Open Arms

Chapter Twenty

Beer bottles clanked together as Malcolm set them on the table in the kitchen. Cara toddled after him, eager to help her daddy. "Is this all we brought, Linda?" he called to the living room.

"That's all," she replied. "Georganne said she would bring the food but then she also said she had a job interview at one so maybe she's not coming."

"Cliff's probably got it then," Malcolm answered taking a beer bottle for himself. He turned around to see Cara at his feet, looking up at him with wide eyes. "Come 'ere, babe," he said picking her up. "You're gettin' heavy, no, that's Daddy's beer, you can't have this." Cara pouted and tried reaching for it again. "Bon!"

A man yelled from the bathroom, the faucet running.

"Better grab a drink while you can, Cara's gettin' thirsty!" Malcolm laughed while Cara babbled at him, trying to reason with him that she was old enough for a cold one with the boys. Bon left the bathroom wiping his hands on a towel and toothpaste on his chin.

"Offer the lady a drink, Mal," Bon smiled. "How much did you bring?"

"There's two cases on the table an' I'm sure Phil's got one."

"That should hold us till dinner," said Bon throwing the towel over his left shoulder. "Maybe I should have offered a place to Sil an' Alistair, they could put back a few."

"Do you know how long they're staying out?" Malcolm asked setting the bottle down on the table to open it. Bon took it from him and handed it back. "Thanks."

"Not sure 'bout that," Bon said furrowing his brows. "They said they'd be back before midnight, but you never know when you go out drinkin' with them, midnight could be midnight the next day." Cara once again tried reaching for the bottle. "I'm goin' out with them next week, maybe Sunday, Monday night."

"You'll be here on time for work, won't ya'?" Malcolm asked taking a drink.

"Course I will, gotta have a song done." After holding the bottle a whole arm's length away, Malcolm brought it back and held it up to his daughter.

"Here, take a whiff. No, don't drink it," he said holding it away from Cara's open mouth. "Jus' sniff it." Cara did just that, and made the cutest little grimace and turned her head away. "See, it tastes a hundred times worse, you wouldn't want one."

"But I do," Bon said reaching for one himself. "The heaviest one in the pack--the bottle's so big I can't get it out..." Bon struggled for a moment to release the bottle from the slot. "There we go, nice an' cold." He took a long drink then looked at the label. "You think Ang will want some?"

"If he does he'll have to drink it all, I don't want to waste any of it." He took another sip. "An' Hannah's a stubborn lady, you'll never get her to drink some."

"Can't I?" asked Bon tilting his head. "I got the Queen to sing a little song with me after dinner, ya' know? Hannah ain't much different."

"I've known her since I was ten, Bon, she'll never cave." Malcolm checked his watch, careful not to spill any beer from the bottle. "They should be here any minute...Linda? They're showin' up any time, if you wanted to talk to Hannah."

"I don't need to speak to her right away, Mal, she can see everybody first." Linda came to stand by her husband taking Cara from his arms.

"I can hold her for a bit," Malcolm said.

"Oh, but I hear Cara has been wanting a few drinks, is that right?" she asked kissing her daughter's cheek. Cara smiled and put a finger in her mouth. "And Daddy's been handing them out?"

"I let her smell one, to show her how gross they are," Malcolm said taking a drink and nodding appreciatively. "I'll let her have one when she's older."