In the midst of our tom-foolery, Daniel said, "Hey, babe," to Jill.

"Hi," she answered.

Daniel set me down, swiping at the face cream in his hair, as if trying to pull it out.

"You're just making it worse," I said, still amused. "You're spreading it out-not taking it off."

"You're a real comedian," Daniel said, and I smiled.

Daniel went over to stand near her. "Everything okay?" he asked, which I thought was a weird question. He'd only

just seen her downstairs. What could have happened since then?

"I remembered something I wanted to ask Hannah, so I went back down to do that," Jill said.

Daniel nodded in answer, and, since I didn't want it to get awkward, I went back into the bathroom, leaving the door open,

and washed off my face, patting it dry with a towel.

Daniel leaned into the doorway. "Rematch later, huh, squirt?"

"Sure thing," I told him, and he grinned, and went to Jill.

"I'm gonna talk to Adam for a bit," he said.

I heard Jill answering in a soft, too-hard-to-hear voice, and then, just as I was finishing up, she stood at the

doorway of the bathroom.

"I use that too," she said, nodding towards the Noxema container.

I'd seen Jill's array of makeup and face care products when I'd helped her carry up some clean laundry the day

before. It had been a quick, in and out sort of thing, but even so, I'd seen enough to be surprised that she would land claim

to using something as simple as Noxema.

"You do?" I asked.

"Yeah. There's nothing better than the feeling it gives your face," she said.

Exactly the way that I felt. I gave her a tentative smile.

"You and Daniel really are close," she said then.

I snapped off the bathroom light, and stood there, in the doorway. She seemed more interested and curious than anything else. She

still sounded sort of wistful, or whatever.

"Yeah," I said. "We always have been."

"You're close to Guthrie, too," she said. More of a statement than a question.

"Yeah. We're pretty near in age, so we always had each other to hang around with."

Jill nodded, and took a few steps back. "You all are a real nice family," she said. "Daniel kept telling me-but it's different seeing it

for myself."

Geez. If she kept this up, I was gonna end up making her a friendship bracelet or something-

"We're pretty good," I said, modestly. "Mostly, we all get along."

In an abrupt change of topic, Jill said, "Your hair is so great-it's really thick."

"Mostly it's a pain," I said.

"I was a hairdresser in Georgia," she said. "For a little while. You want me to do a real tight braid on you? It will stay for

a couple of days, even sleeping on it."

"Um, sure, I guess," I said, and so, before I went to sleep that night, Jill took me off to the boy's room, where she

sat me in a chair, and did some fancy sort of braid. When she let me see my reflection of the back of my head with a

hand mirror, it looked like an intricately designed spider web.

"Wow," I said.

"Do you like it?"

"Yeah. It's-well, I've never seen anything like it," I said. I couldn't stop looking at it in the mirror.

"I know lots of styles," she said, breezily, gathering up her hair supplies to put back into a bag. "We can try out some more,

if you want."

"Yeah. Okay," I said. I handed her the hand mirror, and said, "Well, I better get to bed. We've got lots to do tomorrow."

"Yeah. Okay," she echoed. "You all are always busy 'round here, it seems like."

I paused, standing and looking at her. Maybe if she was asked, she would join in more.

"Daniel says you can ride," I said. When she looked puzzled, I added, "Horseback."

"Oh," she said, and I thought she looked slightly panicked. "Yeah. I can. But-I don't."

"Oh." Now, I was the one who was puzzled.

"Hannah said I could help fix the meal for tomorrow evening," Jill said. And, I thought she actually sounded glad about it.

"That's cool," I said. "Well-" I went to the door. "Thanks for doing my hair."

"You're welcome, Harlie," she said.

I told her goodnight and went back down the hallway to my own bedroom.

Instead of answering questions, my time with Jill had only created more.

7

Brian made waffles the next morning. Waffles aren't something we have a lot of in the mornings, because they take

so long, and there's usually just not enough time.

But, when I got downstairs the next morning, dressed in my worn jeans and a sweatshirt for the cool morning air, he

already had a large platter of finished ones in the center of the kitchen table. Guthrie was already there, eating, as was

Crane, Adam and Hannah. There was a chorus of good mornings tossed around to me.

"Grab some before they're gone," Brian told me.

I went to pull down my sugar-free syrup from the cabinet, and then grabbed a container of yogurt from the refrigerator.

I took one waffle, and put some of my syrup on it, and ate that with my yogurt, and milk.

Adam and Brian were discussing the bull, and saying that when Evan got down to the house, he would be able to report

on how the bull was doing this morning.

"Your hair is so cute," Hannah told me, reaching out to touch the back of my head.

"Jill did it," I said, and Hannah smiled at me. She said no more, but her smile was one of those 'I'm proud of you' type of smiles.

Ford shuffled into the kitchen. from the living room, where I knew he'd spent the night on one of the couches. Since nearly all

the beds and bedrooms were taken over, that was where he had decided to sleep.

