I ran, and I ran fast. I'm no slouch at running, I'm proud to say. But, as hard as it is to say it, and as much as feminists don't want

to admit it, there's mostly no way that a girl can outrun a guy. Especially if said guy was intent on catching you.

I ran around the house, once, and then again, and Guthrie nearly got me because he doubled back, but I saw him in time,

and screeched to a halt, and then burst into a run again. To the back yard, and around the picnic table, dodging him from the

other side. I rested my hands on the rough wood, trying to catch my breath, between laughing.

Hannah had come out the back door, an empty laundry basket in her hand. I didn't want to take my eyes off Guthrie, but I could see

Hannah out of the corner of my eye, and I knew she was standing there, watching us.

"What are you two up to?" she asked.

I couldn't answer, I was still trying to catch my breath. But Guthrie said, "Har and I are gonna have words, here in a minute."

He didn't, I was vexed to notice, sound even out of breath.

"No-" I said, breathing hard. "No-we are-not."

"Shouldn't have started what you can't finish, Har," he said.

"I can-finish," I said, still gulping for air.

"You two," Hannah said, sounding somewhat amused, with an undertone of chiding. I was conscious of her walking on, to the

clothesline to begin taking down the jeans hanging there.

Guthrie began edging his way around the table to me.

"Got your breath back?" Guthrie asked me, a glint his eye.

"Anytime you're ready," I challenged. I was off again, heading towards the orchard, but I didn't make it far. Guthrie overtook me,

and he reached out to grab me. He snaked an arm around me, lifting me off my feet, and squeezing my middle until I was

even more breathless than before.

I was hollering at him to stop, as best as I could.

Brian came walking, from the barn to the back yard, slowly. I wished he wouldn't walk so slowly, so he could come and make

Guthrie put me down. That way, it wouldn't be that I've given in. It would be that Guthrie had been made to stop. So it would

be a draw. A tie.

Brian, though, instead of issuing an order to Guthrie to stop-stood watching us. An expression of somewhat amusement on his

face.

"Looks like it's Guthrie, 1, and Harlie, 0," he said. "What do you think, Hannah?"

Hannah, holding the basket full of dried jeans, came to stand beside Brian. "I'd say so," she said, in agreement.

"Say you give up," Guthrie ordered.

Laughing still, I mumbled something at him.

"Can't hear ya," Guthrie said, not letting go.

Finally I gave in, and said that 'I gave up' and he turned me loose.

Getting my breath back, I gave Brian a look. "You could've helped me, you know," I told him.

"You brought it on yourself," Brian said, with no apparent sympathy.

7

I figured I would talk to Hannah, and to Clare, too, about being invited along with Kenny and his parents to spend the

night at his grandma's on Saturday. If Hannah was supportive, I figured that would go a long way to helping Adam get to a 'yes'

answer. I did my outside chores quick, and then went upstairs to wash up and change.

Back downstairs in the kitchen, they were both sitting at the kitchen table, folding the dried jeans and another basket of

Isaac's tiny shirts and socks.

"Where's Scooter?" I asked, going to get a drink of water.

"Adam has him, out riding in the Jeep, checking fences," Hannah said.

"Oh. I bet he'll like that," I said.

I went to the cabinet to start to pull down plates.

First, I told them about my afternoon with Ivy, and about the pregnant mare.

"You never cease to amaze me, toots," Clare said.

"I agree. After more than five years in this family, I'm still amazed by the things you do," Hannah said. She looked proud,

not grossed out, or anything like that.

Their approval and compliments made me feel warm inside. Warm, and capable.

"Thanks," I said. I set the plates down in a stack, and went to begin counting out silverware.

I told them both about the invitation. Clare, as was typical, didn't say a whole lot to begin with. Hannah, also typically, was somewhere

between wary, and considering.

"I don't know, Harlie," she said. "You were just there last weekend," she reminded me.

"Yes, but his mom asked that I come again. And his grandma, too. They like having me."

"I'm sure they do," Hannah agreed. She hesitated. "I'm not sure what Adam will say. It's unusual-staying overnight

at the home of a relative of your boyfriend."

"But, other girls do it," I pointed out. "I know for a fact that at least three girls in my class have stayed with grandmas of their

boyfriends. It would be okay, Hannah," I persisted. "Really, it would."

