Marriage is Murder

Jess chuckled as Khaat,Brian and Marcus began a conversation between them Jess looked back at Jack and they both just chuckled then shook there heads as Dakota chanted for her food " yes lets, before we have a stampeed of children , Cassidy you take Dakota and Abby, Jack you take james and jaylen, Steven you take catlin and little james." she said and took  sny one who was left in her own hands walking them threw to the dinning room. each person placed their child into the highchair and sat down next to them Jess  tranfigured a chair into a soft comfortable chair for Khaat and pulled it back for her.

" Here you go Khaat, all set and ready for you." she said sitting next to Jack and handing Abby a drink before getting one herself and then helping the children with their food. " its  wonderful as usual Angus " she said smiling as she continued to eat.

Brian took his place at the head of the table.  

"You wiling to try to sit at the table?" Marcus asked her quietly. "I'll help you if you want."

"Its a lot to ask," she sighed.

"Its just dinner, not a lifetime commitment," he said. "Its not like I don't usually help you.  Come on. Your place tonight is beside Brian. Thank you, Jess. I think we'll try it."  He picked her up and took her to the table and stood her on her feet long enough to help her sit at the table in her place on Brian's right.  Once she was seated, he took the place next to her, on her right. He was keenly aware that her right had was the only hand free.

As dinner began and everyone began filling their plates, Marcus filled him and hers without anyone really seeming to notice.  She was still amazed at how seamless he could make things. She had watched him do it a million times. He helped her do so much and was rarely noticed doing it.

"How do you do that?" she asked, as he set a glass with just a sip of white wine in it at her place.  

"Do what?" he asked, pouring a glass for himself.

"Does no one notice you?"

"I get paid to not be noticed," he smiled. "If you don't know how I did it, I'm doing it right. Eat.  Shall I get some lobster tail out of the shell for you?"

"No," she said. "Enjoy your dinner."  He easily removed half of the meat out of his own lobster tail and put it on her plate.

"Here," he said, taking a second to break it into several bites for her.  "Its too good not to have some. This does give me rights to half your cheesecake though."

"You might not want to make claims on her cheesecake while she's pregnant," Brian laughed.  "That might be hazardous to your health."

"Am I missing something?"

"Cheesecake?" Abbey piped up. "I like cheesecake!"

"You're made of cheesecake," Brian said, remembering being told that Khaat had eaten almost nothing but cheesecake while she'd been pregnant with Abbie.

"What?" Abbey frowned, confused.

Jess watched Marcus plate up some food for Khaat she had noticed he did a lot for her but in such a way it seemed seemless and she smiled nodding to him that she ahd seen but would say nothing about it. She helped James eat then take a bite of her own food.

"So I hope every one has done their shopping its a white out and a foot deep " Jack said and looked at every one "Good snowman weather, if it would just stop snowing." he said smiling at the thought of building some snow men once it stopped.

"And if not," Brian said, "we really shall have to break out the cards or the games once the kids go to bed."

"Noooo," Abbey said, upset.

"Why?" Angus said.

"My book say Santa no come if you awake. He go home, and I no get toys!" she said.

"And your book is right," Edward said. "But your papa knows him well. Santa won't come before he sends your papa an owl."

Robert hesitate and looked at Edward. What sort of twaddle was he spinning now?

"Santa know Archie?" she frowned, looking at Khaat's big eagle.

"Yes, but he's got his own owl," Edward said. "Don't worry. We won't stay up too late tonight. Did you hang up your stocking?"

"I gots it here," Abbey said, reaching into her pajama pocket and pulling out the pink sock she'd worn that day.

"Why don't you let Jess find you a clean sock to leave Santa?" Kate laughed.

"he comes when kids are sleeping adults know about him and are freinds" Jack tried to say " hes magic and so knows all " he added and looked to Robert but it was Jess who gave him a dig. "wow" he said and looked at her. " what was that for?" he asked.

" I think father christmas will come tonight for us all" she said ad looked at Abby. " he is magic and knows us all even Arch angel" She said " why don't you leave a small stocking on arch's purch and find out if he too gets a gift?" she sugested and accioed a small stocking with Arch angels name embrodered on it. " Im sure he will not forget his favorate eagle" she smiled to Khaat to let her know she had bought some treats for him.

