The movie was about half-way over when Guthrie came down the stairs. He'd changed to sweatpants and a t-shirt, and was barefoot. His hair

was sort of sticking up in places. He paused beside the edge of the couch that Adam and I were sitting on.

"What're you guys watching?" he asked.

"Man From Snowy River," Adam said.

"That's a good one," Guthrie said. He glanced towards the front door. "They still not back yet, huh?"

"Nope," Adam said.

"How come you didn't go?" Guthrie asked me.

I shrugged, staring at the television. "Didn't want to," I said, shortly.

Adam could have told Guthrie the reason, that being that Kristen and I had had an argument, but he said nothing. Guthrie leaned over

to peer into the nearly empty popcorn bowl.

"All gone, huh?" he asked.

"Pretty much," Adam said, taking another handful, and giving Guthrie a slight smile.

"What kind of cookies we got 'round here?" Guthrie asked, of no one in particular, and ambled off towards the kitchen. He came back in a few

minutes, carrying a glass of milk and a handful of cookies. Guthrie plopped down beside me, and waved a cookie in my face.

"Oatmeal raisin," he taunted me.

I pushed his hand away. "I don't want any, anyway."

At the next commercial, Guthrie said, "Crane gonna try talkin' to Kristen's mom, or anything?"

He said it in sort of a casual way, as if he was discussing the weather. I know Guthrie well, though. And there was something else

in that question. An inflection or whatever, of something else.

"He'll make sure to talk to her if she's home," Adam said.

"Talk about what?" I asked.

"Just make sure she's gonna be there," Adam said. "And that Kristen will be alright."

"Her mom is nuts," Guthrie said. I wondered if Adam would tell Guthrie to stop talking disrespectful about an adult that way, but

again, Adam was quiet.

"I mean-she just does not give a damn," Guthrie said. "Kristen's just out there in the world-on her own."

I heard the anger underlying in Guthrie's tone, and I thought he must still like Kristen. Care about her.

"She's gotten a raw deal," Adam said.

"It's sure startin' to show, too," Guthrie said. I turned to look at him in question.

"What do you mean?" I asked. "You mean because she's so edgy and-not like she was?"

Guthrie hesitated, and then said, "Sure."

There were sounds of a vehicle close to the house, and Adam stood up, heading to the front door. "Turn off the tv, Harlie," he told me.

I got up, switching off the television, as Hannah and Crane came in.

"Whew," Hannah said. "It's windy out there." She turned to greet Adam, as he put his hand on her waist. "Isaac still sleeping?"

"Yeah. Haven't heard a sound from him," Adam said.

"Everything alright?" Adam asked, quietly, and Crane, just as quietly, said, "I hated leaving her, but-" and he shrugged. "She said she wanted to

go in and stay."

"Was her mom there?" Guthrie said, coming over to stand by everybody else.

"Frank said she was at work," Crane said.

"Work where?" Guthrie said. "She's not working. At least she wasn't a couple of days ago."

I wondered how Guthrie knew that for a fact. Maybe he'd been talking more to Kristen than I knew about.

"I don't know where," Crane said, going to sink down on one of the couches.

"He's full of bull, just like always," Guthrie said.

I had a sudden burst of guilt. A pang to my heart. Kristen didn't deserve the lot in life she'd been handed. And-she did really have a right to

be mad at me for telling about her slap mark. I wished that we hadn't had that fight. I had tried to apologize, though-

I was lost in thought and didn't hear Adam saying my name until he'd said it twice.

I looked at him, and he said, "You two have been good for Kristen-tried to support her, and all. I'm not sure what's on the horizon

for her, but-I think it's probably a good idea that you've stepped back, Guthrie."

I was shocked by that. Guthrie didn't look so shocked, though. He shrugged, and said, sounding sad, "It's not that I wanted to, exactly-"

"I know," Adam said, patting him on the back.

"No one blames you, Guthrie," Hannah said, patting Guthrie's face with affection.

"So-we just all dump her, then?" I burst out. Which made no sense, really, since I, myself, had just had a fight with Kristen, and been

glad to see her leave.

"Nobody said anything about dumping her, Harlie," Hannah said. "That's not what Adam meant."

"But-she can't come over here anymore?" I asked, then. "I mean-I don't know if she'll want to, but if she does, what then?"

"Kristen is still welcome here," Hannah said, turning to Adam and flicking her eyes to Crane. "Right?" she asked, of them both.

Adam gave a brief nod, and Crane said, "I'd say she should be here more, not less, but I know that puts you in an uncomfortable

place, Guthrie. You, too, Harlie, if she has an edge like she did tonight."

"Harlie, did you get a snack?" Hannah asked me, changing the topic.

"We had popcorn," I told her.

"Oh, good," she said, giving me a side hug.

"Homework done?" Crane asked Guthrie and me.

We both said yes, and I started walking towards the kitchen with her, then.

"Alright if I talk to you guys for a minute?" Guthrie said.

"Sure," Adam said, and I turned to see him and Guthrie sitting across from Crane.

I'll admit it, I was curious to what Guthrie wanted to talk to them about. So suddenly, and sounding so serious, and grim, almost.

But, private talks were just that. Private. I'd get the looks and probably even get told off if they had an inkling that I was trying to listen in.

7

I was all tucked up in my bed, with my lamp on, reading, when I heard Guthrie coming up the stairs. I could tell it was Guthrie by his

steps. I'll bet I could tell all of my brothers unseen by their footsteps.

"Guth!" I called out, and his steps halted, and then he opened my door just halfway.

"What?"

I wanted to ask him what they'd been talking about, downstairs. I did. But, I knew that was ridiculous.

"I'm sorry I asked Kristen over here today," I said, instead.

"You don't gotta be," he said. "You're friends."

"Maybe now she won't want to be. She was pretty mad at me. For telling Adam and Crane about her face."

"You were just worried about her. So was I. She gets mad and goes all cock-eyed over everything now," Guthrie said.

"Yeah," I echoed, sitting up against my headboard.

Guthrie stepped in a little more, and jammed his hands into his jeans pockets.

"You gonna get all wired if I ask somebody else out?" he asked me, unexpectedly.

I thought for a moment, just a moment, and then I said, "No. It's not my business."

Guthrie gave me a you're kidding sort of look. "Since when does that stop you?" he said, with a snort.

"I try to stay in my own lane," I said.

"You never stay in your own lane," Guthrie denied, and I picked up one of my stuffed dolphins and tossed it at him. He ducked, agile, and

I said, "Who is it? That you want to go out with?"

Guthrie hesitated, and then said, "Missy Compton."

He was talking about a girl in the sophomore class. She'd lived in the area about a year or so. She had long dark hair, and seemed

full of fun, and always seemed to be laughing in the hallways between classes. I hadn't noticed her dating anybody in particular.

"Oh," I said. Then I offered, "She's seems like she's nice. She laughs a lot."

Guthrie's face instantly brightened, as though he was glad about my words. "Yeah. She is nice."

"Then I'm glad for you, Guth," I said, sincerely. I meant it.

"Thanks. I'm gonna ask her to the dance for next week."

"Good," I said, and we regarded each other for a few moments, both of us quiet.

"Well-" he said. "Guess I'll get to bed."

"Okay. Night," I told him.

"Night, hyena," he said.

7