Marriage is Murder

"Good suggestion," Angus said. "I think we could manage that. I'll get to work on it. You know, you two might help her get oriented as to where to find familiar faces in case she goes wandering off by herself and gets lost on board. she seems to really like being close to the grownups. She's starting into that exploring phase. We need for her to know where she can go and where she can't. Might have to draw age lines so the kids can't go down in the engine rooms or the boiler rooms or that such. That is just too dangerous for a toddler, if they could even negotiate the ladders down the hatches. I just don't want something dangerous, if I can prevent it."

The nannies came in and collected the kids, and one stayed behind with Abbey to make sure she ate. The nannies went to put the kids down for their naps.

"So, I will have lunch served then to the rest of us," Angus smiled. "But, yes, we are having f-i-s-h. And salad and grilled potatoes and onions with a fresh chilled fruit salad. You can either sit down or you could go get the others and then we'll all eat."

Jess smiled and nodded " Good Idea for the lines and I'll fetch the others Angus" Jess said and with a quick kiss to Jack she moved up to the main deck " ok lunch is being served in the dining room" she said and looked at Robert " Angus and my husband are conspiring to get Abby a fish and fish tank " she told him " once we have eaten I am taking her on a tour of the yacht " she headed back down to find Jack already sat down and poring a drink for them all.

They went downstairs and had a lovely lunch in the huge elegant dining room. Khaat could not get past the elegance. She was so accustomed to Brian's homestyle Southwestern decor that she was more comfortable in the log cabin rugged mansion he'd taken her to. She preferred it now even over the English country decor of the cottage she had lived in with Rob--the one Michael rented from her now. This felt like elegance she did not deserve, and she had a hard time wrapping her mind around it.

"Get the tank," Robert agreed with them. "You know you will have to make it have pink and purple and lots of glitter, right?"

"I did sort of already know that. And the fish need to be beautiful with big flowing fins. I have my grandfather making some connections with some Venetian wizards who are glass artists," Angus said.

"You know, I could have done that if I'd had any time or warning," Kate laughed.

"Well," Brian said, "we do need some new windows and lights in the Tuscany house. Would you consider making each of the kids one of your spectacular stained glass lamps and then making some stained glass windows? Especially for their rooms and the nursery? Eli is going to do wizarding murals on the walls, so maybe you two could design it together."

"I would love to," Kate beamed.

"Well, that lets you put your new art studio to use," Robert smiled.

"You know," Brian said, "Not to change the subject, but I did get word from that handful of men we have in the Brazilian rainforest. They are having some trouble with some sort of a magical artifact that has apparently gone a bit rogue and they need some help securing it. Anyone feel like going to battle the jungle in the rainforest? Means quite a bit of trudging through the jungle, climbing cliff faces, primitive camping,....all that sort of rot."

"Climbing?" Michaels' interest peaked. "Did I hear you right?"

"You did."

"I'm in," Michael said.

"I like climbing," Khaat said, "I'll go."

"Are you sure you're up to it?" he frowned.

"Well, if you think all I'm good for is ballast, then..."

"Then you'll be the prettiest ballast on the trip," Michael leaned over and kissed her.

ooc: was thinking we might do an adventure thread too in the summer holiday subforum. we need more participation there. thoughts?

Cassidy sat quite threw out Lunch she ate quite and Jim saw it he looked at Robert when he told Jack to get the tank. He listened more when Robert spoke of an artifact in the jungle. "Angus do you know where we can get the tank from, ow, and I'm in, I love a good adventure." Jack said and Jess chuckled and shook her head.

" I'll stay with the children, hot damp and being eaten alive are not my idea of heaven " she said smiling at Jack " you go dear I know you love adventures" she smiled more when he kissed her softly and thanked her. Cassidy looked up and listened to them all.

" if its all right I would like to go too " she asked " I..I need to keep busy" she added and Jim smiled as he patted Cassidys hand lightly.

" Count me in too " Jim said as he took a bite from his fish " do you know what the artifact is yet?" he asked Robert hoping to get some more information.

"No clue," Robert shrugged. "This is the first I'm hearing about it. This is Brian's show, I'm afraid."

