He was in a good mood when he joined the morning chaos at the breakfast table. This was what he wanted in his life. Family. Love. Laughter. Simple foods prepared really well. Brian and Khaat looked like, in some respects, like they had it all. He didn't relish the difficulty in keeping balance in their relationship because of Khaat's celebrity status in the wizarding world and the difficulty with keeping her safe. But, in the things that mattered, theirs was not such a shabby way to live.
A new thought hit him. Aside from his grandfather, neither of them would have any blood family there. He wasn't so sure about that. Perhaps they needed to at least send an owl to her parents and see if they wanted to come, just for the vows. He doubted his parents would come, but perhaps he ought to send an owl to them, if nothing more than just as notice.
"Excuse me," he said. He laid his napkin aside and went to Brian's office and wrote a quick owl and used a charm to send an image of the note through the hearth to his parents' fireplace. He wasn't even sure they'd get it. He was just putting Brian's parchments and quill away when the fire in the office sparked up. The reply had come immediately.
He was surprised. Maybe it meant they were coming. But, the letters, etched in flame upon the image of the parchment, were as scathing as the flame that wrote them.
Angus,
We find we are unable to attend your last minute nuptual decision, and we are heartily disappointed at your frivilous choice without thought for your family, the ones that chose to give you life. Your mother and I have not been welcome in your life in a number of years, and we fail to understand why you would want us involved in another one of your adolescent missteps. We advise you to stop this madness at once and avoid bringing some innocent woman into your reckless and foolhardy lifestyle.
Angus could read no more. He flicked the images of the letters out of the fire and copied them to a piece of parchment, not understanding why he even wanted to keep it. He folded the parchment and tucked it into his pocket.
And there he was again. 5 years old. They'd gone off to Monte Carlo without a word. He'd gone running to his grandfather who had been quick to console him. It happened more often than not after that. Them dashing off, leaving Edward to pick up the pieces. Before long, Angus had been an angry and bitter child that Edward reeled in with gardening and time in the kitchen and, eventually, teaching him more things about Defense Against the Dark Arts and werewolves than the Hogwart curriculum would allow. Edward had always been there, and Edward was still here. He bitterly decided that was all he needed.
He wasn't taking that negative energy to the dining room to Bella. He went upstairs to his room and found the box that held his grandmother's wedding band, the companion piece to the engagement ring he'd give her. He put it in his pocket and then stuffed his wallet with his bank identifications, vault keys, and muggle credit cards. He took a look around his room. Did he need anything else? Wand? Check. Nope. He thought he was good.
He put a smile on his face and went back downstairs to the dining room and sat back down at the table.
"You've let your tea grow cold," Kate said, picking up the teapot and pouring more in his cup.
"Thank you," he said. He picked up one of Bella's muffins--his second. "Might have to take a couple of these with us," he said.
"If you don't eat them first," Brian teased.