The next day was Friday. Ordinarily Friday is a red-letter day, right? Everybody likes Fridays. Kids and adults. It usually means the end of the work or school week, and the start of fun or relaxation.

To me, that Friday morning, though, was anything but a red-letter day. It was the beginning or the continuation of my new horrible life. At least, that's the

way that I felt.

When my alarm went off, I just laid there, curled up on my side, staring at the wall. I did not want to go to school. Even if nobody at school had

heard about the work program, I would know, and it was only a matter of days until everyone did find out. What was I supposed to give as an excuse as

to why I was at school the whole day, on Monday, instead of leaving for the work program? Maybe some of the kids wouldn't say that much, but they'd still ask questions.

Like, why, why, how come you're not in the program-what happened, Harlie-

My dismal thoughts were interrupted by a not gentle rapping on my bedroom door.

"Harlie!" Brian barked from the hallway. "Are you up?"

I sighed, rolling over to my back. "Yeah."

"Well, get a move on. You're gonna be late!"

I sighed, and though I did get up and get dressed, I didn't do it with any sense of time urgency. By the time I was dressed, and at the top of the

stairs, my shoes in one hand, Hannah was at the bottom of the stairs, calling up to me.

"Harlie-" she began, before she saw me, halfway down the stairs.

"There you are," Hannah said, sounding relieved. And also sort of harried. Which I wouldn't be surprised about. Hannah's morning routine is

anything but relaxing. She never starts moving or working once she's up.

Hannah had already returned to her tasks, like putting Isaac in his chair, and slicing banana pieces for him to pick up. Then, getting out the milk and

stepping around Brian, who was scooping fried eggs onto a platter from the skillet on the stove.

Guthrie had already finished his eggs, and so had Evan, who must have come for breakfast. They were both getting to their feet, and scooting in

their chairs. Adam was refilling his coffee cup, and Crane and Clare were still sitting at the table, finishing their eggs and toast.

"Here's your eggs," Brian was saying to me, scooping a helping of eggs onto a plate.

I took the plate from him, and headed around to my chair.

Hannah was sitting down now, too, rubbing Isaac's arm. "There's toast, Harlie," she told me, pointing to the platter in front of me.

"The eggs are enough," I said.

"Well, eat some bacon, then," she said.

Adam passed behind my chair, on his way out of the kitchen. He was, I assumed, going to his regular post of the front porch, to see

Guthrie and I off to school, like he did every morning. Brian left the kitchen shortly after Adam, dropping a kiss on Clare's head.

I'd taken a few bites of the eggs, but now I stood up, still-full plate in hand. "I'd better go," I said.

"Not until you've eaten," Hannah said.

She was talking in her mom-voice, and I stood, looking at her, measuring her up.

"I ate some," I said.

"You've eaten hardly anything."

"I'll have to get a tardy if I don't leave now," I said.

"Harlie." Crane's voice came across the table to me, and I flicked my gaze to him. "Sit down and eat your eggs."

"I'll have to get a tardy-" I said, again.

"I'll write you a note. Sit down and eat," he said.

They were both giving me the 'eye' and so I sat. I finished the rest of the eggs on my plate, and then I got up, taking my plate

to the sink, as Clare began running hot water in the sink for dishes, and Hannah was lifting Isaac from his chair.

The baby reached out to me, wanting me to take him, and, since frankly I didn't care that I was going to be late, I took him in my arms.

Snuggling his neck and kissing his cheek.

Hannah reached behind the toaster and pulled out a baggie full of nuts and apple slices.

"Here's some snacks for the top of your locker," she told me.

"Thanks," I said.

"Harlie!" Adam's voice came thru from the living room.

I handed Isaac back to Hannah reluctantly, and took the baggie from her.

Hannah laid a hand, soft on my wrist. "I know it's hard-but try to have a good day," she said, quietly.

"Hard to do," I muttered.

"I know, sweetie," she said, then. I met her eyes and felt sort of emotional for a moment. She was being so nice, and she wasn't lecturing, or adding

a, "but" onto her "I know, sweetie". As in "I know, sweetie, but things will get better soon", or "I know, sweetie, but you've got to try harder".

I reached out impulsively and gave her a hug, squishing Isaac between the two of us. The baby chortled with glee.

Hannah hugged me, too, and said, "I love you."

"Love you, too," I said.

I told Clare goodbye, and went thru to the living room, gathering up my book bag, and then heading out the front door. Adam was still on the porch,

leaning against one of the porch columns, and Crane was there, too. There was no sign of Guthrie's truck. He'd already left. More than few minutes ago,

since there was no lingering dust in the air.