"You'll have to talk to Adam."

"I will."

"Well-" she was saying, as we heard voices and boot steps coming up the back walk.

"Will you be there when I ask him?" I asked, really fast.

"We'll see," she said, without committing, and the kitchen began to fill up.

Adam was carrying Isaac, and went over to the sink, washing Isaac's and then his own hands.

"Did he have fun?" Hannah asked, as she and Clare began to move the folded clothes.

"He sure did," Adam said. "He was laughin' the whole time."

"Oh, that's good," Hannah said, sounding glad.

I began to set the table, and Clare helped, as we laid plates and silverware at the chairs of who would be at supper.

Brian, coming in, announced that Nancy and Evan were riding in, on a four-wheeler.

"I'll get more plates," I said.

Crane was absent from the table, as was Daniel, of course, since he was at work. Even without them, and without Jill,

there was still nine of us at the table.

After supper, I spent some time talking to Nancy. We were sitting outside, on the top step of the front porch. She talked

about work for awhile, and then I told her about wanting to go with Kenny on the weekend.

"Hmm," Nancy said, looking thoughtful.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing-it's just, well, maybe you should talk to Hannah about it."

"I did."

"What did she say?"

"She wasn't thrilled with the idea," I admitted. "But, she said to talk to Adam."

"Hmm," she said, again, and I gave her a sideways glance.

"What would your parents have said? I mean, at my age, not at yours," I asked.

"Well, my mom had already passed away at that point. When I was your age, I mean. So, it would have been up to

my dad. But, I wasn't dating anybody in particular then. I didn't have my first serious boyfriend until my senior year."

"Who was that?" I asked, curious.

"Thad Holland. Do you know him?"

"Is he that really tall guy with the black hair?" I asked.

"Uh huh."

"Well, what would your dad have said if you'd wanted to be gone overnight to Thad's grandma's house?" I asked.

"I would have been 17, Harlie."

"So, seventeen isn't that far from sixteen," I pointed out.

"I don't think my dad would have said too much," Nancy said. "He probably would have been fine with it."

"That's cool!" I said, feeling hopeful for my own situation.

"Don't get too excited, Harlie," Nancy cautioned. "My dad wasn't all that strict-"

"Don't get too excited about what?" a voice asked, from behind us. Evan. He'd come out without us hearing him.

"What are you doing, sneaking up on us?" Nancy asked, reaching up to take his hand, and smiling.

"I wasn't sneakin', you were just too involved in your girly talkin' to hear me," Evan teased.

"Ready to go home?" Nancy asked him.

"Yeah. If you are," Evan said.

Nancy got to her feet, and I stood up, as well. As they stood together, holding hands, Evan said, "So what's

up with you?"

"Me? Nothing," I said, wiping my hands on my jeans.

In other words, whatever you two were talkin' about is none of my business, huh?" Evan said, grinning.

I waved my hand at him in dismissal. "See ya, Nanc," I told her, going to open the screen door.

"See you," Nancy echoed.

I was nearly inside when Evan paused at the bottom of the steps, and said, "You're leaving D.C. alone, right?"

"Yes, Evan," I said, rolling my eyes upward. "For this particular moment, I am doing exactly that."

"Best be more than just a moment," he said, frowning at me.

"Uh huh," I said.

"I'm gonna be workin' with him real soon," Evan went on. "I just haven't had time yet-"

"Okay. I know you're busy," I said.

Adam came out, then, the screen door squeaking. "Headin' out?" he asked Evan.

"Yeah." They turned to talk to each other for a moment. Something about whether Evan could bring some extra wire that

had been stored up at the cabin's shed.

Nancy and Evan started out across the yard toward Nancy's little red car.

When they said goodnight, and were driving towards the lane leading to the cabin, Adam leaned against

the porch post, and looked up at the sky. Standing there beside him, I studied him.

"You okay?" I asked him.

He looked at me in a surprised way. "Me? Yeah, I'm okay. Why?"

"I just wondered," I said. "You look sort of tired."

"Oh, I'm alright," Adam said. "It's been a long day, is all."

I nodded, and went to peek inside, hoping to see Hannah in the living room. I figured, even if Adam was tired, that I

might as well get the asking about the weekend with Kenny over and done. And, it would be good if Hannah was nearby.

