Cuddly Cuties of Calaveras County

by McLance

Harlie, the 15 year old younger sister of the seven McFadden brothers, finds herself in a situation, and requires help from several of her brothers to find her way out of trouble. This story takes place four years after Hannah joins the family.

This is my first attempt at fan fiction. I am a huge fan of the television show, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. I love all the brothers, and have given them a younger sister, Harlie. I write for entertainment only, and have no ownership of any McFadden, except Harlie.

Cuddly Cuties of Calavernas County

It all started out innocently enough. I'd been invited to a swim party at Mary Kate Steven's house, along with a lot of other girls from my class at school. Hannah was all happy I'd been invited. She tells Adam since I'm in high school, I need to get out and do more things with girls my age. Adam says if I'm at home, it's fine with him because that way he doesn't have to worry about where I'm at, or what I'm doing. But when he dropped me off for the night at the party, he smiled at me, and told me to have a good time, so I guess he was glad, too.

Adam's taken care of me all my life, well, him and Brian and Crane, since my parents died in a car accident when I was a little over a year old. My brother, Guthrie, was only two, so all the two of us remember is the older guys raising us. When Adam married Hannah four years ago, she took Guthrie and Ford and I under her wing, and it's like she's always belonged with us.

I'd actually been a little surprised when Mary Kate invited me. It's not like we've ever had any problems or anything between us, just more that we don't have a whole lot in common. Mary Kate's parents are both lawyers in Sonoma, so they're hardly ever home, and they live in about the biggest house in Murphys, complete with a huge in-ground pool in the back yard. Mary Kate has her own car, a red Mustang, which Guthrie and Ford admire considerably.

All of that is in pretty much direct contrast with my life. Our house is big, too, but it's definately a ranch house, meant for living and not for show. It's comfortable, but there's always something that needs fixing or replaced. And while we have everything we need, our family doesn't have a lot of extra money.

Anyway, when I went in to Mary Kate's house, there were already a bunch of girls there, ranging in age from my class to some senior girls, too, and most of them were already in their swimsuits. Mary Kate came to greet me, wearing a sheer cover up over what I could tell was what Daniel would call 'an attention grabber'. It had to be the most miniscule bikini I'd ever seen anyone wear. It was pink with little black dots.

"Hey, Harlie!" She said.

"Hi."

Mary Kate looked over my jeans and t shirt.

"Did you bring your swimsuit?"

I held up my bag. "It's in here."

"Well, go in here and put it on!" She said, pushing me towards a bedroom. "Hurry up, it's time to have fun!"

I changed and went out to the backyard, where all the girls were hanging around the pool. Hannah got my swimsuit for my last birthday so it's practically brand new, but it's a one piece, so it was really pretty modest compared to what some of the others were wearing. Mary Kate wasn't the only one wearing a bikini. For a couple of minutes I felt kind of uncomfortable, but that passed quickly, because everyone was friendly and having fun, so I started having fun, too.

The afternoon went fast, and while we were eating snacks at the tables by the pool, Mary Kate's mother made an appearance. She was wearing a white suit with a jacket, a blouse that showed a lot of cleavage, and a tight, short skirt. Looking at her, I thought she didn't look like a mom. She said hello to everybody and when she came to me, she smiled. "Hello, Harlie," she said. "How are you?"

"Fine, Mrs. Stevens, thank you."

"How's everyone in the family?"

"They're all fine."

"What's Brian doing these days?"

"Working the ranch mostly," I said.

"He stays busy, doesn't he?" She said, and for a minute her smile looked funny, sort of wistful and strained. Then the usual, bright smile was back.

She turned to smile at a tall man, wearing a suit, who came out of the house. I thought it must be Mary Kate's dad, and then I realized it wasn't, because I'd never seen this man before, and he was a lot younger than Mrs. Stevens, too. I thought he must be about Adam's age, or maybe Brian's. He was extremely good looking, too, and when I saw all the other girls watching him, then I didn't feel so guilty doing it myself.

. "Well, I've got that dinner meeting," Mrs. Stevens said to Mary Kate. "Probably be home late."

"Yeah, whatever," Mary Kate answered. "I'll see you tomorrow sometime."

I wondered what Mary Kate meant by that, and she sounded angry at her mother, too. The tall handsome man leaned close, and whispered something in her mom's ear. Mrs. Stevens laughed, kind of a fake, tinkling laugh.

"You girls have a good evening," she said, and they went out thru the back gate to where one of Mary Kate's father's cars was parked. I saw her mom lean up to kiss him, and I thought not only did she not dress like a mom, she didn't act like one either.

"Who's the fox?" Megan Blake asked Mary Kate.

"That is my mother's latest boy toy."

A couple of other girls asked questions, and Mary Kate make no secret of the fact that her mother was carrying on an affair. "Does your dad know?" I asked.

"My father's so busy doing the same thing with his secretary he doesn't notice."

""Why don't they just get a divorce?"

"Then they'd have to split all this up," she said, gesturing at the house.

Mary Kate spoke as though she didn't care, but I didn't see how she could not care. I'd absolutely hate it if Adam and Hannah acted that way, or stayed married for any reason other love.

Some of the girls started drinking after that. The older girls had brought beer and Mary Kate brought out some bottles of wine. I didn't plan on drinking, but I thought I wouldn't mention to Adam or Hannah that there'd been alcohol or that there was no adult there after Mrs, Stevens left.
I figured she wasn't much of a chaparone anyway.

One of the senior girls talked me into trying on an extra bikini she'd brought with her. It was yellow and I really liked it, but I knew Hannah wouldn't approve of it, and neither would any of my brothers. Toni knocked on the door. "Come on out, let's see!"

When I did, she nodded in approval. "You look fantastic."

"Thanks."

"No offense, but it's better on you than that blue one piece. Keep it."

"I can't,"

"Sure," she said, taking another drink of beer. "I've got a lot of suits."

I knew I'd never be able to wear it anywhere around my house, but I just said thank you.

"Here," she said, thrusting her cup at me.

I hesitated and then I thought 'what the heck'. I was staying the night and nobody at home would be able to smell beer on my breath.

I took it and downed it and Toni looked surprised at me. "Drink a lot, do you?" She smiled.

"No, not really," I joked back.

"Evan used to say he could have a beer at fourteen at home. Is that right?"

"Used to, before Hannah. She put the nix on Guthrie and me."

Toni laughed. "You'll have to make up for it tonight."

I did have another beer, too, even though I really don't care for the taste, and I've never seen what the big deal is about drinking,

Toni and I were sitting pool side, talking.

I was feeling kind of warm and fuzzy from the beer,

"Did you know I went out with Evan a couple times?"

I shook my head. "You did?"

"He's a nice guy. I like him. Daniel would never take me out."

I'm used to girls fawning over my brothers, so I just listened to her blather on. She'd been drinking something out of a flask for the last thirty minutes.

"I heard Mary Kate's mom ask you about Brian. You know why, don't you?"

I shook my head. "Because, she's always had a case for Brian, that's why. Mary Kate told me."

She leaned close to me, and I realized she was drunk, or close to it,

It bothered me what she was saying. Brian and Mrs. Stevens? That was too terrible to contemplate. Brian is definately a ladies man, but I couldn't see him with someone as old as her, not to mention her being a married woman.

Toni obviously didn't notice my stricken look.

"I guess he'd never give her the time of day," Toni continued, and I felt better.

"Come on," Toni said, "now the party can really begin."

I was going to ask what she meant, when I saw four guys standing talking to the girls. They looked older, and I didn't recognize any of them.

"Who are they?" I asked.

"College guys!" She said reverently.

I followed her, and Mary Kate introduced the guys to all of us. After a few minutes one of them came to sit beside me where I was dangling my feet in the water. He was so handsome he looked like he belonged in a catalog.

"You're Hayley, right?"

"Harlie."

"Cute name. For a cute girl."

I was embarrassed then, feeling conspicuous in the yellow bikini. It hadn't been so bad when it was just girls, but this guy was openly admiring me. I wasn't used to that. I don't date a lot, mostly because I've known all the boys in my class since kindergarten, and also because my brothers are ultra protective. This guy had to be at least Evan's age, maybe older. We talked for awhile. His name was Charles, and he said he was Mary Kate's cousin from Modesa. He was a student at college there.

When he went to get another beer, I slipped inside, and pulled my jean shorts out of my bag. Daniel calls them my 'Daisy Dukes', because they're so short, but I thought I'd feel better somehow being more covered up.

Charles smiled at my change of attire.

"That's a shame," he said. "A real shame."

I had fun for the next little while. A couple of the guys took the cameras we girls had been joking around with, and started posing some of the girls and snapping pictures.

It seemed harmless and fun, and when Charles said, "your turn", I didn't see why not. The beer had given me a buzz, and I felt really confident.

I sat by the side of the pool, one leg bent, and one stretched out, and leaned back, loosening my hair from my hair tye, so it cascaded down my back. A couple of the guys whistled, and I heard Toni yell, "I'd never have thought it of you, McFadden!"

Little warning bells were going off in my head, but I ignored them. I was having fun.

It was later, when I went into the bathroom, that I started to think twice. Mary Kate had gone to get her mother's fur coat, and putting it on over their bikinis, and wearing high heels was the next pose. I shook my head when asked, and that's when I went into the house to the bathroom. I came out and Charles grabbed me, and I screamed in sudden fright.

"Don't do that!"

"Sorry, beautiful, don't be mad," he said, and started kissing me. It wasn't my first kiss, but almost, and after a couple of minutes I knew Bud Jenkins in no way could compare with Charles in experience and technique. I have to admit I enjoyed it at first, but then when his hands started to wander, and he backed me up against a wall, I got nervous. Even in my beer-induced state of mind, I knew I was playing with fire.

"That's enough," I said, pausing breathlessly.

"No, it's not," Charles said, and made a grab for me. "I'm fifteen!" I told him, thinking he would stop.

"And I'm twenty-one. Age is a number, baby." He caught my arm in a painful grip.

That's when I got scared. Daniel and Evan have preached at me enough about older guys going after younger girls. Daniel says if a guy is with a much younger girl, he's a loser and not to be trusted, because it usually means he can't get a girl his own age, or he's just on the make.

