The next morning Evan made eggs and bacon for breakfast, and I, again did the few dishes.

"You could leave those," Nancy said. "Sometimes, I do that, and then do them later."

"I can do them real quick," I said.

"You don't have to," she said. "You're our guest, not our maid."

We were standing in the tiny kitchen, and she was smiling at me as she said that.

"I don't mind," I insisted.

"Well, I've got to be heading out," Nancy was saying. "We've got inventory to do today."

She and Evan were talking, about whether it was her late night at work and things like that.

I took my opportunity to say, "Thanks for letting me spend the night."

"It was fun," Nancy said. "Having you here. We're really getting alot done on those scrapbooks, too. I'm excited to

show Clare and Hannah."

"Yeah," I agreed. I hung the dishtowel over the faucet. "Would it be okay if I stayed tonight again?"

They both paused where they stood. Evan was silent, but Nancy said, "Are things that bad at the house for you?" in a sympathetic

sort of way.

"It's not that-exactly," I said. "It was just nice last night-not to have to think about it all for a while."

They were both surveying me in total seriousness.

"It's fine if you want to spend another night," Nancy said, and turned to Evan to confirm. "Right?"

"Sure. It's alright," he said.

"Thanks," I said. "I appreciate it. I can make supper. What do you guys want?"

"I was thinking about BLT's," Nancy said.

"Okay. I'll get it started," I said.

Once the door had been locked, and we were all outside, Nancy drove away in her small car. Evan was preparing to

ride the ATV down to the house. I was flinging my backpack and stuff into my truck.

"Hey, Har," Evan said, and I paused beside him.

"It's fine, you bein' here," he began. "But, using stayin' up here as an excuse to avoid Jill and the whole situation-"

"It's Daniel," I interrupted.

"What's Daniel?" Evan asked.

"It's actually Daniel that I'm avoiding," I said, and then was sorry, as Evan looked at me ruefully.

"Well, that's even worse," he said.

I sighed. "I know."

We stood in silence for a couple of moments. I looked at him, thinking he was going to tell me that I shouldn't spend the

night after all-

Only, he didn't. He just said, "Well, see ya later."

"Yeah. See you," I said.

I thought about stopping at the house, real quick, before I went to school, so that I could tell, (or ask) about spending

another night at the cabin.

I had a feeling that it would be viewed as unnecessary by Adam, and Brian-so Hannah, again, would be easier to

get permission from.

I headed off to school, getting there early enough to ask Mrs. Wilson if I could make a quick phone call. As always, she was

businesslike, and seemingly disapproving, though she told me I could.

I called home, figuring that all the guys would be out of the house by now, set about their day of chores.

The telephone rang only twice, and a soft voice answered.

"Hello? McFadden residence," the voice said.

I was fairly certain that our telephone had never been answered in that way before.

"Jill? I need to talk to Hannah," I said.

"I think she's outside hanging some laundry-I can give her a message if you want," she offered.

Like I was going to tell Jill about my plans. Um, right.

I turned my back away from Mrs. Wilson's censoring glance.

"No. I need to talk to Hannah," I said. "Can you go get her, please?"

Jill said okay, and I heard the telephone being laid down.

I tapped my foot, avoiding looking at Mrs. Wilson, while I waited for Hannah to come to the phone.

Her 'Hello, Harlie?' was harried sounding. "Are you alright?"

Of course, her first thought was to go towards my diabetes.

"Yeah, I'm fine-it's nothing like that," I said, quickly.

"Oh, good," she said, sounding relieved.

"Yeah. I was thinking that I might stay up at the cabin tonight again," I said.

There was a long pause. I could feel her thinking.

"Nanc and I were gonna do some more of the pictures and stuff," I added, sort of lamely.

"And, that has to be tonight?" she asked.

"No," I admitted. "But-I'd like to, Hannah. And they both said it was fine with them."

"I'm sure they like having you-" she said, but she sounded reluctant. "There's more to this, though, Harlie-"

"Well, yeah," I said, lowering my voice a bit more. I didn't want to get into anything of that more stuff on the

phone, though.

"Is it okay?" I said.

"I don't know what Adam's going to say," Hannah said, and I heard her sigh. "Alright."

"Thanks," I said.

"Don't forget to do your shot," she reminded me.

"I will."

We said goodbye, and I thanked Mrs. Wilson, and headed to my first class of the day.

7

I completed my day at school, and headed off to work. When I got there, and went inside, the office was

empty, but I could hear voices from the back. I went to peek outside, and was surprised to see our old truck parked.

Crane was standing, talking to Ivy.

I came out, glad to see him. He greeted me with a smile, and a 'Hi, peanut'.

Ivy turned to me. "My truck decided to let me down today," she said.

"Oh, no, what is it?" I asked.

"Crane thinks it's the carburetor," Ivy said.

"So, they went to grab my feed that I needed," Ivy went on, giving Crane a smile.

"That's good," I said, and then thought over that 'they'.

"Who's with you?" I asked.

Crane nodded towards the barn, just as Daniel came out, grabbing another sack of feed from the back of the

truck, and lifting it to his shoulder.

"I've got to change to my work clothes," I said, and headed back inside.

After I'd changed, I went to the office and began tidying up. I took a couple of calls, and began sweeping. While I was

doing that, the squeaky swinging doors opened. Ivy came in and went to get a Coke from the small refrigerator.

"There was a couple of calls," I said, pointing to the desk.

Ivy went over to read over the messages. "It sounds like I'd better head over to the Burton's," she said.

I nodded, and she said, "Do you want to ride with me?"

