When we were seated in one of the booths at the café, Marie came over to sit with us for a few minutes, since

it wasn't so busy at that time.

Crane had pecan pie and Ivy and I had a piece of cherry. While Maria was sitting with us, we talked about other things. About

how Clare was feeling in her pregnancy, the weather, and all of that. When we were finished, and Crane said he would go up and

pay the cashier, Ivy went with him. That left me sitting on my side of the booth, with Marie beside me. She laid her hand on my knee.

"And how are you, sweetpea?" she asked me.

"I'm doing alright," I said. "How are you?"

"As fine as an old lady can be," Marie said.

"How would you know that?" I countered. "You've got years before you qualify to be old."

"Ah, I can always count on you to treat me sweet," she said, with a laugh.

After a moment, she said, "Daniel's home? I met his young lady this morning when Hannah came by to visit."

"Was it a delight?" I asked, without thinking.

Marie tilted her head slightly, and gave me 'the eye'. "Does that remark signify something in particular?"

I shook my head, feeling my cheeks warm. "No. Not really. I'm just-trying to get used to the idea, I guess."

"Is it bothering you? The fact that Daniel might really care about this girl?" Marie asked.

"I don't think it's that," I said. "I want Daniel to be happy."

"So, it's more of an issue with the girl herself, then?" Marie clarified.

I thought for a moment, and then in honesty, said, "I guess I'm still making up my mind."

"Well, that's alright," Marie said, and patted my leg again, as Crane and Ivy came back over to stand beside the booth.

"Ready?" he asked me.

"Yeah," I said, and Marie moved so that I could slide out of the booth seat.

Marie said her goodbyes, beaming as always when Crane kissed the top of her head.

"Goodbye, tall man," she told him, and then, to me, she said, "Come and talk with me again soon."

I promised that I would, and we walked back over to the vet office.

Crane prepared to go, telling Ivy he would see her later, when she came over for supper.

I was waving goodbye to him, and preparing to follow Ivy inside, when he said,

"Hey, kiddo."

I turned back to see him beckoning to me with his hand. "Come here a minute," he said.

I went back to where Crane stood beside the Jeep. He looped his arms over my shoulders and clasped his fingers together

behind my neck.

"I was thinking. I probably ought to give you a word or two-about not provoking old men who are set in their

ways," he said.

I thought he was joking at first, and then I saw that he looked entirely serious.

"Okay," I said.

"I know Vernon was frustrating. I felt that way with him, too. But-sometimes you have to pick your battles

with people. If you can voice your opinion in a respectful way, and there's a chance of having that other person

begin to see your point of view on something, then that's a good thing. There's going to be others, though, who you

wouldn't be able to sway, even with dynamite. Vernon's one of those," Crane said. "When you tussle with somebody like

him, there's not going to be any resolution, except a stirred-up situation. Pick your people. Pick your battles. Let the

rest go."

He finished talking, and let his eyes roam over my face. "Understand what I'm trying to say?" he asked me.

I did. As usual, Crane got his point across. All without raising his voice even an octave.

"I understand," I told him.

He nodded, and I added, "Thanks for standing up for me with him."

Crane smiled. "You're welcome."

He unclasped his hands from my shoulders, and opened the door of the Jeep. "Probably be best not to accept a ride from

him for awhile," he advised.

"I agree," I said. "As in "awhile" being never again."

He smiled again, and said, "See you later, at home."

"Okay. See you," I said.

7B

The rest of the afternoon passed so fast that Ivy and I hardly had any time to really talk at all. I was out back staking out the

horses that Ivy boards, so they could graze in the grassy area. Ivy was inside giving shots to a poodle. I was finished with the

horses, and was heading to the barn to begin mucking out the stalls, when a truck and trailer pulled into the back alleyway.

Parked off to the side, and who gets out but Reagan Clark. It had been awhile since I'd seen her last, and I hadn't missed her

a bit.

Her greeting was friendly enough, though. Surprisingly. "Hey there, Harlie," she said.

"Hey."

"Ivy said for me to bring Malachi in. Is she around?"

"Yeah. She's inside. I'll get her," I said.

"Great," Reagan said, tapping the toe of her boot impatiently.

I went to just inside the back door, and met Ivy, on her way out.

"I thought I heard a truck," she said. "Is it the Clark's?"

"Uh huh. It's Reagan."