I shoved hard, and I kicked hard, and when Charles turned me loose with a groan, I ran back into Mrs. Steven's bedroom and slammed the door, locking it. Charles banged on the door a couple times, and that really scared me.

"You little tease!" He yelled, sounding angry. "You better watch out! I'll teach you not to say no to me!"
I listened, and I could hear him, stomping away.

I suddenly felt like crying. I just wanted to go home. I thought for a minute. If I called home, someone would come and get me. I'd just say I'd decided not to spend the night after all.

I used the phone beside the bed. The phone rang four times, and I looked at the clock. It was late, 11:00 p.m. Everybody might be in bed. Ranchers are known for having to get up early. Guthrie was probably sleeping in the living room. Of course, Guthrie could sleep thru a train whistle, or a crying baby, is what Crane says.

Finally, someone picked up.

"Hello?" It was Ford.

I couldn"t talk, I was so relieved.

"Hello?" He said again.

"Ford?" I managed. "It's me."

"Harlie? What"s wrong?"

"Can someone come pick me up?"

"Now?"

"Yes, now. Ask Brian to come."

"He's not here. He went out somewhere. Daniel's here. Do you want to talk to him?"

"No!" Daniel has an uncanny ability to see through me. He'd have the whole story out of me in five minutes, and then I'd been in for an hour of stern lectures.

"Can you come, Ford?" I asked. "Please?"

"Well, sure, okay," he said. "You're at the Steven's house, right?"

"Yes."

"Okay. I'll be there in thirty."

"Okay. Thanks."

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yes. Please come by yourself, okay, Ford?"

"Alright," he said.

7b) 7b) 7b) 7b)

I pulled my t shirt on over the bikini top and grabbed my bag, and opened the door, cautiously. I could hear hollaring and laughing from poolside, and I slipped out the front door. I sat down on the curb by the driveway, under the streetlight, holding my bag on my lap, and waiting for Ford. My hair was still wet from the pool, and I shivered. It was starting to get cooler. I hugged my arms around myself and wished I'd never come. I was worried about Charles, too. What if he came looking for me?

I heard the Jeep before I saw it. Ford was driving too fast. He must be worried about me.

I stood up when he turned on the street, and when Ford pulled up and stopped, he got out and walked towards me. "Hey," I said.

"Hey. How come you're waiting out here?"

"I just wanted to."

"Where's your shoes?" He asked, and for the first time I realized I was still barefoot. I'd kicked off my sandals when Charles was taking my picture, there by the pool.

"I guess I left them inside."

"Don't you want to get them?"

"No. I'll get them later from Mary Kate."

Ford looked questioningly at me, and put a hand on my shoulder. "Are you sure you're okay?"

The street light was as bright as day, and I looked at Ford's face. "Well, not really," I admitted. "I just want to go home, Ford. Please."

The best thing about Ford, the very best thing, is that he's not pushy. He nodded his head, and we walked towards the Jeep.

"Wait a minute," he said, and pulled out a denim jacket of Evan's that was in the back seat. He wrapped it around my shoulders. I hadn't realized until then how chilled I was.

I mumbled a thank you and we got in, and Ford started driving. There was no bright streetlight now, and the cab of the Jeep was dark. I could only see Ford's profile.

"Did somebody hurt you, or anything like that?"

I didn't need Ford going back, or recruiting Evan and Daniel and Guthrie to kick Charles' s ass.

"No. I just want to be home. That's all."

After a few minutes, Ford said, "How many beers have you had?"

I didn't ask how he knew, or deny anything. I thought for a minute. "Two. But I didn't finish the second one."

"That's not smart, Harlie."

"I know." I looked over towards him in the darkness. "Are you going to tell Adam?"

"No."

"Brian?"

"No."

"Hannah?"

"I'm not going to say anything, Har."

"Okay." I leaned my head back against the seat. I felt sleepy and kind of woozy. The next thing I knew Ford was shaking me awake.

"We're home," he told me. "Come on."

Ford came around to my side and opened my door. Gus came running up to greet us, barking hello. "Quiet, boy," Ford told him. I leaned my head against Ford's chest for a minute. "Am I drunk?" I asked him.

"No, goofy, you're not drunk."

"Thanks for coming, Ford. And for not asking a bunch of questions. You're a good brother."

"Well, next time I will ask a bunch of questions, so don't make a habit of this."

"I won't."

We started towards the house and up the porch stairs. "And next time I'll bring Daniel with me,
too," he threatened.

"Cruel, Ford, really cruel."

Nobody was up, Guthrie was sprawled on a couch. Ford waited till I got into my room, and I sat down on my bed. I felt like I could sleep forever. "Okay?" He asked, quietly, so he wouldn't wake anybody up.

"Yeah."

"Sleep in in the morning," he advised. "I'll tell 'em you wanted to come home, and that way you can avoid the breakfast barrage."

"Thanks, Ford."

"Yep. Goodnight."

"Night."

I did sleep late the next morning. When I woke up, I had a slight headache. I could hear banging outside, and I went to look out my tiny window.

Adam and Crane were wrestling with scaffolding, and I remembered today was the day they'd promised Hannah they would start painting the house. I sighed. There'd be no napping today. As soon as any of them laid eyes on me, I'd be put to work. I pulled on my jeans and a tank top, and went downstairs. Hannah was putting a tray of cookies in the oven when I went into the kitchen, and she turned to smile at me.

"Good morning, sweetie."

"Morning."

"Pancakes?" She asked.

"No, thanks," I said, reaching for the box of Cornflakes on top of the refrigerator.

"Ford said you wanted to come home last night," she said, leaning against the cabinet.

"Yeah."

"Everything okay? Did you have fun?"

"It was fun. I just decided to come home."

"Oh. Do you feel okay?" She asked, as Adam and Brian came into the kitchen.

"I feel okay."

"Well, good morning, Sunshine," Adam said, and Brian came up behind me, leaning down close, and digging me in the ribs.

"It's aliiiive," he teased me. "Alive, and well, and out of bed."

"Funny," I said, pushing his hand away.

Adam refilled his coffee cup. "As soon as Daniel's back with the new brushes we'll get started painting," he told Hannah. She nodded, and he turned his attention onto me.

"Have fun?" He asked me.

I took another bite of my cereal, and nodded.

"You look kind of pale," he said.

"That's what I thought, too," Hannah said.

Adam laid his hand at the back of my neck, which is how he checks us for fever.

"Not warm."

"I'm fine. Just a headache."

"Too much junk food, huh?" He asked.

"I guess so."

"Keep an eye on those cookies for me, will you?" Hannah asked me, and I nodded. She and Adam went out, and I finished my cereal, getting up to put my bowl in the sink. Brian poured a cup of coffee and took a cookie off the cooling rack.

"Guess who I saw last night?" I asked.

"Can't guess," he said, sitting down at the table and stretching his legs out in front of him.

"Blonde, pretty, rich, asking about you."

"Sounds promising," Brian grinned.

"Mrs. Stevens."

I watched, but his facial expression showed no change. "That right?" He said.

"Uh huh."

"Grab me another cookie, will you?"

I handed him another cookie.

"I think she likes you," I said casually.

"Well, I'm hard to dislike."

"I mean, she LIKES you."

Brian didn't say anything, and I pressed on. I was still bothered by what Toni had alluded to last night. "You wouldn't, would you, Bri?"

Brian gave me a dark look.

"Not that it's any of your business, peach, but no, I wouldn't."

"That's good," I said, relieved. "I didn't think so."

7 7 7

Ford kept his promise not to tell on me, and a week passed in relative calm. I was in the clear, I thought. Then I found out I wasn't in the clear at all, I was in full out , things going to hell in a handbasket trouble.

It was a comfortable Sunday night, and everybody was hanging around the living room, reading, or talking, or playing games. I was embroiled in a tough checker game with Daniel, who happened to be home for once. I was inches away from winning, when the phone rang and Ford answered it.

"It's for you, Har," he said, dropping back down on the couch.

I got up to go answer it, Daniel telling me to hurry up.

"Don't get your bloomers in a bunch," I told him, and said, "Hello?"

"Harlie, it's Lori Scott!"

"Hi."

"We've got trouble!" She sounded absolutely panicked.

"What's wrong?"

"Those guys that took those pictures at the party? They made them into a calendar!"

"What do you mean?"

"A calendar!" She yelled into the phone. "They made a calendar of us, and they're selling them all over Angels Camp!"

I felt confused, and stunned. I was getting a sick feeling in my stomach. "How do you know?" I asked, hoping against hope that she was wrong somehow.

"Because my cousin Georgie lives there, and she called me! Her boyfriend bought it at the gas station and brought it to show her, cause I'm on the front!"

"I'm in it? You're sure?" I askeed fearfully, afraid to hear her answer.

"You're the month of September!"

"Squirt!" Daniel yelled. "Come on already!"

I pulled the long cord around the corner of the stairs, and sat down on the bottom step.

"I called Mary Kate and she just laughed. She thinks it's funny, her parents don't give a damn, but my dad will kill me! I knew you'd understand, because Adam will be mad, too, right?"

"He'll be more than mad." I thought at least Lori only had one dad to worry about. I had four!

"I don't know what to do," she said, and it sounded like she was crying.

"Maybe we can think of something," I said.

"Like what?" She wailed.

"Is it in Murphys, too?"

"I don't know, I didn't think of that!"

"Can you bring it to school so I can see it?"

"Yeah, okay. I have to go," she said suddenly.

"Okay. I'll talk to you tomorrow," I said and hung up the phone.

When I went back into the living room, Daniel looked at me. "Are we playing or not?"

I sat down, but my concentration and the fun of the game was gone. Daniel won quick and easily. I went up to my room as soon as I could without raising suspicion. I was laying on my bed, staring at the ceiling and trying to figure a way out of the mess I was in, when there was a light knock on the door.

"What?" I said, hoping it was Ford or Guthrie.

Daniel opened the door and stuck his head in.

"You okay, squirt?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm okay."

"Well, I wondered," he said, "cause you seemed upset after the phone call you got."

Like I said before, Daniel and I are close, and he has an uncanny way of reading me. It makes it incredibly hard for me to lie to him without him knowing.

"Kind of tired, is all," I said, hoping he would buy it.

"Okay. I'll see you in the morning, then," he said.

"K. Night, Daniel."

"Night, squirt."

