After supper that night, I went out to the barn, and started working on cleaning some more of the horse tack. I realized I was only

about halfway thru the job, and I sighed a little. It was a daunting task. Evan wandered out to the barn, and without saying much, began to work

alongside of me, rubbing oil into one of the saddles.

"You've done a good job," he said, after a while, into the silence.

I shrugged. "There's still a ton of it to do."

"Yeah. Well, still."

After a few minutes, I asked, curiously, "Don't you have a date tonight?"

"Yeah."

He didn't say anymore, and I worked a little more, and then said, "Ev?"

"What?"

"Can you tell me something about Mom? Something nice that you remember about her?"

Evan looked thoughtful for a moment, and I stopped working on the bridle I had in my hand, and turned my attention to him.

"She used to play hide and seek with us. Me and Daniel. And Ford," he said.

"That must have been fun," I said, a note of wistfulness in my voice.

Evan must have heard that bit of envy, bit of sadness in my tone, because he gave me a half-way smile, and rubbed my head for a minute

with his hand.

"Yeah. It was fun. She was a good mom," he said.

I nodded, and he said, "I guess all these years I never really thought about what it was like for you and Guthrie, not knowing her."

I nodded again. "I wish I could have. Known her, I mean."

"I wish you could have, too. I'm sorry, Har."

"It's not your fault."

"No. But I'm still sorry." He got to his feet. "What are you doin' tonight?"

"Nothing much, I don't think. Read some more of Mom's journal, maybe."

"You wanna go with me and Nancy? We're gonna grab some Chinese food, and maybe see a movie."

For a moment I was tempted. Then I shook my head. "No, thanks. You guys don't need me tagging along on your date."

"Don't be a dufus. Come on and go with us."

"No. But thanks, Ev. Really."

"Okay. Be a knothead," he said, with a shake of his head, and headed out of the barn. "See ya later."

"See you," I echoed.

I finished the bridle I'd been working on, and then put away all the cleaning supplies. Heading out of the barn, I nearly smacked

into Guthrie.

"Hey. I've been lookin' for you," he said. "Kenny called."

"Yeah?" I said, without much interest.

"Yeah. He wants to pick you up and meet up with me and Kristin at the movies."

"Oh," I said, with a little more interest. I hadn't seen Kristin except at school for a few weeks. "Kristin's off tonight?"

"Yeah. Finally," Guthrie said, happily. "You better go call him back if you wanna go."

"Okay."

I went inside, and called Kenny, who answered the phone on the first ring.

"Hi, Kenny."

"Hi, Harlie!" he said, sounding obviously glad.

"Guthrie says you called."

"Yeah. Want to take in a movie tonight?"

"Sure. That sounds good," I said.

We arranged a time for him to come pick me up, and then I went to the kitchen to find Adam or Hannah.

They were both there, sitting together at the kitchen table, talking, while Adam held Isaac in his arms.

I leaned down to kiss Isaac's forehead.

"Hi, sweetie," Hannah greeted me.

"Hi."

"What are you up to?" Adam asked, watching as I took an apple from the fruit bowl on the table.

"Kenny asked me to go to the movies," I offered.

"That's good," Hannah said, looking as though she was glad.

"You gonna meet up with Guthrie and Kristin?" Adam asked.

"Yeah. I think so," I said, pausing beside his chair. "Is it alright if I go?"

"Oh, I suppose so," Adam said, sounding as though he was reluctant, but I could tell he was teasing with me.

"Thanks," I said, with a grin.

"Home by eleven," he said then.

"Okay," I said, and Hannah smiled at me.

"You'd better go upstairs and clean up and change," Hannah told me, wrinkling her nose.

"Oh, fine," I said, "I can take a hint."

7

I had a good time that night. Kenny came to pick me up, making small talk with Adam and Hannah and Brian for a few minutes. I had changed to clean jeans and a green shirt, and

tied my hair back and put it in a casual bun at the top of my head. I didn't think my appearance was anything special, but as we walked down the front steps together, Kenny gave me an appreciative grin.

"You look nice," he told me.

"Thanks."

Brian stepped out onto the front porch after us. "Watch your speed, alright?" he said, obviously to Kenny.

I wrinkled my forehead at Kenny, hoping he didn't take offense at Brian's admonishment.

