Immediately I pushed free of Crane's arm, and went towards Brian.
"What's wrong with Pepe?" I asked him.
"Nothing is wrong with Pepe," Brian said, still scowling. "Pepe is just fine, and having a high old time creating havoc."
"What?" I asked, touching Pepe's head gently with my fingers.
"He chewed another hole in the hutch, and was out, stirring the horses up," Brian said.
"They didn't know what to make of him, huh?" Crane asked, sounding amused.
"Darn skunk walking around like he owns the place," Brian said. "That hutch needs to be patched up, and I don't have
time tonight. What are you gonna do with him?"
I thought quickly. "I could put him in the basement," I said, and added quickly, "For tonight, I mean."
"That's lovely," Brian said, with thinly veiled sarcasm. "In the house."
"He uses the litter box, Bri," I reminded him.
"Well, hurry up and decide somethin'," Brian told me. "I've got stuff to finish up."
"Here, I'll hold him," Crane said, taking Pepe from Brian. "Harlie, go get his box and litter and food and stuff, and bring it down
to the basement."
"Okay," I said, taking off before Brian could change his mind. Or before Hannah could find out, and put a stop to it.
7
By the time I got back to the house with all Pepe's supplies, and came in the back door again, Adam was there, pouring himself
a cup of coffee. As I burst thru the door, my arms full of all the stuff, he raised his eyebrow at me.
"What's all that?" he asked me.
"It's for Pepe," I said, and at his increasing look of confusion, I told him briefly what was happening.
"It's just for tonight," I finished hurriedly.
Adam sighed, looking weary.
"Alright," he said, and I escaped down the stairs to the basement. Crane was leaning against the freezer downstairs,
watching, as Pepe made his way around the room, investigating things.
I got his box ready for him, in one of the corners and filled up his food and water dishes. Then I stood there with Crane, watching
as Pepe happily seemed to make himself at home.
"He likes it," I said.
"I'm sure he thinks it's better than that hutch," Crane agreed.
It made me feel better, somehow, just seeing Pepe walking around the corner of the basement. He was making his contented sound.
"Better warn everybody," Crane said. "So nobody gets startled when they come down here for something."
7
I would have stayed longer downstairs with Pepe, because I was really enjoying watching him walk around freely. But, Crane
told me to come on along upstairs, so we could do the Anatomy reading, and he could look over my quiz.
We did the reading, sitting on one end of the couch. After I read the chapter, Crane did ask me some questions over it,
and I was able to answer most of them. He didn't really mention anything more to me about the D on the quiz, other than to say,
"There's no wiggle room now, kiddo. You'll need to pretty much Ace everything from here on out, or the work program is
going to be a bust."
7
I was upstairs, after my shower, and was brushing out my wet hair, when I heard Guthrie coming up the stairs. I stepped out
into the hall to talk to him.
"How's Evan doing up there?" I asked. "Is he getting a lot done?"
"Yeah, he is. It looks totally different already," Guthrie said.
"I can't wait to get up there and see it. And help," I said.
"Yeah." Guthrie stood there, looking at me. "Hey," he said, then, in a low voice. "Just a heads up. I think Adam's coming to
talk to you."
Instantly, I felt panicky. "Why?" I asked.
"I dunno. I sort of walked into the conversation, so I didn't hear much. Just heard him sayin' that he was going to talk to you."
"Oh," I said, feeling my stomach knot up.
"Yeah," Guthrie said, looking sympathetic.
"Who was he talking to?" I asked then. That might provide a clue, as to the degree of 'badness' to this upcoming conversation.
"Brian. And Hannah."
"Oh," I said, again, my hopes sinking further. "Did he sound mad?"
"No, not really. Just-" Guthrie hesitated, thinking. "Just serious. Intense. You know."
Yeah, unfortunately, I did know, exactly what Guthrie meant.
7
After Guthrie went on, to take his claim on the shower, I went back into my bedroom, and closed the door. This
had been a horrible day. The only bright spots I could think of were talking to Daniel, and Pepe being in the basement. Well,
and the hug Crane had given me had been okay. And now, I had to sit here and wait for Adam to come up here and
"talk" to me. It had to be about me going into the ditch, I thought. Was he suspicious of what I'd told them?
