Neptune, Steph Denenberg's House, 6:04 pm
It's been a good day.
For one thing, her parents have (unintentionally) been very helpful with making certain logistical aspects of this visit easier. Mom had errands to run that kept her away all day, and (even better) Daddy has gone off for a conference in Detroit.
So it was easy enough to slip into Milliways and slip back out to Neptune. And while there wasn't a great deal of time for sightseeing, they managed a short tour of Neptune (avoiding the sites of interest most tourists come for now -- namely, where the Echollses died). Hannah packed a lunch, sandwiches and pretzels and chocolate chip cookies, to eat at the beach, which was half-deserted and fairly quiet.
And then, because she didn't think he'd be at all interested in sitting in a salon for an hour and a half while she got her hair done, and because not getting her hair done really is not an option, she left Henry on his own in Barnes and Noble.
When she got back, it took a while to find him, but she did, eventually, sitting in the floor with his back to the shelf, and a neat stack of books about two feet high next to him.
"Little light reading?"
Henry just looked up at her and grinned. "No."
Hannah laughed. "Do you need help with those?"
He let her help, in the end, but he took the heavier bags.
And now? Now she is upstairs, engaged in ritual that has changed only in its details since 1802, Getting Ready For a Dance.
And he has just finished a ritual that hasn't really changed at all since 1802, Meeting Her Parents.
For one thing, her parents have (unintentionally) been very helpful with making certain logistical aspects of this visit easier. Mom had errands to run that kept her away all day, and (even better) Daddy has gone off for a conference in Detroit.
So it was easy enough to slip into Milliways and slip back out to Neptune. And while there wasn't a great deal of time for sightseeing, they managed a short tour of Neptune (avoiding the sites of interest most tourists come for now -- namely, where the Echollses died). Hannah packed a lunch, sandwiches and pretzels and chocolate chip cookies, to eat at the beach, which was half-deserted and fairly quiet.
And then, because she didn't think he'd be at all interested in sitting in a salon for an hour and a half while she got her hair done, and because not getting her hair done really is not an option, she left Henry on his own in Barnes and Noble.
When she got back, it took a while to find him, but she did, eventually, sitting in the floor with his back to the shelf, and a neat stack of books about two feet high next to him.
"Little light reading?"
Henry just looked up at her and grinned. "No."
Hannah laughed. "Do you need help with those?"
He let her help, in the end, but he took the heavier bags.
And now? Now she is upstairs, engaged in ritual that has changed only in its details since 1802, Getting Ready For a Dance.
And he has just finished a ritual that hasn't really changed at all since 1802, Meeting Her Parents.