When I got finished at school the next day, and left to go to the vet office, I was still feeling better than I had for awhile.

Somehow, I felt more settled, more directed, after Adam had talked to me.

Ivy's roof had been finished. It had only taken the McFadden group three days to do it. Ivy had talked to the sheriff

about the crew that left her in the lurch. Nothing had been heard about it, though, as far as I knew.

Ivy was outside, in the back, when I got there, and went to locate her. She was wearing high rubber boots, and

dirty jeans, and a shirt that had Ross U. of Veterinary Medicine on the front. She was hosing off the back concrete pad.

She greeted me with a smile. "Hey, Harlie, how was your day?"

"It was actually good," I said. "I got a high B on a quiz in Anatomy for once."

"That's terrific," she said, and I could tell she really meant it.

"Yeah. It's a change for me. I wasn't doing so well."

"Anatomy's a pretty tough class, huh?" she asked.

"It has been," I said. "I'm hoping it gets better from here on out. Crane's gonna be happy when I tell him about

the quiz today."

"I bet he will be," Ivy said, and smiled again. "He's awfully proud of you, Harlie."

I felt a burst of gladness when she said that. It made me feel happy that Crane sometimes discussed with her that he

felt proud of me.

"Sometimes I think he shouldn't be," I said. "I give him a lot of grief with my grades sometimes."

Ivy went to the hydrant to push the handle down. "I doubt he feels that way about it," she said.

She began rolling up the water hose. "The Pearson's are bringing in two of their horses. Are you ready to do

some teeth floating today?"

"Yeah. I'll go change," I told her, and went to do that.

We had a really busy afternoon. The Pearson's horses took most of the time up, with one needing his teeth floated,

and the other needing a cut on his leg to be checked out. After we'd finished, and were cleaning up, Ivy went to

take two Cokes from the small office refrigerator.

She paused to look over at me, where I'd sat down in one of the office chairs to rest.

"Want a Coke?" she asked me.

I was tempted. Oh, so tempted. But, I knew it wasn't the best choice. It just wasn't worth it. All that sugar. And, I wanted

to be able to tell Adam that I'd held strong and refrained. Even though he hadn't specifically gotten onto me for poor

eating and drinking choices in his talk to me, I figured he would be impressed that I'd turned the Coke down.

"No. Thanks," I said. I held up the cup in my hand. "I'll just stick with my water."

"Oh, gosh, Harlie,," she said. "There I go, forgetting again. I'm sorry."

"It's alright," I said, quickly.

"There's some juice," Ivy said, peering back into the tiny refrigerator. "How about that?"

"Sometimes juice has as much sugar as soda," I said. "I'll just drink water. It's fine."

"I didn't think of that. About the juice being so sugary, I mean," Ivy said, closing the door to the fridge and going to sit

at her desk chair. "I'm thinking that I don't know nearly enough about diabetes."

"It's not something that's really at the top of the fun list to learn," I said, with a grin.

"You seem to have a really good attitude about it," Ivy observed.

I shook my head a little. "The family wouldn't agree with you on that point."

"Maybe you're too hard on yourself," she said.

"No," I said, honestly, "Sometimes my attitude about it is really horrible. Then somebody has to talk to me, and

get me straight again."

"Adam?" she asked.

"Mostly. Sometimes Crane. Even Ford got into the act yesterday."

"He did?"

"Yeah," I said, taking another long drink.

"It just amazes me," Ivy said. "The way your family manages to-do everything they do, and meet the needs of

so many people. It's like you all work together, to help make each other a success."

"I guess we are like that," I said, feeling a sense of pride that someone out of our circle viewed us that way.

Thinking along that line, of her being 'out of our circle', got me to thinking. Naturally enough. I knew that she and Crane

were seeing each other. Fairly often, too. Like, I didn't know every single time that they went out together, or anything, but

I knew it was often. And, though Ivy's face always lit up at the mention of Crane's name, she didn't spend her time

talking about him, or telling me any details, or such. So, anyway, I wondered if maybe it would become serious between

she and Crane, and maybe, at some point, she might be considered to be 'in our circle' of McFaddens. As in, an official

McFadden. I supposed that only time would tell on that.

