ahead in order to stay ahead of the demand. I do have a number of women who are making fall and winter things for this fall and winter already. If I don't, we'll never have it ready in time. If you didn't get those spring shipments, you'll have to let me know. And I dont' know how we'll recreate it all."

"Its probably there," Kate laughed. "We're still going through old inventory left over from the old owners. Things that never sold and most likely never will. I'll keep working in that back room until I find your shipments, Fi. Don't worry unless we see we need to. We've never had a problem getting your things and I don't see that we'll have a problem now."

"Do you want me to come in and help you when Jess goes into St. Mungos?" Fi asked.

"If I need you, I'll call you,' Kate smiled. "I think taking care of the kids is a bigger job. They're all on the move now. It takes a lot of energy to keep track of them all."

"I think we can handle it," Fi laughed.

Jess nodded and sat back " yes it should be in there some place think I saw it a few days ago , on the left hand side" she said " I'll pull it out as soon as I get there and replace the winter things and yea Kate's right half that stuff so old and out of date, there's old text books and capes maybe you could do something with them the materials still ok " she thought longer and knew several crates had clothes that only needed up dating others were things that could not be out of date books and bottles of things she didn't want to know what they use to be and would just be shipped back to who ever sent them or destroyed by the appropriate people.