The next few days went smoothly enough. The biggest glitch, if you could call it that, was when Jeremy coming up the mountain met his brothers coming down, and they had a spirited and good-natured conversation about that, because they didn't always know on Friday morning if they'd have to work over on Saturday or not. They never did come up with a definite plan, but Jason resolved to figure something out. Time would tell what; he'd think of something.

He always did.

Wednesday, after he ate, Jeremy was in Lottie's playing (at the) piano. He had done the same thing every day so far and Lottie decided it was time to say something.

"Didn't I hear Jason tell you he wanted you to go out and play after your meal?"

Jeremy glanced up at her, and back to his fingers plonking away on the keys. "Uh-huh."

"Then why haven't you?'

Jeremy played a few more bits, these much smoother than the plonking, and looked back up at her. "I am playing," he said, and grinned. "P-playing the p-piano."

Lottie laughed at him. "I don't think that's what Jason meant."

"It's what he said," Jeremy was running his fingers lightly and lovingly up and down the keys.

"Now you sound like Jason."

Jeremy snickered at that. He liked it when someone (who wasn't Jason) noticed when he was being clever.

Lottie put her hands on his shoulders. "I'm not sure about this, Jeremy."

He stopped playing and craned his neck around to look at her. "I b-bet Jason would write a n-note. You want me to ask him to."

"That's not a bad idea," Lottie agreed, still uncertain. There was mischief somewhere here. She could smell it. Oh, those Bolts! All of them with their big blue eyes, appealing smiles, and wheedling ways – she was putty in their hands and had been from the first meeting with their father. Parents, she corrected her own thought, and wondered how honest she was being. Well, if she didn't know, surely the boy(s) wouldn't. Nor anyone else.

Jeremy glanced at the door as it opened, and slid off the piano bench. It was time to go. He took two or three steps away from her, then turned, ran back, hugged her tightly, and whirled away and out the door.

Lottie turned to her customer. "Aaron Stempel, why don't you come to lunch a half hour earlier, before your men eat? Instead of after?"

"Why?" he asked. "If you want the boy to leave earlier, why don't you just tell him to go?"

"That would be inhospitable." So, Aaron had noticed, as she had, that his appearance usually meant Jeremy's DISappearance. "And I'm in the hospitality business."

He raised his eyebrows. "A little young for your clientele, is he not?"

"Oh, boys grow, you know. And besides, he has brothers."

"I'm well aware of that."

"So you are."

"Jason, will you write me a note for Lottie?" Supper was over and the brothers were unwinding before trying to sleep.

"About what?"

"Th-that I c-can play on her p-piano any t-time it's okay with her."

"Why? Have you been arguing with her about it?"

"Course n-not. She j-just said m-maybe you w-wouldn't like it."

"Why?"

Jeremy shrugged. "M-maybe she th-thinks you d-don't want me in th-there alla the time every day? I d-don't know."

Jason frowned. "I should probably ask her about it. Doesn't sound right."

Jeremy glanced at his oldest brother doubtfully (this was the tricky part) and shrugged again. "D-does that mean you won't until you do? B-because I l-like to p-play the p-piano." His fingers played in the air and he hummed the notes. He liked it a lot better than playing dumb ball games or the girl circle and jump rope games, and lots better than play-pretend games. He didn't want to PLAY, he wanted to have fun. Music was fun. Lottie's was fun. Playing wasn't. The playground wasn't.

"I'll have to think about it," Jason said. "Go wash up."

Jeremy obediently hurried away to do so.

"What do you suppose that's all about?" Josh asked, watching his younger brother. He didn't usually skip on his way to getting ready for bed.

Jason smiled. "I don't know, Josh, but I think things are about to get interesting. We've freed the chick from the nest, and he's gonna try to fly. I thought it would take a little longer though."

"You're like Da. You see Jeremy as a child. A permanent child."

"Children grow. I know that, Josh." You've grown too old too fast, the oldest brother thought, but didn't say. Part of separating the younger two was an attempt to give Josh a little bit of the freedom of his youth back.

"I wonder. Are you going to write the note?"

"Can't think of any reason not to, can you? We'll be in town over the weekend and I can talk to her then. Two more days isn't going to hurt."

Josh thought that over before agreeing. "Yeah, if it was important, she'd have got a message to you or come herself."

Jeremy came running back, and Jason looked him over. "You're about ready for a good soak. Come back up the mountain and go to the cabin Friday. We'll wait until Saturday to go into town. Okay with you, Josh?"

"I could do with a bath myself," Josh agreed.

"If I g-get there f-first, can I start?"

"I suppose so. Be careful. If you scald yourself carrying water, it might be a while before we can save you."

Jeremy cocked his head. "What if you can't?"

"Then I'll bring you back to life so I can kill you myself."

Jeremy laughed at that, and his brothers joined in.

"What do you suppose he wants me to say in this note?" Jason mused after sending Jeremy to bed.

"What any boy wants," Josh answered. "That he can do whatever he wanbts whenever he wants for as long as he wants."

"Hmm. I hadn't given length of time any thought. The little sneak. Hand me a sheet of paper please."

In the morning, Jason handed Jeremy a note for Lottie. To his credit, Jeremy waited until he was almost in town to read it.

Jason wrote in big letters. "Lottie. I have no objection to Jeremy playing piano everyday that you have none. We can discuss this Sunday. " and signed his name.

Jeremy nodded his head. That was satisfactory. Too bad he couldn't remove the part about talking Sunday, but maybe he could figure out a way for anthem to not come into town at all.

Not, he decided, by scalding himself, although that would have been handy, since it was really Jason's idea anyway, but it would hurt.

But he could probably think of something.

He always did..