I did my outside chores, and spent some time with Pepe. I knew it had to be getting close to time for supper, so I figured everybody
that was up at the cabin would be heading down soon.
I was petting Pepe, and talking to him, when I heard the sound of a car coming up the driveway. I closed the door to Pepe's
stall, and went to look out the barn door.
I wasn't surprised to see Nancy, parking her car, and getting out, still wearing her shirt from her job at the farm supply store.
She saw me standing there, and headed towards me. "Hey, wild child," she greeted me.
"Hi."
"Evan around?"
"Up at the cabin, I guess. I haven't seen him since I got home," I told her.
"Guess I'll go in, and see if I can help throw supper together," she said.
"Clare's the only one inside."
"Okay."
When she'd gone, I went out and began trying to work with Dark Commander. He let me put the halter on, and lead him around, but
he just seemed to show no interest, just lackluster. I began grooming him, brushing out his coat, and he stood still for that, and I think he
was enjoying it.
Crane and Brian had finished some time ago on the roof of the shed, and they'd disappeared. I heard the sounds of four-wheelers
and the Jeep coming from the direction of the cabin. Hannah, riding in the Jeep with Adam, Guthrie in the back, and then Brian
on an ATV, and Evan on another. I kept brushing the horse, and Hannah was the first one to wave at me, as she headed
towards the house. "Hi, sweetie!"
I could see the paint all over her clothes, and she had her hair held back with a kerchief.
I waved back at her. "Hi!"
Guthrie ambled my way next. He, too, looked as though he'd been enthusiastic with his painting. There were splashes of paint
on his shirt, and even a spot or two in his hair.
"How's Kristin?" he asked, before he even said 'hello'.
"Okay, I think. I saw her at lunch."
"Is she comin' over tonight?"
"I don't know-she was going to call her mom after lunch, and talk to her some more." I hesitated. I didn't really want to get into
everything that had happened that morning with Guthrie. Not right at that moment, anyway. He would just get all riled up.
"She and her mom had a fight this morning," I did tell him.
"What about?"
"I guess because she wants to stay with us all the time," I said.
Guthrie muttered something under his breath. I knew without asking him to repeat it, that it was something uncomplimentary about
Kristin's mother. Something that he would have been admonished for, if Adam had been nearby. I settled for just being quiet, and Guthrie
and I exchanged a glance between us that shared our common dislike for the situation that Kristin was in.
"I'll call her after supper," Guthrie said.
I nodded. "Good idea."
I realized then that Kenny hadn't come down with everybody else, and that his truck was gone, as well.
"Where's Kenny?" I asked.
"He left about noon, to take his dad to a doctor's appointment."
"Oh. Well, that's good. That he's helping his dad, I mean."
"Yeah. Well, I'm gonna go wash up," Guthrie said, and started for the house.
Adam was gathered near the barn, talking to Brian, and I knew that I needed to talk to both of them about what had happened
that morning, at Kristin's house.
I picked up my brushes and curry comb, and took off the halter, going to put everything away in the tack shed.
Then I went over to where they were standing. Well, by now, they were sitting, and leaning. Adam had taken a seat on
a bale of hay set against the barn, and Brian was half-leaning, half-sitting, on the tail gate of the old farm truck.
They were talking, something about the bull, when I got over to them. I went to sit on the truck tail gate, next to Brian, staying
quiet.
They paused in their conversation, and Adam said, "Hey, sugar."
"Hi."
"How was school?"
"Okay."
They went on talking again, then, and I sat there, listening, and waiting.
Brian finally turned to me, and said, "What's up with you?"
"I just wanted to talk to both of you," I said.
"Alright," Adam said. They were both looking at me. Waiting.
"It's about this morning, when I took Kristin home, to get her stuff for school," I began. "She went inside, and I was
waiting in the truck, and Frank came out."
Immediately, I saw both of their demeanors change. Adam's eyes sort of narrowed, and Brian crossed his arms, looking at me.
"He came over and said started talking, and I answered him, because-" I hesitated, "I didn't want him flipping out, saying that I thought
I was too good to talk to him, or whatever. And then-he just got weird, so I got out, and went inside."
Before they could start getting mad, or lecturing me, I went on quickly, "I know you said not to go into the trailer, when Frank's
around, but I figured, he was already outside, and at least Kristin's mom would be inside."
I stopped talking to catch my breath. I'd said all of that nearly in one quick blast.
Adam's first question was calm enough. "Did he follow you back inside?"
"No."
"When you say 'he got weird', what do you mean?" Adam asked then.
"He-he said what he always says, about me having a boy's name, and asked how I'd been, and I answered him. And, then-he just
said stuff that made me feel uncomfortable," I said.
"Harlie. What?" Adam pressed.
I sighed a little. "I said that I was doing good, and he said something about was I 'being good', or 'doing it good'," I admitted.
The muscles at the side of Adam's jaw were working in and out, and Brian looked as though he could bite nails.
"So, I went inside," I said, hoping that they would both quit looking so ferocious.
"God damn bastard," Brian swore.
Adam stood up, and stepped the few feet, over closer to where Brian and I were. He didn't say anything for a couple of moments,
and then he said, "And Linda was inside? You talked to her?"
