Tuscany Trip

"It's perfect," Khaat smiled. "Thank you. And, yes, Steven can cook. I do know that. However, I do think he needs to demonstrate it in order to prove it to all of us. "

"I'm going to go shower," Brian said. "I'll be gone no more than 10 minutes. " He laid Khaat's wand against her leg, well within reach. "Don't hestitate, Babe," he kissed her bruised forehead.

"Relax," Khaat said. "I don't know how on earth she could return today, Brian. I got her pretty good last night."

"I'm sure you did. All the same, hold your ground."

"Don't worry. I will." She watched him move upstairs.

"That man is always, always on the job," she told Ronata. "That's why he refuses to allow himself to fall in love or have a family. He does not believe he could ever devote himself to a wife or family like they would deserve. His work always seems to take first place for him. Well, he's always protecting someone more vulnerable. So he always takes it very, very seriously. I hope someday he finds out that he really can have it all. He deserves it. He's a very solid friend and a good man."

She sipped on her coffee in the quiet of the room as the conversation fell quiety for a moment while Ronata ate. She was feeling more confortable now because of the pain potion, but it also made her a bit lightheaded. Her father didn't use this potion often, but she was sure that if she were truly honest with herself, the regular pain potion just wouldn't hold anymore. If she'd been home on the farm, with her parents, she guessed her father would have her resting in her room. She wanted to be up, though. First of all, she hated being isolated. And second, she knew it was more difficult for Brian to do his job if she stayed off by herself. She never woke to find Brian watching over her unless there was a very good reason. And she figured she had scared him badly enough last night.

He returned, freshly showered and shaved. He had chosen jeans, sneakers, and a soft denim shirt, the sleeves rolled halfway up his forearms. He refilled his coffee and set about opening the house so that the fresh sea air could come through. Khaat loved the smell of sea air. She wasn't sure, not at the moment, that she ever wanted to go back to England. This was gorgeous. Actually, there was no reason why they couldn't weekend here.

"What do you think about us making a room here for Abbey and Dakota?" Khaat suddenly asked, not knowing if someone would think it was silly or not.

Steven woke to find the sun up and shining in his eyes , the bed next to him was empty but he could hear voices from the living room. Slipping from it he showered and dressed in a lose pair of trousers and nothing else yet his shirt hung over his shoulder as he walked smiling into living room and over to Ronata leaning down he kissed her cheek "morning Ro, cravings already?" he said looking at Khaat "and how are you today?" he asked poring a cup of coffee.

"She's miserable," Brian said. "But I know that I know what that feels like, and I'm sure you do too. She's just hit the 'all-stoved-up' stage where her muscles have gotten super stiff and painful. She's got more parts strained than she even knew she had. Robert stopped during the night and brought her a stronger pain potion, so she's grounded to the sofa unless either you or I help her. It's going to make her very dizzy and unsteady on her feet--like she's had too many firewhiskeys. I'd like her not to fall flat on the floor or run into something. And no offense, Ronata, but that's just not a job for you right now.

"Oh, and by the way, Steven. You've been nominated to cook lunch. I would suggest a light lunch because I have some gorgeous racks of ribs already out on the terrace on the smoker. I"m barbequeing them low and slow so that the smoky flavor and my secret recipe barbeque sauce soaks deep into the ribs. I got the basis for the sauce recipe at a steakhouse down in the stockyards district of Fort Worth. Texas has the best barbeque of any place I've ever been, and of all the Texas sauces I've had, this one was the best. I've just kicked it up a notch or two."

The sound of Brian's ribs made Khaat's mouth water. She had had a lot of barbeque in her lifetime, but nobody made better barbeque beef ribs than Brian Quinn did, as far as she was concerned. If he did this right, he would make his chopped salad with candy coated almonds and blue cheese vinaigrette. He would also make his incredible sweet potato french fries with the creamcheese dippiing sauce. She could almost taste those fries now.

Brian looked at her and laughed out loud. "When did you eat last?" he asked.

"I don't remember. Maybe breakfast yesterday? I'm not sure. Why?"

"Well, I can hear your stomach growling all the way over here, for one thing. Your father checked you last night and said you've lost five pounds just in the last few days. And besides that, if I ever made ribs without making salad and fries, you'd move out of my house."

"Well, you're right," she said, "I might move out. Either that or stick your feet to the patio stone in front of the smoker until you promised to fix me ribs every day for a month."

"You'll get the whole works. Including dessert. But you have to be patient. Steven, I do believe the lady is hungry. "

Steven chuckled as Brian spoke and nodded as he said it was not a job for Ronata to do "Nope no heavy lifting for you" he saw the look from Ronata "hey doctors orders not mine " he said grinning as he moved to the kitchen "sure thing what would you suggest I could make a Caesar salad, or Santa Maria Pinquito Beans my grandma taught me those " he said and started to take out the ingredients, pinquito beans, washed, pureed tomatoes, cubed ham , chili sauce he paused at that but thought he would make two lots one not so spice for Ronata next came clove garlic, minced , sugar, salt and finally dry mustard.

He grinned at them as he sauté ham in a skillet and added garlic and continue until the garlic browned. Adding in the remaining ingredients he drained beans and placed them into a pot. Stirring in ham and the sauce he mix until combined. Covering with a lid he knew it would keep warm until they were ready to eat.

"You know, if you put some sort of rice or grain with that, it creates a whole protein," Brian said. "Rice and beans together metabolize as a whole protein. Good for energy and for...muscle repair..." he glared at Khaat on purpose.