Lori brought the calendar to school like she'd promised and showed it to me before first hour. It was worse than I'd imagined! Some of the photos of the other girls were pretty risque, what with their sparten bikinis. I held my breath while I flipped to September.

"Oh my holy gosh," I whispered.

In the picture, I hardly recognized myself, posed like I was, my head back, and my hair down, not to mention the infamous skimpy yellow bikini top. There was a look on my face that looked strange to me. I had just the tiniest hint of a smile. I looked-I tried to think of the word-mysterious, like I had a secret.

"See, we all have names," Lori told me, pointing to the words above my head. "You're ' Sultry September'. I'm "Naughty November". My dad will kill me!"

"I know," I said, thinking of all the slow painful ways Adam or Brian or Daniel might use to make me see the error of my ways.

The bell rang and we had to go to class. I shoved the calendar into my locker. I was so distracted the rest of the day that two of my teachers had to raise their voice to get my attention. After school I waited by the truck for Guthrie and Ford.

Guthrie came out first, munching on a Hershey's candy bar. "Ford has to talk to Mrs. Fritts, he said. He'll be along in a few minutes."

"Guthrie, look," I said, pulling it out and shoving it towards him.

Guthrie took it. "Hey, that's Lori!" He whistled, looking at the cover.

"I'm in there!" I said, pacing anxiously.

"No way."

"For real. I am."

Guthrie went to pull the tailgate down, and sat down on it. He started looking thru the calendar and he took his time about it, too, until I punched his arm. "Guthrie! Stop staring at it!"

I grabbed it from him, and flipped to where I was.

"There!" I said, holding it up right in front of his face. "Look! I'm in a freaking swimsuit calendar!"

Guthrie pushed the calendar away from his face.

"That's you, alright," he said drily, taking it from me. "Why'd you do this?"

"I didn't DO it, not on purpose! Some jerk at Mary Kate's party took the pictures, and then he did this!"

"Oh," Guthrie said, looking thoughtful.

"They're in Angels Camp, Guthrie!" I looked at him in desperation. "What if they're here in Murphys, too?"

We were so intent on what we were talking about that we didn't hear Ford until he gave me a poke in the ribs and said, "Hey!"
I must have jumped two feet and even Guthrie was startled.

Ford laughed. "How come you're so jumpy?" He peered over Guthrie's shoulder. "What're you two looking at?"

"No, Ford," I protested, trying to keep him from taking the calendar from Guthrie. Ford was laughing at first, holding it just out of my reach, over my head. "What's so interesting?" He joked.

When he looked down at it, though, and saw me, with my top half barely covered and smiling a Mona Lisa smile, he stopped grinning and turned serious as a heart attack.

"What is this, Harlie?" I gave him a quick rushed explanation, looking up in his blue eyes. He looked upset.

"For Pete's sake, Harlie!" he said, sounding exasperated. "I told you, I didn't know he would do anything with them!"

"But you let him take your picture like that!"

"Don't be mad, Ford. Please."

"Why do you look like that?"

"All the girls were wearing swimsuits."

"Not that," he said impatiently. "I mean, why do you have that look on your face?"

"What look?" I asked, though I knew exactly what he meant.

Ford tapped at it with his finger. "That look, right there! Like you're trying to look sexy or something."

"I don't know, it's just a look! It just happened!"

"Probably because of the beer you had," Ford said, sounding disgusted.

He tossed it down, and said abruptly, "Let's go. We'll be late for chores."

He went to get in and Guthrie looked at me and shrugged in sympathy, and then hopped down and slammed the tailgate shut. He handed me the calendar, and opened the door so I could climb in first.

After a few minutes I looked at Ford's silent profile. "I need help, Ford."

"You sure do. This is a mess. You'd better figure something out, and fast, too."

"I can't think of what to do, I've been thinking and thinking. Can't you guys help me?"

Guthrie spoke up. "Just tell Adam. Get it over with."

I didn't think much of his advice and I told him so.

"Just tell him, huh? Just like that?"

"Well, what else?" he shrugged.

"Pass the potatoes, how's the baby calf, and oh by the way, Adam, I'm in a swimsuit calendar for all the people at church to see," I mocked Guthrie.

I looked toward Ford again. "Can't you think of something?"

"Don't rush me."

7

Lack of sleep and fear of bodily harm made me short tempered. Every time somebody went into town I worried until they got back, thinking they might see or hear about the calendar.

I was sleeping badly, when I slept at all. One night I woke up in the middle of the night, wide awake from a dream where I was sitting in the middle of the kitchen table for some wierd reason, while Brian and Adam yelled at me.

They also kept eating while they tossed rolls at me. "Wierdest dream ever," I muttered, and went downstairs as quietly as I could. I thought maybe a glass of warm milk would help me sleep.

I saw the light in the kitchen was already on, and I pushed the door open slowly, to find Brian standing at the stove, in his t-shirt and sweatpants.

"Hey, peach, want some cocoa?" he greeted me, casually, as if it was breakfast time, and not three o'clock in the morning.

"Sure," I said. Brian makes the best cocoa ever.

I sat down, waiting while he made us both a cup.

"Why're you up?" I asked him.

"Knee's acting up."

Brian has an old knee injury from playing football in high school, and sometimes it really bothers him.

"How about you?" He asked, sitting down in the chair next to me.

"A wierd dream."

"Zombies? Wolves?"

"No."

"Freddy Kruger? " he said, making a scary face at me.

"No. You and Adam."

"What? Any dream with me in it should be magical and happy."

"Not this one. I was sitting there," I pointed to the center of the table, "and you guys were yelling and throwing food at me."

Brian grinned. "I'm sorry."

"One of the rolls hit me in the head."

"Oh well, that couldn't have hurt you, not with this hard head of yours," he said, reaching over to rub his knuckles on the top of my head.

"Ha ha."

7777777777777777

By Friday afternoon, all bets were off. It was all over school that Ford had been in a fight after lunch, behind the bleachers, with Tommy Stahl. When some of the kids told me, I didn't believe it. Ford doesn't lose his cool. He just doesn't.

"You mean Guthrie," I said.

When they insisted it was Ford, I searched in the hall between classes for Guthrie. I caught him at his locker, but he didn't know many details.

"Tommy's keeping his mouth shut. He won't say what it's about. But he looks like hell. Ford really gave him what for."

When Ford met Guthrie and I at the truck after school, he had the beginning of a black eye, and his knuckles were scraped and raw.

He was tight-lipped and grim.

I couldn't remember Ford ever being in a fight at school before. We drove in silence for awhile, until Guthrie spoke up. "Are you suspended?" He asked.

"No. Detention next three days."

"Tommy looks like hell," Guthrie said, with a grin, but Ford didn't smile back.

"What's it about, Ford?" I asked. I had a bad feeling I already knew.

"Don't worry about it," he said curtly.

"Tommy's not talking," Guthrie said,

"No, and he's not going to," Ford said in grim certainty.

We were all quiet until we pulled into the driveway at home, and Ford put the truck in park and shut off the motor.

We all three sat there for a minute. "Does Adam know?" Guthrie asked.

"Yeah, the school called him."

I looked at Ford. "It's about me, isn't it?"

"I said don't worry about it."

"Tommy saw the calendar, didn't he?"

"Yeah. But he won't say anything more."

"Did he see it in Angels Camp? Or Murphys?"

"I didn't stop to ask details," Ford said, and got out. "I'm going to go find Adam."

"I'll go with you," I said, feeling sick.

"No, it'll be okay. I won't say anything about the calendar. I'll tell him Tommy made a crack about you, and I busted him. He won't be mad."

Guthrie and I went in to change into old clothes, and Hannah came out of the laundry room to say hi to us, offering us each a cookie.

"How was your day?" She asked, as I shook my head in refusal of the cookie.

"Okay," Guthrie answered around the cookie he was shoving in his mouth.

I just shrugged in answer, I felt so bad. I went upstairs, and changed to my old clothes. When I came back down, Guthrie wasn't in sight, but Hannah was waiting at the bottom of the stairs. She had the look of someone intent on answers. "Let's sit down here a minute," she said, sitting down on the stairs.

"I've got chores," I protested. I recognized that look on her face. "I know that," she said. "Sit down here with me, Harlie."

I sat down and she turned her blue eyes on me.

"What's going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you've been moping around here for days. I can tell you're not sleeping well at night. There's something bothering you, and I want to know what it is."

I shook my head, and she said, "Don't you dare tell me that it's nothing, or we'll sit here until your brothers come in , and you can tell them why their supper's not on the table. "

I looked at her, and she looked so kind, I felt like crying. "I want to tell you, but you'll feel like you have to tell Adam."

"Oh, it's that kind of trouble."

"I'm going to tell him," I said quickly. "I'm just trying to find the right time."

"It sounds like it might be one of those things that's never going to have a right time."

"I guess."

"I 'll give you a chance to tell Adam yourself," she said, squeezing my hand. "Maybe you'll feel better if you tell me now."

"Okay," I sighed. "Just a minute." I went upstairs and got the calendar, and when I came back down I handed it to her.

She took it and looked thru it without saying anything, and then laid it in her lap.

"How did this happen?" She asked, looking serious.

I told her, and she listened quietly, not interrupting me.

I finished by saying, "I didn't know he was going to do anything like this with the pictures, Hannah!"

"Well, of course you didn't," she said.

"Does Ford's fight today have anything to do with this?"

"Yes. Tommy said something about me.."

"Tommy likely won't be the only one to see that picture and have something to say."

"I know," I said glumly.

"Well," she said, "I think the best thing to do is tell Adam before he hears it somewhere else. Tell him please, before I have to do it, alright?"

"He's going to be so angry at me!"

"He'll be upset with you."

" Enraged! Ballistic!"

"Give him a chance, Harlie."

"I'll give him a chance, what's he going to give me?"

She patted my knee, and we both looked up to see the subject of our conversation come in the front door.

"Has Doc G called back yet?" he asked Hannah without preamble.

"Not yet," Hannah told him. "How's the cow?"

"She's down again."

"Do you want me to try the office again?" Hannah offered.

"Yeah," Adam said, and Hannah got up to go to the phone.

Adam looked at me sitting there. I could tell he'd been repairing fence somewhere, because he had on his gloves. He started pulling them off.

"What're you doing?" he asked me.

He looked and sounded like he was short on temper, and I said quietly, "Talking to Hannah."

