She breaks off the melody to look up at the knock, and then looks back down at the nearly-sleeping baby. Instead of moviing, she calls out softly, but clearly,
"This is Derry," she tells him, looking up again. "She's sai Mania's-- Delirium's daughter, do'ee ken?"
It's worth noting, to someone not stunned by the sudden appearance of a child, that Susan's name for Del is different, mayhap, than what others would use-- because it were the one Desire told her, oh aye.
Her smile is a little rueful. "Edmund and his friend Kitty were looking after her, because sai Mania left her with him and Edmund were telling me of it, and I-- I offered to help sometime, if help were needed."
Cuthbert looks as though he's having a bit of a hard time processing this.
Part of it is startlement at walking in and seeing Susan with a baby. Part of it is boggling at the idea of Delerium having a child. And part of it is...Susan holding a baby.
Then, he shakes himself out of it, and sits down beside her, smiling. "How long do we have her for?"
The 'we' is automatic, unthinking. Possibly even unrealized.
Unrealized by him, but not by her-- and oh, but she'd not expected, nor even thought, nor dared to think, mayhap.
A beat, as Susan looks up at him-- and then she smiles, bright and shining, and says softly,
"For a day-- tonight and tomorrow. I'm-- we're-- to give her to the next babysitter tomorrow evening late-- Edmund and Kitty found people for a week, I think, one for each day."
It's easy for her to imagine a sixteen-year-old Cuthbert, for that's only a little older than when she'd first known him, say true. Imagining him then with a baby might be harder, were she not seeing him now-- carefully cradling the sleeping Derry as though she were made of glass.
"And thee helped take care, then?" Softly said, and Susan leans her arm on the back of the couch and rests her chin in her hand, watching them together.
That is completely why he's knocking on her door this late at night.
...Shut up.
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"Come in-- it's not locked, say true."
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Susan is holding a baby.
Well. That's new.
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Derry stirs in her arms and fusses a little, and Susan looks down hastily, rocking her again. "Shh now, thee are well, dear--"
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It's worth noting, to someone not stunned by the sudden appearance of a child, that Susan's name for Del is different, mayhap, than what others would use-- because it were the one Desire told her, oh aye.
Her smile is a little rueful. "Edmund and his friend Kitty were looking after her, because sai Mania left her with him and Edmund were telling me of it, and I-- I offered to help sometime, if help were needed."
"And -- it seems it were."
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Part of it is startlement at walking in and seeing Susan with a baby. Part of it is boggling at the idea of Delerium having a child. And part of it is...Susan holding a baby.
Then, he shakes himself out of it, and sits down beside her, smiling. "How long do we have her for?"
The 'we' is automatic, unthinking. Possibly even unrealized.
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A beat, as Susan looks up at him-- and then she smiles, bright and shining, and says softly,
"For a day-- tonight and tomorrow. I'm-- we're-- to give her to the next babysitter tomorrow evening late-- Edmund and Kitty found people for a week, I think, one for each day."
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And something about Susan with a baby falling asleep in her arms just seems...right, somehow.
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He looks as if he's half expecting to be told no.
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"Of course thee can, 'Bert."
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"This is the right way, right? I suppose if she's still asleep I can't be doing anything too wrong...
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Derry stirs a little, making a small squeaky noise in her sleep, and Susan reaches out to brush light fingers over her forehead.
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He settles back against the couch, relaxing a little.
"I never had any siblings, but an older cousin of mine had a baby when I was sixteen."
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"And thee helped take care, then?" Softly said, and Susan leans her arm on the back of the couch and rests her chin in her hand, watching them together.
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