I fed the puppies their next feeding. It took awhile to do since I was by myself. I didn't want to rush them, and even though they seemed to

enjoy the taste of the milk replacement, it still took time. I left at just after five, though. I told Ivy in a note that I'd done that feeding.

When I got home it was just barely 5:30, and I made quick work of hauling all my stuff inside, and dropping it beside the couches. There were good smells

coming from the kitchen, and I headed that way, to find the family seated at the large kitchen table.

There were a round of greetings sent my way. I answered in a general way, and went to the sink to wash my hands.

"Brian says there's puppies left at Ivy's," Hannah said, as I dried my hands.

"Yeah. Three of them."

"How old?" Guthrie asked, with interest.

I went to take my seat between him and Isaac's high chair. "Not eight weeks," I said. "Not old enough to leave their mother. Maybe three weeks. Their

eyes are open."

The conversation went on about other things, and I ate my supper, and I couldn't help but be a bit relieved that Crane was

missing from the table. I hated to feel that way-but I was still not any too eager to be under any of his scrutiny.

That made me think about Adam-and wonder if he'd been less than pleased about me not coming right home at my agreed upon time-I hoped

that he hadn't been mad at Brian for giving me permission. I took a look down the long table to his end, and he was talking to Brian and eating, and

didn't look as though he was upset or anything.

When the meal was over, and as I didn't have dish washing duty, I slipped back outside to do my chores, and then came back in thru the

back door, where Brian and Clare were doing the dishes.

Clare asked me about my day, and told me that the doctor's office had been full when she'd worked. After we'd talked a couple of minutes, I

paused beside Brian, as he was drying the plates.

"Thanks for letting me stay-to feed the pups," I told him.

Brian nodded at me. "You're welcome."

I hesitated a moment. "It meant a lot. That you trusted me to do it and then come home when I said."

"You haven't given me a reason not to trust you, Harlie," Brian said, mildly. "Until you do-then I'll do what I can for you."

I gave him a grateful look. "Adam wasn't mad at you over it, was he?"

"No. He wasn't. You probably ought to tell him, though, that you don't plan to make a habit of it."

I nodded. "I will."

I headed towards the living room, where Adam and Hannah were sitting on the couch, while Adam held Isaac, bouncing him up and down.

"Was your day good?" Hannah asked me.

"It was good," I said. "How about you?"

"Mine was good, too. Isaac was all over the place today. I had all I could do to keep up with him."

"Awe," I said, reaching out to run my hand over the top of Isaac's hair. He gave me a toothy grin.

I looked directly at Adam. "You aren't put out at Brian, are you? For letting me stay later to feed the pups?"

Adam looked at me over the top of Isaac's head. "No. I'm not."

"It was just for today," I said.

Adam nodded. "Okay."

"I'm going up to do my homework," I said.

"You had a test today, didn't you?" he asked.

"Yeah." Hesitant to put my hope out there, but yet feeling good about it, I said, "I think I did good."

"Well, that's good," he said, sounding glad about it.

"That is, sweetie," Hannah echoed. "You studied hard for it."

"Yeah. I guess I'll see tomorrow. Mr. Price said he might get them graded tonight."

"How's Kristen?" Hannah asked. "Guthrie hasn't said much lately, and she hasn't been over."

"I'm not sure how she is, really," I said, and we all looked towards the door, as Crane came in.

"Hey there, all," he said, in greeting.

"Did you have your supper?" Hannah was asking him.

"Yeah, I did. Thanks."

Hannah turned her attention back to me. "What were you saying about Kristen?"

"She's quiet lately, and she's been missing a lot of school, too. She says her mom needs her, but that's about all she'll say, really," I said.

"That's worrisome," Hannah said. "Maybe you could invite her over soon on a weekend."

"Okay." I gathered up my backpack and slung it over my shoulder. "I'm going up."

"Don't forget your shot later," Hannah said. "And get a bedtime snack, too."

"I will."

I went on upstairs as the three of them started talking about other things.

I took an early shower. Which meant I had plenty of hot water.

After that I went to lay on my bed, on my stomach, with my trigonometry in front of me. There were ten problems to solve. And, as usual, I found

them daunting. I struggled thru them, the best I could, though. When I was finished, I decided to rest a few minutes before I started my pcycology.

I lay back, propping my arm under my head, and closed my eyes. I was woken up by a light tapping on my bedroom door.

"Yeah. Come in," I said.

