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Jake looked at him warily and then got out of the jeep. Without a single word, he headed back to the little yellow house.

"Hey! Buster!" whistled Abby, as he was walking away.

The young man stopped, and turned to face her.

"My jacket!" she shouted.

Jake tossed the jacket to her, and then quickly retreated to his house.

Terry looked at Abby with a disappointed shake of his head.

"What?" she asked.

"I thought I told you to be gentle with him!" he reminded her.

"I was gentle!" exclaimed Abby.

"Then why was that young man practically running away from you?" challenged Terry.

"Oh, that?" she asked. "Jake wasn't running from me-- he was running from YOU."

"Me?" repeated Terry, in surprise. "Whatever for?"

"I think it's because you're a man," reflected Abby. "Did you already start dinner, or am I still on tap?"

"I'm heating yesterday's leftovers," answered Terry. "How did you get him to talk to you?"

"When dinner is ready, could I take some over to Jake?" asked Abby, getting out of the jeep and cleaning off the seat Jake had been sitting on. "He's going to be very hungry tonight!"

Then Abby related the incident to Terry, who wanted to know every detail she could remember. Not trying to humiliate Jake behind his back, she didn't mention the fact that he had wet his pants, as well.

John, who had been listening in on the narrative, was glad that Abby had been there to help Jake. However, he continued to pray that his little girl wouldn't get hurt.

Before dinner that evening, Izumi covered a casserole dish with plastic wrap and handed it to Abby.

"Who's that for?" asked John.

"Abby is taking it over to Jake's house," answered Izumi, as their daughter went out the front door.

Going to the window, John watched as Abby walked to the little yellow house across the way.

When Abby knocked on Jake's front door, it cautiously opened a crack as its occupant peered outside.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"I've brought you dinner," offered Abby, holding out the casserole to him. "It's leftovers, but they're good."

Jake opened his door a little more and accepted the food.

"Why are you doing this?" he asked Abby, testing her motives once again.

Abby looked behind her, and then back at Jake.

"Still no line," she replied. "I'll be back tomorrow, for the dish."

That same night, the Johanneses had an unexpected visitor.

"Abby! get in here!" called John, when he had answered the door.

It was Sheriff Peterson.

"I just learned from Jake that he was fired, today," announced the Sheriff, when Abby had joined them in the living room.

"That's right," said Abby, sitting down on the couch beside Izumi.

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