Sure enough, Hannah was coming from the kitchen to the living room, and preparing to sit down on the couch.

I opened the door just a smidge. "Hannah," I said, and motioned to her.

When she came out, and stood beside Adam and I, he wrinkled his forehead.

"What goes on?" he asked. "You two up to something?"

"Certainly not," Hannah said. "I'm too tired to get up to anything." She smiled up at him.

"How about you?" Adam asked, turning to me, his eyes crinkling at the corners with a smile.

"I'm not up to anything," I said. "I just want to ask you something."

"Okay," he said, waiting.

"Kenny's mom and his grandma have asked me to come this weekend to visit. Kenny and his dad are going to do

some landscaping at her house on Saturday."

Adam wasn't saying anything, so I talked on. "His grandma really wants me to come. Kenny said so."

"Finish telling him," Hannah said, and Adam looked between her and then me.

"There's more?" he asked.

"They're going to spend the night Saturday, since they're going to be working most of the day, and then come home

after breakfast Sunday morning," I said.

Adam lifted an eyebrow. "Oh."

I watched him, knowing I couldn't rush him, but it was hard, because I could see his thoughts turning in

his mind.

"You were just there last weekend," he said, finally.

"I know. But, they want me to come again. They really do."

And, then, he said it. "I don't like the idea of you spending the night," he said, flatly.

"It's properly supervised, and all, Adam," I said, feeling irritated, but trying not to show it.

"I'm not doubting that," he said.

"Then what?" I persisted.

Adam pushed himself off the porch post, and looked to Hannah. "You know about this, I take it?" he said.

"Harlie mentioned it to me earlier," Hannah said.

They seemed to exchange a look that spoke without any words. I hadn't expected Hannah to rally her support

loudly or anything, but I was still disappointed that she didn't speak up more.

"What is it that you don't like about it?" I asked, trying not to show impatience. "It's a big house-I'm sure there's

more than one guest room."

"Let me think about it," Adam said, without answering my question about what it was that he disliked.

"It's no different-me staying there overnight, than it is when Kristin stays here," I pointed out.

"Harlie." That was all he said. But, it had the touch of a warning to it.

"It's not. She's Guthrie's girlfriend. And she sleeps here, in the same house as him," I persisted.

"Enough," he said.

I closed my mouth around my next objection.

"I can say no right now," Adam said. "If you like." Ah. A larger warning.

"No," I said. "I mean-I don't want you to do that." I subsided, giving him what I hoped seemed like a contrite look.

I looked to Hannah, pleading silently.

"We'll talk about it, and let you know," she told me. And smiled, her eyes kind.

"Okay," I said, with less grace than I should have.

7

I stayed quiet the rest of the evening. We sat around the living room together, the ones of us at home. Guthrie

made popcorn, with several bowls, and we snacked as we did our homework, sitting on the floor and leaning against

the couch. Adam and Hannah were on one end of the couch, and Brian and Clare were on the other opposite couch.

Adam was holding Isaac on his lap, looking at a baby book with him. One of those board books that make it easy for the

baby to get hold of. Adam was pointing out the animals to Isaac, and Isaac was chortling in glee. I couldn't help

enjoying the fact that Jill was absent. It was nice. Restful. Not having her flittering around, on the edge, but yet

right in the thick of things. Listening. Putting in her two cents on every conversation.

"What time does Daniel get home from work tonight?" I asked, in a general way, to no one in particular.

"I think he gets off at ten," Brian said.

"Ten?" I said, thinking. "And, he has to drive almost two hours after that?" So, I figured, he would be home around midnight,

or a bit before.

"Poor Daniel," Hannah said. "He has to be getting exhausted. Have you talked to him this week?" she asked Adam.

"Just for a few minutes yesterday morning," Adam said. "Caught him as he was leaving at five."

"How was he?" Hannah asked, sounding concerned.

I saw Adam's moment of hesitation. "He seemed fine," he said.

"Was he?" Hannah asked, sounding uncertain. "Do you think he's eating?"

"It's only been a few days, Hannah," Adam said, reaching over to squeeze her hand.

"I know. But, I worry about him," Hannah said.

"He'll be alright," Adam said.

"He has to make his own way," Brian said, but then he looked down quickly, and I thought it seemed as though he

was trying to convince himself as well.

7