Tuscany Trip

"Its not about you two," Khaat said. "Its about my own emotional wounds. You two have the right to do whatever you want. I just know that if I had not lost my head with Rob and had been far more practical, I might not be in this position that I am now. And had my daughter, Miseria, done the same thing, then she would not be an unwed mother at 15 either. And my granddaughter would not be the same age as my daughter. That all just seems to be wrong. Romance and love are wonderful things. And I think its fine that you two are in love. I see nothing wrong with that. I just see rushed sex as being potentiall disasterous. But I do know its none of my business. I just see you and Steven repeating mistakes that I made that I can't get past in my own mind. Don't get me wrong. I would never have missed out on Abbey for all the money in the world. But I surely would have timed it better."

Ronata looked at Khaat and brian then at steven she could say nothing , part of her felt she was right but another part said she should follow her heart "Khaat were not rushing into this, yes the pregancy was a suprise but for marrage , not yet , Like you I want to know he is commited and not going to back out , but Steven isn't Rob, hes been married before and has a son and an adopted son which he is bringing up too, now I understand your fears and from now on we'll respect that "she took Stevens hand in her own holding it for a moment.

Steven sat listening the pain in his calf now easing and then left he watched Ronata move from the bike to sit with him but said nothing as she spoke then took his hand in his he held it and smiled at her "well not much for me to add , thought if you don't mind me saying and permission to speack freely COB? "he looekd at him waiting as he didn't want to speack unless they would not be offended by what he had to say.

"Of course," Brian said.

Khaat said nothing. She devoted her energies back to her running. She should not have let Brian bring up anything. It really wasn't any of Steven and Ronata's business about how she felt about much of anything. It was a deep painful wound, and she didn't have to share it with anyone. At the time, she had every reason to think that Rob was the love of her life, her one love of all time. She didn't need to be reminded by Steven and Ronata how much she'd made a mess of her own life. Their defending how right they believed their own actions to be only made it seem like they did not understand or approve of the choices she and Rob had made. She did not need or want Steven or Ronata either one to need to justify their sex life to her, but she was under no obligation to approve of it either.

"You two are adults," Khaat said quietly. "You can do whatever you want, and you don't need anyone's permission to do it. My thoughts are about what happened to me and Rob--nobody else. Excuse me." She turned off the treadmill and left the basement abruptly.

Brian watched Khaat leave and sighed heavily. "Sorry. That's still a deep, deep wound for her. That was one of the largest reasons I wanted to get her out of England in the first place," he said quietly. "Lets just give her some time. She'll be alright."

Steven weas about to talk when he heard Khaat speak , he watched her walk out of the basment "I was just going to say that maybe its time to put it behind and move on , that and Robs a jack ass , sir" he said with a smirk "I think some food and time should do us all some good " he said still wincing slightly as he stood up Ronata helping in.

Ronata felt bad for Khaat and sighed all this time she had been happy that she had Steven were finaly sorting things out and there was Khaat with her hurt "is there anything we could do to help?" she asked soflty holding Stevens arm "some how I feel like we hurt her some how" she looked at Brian "I'd never do that, nor do I want her thinking I would ever... "she paused turning to hold Steven.

"She's alright," Brian said. "I think Rob has been a source of semi-permanent embaressment for her. There's still a lot you two don't know about them--a lot she won't talk about easily. She's humiliated by how he treated her. You two didn't do this. Khaat does not understand what she did wrong that Rob was, apparently, never honest with her from day one. She doesn't understand what she did to deserve his lies, his empty promises, his abandonment, all of it. She gave him 100% of her love and honesty, and that is not at all what she got in return. She sees herself as a fool for allowing herself to fall for that. And she feels like she must have done something wrong. She does believe that, in some way, Rob did love her. But she doesn't know what she did to wreck it all. She blames herself for it, but she just doesn't know what it was that she did. That's part of the reason she has sworn off of love for good. And I can't say that I blame her much. I know how she feels. I think that's why she is so secure with me. I'll work it out with her.

