After Guthrie had ambled off to do his chores, I went back into the house, and sought Hannah out. She was

busy washing the breakfast dishes, and Isaac was in his wind-up swing. I bent down to touch his little hand.

"He dearly loves that swing," Hannah said.

"He sure does," I agreed.

"Carol Williams was telling me at church last week about her sister's baby. It got so that the swing was only place

her four month old would sleep. Whenever it would stop, somebody would have to rewind it or the baby would wake up and

start fussing. I sure hope that doesn't happen with our little man here," Hannah said.

"It won't," I said. "Isaac would never do that."

Hannah smiled at me, and went back to washing dishes. "You're just a proud aunt," she said.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked her.

"You could start some laundry," she told me. "Then we could do some dusting. I've been falling behind on that

lately."

"Okay. I'll go up and gather up the baby clothes."

"Thanks, sweetie. Most of it should be in the hamper."

After I'd gathered up Isaac's laundry, and some towels I found in the bathroom, I took them down to the basement,

and started a load in both of the washing machines. There were a couple of baskets of jeans sitting in front of the washers, too,

and I knew it would be a full morning of laundry. I checked the dryer, and found it full of diapers and more baby clothes.

I toted those upstairs, and went into the kitchen with my basket. Hannah had finished the dishes, and was wiping down

the counters.

"What sounds good for supper tonight?" she asked me, as I set the basket on the table, and started pulling out tiny little

onesies and socks to fold.

"It doesn't matter. Anything you make will be good," I said.

I was surprised when Hannah touched my shoulder gently and then gave me a spontaneous hug.

"That's so sweet of you to say. Thank you."

I hugged her back, inhaling the comforting scent of her coconut shampoo.

"You're welcome," I said, thinking that it took so little to please Hannah.

Hannah started helping to fold the diapers, into neat squares.

"Have you decided about the sweater yet?" she asked me, in a quiet voice, and I looked up at her questioningly.

"I mean, what goes before the sweater. You said you had to discuss that part with Adam and Brian first," she reminded me.

"No. I mean, I haven't decided when to talk to them."

"Hmm," Hannah said, and then she patted my back. "Can you get started dusting in the living room?" she asked.

"Yes. I will." I paused and then said, "I just don't know how to talk to them right now."

Hannah paused, too. "What do you mean?"

"It's a big thing, Hannah. What I need to talk about." I picked up another baby t-shirt and folded it, not looking at her. "It's big,

and it was going to be hard enough to talk about to begin with. But now-after last night, it's going to be even harder. Not even possible."

Hannah turned my chin up gently with her hand. "You mustn't ever feel that way, sweetie. As if you can't talk to them about

anything. Why, Adam would be heartbroken if he knew you felt that way."

"He thinks I'm a liar," I said.

"He's disappointed, Harlie. He wants you to be honest. He wants to be able to trust you."

"I know." I sighed. "But gosh, Hannah, it's hard to live up to the expectations they have."

Instead of scolding me, or telling me that I just needed to accept what was expected of me, Hannah nodded.

"I'm sure sometimes it is," she said, surprising me.

I gave her a grateful smile. "Thanks," I said. "For understanding."

"You're welcome." She regarded me seriously for another moment. "But, sweetie, you must talk to them. If it's that

important, and that worrisome to you, you have to talk to them about it soon."

"I'll think about it," I said.

I was kept busy the rest of the morning, doing the laundry, folding it and putting it all away. I dusted the living room, which

turned out to be a big job. I even used our sliding ladder to dust the high shelves, which almost never gets done.

When Hannah came downstairs and saw me doing that she stopped to watch me.

"I appreciate you doing that, sweetie, but you know I don't like it when you're on that thing. Now be careful," she cautioned.

I turned from my vantage point to smile down at her. "I've been getting on this thing since I was barely old enough to walk," I told her.

"Yes, I know. So you all keep telling me. I don't care, though. Come on and finish, and come down."

"If Guthrie was in here, we could show you our trick that we perfected when we were little," I said.

"I don't want to see any trick," she said, frowning at me.

"What are you going to do when Isaac wants to start playing on it?" I asked her, teasing.

"I'm seriously thinking about having Adam take it out."

As the door opened then, and the guys all started coming thru the front door, ready for their lunch,

Adam asked, "What are you thinking of having me take out?"

"That," Hannah said, pointing at the ladder.

Her pronouncement was meant with groans and protests.

"Ah, Hannah, you can't do that," Evan protested.

"Yeah. It's practically like a landmark or something," Ford chimed in.

"Oh, it is not," Hannah denied.

"This," Evan said, coming over to rest his hand on the side of the ladder, "is more than what it seems to be. It's not just

a ladder."

