The next morning, I woke up early. Earlier than what you'd expect, since we'd been out so late the night before. Kristin was curled up under

her blanket, still sleeping.

I got up quietly, and decided not to open my dresser to get out any jeans or anything, since I didn't want to wake Kristin. I

went out and closed the door softly, going down the stairs still in my pajamas and bare footed.

I went thru the living room, and towards the kitchen. It wasn't totally populated with McFaddens yet. Well, not any

"extra' McFaddens, anyway.

Adam was at the coffee pot, and Brian was standing at the stove, frying eggs and bacon. Hannah was positioned at the

toaster, taking bread in and out.

Daniel was sitting at the table, in his regular spot, bouncing a laughing Isaac on his knee.

My surprise, a pleasant one, was seeing Ford sitting at the table, already diving into the eggs and bacon that

Brian had served up to him.

"Hey, Har," he greeted me, standing up as I walked closer.

"Hey," I said, and gave him a hug. "I didn't know you were coming home. Did you get here real late last night?"

"No. Just a little while ago." He hugged me back, and then sat down again, going back to his breakfast eating.

I headed to the cabinet, as everybody else was saying good morning to me.

I mumbled a general 'good morning' in answer, and headed to the cabinet to take down a cup. Adam was filling his own

cup so I held out my cup so he could fill it with coffee.

"You're up early," he said.

"We thought you and Guthrie and Kristin might want to sleep a little later this morning," Hannah said, taking two more

pieces of toast from the toaster.

"Kristin's still asleep," I said. "But I figured that I might as well get up."

"Grab a plate and come get some grub," Brian told me. I took a plate and went to stand next to him at the stove. He heaped

some eggs from the skillet onto my plate.

"Bacon's on the table there," he said. "If Ford hasn't eaten it all."

I sat down in my own spot, and Hannah reached around me, setting down a platter of toast. "Did you all have fun last

night?" she asked me. "Before all the upset, I mean?"

"Yeah. We were having fun," I said.

"Is the restaurant nice?" she asked, sitting down in her own chair.

I told them a little about the restaurant, and then shared about the movie we'd gone to see.

"Sounds like fun," she agreed.

"Do you think you could make some blackberry cobbler like they had at Pierson's?" I asked her.

"I don't know if it'll be like what they served at the restaurant," Hannah said, wryly. "But, I can try to make some."

"Cobbler sounds good," Adam said.

Hannah gave him a smile, and then said, "You could try making it yourself, you know," to me.

"Cobbler's hard to make, though, isn't it?" I said. "I think I'll stick to baking cookies."

"Right, squirt," Daniel spoke up from across the table, still bouncing Isaac. "How about it?"

"How about what?" I asked him.

"How about makin' some cookies today? Some chocolate no-bakes would be nice."

"Oh, they would, huh?" I asked, and Daniel grinned at me.

"Yeah."

"Or lemon bars," Ford said.

"Spend my whole day in the kitchen, baking sweets for both of you, huh?" I said.

It was a light-hearted moment as everybody smiled, and Ford laughed.

"Sounds about right to me," Daniel said. "How about you, Ford?"

"Sounds right to me, too," Ford agreed, teasing.

"I'll think about it," I told them, teasing back.

I wrapped my hands around the warmth of my cup, looking around the table for a couple of moments, thinking.

"How does bail work?" I asked. "I mean, if somebody needs it, how do they go about it?"

"After bail is set, then it's generally ten percent of that amount, to post bail," Adam said.

"How much do you think it would be-for Buddy to get Kristin's mom out of jail?" I asked.

Adam shook his head. "I've got no idea, sugar."

"Me, either," Brian said.

"But, several hundred dollars?" I persisted.

"Maybe. It depends," Adam said. "More serious charges would be more bail."

"Assault is a serious charge, though," I said. "Right? So, it's probably gonna be a lot."

Hannah reached out and laid her hand on top of one of mine.

"What do people do when they don't have the money? Is that what those bail places are for?" I asked.

"That's what they're for," Brian said.

"Maybe that's what Buddy will do," I said.

"Maybe," Adam said.

I hesitated, and then said, "Kristin was crying. Not when she got home, but, later-in the middle of night."

They were all looking regretful.

"Well, she's had a rough go of it, that's for sure," Adam said, getting up to go to the coffee pot and refilling his

cup.

