Marriage is Murder

Angus set breakfast on the table, and told them all to come and eat. Brian was glad to feel the fresh clean morning air come into the hotel suite. He was wondering if there was much of any point in waking Khaat. She had slept well, so far as he knew, but she had been, seemingly, tired, the last few days and he was chalking it up to emotional fatigue. So far he'd let her sleep. He took it that she was still deeply asleep for her not to know about the dog on the bed, about Abbey giggling right beside her, any of it. That made him reluctant to wake her.

But Robert appeared to have different ideas. He put Abbey in her high chair at the table and went back into the bedroom and woke her. Quietly, gently, lovingly, telling her that it would do her no good to try to sleep it out of her system in one or two nights. He preferred she take a few days and rest up slowly, as her body could handle. Meanwhile, she needed food.

She got up and showered and chose a white summer maxi dress with an empire waist and spaghetti straps, with a little bit of lace trim at the bottom. She used a glamour spell to hide the green itchy rash she has getting more of steadily all the time, and styled her hair with the spell and then simply joined them at the table.

Abbey looked up at her mother as she put a berry in her mouth. "Mama!"

"Yes, Dear," Khaat said, sittng at the table.

"I want pretty dress like that!" she pointed at Khaat's dress.

"If you want one," Robert said, "you can have one. Can I have one of your dresses to change it for you?" She nodded. She scampered off and found a blue dress that she really didn't like very well and handed it to Robert. "But that's a pretty dress," Robert frowned.

"No," she said. "It not. Fix it, Papa."

"Okay," he laughed, and transfigured the dress to look like a miniature that looked a lot like Khaat's but didnt quite reach the floor so Abbey wouldnt trip in it. "Better?" he asked. She nodded. "Good. Now come finish your breakfast." She obeyed.

"Thank you," Khaat said. She watched her father transfigure the dress to look like her mama's dress. Abbey looked at Khaat.

"I wear this! l look like you!" Abbey was delighted.

"And you will be beautiful," Brian said, kissing her forehead. Abbey nodded. They had a quiet, leisurely breakfast and as they finished, Robert looked at them all.

"Are we well enough to proceed to the yacht today?" He asked.

"I believe so," Brian said.

"Then we should do that this morning," he said. "Angus, will you make sure the room is clean so that the muggles don't have anything to find that they should not?"

"Certainly," Angus said.

"Jack and Jim, I need you to draw a protection line around our rooms so that it keeps unwanted magical people and forces out, please. And everyone needs to be sure that you are packed with the things you will want. When we have that accomplished we will leave for the ship. Kate, will you help Abbey make herself pretty today?"

"Of course. That's what Grandmas do," she smiled.

Robert had kept himself busy with business from the Ministry and from St Mungos. He did not want Khaat dealing with that yet. And, he was making sure that he had all he needed for the trip for anything he felt might come up. Kate had thoroughly enjoyed helping Abbey get ready today, in the little white dress, with white sandals, a little white hair ribbon in her hair and a little bracelet of white pearls and clear glass crystal cut beads that Brian had bought her. Kate added just a wee touch of her own perfume to Abbey and the palest of pink lip glosses to make her feel grown up. Abbey was delighted, her long blond curls flowing down her back. She dashed out of the bedroom and into the living room, excited and Brian swept her up with one strong arm.

"You're almost too big for me to do that anymore," he laughed.

"No," she shook her head. "I never be too big for you, Daddy."

"Well, I won't always be able to pick you up with one hand." She drew his wand out of his pocket. "Careful," he warned her.

"Use this," she told him. "You pick me up with no hands!" He laughed.

"Yes, I could," he said. Kate double checked her packing for her and Robert and the packing for Khaat, Brian and Abbey.

"I think we're ready," she said.

"I think so too," Robert said. He passed out small scallop shells to each of them. "Your portkeys to the yacht. We'll meet you all there." He shouldered his medical bag, his messenger bag, and his bag that he shared with Kate. Khaat picked up the bag for her and Brian and Abbey, and Angus took it from her.

"I'll get it," he said. Brian took Khaat's hand, and they ported out. Angus and Michael ported out, followed by Robert and Kate.

"Hm," Robert frowned slightly. "I had specifically requested they give Khaat and Brian the master suite and that Kate and I were to adjoin the children. They didn't seem to understand my thoughts on that and were pretty insistant on giving it to me. I suppose I shall have to talk to either Edward or Angus to get that reversed. Khaat still needs the time alone with Brian, and, frankly, I want every avaiable moment to spoil my grandchildren."

Brian put Abbey down on the deck of the ship and she made an immediate dash to the railing to lean over and peer into the water. Brian was quick to go grab hold of her shoulder so she didn't just blindly jump in.

"Daddy!" She pointed "Fishy!!' He looked down to see a very large fish just making a dive under the keel.

"Oh, yes. A big fishy," Brian said.

"Herbert!" she said

"Herbert?" he asked. She nodded. "Okay," he laughed.

"Daddy, why we here??

"We're going on a sailing adventure. Just like in your story books," he said. She turned and scowled at him. "What's the matter?"

"My book says boat sink," she said. She narrowed his eyes at him. "You make sure boat no sink?"

"I promise," he laughed.

Khaat went on a walk to tour the ship and found their cabin immediately as stewards made changes to put her and Brian in the master suite and to put her parents next to the children. Khaat questioned it, and the stewards told her that her father had been very specific. She looked at the stunning elegance of the interior of the ship and found, down the hall, the playroom and the nursery for their five children, with some rather odd bunked cribs. and youth beds. She realized there was an enchantment to keep the kids from crawling out or falling out of bed. It was rather handy. Too bad the muggles couldnt do that. The playroom next door was alive with the sound of lots of happy little voices. Khaat went to see the kids who crowded around her, all immediately desperate for her attention. She settled in to spend a bit of time with them. Dakota seemed to feel the most out of place because the other kids were so much smaller than she was. She was hoping that some of the Jess's and Cassidy's kids would help her not feel so alone anymore. Abbey seemed to be thriving on the alone time with her parents. The other kids seemed to feed on time with each other.

"Daddy," Abbey said, "Why we no have fishys?"

"We do," he said. "At home."

"Where?"

"In the pond."

"Where?"

"I'l show you when we get home."

"I want a pet."

"You have lots of pets. You have Enzo, and Max and Mo and Archangel., and lots more. What kind of pet do you want?"

"A fishy," she nodded.

"You have fish on the brain," he laughed. She put her hands on her hair, feeling it. frowning. "What are you looking for?" he asked.

"No fish on my head," she said. Brian shook his head.

"That's not what it means to have fish on your brain, but never mind."

"Abbey," Edward called her. "Come look." He had a photograph in his hand. He gave it to her. It was a wizarding photo of beautiful koi fish swimming in a pond. She was fascinated. "You keep it. You can watch them all you want." She smiled at him and sat down at Brian's feet, staring at the photograph.