Well, Ford waited until after supper. Then he went to call Valerie, amid much teasing from Evan and Brian.

"So what's this girl like?" Brian asked me, as we were all sitting around the living room.

"She seems nice," I said. "She goes to college at the University of Nevada."

When Ford came back from his phone call, he said he was going to shower and go pick Valerie up for a date.

Brian and Evan started teasing him again, and even Adam made a comment or two. Guthrie got in on it with

a question about how pretty Valerie was.

"She's pretty," Ford acknowledged.

"How pretty, on a scale of 1 to 10?" Guthrie persisted.

"Guthrie, that's not the way to judge a girl," Hannah objected.

"Aw, Hannah," Guthrie said, "it doesn't mean anything."

"Well, I don't like it," Hannah said firmly, but when she went to the kitchen, Guthrie asked Ford

again, "One to ten?"

"Guthrie, stop it," Adam ordered.

When Adam followed Hannah, Ford held up all ten fingers in silent admission of Valerie's beauty, and

Evan and Brian laughed.

7

Guthrie went to see Kristin after Ford left, and Evan went to town to play pool with some friends.

I played a game of checkers with Crane, and then sat beside Clare, while she worked on my fingernails. I don't take

care of my nails like a lot of girls do. They're always chipped and ragged looking, especially since I started working at

the vet office, and I hardly ever use nail polish.

I had to admit they looked a lot better though, after Clare had filed on them with an emery board.

While Clare was working on my nails, Hannah made a casual comment.

"That dress you liked at Marshall's is on sale, sweetie. I noticed when I was in town the other day."

I tried to remember what dress she was talking about.

"You know, the one that we saw when we were in town together a couple of weeks ago?" Hannah reminded me.

"Oh, yeah," I remembered. It was a cute dress, black and white stripes with a flouncy skirt.

"I thought you might want to get it, with some of the money you've earned from your job," Hannah suggested.

With the money I'd earned, I'd managed to pay off almost half of the vet bill we owed to Doc G. With the five dollars a week

he insisted that I take, I'd spent most of that on a birthday present for Guthrie. A pair of seat covers for his truck.

"I'm not worried about buying a dress," I said, and Hannah looked at me in surprise.

"You need a new dress for church. I thought you liked it."

"I do like it. But I'm not going to waste my money on anything silly like clothes right now. I have more important things

to do." I didn't realize how definite and curt I sounded

until I saw Hannah's puzzled face, and Adam said quietly, "No need to be rude, Harlie."

I felt my face get warm. "I'm sorry, Hannah," I apologized. "It's just that I don't have the money for the dress right now. I can

make do with the ones I have."

My comment drew the attention of every single person in the room.

"You don't have any money left?" Adam asked, looking incredulous. "Has Doc not been payin' you?"

"He's been paying me," I said quickly.

"You've been workin' there for what? Three weeks now?" Adam asked me.

"Three Saturdays. And then today."

"And you have no money left?" Adam asked again.

"Well, not much," I admitted.

"What in thunder have you been spendin' it on?" Brian asked, looking as surprised as Adam.

"I bought Guthrie a birthday present with some of it," I said, hoping to keep my surprise about the vet bill a secret awhile longer. "And

the rest of it, well, I had something to do."

"Harlie," Crane said, giving me a disappointed look. "You should have saved at least part of it. That's a lot of money to just blow."

I couldn't stand the disappointment on their faces.

I sat up really straight, and looked at all of them earnestly.

"I see how hard you all work, and worry about money! I wouldn't just blow all of it for no good reason!"

"Well, what is it then?" Brian asked me.

I surveyed them all seriously for a minute, while they all looked at me expectantly. "It's sort of a surprise," I said.

"A surprise for who?" Crane asked.

"Well, for all of you. For the family," I said.

"You don't need to be buyin' us all a present," Adam said.

"It's not a present, exactly," I said.

I decided then that it didn't matter really, that I could go ahead and tell them

now about what I'd been working for.

