took a long bath in Hannah and Adam's bathroom, not being stingy with the bubble bath I poured in.

After I was finished, and my hair was still wet and wild, I slipped down the back stairs, and then on down to the basement, without being seen, and

gathered up clothes from the dryer that needed folding. I carried them up in the largest basket we had down there, so full that the clothes were

heaped up and I had to look over the top to see where I was going.

Back up to their bedroom I went, dumping the clothes on their bed. I took a few minutes to brush out my hair. I had the door shut, hoping that

everybody would think I was still soaking in the bathtub and leave me be.

There was a light tap on the door. And then, Jill's voice, soft. "Harlie? Can I come in?"

I stepped back over into the bathroom so it would sound more convincing, and called out, "I'm taking a bath!"

"That's okay. Can I talk to you? I'll sit on the bed," she said.

I hesitated. What did she want, anyway? I suppose she thought I should apologize or something. I was so tired right then of family things, and I wanted to be left

alone until Kenny came. I thought once he was there, nobody would say too much that might embarrass me. Well-I was hopeful.

"I'll be down later," I called back.

"Okay." I heard scuffing like she was taking steps, and then she was back at the door, again.

"I'm not mad at you," she said, thru the door.

For a moment, that steamed me. It really did. She wasn't mad at me? Well, maybe I was mad. Had she thought about that? Especially if she'd tattled to

Daniel about me.

I stepped back out of the bathroom, and said, "Did you tell Daniel anything about what I said?" Part of me was seeing the truth of what Brian had said

to me. The other part was still fumed because I didn't like her secretive attitude...

"No. I didn't," she said.

I walked over to the door and flung it open with a burst of energy. She stepped back just slightly, but didn't look all that surprised to find me

fully dressed and not in the bathtub. In fact, she showed no surprise at all.

All she said was a somewhat casual, though sarcastic, "Nice blouse," to me.

"You're good at sarcasm," I said.

"Oh, I think you could give me a run for my money in the sarcasm arena," Jill said. And then, she smiled at me. Not a nasty pre-nicer Jill smile, but

a friendly one. One that encouraged me to smile back.

I restrained myself, though, from doing that.

"Can I come in now?" she asked.

I stepped back, and gestured towards the room. Jill looked at a couple of the pictures on the dresser, and then faced me as I began folding the

clothes again.

She sat down on the other side of the bed, smoothing the quilt with her hand.

"You're so sensitive," she said. Not insultingly, but more matter of fact, as if she was making an observation.

"A person can't help worrying about their family. I worry about Daniel. That's just a fact of life," I said. I realized after I spoke that she had no idea what that felt like. Had never had the opportunity to feel that.

I flicked a glance at her to see if she was going to remind me of that, in a bid for sympathy. But, she didn't.

Instead she said, "I know," sounding humbled.

"I don't see why you had to be so secretive about the letter you got-" I mumbled.

"You just put a bet on that it was from Leo," she said, flatly. "You just assumed." She surveyed me in a way that made me feel bad.

"You haven't exactly avoided him," I reminded her, thinking of how she'd been pressed against the store wall while Leo talked to her.

"There's things that you don't understand, Harlie-I hope that you never have to understand them," Jill was saying. "I'm sure you won't-with the family

that you've been born into, but-"

There was a scraping sound at the door, and both Jill and I looked up to see Daniel leaning there. I had no idea how long he'd been there, or how much he'd

heard, and I think Jill was wondering the same. Though she didn't look nearly as concerned as I was feeling.

"What's goin' on?" he asked. In a casual way. Yet very serious.

"Harlie and I are talking," Jill said.

"Mmm," Daniel said.

Jill was sitting there, very calm, not looking uncomfortable, while I felt as though my tongue was going to begin babbling a bunch of stuff, just because

it was so awkward feeling to me. To prevent myself from doing that, I pressed my lips together tightly and kept folding Isaac's small shirts.

"This about the argument you two had earlier?" he asked.

"There wasn't an argument," Jill denied. "A misunderstanding."

"Oh," Daniel said.

"We're working it out," Jill said.

I felt Daniel look at me, but I avoided looking directly at him.

