When I went down to breakfast the next morning, the kitchen was already abuzz with noise and conversation. 'Good mornings' were
tossed back and forth.
"You got to feeling better last night?" Hannah asked me, as I slid into my chair at the table. "The nap helped?"
"Yeah. It was fine," I said, thinking to evade her question.
"Her level was pretty low, there for a while," Ford tossed into the conversation.
I gave him a 'why'd you do that' type of look across the table, and mouthed, 'tattletale' at him.
"Was it?" Hannah asked, turning back to me.
"Yeah. But I nipped it," I said, sounding breezy. "Right in the bud."
"Oh," Hannah said, sounding as though she was considering. "Well, keep a good watch on it today, alright?"
"I will."
In a change of topic, I asked her about their evening out, and that turned the conversation to the movie that they'd gone to
see, and the differing opinions of it.
And, of course the events of the night before, the burros, and the birth of the baby, came up. It was while we were finishing up the meal, and
clearing the table.
It began when Brian asked why the tractor had been moved. Evan and Ford began the explanations, and I stayed mostly
silent, though I felt Adam watching me.
"What happened to the foal do you think?" Clare asked. "Or is it called a foal? A baby burro?"
"A foal, or a baby jack," Evan told her. "And I don't know what happened to cause it."
"Born dead?" Brian asked, pausing on his way to the sink to listen.
"Yeah," Evan said.
As the continued their conversation, heading out the back door, I saw them pause just outside. Crane, Adam, Brian and Evan.
I went to the screen, intent on listening.
Adam was asking Evan if the Jenny had retained her placenta, due to the labor being so long and the birth difficult. Evan told him no, and that
he'd given the Jenny a dose of medication, to help her along.
I wondered if Brian or Adam would object to the use of our animal's medication to help a wild burro. But, they both only nodded,
and I felt both relieved and ashamed. I should have known that they wouldn't begrudge an animal a helping hand.
"I told Harlie we'd go check on the Jenny this mornin'," Evan was saying.
"How'd it all happen?" Adam asked.
I wrapped my fingers around the screen door handle, waiting to see what Evan would say. I didn't think he would list my transgressions, about
how I'd charged ahead, not listening, but there was a small part of me that still worried he would.
"Harlie heard the Jack raising up a fuss. He was with the Jenny. She was already in labor," Evan said.
After that, they all started talking about other things. Work to be done, and all of that. When Evan looked my way, and
saw me standing there, inside the screen, he gave me a wink.
7
I had to wait until mid-morning to go check on the burros. It was well after ten o'clock before Evan had a chance to
go. We rode on the four-wheeler to the spot where they'd been, and found our jagged grass pathway.
There were no burro's ears, sticking out above the grass, though. I felt the first prickling of disappointment.
Evan was letting the motor of the four-wheeler idle, and sort of looking around.
"They wouldn't have gone far," I said. "Would they?"
"I don't know. Not too far, I wouldn't think."
"Can we ride a little further?" I asked.
"Yeah," he said, and drove on, keeping his speed slow, while we both looked out across the fields.
We even rode all the way to the Oak tree, where the baby Jack had been buried. But there was no sign of either of the adult burros.
Evan paused, letting the motor idle again.
My disappointment had changed to concern.
"Maybe they went back nearer to the canyon," I suggested. "You know, to see if any of the herd was still there."
"Maybe," Evan said, though he sounded doubtful. "That's a far distance for her to travel, though, so soon after."
"But, it's possible, right?" I persisted.
"It's possible," he conceded. "Not likely, but possible."
"Can we take a ride up there?" I asked then. "Just to see?"
"I've got work to do," Evan said. "I can't be takin' that much time today."
"Oh," I said, sort of sitting back a little.
"Maybe later," he said, and I knew he was trying to make amends.
"Okay," I said, with a sigh.
Evan half-twisted on the seat of the four-wheeler, to look at me behind him.
"Don't go by yourself, either," he said, in warning.
"I won't, Ev."
"Okay," he said then, and began the drive back to the house.