"I will," Kenny called back to Brian, not appearing to be insulted. I was surprised when Kenny took my hand, holding it as we walked the few feet to his truck. I mean, not that

there is such a big thing about holding someone's hand. It was just that Kenny had never made the attempt to do so before. And also the fact that he did it in within Brian's sight, is what surprised me.

We met Guthrie and Kristin in Angels Camp, ate at a burger place, and then went to see a movie. As we came out of the movie theater, I was walking beside Kristin, and we

were talking, when, there ahead of me, I saw Eddie waiting in line to buy tickets for the next movie. Plastered onto his arm, practically in his ribcage, was a girl. A really pretty girl, too.

My eyes met his, and for a moment I was a little disconcerted. For some totally insane, irrational reason, it felt weird to see him out with a girl, and for him to see me out with someone, too.

There was absolutely no sense to that at all. We weren't a couple. We weren't even dating casually, or anything like that. Still, it felt strange to me.

Eddie gave me a smile, and a casual wave. I waved back, just as casually. Kenny didn't seem to notice, but I saw the girl Eddie was with give me a quick, sharp glance.

Being a girl, too, and my best friend besides, Kristin saw the exchange between Eddie and I, and appreciated it. She nudged me in the ribs, and then gave me a grin.

When Kenny took me home, it was a quarter to eleven, and he pulled the truck up beside the house, switching off the headlights.

There were still lights on in the living room, and one upstairs, too.

"Somebody's still up," Kenny observed.

"Adam probably," I said.

"Does he always wait up for you?"

"Usually, he does." I shrugged a little, though in the dark truck cab, Kenny probably didn't see it. "He's protective."

"That's no joke," Kenny said, but there was no malice in his tone.

"Well, I guess I'd better get in," I said, after a few moments of silence.

We got out of the truck, and he walked with me up the front porch steps. "I'll see you at school Monday," he said.

"Okay."

"Okay," Kenny said, and then leaned in and gave me a quick kiss.

When I went inside, shutting the front door quietly behind me, it was to see Brian asleep on the couch, stretched out, with one arm folded behind his head.

I paused beside the couch, hesitating. I knew this wasn't Clare's night to work at the hospital, so he wasn't waiting up for her. It was me he was waiting for. I touched

his shoulder, and when he didn't stir, I tapped it lightly. He opened his eyes, looking up at me.

"Hey," he said, sitting up, and rubbing a hand over his eyes.

"Hey."

"What time is it?" he asked.

"Almost eleven."

"Mmmm," he said, sounding tired.

"You didn't have to wait up for me," I told him.

"Who says I was waitin' up for you?" he countered. He stood up, stretching, and then focused on my face. "You have fun?"

"Yeah. I did."

"Good. Guthrie comin' along soon?" he asked.

"As soon as he takes Kristin home, I think."

"Okay. I can get my tired old ass to bed then. If all you children are tucked up in your beds."

I shook my head at him, with a smile, and gave him a side hug.

We walked up the stairs together, and Brian left me in front of my bedroom door, with a sleepy sounding, "Night, peach."

7

Instead of going to sleep right away, though, I curled up in bed, and opened my mother's journal.

"February 8, 1954

I walked uptown today, to get Pop's medicine refilled at the pharmacy. He's been having some really bad

headaches lately. I was thinking about other things, and didn't notice that a truck had pulled up to the curb beside me, and

was driving slowly alongside. When he tapped on the horn, I jumped a little, and turned around to see Adam!

He leaned over and rolled down the window and we talked for a while. He actually asked me why I hadn't been down to the

feed store lately while he was there! Honestly! The audacity of the man! I gave him a look and told him if he wanted to

talk to me that my number is in the local phone book.

As soon as I'd said it though, I wondered if I'd made a mistake. I mean, I want Adam to like me. As in, like like. What if I'd made him mad,

and he didn't want to talk to me anymore?

I was surprised then when he looked at me across the truck cab, and his blue eyes, (wow, those eyes!) sparkled at me.

"I'll remember that," he said, in a slow drawl, and then he winked at me, and offered me a ride home.

Kate"

"February 9, 1954

Guess who just called me?! That's right, Adam McFadden!

He asked me to the movies tonight!

Kate"

7