My quarter of a tank of gas, as I'd reported to Crane earlier, had actually been an eighth of a tank. I'd noticed that when I'd been driving

to town earlier. And now here I was, half home, and my eighth of a tank had made its way to empty.

The truck began to jerk a little, and the speed began to decrease, even though I was pressing and then pumping on the accelerator. I knew what

was happening, but I still kept pressing on it, like some sort of idiot, or something. As if I expected all that pumping to suddenly make the truck not be

out of gas. As I drifted to a stop, I guided the truck more to the side of the road, where it stopped.

I sat there for a full five minutes, contemplating what to do.

"Bat shit," I muttered, and looked around. I was near Valerie's father's ranch. I thought maybe a mile or so away. Well, there was

no help for it. Time to start walking to a phone. I put my keys in my pocket of my jacket, and tucked my wallet under the seat of the truck. I started out

at a good pace, walking towards the ranch.

As I walked, I could hear the voices of brothers in my head. Crane, especially. Though he's not given to lectures as a general rule,

there were always exceptions. This was likely to be one of those exceptions. And if he did decide to deliver one, I knew he was right. That's what

was so humiliating. I'd just gotten so caught up in my morning with Ivy, and all. It could happen to anyone. I realized that I was rehearsing in my

mind what I could use as an excuse to Crane.

When I reached the house, I looked around and didn't see anyone at any of the barns. I knocked on the front door, and waited. When there

was no answer, I knocked again, harder this time. Still nothing.

I stood there, taking in the fact that the first house I walked to had nobody at home.

Gahhh. I stood there, muttering again. "Bat shit!"

I hiked back to my truck, and went the opposite direction. The Lewis ranch was the nearest one that way. My feet were aching by the time

I reached their house. Mrs. Lewis opened the door to my knock.

"Hello, Harlie," she greeted me with a welcoming smile.

"Hello, Mrs. Lewis," I said. "I ran out of gas. Could I use your phone?"

"Oh, certainly you can, dear. Come in," she said, and stepped aside, ushering me into the house.

She showed me where the phone was, and I dialed the home number.

I was praying for Guthrie or Evan to answer, or even Brian, though I knew more than likely they were all outside working.

When I heard Guthrie's cheerful voice saying hello, I couldn't believe my luck!

"Guthrie!"

"Hey. What's up?"

"I need you to come and bring me some gas for the truck!"

"How come?" he asked.

Seriously? "Are you kidding?" I demanded. "Because I ran out of gas, doofus!"

"I thought Crane gave you some money for gas-" Guthrie began.

"He did! I forgot to get it!"

"Good grief, Har," Guthrie said.

"Never mind that," I said. "Just bring me the gas. I'm about a mile north of the Lewis's." I turned to see Mrs. Lewis, bless her heart, still

standing there, listening to every word, and smiling at me.

I tried to smile back, and then I hissed into the phone. "Please, Guth! Just come."

One of the Lewis kids came in, calling to their mother, and Mrs. Lewis turned to deal with him.

I took my opportunity to finish with Guthrie in privacy. "Are you coming?" I demanded.

"Yeah. I'll come."

"Okay! And can you get away without telling anybody? Make up an excuse, or something."

"I'll try."

I wished I could reach thru the phone and pinch Guthrie for his cavalier attitude.

"You do more than just 'try'!" I told him. "You owe me!"

"I do not owe you," Guthrie denied.

"Just come!" I said, and hung up.

"Everything alright?" Mrs. Lewis asked me. "You have someone coming?"

"Yes, ma'm," I said. "Thank you."

"Would you like a glass of tea before you go?" she offered.

"No, thank you," I told her.

I made my way outside, with Mrs. Lewis and little Tory following me.

"I can give you a ride to your vehicle," Mrs. Lewis offered.

"Oh, that's alright," I told her. "I can walk. It's just a bit up the road."

The fairly chubby Mrs. Lewis smiled at that remark and shook her head a bit. "At your age, my goodness, for a mile to be 'just a bit' of walking."

I smiled agreeably because I knew she expected me to. "Yes, ma'm. Well, thank you again."

"Anytime at all, dear. Tell the family I said hello."

"I will," I told her, and made my escape.

I hiked back to my truck, and once there, I only had to wait for about twenty minutes before I saw Guthrie's truck

coming from the opposite direction.

I got out as he pulled up. He went to the back to pull out a red gas can.

"Where did you tell everybody you were going?" I demanded.

"Hello to you, too," Guthrie said, dryly.

"Hello, Guth," I greeted him. "Where did you tell everybody you were going?"

"Nobody around but Hannah. I told her I was goin' to Trent's for awhile. I'll head over there once I get you goin'."

"Oh. That's good," I said in relief. "I don't want Crane to know I ran out of gas."