"Your chores done?" he asked brusquely.

"No."

"Get to it, then," he said, and I got up quickly, scooting around him as fast as I could to go outside to the barn.

I was quiet at supper, and so was Ford. He looked subdued, and I wondered if Adam had yelled at him about the fight.

Adam didn't talk much either, it looked like he was thinking hard about something.

Guthrie and I had to do the supper dishes, and I asked him about Ford.

"Ford said Adam wasn't that mad, he just said it was dumb to get detention this close to the beginning of senior year. Adam understands, though, about Ford doing it to stand up for you."

After we were done, I announced I was tired and going up to bed. Hannah gave me a disappointed look. I guess she thought I should confess everything to Adam right then. Well, he was acting like a bear with a sore head, and I wasn't ready to talk to him yet.

I went up to my room to be by myself, listening to the radio and doing my English homework, already in my pajamas.

There was a knock on my door, and when I answered, Adam came in.

"Ready for bed?" he asked.

"Just about."

"Alright. Well, in the morning, Guthrie and Ford are going with Brian, and Crane's got something he needs to do. So I'm going to need you to gopher for me up at the west point, while I do some fence repair up there. Alright?"

"Okay," I said, thinking of my plan to go to Angels Camp with Lori to buy up all the calendars we could.

Adam must have sensed my hesitation, because he gave me a long look, and said, "You have something more pressing to do?"

He sounded as if his mood hadn't improved since earlier, and I answered quickly, "No."

"Okay. I want to get an early start, so get up the first time you're told, understand?"

"Okay."

"Alright. Night."

"Goodnight."

He went out just as Hannah was coming down the hall past my room.

"Hannah!" I hissed.

"What?" she asked, pausing in the doorway.

"Come here," I motioned her into my room. "Close the door,"

She did, and came over to my bed.

"What's wrong?"

"Adam says I have to go with him in the morning, up to the West end, while he fixes fence!"

"Well, that's good. Sounds perfect for having that talk with him,"

"Oh, it's perfect alright! All the way up there, just him and me!"

Hannah looked amused. "What's wrong with that?"

"No witnesses! Nobody to hear me scream when he's killing me!"

"Oh, Harlie," she said, waving her hand at me, "you're being silly. Use the opportunity to have a good talk with him. You'll feel better."

"Well, one of us will," I said, glumly.

Hannah told me to get under the blankets, and gave me a hug. "Go to sleep," she said firmly, and went out, snapping off the light.

7-7-7-7-

Morning came too early. I heard the knock on my door, and then another. "Harlie, up and at 'em," Crane said, shaking my shoulder. I hadn't even heard him come in.
I sat up, rubbing at my eyes.

"Morning," I said.

"Good morning," Crane said, and chuckled.

"What's funny?" I asked, looking at him.

"You look like a wild Mustang that needs a currycomb," he said, running his hand over my curls.

I sighed. "It'll take hours to get it to lay down right."

"Well, you don't have hours. More like minutes. Breakfast is on the table. You better get moving."

"Is Adam in a better mood than last night?"

"Nope."

"Great," I muttered, and when Crane left, I pulled on my most tattered jeans, and a t-shirt that has paint on it.

Breakfast was kind of rushed, and when everybody got finished Hannah motioned for me to follow her to the laundry room, where a big picnic basket was sitting.

"I don't know how long you'll be up there," she said, showing me that there was a thermos of lemonade, banana bread, and fruit. "And here," she tapped a foil wrapped package, "are molasses cookies."

Molasses cookies are Adam's favorite, and Hannah and I have a joke between us that they can help sweeten him up when he's being grouchy. "Thanks," I said, and gave her a hug.

Hannah hollared for Guthrie to help me carry the basket, and we walked out together, each of us holding a handle. "I wish I didn't have to go," I told Guthrie.

"I know," he said, as we stowed the basket in the back of the truck. I looked at him, biting my lip.

"I'm scared, Guth."

He rubbed my shoulder in sympathy.

"Where's your hat?" Adam asked, walking up behind us, and we both jumped because neither one of had heard him coming.

"Inside," I said, and Adam looked irritated.

"It's going to get hot." He swatted my rear end. "Get it."

I ran upstairs, and grabbed my hat. I've had it a really long time, and it's pretty worn.

Everybody went their separate ways, and after Adam gave Hannah a kiss and hug, he climbed in the truck. I'd seen Hannah looking into his face seriously, and saying something to him quietly. I knew she wouldn't be ratting me out, I trusted her, but I hoped what she was saying was going to put him in a better frame of mind.

When we started driving, it was quiet for a long time. It seemed like Adam was deep in thought about something, and I was in no hurry to talk, either. After awhile, driving in the cool morning air, the smell of pine trees in the air, it seemed like Adam didn't look as tense.

He reached over and touched my leg, and pointed, and I looked to see an elk, standing straight and tall, in the distance. He was massive, and beautiful. I turned to Adam and smiled, and he smiled back. "He's beautiful," I said.

Adam nodded. When we reached the area where the fence needed repaired, Adam parked and started working right away, sending me for whatever he needed out of the back of the truck, except for the fence posts.

When I started to pull one off the truck, he stopped me. "Too heavy for little girls," he said.

"Little girl!" I teased him, forgetting for a minute the mess I was in.

"You look pretty little to me."

I trudged after him, wishing we could keep joking and having fun. If it were any other time, I would have been estatic to have Adam all to myself for a whole morning.

Adam was adjusting one of the fence posts, and I was helping hold it steady, when I noticed just how weary and lined his face looked. "You look tired," I said.

"Little bit."

"You have a lot to worry about, don't you?" I asked thoughtfully. " Money stuff, and all of us."

"Everybody has worries, sugar."

"There's so many of us, though, it must be a burden sometimes for you and Brian."

Adam did not look particularly impressed by my choice of words. "You can all be a worry, and sometimes a pain in the ass, but not one of you babies is a burden," he said with finality.

Adam and Brian and Crane sometimes call the five of us younger McFaddens 'the babies'. It started years ago when we were all so small, 8, 7 5, 2 and 1, and they had to take over the parenting.

"There's not a rotten one of you in the bunch, either," he said.

"Probably because you're so strict," I said, without thinking.

Adam looked surprised. "I'm not all that strict."

I thought he must be kidding, but then I saw he wasn't.

"Trust me. You are."

"Huh," he said, and started rolling up the wire. He carried it to the truck, and I started picking up the pliers and wire cutters on the ground. I went to put them in the tool box.

"Let's take a break before we go further up."

"Okay," I said, glad of a chance to sit down on the tailgate of the truck. I pulled out the food, and poured him a cup of lemonade.

"Thanks," he said, taking it and downing it in one swallow.

I handed him the foil package. "What's in here?" he asked, and smiled when he saw.

"Molasses cookies," he said, looking pleased.

"Want one?" he offered, and I shook my head.

"That's right, you're a chocolate chip cookie kind of girl, aren't you?"

"All the way."

"You don't know what you're missing," Adam said, finishing the cookie and reaching for another.

"I was wondering about something."

"What?"

"Have you ever thought about breeding and raising horses? Instead of cattle, I mean."

"Nope, that's a rich man's game."

"What do you mean?"

"Considerable more risky than cattle. Brian and Crane and I could never have taken that kind of financial risk while you babies were growing up."

"Oh."

He looked at me with interest. "Why? You thinking about the future of the McFadden empire?"

"Maybe."

"Well, maybe that's something you can convince your brothers of. Down the road some years, I mean."

"You mean it? You wouldn't mind? Seeing horses instead of cattle in the pastures?"

"Sugar plum, anything that keeps the ranch solvent and in the family is okay with me, I'll retire, and sit with Hannah on the porch in our rocking chairs, and let you children do the work,"

I giggled. "Guthrie and I will toss fifty dollar bills at you on our way in."

"Can you make it hundred dollar bills? The fifty's are just not as classy."

I laughed and so did Adam.

Adam stretched out in the back of the truck, using a feed sack as a pillow. He took off his watch and handed it to me.

"Wake me up in thirty minutes," he said, and covered his face with his hat.

It wasn't long before I could tell by his breathing he was asleep. I thought he must be really tired. I went to get the calendar from behind the truck seat, shutting the door quietly so I didn't wake Adam up.

Maybe it wasn't so bad. I looked at myself, hair flowing down my back, my yellow bikini chest stuck out, and felt my stomach clinch. Who was I trying to kid? Sultry September? Adam was going to kill me.

At exactly thirty-one minutes later, I tapped Adam 's boot and he sat up, his long legs hanging off the tailgate. "Good nap?" I asked.

"Too short," he said.

"You should go to bed early tonight."

"I might just do that," Adam said, holding out his hand for his watch. I handed it to him and he started strapping it back on his wrist.

"It shouldn't take much longer, I just want to check one more spot."

"Okay." It was now or never. "Adam?"

"What?"

"Remember when you took me to Mary Kate's house a couple weeks ago?"

"Yeah."

"Well," I said haltingly, "I need to tell you something about the party."

Adam gave me his direct gaze. "Okay."

I hesitated, and then burst out, "Some of the girls brought beer." Where had that come from, I wondered. I hadn't planned on mentioning that at all!

"They did, huh?"

I nodded.

"Were you drinking?"

"I drank two."

Adam looked serious, but not really angry.

"Well, I wish you wouldn't have. Just because others do something is no reason to do it."

I nodded miserably.

"It can cause you to make mistakes, do things you shouldn't."

I thought Adam had summed it up perfectly.

"That's for sure," I said, and Adam gave me an astute look.

"There something else you want to tell me?"

"No, but I guess I'd better."

"Let's have it, then."

"We girls were having fun, fooling around and taking pictures of each other and then a cousin of Mary Kate's and some of his friends came."

Adam's eyes darkened, and he raised an eyebrow. I started talking really quickly. "So this cousin of Mary Kate's, he took some pictures of us, too."

"What kind of pictures?" Adam asked, looking like he might explode.

"Just poolside pictures, Adam," I said, trying to downplay it.

"Where are her parents while this is going on?" He asked furiously.

"Her mom had a meeting to go to," I said reluctantly.

"At night?" he said, clearly disbelieving.

I shrugged, "I don't know."

"How old are these guys?"

"I think Ford's age, or maybe Evan's."

