The next week, after the first day back at school, I headed to the vet office for work. Ivy was in the midst of setting up the area and preparing for

a surgery on a dog who had a tumor growing out of his stomach.

I answered the telephone just as I was coming in, took a message, and then changed my clothes, and went to the back. Ivy had the surgery table covered and

was sterilizing her instruments.

The dog had been given an injection, and was drifting into unconsciousness.

"Hey there, Harlie," Ivy said.

"Hey," I said.

I reached out and touched the dog softly. "He's a beauty."

"He really is," Ivy said. "Are you prepared to assist?" she asked me, with a smile.

I nodded. "I took a message as I came in. It was Dot Harper. She asked for you to call her when you get a chance."

"Alright, thanks," she said.

A few minutes later, we were ready to begin. And Ivy began the surgery. I'd seen some small surgeries on animals, with Doc G and with Ivy, too,

but this was the most intense one I'd been a part of. There was a lot of blood. A lot.

I handed Ivy instruments, and helped blot the blood, and then helped with the wrapping and bandaging.

When we were finished, Ivy blew out a long breath. "Whoo," she said. "Let's wash up and go sit and take a break."

We washed at the sink in the back, and then went to the front office, where we sat down and had some lemonade.

We were still chilling like that, when the door opened, and Crane came in. I hadn't known he was coming by, and I don't think Ivy did either,

because her face lit up with a smile.

"Well, hello," she said, in greeting, and came around to the other side of her desk. Crane gave her a quick kiss. "Hey."

I kept my seat, with my feet propped up on another chair, stretched out.

"Hi," I greeted him.

"What are you doing?" I asked him.

"Had some errands to do," he said.

"Break time, huh?" he asked.

"Absolutely," Ivy said. "We just got done with a surgery."

Crane nodded.

"Want me to go check on him?" I asked Ivy.

She said okay and so I went on to the back, checking on the dog. He was still sleeping. I went on to the outside barn, and began refilling the

horse waterers with fresh water, and currying the horse that Ivy was boarding.

When I went back in, it was nearly time for me to go home. Crane was still there, leaning against the desk and talking to Ivy as she

sat at her desk.

"Want me to stay around a while longer?" I asked.

"No, you can head on home," Ivy said. "Thanks so much for all your help today. That was a rough surgery."

"Yeah," I said, feeling sorry for the dog. "I hope he does alright."

"I'm going to keep him here overnight. I'll probably sleep here. You're going to want to jump into the shower right away, I bet."

I looked down, giving my appearance a rueful glance. I had blood on my shirt and jeans, and, even though I'd washed my hands and arms, I

still felt gritty, like I needed to shower.

"Defintely," I said.

I gathered up my school clothes and shoved them into the bag I'd brought.

I told Ivy I'd see her the next day, and told Crane I'd see him at home later. I walked down the sidewalk to my truck, my thoughts already in

other places.

I tossed my bag into the cab, and got in, starting the motor, and backing up. I'd driven just a short bit, maybe a couple hundred feet or so,

when I knew that the off-center feeling, and the thumpety-thump I was hearing was no good.

I stopped, and got out, and since my side looked okay, I walked to the other side. The rear tire on that side was flat.

"Bat shit," I hissed.

I pulled back over to the curb again, and considered. I could, if absolutely having no other choice, change my own truck tire. Daniel and Ford

had been bordering on the autocratic when they insisted on teaching me that, and how to check and change my own oil, and stuff like that. But,

the way that I looked at it right then, I had a big brother just a short distance away. A very nice older brother, who would, I knew, be glad to

change it for me.

I hiked it back to the office, and went in slowly. I didn't think that Crane and Ivy would be making out right there in the front office, where a customer might

walk in at any time. Still-I didn't rush in. They were both in the same spot as when I'd left a few minutes before. Ivy sitting at the desk, and Crane nearby, leaning

against the desk. They both looked up as the bell over the door jingled.

"Couldn't stay away, huh?" Ivy asked me, teasingly.

I guess my face showed that it wasn't good, because Crane said, "What's up?"

"Flat tire."

Crane pushed himself off of the desk. "Which one?" he asked.

"Back passenger side," I said.

Crane and I walked to my truck, and Crane reached into the back and lifted out the spare tire, letting it drop to the ground.

"Get the jack out," he told me. I went to do that, reaching behind the seat to tug the jack out, struggling a bit.

