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across the church to where Iris was talking to Tracy. "You need to be careful skipping around that way. You've got to be more careful until your arm heals," Iris told her.
    Mallie nodded. "Yes, Dr. Sullivan."  She looked down at her feet. "I just hate being still all the time."
    Iris laughed. "You remind me a lot of my sister, Lily. She spent all of her time in trees and fishing. I think if she'd ever broken her arm, she'd have run a race the next day."
    Mallie grinned. "I like the name Lily. I wish I had a flower name."  She looked up at Iris with something akin to worship on her face.
    "Flower names are fine unless you're the eighth of eight of them. No one needs that many flowers in their garden."  Iris loved her name, but sometimes she felt like just another 'flower,' as if she didn't have an identity of her own.
    Tracy looked at Iris. "Eight flower names? You'll have to tell me about the other flowers during lunch." She looked at Mallie. "Get your sisters. You three are riding home with Uncle Andy and me."
    "How come?" Mallie asked.  She was obviously confused.
    "Dr. Sullivan is coming to lunch. Your pa's giving her a ride." 
    Mallie looked back and forth between Iris and Francis. "That sounds good to me. I'd love to get to know Dr. Sullivan better."
    "Dr. Sullivan would like that too." Iris tapped Mallie on the nose with her index finger. "You three girls seem pretty darn special to me."  Iris had always enjoyed children, but none quite so much as the three young Harvey girls.  What it was about them, she wasn't sure, but they were awfully special.
    Mallie giggled before hurrying off to find her sisters.
    Francis looked at Iris. "Are you ready?" He looked around. "Is Edna Petunia coming with us?"  He wasn't sure he was ready to be alone with the doctor for the thirty minute drive out to his brother's house.
    Iris shook her head. "No, she had other plans." She hoped no one would ask her about the older woman's plans. She really didn't know how to answer.  Edna usually said everything that crossed her mind.  Secrets were not normal, so Iris was a bit concerned.
    Francis shrugged. "Let's go then." He started to walk away, and then turned back. "Make sure you have all three girls," he said to Tracy.
    Tracy rolled her eyes. "You act like I don't know what to do with the children."
    "They're the only daughters I have. I have to be careful with them." He led the way out to the churchyard and helped Iris up into his wagon. "I guess you got to meet my sister-in-law Tracy."
    "She seems really sweet. You sure can tell by her accent that she's not from around here though."
    Francis climbed behind the horses and laughed. "Sure can tell the same with you too. Of course, you two sound nothing alike."
    "My brother-in-law is from New York. Jonas has an accent just like Tracy's.  My aunt Harriett did, but hers has faded with time."
    "Which sister is married to Jonas?" He was trying to figure out which sister was which, but with eight of them it was difficult.
    "Violet. She's the artist. Seventh of the sisters." Iris knew that he was trying to figure out which sister she was talking about with what she had told him on Wednesday. She knew by giving him as much information as she could, he'd be able to remember better.  She wished she had a paper with pictures of all her sisters like Violet had painted for each new brother-in-law to make it easier for him.
    "So she's the sister that's one older than you."
    Iris nodded. "Yes I'm the youngest and she's the second to youngest." She shrugged. "I promise I won't quiz you on it later."
    Francis grinned. "Glad to hear that. I don't think there's any way I can keep your complicated family straight. It would have helped if you did not all have flower names."
    "I promise, it was not my idea." 
    "So what do you think of our town so far? You've been here what? A week?"  Francis had lived in Nowhere his entire life, so he was very interested in an outsider's view of it.
    "Two weeks. And I'm