Adam, standing to go and refill his coffee cup, gave Ford an affectionate head rub.

"We didn't even try to be quiet," Brian told Ford. "How do you sleep thru all the noise? You never used to be like that."

"No, you were always a real light sleeper," Crane offered.

"Living in a dorm cures that malady," Ford said, sitting down at the table in his usual spot. "Some of those guys never shut

up. You have to just learn to zone out if you wanna get any sleep."

That brought Crane around to the conversation of asking Ford about his classes, and his grades. I'd finished, mostly, and got up,

going to the living room to search thru my backpack, and take out the B- test paper from the day before.

I went back to the kitchen, and laid the paper in front of Crane, as he was pushing back his plate, and taking a drink of

his juice.

I went back to my own seat again, and Crane picked it up to look it over.

His smile at me from across the table was warm. Even his eyes were smiling at me.

"Good job working hard, kiddo," Crane said.

"Let's see that," Brian said, and Crane passed the paper to Ford, who handed it across to Brian.

"I knew you had a brain underneath all that hair," Brian said, and handed it off to Adam.

Adam looked down the table at me. "That's the way to do it," he told me.

I smiled, happy that they were happy with me.

"See, Har," Ford told me, pouring syrup over his waffles. "You thought Trig was gonna kick your butt, but you

were wrong."

"It's just one test grade," I felt bound to point out. "It's still really hard for me."

"Yeah, but you've got the basics down now," Ford said.

Daniel came down the back stairs. "Morning, everybody," he said.

Again, the round of 'good mornings' went around.

After that, work for the day was discussed, and talk of the evening meal, which Hannah said Marie was coming over to join.

"And Kristin?" she asked, looking at Guthrie and I.

Guthrie nodded. "Yep."

"And Kenny?" Hannah asked me.

"He said later," I told her. "But in time to eat, yeah."

Hannah looked to Crane, who was standing, and beginning to stack plates. "Tell Ivy, alright?"

Crane had the hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth. "I did."

7

The bull was, according to Evan, seemingly holding his own. Showing some interest in eating, and drinking alright.

"We'll have Ivy take another look at him this evening," Adam was saying.

Everybody separated, to do their respective chores.

Later in the morning, I went to hunt Evan up.

He was with Daniel, his head stuck in the motor of the old ranch truck.

"Can you help me with D.C.?" I reminded him.

"Yeah, okay," Evan said. "Get him up in the corral and I'll be over there."

I went to fetch a halter and then walked out in the pasture, my pockets armed with horse treat goodies.

Old Charlie came right up, and I rewarded him. Petra also came forward, bumping me with her head.

"You're a brat," I told her. "You only love me for the treats you get."

I tried to entice D.C. to come up for a treat, but he resolutely ignored me, standing a good ways away.

I walked over towards him, and everytime I got nearby, he would pointedly just turn his butt to me, and walk away.

After twenty minutes of that, I was fed up and frustrated, and muttering under my breath.

I stood there, giving him a glare, with Charlie and Petra still on my heels. When I looked towards the

corral, I saw that Evan was sitting there, on the top rail, Daniel beside him, watching.

I walked back over to the corral. "He won't come," I said, irritated.

Daniel laughed, but Evan said, "What do you think you're gonna accomplish with him, if you can't even get

him to come to you?"

"Well, what do you suggest?" I said, even more irritated.

"I suggest you don't give up, just because it's not easy," Evan said.

"I'm not giving up," I protested. "He just prefers males over females, that's all. I guarantee that if you walked

over there, he'd come to you, even without a goodie."

"I know he would," Evan said, simply.

"Well, then?" I said.

"He's not my horse, though," Evan said. "He's yours."

"I just want you to help me with him," I said. "I didn't ask for the lecture that goes along with it,"

Daniel looked amused again, but was quiet.

Evan hopped to the ground from the corral railing. "Don't get yourself all worked up," he said, in that maddening way

that older brothers have. "Just open the corral gate." He began walking out into the pasture, as Daniel jumped down and he

and I swung the gate open wide.

Evan walked a short ways out, and then stopped. Just stood there. He didn't try to entice D.C. to come to him. He just

stood there. And, sure as the sun rises every morning, D.C. ambled his way over to Evan, muzzling against his chest.

Even though I'd known it would go somewhat that way, it still caught me by surprise. How horses respond to Evan.

"Good gravy Gertie," I muttered.

"It's somethin' to see alright," Daniel said, in apparent agreement of Evan's powers.

And, then, without a halter or rope, or anything else, Evan turned to walk towards the corral, with D.C. plodding along

behind him.

"He's like the damn Pied Piper," Daniel said, sounding in awe.

Once Evan was inside the corral, with D.C., we closed the gate.

"Get a bridle," Evan told me.

I ran to the tack shed, and brought back a bridle, handing it off to him, as I scrambled up to sit on the top of the corral fence

alongside of Daniel.