7
I ended up being outside most of the rest of the day. I happened to be near to Guthrie during part of the day, while we
helped Adam clean out one of the sheds. There was also, Adam discovered, a significant leak in the roof of the shed.
I thought Guthrie seemed preoccupied, which for him, this summer anyway, was nothing new.
I was totally surprised, though, when at one point, Guthrie approached a subject that he'd been avoiding like
the plague.
"Hey, Adam?" he asked, as we worked on restacking a pile of lumber against the wall.
Adam, who was looking upward at that moment, surveying the roof of the shed, said, "What?"
"I was thinkin', about yesterday. When Kenny came over," Guthrie said.
"Yeah?" Adam said, stepping forward, and still peering upwards.
"I was wrong. Not to talk to him, I mean."
Adam turned his attention from the roof leak to Guthrie's face. "You think so?" he asked.
"Yes, sir," Guthrie said.
For Guthrie to begin like that, with a 'sir' added that way, I knew he was very serious about what he was getting ready
to say. And Adam knew it, too, because his demeanor became more concentrated as well.
"What changed your mind?" he asked.
"I've just been thinkin' about it," Guthrie said. "And, also, it's somethin' that Har said."
Me? I nearly squeaked out the word.
Adam glanced at me, and then back to Guthrie again. Instead of asking what great piece of advice that I'd uttered, Adam
said, "What do you want to do about it?"
"He has court today, right?" Guthrie asked.
At Adam's nod, Guthrie went on. "I thought I might go over to his house tonight. See if I can talk to him."
"From what his parents said, he might be going from court to a detention center," Adam said.
"Yeah. I know. But, I was thinkin' that I'd try to go over there, anyway," Guthrie said.
"Alright," Adam said.
"And, if he's not home, you know, because he did have to go somewhere, then I'd like to try to visit him there. At juvie," Guthrie
said.
Adam half-sat on the pile of plywood that we'd been restacking. He was regarding Guthrie with a serious expression.
"No certainty how close to Murphys that he'd be sent to," Adam pointed out.
"I know."
"Well, go on over to the house tonight, and see what you find out," Adam agreed. "If he's been sent to a detention center,
then find out where it is, and come talk to me again." He hesitated, looking thoughtful. "I don't have a problem with you
going to see him, but I don't want you to go alone. It can be any one of us that go with you, whoever you want, but you take
somebody. Alright?"
Guthrie nodded in agreement. "Yes, sir."
Adam nodded again. "Okay," he said, and stood up again, bending to pick up another piece of plywood.
I gave Guthrie a swift glance, still surprised at the whole conversation, and especially the part about it being something that
I'd said.
7
I didn't have a chance to talk to Guthrie privately the rest of the afternoon. And, after supper, he did leave, saying he was
going over to the Harris's. I thought he might ask me to tag along, but he didn't. He asked Ford, instead. I tried not to mind, too much.
I mean, I understood, in a way. If you have to do something difficult, very difficult, then Ford, or Crane are the most calming
people to have with you. I wasn't so prideful that I thought myself to be a calming influence.
The next evening, Hannah had a special supper planned, sort of a going-away thing for Daniel. His comings and goings
were an accepted thing in our house by now, but Hannah always tried to make sure he had a send-off and also a special return
home meal.
She was talking over the guest list, which would include some neighbors, and Nancy, Cindy, and Marie, of course.
She was up early that day, organizing everybody. It was such a busy day, with the party planned, plus the regular work,
that I only had half a chance to talk to Guthrie. He told me that no one had been home at Kenny's house the night before, so he hadn't
been able to find out anything.
Hannah overheard our conversation, and paused. "Maybe we should try calling later today," she said. "And see if Kenny's
folks want to come to the get-together here tonight."
She turned to Adam, who was refilling his coffee cup. "What do you think, hon?" she asked him.
"I doubt they'll feel much like socializing," Adam said.
"Well," Hannah hesitated. "I guess that's probably right. But I could ask, don't you think?"
"Yeah. You can ask," Adam agreed, though I thought he sounded doubtful.
It was after Ford had returned from town, bringing home some more groceries for the evening, that he told the news
he'd heard in town. We were all just sitting down to lunch. It was hot in the kitchen, and there were two fans going.
