We left some of our stuff at the campsite, and headed out to work. We kept at it for several hours, working steadily, until around lunch time

and Brian said we needed to be heading home soon. Back at the campsite, I rolled the sleeping bags, and tied them, while Brian packed up

the dishes and left over supplies. He had already put out the campfire earlier, but double and then triple checked again to make certain

all the embers were out.

When we were beginning our over two hour ride home, I munched hungrily on the baggy snacks that Hannah had packed. More nuts, and

two plums.

"I've eaten up all the snacks that Hannah sent, nearly," I told Brian.

"Have you?"

"Yeah." I gobbled another mouthful of nuts. "She'll be surprised. I hardly ever eat this much."

"All the hard work gave you an appetite," he said.

"Mmm," I said, in agreement.

"Still no headache?" he asked.

I shook my head. "No. It's so great."

"Maybe you ought to keep it up," Brian said. "What you've been doin'. Fresh air, and eating healthy. Less junk food."

"Yeah, maybe," I agreed. "It would be nice to feel good more. Like I do now."

"Yeah. That would be good."

"I brought a book along. Didn't have a chance to read any," I said. "We were so busy. And-I was so tired last night. I don't

think I've ever been that tired before."

Brian kind of chuckled. "Yeah. You were barely functioning by that time."

"It was okay, though," I said, as we rode side by side. "To feel that tired after doing something." I looked to my left at him. "Do you

know what I mean?"

"Yeah. That kind of tired is a good tired," Brian said.

"Yeah, that's it," I said, glad that he understood what I was saying.

I felt lighter than I had in weeks. It could have been the sunshine, and the hard work. It could have been eating healthy for three days. It could

have been the pleasure of riding Old Charlie. I thought it was all of those things, but also it was that I felt better after talking to Brian. His advice,

or direction, or guidance, or whatever you wanted to call it, had been sound. I felt as though I could get myself back to a better state of being.

Thinking all of that made me feel as though I wanted to say something to Brian.

"I'm glad you brought me up here," I said, somewhat more quietly. Seriously.

Brian shifted in his saddle a bit, and looked to his right at me. "Are you?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

"Well, I'm glad too, then," he said, and I felt as though we exchanged a look of understanding.

"I think I'll call Daniel tonight," I said. "And talk to him about the other day. Apologize to him."

"That's a good plan," he said. "You might have to put it off till tomorrow afternoon or tomorrow night, though. By the time we get home today,

you're gonna need to shower, and eat, and then do your homework."

"Yeah," I said, in agreement. "I can do it tomorrow."

We rode in silence for a while.

"I got a B- on a test in Anatomy this week," I said, breaking the silence.

"That's good," he said, and I couldn't tell if he already knew it or not. I mean, I had showed Crane, and I had told Adam, so it's possible

that it had been discussed with Brian, along with everything else they'd all discussed together, concerning me. Or-he might not have

known. And, I wasn't going to ask that, because in the end game that didn't matter so much.

"I showed it to Crane," I said, going ahead on the assumption that Brian didn't know the details. "He didn't-react like I thought

he would. I thought he'd be really happy about it, but he didn't say much. Hardly anything."

"You've been hard on people lately, Harlie," Brian said, and his easy mood appeared to be gone. His tone was nearly sharp. "And you're

upset because Crane didn't dance a jig over you doin' somethin' that you're supposed to be doin' anyway?"

His eyes seemed to bore into me, and I felt a loss at the conversation that we'd been having, just moments before.

"I didn't think he'd really dance a jig," I said, before I thought it out.

"Figure of speech, Harlie," Brian said, still sounding stern.

"I just wanted him to be happy," I said.

"And he didn't act happy, is that it?" Brian demanded. "Not happy enough to suit you?"

Subdued, I looked at him, feeling scolded and uncomfortable.

"Is that it?" he prompted.

"I guess. Yes," I admitted.

"You think the three of us have high expectations of you? We're not the only ones with high expectations. It seems like you've got a set idea of what you want from us, and if we don't measure up, then you're off like a shot to Brat Land," Brian said.

That stung. It stung so badly that I got quiet, and tried not to cry like a princess or the brat that Brian obviously thought

that I was.

Of my sudden silence, and my barely contained tears, Brian was aware. I knew he was, because after a few long

minutes, I heard him sigh. And I knew he was looking at me, even though I was facing forward stoically.

"Don't cry," he said, more gently.

"I'm not." And, technically, I wasn't crying. Yet.

