We were gathered around the table, and it had been discussed whether we should all wait to eat until Crane, Daniel and Jill

got home from the lawyer's office.

Guthrie was complaining how he was starving, and couldn't wait. Brian gave him a light cuff to his ear, and said,

"You'll live, Guth."

"I might live, but it'll be painful," Guthrie protested.

"You can finish setting the table, Guthrie," Hannah told him. "That will take your mind off your hunger."

Guthrie groaned, and went to take silverware from the drawer. Halfway thru putting the silverware around, he reached for a piece of

garlic bread. "At least let me take the edge off," he said.

"No more," Adam said. "There won't be any left for the rest of us."

Eventually, we did sit down and start passing the food platters around the table, when they hadn't gotten home yet.

"I hope it's going well at the lawyer's," Hannah said, handing off the bowl of salad to me.

"At least they're likely to get some information and advice," Adam said.

"This has been the longest day," Clare said, sighing a little.

"You ought to get to bed early," Brian said, looking at her with concern.

"I will," Clare said. "As long as there's no more excitement around here."

"Even if there is, you can still go up and get your rest," Brian said.

"Do you think since the sheriff talked to those guys, they won't come back around?" Clare asked.

"They shouldn't," Adam said.

"They won't," Brian countered.

"They came all this way," Hannah said, sounding worried. "They seemed fairly set on talking to Jill-having her go with them-"

"It's gonna be alright," Adam said, from his end of the table.

He spoke with his tone of certainty. The one he used when he wanted to console, or keep anybody from worrying about something. Most of my life

it's had that effect on me. Hannah smiled at him, and I thought it must have some effect on her, too.

I ate, but I had the beginnings of a headache. I wasn't sure if it was related to my diabetes, or just 'natural causes'. Sometimes, I get really

tired of always wondering whether to attribute how I'm feeling to diabetes or to something else.

I was helping to clear the table, along with Adam. Brian had hustled Clare off to walk her upstairs to their rooms. Hannah had gone to gather

clothes off the clothesline. Guthrie wanted to take Kenny outside to show him something, and Hannah cornered him, asking him to help her

do the clothes first.

"If I gotta," Guthrie said, with a grin.

"You do. Gotta," Hannah said, and then smiled at Kenny. "How about you, Kenny? Feel like taking laundry off the line?"

"Yes, ma'm, I'll help," Kenny said.

Hannah gave Guthrie a poke in his ribs. "Listen to those manners," she teased him.

When they'd gone outside, carrying laundry baskets to gather the clothes in, that left Adam and I in the kitchen alone. At least until Brian

came back downstairs.

Adam was running hot water into the sink, putting in the dish soap, while I kept clearing and stacking the dishes on the counter.

As I sat a stack of them beside the sink, he looked over at me.

"You okay?" he asked me.

I nodded. "Yeah. I am."

"You were quiet at supper."

I paused to look back at him. "Even with everything that's going on-you still notice who's quieter than usual?" It was a question, but yet it

wasn't.

Adam didn't say anything. He just looked at me. Waiting.

"I'm okay." I said again.

"It's been a rough couple of days," he said.

"Yeah," I said, and finished clearing off the table.

As Adam washed, I began drying the dishes. We could hear Hannah laughing outside with the boys.

"It's good to hear her laugh," Adam said.

"Laughter's always good," I said.

I felt Adam watching me again, and I met his eyes.

"You're pale," he observed.

In response, I laid down the dish towel, and rubbed at my cheeks with my fingers to make them redden up a bit. "There," I said.

"Guess since you're being a smart ass, you're alright," Adam said, and went back to washing the plates.

7

Kenny headed home shortly after that, saying his dad would need help with the chores.

After we'd said goodbye on the porch and I was watching Kenny drive down the driveway, Guthrie came out, letting the screen

slam behind him. He took a bite out of the apple he was eating, and said, "Want to go up to Evan's for awhile?"

"I think Nancy's dad was visiting them tonight," I said. "We shouldn't bother them."

"Man," Guthrie said, looking disappointed. "I feel like doin' something tonight."

"Why didn't you go out with Kristin?" I asked him.

"I wanted to stay around-you know, in case somethin' else happened with those goons."

"Maybe we could go into Butch's," I suggested. "We could swing by and pick Kristin up."

Instantly, Guthrie perked up. "Yeah. You want to?"

