Saddle

Evan McFadden stared out the front door. The sunset this evening was pretty, all dusty pink and purple, but he found it of little interest. Still no sign of the jeep. An audible sigh and click of his tongue betrayed his impatience.

His oldest brother Adam and sister-in-law Hannah looked up from the magazines they were reading. Hannah said, "Evan, you know what they say about a watched pot."

The fifth-born McFadden son turned. "Huh?"

The youngest, Guthrie, chided, "Oh, come on, even I know that one."

Evan eyed him. "So I don't. What is it, smarty pants?"

"A watched pot never boils. You keep watching out the door, the longer he'll take." Grinning, Guthrie high-fived the sixth McFadden, Ford.

Adam addressed Evan. "Don't you have something better to do than stand there?"

"I could do a lot of things but would have to stop for dinner, so what's the sense?"

As Evan spoke, brothers number two and four, Brian and Daniel, came in the side door. Daniel said, "Speaking of dinner, I'm starved. Thanks for waiting on us, Hannah."

Adam asked, "Tractor fixed?"

"Good as it's gonna get for now," Brian answered. "Getting tired of always fixing it. I spend so much time with it, you'd think it was my best girl."

"Well …" Adam started.

"I know." Brian sighed.

"Enough of the tractor." Hannah rose. "Let's eat. I'll keep a plate warm for Crane if he's still not home before we're done."

Daniel paused in the living room as everyone made their way to the kitchen. "Shouldn't he have been back by now?"

"Yeah, a couple hours ago." Evan looked out the door yet again.

"Not that he's watching the clock," Ford interjected.

"Evan, you already know what the answer's gonna be – same as it was last time, and the time before that, and the time before that. Give it a rest already. You're just gonna make him mad." Daniel shook his head.

"Mind your own business, Daniel!" Evan's tone was testy.

"Stop it, both of you!" Adam admonished. "Can we have a nice, peaceful dinner, please?"

"Adam, I need a new saddle," Evan pleaded.

Brian washed his hands at the kitchen sink. "And we need a new tractor and lots of other stuff around this place that we can't afford. Where does your saddle fit on that list?"

"But Crane said he'd look at the budget again."

Ford smiled. "He says that every time he gets tired of saying no."

Adam set a bowl of mashed potatoes on the table before taking his seat. As everyone joined hands, he said grace, then reached for the platter nearest him. "Evan, there's a time and a place, and this isn't it. We've already told you we can't afford a new saddle. We have all we can do to keep the tack repaired as it is."

"But the cinch is starting to shred on my bronc saddle. You know how Coop is about gear being in good shape. I don't want to get thrown out of class for that," Evan whined.

Brian put two rolls on his plate and continued the bread bowl around the table. "First I've heard about the cinch. Why didn't you tell Crane? He was stopping by Haney's today to get a new latigo for me."

"Because little brother's special and wants a whole new saddle," Daniel teased. "He's sounding like a broken record. Good luck!"

Adam looked to his left. "Enough, Daniel."

Brian offered, "I'll look at your cinch tomorrow."

Evan explained, "I just noticed it today and need a new one for the team competition next Saturday."

"If you need one, you'll have a new one in time," Adam reassured.

Evan's face lit up. "Really, Adam? Thanks!"

Everyone turned to Adam, who glared at Evan. "A new cinch. Not a new saddle."

Evan sighed. He knew this was an uphill battle but still hoped to win it, or at least find some compromise. He glanced at Crane's empty chair to his right. He appreciated the tenuous financial position the family was in – heck, always seemed to be in – and his third-born brother's constant struggle to balance the budget. But Crane had said he would double-check it again and see if … If. No matter what anyone else might think, to Evan, it was an opening, a hope. And yes, he, Evan, probably had worn out his welcome with Adam and Crane where money was concerned. After all, they were paying for expensive rodeo classes, plus whatever he needed for football. He reasoned Guthrie's soccer and Ford's after school club activities balanced his out somewhat, but he did get the lion's share of the extracurricular dollars. And now, a saddle. He had a couple of ideas he wanted to propose to Crane that might free up some money.

Outside illumination lit up the front room as a familiar sounding vehicle pulled up to the gate. Evan was out of his chair before the engine turned off.

Hannah called after him, "Evan, you're asking for trouble. Better learn to pick your battles."

Evan watched Crane walk up to the house and climb the porch. Something was amiss. He chuckled and turned to the others. "Looks like Crane's been mud wrestling."

With questioning looks everyone made their way to the living room as Crane came in the door, shivering and mud covered from head to toe. He toed his boots off and set them by the door.

"What happened?" Hannah asked.

"What a mess!" Guthrie exclaimed.

"Got a flat. The spare rolled down the hill and I slipped going after it," Crane explained.

Hannah reached to examine a cut near Crane's eye. "You okay?"

"Yeah." He yawned. "Just a couple of cuts. Probably wouldn't have happened in the first place if I wasn't so tired and paid more attention to what I was doing. Nothing a shower and a hot meal won't fix."

Adam reached to grasp Crane's shoulder but pulled back when he noticed the extent to which his brother's jacket was covered in muck. And jeans, and boots, and hat. "You can fill us in after supper."

Crane nodded.

Hannah disappeared into the laundry room, returning with a basket. "Put your clothes in there and I'll get them right into the washer."

"Don't forget the blanket from the jeep. I put it on the seat so it wouldn't get too dirty." Crane reached for the basket and turned to start up the stairs when Evan blocked his path.

"Crane?"

"Not now, Evan."

"But you said …"

Adam scolded, "Time and place, Evan. Leave him be."

~~00oo00~~

After a shower, Crane appeared downstairs in sweats. The family had already finished but stayed at table as he ate and to hear about his day.

The flat and wrestling with the spare and the hill had happened on his way home, so he did not spend the day in San Andreas mud covered. Crane was hopeful Daniel could fix the tire so they would not have to buy a new one.

He told Brian, "There's a note in the window that Haney's is closed for a family emergency and it was too late by then to try anywhere else, so no latigo. I'm hoping not to go anywhere until I have to go back to San Andreas next Monday, so either you get one or maybe use the one from Guthrie's saddle until then."

Before Brian could respond, Adam asked, "So why go back? Weren't they able to resolve the assessment today?"

"No. Seemed like the whole county was there appealing. But what do they expect when the assessments go so high?" Crane yawned. "Sorry. By the time they sorted the crowd, they only got to a few people so gave everybody appointment times. We have Monday at two, if you want to go with me."

Adam shook his head. "No. You know property taxes aren't my thing except to gripe about. You're welcome to it."

"Okay."

Brian quipped, "I know you've been running the jeep ragged lately and want a rest, but I'd appreciate you running over to Angel's Camp tomorrow to settle that bill of sale for the extra tractor parts I ordered. I left it on the desk. And if they're in, you can pick them up at the same time. And stop somewhere and get me that new latigo." He grinned. "I don't want to take it from Guthrie's just to have to put it back again."

Hannah said, "If you're going out tomorrow, I have a list."

Daniel noted, "I'll be busy rehearsing with the band, so if you can pick up some new guitar strings, we can both use them."

Evan met Adam's gaze, the younger brother's eyes wide in anticipation.

The eldest pleaded, "And please pick Evan up from school tomorrow and take him with you so you two can talk once and for all about that darned saddle. We're all tired of hearing about it, and he seems to think the answer might change."

Lest the avalanche – um, list – get any bigger, Crane jumped up from his chair, heading for the stairs. "I'm going to bed."