"Just a minute," I said, and stood up, going up to my bedroom, and getting the latest receipt from Doc G out of my top dresser

drawer. I'd paid 80 dollars on the 210 dollars that was owed. I went back downstairs, and handed it to Adam, and he and Brian

stood together, looking at the receipt. Crane stepped closer and read it, too, and then the three of them stared at me.

"What is this?" Adam asked.

"It's what's been paid on the vet bill," I said quietly.

"What vet bill?" Brian demanded. "You mean ours?"

I nodded at him, and Hannah stepped closer to me, and put her arm around my waist. "Oh, sweetie," she said.

"Now, just a minute," Adam began. "What made you think of this?"

"I wanted to do something to help out," I told him. "This seemed like a good way."

Adam opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, Brian said, "Hell, no, you're not doin' this!"

I blinked at him. He sounded angry. He looked angry, too.

"Bri-," I began, but he held up a hand to forestall me saying any more.

"This isn't your responsibility," he said. "Your money is yours to spend, on things you need, or save, not to pay our bills."

"But I want to-" I said.

"No," Brian said stubbornly, fiercely, and then he turned to go outside to the front porch, letting the door slam

behind him.

Clare gave me a sympathetic look, and then went outside after Brian.

I was bewildered by Brian's reaction, stunned and a little bit hurt. I looked at Adam, and he must have been able

to read my feelings, because he came over to me, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"Sugar, this is sweet of you, and I appreciate it, I can't even tell you how much I appreciate it. But Brian's right, this

isn't your responsibility. You need to keep your money for the things you need, or want, like the dress Hannah's talkin'

about."

"Adam, I don't care about the dress." I clutched at his hand. "Please try to understand."

Hannah came over and hooked her arm thru Adam's. "Adam, she wants to," she said quietly.

Adam gave me a long look, and then gave a resigned nod.

I smiled at him, and turned to Crane. "Well?" I asked him.

Crane pulled me over and looped his arms around my neck. "You're some kind of special kid, you know that?" he said.

"Oh, I know that," I said lightly, grinning at him.

Crane kissed the top of my head.

"But we'll pay the rest of it," Crane said, and Adam nodded in agreement.

"That's right," Adam said.

"Okay," I conceded.

We all turned as the screen door opened and Clare came back in. She looked a little strained.

I looked at her questioningly, and she came over to me.

"He's just hesitant about it, Harlie. He doesn't mean to make you feel badly."

I nodded, and Hannah pulled me into a hug. She whispered, low, into my ear. "They're proud men, sweetie. This isn't easy for

them, to take from you like this. Try to understand how they feel."

Hannah said they needed to get the turkey ready to go into the oven for the next day, so she and Clare went off

towards the kitchen.

"Come and help, cowboy," Hannah said, turning back to Adam.

When Adam had gone, I looked up at Crane.

"Guess I better talk to Brian," I said, though I didn't want to, and went to the door. Instead of going out right away, I stood at the

screen door looking out at Brian. He was standing with his back turned to me, leaning against a porch column, and looking out

across the pasture.

I opened the screen door and went out, shutting it quietly behind me. Brian didn't seem to hear, because he didn't turn around.

I went up behind him, and hesitated again, and then stood beside him, leaning on the porch railing.

Brian gave me a brief side glance, and then looked out at the cows grazing again.

"Are you mad at me?" I asked quietly.

"Of course not," Brian said, in a clipped tone.

"Because it kind of seems like you are," I said.

"Well, I'm not."

Brian sighed heavily, and I stayed quiet, waiting for him to say something.

"It's not your place to pay our bills," he said.

"I want to help, though."

"Not this way."

"Daniel does, and Evan-" I started to point out.

"That's not the same thing, and you know it."

I sighed, looking up at him.

"It's our job to do for you, not the other way around. You're a kid,

and I want you to have the chance to be a kid. Period. No kid should have

to take on adult responsibilities," he said firmly.

I thought for a minute, trying to formulate the words I needed to say. Finally, instead, I just spoke from my heart.

"You did," I said softly.