"So grown men." He stood up, pacing in front of the truck. "Tell me about the pictures," he ordered.

"We were pretending to be models, and he took pictures while we kind of posed."

"And I'm assuming these are swimsuit pictures."

I didn't answer, and he said, "Harlie Marie, answer me."

"Yes! But I wore shorts, Adam!"

He looked relieved, but still furious. "You should have come home."

"I did, I called and Ford came to get me!"

"But after the drinking and picture taking."

I tucked my knees under my chin, and wrapped my arms around myself, looking at him in trepidation. Adam put his hands in the pockets of his jeans.

"Men with young girls, and alcohol, that's a recipe for disaster right there. Do you know what could have happened?"

"Yes!"

"Tell me."

I looked at him, pleading with my eyes for him to not make me say the words.

Adam took my arms in his hands, and gave me a little shake. "Tell me, Harlie," he said sternly.

"They could have forced us to do things!"

"Hurt you, forced you, Harlie!"

"I know, that's why I called Ford-"

"What do you mean?" he asked in a terrible voice.

I realized he thought the worst and I said, "Charles was kissing me and I got scared, so I locked myself in a bedroom, and called home."

"Did he hurt you?"

"No, Adam! I just got scared and wanted to be home."

"Oh, Harlie," he sighed, and sat back down on the edge of the tailgate.

"There's one more thing."

"For gosh sakes, what?"

I handed him the calendar. He looked at the cover. "Cuddly Cuties of Calaveras County," he read. He gave me a piercing look.

"What is this?"

"None of us girls knew he was going to make a calendar!"

"You're in here?" Adam asked, looking as though he was going to choke.

"September."

Adam flipped straight to September. He studied my picture for a long, long moment, and sighed.

"Harlie Marie," he said.

"I'm sorry, Adam! At least I'm wearing shorts!"

"So it's alright because your butt is covered?"

"I didn't mean that it's alright!"

"Then stop saying that about wearing shorts, understand?"

"Yes, sir."

Adam pulled himself together while I watched him in trepidation. When he finally spoke, his voice was really stern.

"You knew better than to stay there without supervision. You knew better than to drink. And I sure as heck hope you know better than to let a stranger take a picture of you like that. I'm disappointed in you, Harlie."

I started to cry and Adam pulled me into his side for a hug.

"Is this what Ford's fight was about?"

"Ford fought Tommy because he said something about me."

Adam sighed.

"You're not mad at Ford, are you? He was trying to help me."

"No. I'm not mad at Ford. I think this is a good example of Grandma's Rule."

"What's Grandma's Rule?"

"What do you think will happen if Evan or Guthrie or Ford again, hear something said about you?"

"They'll jump in to defend me."

"And how are you going to feel?"

"Terrible. Like I feel about Ford."

"Do you think you can keep them from jumping in?"

"Probably not."

"Right. So seeing your brothers suffer for a decision you made? That's a natural consequence. That's Grandma's Rule."

After a few minutes, he dislodged me from his side. "Let's get to heading on," he said. I slid off the tailgate, and Adam slammed it shut. I got in and we drove in silence until we got to the next section of fence that he wanted to check. Adam walked one way and told me to walk the opposite way to look for holes, or downed barb wire. He waved me back. "See anything?" he asked.

"No."

"Okay. Let's go."

Our drive down started silently, too, until Adam said, "What's this guy's last name?"

"Charles?"

"Yes, Charles," he said impatiently.

"I don't know."

"How many of these things are floating around Murphys?" He asked, pointing to the calendar on the seat.

"I don't know, but they're in Angels Camp. It's so embarrassing!"

"Adam?"

"What?"

"Lori and I were going to go to Angels Camp to buy all of them from the gas station there. Do you think that's a good idea?"

"I don't know if it's a good idea, but you're not going, because as of right now, you're grounded for the next two weeks."

"Can I be grounded after we go to Angels Camp?"

"No, Harlie."

7b7b 7b7b 7b7b 7b7b 7b7b

When we got home, Brian and Evan were standing by the barn talking, and they came over to help Adam unload the truck. Adam told me I could go in the house.

I found Hannah sitting in the living room, sewing buttons on the boy's shirts.

"Well," she smiled, "it's Harlie Marie McFadden."

"HI."

"Did you talk to Adam?"

"Yes."

"Yet you're still alive and unharmed? Imagine that."

"Ha ha, "

"How did it go?"

"He's mad, but he was really pretty nice about it."

"Good. I'm glad,"

"I'm going to take a shower, okay? I'm hot and sticky."

"Okay. Daniel called. He'll be here by supper."

"Awesome!"

I felt a little better after my shower. I went to make myself a sandwich, glad that at least telling Adam was over. And I was excited to see Daniel, because he'd been gone for several days, playing with his band.

Guthrie came in the back door and sank down into a kitchen chair.

"Brian's brutal," he complained. "We didn't take a break all morning."

"Poor poor Guthrie."

"Make your favorite brother a sandwich, too, will you?"

"Favorite brother? You mean Daniel? Or Ford? Or Crane? Brian?"

"I mean me, and you know it. Never mind," he said, getting up to stand beside me, and elbow shoving me out of the way. "I'll make my own darn sandwich."

I shoved right back and we scuffled playfully for before settling down to share the work space. "How'd it go with big brother?" He asked.

"It wasn't as bad as it could have been. I only cried once."

Guthrie chuckled. "Good for you."

"Grounded for two weeks."

"That's not too bad."

"I guess not."

Guthrie started making a second sandwich.

"What?" He said, when he caught me looking at him. "I'm hungry."

I pulled myself up on the kitchen counter, and bit into my own sandwich.

"Remember that time at the fair when we lied and told Pete Jones he had a phone call, and then we went in his booth and ate almost all the cotton candy before he got back?"

Guthrie laughed. "Yeah. We were what, eight?"

"Six and seven. And Adam got so mad he spanked us right there."

"Yeah, he was mad alright. It was still worth it, though."

"Your hands were blue."

"Yours were pink."

Guthrie bit into his mammoth sandwich. "You could have left me one lousy tomato."

"Sorry."

"Toss me the chips and I'll let it slide."

I tossed the bag of potato chips to him.

"Guth, what did Tommy say about me that made Ford so mad?"

Guthrie looked at me and kept eating.

"Guth."

"Ask Ford."

"I'm asking you. Please."

"He said you were the cutie in Calavernas County he wanted to cuddle with."

"Oh. Is that all he said? That doesn't seem like enough for Ford to lose his cool."

"Believe me, when a guy's talking about your little sister, that's enough."

I had my doubts that was all, but I let it drop. Mostly because something else occurred to me.

"Is this embarrassing to you? Are the guys going to give you a hard time about me?"

"If they do, I'll take care of it."

"I don't want you to fight over it, Guth. Promise me."

"No."

I was surprised by his adamant refusal. "Guthrie McFadden, promise me!"

"No, I won't promise. If some smartass makes a crack about you, I'll do worse than Ford did to Tommy."

"What if it's one of the ladies from church, like Nettie Collins? Or Mrs. Irwin? Bending Adam's ear about how being motherless has made me a shameless delinquent? You're going to knock out little old ladies?" I smiled at him, trying to lighten the mood.

"Nobody's going to put you down, Har. I don't care who it is."

I sighed. "I'm sorry I did something to embarrass you."

"It's not that so much as I guess I'm surprised. I mean that was pretty dumb, what you did."

"I'd get mad at that," I told him, "except that you're right."

"Okay." He picked up his second sandwich and stood up. "I better go before Brian hunts me down."

He turned at the doorway. "I just worry about you, that's all," he said.

"I know. I worry about you, too."

He nodded, and went out.

I started putting away the food. "Stupid Grandma's Rule," I said to the empty kitchen.

77777777

Daniel didn't make it home for supper after all. He called from Angels Camp, and said he and Red had a flat tire, and that he'd be a little later getting home.

After supper Ford ad I had dish duty. "Wash or dry?" he asked me.

"I'll wash."

When I was sure everyone else had left the kitchen, I brought up the subject I'd been wondering about. "Ford?"

"What?"

"What did Tommy say about me?"

Ford took the plate I was holding out and started drying it. "Ford?" I said, when he didn't answer.

"I'm not going to tell you."

"Why not?"

"Because. I don't want to."

"But he said it about me. Don't you think I should know?" I handed him another plate to dry.

"No," he said, in a clipped tone.

"Why not?" I asked, getting annoyed.

"Because there's no reason for you to know."

"But it's my business."

"Which I made my business, when I shut Tommy's mouth. And I'm not saying."

"I know the part about him saying he wanted to cuddle with me."

"Guthrie needs to shut up."

"Is that all he said?"

"Either start washing or get out of the way so I can do it."

"Okay!" I started washing the dishes again.

"Why don't you want to say what it was? Is it that bad, Ford?"

"Yes, it was that bad."

"I can imagine."

"Okay then."

"I'd still like to know."

"Harlie, when you're told no, you need to respect that."

I hardly ever hear Ford sound all stern like he did then, and I looked at him in surprise.

"I mean it, Harlie. Stop."

"Okay!"

We finished the dishes in silence, and Ford looked around for any dishes we might have missed. "That everything?"

"Yeah. Just need to wipe the table."

"Want me to?"

"No, I've got it."

"Okay." Ford put his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "Look, Har, the reason I won't tell you, it's because I don't want to hurt you. What he said, well, it would bother you. You're going to have to trust me on this."

"Okay," I said quietly, thinking it must be really bad.

"Okay," he said and started to go.

"Hey, Ford?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

"What for?"

"For defending me to Tommy, for coming to get me at Mary Kate's that night, for caring enough to not want me hurt. For everything."

"It's what I do," he said, with a grin.

777777777

I walked to the end of the driveway to wait for Daniel, sitting in the grass, leaning against the mailbox.

I saw him coming, and when he was almost ready to turn in, I stood up, brushing dirt and mowed grass off the seat of my shorts.

He pulled to a stop, his right arm resting on the window jam. "Hey, squirt."

"Hey, Daniel! How'd the show go?"

"Good."

"Did they like the new songs?"

"They seemed to go over real well."

I leaned my arms over his. "I knew they would."

"How come you're hanging around down here?"

"I was waiting for you."

"How come?"

"What a crazy question! Because I missed you, goofball."

"Well, I missed you, too. How was your week?"