"I got a letter today," Jill said.

"I saw it," he said.

"Did you read it?" Jill asked.

"Of course I didn't read it," Daniel said.

"Okay. I don't know why I asked that," Jill said, and smiled at him. "I know better." She reached her hand out to him and Daniel took it.

Okay, this was beyond uncomfortable now. More weird. It seemed as though the two of them were going to be kissing any minute.

I gathered up an armful of Crane's shirts, mixed with a couple of Guthrie's, intent on leaving the room.

Daniel held up his free hand, in a halting motion, in a sign for me to stay put. "Hold on," he said.

"What?" I said. "I need to go down to wait for Kenny."

"Kenny's already here," he said.

"He is? Then-"

"Kenny's not goin' anywhere," Daniel said. "He'll wait for ya."

I pressed the shirts to my chest, looking at him.

"I want to ask about a couple of things first," he said. "Just so I know what's goin' on."

I eyed him warily, feeling that things were not as they seemed. Something was awry, or whatever that word is.

"So-" Daniel said, "Jill, you got a letter today. Harlie, I saw you heading down to get the mail, so I figure you saw Jill's letter, and you

got upset. Is that what happened?"

I kept still, thinking that was the best bet. Jill sighed, and stood up.

"Harlie was worried about you," she said.

"Because?" he prompted.

"You know why she's worried," Jill said.

Daniel turned that blue gaze onto me totally.

"Because of Leo? You think Jill's writing to him?" he demanded.

I kept quiet, looking at him.

"Huh?" he prompted.

I lifted my shoulders in a shrug. "I thought maybe so."

"So, what happened? You asked Jill about it?" he asked. He didn't sound mad, really. Just as though he was trying to get everything straight.

I wouldn't call what I'd done as asking her, but I wasn't going to tell on myself, either. Jill would have to do that.

When I was silent, he said, "Let me guess. You didn't ask. You demanded. Am I right?" I cursed the fact that Daniel knew me like a book.

I sighed. "Pretty much so," I admitted.

"You shouldn't have done that, squirt," he said, sounding disappointed.

I went silent again.

"Harlie was worried about you," Jill said, again, in my defense. And, to my somewhat surprise.

Daniel pretty much ignored that comment from Jill. He gave me a sorrowful look. "No matter why you did, you're out of line."

"Okay," I said. I looked at Jill, and said, "I'm sorry I jumped on you like I did. It's not my business."

"I accept your apology," Jill said. "And, I understand how you feel-"

Daniel turned towards Jill. "Even if Harlie was wrong about how she talked, why is it such a secret? You know she was asking because

she was worried for me, so what's the big deal with telling her?"

Now I felt the need to defend Jill, as she had me. "I was rude about it, Daniel."

Daniel arched an eyebrow at me. "I've no doubt about that," he said dryly, and I subsided.

"You're right," Jill conceded, acknowledging what Daniel had said.

She looked at me, and said, "It just caught me by surprise, the way you came at me, Harlie. I should have just told you. I was being stubborn."

"So tell her," Daniel said.

"I've been looking for my sister," Jill said.

"What? Really?" I asked, feeling excited for her.

Jill nodded. "Trying to. Talking to the social services of the city we lived in together last, and seeing if they can help me find where she aged out of foster care at,

when she was a teenager."

"Have you found her?" I asked.

"Not yet. There's a couple of leads-the letter was from a foster mother who knew her when she was about sixteen. The case manager is passing my name

and the address here to some others. Hopefully something will fall together soon-" Jill said. "Though it does take awhile sometimes."

"Oh, that's great, Jill!" I said. "I'm glad for you." And I was.

"Thanks, Harlie," Jill said.

Daniel looked from her to me, and then from me to her. "So-is this skirmish all settled?" he asked.

Jill stepped into the crook of his arm. "Settled. Right, Harlie?"

"Yes. Settled," I said.

Daniel sighed, and rolled his eyes. "Drivin' me to drink," he muttered.

"Me? Or Harlie?" Jill said, with a giggle.

"Both," Daniel said.

7

I went out with Kenny after that. We ate with the family, and I pressed Kenny's knee under the table when he kept talking to Crane and Daniel at

the table. I was anxious to get away and gone for a while.