"It's not like it's a crime or anything," Guthrie pointed out, as he began to pour gas into my tank.

"No. But he was all serious about it, and-well, you know how he is."

When Guthrie had emptied the contents of the red can into my truck, he twisted my gas cap back on.

"There you go," he said.

"Thanks."

Guthrie put the can back into the bed of his truck. "Alright. See ya at home later," he said.

"Okay. See you," I echoed, and we each went our separate directions.

When I got home and parked in my customary spot, I headed for the house, looking around. I didn't see a sign of anyone. I went

into the house. The day was so warm that the windows had been opened in the living room. You have to love California weather in March.

Nobody in the kitchen, either. I went upstairs, carrying Isaac's bag of medicine.

The door to Hannah and Adam's room was open, just by a crack. I peered around, and could hear Hannah talking to the baby. I found

her in the bathroom, Isaac in the sink, where she was giving him a bath.

"Hi, sweetie," she said, when she turned to see me.

"Hi." I held up the sack. "Here's the teething stuff."

"Ok. Just put it on the counter there."

I laid the sack down and turned to watch Isaac, splashing in the water.

"How was your morning?" she asked.

"Good."

"You like Ivy?"

"I do. She's-" I hesitated. "She's real. You know what I mean?"

"I do. I know exactly what you mean."

I sat down on the edge of the bathtub. I wondered if Hannah knew what Adam had done, talking to Ivy about me. More than likely, she did.

She and Adam are pretty much a team. Even if she'd hadn't known beforehand, he'd probably told her afterwards.

"Do you think I've taken too long, mourning over Doc G?" I asked.

Hannah turned to me, looking surprised. "What?"

"Have I taken too long?" I repeated. "Should I be over it by now?"

"Harlie, for heaven's sake, what sort of question is that?"

I shrugged, wordlessly.

Hannah gave me a telling look, and then lifted Isaac from the sink, wrapping him in a towel. "Can you get him dressed, while I clean

up in here?" she asked me.

I took the baby from her, and went to lay him on the bed, where there was powder, and a clean onesie and diaper waiting.

I dried him off, and then blew some raspberries on his stomach, which made him smile.

After that I sprinkled some powder on him, smoothing it around. Hannah came out of the bathroom, drying her hands and arms

on a towel. She sat down on the edge of the bed, watching as I began to dress Isaac.

"You don't just 'get over' someone's death, Harlie. You know that. It's a process," Hannah said.

I nodded, and kept on fitting Isaac's little arms and legs into the onesie.

"What's this about?" she asked me, as I finished with the snaps on the onesie.

I picked up the baby and gave him a kiss, and then handed him to Hannah.

"Ivy said Adam talked to her about me. He told her I was at loose ends and having a hard time dealing with Doc G not being

around."

I said 'not being around'. I couldn't bring myself to say 'dead'.

Hannah nodded, not looking surprised. "What's wrong with that?" she asked.

"Nothing. I guess. But then he asked her to ask me if I wanted to help her out. Hang around with her."

"Oh. That," Hannah said, and I knew then that she had been told. I could tell.

She sighed a little, lifting Isaac up higher onto her shoulder to pat his back. "Sit down here a minute," she said.

I sat down beside her on the bed, and she said, "Adam did that, it's true."

"Well, he shouldn't have," I said staunchly.

"Well," Hannah considered. "Maybe not. But he did it with pure motives, sweetie."

"Humph," I muttered, in answer.

Hannah looked at me with her disappointed look. "Why does it bother you so much? Did Ivy make you feel as though she

was only doing it because Adam asked her to?"

"No," I said, honestly. "She wanted me to go with her today. She meant it. I could tell that."

"There you go, then."

"Yes. But he still shouldn't have said anything to her," I insisted stubbornly.

"Do you expect perfection from him, Harlie?" Hannah asked. She sounded a little irritated.

"No. I don't," I protested.

"Well, then, there's going to be times in the years ahead that he says or does something concerning you that you think he

shouldn't have. When that happens, you need to remember that he always, and I mean always, has your best interests as

his number one priority."

"I know that," I said.

"He's raised all boys to adulthood up until now," Hannah reminded me. "Raising you? That's something new to him. He's feeling his way. He's going to make mistakes. You need to understand that."

I nodded. I did understand what Hannah was saying. I was still a little put out at Adam, though. Not angry. Just more irritated. But Hannah had

stated her opinion, and that was the end of it.

But, apparently, that wasn't really quite the end of it, because Hannah went on. "And sometimes, what you think are mistakes that's he's making, they may not

be mistakes. You have to trust that sometimes he knows more about some things than you do. And how to handle some situations."

Wow. This was winding up to be a real lecture.