"I don't know exactly," Brian said. "Some old Mayan thing, I guess. Old magic. Very old."

"Then its very dangerous," Robert said.

"Its always very dangerous," Khaat said, spinning her water glass to watch the ice spin in it. "Daddy? You going?"

"I'm afraid not, my dear," he laughed. "I will have more than enough to do with watching my grandchildren, operating my own home country, and operating the hospital. You go and have a good time, but you do need to come back. I cannot, nor will I, do this without you."

"It will take me some time to make arrangments," Brian said. "We have some time to spend yet enjoying the sun and some 5 star luxury before we get primative."

"Who's getting primative?" Angus laughed, coming in.

"You up for a rain forest quest?" Brian asked.

"Again?" Angus frowned. "You still owe me a perfectly good machete from the last one."

"And you'll get it. I promise," Brian laughed, remembering.

Cassidy chuckled at Brian and Angus's banter " just say when and I'll be ready" she said and continued to eat her dinner she once finished took her plate to the galley and returned she heard them say they would have time to enjoy the yacht and breathed out " I was worried we'd have to leave right away I don't have any gear yet " she said looking from Jack to Jim and then Brian as she sat back down next to Jim again.

" don't worry just get some good hiking boots and mosquito spray and you'll do fine" he said with a chuckle as Jack did the same.

After lunch, Brian asked Khaat if she wanted to do some scuba diving, muggle style. They hadn't been diving in years. It sounded good to her. Angus had gear. Brian suited himself up, and Angus helped Khaat. They had a problem finding a scuba suit small enough to fit her like it needed to. Angus had to refit one for her, and he helped her with the rest of the gear to be sure it was well fitting and all connected properly. He took them up to the back deck and made sure their air tanks were working before they slipped over the side into the water.

It felt good to be able to explore the depths without having to worry about some lifethreatening monster right on their heels. They spotted schools of beautiful fish, and took pictures. Khaat spotted something down in a crack between a few rocks. She used wandless magic to retrieve it, and pulled up a very large handful of gold coins. Brian saw the flash of gold as it came out of the darkness for the first time in hundreds of years. He was pleased. They made sure they got all of it before surfacing. Angus helped them back on board.

"Hey!" Brian called. "Look what my good luck charm found!" He scattered heap of coins on the deck. They glittered in the sunlight.

Jack walked over to where Brian now sat and looked at the gold " wow nice hall they look hundreds of years old" he said picking up one and looking at it in the sun light . Jack looked up and then walked over to them and chuckled nice Spanish gold I'm guessing" he said and chuckled again as he too picked up a piece and looked at " who found it?" he asked and looked at Khaat " nice hall Khaat " he grinned. Jim placed his piece back and chuckled as he moved back to the chair he'd been sat in , opening his book he sat down.

"Yeah, that was all Khaat's doing," Brian beamed. "I was off looking at fish until i saw her pull up the first coins. We haven't been diving in ages. We used to like to dive, but the whole business of kids has sort of put a dent in that a bit."

"Be honest. We haven't been diving since that summer you forced me to go with you," Khaat said.

"Oh yeah. I forgot about that," Brian said. "After we graduated and I moved to Paris, Khaat had gotten really reclusive at the farm. I got some time off and I forced her to go diving with me for a couple of weeks in the carribean. That's been a long time ago."

"That's been five kids ago," she said.

"You have nothing to worry about," he said. "You're still the prettiest dive partner I've ever had."

"Prettier than me?" Angus teased. Brian tossed a flipper at him, laughing.

"Give us a few minutes and we'll change," Brian said.

"By tben I'll have a mid afternoon snack put out for us," Angus said. "Its almost ready." Khaat and Brian went to their quarters to get changed.

Jack smiled and dropped the coin back in the bag he patted Khaat and moved to the chair not far " so what will happen to it now?" he asked as he sat back and drank his cold soda. Cassidy moved and picked one up " Khaat would you teach me to scuba dive I'd love to do that " she said smiling having never scuba dove before but always wanted to learn how. Jack nodded behind her knowing she wanted to learn himself.

" I'd love to know how as well " he said " what about a crash course in scuba diving, I' like to see whats down there with out drowning ?" he asked hoping some one would take it up and teach them.