After a quick shower, I grabbed the keys off the counter and waddled to my car. Theo was finishing up a 48 and would be home soon enough, but I couldn’t wait that long. I needed supplies.
I called Altan on speakerphone, asking him to meet me at the home goods store. After he made sure I was okay, he agreed, telling me he’d have a playmate in tow. I loved Laney and never minded her coming with us.
They were already there when I pulled into the parking lot. She was on his back in the carrier. She was very mobile now, and keeping her there was the easiest way for him to shop. She didn’t mind it, either. She could look around and wave at all the people, stealing hearts in every aisle.
“So, what do you need?”
“Everything,” I grunted and told him to grab a cart.
This was one of those home stores where you didn’t really know what was going to be there from one trip to the next. It was not the ideal place for a list, but I had one in my head a mile long. So, I crossed my fingers and toes that we could make this a one-store day, and we started our shopping adventure, going through every single section.
I grabbed fuzzy blankets, pillows, three different dog beds, towels, and sheets. Absolutely none of those were on my list. The one thing I came into the store as a “must have” was an air mattress, and they didn’t have any. Somehow, in my mind, the dog beds would make up for that.
“Do I want to know how this all goes together?” he asked, plopping a set of throw pillows I’d pointed out into his cart.
“Probably not. But even if you did, I’m not sure I know.” I very much did not.
“I suppose that’s fair,” he said. “Pregnancy is a trip, isn’t it?”
“That it is.”
We left with both carts overflowing, barely getting it all into my car.
“Do you want me to come over and help?” Altan asked.
“Can you bring Bunny Foo-Foo, too?” For some reason, I needed her there.
“Sure. And we spent enough time there, I may be able to leave this one home so she can nap.” She was already halfway there, her head bobbing as she kept catching herself, not wanting to miss anything.
I had my car mostly unloaded when Altan pulled into my driveway.
“Hey, Bunny Foo-Foo,” I said, my face pressed against her the carrier. “I don’t know why you need to be here today, but you do.”
She purred.
With the last of the items inside, I got her settled. All of her cat-sitting items were brought over in the move, making it a pretty quick setup. Then, we went to work.
“Tell me what I can do.”
“Just take the tags off everything.” I’d have given him heavier tasks if I had a plan. I had none.
“Gotcha, boss.”
As he took the tags off, I brought everything into the room and piled it up, making sure the hoodies were on top.
“Do you want to tell me why you have three dog beds?”
They formed a triangle with a hole in the center where they didn’t quite meet, a space where I could sit pretty comfortably but definitely not lie down. Underneath all that were blankets, towels, and other pillows. So many pillows, along with some clothing and stuffed toys.
“I’d love to explain it to you,” I said, “but I don’t know myself.”
I grabbed my side. I’d overdone it. He had offered to help many times, but my stubborn ass didn’t let him do anything but tag removal and chatting.
I pushed myself up off the floor. My center of gravity was off just enough that I nearly fell.
He raced to my side, steadying me. “I’m going to make you tea. Go sit in the living room.”
I wanted to argue and say he was my guest and that it was my turn to make the tea, but I didn’t have the energy. I did as he said, and Bunny Foo-Foo came to sit next to me.