"I will if you need me," I said. "Or I can stay here and exercise the horses."

"That will be the best, if you would," she said.

I said sure, and then asked her if Crane and Daniel had left. She said they had, and for a moment-just a moment-

I was surprised that Daniel hadn't come inside to try and talk to me again.

I told myself that I was being foolish-that's what I wanted, right? For him to leave me be, and not be trying to

talk things out, all the time?

When Ivy had gone, I finished cleaning, and then took one of the horses out for a ride, leading another. Different ones

from the day before, though.

Ivy had paid me, too, before she left, so I went by the bank to cash the check.

I drove home, stopping only long enough at the house to do my outside chores, and check the stray dog's food and water.

I didn't even go into the house to say hi to Hannah. It was while I was refilling the stray's water that I was surprised

by Jill coming into the barn. I was so surprised at her appearance that I sloshed water all over my shirt and jeans.

"Oh! Hi, Harlie," she said.

"Hi," I said, shortly, setting the water dish down, and brushing at my wet clothes.

She went over to the stall where Pepe is at, and unlatched it, taking him out. "I thought I'd take him out for awhile," she said.

"Uh huh," I said. I patted the stray dog, who began eating the food I'd given him.

I came out, and latched the door, making sure it was secure.

"I think Hannah and Clare are making homemade pizzas tonight," Jill said. "It's sounds so good, don't you think?"

"It does," I said, and then added, "But I'm not gonna be here for supper."

"Going out with Kenny?" she asked.

"No." And, then, even though it was none of her business, I said, "I'm eating with Nancy and Evan."

"Oh," Jill said. She sat down on a nearby bale of hay, holding Pepe on her lap. "You stayed up there last night, didn't you?"

I nodded, and she said, "You must like being up there with them."

I paused, looking at her. Suddenly, I was almost angry. Definitely irritated.

"Of course I do," I said. "Why wouldn't I?"

"I didn't mean anything by it," she said. "I just think it's interesting how you all get along."

I was brushing at my wet clothes and just about to tell Jill that I needed to be going, when she spoke again.

Shocking me. "You're really disgusted by me, aren't you, Harlie?"

Her directness caught me so off-guard that I only stared at her for a long moment.

"What?" I asked. It was on the tip of my tongue to deny it-to say I didn't know what she was talking about-

"You're very upset with me. You think I'm the wrong girl for Daniel," she said, before I could utter another word.

I haven't been speechless very many times in my life before. But, I was right then. I regarded her, all my emotions

jumping around inside of me.

"You don't know what I think," I said, defensively. My only thought right at that moment, was that I wanted to get out of

there. And away. To the cabin where I didn't have to deal with this. I wasn't thinking of telling her that she had a valid point, or taking

the opportunity to have an honest discussion with her.

"I do know what you think," Jill denied. She rubbed her fingers gently over Pepe's fur. "You haven't made any secret of how

you really feel about me."

"I haven't treated you badly," I said, hotly. I wasn't going to let her accuse me of ill-treatment when it wasn't true!

"You haven't," Jill said. "That's true. But, you haven't been nice either, Harlie. You don't accept that Daniel wants to

marry me."

She was talking in a no-nonsense way. Matter of fact.

Suddenly, I'd had it. If she wanted to to hear it, honestly, then she would.

"Okay," I said. "I'm not sure if you're best for Daniel. He meets you-and bam! He leaves Tennessee and his music, and

says he's getting married, and that he's going to take care of your baby! He hardly knows you! How can you expect anybody

to just accept it?"

"Some of the family doesn't seem to think that I'm such a terrible person," Jill said.

"I never said that you were a terrible person!" I said, feeling myself getting madder.

"You think it, though," Jill said, quietly. "Don't you?"

"Why are you doing this?" I said, knowing that I needed to stop, right now. I was torn between worrying that one of my

brothers might walk in at any moment-and wishing that one of them would.

Jill got up and went to put Pepe away, latching the gate behind her.

"I just know that Daniel would feel so much happier if you and Guthrie were more accepting," she said, standing

right beside me.

"Daniel can do what he wants to do," I said, a trifle self-righteously. "Guthrie nor I have anything to say about it-"

"Of course he can," she agreed. "But, it makes him so sad, that you feel like you do."

I was staring at her, my thoughts bubbling up into words, but she went on. "He's always told me how close you and he

have been. You're not giving him a chance now. You're not doing right by him."

"You can't lecture me about that," I said, furiously. "About Daniel and me! That's none of your business! And-Daniel

shouldn't be talking about us to you!"

Jill sighed. "Okay," she said, quietly.

"Okay, what?" I demanded.

"Just okay," she said. She was looking at me as though she was disappointed or something-

"You started this!" I said. "You want to pick things apart that have nothing to do with you! You didn't have to-you

can just marry Daniel, and have your baby-and not even think of what he's giving up for you! For a baby that's not

even his! No matter who the father is! You've gotten what you were after-just do it! You don't need any blessing from me!"

When I was finished, I was nearly out of breath-my words had come so fast and so furious.

I was further shocked by Jill's next actions, and her words.

She nodded, and said, softly, "Well, there. At least that's been said."

"What is that supposed to mean?" I demanded, feeling as though I was losing at some sort of a game.

"It means that you finally said what you really feel."

"You provoked it," I said. "You say you want to be friends, but you provoked it."

"I do want to be friends, Harlie," she said. "It's you who doesn't."

She sighed again, and then she left the barn. I stood there, literally shaking. I wasn't even sure that what had

just happened had really happened.

7