Tuscany Trip

Brian motioned Steven to step into the kitchen with him. "I saw some things for Abbey the other day when we were shopping in the village, and I just want to brighten Khaat's spirits a bit. If I give you the cash, can you pick them up for me? There is a pink cashmere baby cloak and hat set that I want to buy Abbey, and the same store has a white cashmere coat and hat set that I want to buy her. They also have a pink paisley satin bathrobe with a matching gown that I want to buy Khaat. I have had it all set aside. I was going to go today and pick it up, but I just can't leave her. I send you two out sightseeing and Khaat won't suspect a thing. If I go by myself it will cause far too much suspicion."

"No, I'm fine, thanks," Khaat smiled. She watched them leave together. Her eyes started to flutter shut, and she woke herself up. "I saw that," Brian said. "You're pushing, Khaat. Look--here's the bottom line to this whole thing. You cannot possibly guard yourself nearly as well as I can guard you. And I'm not sure why you feel responsible for whoever this old hag is that is chasing you, but I'm not so sure it has anything to do with you. Your father mentioned last night that he believes you are merely a pawn in this whole thing. So, if that is the case, then you need to realize all this nonsense on her part is nothing more than manipulation on her part and just not buy into it. You need to let it go. Don't you remember that she was scared out of her wits at just the sight of your father?"

"No. I don't remember that."

"Well, you did take a hard hit. You were pretty stunned at the time. But yes. She was utterly terrified of him. .."

"Brian," she shifted subjects on him, a bit preoccupied, "You know, Rob left me because he couldn't take living the dangerous life that I live. That, I think, is the real reason he opted out. What if I'm destined to never find a man who will truly love me? What if I'm supposed to just be alone for the rest of my life? I mean, what do I do? Do I got to some muggle plastic surgeon and make myself prettier or thinner, or ...."

"Stop. Stop it." He sat down on the edge of the sofa beside her. "Do you really think you need plastic surgery to make yourself attractive? Really? Khaat. Come on. You are, as far as I am concerned, the most beautiful woman I have ever seen on this whole planet--bar none. Nobody compares to you. No one. I promised you a long time ago that you and Abbey would never need to be alone. Never need to worry about anything. And I meant it...."

She burst into tears, feeling alone and lonely. She missed Abbey. And it hurt that her marriage had, actually, pretty much been over before the ink dried on the license. And she didnt know why, really. She knew Rob had loved her, but she didn't know what she had done that she had never been woman enough for him.

"Look at me," Brian said, lifting her face to look into his eyes. He brushed away the tears. "Now, you listen to me. Rob Dent is a worthless, drug addicted little twit. He uses potions and booze to escape the slightest little bit of pressure because he just doesn't want to man up. He thinks that's the mature way to handle life, and in the end it only makes him look like a toddler who needs a lolly every time he doesn't get his way. It wasn't that you weren't woman enough for him. He was, clearly, not man enough for you. You deserve better. And until you find the right guy, you won't be alone. I'll be here. I swear. " He kissed her forehead softly and affectionately. "Now, no more tears. You're far to pretty to cry. "

"What would I ever do without you?" she said softly, taking hold of his hand.

"Well, maybe you'd have found a boyfriend by now if I didn't keep warding them off by bodyguarding you," he laughed.

"I doubt it," she said. "Brian, can I get some sun today, please?"

"Sure. My pleasure." He picked her up and took her to the smaller upper terrace that was off of his room and hers and allowed her to change into her swimsuit in order to tan. He did not show in the least how abhoring all of her bruises were. They were hideous. It made his heart ache for her. He brought the sunscreen and very gently spread it on her damanged skin. "We're going to watch very carefully. Would you like a book to read while you're out here?"

"Do we have any magazines?"

"Yes. I bought you a whole new stack of them when we went on the cruise that you haven't had time to get to. I'll get them for you and a fresh lemonade in an insulated waterbottle. In fact, I think I'll join you. I'll bring a deck of playing cards and maybe we can play some gin."

"You beat me last time. It should be my turn, then."

"We'll see," he grinned, liking any challenge. He laid her wand beside her. "Keep it close. I won't be far."

