Guthrie climbed in the passenger side of the pickup and stared out the window as his friend, Reggie, started the engine. Guthrie couldn't stop thinking about basketball practice as they pulled out of the school parking lot on their way home.

He was a sophomore this year and had been starting at guard on the junior varsity team since the beginning of the season, averaging six points a game. Not an overwhelming player like Adam or Brian, but six points was nothing to sneeze at. Guthrie was also eligible to play on the varsity team. Even though he mostly rode the bench during the varsity games, he was still ready to go if the coach needed him.

But a few weeks ago, a new kid had moved to the area, and he was really good. Mitch Stevens was taller and faster than Guthrie, and quickly produced results off the bench for both the varsity and JV. Today, Coach Miller had pulled Guthrie aside and said that Mitch would start on Monday in his place. Guthrie nodded and didn't put up an argument, but it still felt like a gut punch. And he worried that his family would be disappointed.

Despite losing their folks much too early, all the McFaddens had taken part in school sports. Adam's basketball team had been state champs the year he graduated which kind of set the stage for the rest of the family. Brian was in a class all his own. Even during his senior year when he'd gone to school only part time, he and Adam arranged it with the school and the coaches so Brian could continue to play. Taking just three classes that year to get enough credits to graduate and practicing whenever he could, Brian played football, basketball, and baseball. And made all-conference for all three sports—all-state for baseball. He was named Most Athletic by his classmates and really had no competition for the honor. Brian was the most naturally gifted athlete in the family, and there was no type of sport he didn't thrive on and love.

Crane had also gone out for basketball, and he was a solid player. Not spectacular like Adam and Brian, but a reliable four to six points a game and a good ball handler who dished out assists right and left. Daniel and Evan had played football: Daniel as defensive back and Evan a wide receiver. Given their competitiveness with each other, putting them on opposite sides of the same ball made for fun practices. Ford had played baseball as a kid but switched to track in school. He'd enjoyed being part of a team but preferred individual events.

And Guthrie stuck with basketball. He knew he could have played football or baseball, but in his heart, he wanted to be like Adam, Brian, and Crane. And everything seemed to be working out just fine till Mitch showed up. Now Guthrie was riding the bench in junior varsity, too, and disappointed in himself for not being a better player. With all the inspiration and coaching from home, he ought to be a whiz.

And it's not like Mitch was even a jerk about it. He was a nice guy, willing to be patient and wait his turn despite being a terrific player. He came to practice every day, ran drills, did what the coach said, and let his talent speak for itself. And he was open and joking, kidding around when he screwed up and threw the ball in the bleachers just like the rest of them. So it wasn't like Guthrie could even hold a grudge.

"You all right, G?"

Guthrie turned to find Reggie looking back at him curiously. "Yeah. Why?"

"Awful quiet over there." He paused, "What'd Coach have to say after practice?"

Guthrie didn't figure it would help to delay the news, so he decided to go ahead and spill. If he pretended like it didn't bother him, there wouldn't be much of a story to go around. If he acted upset, everyone would say he was jealous and angry with Coach and Mitch, and Guthrie didn't want people talking behind his back. And he wasn't jealous or angry…just disappointed. "He said he was going to start Mitch on Monday."

Reggie blinked in surprise, "Really? You all right with that?"

Guthrie shrugged in what he hoped was nonchalance. "Winning's more important than starting. It's what's best for the team." Sounded pretty good anyway.

Reggie studied him, and Guthrie wondered how he looked to his friend. Reggie's response wasn't a good indication. "I think I'd be mad. New guy coming in and taking my spot…"

Guthrie looked back steadily. "Not like he just got here. He's been with us for weeks. And I'll still be playing…just not starting. Got to keep some perspective here, Reg."

Reggie kept staring, and finally, Guthrie shrugged again and looked out the windshield.

"You can still be ticked off, though."

Guthrie bit his tongue for a second. "Well, sure, I wish I was starting, but you know…it's okay. That's how it goes." He grinned as he turned back to his friend. "Don't get too comfortable. Maybe you'll be benched next week, and I'll be starting for you."

Reggie narrowed his eyes in mock anger. "That happens, you'll be hoofing it home on your own."

Guthrie smiled innocently as he glanced out the side window at the passing scenery. "You know one of the best things about having six older brothers? I know just about every dirty trick in the book. And how to hide my tracks." Guthrie looked back at Reggie, "You might want to think about that."

Reggie tried to keep from laughing and ended up clearing his throat a couple of times. "Yeah. I can see that might be a distinct advantage occasionally."

"Thought you might." On that note, the two of them burst out laughing.

SB4SB

Reggie dropped him in front of the house, and Guthrie trudged through the yard, wondering what to tell the family. Not that they wouldn't understand, but he worried they might think he wasn't trying hard enough. They were all athletes, and Guthrie had kept up the tradition. Until now anyway. And it wasn't even that he was letting 'em down 'cause he was still on both teams. But…he worried they might be just a little disappointed. Hearing his brothers around the side of the house, he detoured that way. When he got there, the source of the noise was immediately clear.

Since graduating high school and going out on the rodeo circuit, Evan had also occasionally taken on horses to train. Sometimes, it was breaking to saddle, bridle, and commands. Other times, he had more seasoned animals and trained them to be cutting horses. He was good at it, and his reputation had spread. Depending on the number of horses and location, folks either brought their animals to the Circle Bar Seven or Evan went to their ranches and did the training there. He'd worked all over the west.

