"Well..."
Ram narrowed his eyes at her. "Think very carefully about what you are about to say before you say it."
Elora smiled brightly. "I was going to say that no one in his right mind could fault you."
Ram nodded and resumed turning the bacon. "Exactly. I should have reminded him what happened when he was in charge of the Baka interview at Unit Drac. He pouted for hours after learnin' first hand that the Lady Laiken does as she f**k-well pleases."
Elora concurred by nodding vigorously. "It's a burden, but you bear it well, my love."
"All kiddin' aside, I do. I really do." He began setting strips of cooked bacon out to drain the grease.
"Well, Sir Storm is going to be plenty busy with his own burdens."
"What's your meanin'?"
"They're expecting."
"Expectin' a baby?"
"No. They're expecting Publishers Clearing House to pay for their villa renovation."
Ram gave her a look. "You know, I'm thinkin' there's only enough of this lovely bacon for one and, since I cooked, I really should be keepin' it for myself."
"Yes! They're expecting a baby. Litha thinks it's a girl."
"A girl!" Ram practically whooped. "Paddy's Great Balls Afire. I can no' wait to see Storm try to be da to a girl." He laughed enjoying that idea, and then grew serious. "As for the buggers who violated my grandda's forest, I'll no' be givin' 'em a second chance at my family."
"Rammel. I hear you and I understand you."
"I do no' suppose the next sentence will be 'and I obey you'?"
Elora smirked while she snagged a piece of bacon. "Have I ever mentioned you make great bacon?" She nuzzled his ear on the way back to her stool. "Almost as good as chocolate."
Ram pointed a spatula at her. "I swear to Paddy you have that thin'... that ADDD."
"ADHD?"
"Aye."
Elora started laughing. "Pot."
When his brows drew together she smiled, because Helm looked at her with that same expression several times a day. They made him accidentally in a snow-covered cottage, but he was made with love and now he was a little bit her and a little bit him. A miracle indeed.
"You can no' concentrate 'cause you've been smokin' dope?"
"No! 'Pot' as in 'you're the pot calling the kettle black'."
Ram stared at her for a few beats, finally shook his head and said, "No idea."
"You don't have an expression here about the pot calling the kettle black?"
"We do no' that I know of, but I think I begin to follow your point. You're tryin' to say that I should no' be accusin' you of short attention because mine is even shorter?"
Of their own accord, his eyes drifted down to the cle**age showing between the henley buttons she'd left undone.
She chuckled. "See?"
"See what?"