I'd been ignoring my headache, hoping that by eating it would have faded away. Still, it hadn't. Not entirely.

Going into Butch's with all the lights and noise probably wouldn't help any, but Guthrie looked so restless that I was willing to go

along with him. Besides, it would be good to see Kristin, and get out and do something.

We went inside, and found Adam and Hannah, along with Brian sitting in the living room, no television on, just sitting and talking.

Isaac was stepping along the couch, holding onto the edge as he stepped.

"Awe, look at Scooter," I said, going over to sit on the couch as Isaac worked his way down. Isaac gave me one of his

sunshine grins, and I scooped him up, kissing all over his forehead and cheeks. I marvel at everything Isaac does, he's so smart and cute. Just

watching him fills me with joy.

"He'll be walking soon without using the couch to lean on," Hannah said, looking at Isaac with love.

"This time next year we'll have a walker and a crawler around here," Adam said, with a look towards Brian, with a reference to

Brian and Clare's baby.

At that Brian looked a little startled, and then said, sounding almost awed, "I guess that's right. We will."

I suddenly had a thought. "Do you think Daniel and Jill will be living here, when she has her baby?"

For a moment there was silence, and then Hannah said, "We'll have to see what happens."

Guthrie said exactly what I'd been thinking, but not saying.

"Where in the heck are we gonna put everybody?" he asked.

For a moment Adam looked amused. Then, he said, "You mindin' sleeping in the basement, Guth?"

"Naw, it's okay," Guthrie said. He shot a look at Hannah, who was looking at him in concern. "I'm not complaining. Just wondering, is all."

"It's not an ideal situation," Hannah said, still looking worried. "It is a bit crowded."

I could tell Guthrie was sorry that he'd said anything at all about it.

"Hannah, it's okay," Guthrie said, again.

"We'll figure it all out," Adam said, in his calm tone.

Guthrie nodded and said, "Har and me thought we'd go into Butch's. Maybe swing by and pick Kristin up."

"You asking or tellin'?" Brian asked Guthrie, with a raised brow.

"Askin', Bri," Guthrie answered wisely.

"I wish you'd stay home," Hannah said. "We don't know if those two guys are still in town somewhere-"

"Yeah, that's right," Brian agreed, as if he was just remembering.

"They're likely long gone by now," Guthrie said, sounding breezy.

"Might not be," Adam said.

I knew the request was already done for. Guthrie knew it, too. He sighed a little.

"Can I go get Kristin at least?" Guthrie asked. "Bring her back here to the house?"

Adam exchanged a look with Hannah and with Brian.

"I think that'd be alright," he said. "Don't you two think so?"

"It's alright with me," Brian said.

"If it's okay with her mother," Hannah said, as she usually did.

"You know her mother doesn't care," I said, giving Isaac another kiss on his forehead.

"Wanna ride along with me?" Guthrie invited me.

I looked at Adam. "It okay?" I asked him.

Adam nodded, and I stood up, giving Isaac a final pat.

"You don't go inside," Brian cautioned me. "Remember?"

They don't allow me to go inside Kristin's trailer house, because they don't want me around either Kristin's stepfather, or her brother.

"Yes, Bri," I said, sounding obedient.

Fat Clarence was laying at the bottom of the front steps. Usually his favorite place outside to be is right outside the back door, because

he can smell the food cooking, and he's more likely to get scraps tossed to him there.

"Awe, boy," I said, crouching down to scratch his belly. "Sweet boy."

"Come on," Guthrie said, sounding impatient, and stepping around the dog.

"Can Clarence come?" I asked. And, then, without waiting for him to answer, I bent down and hoisted Clarence up into

my arms. Staggering a bit under his weight, I started walking towards Guthrie's truck. Guthrie was just getting behind the steering wheel as

I lifted Clarence into the seat.

"What? No," Guthrie protested.

"Why not?" I demanded. "He can come." I gave Clarence a small push to move him over so I could slide into the seat, too.

"There's not enough room for us and Kristin if Fat Albert comes," Guthrie said, referencing a cartoon character who isn't known for being

slim.

"Clarence, not Albert," I said, and closed my door with a slam. "Let's go," I said, waving impatiently towards our long driveway. "We're

burnin' daylight."

"I should have been the last child," Guthrie said, with no real heat.

"Your life would not have been complete without me," I assured him.

"Ha," he said, in return.

7