By the time another half-hour had gone by and he hadn't appeared, I wished that he would just come already, and get
it over with. Whatever it was.
Finally, he did. I was trying to read my newest novel from the library, just to keep my mind on something else.
There was a light rap on my door, and I sat up straighter, in the center of my bed, my legs criss-crossed.
"Come in," I said.
Adam opened the door and came in. He closed the door behind him, and I wasn't sure whether that was good or bad.
"Ready for bed?" he asked, and I thought he sounded calm enough.
"Uh huh."
"Do your shot yet?"
"Yes. Before I took my shower."
"Okay."
I watched, thinking that if he went to my desk, and pulled the straight backed chair out to sit on, then I was done for.
He didn't. Instead, he came over and sat down on the edge of my bed.
"I thought we'd talk for a few minutes," he said.
"Okay," I said, trying not to look nervous.
"I'd like to know a little more about what happened today," he began. "When you were driving home."
I hesitated, looking at him. "Okay."
"Tell me about how it happened," he said.
I felt more panicked. How was I to answer that?
"I don't know what to say, really," I told him, trying to think. "I was driving-and then I swerved-" I let my voice sort of
trail away.
"When he jumped out and surprised you," Adam added. He didn't really state it as a question. More as an assumption.
What was this? It was like he wanted me to verify. To maintain my story. To incriminate myself.
"Yeah," I said.
"Were you driving too fast, do you think?"
I hesitated again, biting at my lip before I realized what I was doing, and stopped.
"I don't think I was," I said. I felt my face get all hot. In guilt. But, Adam responded as if my red face was from
irritation.
"I'm not saying that you were," he said, calmly. "I'm just asking what you think."
"I might have been, I guess," I admitted.
"Well, even driving slow, they can come out of nowhere and jump in front of you," Adam said, sounding reassuring.
And kind. He sounded so kind right then that I felt a huge spasm of guilt.
For a moment, or more, there was silence between us. I was feeling really badly. Icky. And uncomfortable.
"I'm just glad you're alright," he said. "And that you didn't hit him. Or her."
I didn't say anything, I just looked at him.
"Well, I just wanted to talk to you for a few minutes about it. And, also, to tell you that I'm proud of how you've been
helping out around here lately."
I stared at him. I mean, he'd caught me completely off-guard with a compliment.
"It's okay," I said.
"Hannah's told me about all the help you've been giving her, and I know she appreciates it. And, so do I. Things have
been pretty hectic around here lately."
"Yeah, it's been hectic," I agreed, still feeling as though he was going to say something more. Something angry.
"You've got a lot going on right now," he said. "So, that makes us appreciate your help even more." He smiled at me,
and patted my knee.
And then, he stood up. "I'll let you get to bed," he said. "Don't read too late."
"Okay."
He walked to the door, and opened it.
I don't know why, but I didn't just let him go. It felt as though I still wanted to talk to him. Don't ask me why. Temporary
insanity. I mean, I'd gotten away with my debacle about going into the ditch.
"I talked to Daniel," I said, and he turned back to look at me.
"Did you?"
"Yeah. I called him before I went to Ivy's today."
"He doing okay?"
"He seemed like he was." I didn't mention that the majority of Daniel and I's conversation had been about me, and my problems.
"He says he might be able to stay a week, when he comes for the wedding," I went on.
"It'll be darn good to see him," Adam said.
"Yeah." I hesitated. And then I burst out with, "Thank you for being so nice-about me going into the ditch like I did."
I couldn't believe I'd just said that! When in the h-e-double hockey sticks was I thinking?!
Later I would remember that Adam didn't show any signs of surprise, or of being puzzled, by my comment.
"No reason for me not to be-nice," he said, and I thought he accentuated the word 'nice' just a bit. "It was an accident, right?"
There was a loaded moment. And, then I nodded, briefly.
"Like I said, they come out of nowhere to jump in front of you," he said. "It wasn't anything that you did wrong."
And then, he said, "'Night, sugar."
"'Night," I said, feeling as though my throat was tightening.
It took me a long time to go to sleep after he'd gone, and I'd turned out the light. Conscience and guilt. They make
poor bedtime companions.
7