"I'm not puttin' things the best way," Brian said. "But-if I say somethin' else, will you still listen? Not tune me out because

I'm too blunt? Or you think I'm bein' a jerk?"

I didn't rush to say he wasn't a jerk. I mean, I didn't think that he was, really, but I didn't correct him on it, either.

"I'll listen," I said, softly.

"Alright." He sighed again. "I shouldn't ought to be so rough with you, maybe. But-you've been off the rails for a while now, and

nobody has hardly said a thing to you about it. Tiptoein' around you-tryin' to give you space to come to grips with things, and

you got worse instead of better for it. You've been-dismissive, I guess is the word. Of Crane, for sure. On the cusp of disrespect. I think you

should have been yanked into line a while back. That's why I said what I said this mornin' when we were talkin'. About you having more patience

with all of us. And definitely more respect."

There was silence again for a few moments.

I broke the silence because I didn't want to be at odds with Brian. And I broke it because I knew he was right. At least, mostly he was right.

If I thought over my conversations of late with Crane, and with Evan, and Daniel, and even with Guthrie sometimes, I knew that I hadn't been

very easy to get along with. Or very nice at all. I had, if I admitted it, been a brat at times.

I faced forward and said, "You're right. I'll be more patient. And respectful. And not-dismissive, like you said." And I looked to my left

at him, then.

If Brian was surprised by my immediate acceptance of his words, of his scolding, he didn't show it. But, his face definitely

softened. And so did his tone of voice.

"Alright," he said. "That would be good."

Again there was a long period of silence. I wasn't mad or anything. I was just enjoying the ride and the sun and the easy

movement of Charlie. I was thinking of the homework that I'd brought home Friday in my bag, estimating how long it might take

me to do...

We were nearly home, and the ranch was within sight.

I shifted in the saddle. "I hope there's hot water left."

"We can hope," Brian said.

Up by the barns, we could see Evan and Guthrie out in the pasture, feeding hay. The dogs, well, Warrior and Gus came running

to greet us, barking. Jethro could be seen out in the pasture with Guthrie. Where Guthrie was, Jethro was usually. Clarence, I could see

up on the front steps, laying and watching the activity. He made no effort to work his way down the steps to me.

"Look at Clarence," I said. "He's not even getting up to say hello."

"Dog needs to go on a diet," Brian said.

"Diets make Clarence sad," I said, and Brian and I exchanged a look. Me smiling and Brian shaking his head in mock

disapproval of Clarence's more than ample size.

"It's not good for him to be so fat," he said.

At the corral, we dismounted, and I did a couple of stretches, trying to work out the kinks in my legs.

"I'll take care of your horse if you want to take all the cooking stuff inside. Then you can go ahead and grab a shower," Brian said.

"Okay," I said, and he hooked bags over my shoulders, and filled my arms with my own packed bag.

I went to the house, heading towards the back door. I made it just inside before I dropped one of the bags.

Clare's head popped around the corner. "You're home!" she said, sounding glad.

I smiled at her. "Brian's out by the corral," I told her, knowing full well that was who she really wanted to see.

"Thanks, toots," Clare said, smiling back at me, before she dashed herself out the back door.

Hannah came up from the basement, carrying a basket of folded towels.

"Hello!" she said.

"Hi, Hannah," I said, setting down all the bags.

"I'm glad you're here. We didn't know when to expect you two home."

"We made good time," I said, and started putting away my diabetes supplies.

"It seems like you did," Hannah said, setting down the basket on the table.

"There's not much food left," I said, taking out the skillet and plates and silverware that we'd used. I held up the container. "Butter,"

I said, and put it in the refrigerator. "A couple of apples. That's all."

"Really?" Hannah asked. "That's great. You ate all those snacks?"

"Uh huh," I said, and Hannah came over and gave me a hug.

"I told Brian you'd be surprised," I said.

"I am a little surprised," Hannah said, and squeezed me again. "It's good to have you home."

That made me pause. Hannah does so much, so much, for all of us. I returned her hug impulsively, hanging on a

bit longer.

"Thanks for the snacks," I said. "And for everything."

Hannah met my eyes, a little surprised, I think, by my demeanor.

"You're welcome," she said.

We broke the hug, and I said, "I need a shower. And to put on some clean clothes."

Hannah's eyes sparkled with mirth. "Yes. You do, indeed, need to shower and change."

I went upstairs and took my bag with the still-clean clothes that I'd packed and then not worn. I tossed the bag on my bed, and

grabbed some shorts, t-shirt and clean underwear out of the dresser and went to the bathroom. I was glad to find there was plenty of hot water.