"Oh, okay," Hannah said, with an eye roll. "Don't start hamming it up."

"This represents hours of stimulating adventures," Evan said, and Guthrie and Ford started humming along as Evan

pounded on his chest theatrically. "As kids, this was how we survived boredom on rainy days."

"And on days we stayed home sick from school," Ford added.

"I wouldn't be a bit shocked at that," Brian said drily. "You characters were always pretending to be sick to get

out of school."

"I never did," I denied, from my perch above them all.

"No, we never had to worry about you faking sick," Brian agreed, and when he looked up at me,

I had the sudden hopeful thought that maybe he wasn't mad at me any longer. Or as mad, anyway.

"That's because Harlie was a suck-up at school," Evan said, teasing me. He gave the ladder a push which sent

me to the other end. Not flying, but fast enough.

I giggled a little, and Ford gave me another push to send me back again.

"I'd forgotten how much fun this was," I said, as the ladder came to a jolting halt.

"That's enough," Hannah said. "Let's eat lunch."

"Wait. Wait, Hannah," Guthrie said. "You've got to watch this. Har, come down."

I knew what Guthrie was up to, and I obediently came down the ladder.

"Watch what?" Hannah asked. "I don't think I want to watch any tricks, Guthrie."

Guthrie scrambled to the top of the ladder, even further up than I had been.

"Move the couch out of the way, Ev," he said, and Evan and Ford immediately began pushing the couch that was under the ladder

against the wall.

When Guthrie turned so that he was facing out, with his back against the ladder, Hannah's eyes widened.

"What are you doing now?" she asked.

"I am," Guthrie said, flinging his arms wide, "about to perform a death defying act, one which no other person

has ever attempted-"

"Behold," Ford said, with a wave of his arm towards Guthrie, "Guthrie the Great!"

Hannah put her hands on her hips. "Would you one of you responsible adults please put a stop to this?" she said, appealing

to Adam, Brian and Crane.

Crane and Brian just gave her amused looks, and crossed their arms, looking up at Guthrie.

"Adam?" she said.

Adam grinned at her, and put his arm around her shoulders.

"I've never seen him miss once yet," he said, in an attempt to be reassuring.

"Miss at what?" Hannah demanded.

"Prepare to be amazed," Guthrie told her.

"I'll tell you what I'm not prepared to do, and that's clean up any blood from this death defying act, Guthrie James. Just so

you understand that. Are we clear?" she said, and I could hear the smile in her voice.

"Yes, ma'm," Guthrie said, grinning down at her.

"It's been awhile since you did this, right, Guth?" Crane asked.

"Absolutely under control," Guthrie said, and then said, "I'm ready, Ford."

Ford gave the ladder a hard shove that sent Guthrie flying, to Evan's waiting hands. Evan shoved again, harder even,

and Guthrie's ball cap blew off in his flight. As everybody stared upwards, the ladder came to a slamming sudden halt, and

in that precise moment, Guthrie jumped, did a somersault in the air, and landed on his feet, in the center of the living

room.

Hannah stared, probably in shock, while I, along with the rest of the guys, gave the appropriate hand clapping that

was deserved. Except for Adam, who kept his arm around Hannah.

"Thank you," Guthrie said, bowing with a flourish. "Thank you very much."

"I don't believe it," Hannah said. "I saw it, but I still don't believe it."

"I'm surprised you could still do it like that," Crane said.

"Oh, I've had a few practices at it," Guthrie told him. "When Hannah wasn't home, of course."

"Oh, I see how it is now," Hannah said. "You wait until I'm gone and then you're up to all this dangerous foolishness."

"That's exactly right," Guthrie said, and she reached out to grab him and rub her knuckles on his head.

"Just don't," she said, turning to point a finger at Guthrie, Ford and Evan, "don't any one of you ever teach that

to Isaac, or I will take you down."

"Best listen to her, boys," Adam said, and kissed Hannah.

After the light-hearted playing around in the living room, I thought maybe things would be better. More back to normal. Good thing I didn't make a bet on that.

After I ate my sandwich and cottage cheese, I got up and took my plate to the sink, and started running hot water.

"Harlie was so much help this morning," Hannah said. She said it in a general way, but I knew if I looked that she

would be directing it to Adam.

"That's good," Adam said.

"It's amazing how much we got done," Hannah said.

"Good," he said again.

"So I think I'll head into town soon. Visit Marie, and let her watch the baby while I get a few things at the grocery store."

"Okay," Adam said, and got up to bring his empty plate and silverware to me. I took them from him without meeting his eye,

and put them in the hot water, pouring a generous amount of dish soap into the water.

He went to pour a cup of coffee, turning to lean against the counter.