Evan talked to D.C., though it was so soft we couldn't hear the words, and slipped the bit between D.C.'s teeth, and

the rest up over his ears.

Then, without much preamble, besides some more soft talking, and a couple of head rubs to D.C., Evan swung up

easily onto the horse's bare back.

Daniel and I watched as Evan rode, walking, and then cantering, around the corral. D.C. suddenly became a youngster. Tossing

his head, and seeming delighted to have a rider on his back again.

When Evan pulled D.C. to a halt after a bit, I called out, "Do you want me to get a saddle?"

"No. Not yet," Evan said. "Come over here."

"Me?" I asked.

"Yeah, you," Evan said. "Who do you think I'm talkin' to? Daniel, is this your horse?"

"Nope. Not mine," Daniel returned, going along with the joking sarcasm.

"Then I must be talkin' to you, huh?" Evan said to me.

"No need for smartassedness," I muttered.

I hopped to the ground, and approached D.C. and his sarcastic rider.

Standing at the horse's side, Evan held out a hand, and I looked at him, perplexed.

"What?"

"Give me your hand, and get up behind me," he ordered.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Yeah. I'm sure. Come on."

I took his hand and he pulled me up behind him, which wasn't all that easy, and I'm sure not very graceful to

the one watching. Daniel.

"Comfy?" Evan asked me, and Daniel laughed.

"Evan Robert-" I began.

Evan put D.C. into motion and began to canter around the corral ring again. This time with me on behind me. After a couple of

minutes, I relaxed a little. D.C. seemed fine. Oblivious to the fact that he was carrying two riders bareback. With one of them being

a detested female.

"This is okay," I said, feeling relief, and just beginning to enjoy myself a bit.

"Yep," Evan said, and then, he pulled D.C. up.

"Scoot back," he ordered, and I moved my hips back out further over D.C.'s hindquarters.

Evan swung one leg over and hopped easily to the ground.

I made to get off, as well, but he said, "Stay up there. Scoot back up where you're supposed to be."

I scooted up, but all my apprehension was back again. "What?" I asked.

Without saying anything, Evan took the bridle reins and began leading D.C. around in wide circles.

"I feel like a kid at a pony show at the circus," I said. "Being led around by the circus master. Right, Daniel?" I called out,

proud of my dig at Evan. "Or maybe led by one of the clowns?"

D.C. didn't seem to notice that I was still on his back. He just ambled after Evan placidly. After a few minutes, Evan stopped, and

handed the reins up to me.

"Already?" Just me?" I asked. "I don't know, Ev-"

"I'm not goin' anywhere yet," Evan told me. He began to walk again, and D.C. simply followed him. I wasn't even really

controlling the horse at all, even though I had the reins in my hand. They were slack.

"Pick those reins up, and handle him," Evan ordered. "Don't just sit there like you really are a kid on a pony at the circus."

I took the reins and tried to do what he was telling me. D.C. tossed his head, but still followed after Evan as he walked.

After a few minutes of that, Evan walked over to stand near to where Daniel was sitting. D.C. paused.

"Now, go," Evan said. "Ride him around the corral."

I don't know why, but I felt nervous somehow. I knew that D.C. preferred males.

"What if he balks?" I asked.

"Then you'll get tossed off. And land on your butt," Evan said, without apparent sympathy. "It won't be the first time, will it?"

"No," I admitted.

"Go."

So, I urged D.C. into a walk, round and round we went.

"Now put him in a canter," Evan called out. "Stay aware."

I did that, and not even a full minute later, just as I was relaxing a bit, and thinking that D.C. would accept me, he came to an

abrupt halt, and so abrupt it was, that I was caught off-guard and he pitched me off. Nearly right over his head.

I hadn't been riding very fast at all, and I've taken harder falls before, but when I sat up in the dirt, both Daniel and Evan

were beside me.

"Okay?" Evan was asking.

"You bounced, squirt," Daniel said.

I guess they could tell that I wasn't hurt, because they both looked faintly amused.

They helped pull me to my feet, one on each side of me.

"What was that?" I asked, still not believing it. D.C. stood, looking at our trio calmly, reins dragging the ground.

"Were you even usin' your thighs at all?" Evan demanded. "Or were you just bein' a piece of limp spaghetti up there?"

"I wasn't expecting that," I protested.

"Well, expect the unexpected with this one," Evan said. "Now come on. I'll give you a leg up."

I followed Evan, a bit reluctantly. "Maybe he's had enough for today," I said.

"Not until he knows you're the boss," Evan said.

So Evan gave me a boost, and I got back on, and I rode that horse around that corral for at least the next hour. Stopping. Starting. Walking.

Cantering. Backing him.

When Evan finally called it good for the day, the insides of my thighs were aching, and D.C. was lathered up.

Daniel had to help me down, and we three stood there, as I rubbed my butt.

"My butt is numb," I complained.

"Now he knows who's boss," Evan told me.

7