He left her to go get the magazines, the drinks and the cards. She closed her eyes for a brief moment, just to rest them. She was flooded with a vision that didnt' make any sense. The pink baby blanket that Khaat used for Abbey--the one that had her initials monogrammed in the corner in pink script--it was being cast off, thrown away. She wasn't sure where it was being thrown away at or why. She could not imagine her parents doing it because they loved the soft little blanket as much as Khaat did. And it seemed to be a soothing thing for Abbey. She had come to sleep soundly when it was wrapped around her. Terror rose up in her heart, and she panicked. She bounced up out of the lounge chair and picke dup the wand and tried to race into the house, but her unsteadiness made her collapse flat on the bedroom floor. She began to sob. If anything happened to Abbey, she didn't know what she would do.

Brian had been gone for no more than ten minutes when he came back in and was blindsided at finding her on the bedroom floor. She was upset---completely beside herself. He set the things he had brought aside and knelt beside her. "Alright," he said very calmly, "What did you see? You saw something, didn't you?

She nodded. "Abbey...Something has happened to my baby!..."

"Khaat," he sat her up and held her close. "Listen. Listen to me. There is no place safer in the whole world for her to be than with your father. You know that. Where, really, is safer than with your father? Think, Baby. Think.....

"Then why do I keep seeing terrible things happening to my daughter!!"

"Shh. Listen. Listen to me. You've been under a horrible strain. Look at just the last 2 days You've been beaten worse than you've ever been in your life. Khaat, you've also been taking potions when this has happened. It is completely possible that it is your fear that something might happen. Not that it is. If something truly was ever putting Abbey at risk, do you think for one second that your father would take the slightest chance with her?"

"No," she said very softly.

"Were you awake when you saw whatever it was?"

"Yes."

"Look. If it makes you feel any better, I'll ask your father next time I see him. I promise. Abbey is in safe hands. I promise you. If she weren't, I'll kill them myself with my bare hands. Believe me. "

She looked at him. She looked deep in his eyes. He was right. If anyone even breathed on Abbey, he'd kill them. She knew that for certain.

"Okay?" he asked. She nodded. He picked her up gently and took her back out to the terrace. He settled her again there and brought the cold drinks, the magazines and the cards.

They spend quite awhile playing cards and talking. That seemed to improve Khaat's mood quite a lot. When Brian thought she had had enough sun, he brought her indoors and helped her to refresh and change again. He gave her another dose of pain potion after he had put her back on the living room sofa again. It made her just slightly warm and sleepy. She close the magazine and just closed her eyes, just resting. He decided to busy himself by checking the ribs and making salad, cutting and soaking sweet potatoes, and making dessert while he let her rest in the afternoon quiet.

"Yep," Brian said, "We're fine. Although her gin game is improving I'm not going to be able to beat her forever. How was your day? Did you both have a good time?"

"My game is supposed to improve," Khaat said. "I can't let you beat me forever."

"Well, it worked for me," Brian shrugged. Khaat laughed.

"I smell your ribs, Brian," Khaat said. "They smell really good"

"I hope so. It won't take long to make the fries. The salad is done. So, how soon are you all going to be hungry?"

"Alright. What did you make for dessert?"

"That is a surprise," he smiled. "I thought we'd eat and discuss if there was more sightseeing we wanted to do in Italy before we went back to England. There are all sort of gorgeous things in Rome, Venice, Pisa, all sorts of places."

"If we get a chance, I really would love to go to Venice," Khaat said. "That's one of those places I've always wanted to go."

"Well, we all need to get our ideas together and then discuss them perhaps over dinner. Does that work for all of you? And, you know, we can do things together as a foursome, or if you two want to do something different than we do, please feel free to speak up. That's fine by us too."

Brian made the sweet potato fries and got the ribs off the smoker. He served up the salad and put it in salad bowls and set the bowls on the table. It didnt' take him long to serve up the ribs and fries, along with the creamcheese dip for the fries. He put a large pitcher of iced tea on the table and when it was all ready, he called Steven and Ronata and went over to help Khaat up.

She was so sore she could barely move. He made her use his strength in order to keep her on her feet, minimize her pain and move her to the table. It just was not possible to eat ribs while balancing a plate on one's lap. She was impressed that he even had thought of the Texas way of doing ribs. He 'd included wet washcloths in order for everyone to wipe off their fingers. It was perfectly acceptable and even encouraged to get completely messy in every way.

"It smells divine," Khaat smiled. Brian never made ribs enough to suit her. His best skill in the kitchen was barbequing and grilling. He could cook almost anything, but his outdoor coking, well, that was just sublime. "This is long overdue," she told him.

"I hope it tastes as good as it smells," he smiled. "And I hope everyone is hungry because there is plenty."

"I'm starving," Khaat said.