Escape to Brian Quinn's

Jess sensed Khaats sandness and kissed Jack "ok go back nd stay with them I 'd like some time to talk with Khaat" he said kissing him on the cheek. Jack sighed and smiled as he felt eh kiss him "ok , girl talk" he sid Jess nodded to him and smiled s she walked up the stairs "you owe me mrs back heart" he sid grinning bck at her.

Je moved to sit fceing her "jack thought you might want some one other than a man to talk to so he called me over last night" she said and reatched out touching her good hand, then sighed "ok " sh said softly

"Did Jack tell you what happened? I do understand, now, why Daddy did it, but it doesn't mean I dont' still wish I could have actually recognized his face. I know he's right--if I'd recogznized it, my heart would have melted all over again. Despite everything he's done and how evil he truly is, I still love him. I wish to heaven I didn't. He's the father of my child. And I do know that somewhere in that heart of his, he loves Abbey and me. I don't know if I'll ever find that again, but I know its there.

"I don't blame Daddy for being protective. Especially with what he knows now. If the tables had been turned, I might well have done the same thing. And now we know that I wasn't even as healthy as we first thought. I have no desire to live as an invalid indefinately. I truly want to be a good mom to Abbey, and right now I can't be the mom I need to be for her.

"Daddy says he put healing spells in place for my hand and says it should only be a couple days, but after seeing the muggle hospital yesterday, I see I don't fit into that world either. Sorry, Jess. I'm just depressed. "

Just then Khaat heard Abbey's angry cry. It was faint because of the distance to her nursery, but she still heard it. "She sounds like she's wet. Maybe hungry too. Her 'I'm wet' cry is a bit more angry, and her 'i'm hungry' cry is a bit more frantic. She sounds really ticked. Could you go make sure she's okay for me, since I'm a bit handicapped today?"

jess tapped her hnd "give me aminet" she said slipping from ehr stool nd heading up to Abbys room. entering she heard her crying " ok little miss down to mom " she said and picked her up noticing she was wet , laying her on the changing table she quickly changed her smiling at how at easy she ahd become with it . now dry and clean she carried ehr back down to Khaat "ok, one soggy baby is now a happy baby" she said walking over to Khaat.

"ok for starters your not usless , with or with out your powers , yes jack told me " she said craddling Abby, she saw Jack at the top of the stairs "JESS, EHERES THE ... YOU KNOW CREAM?" he shouted , jess cuckled "second pocket to the right, dear " she chucked "men and babies , he knows all but the fundaentals" she smiled "don't worry,Khaat it takes time to get over some one like that and as for your fathers actions "she gave a sigh " he was only thinking of you , your his daughter , is only daughter and he wants the best for you"

"I heard Rob shouting at Daddy yesterday when he saw Daddy'd given me that potion. Rob was so angry. Part of me wants to believe it was because he cared. The other part of me believes its just because he's never liked Daddy--at all. Sometimes I don't want anything to do with him and then there are other times when I really do want him in my life and I want him to know his daughter. But unless Matt pardons him, that's not likely to ever happen, and I understand that." She sighed heavily. "I hate love. Right now, I don't want to ever be iin love again."

She watched how naturally Jess held Abbey. "So, I had it right then, huh? She was just wet? Maybe I am learning her a bit. I was, naievely, hoping that I would just sort of understand her from the instant she was born, but I'm glad that, no matter how wrong I was about that, that maybe I am learning my daughter just a little. I knew a lot of these things as a healer but when its your own, it all feels so different. LIke I'm learning it all over again. I know that sounds silly, doesn't it?"

Jess sat down to face her and chuckled "Khaat did you think it came natrualy to me ether, no Jack showed me I guess all that time he spent with andrew paid off , no new mother knows what to do instanly its not like they came with intructions, though that would be nice" she chuckled "this end to feed "she touched Abbys lips and she went to suck her finger "this end to change " she patetd her bottom " this end to tickle" she said gently tickeling her to laugh. "but they don't , nicalose is dferant to Catlin as abby is her own little person , Khat don't pull your self down bacuse you r not the perfect mother , no one is , I couodn't put a dyper on catlin that first night, because I didn't know how " she moved to place Abby in Khaats good arm "it takes time and a lot of bonding, but till that arm is healed were all here to help and we don't think any less of you, your a mom your entitled to feel a litte down and she's beautiful "

"Yes, she is," Khaat smiled at Abbey. "She is going to be a gorgeous young woman. I'll have to lock her in the house away from the boys, I think. Maybe its best Rob isn't here. He wouldn't let her out of the house until she's 35. He truly is extremely overprotective over those he loves. Even worse than Daddy, if that's possible," she laughed.