7B47B

I drove home, thinking that it was cooler that it had been lately. Maybe 'fall' was coming. I was thinking out my schedule

of when I got home. Things to do before supper. And then things after.

When I pulled up and parked in my usual spot, I got out, gathering up all my school stuff.

I had my head stuck into the cab of the truck, grabbing things, when I heard a whistle. I stepped out, looking around, and saw

the source of the whistling. Adam was standing at the corner of the barn, holding a hammer in one hand.

I waved at him, and he beckoned to me with his free hand.

I slung my backpack over my shoulder, and scooped up the clothes I'd worn to school, and went walking over to Adam.

"Hey, there," he said, in greeting.

"Hey."

"How was your day?" he asked.

I could tell he was still scrutinizing me closely, and I knew that was to see how I was feeling, how I was faring, whether I was

okay. Okay as in "okay" by Adam's standards.

"It was a good day," I told him. "I got a good grade on a quiz," I said, triumphantly, with a grin.

"Good for you. How are you feelin' today? Any problems?"

I met his gaze, and for the first time in awhile, I wasn't irritated by somebody asking about my health, or wondering

about my diabetes.

I stepped closer to him, and squinted my eyes against the sun. "No problems," I said.

He nodded in acceptance of my answer, and I said, "I even rose above the temptation of a cold Coke at Ivy's. I stuck with

ice water, instead."

"Did you, now?" he asked, with a smile.

"Yep," I said, and said, teasing, "Aren't you proud of me?"

"I am proud," he said. "Darn proud."

"How was your day?" I asked him, turning the tables.

"Good," he said, and then added, "You've got a surprise comin'."

"A good one, or not good?" I asked.

"A good one, sugar."

"What?" I asked, curious.

"It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you now," Adam said, looking amused. For the first time, I noticed the animation

in his expression. He looked relaxed-he looked pleased-

"Tell me," I said.

"Daniel's comin'," Adam said.

For a moment I was stunned. It had been not quite three weeks since Evan and Nancy's wedding, and Daniel had been home.

I had figured that he wouldn't be home until Thanksgiving, if even then. He hadn't made it home last year at Thanksgiving, but had,

instead, waited until closer to Christmas, when Isaac was due to be born.

"Are you kidding?" I asked Adam, even though I knew he wouldn't joke about something like this.

"Nope," he said, with a grin.

"When?" I asked, feeling breathless.

"Tonight, I think. Probably real late."

"Well-" I said, my thoughts jumping all around. "Why? I mean, so soon?"

Adam shook his head. "I don't know, sugar. Hannah's the one that talked to him when he called earlier."

"I mean-it doesn't matter, I'm just glad," I said.

"Me, too," Adam said, and I could tell that he really was. There's nothing he likes more than having everybody all together,

under one roof. I thought of Ford, having just left the afternoon before, and Adam, intuitive as always said,

"We'll call Ford, see if he can come home next weekend. Daniel should still be around."

"Yeah," I said, feeling glad about Ford. "That will be a fun weekend."

"It will," he agreed. "I think Hannah's in there now, cookin' up a storm before Daniel gets here."

"I bet she is," I said. "I was gonna work with D.C., but maybe I oughta go in and see if she needs help, huh?"

"Maybe so," he said. "Don't wait until too late to do your homework, though. I still want you goin' to bed before

ten tonight."

"Okay," I said, feeling agreeable. Probably, in large part because I was so happy about Daniel coming.

I tossed my stuff onto the couch when I went inside, and went to the kitchen. As predicted, Hannah was there,

making homemade cinnamon rolls.

"Hi," I greeted her, resting my hands on the back of one of the chairs.

"Hi there, sweetie," she said. "We have some good news-"

"I saw Adam," I said. "He told me. This is the greatest thing!"

"Yes, it's pretty great, alright," she said in agreement.

"When is he gonna be here?" I asked. "Tonight?"

"He wasn't sure, exactly. He said it depended on some things. Tonight, or during the night, or maybe early tomorrow."

"He must be stopping somewhere," I mused. "Not driving straight thru."

"Maybe so."

"Does this mean he's not coming for Thanksgiving?" I asked. "Since he's coming now, I mean?"