That prompted Brian to turn to face me. "What?" he demanded, sounding gruff.

"You were a kid. Not much older than me and Guthrie. And you had to take on adult responsibilities." I didn't remember

those early days, since I'd been just a baby, but I'd heard Daniel and Evan talk about it enough to know that Brian had worked,

and gone to high school, and come home to cook and help take care of me and my brothers.

Brian gave me a narrow-eyed look. "Harlie-" he began.

I wrapped my arms around his waist and looked up into his stern face.

"And what you did for all of us, you and Adam, that's so much more than what I want to do right now. I just paid a little

on a bill. You gave up so much. You raised us."

A range of emotions crossed Brian's face. I took my opportunity to press my point.

"Please, Brian? I want to do this."

Brian lifted his eyes heavenward, as if seeking strength. "Just this time," he said quietly. "This is it. Got it?"

"Got it," I said, smiling at him.

"Alright. Thank you," he said.

"You're welcome."

"You make me damn proud," Brian said, brushing back my hair.

"I do?" I asked, pleased. " You don't say that very often."

"Well," he said, tucking a stubborn curl behind my ear, "I'll try to say it more often, then. Alright?"

That night, as I was drifting off to sleep, it occurred to me that the reason Brian fought so, and felt so strongly about the

whole thing, was because he was remembering how hard it had been for him at seventeen years old to

do what he'd had to do. He didn't want that for us. I smiled to myself. I may not be able to pay bills, but there were

other ways to get around Brian, and help out. I smiled again, and curled up to go to sleep.

7

Thanksgiving Day passed quietly, with Marie joining us, and Doc G stopping by in the late afternoon for

dessert. Guthrie went to pick Kristin up then, too, and she planned to spend the night.

The only thing that would have made the day better was if Daniel had been able to come home. He called that morning, though,

and when it was my turn to talk to him, I took the phone to the bottom of the stairs and sat there to talk to him.

"You're missing out," I told him. "Too bad you can't smell the turkey right now. It's been cooking all night, and it

smells heavenly."

"Ohhhh," Daniel groaned.

"And we're going to have mashed potatoes and gravy, and stuffing, and three kinds of pie."

"Stop. Please. You're torturing me."

I giggled a little. "Sorry," I said.

"No, you're not," he denied.

"Well, what are you going to have to eat?" I asked him.

"We'll grab a bite in a diner more than likely."

"So you can have turkey, too," I said, starting to feel bad for him.

"Yeah. Or chicken, or pizza or somethin'."

"Pizza on Thanksgiving, Daniel? That's just wrong."

"It's alright," he said lightly. "But for sure I'd rather be at home today."

"I'd rather you were, too," I said.

"I'll be home in a few weeks for when the baby's born, and I'll stay thru December."

"That long? That's fantastic!"

"So tell me about your job," Daniel said, and I launched enthusiastically into the subject.

7

I spent the next day hanging around the creek with Guthrie and Kristin and Ford. We took the patched canoe

into the water, and fished for awhile. The four of us went out to the movies together that night, which was a lot of fun.

On Saturday morning, Guthrie was feeling generous, and he let me drive his truck to work. I enjoyed the drive

to Murphys in the cool morning air.

When I went into the office, it was open but Doc G was not in sight. I stuck my head thru the double doors to the

exam/surgery room and saw him sitting on the edge of a table. I was ready to call out to him when I hesitated, and

stayed quiet. From where I stood, I could see that he was running his hand over his forehead.

I'm so unaccustomed to seeing Doc G sit like that, so still and quiet.

I went quietly thru the doors, and walked up to him. He gave me a nod as I approached.

"Good morning," I said.

"Morning, lass."

"Is everything okay?" I asked him.

"Just getting my bearings before things get moving around here. We've a busy morning coming."

"Oh. That's good."

Doc G stood up and surveyed me with a smile.

"Well, Harlie Mac, what do you think? You ready to get this day started?"

"Yes, sir."

"Let's get to it, then."

