Brian met me on the front porch as I headed up the steps.

"I thought I heard motors out here," he said. "Evan ride down with you?"

"Yeah. I told him he didn't have to, but he did it, anyway."

"How's everything up at the cabin?" he asked.

"Good. They've done so much work-it looks great."

"Good."

"Yeah." I hesitated. "I guess I better see if there's any hot water left for a shower."

"Don't count on it," he said. "Don't forget you promised to get your math done."

"I will."

Brian held the door open, and ushered me inside in front of him.

I told Brian goodnight, and I went thru to the kitchen, did my shot, and fixed myself a snack of apple slices and peanut butter.

I went on up the back stairs, pausing at Adam and Hannah's bedroom door. I could hear their voices so I tapped lightly, and

when Adam opened the door, I said, "I just wanted to say goodnight."

"Come in, Harlie," I heard Hannah say, and I went in. Hannah was standing by the crib, patting Isaac's back. I stepped over

and saw that Isaac's eyes were closed, though he kept moving a little.

"He's having a hard time settling tonight," Hannah said, quietly.

I looked down at Isaac, feeling my heart swell up with love for him.

"Maybe he'll sleep thru the night tonight," Adam said, going over to the dresser and taking off his watch to lay it down.

"How are things up at the newlyweds?" he asked then.

"Good," I said.

Adam went over and sat down on the edge of the bed, untucking his shirt from his jeans.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Yeah. Evan and I had a good talk."

"That's good," he said, studying me. "I'm glad."

I nodded, and then gave Hannah a hug, and crossed to where Adam sat.

"Night," I said.

"Goodnight, sugar," he said, and reached up to hug me. "Don't stay up late."

"Sleep well," Hannah told me.

I closed the door quietly behind me, and went down the hall to my own bedroom. I set my plate of apple slices on my dresser,

and went to take a shower. It was quick. There was nearly no hot water left at all.

I got into my pajamas. I set to work on my math, munching on my apple snacks. It was a few minutes later, when I realized

that I kept thinking about Daniel. I hadn't been very nice to him that night. Even though he'd been wrong, I thought, about nearly

telling Jill about my trip to Tennessee, I could tell that he was sorry about it. And, I hadn't been very gracious about it.

And Jill had been seeming to try and be friendly to me. Maybe I was being too persnickety where she was concerned. My first

impressions of her weren't the greatest, but after talking to Evan, I thought maybe I'd judged her too harshly.

Daniel deserved for me to give her a fair chance.

Before I thought it out overly much, I went out and down the hallway, to Crane's bedroom door. I hadn't noticed whether there

was a light on under the door or not, when I'd come down the hall from Adam and Hannah's bedroom.

Pausing outside, I saw there was a light shining out. Of course, he might have fallen asleep with the lights on, after

scratching down song lyrics or whatever he'd been working on. I stood outside for a couple of moments, feeling sad

that I had to sort of work of my nerve to knock. What was happening with Daniel and I?

I tapped. Really lightly. There was no response. I tapped again, slightly louder, slightly harder. Nope.

I gave up and began to head back to my room. I was halfway between my door and Crane's door, when

Daniel said, "Hey. Squirt? Were you knockin'?"

I turned to look back and saw that he was halfway in the doorway, and the hallway, looking after me. He was wearing a

pair of headphones that he had moved to rest around his neck.

"Yeah," I said. "I thought you were sleeping, maybe-"

"No, I was listenin' to some music." He reached up and jiggled the headphones. "I had these on. Guess I didn't hear

you at first."

"Oh," I said.

He surveyed me from where he stood, and after a moment he said, "Did you wanna talk to me?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Not if you're busy, though-"

Daniel gestured to me to come back, and said, "Come on," in invitation, before he disappeared back into the bedroom.

I walked slowly down to Crane's room, and stood in the doorway. There were papers laying all over the second bed, the one

that Daniel slept in when he was home. Daniel was wrapping the cord neatly around the headphones he'd been wearing.

I went over and sat down on the edge of the bed, as Daniel laid the headphones on top of the stereo.

He'd obviously been sitting at the desk, since it was covered with scraps of paper and pencils. He took the desk chair

and turned it around, sitting on it with his arms resting on the top.

He surveyed me with a half-smile, though he didn't say anything right away. I guess he was waiting.

"I wanted to thank you for supper," I said. I wished I didn't feel so awkward. It was the worst.

"You're welcome," he said. "I thought it was pretty good."

I nodded. "It was," I agreed.

Another moment of quiet.

"Are you writing a song?" I asked, gesturing to the papers strewn all over.

"I'm tryin'," he said, and laughed a little.

Okay. He didn't seem irritated.

"I guess I reacted sort of strong-about the Tennessee trip," I said, feeling my way into the conversation.

Daniel nodded. "Yeah. You did."

"I probably didn't explain it right-how I was feelin', I mean."

"I'd say you explained yourself fine," Daniel said.

I looked to him, wondering what to say next. Thankfully, Daniel took over.

