Marriage is Murder

Jim and Jack looked at each other Jack reluctantly moved form the door then sat down where he could see the room " sorry we work on the principal anything is wrong it leads to something bigger and we don't like surprises " he said softly as he took some Lemonade from the tray Jack did the same and glanced back at the door.

"Its kinda our job when shes with us or not " Jack said as he too took a sip of lemonade " Good lemonade" he said smiling as he held the tall glass in his hand gently so not to break it.

Edward accio'd a frisbee and handed it to Jack. "Here. Take some steam out of the dog. He needs to run. He'll bring it back as long as you have the strength to toss it." The women brought out large stone crocks of food and water for Enzo and placed them where he was typically fed.

Edward looked at Brian. 'Stop worrying. She's a seer. Most likely she sees the danger of tomorrow night. She has a right to be frightened of that. I presume that is all it is. If that is all it is, I will talk to her, reassure her, and bring her to dinner with us. If its more than that, I will most likely bring her to dinner anyway. You can't stop her from seeing, so you might as well learn to live with it. It isn't like she can help it. The best we can do is to reduce her fear if thats what it is. Once we get on the other side of tomorrow night, this sort of thing might very well quit. How long on that seafood boil, Boys?"

"Maybe 30 minutes," his grandsons told him.

"Then I should go talk to her. Do try to relax a bit. I'll be back," Edward said, going into the house.

Jack took the Frisbee and walked down the beach some ways before throwing it for Enzo who caught it and brought it back to him though he still glanced at the house as he tossed it once again. Jim listened and sighed as he heard Edward. " you'd think Jack would know this seeing hes married to a seer" he said and sipped his lemonade he smiled hearing it was not long before they would eat " so whats in a seafood boil , crab, shrimp lobster maybe?" he asked sitting back in his chair. He knew that if Brian and Michael weren't worried then she should not be ether.

"A boil usually has an assortment of whatever they catch, usually with some sausages and some ears of sweet corn. Usually the ears of corn are broken into two or three pieces. I've seen small new redskin potatoes included. But its always in a well spiced seafood broth, and then after its cooked, the stock is drained away. The best way to eat a boil is to spread several layers of newspaper down on a large picnic table and then simply dumb the boil onto the newspaper and let people sit down together and dig in over one large mountain of delicious seafood and lots of cold beer or soda. Its not something usually done for one or two people if its done right. Its usually done with a crowd. And I can't imagine Edward not doing this right," Michael said.

"Well, that's what they're doing," Brian said, pointing to several large kettles over an open wood fire in the backyard not far from the beach, but in the opposite direction from Jack and Enzo.

It was about 30 minutes later when Edward came back outside, with his arm around Khaat's waist, leading her out to the courtyard. At the same time, his grandsons brought three large kettles of boil up to the house and dumped the boil on prepared picnic tables. The boil had white fish, crab, lobster, shrimp, mussels, scallops, corn and little redskin potatoes in it. Big metal washtubs filled with ice held bottles of beer and soda. Another table held piles of napkins.

"Come and eat," Angus called. "And, of course, we do have dessert for later, but right now, lets dig iinto the feast!"

Edward took Khaat to a place at the table where Brian caught up with them.

"Alright?" he asked.

"We will speak no more of this tonight," Edward smiled, patting her hand reassuringly. "Tonight, we eat."

Jim smiled at how Michael described the broil " sounds like it should be fun" he said glancing over at the kettles on the open fire on the beach he watched them carry it over and then stood as he saw Khaat walk in with Edward , but he had to dodge as Enzo bounded up covered in sand and sat beside her , Jack followed soon after also covered in sand.

"He decided it would be fund to bury the Frisbee in the sand then as I was uncovering it he decided to bury me or try" Jack said as Jim laughed at him and sat back down as he took some corn to eat first.Jack took some crayfish and broke it open to eat the flesh inside.

"Good," Angus said, "Better you than me. He likes that game a lot. " He broke open a lobster tail and began eating the tail meat. He loved the spices that had been put into the boil water. It felt like home to him. This was part of what he loved about Tuscany.

Khaat started with an ear of corn, and Michael found some shrimp to start with. Brian decided to start with some crab legs.

"You know, we really are going to have to learn how to do this," Brian said, loving every bit of it.

"Why should you when we're just down the road from you lot?" Edward said. "The boys can bring this stuff in every day if you want. You could eat like this all summer long."

"No I couldn't," Khaat said, seeing herself having to exchange all her teeny tiny slinky clothes for plus sized ones.

"Stop it," Brian playfully tapped her on the leg. "You are never going to ever have to worry about that. You're the only woman I know who can carry triplets and work almost right up to her due date and then be painfully underweight after delivery."

"He is right, you know," Michael said. "She's even been resisting my cooking lately."

"Oh, so it wasn't just that she didnt like mine," Angus teased.

"Stop it, you two," she said. "You're wonderful cooks. Both of you."

"We know, Sweetheart," Michael said gently. "We hope to close that chapter tomorrow night once and for all."

