"I really do want to pursue the duplex, rather than separate houses--simply because, as Edward ages, I want him closer. I think that's a good idea for you to check the records. I don't know if there's anything to find about Benjamin or Eileen and their dealings at the ministry, but its worth a look. And certainly its worth seeing if Roberts' connections with Salvatore at the Italian ministry to see if there's any evidence there of Benjamin's crimes. Robert may have already done that, but when we get back, I should ask him.
"My understanding was that Benjamin was the person who ran the family corporation. You see, the vineyards, the winery, and olive oil operation, and the charter business are all divisions of the same large family corporation, and, so far as I knew, Benjamin spearheaded all of that. My brothers headed up the various divisions, but Benjamin was the chairman of the larger family corporation. I don't know if my aunts and uncles and siblings and cousins all know yet that it all comes to me when Edward dies or not. So far as I know, though, it was only Benjamin and my brothers that had any interest in the family business anyway. In essence, when Edward dies, I become the owner of the very things Benjamin managed. That would have been massively awkward to have the man who hated the very air that I breathed managing my assets. I'm hoping whoever he hires to replace Benjamin is somebody that I can at least get along with--just in case.
"But that's for another day. Today, why don't we go diving?"
The diving had been like a breath of fresh air for him. He hadn't been diving in years, and he had forgotten how much he had missed it. The cruise on the yacht was what he had needed. It was like life being infused into his veins. He didn't want the nerve tonic or the sleeping potion either one. He believed that the key to it was for him to just pull himself up by his bootstraps and get on with life. When Edward and Simone resolved to return to England, Angus truly believed that it was what he and Ruby needed to do too.
So, two days after they went diving, Angus found himself back home at Brian's, and as much as he wanted to be 100%, he knew he wasn't quite yet. He talked to Brian about taking a leave from missions work, truly frightened that Brian would fire him if he didn't pick up all of his duties again. Ruby had been right, though. Brian didn't even think about firing him. In fact, just as Ruby had predicted, Brian believed it was a very wise choice. He believed Angus needed to step away from life and death things for a little and get on with the things that gave him security and stability.
And so it began again. Angus was in the kitchen a good portion of his daytime hours and when he wasn't in the kitchen or the office, he was outside or in the barn. When his nerves seemed to not be as strong as he wanted them to be, he poured himself a bit of firewhiskey, and it seemed to do the trick temporarily. And, if he wanted to at least get to sleep without the sleep potion, he figured out the key was to do enough activity that he was too tired to stay awake any more. That didn't always ward off the nightmares, though. He was giving it his best to try to be the person he thought Ruby deserved.
They hadn't been home more than a day or two when he got another letter from Tyler. And then letters came to him from his uncles and aunts and cousins and his sisters--the whole blooming bunch of Donohues were on his back. Their muggle contacts and customers had noticed that they hadn't seen Benjamin in some time. Well, that was inconvenient, wasn't it? They couldn't tell the muggles he'd been killed because he was a werewolf. That would never do. So, Angus took it upon himself to buy two plots in a muggle cemetery, buy two coffins and two markers, and then he arranged for the burial of the two empty coffins and the placements of two headstones, one for his father and one for his mother, and he released two phony obituaries through the muggle newspapers.
Edward hadn't known a thing about it, until he was suddenly hammered with condolences and sympathy cards and more flower arrangements than any twenty people should have received. The owls were now bringing endless packages and letters for him, and Edward was starting to be more than a little annoyed. Edward went downstairs in the middle of the morning after they'd been home for not quite a week to find Angus kneading a huge batch of dough for homemade bread.
"What have you done, Boy?" Edward asked him quietly and seriously.
"Shut the muggles up," Angus replied, not looking at him.
"Screw the effing bread," Edward said, trying not to be angry with him, "turn around, look at me, and tell me what you've done."