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"I know you're smart enough that you can do any homework during class or at night after it's dark. And just for a few weeks," I added.

"I could keep track of all the money and keep it in my room?" she finally asked.

"Of course, you'd be in charge of it."

She tapped an empty glass jar she had on the little table in her room. "Okay, then," she agreed.

***

On Saturday I convinced myself three different times that I was going to start picking without Brother Brown's clearance. Each time I climbed up the ladder and reached for an apple, I couldn't bring myself to pull it off the branch.

I finally found the courage to pluck six large golden apples and then assembled my cousins and sisters.

"Take a bite. Tell me if they're ready," I demanded.

Sam and Michael attacked their apples until juice ran down their necks. The girls were more delicate, closing their eyes to evaluate every bite.

"Best apple I've ever had," Amy concluded. "Crisp, but not too hard. Just the right amount of sweet."

Everyone else nodded their heads.

"They're not going to get any better, right?" I asked, savoring the apple I'd eaten halfway through.

"They couldn't," replied Sam proudly. "I think we made them perfect."

***

During Sunday school the next day, I kept hoping Brother Brown would make a special announcement about the beginning of the harvest or something. Instead, he just dully droned on about epistles and parables. When it was over, I waited until the other kids had left the room. He didn't even look at me. I kicked my chair in frustration as I got up to leave. Who cared what he thought? Those apples were ready, and I was picking on Monday. When I reached the door, I heard Brother Brown's voice behind me.

"Better get goin' on those Goldens," he said calmly.

I swung around. "It's time, then?"

"Romes will keep awhile so start with the Goldens."

"Thanks for telling me," I said in a relieved voice. "I kind of thought they were ready. Uh ... how long do we have?"

"Five, six weeks maybe."

"What happens after that?"

"No good for most people. Cows like 'em."

***

I assembled my sisters and cousins that night for a strategy meeting. We had had these before, but there seemed to be an extra importance to this one. It felt to me like we were packing up and leaving home.

"We're going to need a few boxes to take up to the road, so maybe tomorrow we can all help with picking and then start selling on Tuesday," I began when everyone was listening.

"Who's going to be selling and who's going to be picking?" asked Michael.

I looked them all over. "Amy and I will pick using the bags since we're the tallest. I was thinking Lisa and Jennifer would do the selling. We'll probably need more help with picking, though, so Sam and Michael can you stay out in the orchard?"

"I wanted to sell," complained Michael.

"Why, 'cause you think it'll be easier?" teased Amy.

"No, 'cause I'd be good at it," Michael said, giving Amy a dirty look.

"Don't worry, you'll probably get a chance to. We have a few weeks to go, but we first have to concentrate on picking. And, Sam, maybe you could be in charge of driving the boxes up to the road."

Sam happily agreed and Michael insisted he should ride along to help.

After the plans had been made and the meeting broke up, Amy approached me alone. "This whole thing has been fun and everything," she said while grinning sarcastically, "but how much longer do you expect us to keep working?"

"Brother Brown says we only have a few weeks until the apples are too old, so it can't be longer than that. Why, do you have another job or something?"

"No, but I would like to have a social life now that I'm in high school. That's kind of hard when you're out in the fields working for your cousin all day and night."

"I promise it won't be much longer." I tried to think of more things to say that would be encouraging and inspiring, like how much money she was going to make, but there was always that possibility of making zero. I couldn't