Open Arms

Chapter Nine

The bag was set on the table a little less gently than the men would have liked, Cliff peering inside the bag to make sure the food wasn't helter skelter. Taking a few samples for himself, he pushed the bag aside for everyone else to find theirs. "Hey, Bon, Angus jus' had grandchildren," he said to the man, who skipped the coffee machine and headed right for the mini fridge. 

"That's great," he muttered looking for something. Pulling out a bottle of Jack Daniels half full from the last session, he closed the fridge and took a drink, pausing to ask, "Grandchildren?"

"Hermione had some kids a few nights ago," Angus explained, Bon's confusion wearing down. 

"Ah, that makes a bit more sense," he said standing by the wall to lean on it. "So...you have fun on your honeymoon?" he asked cutting straight to the point.

Angus set the paper bag down after getting his food from it, Malcolm the next to take it. "We had a great time," he said. "Lots of snow, felt nice."

"Bet it did," Bon muttered under his breath with a grin. "Switzerland, right?"

"Yeah," Angus said. "I kinda like the snow they have up there, like home."

"And then you got sick when you came back," Malcolm reminded. Bon looked at them.

"You're not still sick, are ya'?"

"Nah," Angus said. He cleared his throat anyway, earning some suspicious looks. "I'm feelin' tip top today, no flu anymore."

"Until one of us gets sick," Cliff said his mouth full of French fries. "We'll never get this album done."

"Sure we will, how far are we?" Malcolm asked. He grabbed a couple of papers sitting under the bag of food while chewing thoughtfully. Thumbing through the papers he looked to Bon. "Bon! Have you written much since last week?" Bon took his drink with him to the couch and sat down next to Angus, Angus catching some air. 

"Not on paper," Bon said taking one of Cliff's fries.

"There's some right there!"

"I don't want to eat yet," Bon said.

"Well paws off mine, then." Cliff took another bite, keeping his food out of Bon's reach. 

"Do we need to start lockin' you in the kitchen again till you write some more?" Malcolm eyed Bon.

"Find a kitchen, mate, an' go ahead. I'll jus' break right out again."

"Maybe you can find your own food while you're in there," Cliff said. Malcolm set the papers down and sighed, standing up to take his guitar from his case. Tuning it up a bit, he looked at the doors then around the room. 

"We won't get this album done if Phil don't start showin' up, where is he?"

"Gettin' a haircut," Bon stated. 

"Haircut?"

"Yeah, met him on the way here. He'll be here in a while."

"Alright," Malcolm sighed. "Ang, get your guitar, an' Cliff, start swingin' bass. We'll play what we can for now, alright?"

Meanwhile, at the grocery store, Hannah hopped behind the cart she pushed, searching the shelves and trying to get a better look. Angus was never fond of her doing this, saying she might trip and get hurt. But she hadn't yet, and he never stopped her. And since he wasn't here...

Grabbing a box of noodles she turned the cart to look down the next aisle where the malted milk balls were. There were other kinds of candy too among the shelves, but malted milk balls were her favorite. Smarties were there too, and Hannah sneaked a few packages to take home as well.