"I heard about an arrest, while I was in town," Ford began.
That had everybody's attention at the table.
"Somebody we know?" Brian asked.
"Yeah. Well, sort of," Ford answered. He looked hesitant.
"Well, who is it?" Adam asked.
"It's Frank Mason," Ford said.
For a long few moments there was silence at the entire table. I nearly couldn't wrap my thoughts around what Ford had said.
I looked to my right, to Guthrie, and he looked at him.
"Well, are you sure?" Hannah asked Ford. "Or is it possibly only a rumor?"
"I think it's true enough."
Part of me wanted to cheer. I mean, if Kristin and her mother could be free of Frank, then that would make their whole lives
better. Wouldn't it? He would go to jail, and then they could rebuild a life, without him in it.
I wondered if Guthrie was thinking the same as I was.
"What could he have been doin', chasin' the Mustangs?" Brian asked, sounding doubtful. "Drunk most of the time, isn't he?"
"I don't know," Ford said.
"It's frightening to think of him, running around with a loaded gun," Crane said. Harsh words, for Crane.
"Poor Linda," Hannah said, quietly, speaking of Kristin's mother.
Now that I did not understand.
"Why, 'poor Linda'?" I asked Hannah. "Now they'll be free of Frank."
Hannah gave me an intent look, though it wasn't condemning. "I'm thinking of how embarrassing it will be for her," Hannah said. "And
for Kristin, too."
Well, now that made me stop and think. I'd only been thinking of Frank's arrest as a good thing. But, of course it was going to
be embarrassing for Kristin and her mom. Just like the Harris's embarrassment about Kenny.
"Oh," I said, subsiding.
"I'll try to call Kristin," Guthrie said.
"Finish your lunch first," Hannah told him.
"Is it alright if she comes over tonight, for Daniel's thing?" Guthrie asked.
"Of course it is. Her mother is welcome, too," Hannah said.
I got stuck doing the lunch dishes, but it wasn't so bad, because Brian hung around to help me, even though
it wasn't his turn. They were all pretty much done working for the day, so that they could help set things up for the
supper. So, he had time to spare. Still, I appreciated him helping when he didn't have to.
There were comings and goings, in and out of the kitchen, with preparations. So, I washed and Brian dried, and we
didn't really have much of a conversation between us. That is, until things settled down, and we were left alone.
Brian started asking me about the burro again, and so I launched into talking about it, and how I thought that the
Jack had been calling out for help for his Jennie. Usually, when I say something like that, Brian dismisses it as being
'far-fetched' or romanticized, or whatever. This time, though, he didn't scoff.
"Could be," he said.
"The baby was so perfect, Bri," I said. "I mean, he was all formed and everything."
When Brian was quiet, opening the upper cabinet door to put some plates away, I said, "What do you think might have
caused it?"
"There's a world of things that could have gone wrong," he said. "It's hard to say just what it was."
"It would have been fun, having a baby Jack around," I said, and immediately felt his gaze on me. I turned to meet it, refusing
to withdraw my statement.
"It would have, Bri," I said, his eyes intent on me.
"You are somethin' else, kiddo," he said, putting another dried plate into the cabinet.
"What does that mean?" I asked.
"It means that I'm not gonna argue the right or wrong of you thinkin' what you're thinkin'."
7
I was so tired of scurrying around, helping get things ready, that I only wanted to find a place to hide out. I did, in fact
slip out to the barn, and climb to the loft, just for a few minutes free from Hannah's harried preparations.
I was sitting near the loft openings, feeling a bit of breeze, and reading my book, when I was practically shocked
out of my skin by a tuft of hay being tossed at the back of my head. At first thought, I believed it was a spider web or something.
I jumped, and squealed, brushing at my hair, and then heard laughter behind me. I whipped around to see Daniel, his head at the top of the ladder.
"Gosh darn you, Daniel!" I said, still brushing at my hair. "I thought I'd scooted into a spider web!"
Daniel laughed again, and said, "So, can I come up?"