"Okay," I said. I stood up, wiping my hands on my jeans.

"You can take a bath in here if you want to," Hannah offered.

"Maybe later. I'm gonna go look for Ford," I told her.

"Alright. Harlie?" she said, as I went to the door.

"Huh?" I said turning back.

"If it's bothering you, talk to Adam about it. Don't let it simmer inside."

"Okay," I said, and went out the bedroom and down the stairs.

I went in search of Ford, and found him, along with Evan, rolling up wire out behind the barn.

"Hey, fellas," I said.

"Hey," Ford answered.

"Want to get pizza tonight?" I asked Ford.

"He can't," Evan said, shooting a grin in Ford's direction. "He's got a date."

"Oh. Who with?" I asked.

"Valerie," Ford said.

"Oh, I thought she wasn't at home this weekend," I said, without thinking it out.

"Why do you think that?" Ford asked me, straightening up, and handing the fence snips to Evan.

"Never mind," I said. I knew Ford, or Evan either, wouldn't say anything about me running out of gas earlier. Well, Evan might

give me a hard time over it, and tell me to turn my brain on, or something like that, but neither one of them would tell Crane if I

didn't want them to.

"She's at home this weekend," Ford went on. "I'm supposed to pick her up at six."

"Oh. That's good," I said.

"Yeah," Ford said. "What are you doing tonight?" he asked me.

I shrugged. "No plans."

"What about Kenny?" Evan asked, from his end of the wire.

"What about Kenny?" I returned, turning to look at him.

"Well, aren't you still goin' out with him?" Evan asked, coming up to stand beside Ford and I.

"I guess," I said vaguely.

"You don't sound very happy about it," Evan said, and I could tell he was winding up to give me a hard time, and start teasing.

"Kenny's okay," I said. I turned to Ford to start asking him where he was going to take Valerie later.

"Just OK?" Evan said, needling me. "I thought you two were a real item by now."

"Stop it, Ev," I said, feeling irritated.

"Cause I think Kenny's been bitten by the loooove bug," Evan went on.

I knew the worst thing I could do was show my irritation. That would likely make Evan tease me even more. It was hard not to show it, though.

"I mean the boy has got it bad," Evan said. "You can see it the way he gets all moony-eyed whenever he looks at you-"

"Leave her alone, Ev," Ford said, reaching down to pick up some tools on the ground.

"Oh, Har knows I'm just jokin' around with her, don't you, shortcake?" Evan said.

"Sure," I said, purposely sounding casual, and then I decided to have a bit of fun of my own at Evan's expense. I mean, turnabout is fair play, right?

I sat down on a roll of the wire, kind of rocking back and forth on it.

"Kenny's nice, and all, but I think we're just really better off being friends," I said.

While I had their attention, I gave my fingernails a casual glance, and said, "He understands how things are now. I mean, considering what's

happened and all."

"What d'ya mean?" Evan demanded.

Ah. I'd hooked him.

"Oh, since I met-" I purposely let my voice trail off. "Well, since we both met other people that we want to get more serious with."

"Who have you met?" Evan asked then, and I could tell he was trying to rein himself in, so he sounded casual, and not all that interested.

I just smiled, trying to look mysterious. "You know how it is. When you meet somebody really special, you don't want to talk about it at

first, because you don't want to jinx it or anything."

"Okay. But who's the guy?" Evan persisted. "Somebody we know?"

I pretended to act flustered. "Oh, I don't think you guys would know him-at least I'm pretty sure you wouldn't-"

"Well, maybe we do," Evan said. "Tell us his name and we'll let you know if we know him."

I shrugged, and tried to look shy. "I don't know, Ev. I kind of want to keep it to myself for a little while."

"Is it somebody from school?" he asked then.

"Nooo, he's not from school," I said, purposely acting as though I was hesitant to answer.

"How old is this guy?" Evan went on. He was frowning by now, no trace of teasing left.

"Well," I said slowly, as if I was thinking, "He's older. But not too old. You don't have to worry, Ev." I smiled sweetly, and stood

up.

"You can't just tell me somethin' about some new guy, and then not give up the details," Evan insisted.

"Oh, I want to tell you," I said, trying to sound reassuring. And then I snapped my fingers, as if I was just remembering something. "I forgot! I need to make

a phone call! I'll see you guys later." And, with that I sprinted towards the house.

I could hear Evan calling something after me, but I just waved my hand and ran on. By the time I reached the front door, I had to cover my

mouth and hurry in so that Evan wouldn't see how hard I was laughing.

Once inside, I looked out the screen door, back over to where Ford and Evan were standing. I could tell Evan was all stirred up, because he

was talking and waving his hands all around.

I giggled and said quietly, to myself, "There. That's what you get for teasing me, Evan Wayne McFadden."

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