Crane opened the door and stuck his head in. "Hey," he said.

I struggled to a sitting up position, crossing my legs. "Hi."

"Were you sleeping?"

"I guess I must have dozed off."

"Okay if I come in?" he asked me.

"Yeah. Sure."

Crane came on into my room, leaving the door open behind him. He walked over closer to the bed.

"Feeling okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine."

"You must be tired. Better get to bed early tonight."

"I will."

Crane nodded, and stood, putting his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "Adam says you think your test today went good."

"Yeah," I said. "I mean-I feel like I did okay."

"That's good," he said.

I nodded in response, and there a couple moments of dead quiet then.

"I'm not trying to be a hard ass to you, Harlie," he said. "I just want you to do as well as you're capable of. And, I know you're

very capable. A lot more than what you've been doing."

"I'm going to do better," I said, in promise. And, I meant it.

"I know," he said, quietly. "I believe you."

Again, there was a couple moments of quiet between us. I did feel better about things between Crane and I. I mean-I still thought

he'd been being sort of harsh about my grades, but yet I was honest enough to admit that I'd had some of it coming to me. I hadn't been

doing my best for a while now at school. And, too-he'd cared enough to come up here and at least make an effort. I knew he didn't want

things to be tense between us. He's too good a person for that.

So, in my own way of offering an olive branch, I held up my math paper. "Want to check these over for me?"

Crane smiled slightly. "I can do that."

7

When Mr. Price walked the aisles of the classroom the next morning, passing out the graded tests from the day before, the big

red B-plus on mine made me feel like dancing.

"Good job, Miss McFadden," he said, quietly, as he walked on.

That set up the rest of my day. It was two more days until progress reports were sent out. I knew that the one good test grade wasn't going

to help as far as those progress report grades went. But, I was still encouraged. I could do this. I just had to keep working harder to get my grades

up again, and then-by the next actual report card time came around, well, I should have my grades back to a Crane-approved level.

And, since Crane already knew that my progress report was going to show poor grades, then as soon as I could show him some updated

tests and homework assignments, I could get off of my grounding.

I was feeling good at lunch and laughed all thru it. I even leaned forward to kiss Kenny when we got back inside the school, which I never do

like that, at school in front of everyone, but it was just a simple kiss. Still, one of the teachers walking past frowned and said,

"No PDA at school. You both know that."

Kenny had been surprised by my spontaneous action, and being called out by a teacher like that could have embarrassed him. But, for a few

moments, the Kenny of old, the ornery one, the one who liked to stir things up, came out. Instead of embarrassment, Kenny gave the teacher, Mrs.

Kline, a rakish grin.

"Sorry, Mrs. Kline," he said, not sounding sorry at all. When the teacher had walked away, I laughed again.

7

Ivy and I stayed busy that afternoon. Between the horses that she was boarding, and the puppies that needed feeding, I was kept hopping.

Ivy had a delivery of medication come in on a delivery truck and she was putting that away. We talked about the goats she'd given

shots to the day before, and told me where she and Crane had gone to eat at.

She thanked me for staying later yesterday, and I nodded, and said, "It's okay once in a while, I think."

I enjoyed snuggling with the puppies, and when Ivy had to leave for a bit to go to the post office, I sat in the office, so I could answer

any calls. I was sitting, cross-legged, on the edge of Ivy's desk, with all three of the puppies in my lap.

The bell over the door jingled, and Crane came in.

"Hey," he said, in greeting.

"Hi."

"Ivy in the back?" he asked.

"She went to the post office. She'll be right back."

Crane half-sat against the desk and reached out to stroke one of the pups. "He's a cute little guy."

"Do you think, maybe...?" I asked, only half-joking.

"You know we can't," he said, and I sighed.

"Yeah. I know. They're not gonna get very big though," I said.

"Four dogs is enough."

I nodded, in defeat. Suddenly, I remembered. "Here. Hold these two for a minute," I said, and handed them off to him. I slid down off of the

desk, still holding the last puppy. I headed towards the door as Crane said, "Where are you going?"

"I've got something to show you!"

I went out front to my truck, and rummaged thru my bag, taking out the graded Anatomy test. I went back in, and scooped one of the

puppies back that he was holding. Wordlessly, I handed off the sheet of paper. Triumphantly. Exuberantly.

Crane took in the bright red B-plus at the top, and then gave me a slow smile.

"Good job, kiddo. I'm real proud of you," he said, and it was if he'd handed me a medal.

7