At any rate, when this work became more regular, the family put up another corral so he could keep these horses separate from the family mounts. And that's where everybody was. A rancher from a few counties over had dropped off four horses the previous week, and Evan was teaching them the basics. Guthrie left his books by the porch and hurried to the back corral to watch Evan get on this three year old for the first time. It never ceased to amaze Guthrie that Evan—who had a temper quick and hot as lightening—could be so calm and patient with every animal on the planet. Especially horses. It had all pretty much started with Diablo.

Growing up, Evan'd had a horse named Mickey; Guthrie had ridden the same horse when he was younger. But when Evan turned fourteen, Adam, Brian, and Crane gave him a new colt for his birthday. Guthrie had been nine at the time, and till then, he'd never known Evan could be rendered speechless.

Their older brothers had taught them all the rudiments of training a young horse. Evan had absorbed that and taken off. Guthrie had no idea where he learned the rest of the stuff he knew, whether he just figured it out, or maybe he got it from the horses 'cause he said they talked to him. Either way, Evan now knew more about training horses than all the rest of his brothers put together.

The sweet little filly he was working today was a beaut…a dark brown and white pinto, fifteen hands, an Arabian head, and a nice disposition. Over the last week, Evan had gone through basic commands and introduced a simple D ring bridle. A couple of days ago, he'd gotten her used to the saddle blanket. Today, the plan was saddle and rider. Guthrie climbed to the top rail to sit by Brian. Guthrie loved to watch Evan at this, knowing the whole world could see all the best parts of his brother.

Brian's eyes never left Evan and the filly. "Hey, Squirt. How was practice?"

Guthrie didn't want to discuss basketball. "Fine. Evan tried it on her yet?"

"Just getting there."

Guthrie watched as Evan slid the saddle across the filly and right back off as she tried to squirt away. Over and over, he slid the saddle in sight and over her back from both sides, getting her used to it till she stood still with the saddle resting on her back as he petted her constantly, talking softly the whole time.

Guthrie was spellbound as Evan pulled the cinch in enough to keep the saddle in place. Then he petted her once more and backed off. She stood motionless then realized the weight and tightness were still on her back. She started bucking, but Evan kept hold of her lunge, and she gradually settled down. More petting and reassurance, and soon, she was calm and waiting. He loosened the cinch and off came the saddle. On and off. On and off. Perfectly patient and waiting on her for the next step.

It didn't take long. After a short time working with the saddle, Evan tightened the cinch again as she stood calmly. Then he began raising his knee to the horse's elbow and shoulder. Getting her used to it. Five, six times as he grasped her mane at the same time. She seemed a bit bewildered by his behavior, but she stood still. Finally, he pulled himself up and let his weight rest across her back, petting her sides and talking to her the whole time. In seconds, he slid back off. She sidestepped a little, but her ears kept flipping back to listen as he murmured and kept petting her. Another minute or two, and he performed the same action again. She remained calm throughout, getting used to it.

Guthrie glanced around the corral. Ford would be home from UC Davis that evening, but everybody else was here now. Once upon a time, Adam and Brian would have told Evan when to stop working the filly, but no more. These days, they usually let Daniel make final decisions about anything mechanical and Crane took care of the money and accounts, just as Evan had final say in the horses. Not that the two oldest didn't understand how to do these tasks themselves, but they accepted that their younger brothers had more expertise in certain areas. Guthrie vaguely wondered if there would ever be anything on the whole ranch that he was expert in…he couldn't imagine what in the world it might be since he hadn't shown a special aptitude for anything yet. Sure not much aptitude in basketball anyway. Regardless, he had chores still needed doing, and he pulled his legs back over the top rail of the fence.

"Think I'll go with ya." Brian climbed down and dropped an arm around Guthrie's shoulders. "How was school?"

"Fine. Chad Bender's girlfriend dumped him for Neil Dary."

Brian was quiet for a second. "Isn't Neil Dary kind of a nerd?"

"Yeah."

"So, why'd she ditch Chad for him?"

"Well, could be 'cause Neil's getting bigger. Or 'cause he got rid of his glasses. Or 'cause he's one of the smartest kids in school. Or 'cause his folks got him a car. But she said it's 'cause Chad's a jerk, and Neil's sweet to her."

Brian waited as Guthrie stopped to pick up his books. "Well, something to be said for treating a girl like a lady instead of a door mat."

Of all his older brothers, Brian had the biggest reputation as a ladies' man. And Guthrie remembered the ugly scene between Brian and Daniel over Tally Dean. So he figured if any of them had experienced success and failure with the opposite sex, it was Brian. "Yeah, that's kinda what I figured."

Just as they went in the house, Guthrie heard Hannah in the kitchen. "Oh, for heaven's sake!"

He glanced over and saw her standing over the sink. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, hi, sweetheart. How was school?"

"Fine."

Brian spoke up, "What's wrong with the sink?"

"The water just stopped mid-stream, something smells funny, and it's not draining right."

Brian's forehead scrunched up in concern as he walked over to check it out. Once there, he pulled his head away in disgust. "Whew! What died?"

"I couldn't get the washer to spin either. The clothes are sopping wet. Maybe that's the problem?"

"Yeah, okay. I'll get Daniel, and we'll start looking."

Glad it wasn't his problem to fix, Guthrie took his books upstairs and changed into work clothes.