"I know," she said quietly, looking briefly at Edward. He said nothing. He only gestured to the seafood on the table, gesturing for her to forget it and eat.

Jim smiled at the gentle banter going on at the table between Brian, Angus and Michael ,but he sat quiet as he ate some shrimp and smiled at its succulent flavor it had. Jack ate more and soon he sat back filled to his top " I can't eat any more " he said smiling as he patted his stomach. Jim chuckled and looked at Jack.

" wow that's a first, ushualy hes asking for seconds " he said and jack laughed and sat back sipping some lemonade as he did he looked out over the ocean and smiled feeling calm and relaxed in himself.

The meal was wonderful. Brian noticed there was some sort of silent signal that seemed to pass between Khaat and Edward. If she started to think too hard, he seemed to need to just make eye contact with her and it was all it took for her to refocus. Brian was more than pleased at how much she ate. It was the first she had eaten anything close to a normal sized meal in longer than he could remember. He wished Edward was around at mealtimes more often at least for awhile. He didn't know how Edward was doing it, but he was accomplishing what no one else seemed to do, not even Khaat herself, as much as he knew she wanted to.

"That was incredible," he finally said, putting down the last of a lobster shell. "Thank you so very much. I don't know when we did anything like this last."

"We haven't," Khaat said.

"Well, now, I suggest we go down to the beach where the boys have built a large bonfire. We can sit, drink some wine and watch the sun go down. Then we'll finish the evening with dessert and some coffee," Edward said. "Come." He got up and led the way down to the beach where there was a huge bonfire and blankets spread on the sand at a comfortable distance from the fire. Brian and Khaat sat down on the sand and Edward sat on the other side of Khaat. Enzo laid down tight against Edward's side, and Edward sat, just petting Enzo in the silence. Michael and Angus took a seat by the fire not far from them. The sunset was just starting to turn into beautiful colors before it set. And there was no sound at all except the sound of the fire and the sound of the ocean. For the moment, there was nothing but pure, perfect peace.

Jim noticed the signals coming from Edward to Khaat and back but said nothing as he saw how much she ate and was pleased himself she was eating again. soon he too finished and sat back he was glad when they moved down to the beach. He sat down on a towel and sighed listening Jack sat down and held his knees also listening to the sound soon he lay back his arms behind his head as he watched the star's above them. " perfect end to a perfect day." he said softly as he could not help but yawn.

"Edward, we just might have to move in," Brian sighed.

"Any time, my friend, any time," Edward said. "There is more than enough room here."

"How is it that trouble just doesn't come here?" Brian asked.

"It knows better," Edward laughed. Angus laughed out loud.

"My grandfather is the one that gives trouble some troubles of its own. It has learned to just stay away from him," Angus said.

"Edward," Michael laughed. "that is one thing I do think I could believe about you. You just don't put up with it, do you?"

"Not so much," Edward said easily. "But neither do I go looking for it anymore either. Let's set the record straight about tomorrow night. Your young commander here is making a very courageous decision. One I greatly respect. It takes far more than most people would give him credit for, to put his new bride in the line of fire, when they've only been married for 8 months. Its a hard choice. One I don't think I could have made at his age. It shows Robert trained him well and he trained his daughter well. Trained them both to not shy away from the realities in front of them.

"And part of that reality is that we do not know how many James will bring with him. We only know that he will come. And that we will face him. We don't know the outcome of that either. We know we intend to protect Khaat at every cost. It is alright for her to be frightened. She has seen visions of a fight tomorrow night, but the rest is unclear. It is only a blur. And for seers, who depend on seeing clearly in order to guide us, that blurring sensation can be more frightening that those who do not see can appreciate.

"With your permission, I would very much like to impose myself upon you from now unti after the fight has come and gone tomorrow night. I do understand her fear, and I do not want her entering this tomorrow night unfocused and afraid. If my presence will help her to feel less anxiety, then I would like to stay close."

"Khaat?" Brian asked. "You know I'd do anything for you. We can still call this off."

"No," she said, staring into the fire. "We can't. It must play itself out now. That much I know. We need to walk it out, however it intends itself to be."

"It is not predestined," Edward laid his hand on hers. "Just because you see some of it, you do not see all of it. And even if you did, we would still have choices to make that could turn the outcome entirely from what you do see."

"Just keep reminding me of that," she said.

"Khaat," Brian said. "If having everyone we know camping on the floor in our hotel room makes one ounce of difference, I'll bring them. If I have to handcuff them to do it."

"You won't have to, Lad. They'll just come if you ask them," Edward smiled. "She is truly blessed that you love her so much."

"You stay with us as long as you like," Brian said.

"Good. Then it is arranged. I will send Angus to get me a room."

"No need," Michael said. "Our room sleeps ten or 12. We're not up to our quota yet. You can bunk with us."

"Thank you. I accept your hospitality," Edward said. "Do any of you feel up to training with me at dawn?"

"Training?" Brian asked.

"If we're going to go hunting, then you need to be warmed up and ready," Edward said. Brian felt like he was putting himself and his men into the hands of the master.

"We'll join you," Brian said. "You just tell us when and where."