Both of them turned when I came out the screen door, and Crane held out a small note of paper.

I took it from him, looking at it and at him questioningly.

"Your note," he reminded me. "For being tardy."

I'd already forgotten. "Oh. Okay," I said, pushing the paper into the pocket of my jeans.

"Don't speed to get there," Adam said, in warning.

"I won't," I said, and went around them to head down the porch steps. Before I could even do two steps,

Adam said, "You get your homework brought home."

I rolled my eyes. Where he couldn't see, of course. He'd already voiced that to me last night in a level seven or eight tone.

"I know," I said.

Adam echoed what Hannah had said earlier. "Try to have a good day," he said.

I could tell by his voice, and the expression on his face that he expected me to answer in a positive way.

"I'll try," was the best that I could do right then.

"See you," Crane said.

"Bye," I said, and went to get in my truck, and leave down the driveway.

7

So- I had a note in my pocket explaining that I had left home later, and to excuse my tardiness to school. So-I didn't rush. I

drove slowly, and took a different way to school, on a road that I hadn't been on for a long time. It was the road that led to where I'd driven

thru the creek water, and caused Evan's truck to meet its demise. It was also the road that Eddie's cousin lived on. The road where Eddie had

kissed me that day so long ago. At least it seemed like a long time ago.

There was no water over the road this time, obviously. I drove slowly on towards the cousin's house. I was gawking up towards the house

where Eddie's aunt lived. She'd been so nice to me that day, and she'd given me a pair of shoes to wear because mine were ruined...

I was remembering all of that, plus the excitement of Eddie's attention and kisses, when I nearly collided with a truck rounding the

curve past the house. I instinctively jerked the steering wheel to the right, trying to avoid the blue pickup.

The driver of the truck honked at me. Probably to tell me to get over out of their way. Then, they honked again, and I looked to

my left to give them a scathing look. Good grief-

Then, I saw that the truck had stopped, and the passenger was jumping out of the truck. I took a second look. It was Eddie. And

his cousin was the driver.

I braked to a stop, too.

"Hiya, Harlie!" Eddie called to me.

He was bounding towards my truck, and I was startled into not answering. I hadn't seen Eddie for a long time. A long time. Months. And, my goodness,

did my heart take a leap at the sight of him. He looked terrific. He was tanned, and his smile was just as wide. And, just as captivating.

By now, he was at my driver's window, leaning in.

"I thought that was you-" he was saying. "How have you been?"

One of the things I always liked about Eddie was his personality. So outgoing and charming.

"I've been okay," I said.

Eddie was studying me, his eyes running over my face. "You look great, Harlie. You really do."

I hadn't put any effort at all in my appearance this morning, because I frankly had been feeling too low to care-but when Eddie said that, it

sounded as though he meant it. As though he wasn't just feeding me a line.

"Thanks," I said.

He was just smiling at me, and I tried to make conversation. "How have you been doing?"

"Doing good. Stayin' busy."

"You went to welding school, right?" I asked. I knew very well that he had.

"Yeah. Right. At San Francisco. I've been back for a few weeks."

"What was it like there?" I asked him.

"Noisy," Eddie said, smiling wider. "I missed Murphys."

"Oh," I said, and for a couple of moments we were both quiet.

"You all bought the building on the edge of town?" he asked. "I heard you did."

"Yeah. Daniel and Crane did. Daniel wants to start a club. Music and dancing and all. You know."

"That'll be great," Eddie said, with enthusiasm. "He should get a lot of business."

"It needs lots of work first, though-before it can be opened," I said.

Eddie's cousin honked. "Let's go!" the cousin hollered.

Eddie grinned. "So what are you doin' out this way?" he asked me, ignoring his cousin.

"On my way to school," I said.

"Oh, yeah? Well-I guess I better get goin' too. We've got a welding job in Angels Camp today to do."

"That's good," I said, and couldn't help the flush in my cheeks as he gazed at me.

"Well, maybe we'll see each other more now," Eddie said. "You know. Around."

"Yeah," I said.

"We're bound to, right?"

"Yeah. Bound to," I echoed.

He gave me a final smile. "I'll see ya, Harlie."

He walked away, back to his side of the cousin's truck, and got in.

I drove the rest of the way to school feeling in a daze. Seeing Eddie like that had ruffled up some old feelings. The thought of Kenny brought

me back to earth a bit. Sweet Kenny. Another thing that brought me back to earth with a jolt was the fact that I was over an hour and a

half late to school by the time I arrived. It was second hour already. That wasn't what Crane had intended when he'd written out that note.

7