"Abbey," Brian said, "Mama has a bigger stocking for you if you like. There's one for each of you. You can hang it up after dinner. You don't have to use your pink sock."

"But I like pink," she said. "I has a bigger sock?"

"Lots bigger," Brian nodded.

"Okay," she said. She saw the stocking for Archangel. "You gots a sock, Archie!" The bird just looked at her.

"Santa gots a sock too?" she asked.

"I'm sure he does," Brian said.

"Who puts stuff in his sock?" she asked.

"I don't know," Brian said. He had hoped she wouldn't ask that but he really hadn't been able to think of a story quick enough for her.

"Can I has more shrimps?" she asked.

"You can have as much shrimp as you like," Kate said to her, hoping someone closer would put a few more shrimp on her plate for her.

Jack looked and as Abby asked said with out thinking "Mrs Clause and his elves, I guess." He said and ate more of his food " without him knowing of course." he glanced at Brian and moved the shrimps closer to Abby. Jess just shook her head and chuckled softly.

" who told you about that?" Cassidy asked as she ate a shrimp herself and waited for him to explain.

" well I always thought he had to be married as how do they make the dolls and things right for girls, a man can't do that, so mrs Clause does that" he said and Cassidy chuckled.

" I guess that makes sense" she said and continued her meal. Jim stayed quiet and looked at Khaat and Marcus seeing how tired she was on her face but he was glad she was eating even alittle was a big step.

Dinner was wonderful. She hadn't had a 7 fishes dinner since she and Brian had had it in a restaurant in Tuscany. What they were having tonight, she thought, was better than what they'd had in Italy.

"Well done, Angus," Marcus said when he finished eating. "I had this one December in Capri, but I have to say this is better. This certainly taste like five star to me."

"At least half of the credit goes to Michael. He did the lobster, the shrimp and the crab," Angus said.

"How is it that you all don't weigh 400 pounds?"

"Because Brian has that rule about gym time," Michael said. "And most of you follow it."

"Most of you? You don't?"

"That's two questions," Michael said. "First question--do I work out? Yes. I do. Second question--do I follow Brian's rules about it? No. I certainly do not. I don't work for him, so I don't follow it. But I dare say I can outdo almost any man my age."

"Unca Mikey?" Abbie asked. "I wants a cookie."

"Right now?" he asked. She nodded.

"Anybody else want a cookie?" he asked.

"Why on earth would we want cookies when you've promised us that Italian dessert buffet?" Kate frowned.

Jess chuckled and nodded " yes I can't wait to try it I heard it was very good" she said finishing her food and pushing the plate to one side which Jack took threw to the kitchen returning with a plate of cookies that he placed on the table in the middle before giving one to Abby and smiling as he sat back down next to jess biting into one he held in his hand.

" talking of the gym you and Steven need to work out tonight you missed last night " Cassidy said to Jack who rolled his eyes and Jess crossed her arms.

" don't give that look Jack Black Heart " she said and he shrank a little in his chair as he looked at her.

" sure once dinners over we'll be right down ther ewon't we Steven " he said and nodded to him as he too nodded.

" of course , I always work out after a meal, especialy one of Angus. " he said

"Sounds like a good idea," Brian said. "I could use a work out myself. Angus? Belby? Are you two in?"

"Sure," Angus said. "I don't usually have anyone to work out with."

"No thank you," Marcus said, feeling his place was with Khaat.

"Belby," Edward said, "you are entirely too serious. When do you work out, exactly?"

"I don't get paid to work out," Marcus said. "I get paid to be with my client."

"You get paid to be in top shape as well," Edward replied. "I believe there are enough others that can keep her company for a hour or so until you return. The daybed will let her stay in the living room with us instead of being isolated upstairs."

"I'll be alright, Marcus," Khaat said, laying her fork aside.

"After dinner, then. Perhaps," Marcus said. unsure of leaving her. He was seeing that she had been up out of bed long enough. She was tiring. He wanted to make sure she was at least comfortable with a dose of potion, and on the daybed before he would even consider leaving her, not even to go downstairs.

"Come with us," Brian said to him. He looked at the others. "Can you lot manage to stay with her and also make sure the kids actually stay in bed tonight?" Making sure the kids stayed in bed on Christmas eve was, by far, the harder job, he figured.