"You know, I know you're right. I've told new moms the same thing at St Mungos countless times. But somehow it's different for some reason now that its me. I'm having trouble taking my own advice. And I am glad you're here. I can't always talk to the guys like I want. They do try to understand, but sometimes they just don't get it. Sometimes it really is nice to talk to a woman. "

As she was talking her mother apparated in. "Your father told me what he did, Khaat. I just about boxed his ears. Am I interrupting or can I join you and Jess for some tea or coffee? I brought some homemade almond cookies. They're still warm from the oven."

Jess smiled at seeing Khaats mom eperate in "no not at all I was just telling Khaat that babies don't come with instruction manuals " she grinned "wish men did" she said chukaling "ir a reset button" she could not help but laugh a little at that "you'll find some one and love , the right love will hapen " she said smiling

"Love?" Katherine frowned, "Of course you'll find love, Khaat. You're a beautiful woman with a good and gentle heart. What's not to love?" She accio'd herself a cup of coffee from the kitchen and passed around her fresh, warm almond cookies. "Have some. They're one of my favorite recipes. Just lightly sweet, not too heavy. And, no, I saw no instruction manual with Abbey when she arrived. But you didn't come with one either, Khaat, and you turned out just fine."

Khaat took a cookie and passed them to Jess. "I am so very blessed to have so many people around me who love me, and I do know that. I am going to do my best not to let my mood get to me."

Katherine laughed out loud, taking a sip of her coffee, "My dear, you are experiencing a huge hormonal imbalance. We all went through it when we had our babies. That's part of what your father wants to remedy in this new potion. If he manages it, it should help you feel a lot better. And as for that silly cast, you may be able to be without it by tomorrow at bedtime, from what your father says. By the next day, you'll be able to pick Abbey up and change her and feed her all you like. And you might as well get over being so excited about changing a diaper. Trust me, it does get old after awhile, no matter how much you love her."

Jess chuckled and took a cookie " wow these are great Kate " she said grinning " you must give me the recipy" she drank a cup of apple tea and sighed " ow that get old rather quickly " just then shout from Jack was hurd "ow , nicaluse , what did you eat" he said " Jess where's the peg, wow he stinks, no, no you... oww all over me. " Jess could not help but laugh " no pegs dear just Hold your nose" she houted abck up on heqaring a loud groan from him "hes finding out eh hard way about his son" she said now unable to hide the grin on her face.

Khaat and Katherine both laughed. Katherine accio'd out a pad of paper and a pearl-like pink quick quotes quill and dictated off the recipe for Jess quickly and then handed it to her. "There. Almond cookies," she said. "I'm glad you like them. The nice thing is that they don't have an overabundance of sugar so you wont need to be worried about giving them to Andrew for fear of too much sugar.

"Oh, by the way, I heard you got Brian to finally add a pool to this place. It certainly is about time." She got up and went over to the back doors and looked out. "It's beautiful. I'm glad he finally did that. I guess he just figured he'd never actually spend enough time here to put much effort into it except for the house itself. And Robert tells me you both did exceptionally well in there last night. When your hand heals, I'll bring my suit, and we'll have to make it a girls afternoon in the pool and let the guys wait on us hand and foot. Robert knows if he has to do that for one afternoon as punishment, then he's gotten off easy. No wonder I heard you thinking about changing him into a bug and putting him in one of his own jars. He deserves it, quite frankly. And if he ever does it again, you won't have to worry about changing him into a bug, because I'll have already done it. And I won't change him back until he apologizes enough times to suit me."

"I thought about a preying mantis because he'd at least look repentant then," Khaat said

"Oh, what a good thought," Katherine laughed.