"I don't know, hon. He didn't get into any of that when he called. We really just talked for literally five minutes. He said he

was on his way here, and that he couldn't wait to see everybody, and-to tell you to please make him some no-bake cookies."

I grinned. "Did he say that, really?"

Hannah nodded. "He did."

"Well, I'm make them, then," I said. "I can do it now, before supper, or do you want me to wait until later?"

"You can do it now," she said. "I got some chili out of the freezer to heat up for supper. I'm going to finish these

cinnamon rolls. Hopefully, there will be some left for breakfast."

"Yeah," I said, and went to wash my hands and start getting out ingredients for the cookies. "Do you think maybe

Guthrie and I could go in late to school tomorrow? I mean, if Daniel just gets here in the morning, and then we have to

turn around and leave right away-"

Hannah raised her eyebrows, but I could tell she was trying not to smile. "Ask Adam," she said.

I had the cookies finished, and on wax paper by the time everybody came in for supper. I'd been doing my homework

at the table, and I was scrambling to put everything out of the way so the table could be set. Clare came in around that time, too.

She'd been helping at the doctor's office in Angels Camp, for just a couple days of work, since the regular office nurse was

out sick. Clare had thought it would be a good opportunity, and when she'd left this morning, she had been excited, and her face

had been bright in good spirits.

She didn't look so bright now. She looked tired, and drawn, and-well, as if she ridden on a rollercoaster, and found that

it had been just too much.

Brian greeted her at the door, and I knew immediately that there was going to be an upset of sorts.

As she and Brian walked into the kitchen, Clare went to wash her hands. Hannah was asking her how her day had gone,

and Clare said how busy it had been, with lots of sick kids.

"Sick with what?" Brian was asking, standing right beside Clare at the sink.

"The flu, colds, belly aches from too much candy-you name it," Clare said, sounding weary.

"I don't like the idea of it. You bein' around all those little germy kids," Brian said. "It's not good for you."

"There's germs everywhere," Clare said.

"Not as many, though, here at home," Brian said.

"Can we talk about it later, Brian?" Clare said, giving him a look that suggested he would be wise to agree.

"Yeah. We'll talk about it," Brian answered, and you could just hear the tautness in his tone.

Talk centered around Daniel coming. He would bunk with Crane, as was usual when he was home. I asked Adam about

school the next morning, about Guthrie and I going in late, or whatever.

Adam looked as though he was considering it, and he looked towards Brian and Crane. Brian said he didn't have

a problem with it, but Crane, predictably, wasn't so up for the idea.

"You'll see him when you get home in the afternoon," he said.

"Oh, man, Crane, come on," Guthrie coaxed. "It's not like we'll miss that much in a couple of hours."

"That's right," I said, backing Guthrie up.

"Alright," Crane said, giving in, and Guthrie and I exchanged triumphant glances. Whoot whoot!

7B

Daniel still wasn't home by the time I went to bed, and when I woke up the next morning, the door to Crane's bedroom was

closed. I didn't want to wake Daniel up, if he was sleeping from getting in so late. It took restraint, but I didn't even peek in at him.

I went down to breakfast, where Hannah, Adam, Crane and Evan were sitting at the table. Guthrie was standing at the toaster, waiting

for the bread to pop up for another two slices.

Past the 'good mornings', I said, "What time did Daniel get here?"

"He's not here yet, sweetie," Hannah said.

"What?" I asked, feeling worried. "Why? Did he call?"

"He called," Crane said. "He said he likely wouldn't be here until this afternoon now."

I shot a look at Guthrie, and he shrugged in response, to show that he didn't know anything, either.

"I think he's just taking his time getting here," Hannah said. "We don't want him pushing it."

Of course I didn't want Daniel driving if he was too tired. Or speeding, or anything like that. Still, it was gonna be a long day,

waiting to see him when I finally got home.

Guthrie was cracking jokes about how he still ought to go in late to school.

"By the time Daniel gets here, there wouldn't be any school day left," Adam pointed out.

"Exactly, my plan," Guthrie said, reaching for the strawberry jelly.

"Good try, but no sale," Crane told him.

SBFSB