I was kept hopping all morning, cleaning, and answering the phone. The high point of the morning for me was

helping Doc G deliver a litter of puppies. Sophia was a small dog, a dachshund, and had been brought in the day before by her owner when

they were called out of town unexpectedly. It was her first litter of pups, Doc G said, and after she'd labored all morning, and

only managed to deliver one pup, Doc G did a cescarean section. One of the pups was so small that he fit in the palm of my hand.

"Might not be much chance for that one," Doc said.

"Oh, no!" I protested. "Are you sure?"

"Aw, don't look so sad, lass. There's always hope."

"Do you have a heat lamp?" I asked.

"Around here somewhere."

I went and found an old towel, and wrapped the tiny puppy in it, rubbing him gently. I told Doc G I would clean up the

bloody table, and he nodded, looking grateful.

"I'll have a cup of coffee," he said, and went toward the front office. I watched him go, and I couldn't shake the nagging

feeling that something was off with him. I laid the pup back with his mother and siblings on the soft furry blanket that

Doc had spread in a corner.

I got busy scrubbing the table, and disinfecting it. When it was clean and shiny again, I went in search of Doc G.

"When do the Stoker's get back?" I asked, talking about Sophia's owners.

"They weren't certain. It depends on their family emergency."

"Maybe I could come by tomorrow before church, and after school a couple days next week to check on her and the

puppies."

"No need for that, unless you just want to do it."

"I want to," I said, and went to find a heat lamp, and after finding it, I set it up over the pups.

Doc G summoned me for lunch, and we made our usual trek over to the diner.

Marie came bustling over to take our orders. "Hello, hon," she greeted me. And "Hello, you old scalawag," to Doc.

While we waited for our food, I fiddled with the salt shaker, pushing it back and forth.

"How are you dealing with your diabetes?" Doc G asked suddenly, surprising me a little. He's never talked to me

about that.

"I'm doing alright," I said.

"A true test of strength for you, isn't it?"

I nodded. It was that, for sure.

"I try to have a good attitude about it, but sometimes I drop the ball on that," I admitted.

"Understandable," he said. "Just make certain you pick the ball up again."

I studied Doc across the table as he sipped at his coffee. He was still a handsome man, I thought. Even Clare had

commented that he must have been a real stunner when he was younger. Since he's spent so much time in the sun,

he has a perpetually tanned face, with crinkles at the edges of his eyes.

"So tell me about your plans for your schooling," he said.

"I'm still planning on veterinary school."

"Where?"

"I'm not sure. I liked SC Davis, but I don't think there will be enough money for that. The tuition there is crazy

expensive."

"I've heard that," Doc nodded.

"Daniel said he'd help me, and Crane says there will be a way, but I don't see how. And I don't want to put the

family under that kind of money strain. It'll have to be someplace cheaper."

"I wouldn't underestimate Crane if I were you. He's a determined young fellow."

I had to smile at that. "He is, for sure," I agreed.

"What did they think of you covering the office bill?" he asked, as Carla brought our orders.

"They didn't exactly jump for joy," I admitted, cutting up my meatloaf. "They said they'll pay the rest to you. Brian

says from now on any money I earn I'm supposed to use for myself, or save it."

"I'm sure they were mighty proud of you."

For a few minutes we ate in silence. I thought how nice Doc G was, and how he always seemed to be looking

after not just animals, but people, too.

He never seemed to talk about himself, though, and I realized that I really knew very little about him.

"Where did you go to college at?" I asked him.

Doc G sprinkled pepper on his mashed potatoes. "

"Georgia."

"Georgia!" I said. "I didn't know you used to live in Georgia."

"For a time."

"Have you lived a lot of different places?" I asked.

"I've been around a good bit."

It took some more questions, and some drawing out, but eventually I got Doc G to talk enough to find out he'd lived

in Texas and Tennessee, before coming to California.

"Were you born in Texas?" I asked curiously.

"I was born in Adara."

I wrinkled my forehead, thinking hard. "Adara? Where is that?"

"In Ireland."