It felt amazing to stand under that hot stream of water, but I still tried to not be in the shower long, so there would still be hot

water for somebody else. Once I was in clean clothes, I took my dirty jeans and shirt to the laundry basket in my bedroom.

I took a few minutes to do a psychology worksheet. Then I organized the rest of my homework, on the bed, to see what I had to do.

I could hear voices throughout the house, and some steps in the hallway and on the stairs. I heard Guthrie laughing.

I got up, and went down the back stairs, barefoot, and the kitchen was filling with McFaddens. Hannah was stirring something

in a pot on the stove, and Clare was setting the table. Adam was leaning against the counter, and Brian was just opposite him, standing

near the sink. Brian and Adam were talking about the fence work that Brian and I had done.

Adam's eyes lit up when he saw me. I swear that they did. It made me feel good, but at the same time, bad. I knew I'd been being

difficult, and worrying him, and now, after Brian having been so direct it raised it to the surface for me even more.

"Hey," Adam said.

I sidled over to stand closer to him. "Hey."

"How was your weekend? Brian says you two got a lot of work done."

I wondered what else Brian had shared with him. Whether he'd told Adam he'd worked to bring me into line, or any of that. I tapped down

my feelings about being the topic of such a discussion. It was part of my life. And they had a perfect right to discuss me if they wanted to.

Thinking all of that made me appear softer than I had for a while around home.

"We did," I said, in agreement.

"Brian says you were a whole lot of help," Adam said.

I slid my look towards Brian, and then shrugged a little. "I tried to be," I told Adam.

Adam gave me a half-smile, and I could see that he was proud of me. That I'd worked hard with Brian, that I'd done what needed to

be done. For a moment, the feeling of Adam being proud of me filled me with pure pleasure. It had been awhile since I'd seen or felt

that from him.

"It was nice to be outside working," I added, and Adam ran his hand over my lower back and gave me a pat as the rest of the

family began to come in and we all took our seats around the table.

I found that my good appetite of late was still present. I ate the baked apples, and beef roast with carrots, listening to the

conversations at the table. I thought about talking to Crane. I owed him an apology, I thought-but he was busy talking as everybody

was finishing the meal. I checked the dish washing chart, and there was my name, next to Hannah's.

I went to begin running hot water into the sink, pouring in a generous dose of dish soap.

As the kitchen cleared out, Adam came over to where I was standing in front of the sink, and reached down to take the plate I held

in my hand. "I'll help Hannah," he said, dropping the plate in the hot soapy water. "You go on and do what you need to do so you can

get to bed at a decent time."

I hesitated, looking up at him. "Really?" I asked.

"Yeah. Really," he said. "Go on. Get out of here."

I wiped my wet hands on my shorts, and gave him another tentative smile. I went up the back stairs to my bedroom, and

got to work on my remaining homework.

I was able to concentrate and completed Trig and Anatomy quicker than I usually would have. I took my math paper downstairs,

thinking that my concentration must be improved by all the healthy stuff I'd been eating ...

Crane was sitting at the desk, working in the ranch ledger, and Brian and Clare were sitting on one of the couches, while

Guthrie was lounging and watching television. Guthrie greeted me with a 'Hiya, hyena."

I crossed my eyes at him in response, as I passed by the couch he was laying on. I paused beside the desk, truly tentative now. Much more so than I'd been

with Adam.

Crane looked up at me right away, pausing in his writing.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey," I said. "I was wondering-if you'd look at my math for me."

It had been a long time, a long long time, since I'd gone to Crane of my own free will to ask him to look over any of my

math homework. Crane reached out to take the paper from me.

"Sure. Some of it giving you trouble?"

"I finished it," I said. "I just don't know if they're all correct, you know?"

Crane was meeting my eyes. "Okay. Sure, I'll check it over. You want me to do it now, so you can fix anything that needs doing?"

"No, that's okay," I said. "I'll fix them in the morning. I'm gonna go ahead and get ready for bed."

Crane took his glasses off, and said, "Okay."

"Goodnight," I said, quietly, trying to meet his eye again.

"Goodnight," Crane said, just as quietly. But, his eyes were soft. He looked-well, he looked like Crane right then.

I turned towards Brian and Clare. "Night," I said.

"Goodnight, toots," Clare said, smiling at me.

Brian was looking at me with an expression that I thought might be approval. "Get some sleep, peach," he said.

7

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