I carried it around to where Crane was crouched, looking at the tire.

"Did you drive on this?" he asked me, not sounding any too pleased.

"No. Well, just from here to there," I said, pointing to where I'd stopped at. "And then back again."

Crane took the jack from me, and began positioning it. "You're not supposed to drive on a flat," he said.

"I didn't know it was flat," I said, in defense, and Crane gave me a 'come on now, Harlie' sort of a look.

"Is one of your new tires?" he asked. I'd recently had to replace two of the tires on the truck.

I nodded, and said, with disgust, "Maybe it was a bad tire when I bought it."

"Harlie."

"Well?"

"Jake didn't sell you a 'bad tire'."

"Well, what's wrong with it then?" I said.

"Might have got a nail in it, or something."

"I haven't driven anywhere around nails," I protested.

"Nails and rocks can be anywhere."

"It can be fixed, though, right?" I asked, with concern about having to buy a completely new tire. My money at hand was very slim.

"We'll have to see what Jake has to say."

"I don't have much money saved," I worried, out loud.

"Well, good tires are a necessity."

He began tightening the lug nuts, and I said, "Will you help me? If I have to buy one?"

"We'll see," he said. Which, technically, is not an answer. If it was Adam or Brian, then 'we'll see' would likely mean that yes, they would help me pay, but

that they would expect me to work off what I owed to them. Crane's a different kettle of fish. His 'we'll see' usually means that yes, he will help

me, and I probably wouldn't even have to pay him back. He's a softie.

He was finishing up, when there was a honking and Daniel pulled up in his red truck, Evan on the passenger side.

They got out and came to stand beside me.

"Ruin another tire, shortcake?" Evan said, with a grin.

"No. I did not," I said, primly.

"Maybe somebody poured nails on the road," Evan suggested. Referring, I knew, to last year when I'd put nails on the logging road in order to

ruin Seth's tires when he was causing us trouble.

"You're so not funny," I said, I said, giving him a lofty look.

Daniel began talking to Crane. He was animated, and I could tell he was feeling really good.

"Carter said it needs a lot of work," he was saying to Crane.

"Well, that should mean less rent," Crane answered.

"He said yeah, he agreed with that. That we need to talk terms," Daniel said.

"It's a good location," Evan said.

I listened, wondering what they were talking about. Still-being accused of being over the line nosy and all that recently, especially by Daniel, kept me

from asking any questions.

"You got time to go over there, after you get done?" Daniel was asking Crane.

"Sure," Crane said.

Crane lifted the flat tire and put it in the back of my truck bed. "Drop that off at Jake's on your way out of town," he told me. "If he's got time to fix it, then go

ahead and wait for it. I don't really want you driving without having a spare with you."

"Okay," I said. I hesitated, and listening to them talk a couple more minutes, and then, as they prepared to head off together, to wherever the mysterious

location was, I said, "Can I drop it off and go with you guys?"

"Go with us where?" Crane asked.

"To wherever you're going," I said, and Daniel laughed at me.

"Why you gotta know everything?" Evan prodded me.

"I don't have to," I denied. "I just thought-while Jake's looking at my tire, or fixing it, that I could go with you guys."

The three of them looked amused. Evan shook his head at me, still grinning.

"Sure, you can come with, squirt," Daniel said. Ah, sweet Daniel. I gave Evan a look of triumph.

Crane lifted the tire from the back of my truck that he'd just put in, and switched it to the back of Daniel's truck bed.

So we all piled into Daniel's truck, Daniel driving, then Evan, then Crane by the passenger window, and I perched on a tiny bit of the seat between Evan

and Crane, bracing myself on the dashboard as we drove.

At Jake's Crane got out and gave the tire to Jake, then he got back in, and we drove on. We drove a ways out of Murphys, and they all kept talking about

whatever the situation was, about the benefits of location and all that. I was trying to put two and two together, but I couldn't, really. So I stayed quiet, and listened.

There's a few older buildings on the outskirts of Murphys, Daniel pulled into the lot of one of these, where there was another vehicle parked. A man got out,

holding a notebook. The parking lot was overgrown with grass and weeds, and trash was cluttered around, like bottles and papers.

The guy said hello to all of them, calling Daniel and Crane by name, and shaking their hands. I followed all of them inside, where the guys left the door open.