"Okay." We both looked towards the front as we heard the bell jingling over the door.

"Oh, fudge, somebody's here up front," Ivy said.

"I'll go see," I said.

I headed towards the front office, and, just at the wooden swinging doors leading to the office itself, Daniel stepped thru.

"Hi," I greeted him, surprised.

"Hi."

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Came to give you a ride home. Your truck's not gonna be ready today."

"Oh." I considered that. "Why? Jake didn't the tires on?"
"You have a tie rod goin' out," Daniel said.

I gave him a blank look. I had no idea what that was.

Daniel correctly judged my confused expression. "I'll explain it to you on the way home," he said, sounding amused.

"Okay." I gestured towards the back of the building. "I've got to finish up."

"Yeah. No problem. I'll go along with you," he said.

So he went with me, out back, and just as we stepped outside, I gave him a cheeky grin.

"Reagan Clark's out here," I said, as Daniel's gaze slid over the Clark's truck and trailer.

"Oh, Lord, why didn't ya tell me that earlier?" he groaned.

"I want to watch you try to stay out of her clutches," I said.

Malachi had been unloaded from the trailer, and Reagan was holding him, while Ivy gave an injection in the horse's knee.

When Reagan saw Daniel, her whole demeanor became 'on point'. She went from looking faintly bored to

looked vastly pleased, and tossing her hair back over her shoulder.

An imp took over my mouth, and I called out, "Look who's here, Reagan!"

Under his breath, Daniel uttered, "You're gonna pay, squirt-"

"I didn't know you were back, Daniel," Reagan called, in greeting.

"Haven't been back very long," he said.

Ivy was finishing and Reagan took her eyes from Daniel long enough to tell Ivy to send the bill to her father.

As Ivy headed back inside, I prepared to go to the barn to finish the stalls, leaving Daniel there with Reagan.

Reagan had her back to me, facing Daniel, and I turned around to walk backwards, giving Daniel another

grin.

SB

When I'd finished with the stalls, Daniel was still trying to extradite himself from Reagan's clinging conversation.

I don't know why, but I found it vastly amusing. And somehow satisfying.

He finally rid himself of Reagan by helping to lead the horses that had been staked out, back into the barn.

"Take care," he told Reagan, as an abrupt goodbye. As we were both walking into the barn, leading two horses each, I saw that

Reagan was standing by her truck, just looking after Daniel as though he was a Christmas goose and she was starving.

We were finished and leaving the barn, after Reagan had finally gotten into her truck, and roared away down the alley.

"You think that was real funny, don't ya?" Daniel accused, sounding half-joking and half-irritated.

"What?" I asked, widening my eyes at him playfully.

"You know what," he said darkly.

"I guess she just can't help herself," I said, with a sigh, fluttering my eyelashes at him, as we walked.

Daniel gave a snort, of sorts, in answer.

I decided to share my analogy. "It reminded me a Christmas goose, and somebody who was real, real hungry," I said, as

we reached the back door of the building. "You, of course, being the goose-"

Daniel's hand landed over the top of mine on the door handle, to prevent me from opening the door. "You know," he said, as though he was thinking something out

carefully, "If you keep on with this-I might have to pull out my OBG handbook, and see how they advise a big brother to handle

a little sister who thinks she's a comedian, but she's really just a smartass-"

Referring of course, he was, to the 'Older Brother's Guide', that he's so fond of quoting at me. It's become a real joke between

Daniel and I over the years.

"Ohhh, my," I said, pretending dismay and alarm. "That would be unfortunate. If you had to do that, I mean-"

"It would. It would be very, very unfortunate. For you," Daniel said, giving his best imitation of a threatening glower.

"I'll be good," I promised, with a giggle.

"See that you are," he ordered.

Suddenly, I was overcome with good feelings. Crane had taken up for me, and it had been immensely satisfying to scrap with

Old Vernon. There was no denying that, although I didn't think I would mention that part of it to Crane.

Anyway, between that, and now, teasing around with Daniel, I just felt good inside.

"I'm glad you're home," I said, turning serious.

"Me, too," Daniel said, with a grin at me.

"I mean it," I insisted.

"I mean it, too," he said, looking a little puzzled.

I wanted to ask him if he'd come home for a visit, or only because he'd wanted to bring Jill around for us to meet and all. I knew

that made no sense really, but I still wanted to know. But, I didn't ask. Not then.

SB4SB