Marriage is Murder

Jess chuckled and nodded " ah yes I know how that is " she said and smiled broadly at them " okay lets get is food fest under way I heard the kids " she said knowing Kate had them . Soon Jess had several pizza's ready to bake she had finally managed to perfect rolling the crust to make it stuffed crust, she made some with cheese and others with tomato sauce. Now she waited for Jack and Brant.

" ah I will never get the hang of this " Brant said as he tried to roll the edge.

"Brant , start with a flat pizza its easier" Jess suggested and he unrolled the edges and placed his topping of tomatoes , mozzarella basil and Chirico on top. He smiled as he looked at Jess.

"Say, thanks it is easier." he said now looking at his pizza while Jack made several for the kids.

" Hes had lots of practice" she said and chuckled at the look Jack gave them both.

Khaat went upstairs and took Remus's portrait and moved it to Brian's office and shut the door. She set the portrait on the floor and sat down at the desk, staring at the portrait.

"What?" the figure frowned.

"What were you doing today?" she demanded.

"I am just a portrait. If you have an issue, then I suggest you use alternative ways to ask your question. I have no idea what you're talking about," the image in the portrait replied.

"I can sit here all night, you know," she sighed.

"Oh, trust me. I'll be here longer than you are," the portrait laughed. "I really am just a portrait. If you want the real thing, then you need to find other means to do that. You know that. I did teach you better than that."

"And when did you ever use a spell to overpower a seer to the point of almost stripping her of her powers?"

"Me? Never," he said.

"Exactly," she said. "What would you have done it for?"

"Can't think of a situation that I would need it, honestly," the portrait said. "Did I...or my facsimile...do that?"

"You are the facsimile, remember? But yes, He did."

"Maybe he's losing his mind," the portrait shrugged.

"Does that happen on the other side?"

"I don't know. I'm the portrait. You're the mortal, remember?"

"You are no help whatsoever."

"Actually, I was. I told you to try another method. You're a seer. Try something else to get your answers."

"How about my shoe through the center of your canvas?" she demanded.

Downstairs, Edward scowled and cast a look down the hallway. "If Khaat is by herself, why am I feeling she's irked. Someone want to go check it out and make sure its alright?"

Jessica looked at Robert and nodded " I'll go" she said and stood up walking the study she knocked on the door. " Khaat?" she said as she slowly turned the handle to enter the room her mind on Khaat . Seeing the portrait on the floor she nodded to it. " Remus."she said and looked to Khaat. "You should have asked Cassidy to contact  him, but what did you learn?" she asked standing and folding her arms  across her chest as she waited. 

Brant watched Michael and Angus making pizza " want me to put the toppings on " he asked wanting something to do other than sit and watch them make Pizza for every one. " promise I won't mess up" he said and chuckled.

"He's been no help," Khaat sighed.

"As I told her, I am just a portrait.  I have no control over my 'twin's' spirit's thoughts or behaviors," the portrait replied.  "I didn't cast any spell of any kind.  He might have, but I didn't.  So she needs to ask him, not me.  I have nothing to do with it. Unless he has a portrait of himself on the other side, I can't help you. And even then, I don't have the foggiest clue as to how to get from a portrait here to a portrait there."

"Remus wouldn't have a portrait of himself anyway," Khaat said, knowing he would see that as pure vanity.

"You're a seer.  You know how to cross the veil.  So, do so," the portrait told her.

"Now, why didn't I think of that?" she scowled sarcastically at the portrait.  She turned the portrait to face the wall.

"Hey!" the portrait protested.

"Shut it," she snapped.  She looked at Jess.  "As you heard, I know nothing more than before. I'll have to try some other method or wait for him to remind me of whatever the devil I've forgotten."

Downstairs, Angus was glad to get more hands to make pizzas. "You've topped pizzas before.  We'd be glad for the help.  That frees Michael up to get them into the new Italian pizza oven."  He gestured to the brand new wood-fed pizza oven that had been added to the kitchen wall, decorated with gorgeous handpainted Italian ceramic tiles.  Michael was sliding a pizza on a lovely handcarved pizza peel and was putting the first ones in the new oven.

Jessica stood listening and nodded " hes definitely stubborn but hes right , hes just an echo of Remus" she said and chuckled as she turned the picture around and told it to shut up. " yes I see well if you want I could find him and ask him for you, that bit was right" she said softly as she moved to sit next to her.

Brant chuckled as he began topping the pizzas as he heard Angus mention the oven. " I wondered when he would notice, its magnificent " he said " I do like the tiles around it, I take it their hand painted?" he asked knowing full well they were.

"I'm not sure if that's safe, Jess," Khaat said. "I'm sure you could do it or Cassidy, but I don't know what ever possessed him to use so much force.  I think, when he realizes that if I didn't get whatever he was trying to say, I would certainly think he would try again.  Maybe he was only warning me of the intrusion into St. Mungos.  If not, he'll surely repeat himself, I think. 

"I'm thinking we need to be careful.  And especially you.  With Daddy and Brian both hurt, you and I are the only healers here.  And I haven't tried to see what I can do with one hand.  I might have to rely on you until we know if Daddy and Brian are alright.  And that means we can't risk any sort of a drain on your energies.  I will need you, I'm thinking."

"The tiles are indeed Italian," Angus said.  "I asked Grandfather to get some of the really good ones from that artist in the village.  I wasn't specific on what they should look like, but I do like them."

"You weren't specific, but I was," Edward laughed.

Jess looked at Khaat and nodded "I'm here when you need me, any time" she said and nodded at the mention of Robert  and Brian " their sleeping, I checked on them there energy's were low and they had small injuries but I am guessing the healers at St Mungos did there best  at starting them healing, I boosted that , they should be on their feet tomorrow" she said softly with a smile.

Brant smiled and nodded " I know that guy hes good, i'm guessing those are his finest work yet" he said finishing another pizza, Italian basil and mozzarella.

"Spells can and do go wrong at times, Khaat," her mother said, coming into the room. "Even when cast by the most experienced wizard. Perhaps something just went a bit wonky when he cast it."

"I'm sure that was it," she said, feeling like she had no other answer.  "It must have been.  Anyway, thanks, Jess. I'm sure they'll be fine."

"Do you lot have enough pizzas for the kids to eat? or at least to get them out ot the table? They're getting very hungry," Kate said.  "Oh, and they've been playing in their fingerpaints, so we might have to wash them up a bit before dinner.  So if anyone isn't busy, they might lend a hand in the washing up, please."

Jack chuckled and stood up " okay that's my job" he said and moved out the room to wash the children's hands and face's Steven went with him to help while Cassidy and Brant stayed placing in the pizza's in a pizza oven to cook ready for when the kids come down to eat.

Jess looked at Kate and smiled " ow I know that too well" she said and chuckled " I had several go wrong on me " she looked at Khaat and nodded " I know they will, I'll check on them in an hour" she said with a smile.

Angus and Michael soon had a number of pizzas baked and cut and had plates for the kids fixed.  Angus put them on the table and fixed cups of milk for the kids. 

He and Michael put the other pizzas on the table with bottles of soda. 

"Its simple but its ready," Angus called.

"Simple is always better," Edward said.  "Especially if its done right. And, unless you've forgotten how to make pizza, it should be fine."

"I'm sure you'll tell me if its not," Angus said.

"I'm sure I will too. Khaat, don't sit in there by yourself. It won't help our battle fatigued men upstairs.  Come eat," Edward said.  She knew Edward was right and went to join them at the table.  Besides, this was still Abbey's birthday and she wasn't going to spoil it for her.