Marriage is Murder

Khaat didn't know how she'd done it but Jess had stopped the pain for her. At least so that it was tolerable. Khaat was a bit rattled, but she managed to sign "Thank you."

When jack alerted Robert that khaat needed him, Robert wasted no time. He got up from Brian's desk and immediately went to the living room. He saw Jess with her. He heard the gist of Jess's remarks. Memories. It was still too soon for that. He wasn't sure how that was all coming back.

He stepped in and checked her. Jess had drawn off most of the pain, and he drew off the rest. "I'm sorry," he told Khaat. "Did you have a burst of memories all at once?" She nodded. "Were they at least good ones?"

"Who's the boy?" she signed.

"What boy?" he asked.

"Tall, dark hair...Older. Seemed important to me," she said.

"Is his photo in the album?" Robert asked. She shook her head no.

"No," Robert said. "One moment. Is this similar to the other memory flashes you had, Khaat?" She nodded. She tried to describe what she had seen to her father. "Ah," he said, nodding. "I remember. That young man is Eli. He's your adopted son, of sorts. You were his legal guardian when he was underaged. You were the only appropriate parent that boy ever had. The incident you're talking about is a time when the two of you were kidnapped at the same time by the same man. Eli loves you very much. And he is very well, thank you. He works for me at the Ministry. He is the Deputy Minister of Magic right now."

"Why these memories?" she asked.

"Because they were very very powerful. The pain is better now?" he asked. She nodded. "Jess is right, though. I hope you soon start remembering some of the good things. There are far more of those than the painful things.

"Lunch will be ready in about ten minutes," Angus called. "I hope a simple chicken alfredo is sufficient."

"More than sufficient," Robert called back. He turned to Jack and Steven. "Can you two fetch little people?"

"They dont stay small," Robert agreed. "But then, would we really want them to? There is so much joy in seeing the wonderful adults they've become when they're grown. But these kids are all very happy. And having lots of kids around has, largely, taught them good social skills very early. They will all be very well adjusted, I think."

Brian followed, carrying Julia. She had pinched her finger between a couple of cabinet doors when she was playing. He had found it to be painful for her but not harmful. He kissed her tiny fingers and had made her laugh. He carried her to the table and helped her to her seat. Angus served up plates of the chicken fettucini alfredo with homemade bread and salad and a pitcher of iced tea.

Robert aasked that Angus bring Khaat a small bowl of the fettucini noodles with sauce, and no chicken. Angus was only too happy to do so.

"I'll stay with her," Brian said to Robert.

"No," Robert said. "I need to do that right now. Go eat with the others, Son."

"Thank you," Robert said to Jess. He wasn't sure Khaat was going to be able to deal with much solid food, but he wanted her to try. He helped her with a bite and then let her rest a moment. When he saw that she did not have violent stomach upset, he allowed her to eat more, one small bite at a time. He joined her with his own so that she didn't feel like she was eating alone.

She'd had about 6 bites when she could eat no more. He was very pleased. He took her bowl. "Well done," he said quietly, setting her bowl aside. "Would you like something to drink? Tea? Coffee? Cider?"

"Cold?" she signed.

"Soda?" he asked. She nodded. He accio'd a bottle of plain lemon lime soda and opened it for her. He handed it to her. "Slowly. So there are no upsets. You're entirely ahead of schedule in this recovery. I'm very pleased." Then he directed his attentions to Jess. "Add just a very carefully measured quarter of a gram--just a wee bit--of muscle relaxant to her potion for after lunch, Jess," he said. "She's finally starting to have some muscle cramping from the malnutrition and the way her body is starting to try to adjust to food again. I'd like to stop that so that she stays comfortable, please."

"It will not be passable now outside, not even by magic," Robert said seriously, handing Khaat her potion. "Drink, my dear."

"Hes right," Brian said. "We dare not attempt it unless it is the only chance we have of surviviing. Because the risk of splinching in this weather is immense. I gave the outdoor men orders to take shelter under our emergency precautions. They will fend well through this. If anyone out there needs to leave shelter, they will notify me first. If anyone has to go out, we do not go alone until the storm lifts. "

"I don't think any of us have any great desire to go out in that mire, Boy," Michael said. "We're fighters, yes. But we're not totally mad. Why would we give up a warm fire, gourmet food, and luxury accomodations for blizard conditions if we didn't have to?"