The rest of the day, that entire day, I kept quiet, only talking enough to ask Hannah what she wanted me to

do around the house. Several times, while we worked side by side, I felt her watching me, but I didn't comment on it,

or try to talk.

At one point, she asked, "I'll listen, if you want to talk to me."

"I know you will," I said, and went on folding Isaac's tiny shirts into a neat pile on the table. I felt awkward, as though

she was waiting for me to say something more. "Thank you," I added. "But I don't need to talk."

"I think you do need to," she said, stressing the word 'need'. "It's that you don't want to."

True enough. She'd hit the nail squarely on the head, as they say.

I turned to look at her. "Thanks, anyway," I said.

Hannah gave a little sigh, and went back downstairs to get another load of laundry from the dryer.

I did all the chores around the house that she asked me to do, and then did my own laundry. I went outside after lunch,

and gathered up the brushes and curry combs, and went to work on the horse's coats. I had Petra, Old Charlie, and Guthrie's horse

tied to the hitching post, and I brushed them all until my arm was aching.

I was suddenly hit with such a lonesomeness for Guthrie that I wanted to cry. We'd be lucky if Guthrie showed back

up at all, I thought glumly. He'd get up there, in the mountains, and with a tent, and a gun to shoot rabbits with, he could survive just fine. I wished I was with him.

There was no way that I would be allowed to go up there, though. Not by myself. I thought for a minute. If I could

get someone to agree to go with me, then maybe I'd be allowed to go.

I was still thinking when Evan happened by. "They're lookin' good," he commented, touching Petra's shiny coat, from where I'd been brushing it.

"Thanks." I turned to look at him. "Ev, will you take me up to the mountains? To go camping? Or take me up to Guthrie, and then you can come back, I mean?"

"When?" he asked.

"Now. Today."

"I can't today. I've got some stuff I have to get done."

I felt disappointment wash over me. "Tomorrow, then?" I asked hopefully.

"Tomorrow I have to stay around here. I'll have all the chores to do. Everybody's gonna be gone," he said, effectively

shooting down my hopes.

I remembered what Guthrie had told me, about Adam and Hannah going to Stockton overnight, and about Crane going to meet Miss Noel's parents or something.

"What about Brian?" I asked. "Can't he take care of stuff, just long enough for you to ride up there with me?"

"I think Brian and Clare are goin' to the Cattlemen's meeting, too."

"You're kidding," I said, in disgust. "Good grief!"

Evan looked surprised at my vehement response. "I don't think Brian and Clare are gonna stay the night there, though. They might come back late Sunday night."

"Bat shit," I muttered.

"What's your problem?" Evan asked me. "They're all entitled to have a night away, once in awhile."

"I didn't say they weren't, did I?" I snapped back.

Evan was frowning, and I didn't feel like fighting with him, so I went back to brushing Petra's mane. "Never mind. It's okay," I said.

Evan went on his way, and I stayed there, even after I turned the horses back out to pasture. I went to sit on the side of the barn, on the hay bales that Guthrie and I always sit on, when we want to talk. I did some thinking, and I cried a little. When had things gotten so messed up? What a terrible few months it had been. First being diagnosed with diabetes,

and then Doc G dying. And then this whole debacle with Karissa showing up, and creating havoc. I couldn't remember the last time that I had felt entirely relaxed and happy. I was tired of everything.

By the time I went inside, when somebody called my name to come in for supper, I had in mind exactly what I was going

to do.

7

First, I waited thru Sunday morning. Nobody was going to church this Sunday. When the afternoon rolled around, Crane had already

left, and so then, did Brian and Clare. I have to say this for Clare. She was concerned for me. She made a special point to

talk to me, and ask if I was holding up alright, and all of that.

I didn't lie. I told her that I was feeling low, but I'd be alright.

Adam and Hannah left about two that afternoon, taking Hannah's little Gremlin, with Isaac tucked into the back seat, babbling

away happily. Hannah gave me a hug, without saying anything, and Adam said simply, "Help Evan out with stuff, alright?"

I nodded, and once they were gone, down the driveway, I went inside. I began making phone calls. First to Lori, and then to Rick McRae. And then to the bus

station in Modesto.

I went upstairs, and retrieved a duffle bag of Evan's out of the hall closet. It's one he uses for rodeos sometimes.