"What if she needs to stay here a few days, or whatever?" I asked. "It's alright, isn't it?"

"Of course it is," Hannah said.

Jill and Clare came down the back stairs into the kitchen at that time, and I finished my eggs, as they sat

down. Conversation turned to other things, and Hannah asked me what I was going to do the rest of the

day.

"I thought I'd work with D.C.," I said, standing up and taking my plate to the sink. "And, I guess I might make some cookies," I added,

looking towards Daniel and Ford. Ford gave me a grin and a thumbs up.

"Lemon bars," he specified.

"Any plans with Kenny tonight?" Hannah asked me, then.

Before I could answer, Brian spoke up. "Plans for you and for Guthrie tonight ought to be to stay at home."

It's not that I had any particular plans, or even a wish to go out anywhere, and I knew that Brian didn't mean anything by

his gruff tone. Still, I felt compelled to defend myself and Guthrie.

"We didn't do anything wrong last night, Bri," I protested.

"I know that. I didn't say that you did," Brian said, unbothered by my indignance.

"I agree," Adam said. "I don't want you or Guthrie out late again tonight."

I repressed my urge to sigh. They were so darn protective.

"I don't know that we had anything specific planned," I said. "But, maybe it would do Kristin good to go see a movie,

or something like that. To help keep her mind off of things."

"Have Lori and Trent over," Hannah suggested. "Have a picnic or something. It's going to get warm enough today

to do that."

"Yeah. Maybe," I said.

"Besides," Adam reminded me. "Kristin may not want to go out anywhere. She may rather hang around here."

"Maybe," I said, again.

I was pulling on my boots, preparing to head outside, just as Guthrie was coming down the back stairs, stretching.

"Dang," he said. "You're up, already?"

"Yeah."

Adam and Brian headed outside after that, followed by Ford, still carrying a piece of toast.

Jill went to put her plate in the sink, and paused beside me, as I sat there, on the worn stool that we use to sit on, to

put on and take off our boots.

"Your hair needs fixing up," she said, and her Georgia accent was really sounding thru today.

"It's fine," I said.

"You ought to let me redo it," she said, insistently.

I flashed a glance up at her, and I don't know why, but she was just irritating me so much right then.

"Don't you want to look your best for Kenny?" she asked me.

I'd finished tugging on my boots, and I stood up.

"There's more important things in life than how you look, Jill. I learned that a long time ago." I stressed the word 'I', to

signify that maybe she ought to think a bit less about her appearance. "In case you don't know, we've got some more serious

stuff going on right now than how good I can have my hair look."

"Harlie-" Hannah said, her tone slightly reproving.

Jill was standing there, her expression unreadable. I thought I saw a flash of something in her eyes, though. I wasn't sure whether

it was surprise by my comments, or hurt. Or maybe irritation of her own.

"All you have to say is 'no, thanks', Harlie," Jill said, and then she turned and looked at Daniel and then

went up the back stairs again, really quickly.

I swung at glance around the kitchen. Guthrie was looking at me, wide-eyed, as if surprised at me. Clare seemed to be somewhat

sympathetic. Hannah was standing by the sink, still looking as though she thought she ought to scold me. But, it was

Daniel's expression that held me. It was a cross between disbelief, I think, and also a healthy dose of that same reproval that lined Hannah's face.

I thought he was going to say something to me about what he was thinking, and I tried to prepare myself. Only, he didn't. He

gave me a last steaming look, and then stood up, still holding Isaac.

"Want me to take him upstairs and get him dressed?" he asked Hannah.

"Sure. If you don't mind," Hannah said.

"No problem," Daniel said, and went out of the kitchen, towards the living room.

Left alone with Guthrie, Clare and Hannah, I turned to Hannah. She was the one who would be actually saying something.

"You didn't need to answer her like that," Hannah said. She said it quietly, though, not real strict-like.

"She annoyed me," I said.

Hannah leveled a silent look now.

I decided to try for a flippant response. "It's too early in the morning to be annoyed," I said.

7

After that I went out and worked with D.C. Well, it sounds easier than it actually was. He did his trick of turning his back to me

in the pasture, and not letting me get close enough to put the halter on. I'd even brought along a couple of apples, but he

didn't fall for it. I ended up waving Evan down, as he was coming down from the cabin, riding his four-wheeler.