"But you said food. After that salmon dinner? You're still hungry? Does that mean you're ready for dessert?"

steven held Ronata as Brian spoke he began not to like this Rob one bit "from what you have told me and from what I know of Khaat he was the fool she did nothing wrong , he could not see what awonderful woman he had and we have in her " he said gently rubbing Ronata's arm to comfort her steven smirked " he dosn't know what hes missing out on , hes a stupid fool if you don't mind me saying COB" he said he cuckled when Brian mentioned the dinner "yeap running always gives me an apitite, even after I just ate " he grined, he lent down to ronata adn made her look at him " you did nothing wrong " he said softly and lent down kissing her gently "this Rob person did all of it , just don't let him near me" he said sounding like a promise and a threat rolled into one.

"Her family was always unafraid to show their affection. Her parents and Remus were never afraid to hug her or kiss her and show her how much they love her. She grew up feeling very loved and feeling that she was worth something. And sometimes she misses that now. Sometimes she feels very alone. She misses having someone just to be there with her. Its not about the sex. She truly can do without that. It is, though, about just having someone care enough to truly love her. To value her for who she is. And if her parents and I can fill that gap for her a bit where she feels empty and hurt, I'm honored to be a part of it. If I can provide her a hug, or an arm around her shoulder, and have that chase away the worthlessness that Rob Dent planted in her heart, then I'll be there for her for the rest of my life. And believe me, its no sacrifice. I have no idea what it is going to take for her to realize that what happened between her and Rob is nothing more than a reflection of a character flaw in Rob, and not some awful crime she committed. I guess what I"m saying is that I'll work it out, but it might take some time. Remember, he's only been, really, out of her life for about 3 months. That really is not a very long time. Give her some time."

Now Ronata looked at Brian and sighed "we will, I just didn't understand , but now I do , now we do, we'll be descreet. " she said again now taking stevens hand "Come on did you mention desert, by any chance does it have any mangos in?" she asked trying to lighten the mood a little "because I could just go for a nice ripe mango. " she said as she lead steven up to the main room hearing Steven laguing behind her .

"You and your mangos " he said hobbeling slightly on his right leg the muscle still tight a little as he moved up the stairs "sorry Cob when she get an idea you just can't stop her." he said still chuklaing.

"Um, no. No mangoes," Brian laughed, going upstairs. He had made an elegant layered puff pastry dessert with a strawberry custard and layers of mascerated mixed berries in between. It had an elegant drizzle of a strawberry sauce and a homemade mixed berry whipped cream on top. It was garnished with fresh berries. It was light, and flavorful and delicious.

Brian served it up, and prepared a fourth serving. "I'm going to take some to Khaat. This should cheer her up. She has a sweet tooth. I'll be right back." He took a serving of dessert to her. She was already soaking up to her neck in a flowery scented bubble bath in the tub in her bathroom. He let himself in.

"I brought you some dessert," he said. "It was just too good to miss."

"Thank you," she said softly. "Brian, I don't purposely try to make an ass out of myself."

"You didn't. Don't shy away because you feel embaressed. Finish your bath and then come out. You're among friends. You have nothing to be ashamed of. Besides, I like it better when you're around."

"Really?" she asked. "You're not just making that up?" He frowned at her.

"Oh come on. You know better. Get a grip. Get ahold of yourself and come out when you finish your bath. Okay?" he asked. She nodded. "Try the dessert. You'll like it."

He left the plate with her and returned to the kitchen. "She's fine. She's just up to her neck in bubbles," he laughed. "Pampering herself. She'll be out in just a little bit. Try the dessert. I hope its okay."

Ronata pulled a fake pout when he said no mangos but smiled soon after , sitting she watched him dish up some for Khat and sat waiting for him to return for her share , she lent on steven a little as she strted to feel alitel stiff "Khaat has the best idea ever" she said as Brian returnee saying she was up to her neck in bubbles "Im going for bath once I have eaten , I feel all sweaty, and no you can't come, cooling it rember" she said to steven who now was his turn to pout "nope not going to work " she said and took a peice of the desert that Brian had made "wow, this might though " she said chukaling as she smiled.

Steven poyutred as she said he could not join her in teh bath but lsughed whern she spoke of the desert " you and your sweet tooth " he said still chucklaing as he too took some "its good Brian, I'm more savory man my self but this isn't half bad " He felt a thump on his arm from Ronata."ouch, what was that for?"

"Not half bad, its better than you can do" she said smirking at Brian as she was trying to get steven to make the next desert.