Marriage is Murder

"Thank you," Robert said, working on adding a miniscule ingredient with almost microscopic precision to his cauldron. Every time another drop of it was added, it hissed and bubbled and changed color a little more from green to violet. "I'm finding some of these old potioners used rather inaccurate measuring devices. I am learniing that when they made their own equipment, sometimes they didn't quite hit the mark on making it standard. I'm having to redo a lot of these old potions just to get the measurements correct before even start to alter them for our purposes. This whole illness just makes no sense. Its like it just evolved out of nowhere. Three months ago, it just did not exist. And now, bam. here we are. Knee deep in it."

"You'd better quit for the night," Robert told him. "You haven't been taking much more than the itch potion. Don't think I dont' see it. If you dont' quit and go home, you'll be of no use to anyone. I appreciate the desire to help, but you just really need to stop now. I am not the one needing a bodyguard. And I know Brian too well to believe he's even taken his eyes off Khaat. He just won't. She'll be alright. If he hasn't offered to let you go off shift, then I will. I still outrank him. Go home. The potions are in the kitchen cabinet. Get yourself some, get some food, and a good night's sleep. If you feel better in the morning, then you can come back. If not, take a couple days off like Jess did in order to rest up."

"Accio," Angus flicked his wand at the cabinet and summoned the potions and floated them over to the table. "Looks like Robert is pretty much putting you on medical leve or threatening to. One or the other. Why don't you get Cassidy and go home and get some rest? I'll send over some food. I have to send food to Rene anyway. I sent for Kieran and Fi to come and help with the kids for a few days. Cassidy can't manage them all by herself. Kieran and Fi will be coming, and I think my grandfather is coming to spend a few days with Rene. So we'll be covered here. He hasn't seen Rene in years, and they've been talking about hanging out for a few days. It will be good for both of them, I think."

"Go ahead. Michael and I will manage with the kids until Kieran and FI get here. Kate can take dinner in when she goes to see Robert. We'll be fine. And don't come back until you feel better. We don't need it to spread," Angus said. "Cassidy, you'd better take those bottles with you. There are lots more in that cabinet."

He just finished speaking and heard the crackling of a wand. He looked out the window and saw his grandfather had arrived. Kieran and Fi had somehow already arrived and appeared to be looking over the improvements to the grounds, and it seeme dthey approved.

"Looks like the rescue detail has arrived," Angus laughed. "They're judging our improvements to the estate, I think."

Angus didn't say much to Cassidy about her belief that Steven had worked himself into the ground. They were all putting in longer shifts. The illness had drawn them all out of their normal habits and it was creating more work. The fact that Khaat and Robert were needed around the clock right now meant that everyone else had to work harder and longer to pick up the slack.

"Tell Steven to stay home until he starts to feel better," Angus told her. "I have a message written to send to Lee to request some additional backup. The Lupins have never expected anyone to do more than they're able, except perhaps what they expect of themselves. They may be too kneedeep with their own things to notice like they usually do, but that doesn't mean we don't know what they expect and what they don't." He noticed Jess arriving.

"And I figured you'd be home with the kids since Jack's already gone," Angus said. "Who is with the kids, anyway?" He frowned. "But if you can spare the time, we could use someone to set the table for dinner and bring down Khaat's kids for dinner. And I think I'm on bedtime duty tonight too, unless you're available to help with bathing, jammies, and stories."