He paused the ATV, letting it idle, and I burst into my request.

"I need you to come help me!" I said.

"Well...'good morning, Evan, how are you today? You've never looked better'," Evan mocked me. "Why, thank you kindly, little sister-"

he went on, pretending to answer himself.

I blew upwards at my bangs, and rolled my eyes at him. "Oooookay," I drawled. "Good morning, Evan, how are you today? You've

never, ever, ever, looked better!" I said.

"Why, thank you-" he began.

"In fact," I said, pointing a finger at him, "You're doing your hair a different way, aren't you?" I reached out and fluffed at his hair. "If

you are, you shouldn't stop, because it looks fabulous-"

"Alright, alright," Evan said. "What do ya need help with?"

"D.C."

"I thought you were to the point where you could handle it," Evan said.

"I thought I was, too. I guess D.C. doesn't think so," I said.

"Let me go park," he said.

When he'd done that, he walked over to the pasture where I was standing, with D.C. calmly watching me from about thirty feet away.

"What's the problem?" he asked.

"The same old thing," I said.

Evan gave me a raised eyebrow, and I said, "He won't come to me. He won't respond. He's ignoring me, just like always."

"Have you been workin' with him steady?" he asked.

I gave a brief nod. "Steady."

"Every day?"

"No. Not every day. There's no way I have time every single day."

"Every other day?" he asked.

I gave Evan a regretful look. "No. Not every other day."

"When's the last time you worked with him?" Evan demanded.

"Can you just help me get him into the corral?" I asked, blowing at my bangs again.

Evan rolled his own eyes, and, then, walked about ten feet out, and whistled softly. D.C. came ambling up easily, nuzzling

Evan's shoulder, and then his pockets.

He turned and walked towards the corral, with D.C. following, and I went to open the corral gate so they could go in.

"Thanks," I said, closing the gate behind them.

Now that he was in the enclosed corral, D.C. made no attempt to prevent me from putting on the bridle, and then I went

to pull the saddle from the top corral panel, where I'd carried it earlier.

I laid the blanket over his back, and then began saddling him, tightening the cinch. Evan watched as I did that, and then

stood there, while I mounted D.C. and began to ride him around the corral.

"You can go," I told Evan. "I've got it under control now."

He said okay, and went to begin to climb over the corral. "Can you open the gate first?" I called out to him.

Evan paused and turned back to me. "Huh?"

"Can you open the gate?" I repeated.

"Ride him in here," he said.

I was feeling full of confidence right then. D.C. had been easy to ride so far this time.

"I want to take him out," I said.

"You're not ready to do that yet," Evan protested.

"Yes, I am," I insisted.

Evan came over and laid his hand on the side of D.C.'s head, looking up at me.

"You can't get him to come to you, but you think you're ready to ride him out of a controlled area," Evan said, dryly.

"One thing is not the other," I objected.

Evan was just looking at me, but he wasn't joking. He looked serious.

"When's the last time you worked with him? Rode him?" he asked me, for the second time.

I gave him a long look back. "When you helped me the last time," I said.

"Two weeks ago?" he said.

"I don't think it's been two weeks," I denied.

"You're not gonna accomplish what you want-you're not gonna make D.C. really your horse-unless you get your butt

out here at least every other day and work with him," he said.

"Okay," I said, straightening up in the saddle. "I'll try to do better about it. But, will you open the gate? Please?"

"Ride him in here," Evan said, and went to climb over the top panel of the corral and drop to the other side. "I don't want you

gettin' hurt."

"I can handle it, Ev," I protested. "It feels different today. I feel like I'm in control."

Evan paused to look back over. "You need to work him in there," he insisted.

I was going to argue more, but he turned around and walked away. I thought he was overreacting, but what could I do

about it? I decided I was too tired to argue further, or to take D.C. out in the pasture. So, I put him thru his paces in

the corral. I wasn't sure how long. Maybe an hour or so.

I'd managed to push back my thoughts of the night before, with the turmoil of Kristin's stuff, and then with what had

happened with Jill, and Daniel's piercing looks.

When I was finished and turning D.C. back out into the pasture again, I could hear the stray pup barking and barking. That reminded

me in a hurry that I had that situation to deal with. And fast.

7