"Busy. Hannah saved you some meatloaf."

"Good, I'm starved. Want a ride up?"

I ran around and jumped in the other side, shoving aside clothes and papers to make room.

Daniel started up the driveway, and when he spoke his tone was casual. "Came across something interesting while we were changing the flat tire."

"What?"

Daniel reached up to the dash of the truck, and uncovered something, handing it towards me.

I didn't need to look at it, I recognized it already. I kept my hands right where they were, clenched in my lap.

"Don't you want to take a look?"

I shook my head, avoiding his gaze.

Daniel tossed the calendar in the seat between us. "I can't believe you, Harlie." He sounded angry.

"So you're not going to let me explain?" I looked across at him.

"Explain."

"What's the use? You've already made up your mind about how it happened."

"Don't be a smart mouth."

"Well, I'm tired of talking about it! Between Adam, Hannah, Guthrie, Ford, I'm all talked out."

"That's not me, though. I deserve an explanation. I don't like going into a gas station and having Mitch tell me I need to take a look at Sultry September. And when I do, there's my baby sister, posing like she's offering something."

I looked at him, aghast. "It doesn't look like that, Daniel, don't say that!"

Daniel pulled up beside the Jeep, and stopped, putting the truck in park, and turning off the motor.

"It does look like that," he insisted, in a clipped voice. "It's terrible, Harlie."

"I know it's terrible! Do you think I don't know that? Stop yelling at me!"

"I'm not yelling. If I was yelling, you'd know it. Didn't Adam tell you what's what?"

"Of course he did! But he wasn't mean! He didn't say I looked like a slutty girl in a porn movie!"

Daniel looked over at the front door as the family started pouring out to greet him. And then he looked back at me, frowning.

"That's not what I said at all. I would never say anything that hurtful to you."

I stared back, glaring at him, breathing hard because I was so upset.

"If you lose the attitude, we'll talk," he said quietly. "But I'm not going to sugarcoat anything."

He opened his door and Crane pulled him out, grabbing him tight for a hug.

I got out and slammed my door as hard as I could, hoping Daniel noticed. He's always telling all of us to shut the doors on his truck carefully, no slamming. Just let him try yelling about that!

I stormed up the porch steps, bumping hard into Brian. "Hey, whoa up there! Where's the fire?"

I ignored that and went upstairs to my room. I got into my pajamas and curled up on my bed, trying to read, but I kept crying. After awhile I heard Crane calling me. "Peanut! Dessert!"

I didn't answer. Let them think I was asleep. I didn't want to talk to anybody, anyway.

There was a knock on the door, and Hannah said my name softly, "Harlie?"

"Sweetie, can I come in?"

"Yeah."

Hannah opened the door and came in. "We're having pie and ice cream."

"I don't want any."

"Well, come down. Daniel and Crane are going to play for us."

"I'm going to sleep soon."

Hannah came and sat down on the bed.

"What's wrong?" she asked, kindly, rubbing my leg.

"I don't want to talk to Daniel. I don't even want to look at him."

"Why not?"

"He saw that stupid calendar in Angels Camp, and he got really mean about it. He said I looked like an easy girl."

"Daniel said that?"

"Well, not exactly that. He said it looked like I was offering something."

"Don't you think he has the right to be upset?"

"I do, but he hurt my feelings, Hannah!"

"Did you think your brothers wouldn't tell you the truth?"

"What do you mean ?"

"What did Guthrie tell you?"

"That it was a dumb thing to do."

"And Ford?"

"He said it looked like I was trying to be sexy."

"Maybe you should think about how Daniel felt when he saw that, in a public place like that. It probably hurt him very much."

"You mean it embarrassed him."

"No. I mean hurt."

"What do you mean that it hurt him?"

Hannah sighed. "Harlie, Daniel adores you. Thinking about your picture being out like that, where grown men can ogle it, that probably hit him deep down."

"I didn't think of it that way."

"Maybe you should." She patted my leg and stood up. "Please come downstairs and be with all of us."

I started to cry again. "Daniel's mad at me, Hannah! Maybe he doesn't want me to come down!"

"Of course he does. Daniel's most likely feeling just as bad as you are. How about if you talk to him right now?"

"Okay."

"I'll push more pie to everybody else, so you can talk to him privately, okay?"

I nodded, and when Hannah left, I tried to get myself together. I took some deep breaths, and went downstairs. Everybody was spread out all over the living room, talking and laughing. That's what's great about my family. We all really enjoy being together, and we have a lot of fun.

Hannah was encouraging more pie, which isn't difficult to convince the boys of. She gave me an encouraging smile, and nodded towards Daniel.

He and Crane were sitting on the fireplace hearth talking.

When I came close to them, they both looked up, and Crane smiled at me.

"Hey, peanut, there you are. You better grab some pie before it's gone."

"Okay." I looked at Daniel. He was looking at me, too, his dark eyes intent.

"Can I talk to you for a minute, Daniel?"

"Sure," he said, standing up. I went towards the front porch, and Daniel followed me, pulling the door shut behind us. He turned to me, his hands in the pockets of his jeans.

I took a deep breath. "Can I explain to you now, how it happened?"

"Definitely."

So I told him, feeling like I'd told this story a million times already.

Daniel frowned, but he didn't interrupt me.

I talked fast, finishing in a rush.

Then I waited. And waited. It seemed like it took him forever to say anything.

"I know it was dumb."

"Yeah. Dumb is one word for it. What have I told you, a hundred times, Harlie?"

"That older guys shouldn't be interested in younger girls. And if they are, there's something wrong. I remembered what you said, Daniel! That's why I called home and Ford came to get me."

"Did you make out with this guy?"

"I-I kissed him," I said, feeling my face get warm.

"Is that all?"

I felt like squirming in embarrassment.

"Yes, that's all. He wanted to do more, but I kicked him and locked myself in Mary Kate's mom's bedroom."

"What if you hadn't been able to get away?" He reached out and caught my arm, giving me a shake. "You didn't use your brain at all, Harlie. Except when you asked Ford to come get you."

He sighed, and let go of my arm. "You sure looked at home in front of that camera."

The way Daniel said it, it sounded like a bad thing. I knew he meant it that way, too.

"It didn't seem so bad at first," I said.

"I know. There's a lot of things that start out feeling fun, but they don't turn out so good."

"That's what this was, for sure. I'm sorry, Daniel."

"I don't want you to be sorry to me. I want you to be sorry to yourself. When guys see pictures like that, they don't think anything good about the girls in them."

Evan opened the door. "Come on, Daniel, everybody says hurry up!"

"In a minute," Daniel said, waving Evan back inside.

"I won't make a mistake like this again," I said, softly.

Daniel reached out and tucked my hair behind my ear. "That's good, squirt, I hope not."

"Hey, come with me a minute," he said, walking across the yard.

"What?" I asked, tagging after him.

Daniel went to the truck, and opened the passenger side door. "Look on the floorboard."

I looked at the papers stacked on the floor of the truck. "What am I looking for exactly? There might be something alive in that mess."

"Quiet, and look."

I rooted thru the papers, until my fingers closed around a familiar blue, then another, until I pulled out nine of those cursed calendars.

I looked at Daniel, and opened my mouth, but nothing came out.

"Speechless? I never thought I'd see the day when that happened."

"Thank you, Daniel."

"That was all that was left at the gas station."

"I appreciate it so much. Lori and I were going to go get a bunch, but Adam said I couldn't because I'm grounded."

"How long?"

"Two weeks."

"I would have given you three."

"Can I give you a hug now?"

He grinned. "You'd better."

7

"There's two casseroles in the freezer, and there's ham in the fridge for sandwiches," Hannah told Evan and I.

Hannah was giving instructions to us because she and Adam were going to Sonona for two days with some other neighbors to a cattlemen's meeting.

"Okay."

"And, guys," she said, pausing for emphasis, "vegetable is not a bad word. Have some of those, too."

"Okay," I said again, while Evan made a face.

"Harlie, you're in charge of seeing they eat right."

"Ha!" I said, in Evan's face. "I'm in charge!"

Evan just rolled his eyes.

"We're only going to be gone one night," Adam told her. "You act like they're going to starve."

Brian reached around Hannah and took a cookie out of the cookie jar,

"You children are on your own tonight," he said to Evan, Guthrie, Ford and I. "Crane and I are going out."

"Out where?" I asked.

"O U T, out, miss nosy."

"Children, huh?" Evan said, and the next thing anybody knew he had jumped on Brian, and Guthrie joined in, and the three of them were wrestling.

"Not in my kitchen!" Hannah said.

"Take it outside!" Adam yelled.

Guthrie listened and got off of Brian, and Brian got the upper hand with Evan, wrapping his arms around Evan and lifting him off his feet.

"You children want to continue this outside?" Brian said, laughing.

Evan was laughing, too. He shook himself free of Brian's grasp. "Any time you feel brave, old man," he said.

"Old man!" Brian growled, and lunged for Evan.

Evan jumped out of his reach, going to the other side of the table, calmly taking an apple from the bowl on the table, and grinning.

"Honestly," Hannah said, "it's like running a kindergarten."

But she was smiling when she said it, and everybody knows she doesn't mind the noise and roughhousing.

After Hannah and Adam left, the boys and I were just hanging around the living room. Brian came down the stairs, dressed in one of his best shirts, and good cowboy boots.
I leaned on the bannister at the foot of the stairs, and Guthrie stationed himself beside me.

Guthrie whistled. Ford and Evan started clapping.

"Thank you so very much," Brian said, joking good naturedly.

"You smell soooooo pretty," I said. Brian tugged on my braid.

"Crane!" He yelled up the stairs. "Let's get a move on!"

Crane came down the stairs. He looked nice, too. Of course I think all my brothers are handsome.

I sniffed Crane appreciatively. "You smell nice, too."

"Thanks."

"You'll see us when you see us," Brian told us. He turned to me. "You're grounded, remember."

I frowned at him. "I know! Geez, Bri, you're a real joykiller."

"Okay, okay. I just don't want you to get yourself in any more trouble."

I went to sit beside Ford on the couch.

"No way to get into trouble sitting here," I said glumly.

"Actually," Evan spoke up, "I thought the four of might go into Murphys."

I perked up at that, looking at Evan with interest.

"To do what?" Brian asked him.

