"Ok grandma!" "Alright" "We'll be careful." The boys head outside to get their 'snowmobiling' on.

Delphi's mother ignores Delphi ignoring her, and goes right on. "Speaking of which, Cassandra.... When are you getting married?"

Wha-umm I don't have any idea. Siren's never- no it isn't his fault. We aren't getting married Grandma. *Del says more than a little flustered.*

"What never?" one of the cousins wants to know.

I don't know, we haven't talked about it. *Del tries to explain, this situations better.* Siren stuck around through three babies I am not worried that he is going to leave, and if he might end up leaving me a piece of paper isn't going to stop him.

"So then- a piece of paper shouldn't be that much of a problem to get, in that case." Grandma says, passing some of the potatoes to the chopping girls, who are listening/ watching with great interest for future gossup possibilities.

What does it really matter Grandma, he isn't leaving and I don't want to press him about this. *Del says finishing the salad and moving onto making little shrimp in bacon and BarBQ sauce apeatizers.*

"Well if it's such a 'non-issue' then I don't see why you can't just go through with it." Grandma presses.

It isn't an issue for me or Siren and that is all that matters in this. So accept it or be bothered by it. *Del says, she doesn't want to go into Siren's past or how hard it was to get him to settle down in the first place. Honsetly she thinks push him on this might scare him off. Would Del like to be married? Yes. If it doesn't happen will it be the end of the world? . . . no.*

"Grann... Aunt Cynthia- I think it's a maybe an issue-nonissue. Leave it be please?" Katie says, finishing up with one of the dessert salads.

Grandma and Mrs. Starling both look at Katie. The both then look over at Del who is paying close attention to her work. "Del we don't have to talk about this now, but later." Grandma insists.

Fine . . .later. *Del mutters.*

Eventually the boys come back, all red-cheeked and breathless, yelling to eachother about how fast they were going, what other stupid shit they had been doing, spreading snow in the mud room, and being all excited and such.

"Ahh the men return." Grandma comments, "In ancient times this would be a cave and they would be tossing their kills on the floor."

Aunt Dianne looks over at them, "Now they are tossing their coats and mud about but in the end the result is the same."

"Stuff to clean." Aunt Cathy points out. "Boys! Keep it cleaner please there are forty hooks on the wall for a reason."

"There are hooks on the wall?!" Someone yells back.

"Ha, ha, and ha." "Your fathers mush have spent a week redoing that hallway, use it properly!"

"Dad would be right out here with us, dumping his jacket on the floor too!"