Marriage is Murder

"Fine," Robert said, as Angus handed Robert a fresh cup of Earl Grey. Robert took his tea mug and went into the living room where Khaat waas sitting on the sofa with Abbey curled up tight to her. Of all her kids, Abbey was the one who habitially seemed to want to cuddle and be close. Abbey had brought a picture book and a teddy bear and had climbed up on the sofa beside her mother, wanting Khaat to read to her and wanting to share the book together. Khaat was just letting Abbey cuddle and they were taking their time through the book, looking at the pictures and talking about them quietly. Khaat could hear the very loud playing of the other kids down the hallway in the playroom. It sounded llike it was right on the verge of getting out of hand but sh had not moved to go control them.

"It sounds like we need a platoon of nannies in there," Robert frowned, glancing down the hallway.

"I figured unless someone got hurt, I wasn't going to interfere," Khaat said

"I don't know that I'd wait quite that long," her father told her

Cassidy looked up hearing the noise from the playroom she stood up and walked over to the door and inside after a moment Jess heard it quiet down and smiled " seems we just need Cassidy and not the platoon of nannies " she said and chuckled . She could not help smile as she saw Abby and Khaat " would Abby like a drink?" she asked accioing a sippy cup with juice in it for her placing it in Abbys hand she moved and sat back down reading her article on how to save money on cooking for a family cheaply.

"Thank you," Khaat said to Jess. "I'm glad Cassidy doesn't mind taking on that mob."

Abbey nodded quietly, taking the sippy cup. "What do you say, Abbey?" Khaat asked her.

"'Welcome," Abbey said.

"Thank you," Khaat corrected gently. Abbey nodded.

"Welcome," she repeated. Khaat laughed.

"Abbey," Robert said, reaching into his pocket, "Would you like a chocolate?"

"Peeeze?" she asked, looking at him with big eyes. He drew out a foil wrapped piece of chocolate and unwrapped it and handed it to her.

"Welcome, Papa!" she said, excitedly, taking it. It made Robert laugh.

"Okay, we'll work on that one. You've got the right idea, though. Nice job." Abbey offered her chocolate to Khaat.

"Mama?" she asked.

"Papa gave it to you," Khaat said, pleased that her daughter was eager to share. "You eat it."

"You no have candy," she frowned. Robert drew out a second piece of chocolate and gave it to Khaat.

"Better?" Robert asked. Abbey nodded. Abbey waited until Khaat unwrapped her chocolate and ate it before she ate her own.

"Mama? Papa helps sick people?" Abbey asked. "When he work?"

"Yes, Dear," Khaat answered.

"You work?"

"I do," Khaat said.

"What you do?"

"Mama helps sick people too," Robert said.

"Daddy work?" she asked.

"Yes," Khaat said. "What do you think he does?"

"Unca Re Re say," Abbey said.

"When did you see him?" Khaat asked.

"When I little" she said.

"Oh, a long time ago when you were little, huh?" Khaat asked. Abbey nodded.

"He say Daddy kill monsters," Abbey said.

"That's actually a pretty good answer," Robert said.

Jess smiled at Abby's attempt to try her manners she was pleased she was trying as were some of the others and that Robert would help her on it to get them the right way around . Jess sat back and nodded as she remembered Khaat had said about having Cassidy take care of the mob. " she's really become a good mother " Jess said and looked as Khaat ate some chocolate and Abby asked questions. Looking down Jess continued to read her article again finishing it she placed the magazine down and moved to the kitchen “need any help “ she asked needing to do something other than sit and wait for something to happen around them.

"You could peel some potatoes, if you like," Michael said. "I'm going to make some cheesy potatoes because I know everyone likes them, especially the kids. You're all fortunate enough that the kids aren't generally fussy. I know Khaat and Brian have been really good about exposing their kids to just a wealth of healthy foods. In fact, I know it took Khaat a good long time to get her to let the kids have any sugar whatsoever. It doesn't seem like its hurt them much, though. They seem to still prefer fruit to candy. And I think the rest of the kids watch Abbey and Dakota eating fruit and they have learned to copy from them. Or something."

"Just be glad they haven't also copied Dakota's love of throwing things," Angus said.