"I thought I'd take 'the children' to get some pizza."

"Hannah made all that food and you're going out for pizza?" Crane asked.

Evan shrugged. "Why not? It's not like the food won't get eaten."

"He has a point," Crane said, looking at Brian.

"If Ford and Guthrie and me go, that leaves Harlie home alone," Evan said, and I tried to look properly pitiful.

I exchanged a look with Ford. He winked at me, obviously aware of Evan's plans. I held my breath, looking at Brian and Crane. I hadn't been anywhere except school and I was thrilled at the prospect of getting out of the house. Brian looked at Crane, and Crane shrugged, in a 'whatever' type of way.

"Okay," Brian said. He gave Evan a sage look.

"I suppose you waited until Adam was gone to bring this up. You children think I'm an easy mark."

Evan went to one side of Brian and Guthrie went to the other side.

"You, big brother, an easy mark?" Guthrie asked, shaking his head.

"Never," Evan said. "You're the ultimate hard ass."

"And don't any of you forget it." Brian said,
and grinned at me.

"Thanks, Bri."

"Yeah, yeah. Stay with your brothers."

"Yes, sir."

We all cleaned up after chores and changed our clothes to go into town.

The Jeep was what we had left to drive so we all climbed in. Evan said Guthrie could drive, so Ford sat in front with him, and Evan and I sat in the back. I tied my hair back knowing if I didn't, that it would be a tangled mass by the time we got there.

When Guthrie pulled into the pizza shop in Murphys, and ground the Jeep to a stop with a jerk, we were all laughing.

"Where the hell did you get your license?" Evan complained, jumping down and holding out a hand to me. I let him help me down, and we all filed inside.

There were lots of people we all knew, and we found a table, ordering our pizza. Guthrie and Ford and I had Coke to drink, and Evan had a beer.
Evan spent a majority of the time huddled in a corner with Toni, talking seriously. After the crowd thinned out, we left, too, climbing back into the Jeep.

"So, Modesa?" Guthrie asked.

"Yep," Evan said.

"Modesa?" I said. "Why are we going to Modesa?"

"We've got something to do there," Ford said, and started driving.

"What?"

"It's a surprise," Guthrie said vaguely.

"Isn't Brian going to be mad?" I asked, worried.

"Brian will be cool with it," Evan said with certainty.

I felt a stirring of unease, but the boys started telling jokes and stories, and I relaxed. When we finally reached Modesa, Ford pulled into a gas station and got out to fill up the Jeep. Evan said he was going in to get something to drink. I went inside, too, to go to the bathroom.

When I came back outside, they were all three standing beside the Jeep, talking in what seemed to be an intense way.

I slipped up behind them. "Boo!"

Guthrie and Ford jumped, startled, and bumped Evan's arm, spilling his bottle of grape soda.

"Gosh dang it!" he said, and I laughed.

"What's the big parlay about?"

"No parlay," Ford said. "Let's go."

"When do I get to know the surprise?" I asked, as Ford pulled back out onto the street.

"In due time, little sister," Evan said.

Ford drove around for awhile, while they argued about where to turn. "The guy at the gas station said it's just north of here a little bit."

"What are we looking for? I'll help look."

My offer was ignored, and I started to feel uneasy again. This whole thing had a wierdness to it. I mean, I trust my brothers, but something was up.

I decided to be firm. "Tell me right now what we're doing here, and what you're looking for," I ordered all of them.

Again I was ignored, while they continued to argue amongst themselves. I reached out and in one fluid movement, gave Guthrie's hair a yank with my right hand, and pinched Evan's arm with my left. I would have twisted Ford's ear or something, but since he was driving I figured that would be a dumb thing to do. They both yelped, and Evan grabbed my hand.

"Knock it off," he growled.

"Yeah, Har," Guthrie chimed in. "Geesh!"

"Well, you won't answer me-" I began, only to be interrupted by Ford saying gladly, "There it is!"

Evan turned my hand loose and I sat up straight to see what "it" was.

A sign proclaimed we were in front of Humphreys College. "I bet the dorms are back this way," Ford said, turning the Jeep sharply, so sharply that I fell into Evan.

"What are we doing here?" I asked, as Ford pulled the Jeep to a stop.

"This the one?" Ford asked Evan.

"That's what she said." Evan turned to Guthrie. "Remember, Guth, stay out of it if you can."

"WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE?" I yelled.

Well, I had their attention now.

"We've got to go in here for a minute." Evan said, as they all climbed out.

"Why?" I asked.

"We've got something to take care of."

"What?"

"Never mind," Evan said in that irritatingly superior way of older brothers.

"We'll be back in a minute," Ford said.

I started to climb out, too. "I'll go in with you," I said.

"NO!" they all three said together, really loud.

I looked at them, suspiciously. "Why not?" I demanded.

"It's guy stuff," Guthrie said, and I wanted to smack him.

"That's dumb, Guthrie."

"Never mind. Just wait here."

I stared at them, a wall of male McFadden stubbornness. "You guys are being wierd."

I remembered then, and my stomach clinched in knots. "Wait a minute!" I jumped out. "Who are you going in there to see?!"

"It's Charles, isn't it?" I yelled.

"Quiet down, Harlie," Ford told me calmly."Yeah, we're going in to talk to him."

"Why, Ford?" I clutched at his arm.

"We're just going to ask him some things," Evan said. "Get some answers."

"I've told you everything! Please, Ford! Evan!" I said pleadingly. "Please don't. Just leave it alone!"

"You didn't tell us everything," Ford said.

"I did!"

"You forgot to mention that he threatened you, told you he was going to take care of you, to watch out," Evan said quietly. "I bet you didn't tell Adam that either, or Daniel. Did you?"

I stared at them, Ford looked determined, Guthrie worried, and Evan looked calm, but his eyes were flashing in temper.

"Did you, Harlie?"

"No!" I yelled. "Why would I tell them that?! If I'd wanted any of you to know, then I would have told you! Who did tell you?"

"Toni."

Now I realized the content of her and Evan's cozy conversation at the pizza shop.

"She says this guy was bragging about it, what he was going to do."

"He was drunk, Evan! He won't really do anything! He's forgotten who I am! And he probably won't be in Murphys again!"

Evan stood with crossed arms. He looked unconvinced.

"Wait here," he said.

"You're not going in there, none of you!"

"We're just going to talk to him."

"Talk! You're going in there to beat him up!" I fixed them with an accusing look.

They didn't agree, but they didn't disagree, either. I wished I could close my eyes, and manufacture Adam or Crane. They'd get this situation under control.
I decided if they insisted on this foolishness, that I would have to be the voice of reason.

"Alright, but I'm going in, too."

They all started to protest, and hollar.

"I have to. I'm afraid to stay out here by myself," I said, widening my eyes and trying to look sincere.

"You are so full of bull, Harlie," Ford said.

"Exactly right." Guthrie agreed.

"Brian said I had to stay with you guys," I reminded them. Ford looked at Evan, and he shrugged.

"Fine. Stick close. Keep your mouth shut."

7 + 7 + 7 + 7 + 7

Evan and Ford started asking around about Charles, and when we were finally headed in the right vicinity of his dorm room, I suddenly got frightened, but for myself this time.

I took Ford's hand. I must have been squeezing it too hard because he looked down at me.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm scared, Ford. For real this time."

"We're just gonna scare him, Harlie. Nothing to get the cops called."

"I mean, I'm scared for me. I really don't want to see his face again."

"Guthrie can take you back to the Jeep."

"No, I'll stick it out. Just let me hold on to you, okay?"

"Okay." He grinned. "But if I have to save Evan's ass, then I'll need my hand."

"Save my ass, that'll be the day," Evan said darkly, still looking at the room numbers.

"This is it," he said, rapping on the door. There was loud music coming from the room, and Evan pounded, harder.

The door opened, and a girl wearing shorts and a halter top stepped out. "Well, hello there," she said, eyeing Evan with a smile.

"Hello," Evan grinned.

"We don't see too many cowboys 'round here." She said, giving Evan the once-over.

I rolled my eyes at Guthrie, and he gave a disgusted nod.

"We're looking for Charles," Guthrie said.

"Oh. Is that right?" she asked Evan.

"Yes, ma'm," Evan said.

Good gravy. You'd have thought Evan had handed her a twenty dollar bill, the way she stared at him, all moon-eyed. Ma'm. Ford gave Evan a hard poke.

"Is he here?" Evan asked.

"Yeah." She yelled, "Charles!"

"So, you going to be around awhile?" Flirt Girl asked Evan.

"No," Ford said.

"Maybe," Evan said.

"Okay. I'll be down in the student cafeteria. If you make it down there. " She tapped Evan's chest and smiled.

Evan watched her walk down the hallway, so when Charles came to the door, it was Ford who started talking.

"If you're Charles Rhoades, we want to have a couple words with you."

Charles was wearing shorts and no shirt. Since I was hanging on the other side of Guthrie, he hadn't seen me yet.

"That's me. What do you want?"

"We talk inside?" Ford gestured to the room.

"Who are you?"

"Ford McFadden. This is my brother, Evan."

"Look, partner," Charles said with a sneer, "I'm busy. Don't you guys have a cow to milk somewhere?"

Ford's jaw tightened, and Evan clinched his fist.

As Charles started to shut the door in his face, Evan stuck his boot out. "I think it'd be best if we talked in the room."

"I told you, I'm busy-"

"And we told you-we want to have a few words with you."

Evan pushed Charles aside like he was a piece of lint and he and Ford barged into the room. Guthrie pushed me ahead of him, and when Charles saw me he looked shocked, then stunned.

"Hayley?"

"Harlie." Guthrie sounded angry. "Her name is Harlie, jerkface. Harlie McFadden." Guthrie accentuated the McFadden part.

Realization seemed to dawn on Charles foggy brain, as Evan started talking.

"You have any sisters, Charles?" "No. What-"

"Well, let me explain to you how it works. When a guy has a younger sister, it's a big, big responsibility." Evan edged closer to Charles.

"Very big," Ford said, moving to his other side.

"The biggest," Guthrie said, standing directly in front of Charles.

"We take that responsibility very seriously," Evan continued, "and we have a problem with what happened two weeks ago at Mary Kate's party."

" It seems our sister felt disrespected," Ford said.

"Did she not tell your sorry ass that she was fifteen years old?"