"Since Hannah's leavin', you can head outside after you finish the dishes," Adam said, and, just the way he said it, the words

he used, well, it made me mad. Since Hannah was leaving, I needed to be outside, because why? So they could watch me? What

the heck did he think I was going to do if I was left inside by myself?

"We've got plenty of stuff outside that you can help out with," he continued talking.

I gritted my teeth so hard that my jaw hurt.

"Did you hear me?" he asked.

"Yes, sir," I said, accentuating the 'sir'. I slung more silverware into the sink, and soap bubbles splashed everywhere.

"What's your problem?" he asked, sounding genuinely puzzled.

"Nothing," I muttered.

"Harlie, I'm seriously losing patience with you," Adam said.

Ford had come to stand beside me, plate in hand, and I reached out to take it from him.

"Sorry," I said, in a clipped voice, dropping Ford's plate into the water.

"Sorry for what?" Adam asked, his voice raising.

"Sorry that I'm making you lose patience," I said, feeling sullen, and probably sounding that way, too.

"Har, come on," Ford said, low, his voice coaxing.

"Ford, you guys head on back out," Adam said, and when Ford hesitated, Adam added, "Please."

"Sure, okay," Ford said, and he and Guthrie went out of the kitchen together. Evan stood up, pushing his

chair up to the table, and went out, too, really quietly.

I still had my back to Adam, furiously washing dishes, but I could feel all their eyes on me.

"Look at me," Adam ordered.

I turned and leaned against the sink, wiping my hands on my jeans, but focusing my gaze on the wall straight

across from me, and not at any of them.

"I said to look at me," Adam said. "Not the wall."

I looked at him, feeling mutinous.

"I am really, honestly, at a loss here," Adam said. "Is this tantrum about being grounded?"

Brian had come to stand beside me, and I could feel the anger radiating off of him.

"It's not about being grounded," I said. "And I'm not having a tantrum."

"Sure seems like one to me," Adam said darkly.

Hannah had twisted in her chair at the table to look at me. "Harlie, we had a good morning together. You were fine. What's

wrong?"

I looked at Hannah, because that was easier. She, at least, wasn't glaring at me.

I decided to cut my losses. "Never mind," I said, and swung my gaze back to Adam. "I'll finish the dishes and come out."

Adam blinked at me, looking confused at my sudden catapult. "Harlie," he said, his voice grim, "You're gettin' on my last nerve."

"Good thing I didn't plan a party, then," I muttered.

"What party?" Hannah asked, getting up and coming to stand beside Brian. She looked confused.

I shrugged, thinking that I'd gone too far, and I should just shut up.

"What party?" Brian demanded, his voice level rising. "Start explaining yourself. Right now!"

"I just thought, with the way you all are acting, by having me come outside when Hannah leaves, that you just

really don't trust me at all! Like you expect I'd would have a beer party the minute I was alone in the house, or something! Or invite a twenty-five year old guy over to make out with!"

For the longest moment on earth, there was silence in the room. The air crackled with tension.

"Of course we don't think anything like that!" Hannah said, sounding upset. Even her voice level was at a six or seven.

"That's just ridiculous," she continued. "And sarcasm isn't necessary."

"I know," I said, "it just seems like you all can't even trust me the littlest bit now. Not even to be in the house alone!"

Neither Brian or Adam said anything for another moment. They were both staring at me, looking shocked and angry.

Adam ran a hand over his mouth and down his chin, as if he was trying to control his temper. When he spoke though, his

voice was quiet.

"For your information, young lady, my thought in having you come outside this afternoon was because I figured you

might be ready to get out of the house for awhile in the sunshine. I know you don't like being cooped up inside all day."

A sudden and overwhelming sense of shame washed over me. So he hadn't meant anything by what he'd said! He hadn't

been hinting that I couldn't be left alone inside the house. I'd really messed up but good this time.

I started to apologize, but Adam cut me off by saying sharply, "If you don't want to come outside, then don't. Suit yourself."

And with that, he stalked out the back door and outside, letting the back door slam behind him.

Another moment of horrible silence. I felt my face flame in shame and embarrassment.

"Harlie," Hannah said, and there was all the disappointment in the world in that one word.

"I misunderstood him," I said, in defense of myself. "I thought he meant something else."

Brian took a couple of steps closer to me, and since I was leaning against the sink and couldn't back away, he was

really, really close.

I pressed my back tighter against the counter, as if that would help me get away.

"I'm sorry!" I said.

"You finish the dishes and meet me out by the barn," Brian said. And he went out, too, slamming the door.

I looked at Hannah, feeling panic-stricken.

There was not a sign of sympathy on Hannah's face.

7