"I suppose," I said, with mock sternness.
"I come bearing gifts," Daniel said, reaching into his back pockets to pull out two bottles of Coke. He handed me one, and
sat down across from me.
"How are we supposed to open them?" I asked. "With our teeth?"
"I brought an opener," he said, holding it up, and popping the cap off his bottle, and then passing the bottle opener to me.
I opened my own bottle of Coke, and laid the opener aside. I took a long drink of the cold Coke.
"I'd almost forgotten how good a Coke tastes," I said.
"Is it alright for you to have it?" Daniel asked then. "I wasn't thinkin' about how much sugar it has in it-"
"It's fine," I told him.
"Okay. Good."
"How'd you know I was up here?" I asked, taking another drink.
"My phychic abilities," Daniel said, taking a drink and then grinning at me.
"Uh huh," I scoffed.
"It wasn't hard to figure out," he said then. "Ever since you were a tadpole, you've been hidin' either up here, or in
the treehouse, or down at the creek."
"A tadpole, huh?" I asked.
"Yep. A tadpole."
"I guess I need to figure out some new hiding places," I said teasingly.
"I'd still be able to find ya," he said.
In the next few minutes of silence, I watched Daniel, as he looked out, over the back pastures. I felt suddenly emotional over
the thought of him leaving the day after tomorrow.
"I'm gonna miss you something fierce," I said quietly.
He turned his gaze back to me. "I'll miss you, too."
For a couple of moments, we just looked at one another, and then Daniel set his bottle aside, and reached down
to pick up a handful of loose hay. He let it filter down thru his fingers.
"You've come a long way this summer," he said.
"What do you mean?"
"You're more settled. You think things thru more than you did. You're more honest."
I held his praise to me like a hug. Then, in truth, I said, "I don't always think things all the way thru."
"Well, maybe not always. But, much better than before," he said, and I knew he was thinking of my
'misadventure' of taking off to Tennessee to see him.
"Thanks, Daniel," I said, smiling at him.
"You're grown up," he said, and then added, with a grin, "Well, not totally. There's still some little girl mixed in there
somewhere."
I tossed some hay at him. "You couldn't just leave it with saying the nice stuff, could you?" I accused.
"I don't want you gettin' a big head, or anything," he said, and tossed a handful of hay right back at me.
7
Our BBQ for Daniel was a smaller group than Hannah had planned, but it was, according to Daniel, just
right the way that it was. Only the Petersons came, as far the neighbors went. Marie came, and Nancy, and Cindy, who
sat with Crane, while he manned the BBQ grills. At one point, when I went over to say hello to Cindy, she
asked me if I'd thought any more about the work study program that was going to be offered, where college credit
could be earned.
I told her that I was really interested, and considering it seriously. She was enthusiastic about it, and I
shared with her that I'd discussed it with Crane, as well.
"That's great," she said, smiling at me, and then at Crane.
"I told Harlie she has things to be preparing for first," Crane offered to the conversation. He gave me a
look then, and I interpreted it correctly.
"I will," I said. "It's only been a couple of days."
Cindy went on talking then, and Crane didn't say any more about how I was supposed to be boning up on trigonometry
with Ford, as Crane and I had agreed in our talk.
Even though I sometimes almost slipped up and said 'Miss Noel' to her, I found that the more I talked with her, in settings such
as here, at the house, the more that I liked her. She was interesting. She'd been an 'army brat' growing up, and had lived all over
the United States, before settling in California.
Protective as I am, I asked her, in a round about way, if she planned to move all around over her life, or wanted to stay in one
place. I knew that Crane wouldn't be happy bopping all around. He liked the area we lived in, and if he fell for somebody that
had wanderlust, it could be difficult for him. Not to mention the fact that I didn't think I could manage without him being nearby.
Cindy shook her head in answer, laughing a bit. "No, I'm tired of living like a gypsy. I like having roots, in a certain place."
"That's good," I said, feeling satisfied, and smiling at Crane as he looked my way.
He raised an eyebrow at me, and I knew that my questioning had been transparent, at least to him. He knew very well
why I'd asked what I had.
7