I widened my eyes in surprise. "Ireland! I didn't know that!" I sat across the table, studying him with interest

I'd always found Doc G an interesting subject, but now, I'd garnered enough information to raise that to intriguing.

"You don't have an accent, though," I said.

"I was very young when we came to the United States. Three or four years old. I didn't have the brogue that my mother and

father had."

I peppered Doc with questions about Ireland until he held up a hand at me, and told me to finish my meatloaf.

As we walked back to the office, Doc G told me that he would be out of town for a few days at the

end of the week.

"You won't need to come in next Saturday," he told me.

"What about Sophia?" I asked.

"I'd think she'd be back at home by then."

"If she's not, I can go in and check on her and the pups. Keep them fed and all."

Doc G gave me a slow smile. "I'll trust you to see to things, then."

I smiled back, and wondered curiously where he was going, but decided I probably

better not ask.

The next week seemed to drag on and on, as slow as molasses. The talk in the house was

about the coming weekend. Clare and Brian were traveling to San Francisco to visit her sister, who

had left her husband and was living in a women's shelter. What was decided was that Adam and

Hannah would go along, too, as a get-away, and sort of a last outing for Hannah before the baby

was born. Adam didn't want to go, I could tell. It wasn't like he complained or said anything, really.

But I could still tell he didn't really want to go. But Clare said she'd like it if Hannah went along,

and Adam agreed that it would be nice for Hannah to go somewhere different before Ivan Iggy

came along.

We were all at the supper table Thursday night, talking about it.

Clare was more flustered than I'd ever seen her, and talking about her sister. "I'm just so glad she's away from Greg," she said.

"She's still gonna have a rough time of it," Brian said.

"I know, with the baby and all, and no job," Clare agreed.

"The management at the shelter will help her with a job search, won't they?" Adam asked. "And

help her get into her own place?"

"They should," Clare nodded.

"We need to finish packing the food in the cooler," Hannah reminded Clare.

They planned to take some food along so they didn't have to spend as much money.

When Crane spoke up and said he was thinking about going with Lila to meet her parents

in Modesto Saturday night, then the conversation changed somewhat.

"I can put off going," Crane was saying.

"No need for that," Adam told him.

"No, Crane, you should go," Hannah reassured him.

"It's not like we have to worry about anything here," Brian added. "Right, babies?"

Since Evan was gone, out on a date with Nancy, that left only Guthrie and I in the

'baby' category, and we both gave Brian a look.

"Course you don't," Guthrie said, around the apple pie in his mouth.

"Of course you don't," I echoed.

"I'll make sure there's plenty of food for you two and Evan," Hannah said.

"And Ford," Adam said, from his end of the table. "He's comin' home again this weekend. He can

help out with the chores."

I was super happy that Ford was coming home again. I hadn't known that he was planning on

it.

"That's right," Hannah said. "I forgot that he called last night."

"Why's Ford comin' home so soon?" Guthrie asked, chewing, even as he cut himself another

piece of pie.

"Guthrie, for heaven's sake, don't talk with your mouth full," Hannah scolded him.

Guthrie chewed and swallowed, and then gave Hannah a rakish grin. "Sorry," he said.

"Oh, you are not," Hannah waved a hand at him.

"I think that Valerie girl has somethin' to do with Ford comin' home," Adam commented.

"He'll be home every weekend, then," Hannah said, with a smile.

"He can't do that, or he'll lose his job," Adam said.

"Well, she should be going back to college soon," Hannah reassured him.

"So we can count on the two of you to help Evan and Ford out this weekend?" Adam

asked, looking at Guthrie and I.

"Yeah, we'll keep 'em in line, won't we, Har?" Guthrie asked, nudging me in the side.

"Sure, we will," I said, finishing my milk.

"Okay. And I don't have to worry about any shenanigans, right?" Adam raised an eyebrow.

"Naw," Guthrie said, "I think we can keep Evan and Ford out of trouble, alright."

I giggled at that, but Adam didn't look particularly amused.

"Very funny," he said. "I happen to be speaking of you two."

7