Val's exuberant humming was like a painting hanging ever so slightly askew. Sianna could not keep from twisting her lips when the melody deviated or the rhythm unraveled. Placing a cup of cider and some pretzels on a plate within his reach, she left him to the link work and returned to the main portion of the house. She had left the lad's mentor in the kitchen with his own cache of snacks. Bounty from the farm still sat in baskets and platters waiting to be selected and formed into the evening's fare.

Sunlight coming in the kitchen window warmed the table and showed, clearly, the marks of mashed-up, spit-up banana that Johnny was trying to wipe off of his shirt. With the twins just down for their nap, he was alternating scrubs of the cloth with bites of the soft pretzels that Sianna had left out. When he heard her walking through the living room, he called out ? carefully not so loud as to wake the twins ? ?How?s it look like Val?s doin? on those chains??

Crossing into the kitchen, she paused to take in the scene before pulling one end off a pretzel for herself. "He's no' cross-eyed nor is he grumblin' as of yet. Sae all in all a verra good sign, aye?" Pausing a moment, Sianna held out her hands for the shirt. "I'm getting ready tae set th' wash in th' morn."

?Din? think tha? two li?l babies could add so much mess ta clothin? as those two.? Pulling off the shirt while he spoke, Johnny was grinning as his face reappeared. ?A?course, if?n Val gets those links done early enough, an? I finish tha? las? piece fer tha? Lady Montoya?s necklace aroun? th? same time, we migh? even be able ta pitch in on tha? laundry thin?.?

"Aye, 'tis a whole new insight tae what our parents had tae deal with." Sianna reached forward and tweaked the end of Johnny's nose affectionately. "Ye needn't push yerself t'night just tae help wi' more chores, leannan. Ye've earned a night's reprieve, have ye no'?"

?No? ?til th? Lady?s necklace is done I ain?, any rate. Bu? look who?s talkin?, righ?? Ya plannin? ta take a break anytime soon, m?gal?? Leaning back in his chair, Johnny?s grin spread and he reached out to pull Sianna down to a seat on his knee. ?Or ya goin? ta keep on chuggin? away a? wha? yer workin? on??

Draping the shirt over the closest chair back, Sianna rested easily on Johnny's lap. Turning to face him, her fingers trailed along the stitching of his undershirt, sloping over the tanned curves of muscle and sinew. Blond hair bleached by the sun dusted his shoulders and tickled the top of her hand as it came to a rest at his shoulder. "A break from which, aye?" Her smile was easy. "Besides, I dinna hae it sae bad. What's a little bit of activity when ye have a happy, healthy family tae show for it, hmm?"

?Less?n nothin? when yer weighin? th? scales tha? way.? Tilting his head forward, he rested his forehead against hers. From such a close distance, he could pick out the different shades of blue in her eyes. After a moment he kissed the corner of her mouth and then pulled back enough for comfortable conversation. ?Ya still been thinkin? abou? Caitir, then?? The wide grin had faded from his face, not out of unhappiness or displeasure, but simply because of the more serious topic.

The nod was barely perceptible. "Aye, haven't ye?" Fingers idly occupied themselves by lightly combing the hair back from his temples. Sianna knew the answer to her question and did not wait for his response. "'Tis harder tae send her home each time she is with us, and I canna stand tae watch her face fall when 'tis time tae return tae June."

?Well, if?n we go an? talk ta June this week, migh? be early as nex? before we could take her in. Week after ?r so at th? lates?. Ya think it?s goin? ta be too much, though, b?tween th? twins an? Val already?? Though they hadn?t adopted Val, he was living with them full-time now. Silver-meshed fingers reached up and wound through a chestnut curl while Johnny considered Sianna?s face, her expression.

"We can make do, can we no'?" The idea of any burden was the last on her mind. The possibility lit her eyes from within. Besides, it was not as if they had any worries as to the financial burden. The shop was doing well and the bulk of Sianna's savings from traveling still sat untouched. While not eternally wealthy, they had little want due to their resources and the effect of Scotch frugality.

?Sure, far as money goes. Tha? ain? a worry.? Johnny was as little concerned as Sianna with regards to finances. What did concern him was, ?More thinkin? th? time, ya know? Th? twins need a lo? ?a carin? fer still, an? I can? slack on teachin? Val wha? he needs ta know. Don? wan? ta take in Caitir then have her ge? los? in th? shuffle, if?n ya track??

"Aye, I ken what ye mean." She bit lightly at her lower lip. "I will no' be brash and sae all will be perfect from th' verra first, but I canna see how being part of th' family would be worse than just being..." Sianna paused, tiny furrows in her brow. "... than feeling like ye want tae be a part of something ye canna have of yer own choosing."

Johnny nodded his understanding. ?An? ya ge? happy jus? thinkin? abou? havin? her be part?a th? family on top?a tha?. So, ya wan? ta go an? talk with June t?morrow? We can see if?n Matty?l min? watchin? th? twins alone fer a while we go over ta High Spires.? The cheer in Johnny?s smile and emerald green eyes wasn?t at all feigned; it was clear he was as much in favor of adopting Caitir as Sianna was.