Spring Flowers

steven looked at Khaat as john settled back against him "penny for them?" he asked feeling john rest heavy against him and he saw him yawn "ow boy don't look now but i think he just maybe tired" he said almost in a whisper but got a dig for it "hey, i AM..."John yawned again" not tired" he finished.

Steven motioned to khaat that he was and chuckled as Jhn sat back closing his eyes as he slowly fell asleep "guess hes not use to the exersice yet"

"I'd say he's done for awhile," Khaat said, "Looks like he did put in a pretty good day's work. He hasn't been allowed to do much physical activity for a bit. You should get him to the gym and let him tone up a bit. That would help him a lot. That would make him feel a lot better too."

steven looked at the sleeping John "yeah he has lost weight and hes not as musculer as he should , I'll take ya up on that offer " he said brushing some of johns hair from john's face "but only if he wants to go " he added knowing that if john did, he could teach him some of his tequics he used to stay in shape. He gave a deep sigh as he looked at him then to Khaat "you'll be doin this with abby in a few years" he said chuckling "though its quiet around here where are the others, they still at the farm?" he asked knowing she had teen children too.

"No," Robert laughed. "By the time they get their age, the only time they're home is to sleep, change clothes and run off again. They're off doing whatever teens do nowadays. I presume the ones who aren't in Hogwarts are out hanging out someplace. Khaat, could I please do you a favor? Trust me when I tell you that you cannot have this many teens in one house with one bathroom. It just doesn't work. Will you please let me add another one or two for you?"

Khaat laughed. She had been thinking the same thing. "It would save a lot of arguing in the morning," she confessed. Robert went down to the cellar first. He added a full bath down there, and then added one on the main floor, somehow, between the study and the dining room, behind the kitchen.

Then he went upstairs and added a private master bath for Khaat and Rob off their bedroom, and another almost right across the hall from the new private master bath. That would give her 5 full bathrooms. That might be enough at least for now. Khaat had learned by having teens that refrigerators, bathrooms, and teens' bedrooms were the most important things in the minds of teens. Khaat didn't necessarily share the same priorities, but she understood them. And somehow they all managed to disappear when it was time for the chores. With all the hours that Rob worked, Khaat had to admit, the house had not been looking its best until she spring cleaned it. Every inch. And now the flowers were in. So, her next project, she thought, was in adding potted plants outside, maybe a fountain and some other outside decorations. Maybe a deck or a patio. Some sort of outdoor living space. She wasn't sure.

Steven could not hide his chuckle as she said they were all out some where "yeah gonna be like that once hes older " he looked down at John "gonna be so hard now with two of them" he sighed again feeling as if he had a lot to learn nasd was deep in thought "maybe we should make a move fur home" he said a slight sadness creeping back into his voice as he sliped from under John , who supisingly didn't wake.

"What's the matter, Steven?" Katherine asked softly. "What's getting to you? Going home to a house without Janet? Try not to concentrate on that. Concentrate on mending that young man's heart. And as you do, you'll be mending your own. Try fixing something on his list of favorites for dinner that he hasn't had for a long time. Something that will bring a smile to his face. Something to make it a perfect day. And if you're still concerned for him, then take him around to see Robert tomorrow. Let Robert really get another good look at him and see how he's recovering. That will put your mind at ease."

Steven looked at Kathrine he didn't have to speak as she knew what was wrong right away "I though being kept busy would help but she seems to come in every though everything I do" he said turning to look back out the window "even the rain reminds me of a time i had with her" he said softly turning only sightly he spoke again "I can cook him all he wants but it won't bring back his mom" he turned back and looked out the window , aimlessy turning the wedding ring on his finger as he did.

"No. It wont," Katherine said, "But, he does have you. And Andrew, and Khaat, and Robert, and me. and a whole family. He will be fine. He needs time to grieve, but he's allowed. If he didn't grieve, we'd have to force him to do it so he wouldnt' end up with emotional issues for the rest of his life. He's dealing with it far better than most other kids his age would.

"Look, I"m going to be baking some bread by hand tomorrow. If he thinks he's strong enough to help me knead bread, I could use the help. I could do it magically, but Khaat always knows the difference between when I"ve done it magically or by hand. And if I do it magically, she doesn't like it. He'd be doing me a favor if he came over tomorrow."

Steven looked at her "sure I'll let him know when he wakes tomorrow" for a moment he glanced at his hand and the ring he still wore, he had completely forgot he wore it, but yet it still didn't feel right to take it off , his mind conflicted over to keep it on longer or take it off "I think it would help him, and besides if andrews coming home next week i need to finish his room " he said realy he wanted time alone, time to think about janet and his futre alone.

"Steven Cordell Walker, "she frowned, unintentionally seeing nto his thoughts. "You do not know you will be alone for the rest of your life. You stop that right now. I am a seer. You however are not. I would prefer you leave the foretelling of the future to the professionals and stop jumping to conclusions. Your job, temporarily, is to care for two small boys. I suggest you do that, and enjoy it while they are still small. They will both grow up faster than you think. " She realized she probably sounded like his mother to him, but there were times when even the best adults needed some mothering. And that didn't always mean indulging in self pity. The grandmother in her was advocating for the two small boys in his life, and she was going to hold him to it.