"She was inside, but I didn't see her," I said. "Her and Kristin were arguing in one of the bedrooms. And, finally I just told Kristin
to hurry, and went back outside."
Brian frowned. "After you went inside to get away from Frank? Why'd you go right back outside again?"
I hesitated, not really keen to tell them now about Buddy.
"What?" Brian demanded.
"Buddy was inside," I said. "And, he was being a jerk, too. I was gonna go out and roll up the window and all, but Frank was
already gone somewhere when I went back out."
"What'd he say to you? That Buddy kid?" Brian asked.
"Nothing like what Frank said," I said, hoping that would be enough to satisfy him.
"But something?" Brian persisted. "What?"
"He told me I needed to mind my own business," I said.
They were clearly expecting more than that. So, I tacked on, "I told him if he wanted to, he could make things a lot better
for Kristin at that house. He didn't like that."
Adam walked a bit away, and then back again, looking as though he was thinking. He and Brian exchanged one of those
looks that they have, where they seem to communicate without words.
"No driving Kristin home anymore," Adam said.
"Right," Brian said, in agreement. "If she needs somethin' from her place, she'll have to have her mom bring it to her, or
somethin'."
"No going over there at all," Adam added. He still looked angry. "Hear me?"
I nodded. I had no desire to go anywhere where either Frank or Buddy might be at. "I promise."
They were both still looking at me, as if they were processing everything I'd told them, and they both still looked
edgy, and tense.
"I wasn't trying to disobey what you told me, about going inside over there, but-I just wanted to get away from Frank, and
maybe make Kristin hurry a little bit," I said.
Still, they were silent. I began to worry in a different way. "Are you guys mad at me?" I asked.
"Not mad at you, peach," Brian said. "I'd like to get my hands on that sorry excuse for a man, though."
"That's not gonna help anything, Brian," Adam said. "Just get you hauled to jail, is all it would do."
"Yeah. I know," Brian said.
Nancy came out onto the porch, hollering to us, and calling us in to supper.
Brian gave my leg a pat, and headed towards the house.
I sat where I was, looking at Adam.
"Brian's not mad 'cause I went inside," I said, softly. "Are you?"
Adam sighed, and then he came the few steps over, and sat down on the tail gate, beside me.
"I'm not angry with you," he said.
I felt so relieved that he understood, that I smiled at him. "That's good," I said. "I knew if I explained to you the way that
it happened, that you'd say it was right."
"I didn't say I thought it was right," Adam said, and I gave him a puzzled look.
"What else could I have done?" I protested.
"Put your truck in drive, and head on to school."
"What would Kristin have done, though?" I persisted. "If I just drove off and left her like that?"
"Gotten her mother to give her a ride to school, is one choice."
"But, Adam-" I began to argue.
"Harlie," Adam said, putting a stop to my protest. He patted my knee, like Brian had a few minutes earlier. "I understand how
it was. I do."
"Okay," I said, still eying him a little warily.
Adam was still eying me, too, as though he was studying me. "Is Kristin coming tonight?" he asked.
"I don't know for sure. Guthrie was gonna call her. If Frank's there, then she doesn't want to stay."
"Yeah," Adam said, with a sigh, sounding regretful. "She's got it rough, no doubt about that."
Hannah appeared on the porch. She had changed her clothes, I could see.
"Hey, you two!" she called. "Come on in to supper!"
"We'll be right in," Adam hollered back to her. "Go on and start without us."
Hannah waved in a sign of understanding, and went back in, the screen door flapping closed behind her.
"What's for supper, anyway?" he asked me.
"I don't know. It was Clare and Nancy's thing tonight."
He nodded. "So, how's the horse doing?" he asked, then, looking out towards Dark Commander in the corral.
"He seems to not mind being in the corral," I said.
"It helps him get used to his surroundings."
"He doesn't show much interest in anything, though," I said.
"Well, give him some time," Adam advised.
"When do you think I should let him out with the other horses?" I asked.
"Oh, I don't know, sugar," Adam said, looking thoughtful. "I'd give him a few more days. There's no hurry to that."
"Okay," I said.
Adam made no move to head inside, and it seemed to me that he had something more he wanted to say. Or talk about.
"Things have been real busy around here lately," he said.
"They sure have," I said, in agreement.
"Is there anything else you want to talk to me about?" Adam asked, then.
When I looked at him, in question, he said, "With everything being as crazy as it has been, I just want to make sure you're
doing okay."
I felt sort of warm inside when he said that. "I'm okay," I said.
He nodded. "I just want to remind you that you can come talk to me, if you need to."
That was so nice, that I felt like I might almost tear up. I didn't, but I felt as though I could have.
"I know I can," I said.
"Well, I'm glad you came and shared all this with Brian and me."
"Being straight," I said. I looked at him, thinking that he looked really tired. "Being honest with you."
"I appreciate the heck out of it, kiddo," Adam said. He smiled at me. "Ready to go eat?"
"Yeah."
Adam reached out and wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me into his chest for a hug. After a couple of moments,
he let me go, and we both stood up, heading inside to eat supper.
7