Charles backed up a couple steps.

"I don't remember yesterday, let alone some party two weeks ago-"

"Let me refresh your memory," Evan said, giving Charles a shove in the chest. "You put the moves on a fifteen year old, and when she told you to stop, you threatened her."

"That's her story." He gave me a look. "Didn't you tell your brothers you were up for it, party girl?"

I felt my face flame, and Guthrie swung before Charles or anybody else saw it coming. His fist smashed into Charles' jaw and he fell against the dresser.
He let loose with a flow of obsenities.

"Don't talk about her like that!" Guthrie yelled, and pulled Charles up, just to punch him again, and again.

Even Evan and Ford looked surprised at Guthrie's explosive anger. "Guthrie, stop!" I yelled. I had never seen Guthrie like this before,, and it scared me.

"Ford! Do something!" I begged.

It took both Ford and Evan to pull Guthrie off of Charles, and when Guthrie struggled with them, Ford said, "Guthrie! Knock it off!" in a really stern voice, and shook him a little.

Guthrie looked at Ford and seemed to calm down a little. "That's enough, Guth," Evan said, patting Guthrie's shoulder.

Charles was still sitting on the floor, his lip and nose both bleeding. He looked, to say the least, stunned. He swiped at his nose with his hand.
"You broke my nose, you stupid son of a b-ch!" he yelled.

"Harlie, take him out in the hall," Evan said, giving Guthrie a push towards the door. "Both of you wait out there."

I hesitated, and then I looked at Guthrie. He was sweating, and he looked stunned, too. I opened the door, and Guthrie and I went out, but I looked back once at Ford and Evan, and Ford nodded at me.

"It's okay, Har," Ford said calmly. "We'll be out in just a couple of minutes. Close the door."

"Let's go, Ford!" I begged. "Let's just go home!"

"We will, in a minute. Go on, now."

I wanted to argue, but my concern for Guthrie overrode that, and I shut the door behind us.

Guthrie kind of sank to the floor, sitting on his heels. He looked pale, and the freckles on his nose showed up more.

"Are you okay?" I asked him.

"Yeah."

"You don't look it. Do you want a drink or something?"

Guthrie shook his head. I could hear more yelling coming from the room, and I was getting scared. The halls were full of college kids, and nobody seemed to be paying attention, but what if they did, and somebody called the cops? I saw that Guthrie's knuckles were bleeding a little. I didn't know if it was his blood, or Charles',
but I wished I had a towel or something to wrap around his hand.

"I'm scared, Guthrie."

Guthrie didn't answer, and I reached out to squeeze his shoulder. "Guthrie?"

"I've never broken anybody's nose before."

He sounded shaken.

"Maybe you didn't." Even to my own ears it sounded like thin comfort.

"Brian told me once what it sounded like to break somebody's nose. I didn't mean to hit him that hard."

"Why'd you lose it like that, Guth?"

Before Guthrie could respond, Evan and Ford came out, and Ford shut the door. Ford took my arm and hustled me down the hallway, while Evan propelled Guthrie in pretty much the same way.

I kept asking Ford what happened, and he said, "We'll talk about it in a minute."

We reached the Jeep in record time, and I hissed at Ford, "Are the cops coming?"

"No." Ford said, getting into the driver's seat.

Guthrie got in beside Ford, and Evan and I got in the back. I was breathing a sigh of relief that we were going to be heading home.

I reached out to pick up Evan's hand, and look it over.

"What're you looking at?"

"Seeing if your knuckles are hurt."

"They aren't."

"I see. You didn't hit him?"

"Nope. Didn't have to." He reached up to rough up Guthrie's hair. "Guth did everything that needed done, didn't you, little brother?"

Guthrie shook his head, and looked as though he might be sick.

When we passed a gas station, I told Ford to pull in. "What for?"

"Because Guthrie needs ice for his hand!" I snapped.

"No, I don't," Guthrie protested.

"Ford McFadden, you pull this Jeep into that station!" I ordered.

Ford gave me a raised eyebrow look, but he pulled in and parked.

"Alright, Florence Nightingale, go in and get some ice," Evan said.

"Guthrie, go get some ice," I said.

"I don't need ice."

"Yes, you do."

"No." Guthrie turned to give me a look.

"While you're in there, will you get me a ginger ale, Guth? My stomach's upset," I said, and did my pitiful eyes at him.

"You're full of it," he said, but he got out and went in.

"What happened?! "

"You don't have to worry about Charlie boy anymore," Evan said.

"I bet not," I said, "and I thank you both. But Guthrie's feeling so bad. I'm worried about him, he's acting wierd."

"He'll be alright," Evan said.

"He thinks he broke Charles' nose! He's feeling bad because he lost control!"

Ford and Evan exchanged a look.

"We have to make him feel better," I said, and my eyes filled with tears. "This is all my fault, this whole thing!"

"It's not your fault," Ford said. "It's the fault of that jerk in that dorm room."

"Guthrie's upset," I said, and in an unaccustomed show of gentleness, Evan wiped my cheek with his finger, and pulled me over for a hug.

"It'll be alright, Har," he said.

Guthrie came back and climbed in, carrying an ice pack and a can of ginger ale, which he handed to me.

He held the ice on his hand. "Happy?" he asked me.

"You went all Rambo in there, Guth," Ford said quietly.

"Yeah."

Ford reached over and put a hand on the back of Guthrie's neck. "It's okay, buddy," he said, and it was so characteristic of something Adam would do that I got a lump in my throat.

"I lost control, Ford," Guthrie said, and his voice broke in emotion. "It's just-when he started trashing Harlie like that, I just-"

"I know. It's okay. You're an official member of the OBP."

"What the hell is that?"

"Older Brother Patrol."

"Besides," Evan spoke up. "You didn't do Charlie any permanent damage."

"I broke his nose, Evan!"

"Naw, you didn't."

"I didn't? You sure?" Guthrie looked hopeful.

"Of course I'm sure," Evan said, and I breathed a sigh of relief right along with Guthrie. I knew Guthrie would be feeling guilty enough for his loss of control, without thinking he'd broken somebody's nose.

"Not that the ass didn't deserve it, if you had," Ford said.

"Yeah," Guthrie said, looking more like his normal self.

I fell asleep leaning on Evan, and I slept until we were almost home. We went in and Ford went around turning on lights, and Guthrie let Gus come in.

"I'll make cocoa," I offered.

I found some cookies to go with the cocoa and carried it all on a tray to the living room.

Guthrie looked a lot better, and he must have felt better, too, because he ate four cookies.

"I don't know what to say to you guys," I said, "except thank you."

"Hey, it's what we do," Ford said.

"You still should have told us he threatened you," Evan said.

"I was trying to avoid what happened tonight," I pointed out.

"No excuse."

"Maybe he won't make any more calendars," Guthrie said

"Everything worked out, and you don't have to worry about Charles anymore." Ford said. "That's the main thing."

When a flash of headlights turned into the drive, Guthrie got up to look out the window.

"It's Brian and Crane," he said.

"Hey," Evan said to all of us, "what happened in Modesa stays there, right?"

"Right," Ford said.

"Righto," Guthrie said.

"My lips are sealed," I said.

I ran to throw the door open.

"Hey, peach," Brian said, with a gentle tug on my hair.

"Hey," I said, giving Crane a hug hello.

Brian hung up his hat, and sat down on the couch to take his boots off. His gaze took in the boys sprawled all over the living room.

"You all look like you were rode hard and put up wet," he observed.

"Want some cocoa?" I asked Crane.

"No, thanks, baby. I think I'll just sit here a minute."

"Did you dance?" I asked.

"I did."

"Was she purrrrrty?" Evan joked.

"Of course."

I sipped at my cocoa, curled up next to Crane, while they all talked and joked around.

Daniel got home a little while after that, and he sat down, too, putting his sock feet in my lap.

Daniel told us about his show that night, and everybody was talking all at the same time. Ford and Guthrie started tossing apples back and forth.

I shoved Daniel's feet off my lap and followed Evan to the kitchen.

He had his head stuck inside the refrigerator.

"Hey, where's that chocolate cake Hannah made?"

"I don't think there's any left. But she's got brownies in there."

Evan rooted around and came out with a plate of brownies. "Score!"

"Thanks for helping Guthrie feel better," I said, pouring myself a glass of milk.

"Yeah. No need for him to worry."

"What do you mean?"

Evan gave me a look. "About breaking Charlie's nose."

"You mean he did?"

"Yeah, pretty sure he did."

"But, Evan, what if Charles goes to the cops?"

"He won't. Cause then he'd have to answer for what he did to you."

"Why did you and Ford lie about it to him?"

"Because. It would eat Guthrie up inside. No need for that." He held out the plate. "Brownie?" he offered.

I shook my head, and followed Evan back into the living room.

I took my place back between Daniel and Crane. I was quiet and full of my own thoughts. Adam and Hannah would be home tomorrow and I was glad about that. I was thinking about Adam, and how he took care of and worried over all of us, and how all us kids could depend on him. And Hannah. We were all so lucky to have her as part of our family. She filled a void for us, with her nurturing spirit.

I looked around the room at all of my brothers, noisy and rowdy. Brian, tough on the outside, but he could be gentle, too. You always knew where you stood with Brian. Crane, so kind, and steady. If there was an emergency, Crane was the one you wanted beside you.

Daniel. Well, Daniel can look in my eyes, and see my soul, my thoughts. That can be a good thing, or a bad thing, depending on if he's mad at me about something. I can talk to Daniel about all kinds of things, and he's always, always honest with me.

Evan. I fuss and argue most with Evan, mostly because he's so darn bossy and superior acting. But then he will do what he did tonight, defend me, and I know he loves me.

Ford. I can always depend on Ford. He helps, but he doesn't push. He's smart and lots of fun.

Guthrie. Well, Guthrie is my buddy, my almost-twin, my confidant. Guthrie always has my back.

They are a noisy, rowdy, stubborn bunch. Seven older brothers is a lot. Sometimes their bossing makes me mad, but I know one thing. I'm lucky to have them, every one of them.

Because whether it's honest advice, a hard hug, a call home late at night for a ride, or a trip to Modesa to defend my honor, they're there for me.

"You're quiet tonight, peanut," Crane said. "You okay?"
I smiled up at him. "Yeah. I'm good."