Water Lily by Terri Farley

and Ellen sitting on the lanai of SunHouse, looking down on the pasture where Megan and Cade were walking on each side of Biscuit, holding a little child centered in the buckskin’s saddle.
    She saw herself riding in from Pearl Pasture at a full gallop, dressed in jeans and a paniolo’s hala hat; she’d be jumping a fence, and her long black braid and Hoku’s golden tail would be streaking straight out behind them.
    It was a good picture, a happy one. And it could happen if they all stuck together.
    But where did that leave Dee?
    Darby swallowed hard and felt a little guilty.
    Dee was definitely not in Darby’s picture.
    Â 
    Finally, just as the roof of Sun House showed above the trees, Darby thought of a conversational topic Cade shouldn’t be touchy about.
    â€œDid you hear we’re herding the wild horses up toward Sky Mountain?” Darby asked.
    â€œWe?” Cade asked in a belittling tone.
    Darby swallowed hard.
    â€œI’m so happy to be an only child. I couldn’t stand having a brother like you.”
    She managed to say it like a joke, but that single word vibrated between them until they reached home.
    Okay, Darby thought as she brushed the dust from Hoku’s coat. She knew she wasn’t a good enough rider to go on the adventure.
    Darby also knew why Cade had talked to her inthat tone, putting her down. He didn’t want to talk. He wanted her to back off because his feelings were raw from his conversation with Dee.
    Fine, but that was still no excuse for being mean.
    But, Darby told herself later, Cade’s unpleasantness did give her an excuse for not feeling like a traitor when she told Megan about Cade’s encounter with Dee. And that’s just what she did, while Megan chopped onions and Darby grated gingerroot for Aunty Cathy’s tankatsu sauce that night.
    â€œHe’s not seriously thinking of doing it? Moving back in with his mom, yeah?” Megan asked.
    â€œI think he might be, but—ow!” Darby yelped as she grated a bit of her fingertip along with the ginger. She examined the scuff. “I’m not bleeding.”
    â€œJust like that?” Megan’s voice sounded oddly nasal.
    â€œYeah, I was grating the ginger and—”
    Megan sniffed, shook her head, and corrected Darby. “No, I mean Cade.”
    â€œOh, well, he told her that before he’ll move back, she has to do three things: divorce Manny, get a job, and stop smoking.”
    Megan was blinking back tears!
    â€œI don’t know Dee, but I don’t think you have to worry.” Darby tried to make Megan feel better. “I mean, I can’t imagine her doing all those things. Not soon, anyway.”
    She looked over to see Megan use the back ofher wrist to wipe her eyes.
    â€œMegan, don’t cry,” Darby begged.
    â€œI’b not,” Megan said, with a funny gulp. Then she fanned the air and explained, “The onions .”
    â€œOhh,” Darby said, relieved.
    Finished with the task, Megan pushed aside the cutting board and went to the sink to wash her hands. “Actually, I’m happy.”
    Happy? That didn’t make sense.
    â€œSo, uh, you don’t think we have to worry?” Darby checked.
    Megan turned back to the sink and shook the suds from her hands.
    â€œNope!” Megan definitely sounded smug.
    â€œWhy not?” Darby asked.
    â€œOh, nothing.” Megan’s singsong tone contradicted her words.
    â€œWhat?” Darby demanded.
    â€œIt’s just that, you know when I went down to talk to him? Well, I told him that if his mother wanted him to come home—”
    â€œHow did you know she would?”
    â€œIt just made sense. First there was Cade’s dad, then Manny, and, I don’t know, it just seems like she’d want him back, so I told him that I wouldn’t blame him for going—”
    â€œThat was nice of you,” Darby said sarcastically.
    â€œDo you