Marriage is Murder

Kate and Khaat both felt refreshed and Kate had a new look. Khaat hadn't changed her look much, but she had had her hair trimmed and styled. They had their nails done, they'd had facials and massages and they felt wonderful. They felt that Jess and Cassidy had enjoyed things as much as they had. When they left the spa, Kate wasn't a bit surprised to see the 'boys' gathered still at the sidewalk cafe, having finished their second bottle of wine between them.

"Our ladies return," Michael said. "That' is a really different look for Kate."

"Yes, and I like it," Robert said, with a smile. "Alright, Men, shoulder all those packages, and let's head back to the ship, shall we?"

"Why do I feel like a pack mule?" Brian laughed.

"Because you're carrying wardrobes for seven people, maybe?" Michael sald. "We offered. You said, 'No, i've got it.' "

"So I did," Brian said. They got up, and Robert greeted Kate with a kiss.

"I like it," he smiled. "It looks great."

"Do you think so?" she asked. He nodded.

"Anyone have anything left here to do before we head back to the ship?" Robert asked.

Jack and Jim chuckled Jim could not help but notice cassidy was smiling again and he was happy she was it felt good to him to see her smiling. " you look refreshed " he said softly to her and cassidy smiled.

" I feel much better " she said giving him a gentle hug as they walked " thank you Jim your a good friend" she told him and this made him smile. He carried her bags and those of his own and together they walked back to the ship. Jack held Jess's bags and admired how beautiful she looked with her new hair and radiant look from the treatments she's had.

" we're ready, Brian" Jim said smiling .

They all walked back to the ship together, and the first thing Brian noticed was that he had a hard time distinguishing their ship from the ones belonging to the richest muggles in the world. Angus and the crew were all dressed in uniform. Crisply pressed navy slacks or shorts, sparklin white shirts, navy blue ties, and Angus had a captain's jacket. The ship looked as if it had been cleaned and polished from stem to stern, and all the brass and chrome fittings glistened in the sunlight.

There were fresh flowers in crystal bowls and vases on deck, and there wasn't a smudge or a dust speck to be seen. It was impeccable. There was even a red carpet from the dock up the gangplank onto the deck. Brian understood the need for formality, but Angus was a friend. Hell, he was family. He had deliberately put his own family in the role of being servants to the Lupin family in order to keep up appearances. Wen the boarded the ship again, Angus met them, with his caaptains hat tucked formally under his arm. It was clear that some of the muggle reporters and tourists and other celebrities were watching every move on every ship.

"Its alright, Mate," Angus said very softly to Brian. "Its the way I want it. I don't get a chance to show off that I can dress and act like a real captain. Its only for a couple days. And, I actually sort of enjoy it."

"Very well--Captain Donohue," Brian said, as they all got back on board again.

"You'll find some appetizers and cold drinks on the sun deck," Angus told them.

Jim chuckled as did cassidy Jess was amazed at how the yacht looked and smiled " amazing Captain" she said and stepped on board quickly she headed down to her cabin with Jack who shook his head as he moved carrying all the bags down. Cassidy just staid sat in the upper lounge area, she felt wonderful after the spar but her mind slipped back to Steven. Cassidy stood up and moved to Brian.

" I know this might not be the time but can I talk to you in private , please" she asked looking from Khaat to him and back knowing she would know what it was about.

"Certainly," Brian said. The stewards took the bags from Brian and the others to free their hands and took the bags to the cabins to unpack them for them and freshen any of the evening wear for that evening's festivities. "Since they're al going to the back sun deck, lets go up to the forward deck." Khaat headed back to the sun deck with her parents for appetizers and a cold drink. Brian led the way up to the front desk to talk with Cassidy.

"So--whats on your mind?" he asked her.

cassidy sat down and sighed deeply she looked up at Brian and spoke softly " Steven " she said in one word " I can't help not think about whats happening to him " she said " he is after all my husband and ...I do still have feelings for him. " she could not help but lower her head and sigh again. She wished she could stop her thoughts but she could not she had to know why he'd done what he'd done and what was his reason was" she could not help a tear roll down her cheek, " weather I should stay married to him or not " she said looking up at him.

"I think we're all confused about that, honestly," Brian said. "I have no idea what happened to him. I presume Robert has been getting at least some sort of minimal reports from Jeffrey. I know you care about him. But--Khaat learned very early that sometimes caring is not enough. She's always going to love Rob. I know that, and I've had to learn to accept it. The end is, though, that she chooses to come home to me. And our life together is really good. If I were to ever be a hindrance to her, I'd want her to leave me and go on if I could not be helped.

"If I could be helped, I would want her to do her best to find someone to help me. I would not expect her to do it. And I would want her to go forward and live a full and happy life whenever we were apart--for any reason. Even if it meant that was forever. And I know she feels the same way.

"So, if it were Khaat, I know she would not be leaving me until she had found out whether I had any hope of being better. I don't know if I could leave her if she were ill. I just don't know if I could. But that's just me. I suppose if you want answers, you're not going to find them in Tuscany. I would think you'd find them in Switzerland.

"I'm sorry its not better, but thats the best I've got," he said.

Cassidy sighed and nodded " I can't do this again" she looked at him " I have 3 children to think of and now I feel we will be better off with out him" she said softly just as Jim walked in. Jim stopped and looked at cassidy and Brian.

" ok I can guess whats going on" he said and sat next to cassidy. " you can make the choice not to be with him if you want to be happy again" he said softly to her taking her hand in his own gently. He knew Brian would see this as he was affectionate towards her but only like she was his daughter.

"You're not making an informed decision," Brian said. "That's your right, of course. But perhaps you need to have Jim take you to Jeffrey's tomorrow to see Jeffrey or to see Steven himself before you make any sort of a choice. You make yoru own choice, but perhaps you owe it to your children and to the vow you took before you don't even give him the benefit of the doubt. You don't have even the first report on him. If the tables were reversed, would you not at the very least want him to find out how you were before he made the choice to dissolve your marriage? Okay, I'm saying too much. You decide what you think is best. You asked for my opinion, and I gave it to you. There is nothing saying you need to follow a syllable of it. I'm sure you'll make the right choice. Right now, I think we ought to eat Angus's appetizers and enjoy a cold drink before we change into our formal wear for a night on the town with the richest of the rich. Excuse me." He looked at Jim. He didn't truly have any answers for Cassidy. He could only see his own life now through the eyes of what he had in his own life with Khaat, and he knew he wasn't losing that for anything. He knew Cassidy's situation is different. And he wasn't sure his words were even relevant.

He politely and respectfully excused himself and went to find Khaat on the sundeck.

Jim watched Brian leave and sat with cassidy talking soon they stopped and both left to walk the deck. " I'll wait until that first report " she told him Jim nodded his arms still around her waist as they walked together. Cassidy stopped and looked over the barrier looking down into the water. " I'm sorry for the downer on this trip" she said to him but he just hugged her tight.

"tats ok just don't do it around Khaat " he asked and heard Cassidy chuckle as he stood with her.