Marriage is Murder

"Show him by showing her," Kate suggested with her thoughts.

Robert had already wanted her to learn. So he went to Khaat and sat across from her. "Look at me," he told her. She looked up. He made a slow and deliberate sign. The sign for father. He pointed to himself. "Father," he told her, making the sign again. "Try it." It was an easy sign. It was one she could remember. He started to show her family relationship signs. Father, Mother, Daughter, Son, Husband, Wife, Child, Friend, Family. Angus and Michael were following Robert and finding it easier to follow somebody else doing it than to read it from a book. Much.

"Khaat," Brian said softly. He made a sign. One that her father hadn't covered, but one she didn't need the book to understand. He signed to her "I love you." It made her smile. "Its true, you know," he said. She believed him. To her, right now, Brian meant hope. And safety.

Jess smiled at Robert and Kate and sat back watching both of them she smiled even more when Brian told her he loved her. Jess looked at Jack who smiled holding her close she felt as if things for Khaat were slipping back into place she knew it would take time for her to recover fully physically and her memory would follow. Jack stood up and moved to the garden for his patrol while Jess moved to the kitchen " need any hep Angus" she asked softly.

"I'm behind on dinner tonight," he confessed. "I was doing well until Robert started teaching. We're having spaghetti, and the sauce is done, but thats about all I've managed so far. I have the makings for a caesar salad and the dressing is made, I have a loaf of bread for garlic bread, but I dont' have dessert at all yet. Anything you could do would be great. I didn't mean to get behind. And I haven't set the table yet either."

"Shame on you, Angus," Kate laughed. "Imagine. Angus Donohue getting behind. Now there's a first. Jess, can i give you a hand somehow? Angus, you stick with the lesson. I think we can do this."

Jess chuckled and looked to Kate " well if you could make the desert I can set the table , your deserts are wonderful Kate " she said and began making the plates and cutlery float to set the table she took the bowls of salad and mixed it with the dressing then placed it on the table then moved to make some juice that would go with the meal " ok that's done Angus and don't worry we all get behind " she said and shook her head seeing Jack trying again " Kate I really don't know if he'll get it , Jack bend your middle finger a bit more." she said watching him closely as he tried once more. " close jack close " she told him and chuckled walking over she showed him and he copied.

Michael gave up his time learning signs to step into the kitchen. "Get the garlic bread, Kate. I've got the dessert," he said. He accio'd several things out of the cabinets and began to assemble a dessert without any measuring at all.

He flicked his wand at the plates to start them dishing up the spaghetti. "Get the kids to the table. I'm putting dinner on the table right now. Dessert will be chilling in the refrigerator in a moment. One of you put some Christmas tea on and some fresh coffee."

"Jack," Kate shouted. "Make yourself useful. Get those kids to the table. Right now. Or Michael's going to toss out your dinner first!" Robert stopped teaching, laughing.

"I think she means it," Robert laughed. "Gather up the kids, you all."

Jack chuckled and stood up both he and Steven headed up to get the kids returning with three in each arm and several following on foot. Steven placed two in the high chairs and the rest climbed in cassidy had Fallon and Dakota who she placed in the high chair and strapped them in one by one ready for there food each bouncing and excited to have Angus's cooking again. Jack sat Alex down but he stood back up Jack sat him down again " Alex stay sat down or no desert" he told him and with a pout he did as he was told.

Kate had to use a bit of magical help to finish the garlic bread in a hurry. She sliced it and put it in a bread basket and sent it to the table. Michael's plates flew out of the kitchen with restaurant precision and landed in front of the appropriate diner. The kids were delighted to get Angus's spaghetti

He knew Khaat could not eat spaghetti, so he quickly scrambled a couple of eggs for her and warmed one of Angus's scones for her. For Brian, he plated up some spaghetti, and then Michael sent a tray to the living room for her and Brian.

Kate took a pitcher of iced tea to the table. "Come and eat, All. Michael, are we missing anything?"

"Hungry people," he said.

"Now that is something this house is never short of," Robert laughed, coming to the table.

Jack , Steven and cassidy all moved to the table along with Jim who smiled handing Alex a child's safety fork and he giggled as he managed to get the first spoon in his mouth. Jess smiled " hes learning and growing up. " she said and smiled, Jim nodded and sat down " there all growing up. " isn't john coming home soon for Christmas?" Jess asked Steven he looked at Robert then answered her.

" I wrote to him but still haven;t got a reply yet " he said as he pored some ice tea for himself ah sat back enjoying the sweet yet cooling flavor of the tea.

Khaat didnt' know what they were talking about. She had no idea who John was. She was out of place here at times. She played with her eggs, nibbling at them. Brian didn't harp. Khaat had to admit, the spaghetti smelled wonderful but her stomach wasn't going to handle it.

She was feeling a bit alone, when her head began to ache and spin a bit. She hesitated to avoid dropping her fork. And then she had a flash of something. It only lasted a second. But it was so horrible, so ugly, so vicious, that there could not be any possible way that she could be Brian's anymore. No man would want a woman after that. No way. Brian had to be lying to her because he felt sorry for her. She heard the little plate of eggs fall to the floor, and before she knew it, she was on her feet attempting to run when she couldn't stand or walk without help.

"Whoa!" Brian levitated his plate almost up to the ceiling to get it out of the way, and he had lept to his feet. She was trying to run, all of a sudden, without warning. She was panicking. One instant she had been fine. And the next she was in a panic. He dove for her, trying to get to her before she hit the floor.

Robert dropped his fork on the floor, and he raced towards his daughter. He already had an idea what was happening. He didn't expect it this soon. Not at all. He saw Brian sweep a strong arm around her waist as she fell. She was trying to fight him, wanting to get away.

"Give her to me," Robert said, stepping in. He took her from Brian. He put her back on the sofa and sat next to her. "Look at me," he said to her softly. She couldn't. She didn't have the nerve to look anyone in the eyes and didn't think she'd have it ever again. He drew her face up to look into his eyes. "You remembered something," he said slowly, studying her. "Whatever it was, the one thing thats true now is the same thing thats always been true. We love you. No matter what you think you saw, we loved you then, and the only thing thats changed is that we love you more."

Jess stood up and moved closer to Khaat looking worried at Robert " her thoughts?" she asked softly as she looked to Robert again. "Its early for that yet, isn't it" she stood with Jack both worried that something was wrong but she smiled and nodded as he spoke that they all loved her. " yes we do Khaat" she said softly Jack held Jess as Steven and cassidy fed the kids and kept them amused at the table but glancing from time to time over at the pair of them hoping as Jess and Jack did that everything was beginning to fall back in place.