“Not that we’re Catholic,” Trine said over her, aiming thismy way.“And not that we have a problem with Catholics.We don’t.We’re justnot Catholic.”
“I’m Catholic,” Lene put in.
“Because Rick’s Catholic,” Trine returned.
“I’m Catholic because I’m Catholic,” Lene retorted.“I justconverted prior to marrying him.”
“Because Rick was Catholic,” Marte butted in.
“It doesn’t matter,” Signe snapped.“Talking about it ismaking Lottie think we think it matters when it doesn’t.”Signe looked to me.“We’re cool with all races, religions and creeds.I promise.”
“I wasn’t worried,” I assured her.
“Except white supremacists.We’re not cool with that,” Trinedeclared.
“No one’s cool with that,” Marte replied.“And that isn’t areligion.”
“Itisacreed,” Trine fired back.
“Right, would you fourfreakin’shutit?”Mo demanded.
All four turned to him.
Or five, since I did the same.
But he was looking down at me.
“Rewind to our talk in the truck.You gotnothin’ to be worried about.It seemsIhadsomethin’ to worry about.Youfindin’out my sisters are a bunch a’ kooks andrunnin’ forthe hills.”
My mound ofhunkaliciousboyfriendlooked hassled.
I smiled up at him.
“Ohmigod,” Marte breathed, moving toward me.“Youwere worried, Lottie?That’ssosweet.”She threw a look over shoulderat her sisters before she drew me out from under Mo’s arm and toward the coffeetable.“Isn’t that sweet?”she asked her sisters.
“That’ssosweet,” Lene said, crowding into me.“Wedon’t bite, promise.”
“We’re just a little crazy,” Marte told me, reaching to geta little plate and handing it to me.
Signe snatched up a square cloth cocktail napkin, alsohanding it to me, doing this saying, “We’re not crazy.Crazy makes it soundbad.We’rezany.”
“Yeah, zany.Zany is good,” Lene agreed.“Now let’s get yousome corn muffins.Mom’s corn muffins areto die for.And she onlypulls them out for the special occasions.”
Special occasions.
I looked back at Mo, who had eyes on me.
He no longer looked hassled.
His sisters fussing over me, he looked happy.
I then turned my gaze to Ingrid who was moving toward Mo.
She had a small smile on her lips and this was pointed ather son.
In other words, she looked happy.
A corn muffin landed on my plate and females babbled aroundme while their males gravitated to Mo.