"No electricity," he explained. "So we'll have to use natural light. I think you can still get a good look, though."

"Sure, no problem," Daniel said, and began walking all around. Evan followed him, and Crane asked the guy a few more questions. How long since the building

had been occupied, what electric company the power was with, stuff like that.

Well, by this time, I'd figured out that something was up, alright. Daniel, and Crane, too, were obviously thinking about renting or buying the building.

I wondered what for, and figured that Daniel was the easiest to get answers from. I wondered over to where he was walking around, looking in all the corners, and

checking out the fuse box.

He gave me a cursory glance. "Is that blood all over you?" he asked, nodding at my jeans and shirt.

"Yeah. We did a surgery today. A dog with a mass," I said.

He nodded in acknowledgement and went back to looking at things.

"Are you going to rent this building?" I asked.

"Maybe. Or maybe buy it," Daniel said.

"Really?" I asked. "For what?"

"Dance hall. A club," Daniel said.

I realized quickly that if Daniel had those sorts of plans, then that meant he might not be leaving to return to Nashville. He might stay around home.

"Really?" I asked, excited. "That's a great idea!"

"A great idea that has a lot of kinks to work out," he said.

"So you wouldn't leave? You'd stay around?" I persisted.

"If it works out, then yeah," he said.

"Yea!" I said.

Daniel grinned at me, and then kept looking around.

I did my own investigation. There was a galley kitchen, and the bathrooms were in rough condition. The walls were peeling paint, and there was trash

everywhere.

I was poking around in a closet that was on the back side, that was full of coats and hats and stuff, when I heard Crane calling for me.

I closed the door and went to where the Daniel and Crane were standing, talking to the guy with the notebook. A real estate guy, I assumed.

The man shook their hands again, and Daniel told him that they would call him, and we left. Evan was waiting outside already, and we all piled back into

the truck cab, and drove back towards Murphys.

"Some of the wiring looks pretty old to me," Evan was saying.

"Hasn't been any upkeep to it in a long time," Crane said.

I stayed quiet mostly, hoping fiercely that it would work out. From what I was able to gather from listening, Crane was thinking of going into the

buying or renting of the building with Daniel. I thought that if someone was going to go into a business, then Crane was the partner that you would want.

7

That night at the supper table, there was lots of discussion about the possibly-McFadden-owned-club.

Adam asked a lot of questions, and Daniel commented that the stage there might as well be torn down, and a new one built.

"We can do that," Brian said.

"So you're not goin' back to Tennessee at all, then?" Guthrie asked.

"I am," Daniel said, and I looked at him in surprise. He'd told me that he was staying. hadn't he?

"I've got some things to do there, and I've got to work some, build up my cash flow," Daniel said. "There's a lot, with the business expenses, and with the baby-I

need to shore up my funds."

"What if they sell the building while you're gone, though?" I asked.

"From the sound of it, there's little chance of that," Adam said.

"Yeah. It's been empty a while," Daniel said. "But-we may put a down payment on it," he added, and looked towards Crane. Crane was eating his pork

steak, and he nodded.

"When would you do that?" Hannah asked.

"We need to talk some more," Crane said.

"Yeah. No definite decisions yet," Daniel said.

I felt disappointed when he said that. I'd thought that it was more of a for-sure thing already.

But-Crane is a fairly cautious sort of person. Daniel's more impulsive.

After that, we talked about other things thru the rest of the supper. Hannah touched lightly on the subject of the dog surgery I'd helped with, but

paused me when it began to get graphic.

"Let's save that for after we're finished eating," she told me.

Jill hadn't said a whole lot during the conversation about Daniel buying the building and all, but I could tell she was open and happy about the idea.

She kept rubbing her stomach, and finally, she excused herself, going upstairs to rest.

Hannah watched her go, and when she was out of hearing range, asked Daniel if Jill was feeling alright.

"She said it's been a rough day," Daniel said. "Just not feeling so good."

"I'll make her some peppermint tea," Hannah said. "Like you used to make for me, remember, sweetie?" she asked me, reaching out to pat my hand.

I nodded. I'd kept up a steady supply of that tea for Hannah while she was pregnant with Isaac.

7

The next couple weeks passed by. There was no contact from Leo, though Jill and Daniel talked to their lawyer occasionally.