I packed a couple of shirts, and another pair of jeans. Two pairs of socks and changes of underwear. And pajamas. I packed my diabetes

supplies in a separate little lunch bag, and shoved it into the duffel bag. I squeezed in a couple of apples, and a few granola bars.

It was only shortly after I'd done that, that I heard a knocking on the front door. I went down and looked out. Rick was standing there, at

the door. He hadn't wasted any time getting over here.

"Hi," I said, opening the door.

"Hi, Harlie." He grinned at me. "I didn't want to give you a chance to change your mind."

"Okay. Well, it's over there by the barn." I dug into my jeans pocket. "Here's the key."

Rick took the key. "Great. I'm not gonna be able to take it today. I couldn't find anybody to come over with me, to drive

my truck back." He looked at me hopefully. "Unless maybe you'd want to drive it to my house, and I'll follow you in my truck? And then run you back home?"

"I would, but I have something I have to do," I told him.

"Oh, okay. Well, here," he said, and pulled some money out of his shirt pocket, handing it to me. "A hundred, you say?"

I nodded. "It's not insured, or anything," I told him. "And the tires are real worn. But Daniel put a new fuel pump in it, and a new

alternator, I think it was."

"Sure, sure. That's fine." He grinned at me again. "I'll be over to pick it up in a couple of days, then. That be alright?"

"It's fine," I told him.

We said goodbye, and I watched him walk back to his truck, stopping long enough to run his hand over the hood of the El Camino.

7

I hadn't seen Evan since after lunch when everybody had left, and I wasn't sure just where he'd gotten to. When Lori called me, to

say she was on her way, I went to search for Evan.

He wasn't hard to find. He was feeding the pigs, and when he saw me, standing there by the side of the pen, he took off his

ball cap, and swiped his arm across his forehead. "It's warm for this early on," he said.

"Yeah," I agreed. I watched as he reached down to pat one of the pigs across the back.

"Are you going out with Nancy tonight?" I asked, trying to sound casual.

"I dunno. She say maybe she could come over here tonight, and we could all watch a movie together, or something."

I knew exactly what the point of that was, and I decided to squelch it.

"You don't have to stay home," I told him.

"I don't wanna leave you here all by yourself," he said. "Who knows if Guthrie's gonna show back up tonight, or not."

"Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about," I said, and Evan looked at me questioningly.

"What?" he asked.

"I was invited to spend the night over at Lori's. She's having a bunch of the girls over."

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Uh huh. So if I do that, then you can take Nancy out somewhere. You don't have to worry about me."

"Oh." Evan looked considering. "Are you sure that's okay with Adam? And Crane, and everybody? You've been in a lot of

trouble lately."

"Adam said no driving," I said, trying to sound blasé. "And I got my grades up. So Crane's cool about everything."

"Oh," he said again.

"I've been feeling bad lately," I told him, deciding to go for the sympathy vote. "I just want to have some fun with my

friends, and forget about stupid Karissa."

"Yeah," he said, looking sympathetic. I felt a tug of conscience. He was being so nice.

"So okay?" I asked quickly. I didn't want to drag this out.

"Yeah, okay," he said. "Do you need me to take you over to Lori's?"

"No," I said quickly, and when he looked a little surprised, I added, "She's coming over to pick me up."

"Alright. Well, have fun," he said.

"We will," I said, and walked backwards a few steps. "She said something about me staying tomorrow night, too. You know,

enjoy spring break, and everything."

"Okay. Just let somebody know if you're gonna do that." He smiled at me, and I had to look away.

I was waiting on the porch, when Lori came a few minutes later. I put the duffle bag in the back seat, and was getting ready to

get into the car, when I heard Evan holler. I looked over to where he was coming out of the barn.

He waved, and I waved back, getting in and shutting the car door.

"Evan's so nice," Lori said, and I thought there was nothing worse she could have said at that particular moment. I hardened

my heart, and pushed back my pesky conscience.

"Yeah. He is," I said, and Lori began to drive to Modesto.

7

Once there, we found the Greyhound bus station. It took some doing to find it, since neither one of us had ever had

reason to know its whereabouts before.

I went to the ticket window, inquiring about times of departure, and prices of a bus ticket to Nashville.