"Stop it," she snapped at him. "You're not cooking special for me."

"We're not. It's healthy for all of us. I have a good rice recipe that wont' take long." He drew out a saucepan and put water on to boil for the rice. He got out a canister of jasmine rice from the cabinet and put it on the counter. While he waited for the water to boil, he roasted some cloves of garlic in the oven and drew out some scallions from the refrigerator and washed and sliced them quickly. He diced up some bell pepper--red, orange, and yellow for the sweet taste and the color. He sauteed the vegetables in olive oil, salt , and pepper and once the rice was cooked and drained, he added the vegetables, and added a bit of cumin for a bit of smoky taste without spiciness, a pinch of tumeric, and a bit of sweet paprika. "There. That should do it. I don't use recipes often. I just sort of put things together. Now, when we go to eat, Steven, if we put the rice on the bottom and add your beans on the top, we will have a mega healthy meal. There is some fresh lemonade in there that I made while you all slept. Made with some of those fresh, wonderful Italian lemons. Can I talk anyone into trying it with lunch?"

"Me," Khaat smiled, "I love your lemonade. With lots of ice, please."

"Coming right up," he said, waving for pasta bowls and tall glasses to float down to the counter. He figured the large shallow pasta bowls would be better for the hearty rice and beans meal. He drew out silverware from the drawer and put it by the bowls. "I'll set out the hot sauce in case anyone chooses to add that, but that's purely a personal choice," he said, setting the little bottle of Texas Pete on the counter.

Ronata winced at the Idea of lemons "not for me thank you " she said thought she loved them she felt for awhile she would stay away from it "too acidic for me."

Steven moved to her and held her "well could always have some mango juice, fresh made " he said and she smiled . He kissed her cheek and stood up taking some mangoes he placed hem in a juice he found creating the purée , with a little water he created mango juice , with a glass in hand he walked back "what do you think?" he asked her as he placed the glass in her hand .

Ronata took it and drank "god that's good" she said and sighed "hey not my choice of craving but Its healthy" she said chuckling as she felt him moved to hold her again from behind.

Brian filled two glasses with a lot of ice and poured his fresh homemade lemonade into it. He took a glass to Khaat, who took a sip to sample it. "Excellent as always, not too tart, not too sweet," she smiled. "Thank you. You know how I love lemonade."

"Yes. Do you remember how we got started liking lemonade so much?" he asked her.

"I do. We were stuck by bad weather in...what was it...New Orleans or something?...And I had the flu. I was so sick."

"Yes. You were. We were out in the country, in the bayou. No way to get you any sort of help because of the storms and you were really, really sick. Remember, Remus finally went out in the storm through the swamp area to find a muggle neighbor."

"Oh, that cajun woman. Yeah. I remember her. She was a really nice old lady."

"She came back with Remus and we all sat up with you all night until the danger was over. She gave you lemonade and dry popcorn to settle your stomach. "

"Worked like a charm," Khaat smiled. "It was the only thing that we could find that did work."

"Turns out its an old trick that American country doctors use and have been using for generations. We've been drinking lemonade ever since. I'll get you your lunch. " He went back and dished her up a serving of the rice and beans mixture, took a fork and brought it to her. "Try that. You want any Texas Pete?"

"Of course," she grinned. He accio'd it from the kitchen and she added a healthy amount to her bowl. She and Brian were used to all sorts of Tex Mex foods, and they liked heat.

"I'll get mine and come in and join you. You need anything else, Babe?" he asked.

"Just company," she smiled.

Steven pored hot sauce on his watching that Ronata didn't on hers , he knew it would not be good for her if she did but was relived she didn't and ate he could tell she was impressed by his dish.

"Khaat I think we underestimated Steven this is good" she said grinning as she began to eat "though I wish I could spice it up , but I can't " she said looking slightly down but ginning .

Steven looked at her and chuckled "you do and you'll regret it later" he said placing the bottle back on the hot sauce and eating his bowl "Mu mm nice , even if I do say so my self " he said smirking as she continued to eat.

Ronata finished first taking her place and the hot sauce threw to the kitchen and back in the cupboard then moved back to sit with Steven as he finished " Feeling better Khaat?" she asked leaning against him a little.

"Yes," she admittted. "I needed to eat. That was very good, Guys. Thank you." Brian took her bowl and his and took them to the sink.

"It's a beautiful day," Brian said to Steven and Ronata, "Why don't you two take the car and go out and enjoy the sun and the fresh sea air? It would do you both some good to get out. Go for a drive and see the sights, or go shopping maybe. I think in another day or so Khaat and I may do the same thing. Not today, though. My plans are to keep an eye on the ribs and on Khaat. You two need to go have fun. And, actually, you could do me a favor." He looked at Steven. He did not want to mention his request in front of Khaat. He looked at Khaat whose eyes were getting a bit heavy. He was hoping that between having a full stomach and a powerful pain potion she was sleepy enough that she was not going to notice his less than subtle hint thrown Steven's direction.

Steven saw Ronata about to say she would prefer to stay with them but he took her hand 2sure I think that's a good Idea " he said nodding to Brain to show he had caught his hint he wanted he to do something for him while out .

"I guess we should look at some Italian lace , I always wanted some for my bed" Ronata said smiling not thinking he had a reason to want them to go out.

Steven leaned to Ronata "why don't you go finish getting dressed and I'll slip on some shoes" he said again kissing her cheek as she stood up and headed for the bedroom , he turned to Brian and waited.