Daniel and Crane did put a down payment on the building, which we celebrated as a family by all of us going inside of it, on a Sunday afternoon, and

having a carry-in picnic, and then we toasted the purchase with a couple of bottles of champagne. Guthrie and I didn't get to partake, but we made due with

Cokes, and Ford, who was home for that weekend, also chose to drink Coke instead of the champagne.

"Here's to happiness and success," Daniel said, and everybody put their cups or bottles into a circle, bumping each other lightly.

Then, in true Jill and Daniel form, they decided to take the plunge before they headed back to Tennessee. The marriage plunge.

It was a very, very thrown-together quickly sort of a wedding. But, we're McFaddens, so it was still beautiful, though simple. There were the family,

and some close friends. We had a meal, on long tables outside. The weather cooperated wonderfully, being just right. Not too hot and not too windy, or anything.

Jill had Hannah as her matron of honor, and there was no ring bearer or flower girl. Jill wore a simple dress of soft just-barely cream color, that had mid-sleeves,

and ended at her knees. She wore matching cowboy boots. She looked gorgeous, and happy. Very happy. Her tummy could be seen, but it wasn't as though

she was huge. Hannah looked beautiful, too, in a pale yellow dress, with matching high heels that I was amazed she could walk so well in. As if she'd been born

to walk in them.

Crane was Daniel's best man, and the ceremony went without incident. It was simple, and beautiful.

I used Crane's Canon camera, and took most of the pictures of the day. Jill caught me as I left Kenny to go and get a drink from the

cooler.

"Hey, girl," she said to me, as I was opening my bottle of pop.

"Hey."

She regarded me in my own outfit of the same dress I'd worn for Evan and Nancy's wedding, the lacy blue dress that grazed my knees.

"You look terrific," she told me.

"Thanks." I smiled at her. "So do you."

Jill laughed, her face lit up with happiness.

"This is some family," she said. "This is the most beautiful wedding I've ever seen, and you all just threw it together."

"We're unique, alright," I said, in agreement. "And it was a nice ceremony."

Jill turned serious, and met my eyes. "I love Daniel, Harlie."

I nodded. "I know you do."

She smiled. "I'm going to talk to Adam-and to Brian. I want them to know I'll do my best to make Daniel happy."

"They'd like that," I said. And, I knew that they both would. They would appreciate her initiative and her assurances.

"It's been rough for us, hasn't it, Harlie?" It wasn't really a question the way that she said it. "You and I."

"Yeah. It has been," I said, in agreement.

"I'm sorry that I was so difficult to get to know. The McFaddens are like nothing I ever experienced." She hesitated. "I wasn't very nice at

all. To you or to any of you. I think I was afraid to let myself get attached. I hope you'll forgive me for that."

I was stunned into silence for a long few moments. "I do," I said. "I wasn't very nice to you, either. I'm sorry for that."

"Let's agree to just try to understand each other. Okay?" she said.

I nodded. "Yeah. Okay." I remembered something then. "Adam said that love isn't always easy. If it was, people wouldn't have to struggle, ever, to

understand each other, or forgive each other."

Jill nodded. "I like that. Adam's wise."

She reached out and smoothed back a strand of my hair in affection, and then seemed to catch herself, and lowered her hand again.

"I better go find my husband," she said, and smiled.

She floated away, and I got my drink, rejoining Kenny.

7

Sometime later, near the end of the afternoon, Daniel came and took the camera from my hands.

"You've been takin' pictures all day," he said. "There's not going to be any of you at all."

"That's okay," I protested.

"Nope." He hauled me over to where Hannah and Clare were standing together, then called to Nancy, and to Jill. He sat us all on the front porch

steps together, Clare and Jill in front, their pregnant bellies obvious, then Hannah, me and Nancy on the back row. When Daniel snapped the photo,

Nancy had wrapped her arm round my neck, and all five of us were laughing. We were there. The five of us. The McFadden women.

7

This is the end of this saga of the McFadden family. I hope you all like the way I wrapped it up. And my goal with Jill was that, maybe,

by the end of the story, you didn't hate her quite so much. She's a lot to deal with. Her past has damaged her emotionally. Who can help someone any better

with that but the McFaddens, though, right? So maybe not love Jill, but at least not hate her, lol.

The next story of Harlie and the McFadden family is going to be different. For those of you that like the fiesty, contrary Harlie, then

the upcoming story is for you! She goes nearly off the rails in the next story. Stay tuned. McFaddens for ever!