The Bolts were there when he came downstairs before dawn, for breakfast. He didn't think they'd been there all night. Why would they? They had a cabin, a place of their own. (He needed one of those.)

"Who would I see about having a house built?" he abruptly asked when Lottie brought him his breakfast.

"MacKenzie," she replied promptly. "He does most of the carpentry work that people can't do for themselves."

"MacKenzie?" Aaron thought a moment. "Big garden, big barn, big house on the high bank of the curve in the stream? Pigs, cows, goats? Some type of shrub under the windows?"

"That would be the place," Lottie agreed. "Have you met?"

"No. Passed the place yesterday. Bolt pointed it out."

"I see. Well, that's who you'd see, although just about anyone would help you put something up."

"No, I want it done once, and correctly."

"MacK will approve of you," she said, and moved on to other customers.

Aaron began eating his breakfast, stopping occasionally to draw out sections of the house he hoped he could achieve in this nowhere place. He had been impressed with the outside of the MacKenzie house. Now he would have the chance to see the interior.

That is, if the man would invite him in. He probably would. Socially, things seemed to function informally here. Not enough people to have much use for formality. Everyone knew everyone, except for the occasional passer-by.

He was going to have to get used to that.

He was going to have to become a part of that. Ye gods! Was that even possible?

"Jason, I'm going to be late."

"So?"

"You don't care if I'm late?"

"No. I don't care if you don't go."

"Oh. Well, I do."

"Then go. I'm not keeping you here."

"You're supposed to go with me."

"I am? Why? I'm pretty sure you know the way."

"You're supposed to see if Jeremy wants to go."

"He doesn't. Do you, Jeremy?"

Jeremy looked alarmed, stuffed a biscuit in his mouth, and shook his head vigorously.

"You're supposed to –"

"Well, I'm not going to. There's a lot of things we're 'supposed to' and don't. Either go to school or don't, Josh. It's up to you; do what you want. Not what you're supposed to."

"Well, I like going to school. If we hafta live in town, at least we can do that."

Jason smiled faintly. "There's no 'we' there, Josh. I'm too old and Jeremy's too young."

"Da don't think so."

"Da don't think much these days. Age is more than a number."

"I'm gonna go then. See ya later." He stopped to respond to Jason's last remark. "That don't make no sense."

"Later."

Jason turned to watch Josh go out the door with his books, and saw Aaron for the first time that day, and said something to his youngest brother before standing and approaching Aaron.

"Da asked me to let you know if you have any questions you can ask me, and if I can't help, he'll get with you when he gets back."

"Alright," Aaron replied, secretly wondering if that was one of the debated 'supposed to's. "So far, Miss Lottie has been most helpful, but I thank you."

Jason flashed his smile. "Well, if you need me, I'm never hard to find." He turned away.

"No, you wouldn't be."

Jason stopped mid-step and glanced over his shoulder. What did he mean by that? DID he mean anything by that?

Jeremy slid off the chair and Jason returned his attention to his higher priority. His highest priority at this point. "Ready to go, little one? What are we going to do today?"

Jeremy tugged on his hand.

"I know. We'll go fishing from the dock, catch our supper. Won't Josh be surprised?"

The boy dropped Jason's hands, balled up his fists and put them on his hips and glared up and up at his oldest brother.

Jason laughed.

"Leaving already?" Lottie asked.

"Unfortunately," Jason answered. "Off to find the sunrise. If I ever find out which of those old hens told him about the Second Coming, I'm going to –! I don't know what I'll do, but I will do something."

"Be nice, Jason. They were trying to offer comfort."

"Too bad they aren't the ones he drags out every morning he can to see if today's the day the angels are coming out when the sky splits open in the east. Talk about DIScomfort!"

Jason picked up the child. "Ah, well, there are worse ways to wake up than looking for Jesus; I'm sure the ladies would agree. Where shall we go today, Jeremy? The Ladder? We don't have time –" he was still talking as they left the building.

"Oh, Jeremy," she said, shaking her head, as close to hopeless as Aaron had ever heard anyone speak. She added, "Oh, you boys, all three of you."

She started clearing the table.

Aaron went upstairs to get his coat and left to make his way to the MacKenzie home. He needed his own place, at least for breakfast.