I bought my ticket, and went back to sit beside Lori, who was waiting on a bench.

"There's a bus leaving in about an hour and a half," I said.

"That's a long time," Lori said.

"It's okay if you need to leave," I told her.

"I'd like to wait with you, but my mom's going to get suspicious if I'm not back pretty soon."

"It's okay." I squeezed her hand. "Go on. Thanks for bringing me. And for letting me say I was going to be at your house."

"It's no problem." She looked worried. "Unless, you know, Hannah calls my mom up tomorrow or something."

"I don't think she will. It will be real late tomorrow night when she gets home. It'll be Tuesday morning before she thinks about

doing that, and by that time, I'll have called home to let them know."

"Okay." Lori gave me a concerned look. "Are you sure about this, Harlie? I mean, this could be a real bad thing."

"It'll be fine," I said.

"I don't think I'd have the nerve to do it," she said. "Ride all that way alone."

I'd been trying not to focus on that part of this whole thing.

"It's an adventure," I told her, trying to sound brave.

She gave me a dubious look, of a friend since kindergarten days together.

"Well, it's scary," I admitted, "but I have to go. I have to see Daniel."

She nodded, and stood up, and I got up too. I gave her ten dollars to put gas in the car, so her

mom wouldn't know she'd driven all the way to Modesto. We hugged each other, and then she left.

I tried to immerse myself in my library book that I'd brought along, but finally gave up, and just people-watched.

7

I was already tired of sitting by the time the bus called to board.

I found a seat, glad they were cushiony. They'd be way more comfortable than those hard benches at the bus station.

Once on the way, I read awhile, then looked out the window. An older lady, sitting opposite of me across the aisle,

tried to make small talk. Asking where I was headed and all of that.

When I told her I was going to Nashville, she nodded. "Oh, yes, I've made that trip myself. It's a long one."

"How long is it?" I asked curiously. I hadn't thought to ask the man behind the ticket counter.

"Near to about 22 hours," she said.

I felt crushing disappointment. "Twenty-two hours?" I asked in disbelief. "That's forever."

"It's certainly a long enough trip," she agreed, and then smiled at me, and went back to her knitting. I felt pretty

dumb right about then. I'd never even really thought about how long of a trip it was between our home and Nashville.

It was close to seven, when the bus made its first stop, at a restaurant, where we were encouraged to get off and eat.

The restaurant was crowded, and I found myself sitting next to the chatty woman from the bus, who introduced herself to me.

"I'm Beatrice Rose," she said.

"My name's Harlie," I told her, omitting my last name.

When the waitress came, I realized how hungry I was. I ordered a full dinner, meatloaf and mixed vegetables, and some kind

roll with sprinkles of something green on the top.

I ate everything, and thought about ordering dessert, but restrained myself. Besides not needing to spend any more money, I

didn't want to do anything to cause the diabetes monster to rear his ugly head. I'd carried in my diabetes supplies, and went to the

restaurant bathroom to do my shot.

Once back on the bus, darkness had arrived, and after that it wasn't so easy to tell where we were at, so I was thinking about trying

to go to sleep, when Mrs. Rose said, "Do you have a blanket, dear?"

"No, ma'm," I said, wishing that I'd thought to pack one.

"These buses get so chilly at nighttime." She turned to rummage thru a bag beside her. "Here," she said, handing me an

afghan.

"I can't take your blanket," I said.

"I have another," she said. "I always come prepared."

"Thank you," I said gratefully.

"You're welcome, dear. Sweet dreams."

I waited for sleep, but it didn't come for a long time. When I eventually did fall asleep, I woke up in the night sometime. I wasn't

sure what time it was, but almost all the passengers looked as though they were sleeping. I got out a granola bar to nibble on.

After that, I sat, looking out the window at the darkness. And I began to worry.

I tried to calculate what time I'd be arriving in Nashville. Twenty-two hours, the lady had said, and that didn't include stops

for refueling, or meal breaks. Roughly, possibly, I might arrive in Nashville by seven or eight o'clock tomorrow night. Or maybe it

was seven or eight o'clock tonight. Depending on what time it was right now. It might already be Monday. I'd call Daniel, the very

first thing, I thought. I bit at my lip in nerves. And then I began to worry about what Daniel was going to say.

7