"I figure she'll grow out of that. From what I know, Mis doesnt' do a lot of that" Michael said.


"No, she doesn't," Angus said. He drew out several large wedges of cheese and began grating the cheese by hand for Michael's cheesy potato dish. "Did anyone go get the burgundy wine for Michael, or do we still need to do that?"

Jess smiled and started to peel the potatoes finding it very therapeutic work the bowls soon filled with peelings " I take it the peelings are going on the compost heap?" she asked as she finished her third potato placing it in a bowl with the others then starting on the next " sounds wonderful and I agree there all eating and trying new things " she said " never saw Alex eat strawberry's like he did after Abby ate them now he loves them" she said smiling at them both. Cassidy returned but the nursery stayed quiet.

“ I read them all a story and gave them some colouring books seems to have sttled them for the moment “ she said and looked at Jess “ want a hand?” Jess smiled and nodded pushing a peeler and bowl in her direction.

"Composting is fine," Michael said. He needed the wine and so far, repeated requests to go get it for him had gone unnoticed. He washed his hands and went downstairs to the wine cellar and retrieved the badly needed 3 bottles of wine himself and brought them back up to the kitchen. He put two in the refrigerator to chill propery and opened the third and added it to the sauce he was making. It was just damned hard to make beef burgundy without the burgundy.

Angus started to work a bit more on the Pumpkin Creme Brulee that Michael wanted for dessert. He also make a batch of shortbread cookies that he cut into pumpkin shapes and dusted with orange sugars for the pumpkins and green for their stems. It would be a light and flavorful dessert.

"I did make a salad earlier," Angus said. "Greens, veggies, crisp fall apples, and toasted walnuts with some gruyere cheese shavings."

"Very nice touch. Did I see that you had some cider in the other refrigerator?"

"Yeah, there's only a couple gallon," Angus said, "but the farmer's market made me a good deal since it was the first of the season."

"Then I shall make some hot spiced cider for this evening after dinner," Michael said.

Jess was about to go get the brandy when she saw Michael go himself and she sat back down she continued to peel potatoes until enough was done for him taking the peeling she walked out side and across to the compost heap dumping them she walked back placing the bowl in the washer along with the two peeler's . " it sounds wonderful Angus and warming just what's needed on a chilly night. " she said smiling as she sat back at the table with Cassidy.

“ yeah can't wait to taste it Angus “ she said a she heard the kids start to play loudly again and she sighed moving back to the nursery.

"If its like Michael's other recipes, it will be wonderful," Angus said, making the custard for the creme brulee. He liked the smell of pumpkin and spices in the air. It had a welcoming smell to it. Comforting.

"I ought to open a gift shop and carry a bunch of scented candles," Khaat said. "I like some of the smells of fall."

"Why don't you simply add some to the hospital gift shop?" Robert said. "Your mother has been playing with some lovely scents, and you know she makes good beeswax candles."

"She hasn't made candles in years," Khaat said.

"Not true," Robert said. "With her new art studio, she's taken up a lot of that again, including some jewelry design. I'll go over in a bit and bring back some of the autumn scented candles she's been making for you all to try over here."

"Does she have any tapers?" Michael asked.

"I'll look, but if not, I'll bring one of her large pillar candles. She has some that are about 6 inches in diameter or so. They have triple wicks, and they burn beautifully. We burned one the other night that smelled like autumn leaves and apples. It was actually very nice."

"You should put a couple in Madam Malkins to set the mood for customers to buy fall fashions, Jess," Angus said. He glanced over at Abbey who was now curled up tight on Khaats lap and had fallen asleep laying on Khaat's chest. He smiled. "All that little girl needs is a story and a cuddle and she drops right off."

Jess smiled as Khaat spoke of scented candles then she heard Angus talk about the falls fashions and she nodded " yes Kate and I even got the new window up quicker than I expected " she said " all's looking good ", Khaat why don't you do that i,m sure visitors would be happy to buy them and I guess as long as they don't light them and the patients could still have there favorite smells around them." she added smiling as she hoped " we could sell some in the shop too ow that reminds me " she said standing she aperated to her room returning with a large box tied in a ribbon. " Kate said you'd like these " she said placing down the outfit and jewelry Kate had picked out from the shop.