Marriage is Murder

Jack looked up as Brian walked in to the room " yes there is a fresh pot in the kitchen" he said pushing up once more  then repeating it six more times before he stopped and sat up slowly to look at him. " well we won't see him until supper time" Jack chuckled  stood up to move  to the treadmill Steven had just finished using. 

" I think he'll be alright " Steven said and moved to the mats that lay in front of a large mirror and he began his tie chi workout he did every morning.

"He didn't strike me as a stupid fellow," Brian yawned. "Oh, sorry. Didn't sleep much last night. Khaat banged that damned shoulder on the doorjamb to the bathroom. I think she'd have been more comfortable I I'd amputated her arm. She cried all night. I wanted to soothe her pain for her, but she's been determined to deal with it and learn to live with it. Or so she says.

"So--we were up. Or, rather, we're still up. She's awake. I convinced her to accept, finally, some ice packs and she's at least somewhat more comfortable. She wouldn't hear of my waking Robert, but clearly I needed to.

"At any rate, I'm going to go get some coffee. Have a good work out. One of you please make sure that Brant gets to the right place in Paris, would you? We did try to not be obvious about which building was ours. It is supposed to just look like any other flat over there. I'll see you upstairs whenever you get done." He went upstairs and found Angus making his mini apricot scones by the boatload. And Michael was sliding two lovely quiches into the oven, along with a cheesy hashbrown casserole.

Brian made his way to the coffee pot and poured himself a mugful.

Jack chuckled and looked from Brian to Steven who also was trying hard not to laugh " yeah, I get that hes not stupid just a little unsure, and we will."Jack said continuing his work out, he just nodded as Brian left the room.

" I'll take him Jack" Steven said and saw Jack nod his head he agreed to Steven taking Brant to Paris. Both men finished and went for their swims. Jess washed and dressed and walked down to the living room.

"Good morning all" she said smiling as she took a cup of coffee and sat down to drink it just as Cassidy walked in carrying Jaylen in her arms.

" she had a bad dream" she said as the little kitten popped up in Jaylens arms to see what all the fuss was about.

"You might try getting her a bit of juice," Angus suggested to Jess. "Breakfast is going to be a little bit yet. I wasn't expecting everyone to be even earlier than usual."

"No hurry, Angus," Brian said. "Just keep to the schedule. You don't have to worry about rushing. There's no particular hurry." He filled a mug of French roast for Khaat as well. He looked out the kitchen window and saw Belby on his way back in, still at a job. Belby had a lightweight workout towel draped around his neck. He stopped outside on the back porch. It took him a moment to catch his breath. Brian went outside.

"That was quite an ambitious run," Brian said. "How'd you do? You did make good time, I must say."

"Ran part of it, walked part of it," Belby said. "But I made it around."

"Well done. You ready for the day off now?" Brian teased.

"Oh no," Belby said. "A shower and some fresh clothes, maybe some tea, and I'll be fine. Was I late for breakfast?"

"No. Its not ready yet. You're plenty early. "

"I'll see you in the dining room in a few minutes, then," Belby said. He knew he wasn't looking or feeling the freshest, so he avoided offending the others with his sweaty smell by apparating up to his room instead. Brian came back into the house.

"It looks like he survived," Brian said. "But I presume I might need to get this coffee upstairs to my wife if I intend to survive."

Jess smiled and nodded but held back feeling Brian might want to take some coffee up to Khaat instead . Jack moved to the window and watched Belby as he ran back to the house." well hes had a good run" he said and continued to drink his own coffee with Jim and Steven.

Cassidy shook her head as she spoke to Brian " so how did he do?" she asked as she braided her up out of the way so she could work out once she had eaten.

"He did fine," Brian said. "He did get quite a workout but all appears to be well. He is, apparently, in good shape. He apparated upstairs because he wasn't as fresh smelling as he wanted to be. H will soon figure out that we're all used to that in this house. We all work out, and none of us are afraid to break a sweat. I'll be right back. I'm going to take this upstairs."

He took the coffee up to Khaat and found she'd discarded this ice packs. She was dressed for work. A summer dress. It was a sleeveless V necked white form fitting dress with a shortsleeved white lace layer on top. She'd paired it with a pair of little natural colored stilettos, some freshwater pearl earrings. She had wanted to use a glamour spell to do her hair and makeup, but it wasn't working for her.

Brian put the coffee in front of her.