"I understand what you were sayin'," he said. "You have a point. And, it's your story to tell, or not tell. I promise I won't

shoot my mouth off about it again."

"You weren't exactly shooting off your mouth," I said, and gave Daniel a small smile.

"It seems as though our afternoon got off on the wrong foot today," he said, then, slowly, as if he was thinking out the

words as he said them.

"I guess it did," I said.

"What started it off?" he asked.

It was direct question. I didn't really want to be put on the spot. I'd come in, thinking I would thank him for supper, and tell

him that I'd overreacted about my Tennessee bus adventure, and that would be that. And things would be okay.

"Was it when I said all that about the surprise stuff?" he asked.

I could have fibbed and just told him yes. I was hesitating, trying to decide when he saw my inner conflict or

whatever, because he said, "What?" in question to prod me to speak up.

"I'm not saying I don't understand, and I don't want to sound like some little brat, but-well, at first I thought it was just

going to be you and me going to Stockton," I told him.

There. I'd said it. I felt my face get all hot in embarrassment as Daniel gave me a clearly jarred expression.

"Oh," he said, and I saw him putting it all into place.

"Not all the time or anything," I said swiftly, not wanting him to think I was being totally ridiculous. "I know there's

lots around here that you wanna show Jill, and all. I just wondered if we could spend some time together-just you and me."

"Yeah," Daniel said, immediately. "We can. For sure." He studied me, looking a little perplexed. "Did you think we wouldn't?"

"Well," I hesitated. "I wasn't sure-I mean, I didn't know how long you were gonna be around, or how much time there

really was before you had to go back."

"Right," he said, clicking his fingernails on the back of the wooden chair. "I've been real vague about all that, I know."

I thought then that he might be going to tell me about Red, and what was going on with the Palamino Club and all of that.

But, he didn't. He said, "Right now, I've got no definite plans or a certain date to go back to Nashville. So I thought we'd

stay around for a few weeks, anyway."

Wow. I was surprised. Daniel had never stayed that long for a visit, well, except for the summer when he was home

the whole time. But, for a usual visit home, he usually only stayed a week or at the most two.

"That's great," I said, and I meant it.

I guess he could tell that I really did mean it, too, because he said, "You mean that, don't you?"

"Sure, I do," I said.

I waited, and then thought that I might as well ask. He could answer or not.

"Are you not going to work at the Palamino anymore?" I asked.

"I'm not sure right now," he said. "I might sometime again."

"Is Red going to stay there?" I asked. "And play backup for somebody else?"

"I don't think his plans are set in stone right now, either. He and I neither one were happy with the contract changes."

For some reason, I felt relieved. I'd been thinking that maybe Daniel and Red had had a falling out of some sort.

"They tried to change things?" I asked, scooting back on the bed, and sitting with my legs crossed Indian-style. It seemed as

though we were really 'talking' now, and now just saying words to each other. "Like give you less money?"

"Not that, no. Longer sets, less time to do the other stuff we want to do. Wanting us to hire a couple of the club owner's

nephews for the band. Things like that," Daniel said.

"Oh. Wow," I said.

"Red and I are both ready to do somethin' different, if it comes along," he said. "We may not agree on everything, but we do

agree on that."

Ah, now that made me start worrying again about Red, thinking he and Daniel had had a disagreement.

I wanted to ask, but thought maybe I shouldn't.

"Would you go somewhere besides Nashville?" I asked, instead. "Is that what you mean?"

"I hadn't thought that far ahead," he said.

"Oh." I tucked my legs up to my chin, and wrapped my arms around them. "It would be nice if you were closer to home."

"Thanks, squirt."

He held up a finger. "Let's go backwards for a minute. We were talkin' about spendin' some time together, right?"

"Right."

"Well, think of somethin' you wanna do," he said.

"It doesn't matter," I said. "Anything. I don't want it to be weird, or feel like we have to find some activity-that's not what

I meant, Daniel-"

"I know it's not. I didn't mean that, either," he said.

"It doesn't have to be anything specific. We could just go riding or something," I told him.

"Okay. I get it," he said. "I'm jumping the gun again, like I did earlier."

We sat, looking at each other for a couple of long moments.

"Does Jill ride?" I asked.

"She can." He hesitated. "She hasn't in a long while, though-I really doubt if she will."

"Oh."

"How about we go ridin' tomorrow afternoon?" Daniel suggested. "You won't have work, right? Since Ivy's out of town?"

"I guess I won't," I said, thinking of that for the first time. "Yeah, that sounds fun."

"Cool," he said.

I untangled my legs, thinking that at least we'd talked a little, and I knew Daniel wasn't upset with me.

"I've got math to finish," I said, with regret.

Daniel stood up, as well, setting the chair back close to the desk. "See ya in the mornin', then."

"Okay," I said. "Night."

He stepped over and wrapped his arm around my neck, aiming a kiss at my left ear. "Night, brat."

7

I went back to my own room, finding that I felt better after having talked to Daniel like I had. There were still

some unanswered questions, but I guessed that I wouldn't get them all answered in one conversation.

7