Marriage is Murder

"No, no," Angus said to them. "I have plans for you lot. You're all stuck here with me. There are things to do this afternoon." He needed to make use of the time in the afternoon while the kids were napping, and he was going to try to get help to get a lot done in a short period.

"You sure its okay for us to go?" Brian asked.

"Yes. So long as you stop by Tobias's while you're out," Angus said.

"Fine."

"And you're sure you don't need me to go?" Marcus asked.

"No," Robert said. "We have things for you here, Marcus. Romantic as I'm sure it is for Khaat to have two men with her...."

"You know I don't have any intentions..." Marcus began, frowning. Robert merely laughed, enjoying teasing the very proper bodyguard.

"Let's go get changed and get out of here before they change their minds," Brian smiled at Khaat. She nodded and went inside with him to change.

Brant chuckled and looked from one man to the other as Robert teased Marcus but they all just looked at each other it was cassidy that realized and nodded to Abby and they all chuckled.

"Of course, sure, we will do as you want Angus." Jack said with a smile knowing now it was to decorate the house for Abby's birthday party. Brant stood up and dried himself down as the others gathered the kids together some not happy at being taken back to the house to them so soon after arriving, some cranky as they were ready for there naps. Cassidy picked up James and Jaylen and carried them back to the house.

Brian and Khaat changed, and Brian took Khaat to Venice for the afternoon. Inside, Michael and Angus set to work on the elaborate cake that Angus had sketched. It was requiring a lot of sugar sculpture and sculpture with fondant. They had engaged Kate to help with some of the elaborate sculptures they wanted. Kate was working on some of the very delicate and minute things. She didn't generally work with sugar or fondant but she was an accomplished sculptor and was enjoying working with a new sort of material.

Michael and Angus had a full menu planned for the evening meal, and that was going to take not only time but a bit of magic to accomplish.

While Khaat's house in Tuscany stayed warm and sunny, it began to rain in Venice--just a warm soft summer sort of rain. Neither Khaat or Brian minded walking in the rain.

They walked, talked, and stopped at a café to get espresso and a dessert. Then they found a flower shop with spectacular flowers, and Brian bought enough flowers to have lots of fresh cut flowers in every room in the villa. He sent them ahead to Tobias's, and Tobias sent them ahead to the villa.

Brian stopped at a jewelry store and bought Khaat a lovely set of pink sapphire jewelry--a ring with heart shaped stone surrounded in diamonds, a bracelet, and a beautiful ankle bracelet. She tried to tell him she had enough jewelry, but he found it hard to resist buying for her.

Cassidy , Jack and Brant put the kids to bed just as a load of flowers arrived. Cassidy chuckled knowing who they were from " okay let put these around the villa" she said and thats what they did making sure a large bunch went in Brian and Khaat's room to make it smell special.

Soon all the flowers were in and around the villa and they walked back to the main living room. " okay I'll do the roof decorations you guys do the walls and balloons " Jack said and they both nodded. Cassidy began to blow up balloons while Steven and Brant hung a large banner that said Happy third birthday Abby.

Once done Brant walked over to Angus, " so whats next?" he asked motioning to the now decorated room.

ooc: its abbey's fourth birthday, not her third. my, how time flies! lol

"The flowers are beautiful," Kate said. "It looks like Brian bought a whole shop."

"Its about what he buys at home," Robert said. "This is just a smaller space. He promised her, when he brought her home after she had Abbey that she would always have a home with him, and the day he brought her home, he made sure the house had flowers. And he's done it every day since--for the last four years. The only difference is that since he fell in love with her, he's gone from a few flowers to filling the house with them every day. He's upgraded his promise to not just provide her and Abbey with a home but he's promised to treat her like his queen for the rest of his life. And so far, he has."

"Robert, did you buy that package that I asked you to?" Kate called from the kitchen.

"Of course," Robert said. "Its with the things Brian is supposed to be picking up--if he remembers."

"He'll remember," Angus said.

Brant listened as he blew up another balloon and let it float to where about twelve sat already. " sounds like he is really and totally in love with her" he said " love like that is rare" he said his voice trailing off towards the end thinking of his own situation. Cassidy walked over and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"you'll do fine" she said and smiled Brant smiled back not sure what to say but he continued to blow up balloons.

"Hum all this work and they will be gone in five seconds knowing that lot" he said as Cassidy chuckled and nodded as Steven walked in with a long table he set it down and spread out a large pink table cloth. He turned to Angus and motioned to it.

"Will this be okay for the food and gifts?" He asked as Jack walked out with Abby.

"Brant, get your match off your mind," Robert said. "Worrying about it will not make it a bit better. And besides, it makes you look like you have a one track mind. Be yourself. If you don't do that, then the relationship won't work anyway."

"The table is exactly what I wanted," Angus said. "In the pantry you'll find a wooden crate of the china and flatware I bought for this party." He had found a set of Peter Rabbit china and Peter Rabbit flatware and had resized it and adapted it for the party, including transfiguring some pieces for serving pieces. He was doing a tea party theme for her birthday, and he was going to make it one that was the dream of every little girl.

"There are some matching vases in there, but I haven't had time to arrange flowers for the table in them yet," he added. "Do what you think is right with them."

Brant looked at Robert " sorry can't help it, shes not wrote in nearly a month now, I'm worried I scared her away" he said and sighed letting another go.

Steven smiled and moved to the crate sending all the crockery to the table. "looking good Angus" he said as the piece resized its self and set down on the table. Cassidy shook her head and looked to Robert.

"Please tell him hes fine even if hes single, its not his fault if the law doesn't take into account those who disappear" she said and shook her head at Brant who looked up at the both with puppy dog eyes.

Robert rolled his eyes at Brant at listening to Brant's childlike thinking. "Oh, for pity's sake, Brant. Scaring her away isn't much of an issue. Not unless she's more afraid of you than she is of Azkaban. She doesn't have a choice. Nor do you. It is the reason you got involved with her in the first place, is it not? The law has forced you together or choose a cell. Unless you did something incredibly heinous, I can't imagine a decent woman like Amelia Cooper would choose a cell instead.

"You might want to consider getting over yourself. Professor Cooper is a busy professor at Hogwarts, and they're busy involved with final exams, preparing for graduation, and a million other things. Not to mention that her daughter is an auror who recently lost her leg and is trying to adjust to life as an amputee. Any of those things might well keep her from being able to pursue romance."

Khaat and Brian made their last stop at Tobias's. By the time they got there, they were soaked to the skin. Tobias served them hot tea straight away, and as they sat enjoying their tea, Tobias showed them an endless array of things that he thought would appeal to Khaat and Brian. And Brian was in the mood to spend money.

Brant stood up and walked over to Robert as he spoke of Amelia's Daughter " I didn't know that, we only had one lunch and she said she had kids but not what they did or anything about that" he said and frowned " guess I sound so....juvenile and stupid now moaning about her not writing when she has all that to deal with." He said looking at him " your right I'm sure she will eventually..guess I, strange as it might be, I miss her." He said and a small smile crossed his lips.

Cassidy walked over and chuckled as she placed her hand on his shoulder. " ah is our Brant falling for her?" she asked smiling.

Brant just looked at Robert and nodded "Thanks, I really didn't know about her daughter." now he felt he would give her time.