"Very pretty," he kissed her cheek. "Awfully fancy for being at home, though."

"I have to work," she told him. "I can't stay home forever. I have Belby. I'll be fine." She sipped on the coffee. "Do you mind? My hair and makeup, please?"

"Khaat, be serious..." he began, sighing heavily. "You can't..."

"I can't stay here with nothing else to think about but the pain. Let me work. Please," she said softly.

"If you see your father before you go," he said. She nodded. Brian used a spell for her hair and make up. When she was dressed, Brian let her downstairs. Belby was following them, dressed in a light tan summer linen suit, ready for whatever the day held.

Jess smiled seeing Khaat and Belby come down the stairs together with Brian . " good morning " Jess said and pulled out a chair for her to sit on " Angus says breakfast won't be long" she said and moved back to sit with Jack.

" nice suit Marcus, linen?" he asked and looked to Jess " told y look smart and comfortable too" he said Jess shrugged her shoulders.

" yes they do you and Steven should go shopping some time your wardrobe is out dated " she said and both her and Cassidy chuckled.

"Thank you," Marcus smiled. "Linen gives me flexibility in the summer time without being too hot. But if you get linen, do get your tailor to add a anti-wrinkle charm on it. Otherwise it will look like you slept in it before you finish your morning tea."

"So go together and drop Brant off in Paris and then go over to Venice and see Tobias. He still has your measurements. I'm sure he could outfit you both without it taking much time. And his clothes are better than any muggle shop you'll find over here," Brian said. He watched Robert and Kate arrive downstairs, bringing Abbey and Dakota and the triplets with them.

Robert saw Khaat up and dressed. "Going out, my dear?" he asked.

"She'd like to," Brian said. "But you do need to address her shoulder before she makes a decision on going out or not."

"Then I shall," Robert said. He checked her shoulder and frowned. "Why the hell didn't you wake me?" he asked her. "You've got a new bruise--a large one."

"Because I didn't hit it that hard," she said.

"Well, first, it doesn't take much to reinjure something that's already damaged. And second, I'm not blind or stupid. You'd have had less pain if you'd have broken it. You should have awakened me." He drew off the pain as fully as he knew how, and it was so powerful it made her head spin for a moment.

"You'll feel better if you get some orange juice and some food," Robert told her. "I need to go upstairs and get your potion. My bottle in my pocket is empty. Someone..." he glared at Dakota, "...thought it was pretty and was making designs with it on my rug. So my bottle is empty at the moment."

Jess accioed some orange juice placing it down in front of Khaat. Jess looked as Robert drew off her pain she could do little but sign " I would have happily done that" she said as she sat back down again next to Jack who nodded to Marcus.

" nice touch makes sense to have that" he said then smiled " yes I need to pick up somethings anyway and venice is kinda on the way " he said just as Brant passed by heading to the kitchen only briely smiling as he passed. " excuse me Marcus" he said and stood up heading into the kitchen behind Brant. " he your not leaving for good , so cheer up"he told him," listen we all went threw this , its okay"

Brant looked up at Jack and felt a little better when Jack said they had all gone threw what he was going threw. " really?" he asked and saw Jack nod

" yep , cassidy , Steven and me , we all went to Paris and came back better for it, so cheer up and come have breakfast" he said turning him around and leading him back to the table.

"You do take things entirely too seriously," Brian told Brant. "Its just training. Not a death sentence.

"Thank you, Jess," Khaat said. "I just honeslty didn't ask. I do need to learn to deal with this, just as it is."

"When you get to that point, yes," Robert said. "When you come anywhere close to it, I'll let you know. Where is your sling, anyway?"

"It doesn't go with the dress," she said. He rolled his eyes, highly annoyed.

"And you are the director of the hospital?" he scowled, "Really?" HE accio'd the sling she'd grown to hate.

"Robert," Kate soothed. "Give it here." She took her wand and flicked it at the sling, changing it to a tasteful white brocade.

"Brocade?" Robert said. "Are you women so vain?"

"Shut it," Kate told him firmly. "I wouldn't wear that ugly thing like that either. Its not costing anything, so leave it alone." She helped Khaat with it. "Try that, Dear. Better?"

"Surprisingly," Brian said,"Its very nice. When you get your summer tan, it will look very sharp, actually."

"Its okay?" she asked.

"Yes," he said. "Now eat. Belby, are you going to St. Mungo's with her?"

"Of course," Marcus said. "Where else would I be?"