Open Arms

Chapter Five

"Her food is in the pantry behind you, let me show you..."

Angus opened the door and pulled out a small brown bag filled with pellets. Susan stood aside to let him set it on the counter. A measuring cup was inside, buried halfway. Just a scoop every morning an' a half a scoop every night should keep her from nippin' at ya'. She's on a bit of a diet, she's gotten quite fat recently."

"I can see that," Susan laughed. She offered her hand for the brown rabbit to smell, her little nose twitching as a greeting. She had indeed grown larger over the months since they got her. Her movements were slower, and she kept to her bed licking and cleaning as of late. "What's her name again?"

Angus frowned and closed his eyes. "Her..my...nee," he said sounding it out. "Hermione, Hannah says it's Greek or somethin'."

"I bet she named her, huh?"

"It's her rabbit, ya' know, an' she likes it." He grinned at her. "I like it too. Now we'll only be gone a couple weeks, it won't be long."

"Take as long as you need, you don't get a honeymoon every year," Susan said putting the food away in the pantry. "If anything I wish I had gotten more of what I did. Two days at the nearest beach isn't exactly what I call romantic."

"Anythin's romantic if it's someone you love, ya' know," Angus said, grinning when Hannah appeared from the bedroom rolling a suitcase behind her with gloved hands. Her baby blue dress swished as she walked, having been washed and ironed last night. Her black hat kept sliding in front of her eyes, Hannah huffing every time she adjusted it. The ribbon tied around it flowed behind her like the tail of a kite. "Havin' a spot of trouble are we, love?"

"Nothing more than a spot," she grumbled, standing the suitcase upright and taking her hat off. "I'm okay. Susan? You know what to feed Hermione?"

"Don't worry, Hannah, Angus showed me. I'll make sure not to feed her too much, I can see she needs a little break." 

"Thank you so much for doing this, Susan, we really didn't mean for you to stay here so long and not see your family," Hannah said with an apologetic look on her face. Susan waved her hand.

"It's alright, I'm doing this for two very close friends. When does your plane leave?"

Angus glanced at his new clock on the wall. "There ain't enough time to say," he said grabbing what he could and heading for the door. Hannah rushed to open it for him, and grabbed her own suitcase to follow him. 

"We'll be back in time for Christmas, okay?" she called behind her. 

"No worries, I'll have the place looking like you never left," Susan replied. 

"You can sleep on the couch, or on the bed, we don't mind," Hannah said turning back around again. Angus was already halfway down the hall, dropping things behind him. He reached the stairs by the time he finally noticed, rolling his eyes and turning around to pick them up. 

"I think the couch will be enough, the little one won't mind," she said with a hand on her stomach. "I can phone a taxi if the time comes. Which it won't," she added to remedy Hannah's concerned expression. Hannah turned and almost ran into Angus, who had just picked up a pair of sunglasses. 

"What are you doing?"

He straightened himself and balanced the clutter in his arms. "I dropped a bit, had to come back."

"That's what a suitcase is for, Angus," Hannah said putting her hat back on. Angus took the brim and placed it over her eyes.

"There wasn't any room, Miss Mouthy," he teased, then upon setting off down the hallway again, realized he dropped more various necessities on his return the first time. He sighed, and headed for a hand towel crumpled on the floor. Hannah moved the hat out of her face, pushing the ribbon behind her again.