I grabbed a jacket and told Guthrie we'd meet up with him at the movies in Angels Camp. I got the customary warnings, about time to

be home and all that.

Outside, out of range of hearing, Kenny gave me a quick look. "What's the big rush?" he asked me. "You act like we're goin' to a fire or something."

"I'll tell you when we're on the way," I said.

And, once in his truck, I told him. Venting. Kenny listened without saying too much, and let me talk until I ran down, finally pausing.

"It's a lot," he said, in understanding.

"It is!" I said, grateful for his sympathy.

"You feel okay about Jill now though, right?" he asked.

I remembered that I'd told both Guthrie and Daniel very recently that I did like Jill, and all that. Right now, though, I hesitated, and

then I said, "I like her okay. It's just-there's always something with her. It's never just there. Never totally peaceful."

"Maybe Daniel likes things that way," Kenny said, in suggestion, and when I gave him a look, he grinned, and shrugged. "Some guys do."

"Oh, yeah?" I challenged. "Is that what you want? A girl who's always on the edge, never still-"

Kenny reached out and took my hand in his right one.

"What I want-is the girl I've got," he said, so sweetly that I felt my heart squeeze. "Sometimes you're on the edge like that, and sometimes you're

still. You're just right."

I scooted over closer to him in the seat. "Smooth talker," I told him.

7

I had the best time that night. We met Guthrie and Kristen at the movies, and then afterwards, we went for ice cream at one of the little

shops in Angels Camp. It was so nice to be out, and with the three of them. I watched Guthrie laughing with Kenny, and thought how lucky I was

that Guthrie and I actually liked each other the way that we did, and that we enjoyed hanging out together.

Kenny got me home right before my curfew. With about ten minutes to spare. We talked for a few minutes in the front yard pole light,

and then I went inside. Guthrei would be coming along in a few minutes, too, his curfew is about thirty minutes later than mine, so I left the front

porch light on for him.

Clare was sitting in the over-sized chair in the living room, her feet tucked up underneath.

"Hi, toots," she greeted me, softly.

"Hi," I said. I was surprised to see her still up, at this time. She usually goes to bed fairly early, at this point in her pregnancy.

"Are you feeling okay?" I asked her, concerned.

"Fine. Brian and I were watching a movie. How was your date?"

I went over and sat next to her on the sofa closest. I told her about the movie plot, and said how much fun we'd had.

"That's good," Clare said. "I'm glad you and Guthrie both got to have some fun."

I regarded Clare with new eyes. I'd always liked her. Appreciated her for the support she always lent to me. She never lectured or talked down to

me. She always makes me feel as though she's in my corner. But, now-well, now I really felt more appreciation for her. Our relationship was

uncomplicated. Even. Without any barbs or turns.

In sudden emotion, I said, "I love you, Clare."

Her blue eyes showed momentary surprise, and then they crinkled with softness.

"I love you, too, toots," she said.

She didn't ask what brought on my sudden declaration of affection. I figured she knew, really.

"You're so good to me," I said, quietly.

"You're easy to be good to," she answered.

Brian came into the living room from the kitchen, carrying two cups of steaming something.

"Hey, peach," he said, in greeting.

"Hey."

He handed off one of the cups to Clare, and she took it, inhaling the smell. "Thank you," she said.

"Hot chocolate," he told me. "There's some left on the stove if you want it."

"Okay," I said. "I will."

He stood, holding his own steaming cup. "Have a good time?" he asked me.

I nodded. "Yeah, we did. The movie was sort of dumb, but we had a good time."

"Good," he said.

"I'm going to do my stuff, and then go to bed," I said.

Brian nodded, and I turned to look at Clare again. Impulsively, I squeezed beside her in the large chair, on the edge, and hugged her.

"Thank you," I said, so softly that I don't think Brian heard me.

Clare hugged me back and then met my eye. She didn't ask just what I was thanking her for, exactly. I think she understood why. She smiled

at me, her eyes soft, and nodded.

I stood up, and paused beside Brian. "Night, Bri," I said, giving him a quick hug.

"Night, peach," he said.

7