Chapter 4

“Come one Amelia let’s go home” said Joe. Amelia gets up and walks past him and out the door. Joe looks at Charlotte then walks after his sister.

They rode to the ranch in silence. They rode in the yard and Amelia mounts off her horse. Joe mounts off his and walks after her trying to stop her from walking away from him.

He takes her arm and turns her around to face him. “What happen at school? Why did you punch Rachel?” asked Joe. Amelia pulls her arm back.

“Amelia please talk to me. I can’t stand it when you’re mad at me and I’m sure you have a really good reason to be. Please sweetheart what did I do that hurt you so badly?” asked Joe with pleading eyes.

Amelia looks at him not being able to control her anger any longer. “WHY DID YOU TELL EVERYONE IN TOWN ABOUT YOU AND MY TEACHER AND NOT ME?” asked Amelia angry.

Joe looks at her stunned. He had no idea that she was angry about him and her teacher. He had no idea that she knew and felt guilty for not telling her.

“Amelia no one knows about me and your teacher. Wait how did you know about us?” asked Joe confused.

“I SAW YOU AND HER OUT BY THE LAKE” said Amelia. Joe’s jaw drops shocked. He knew what she had seen and it fed his guilt even more.

“Amelia I am so sorry” said Joe full of remorse. “IT’S TOO LATE FOR YOU TO BE SORRY! YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME INSTEAD OF GOING BEHIND MY BACK! I NEVER IMAGINE YOU COULD BE SO COLD AS TO SNEAK AROUND SLEEPING WITH MY TEACHER HOPING THAT I’LL NEVER FIND OUT” yelled Amelia.

“THEN I COME TO FIND OUT THAT EVERYONE KNEW EXCEPT FOR ME! DAMN IT JOE I’M YOUR SISTER! WE TELL EACH OTHER EVERYTHING REMEMBER” she yelled on the verge of crying.

“Amelia” said Joe helplessly as he watch and listen to her falling completely apart. He would give anything to take away his sister’s pain.

“I THOUGHT I COULD TRUST YOU BUT CLEARLY THAT WAS A MISTAKE! FOR THE PAST THIRTEEN YEARS YOU TOLD ME OVER AND OVER ABOUT HOW MUCH YOU LOVE ME THAT YOU WOULD NEVER EVER INTENTIONALLY HURT ME THEN YOU TURN AROUND AND DECIDED ‘WHAT THE HELL SINCE I GOT HER BELIEING IN THAT GARBABGE WHY DON’T I BREAK EVERY PROMISE I MADE TO HER SINCE SHE WAS A BABY AND DATE HER TEACHER. I MEAN IT’S NOT LIKE SHE WILL EVER FIND OUT’!” cried Amelia. Joe had tears in his eyes.

“It wasn’t like that” Joe managed to chocked out full of emotion as he felt a lump in his throat.

“How could you do this to me Joe? You’re my brother my best friend why did you do this to me? I thought you love me you told me you love me but that was a lie wasn’t it? You love your new girlfriend more than your own sister your flesh and your blood otherwise you would have told me before you started dating her or ask me about it instead of going behind my back!” sobbed Amelia pools of tears rolling down her cheeks.

“I’m so sorry Amelia I never meant to hurt you honest. I just didn’t want you to get hurt that’s why I never told you. I was wrong in not telling you and I’m really sorry but I was only trying to protect you from this heartache and getting pick on at school” said Joe as he walks over to her and tries to comfort her.

She pushes him away and starts punching him. “THIS IS ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT!” she cried. Joe takes hold of her wrists and restrains her.

“Thanks to you everyone at school thinks that I ask you to date Miss Browney so I’ll get special privileges. I HATE YOU AND YOU’RE NO LONGER MY BROTHER!” she hollered.

Joe lets her go completely in shock for what she had said. A tear rolls down his cheek as he looks at his sister.

Ben, Hoss and Adam walk outside to see what all the commotion was. They saw Joe and a devastated Amelia both crying and knew something wasn’t right.

“What the heck is going on here?” asked Ben. “Joe is dating Miss Browney and everyone in town knew about it except for me” said a very hurt Amelia.

Ben looks at his son in disbelief. Adam and Hoss look at each other before looking at their younger brother. Both of them sympathized for their younger brother for they both know Joe wouldn’t hurt their sister like that but they were both angry that Joe had done something like that to their sister.

“Pa I can explain” said Joe nervously. “There’s nothing to explain YOU BETRADED ME!” snapped Amelia still furious.

“Hold on young lady. I would like to know why you’re home from school late” said Ben staring directly at his daughter.

Knowing that she couldn’t lie Amelia takes a deep breath “I got in a fight”. Ben and the boys were surprise. “With who?” asked Adam even though he had a pretty good idea who it was. “Rachel Conaway” said Amelia.

“What did you two fight about?” asked Hoss “Rachel was picking on me about Joe and Miss Browney. She told me that Joe had told everyone in town. She kept teasing me about it and accuse me of setting Joe up with Miss Browney so I can get special privileges” said Amelia fuming.

“I’m sorry about that Amelia but that still doesn’t justify you fighting. I don’t want a daughter of mine fighting around like her brothers” said Ben sternly.

“Yes sir. I’m sorry Pa I was so hurt and angry about what Joe did that I wasn’t thinking about what I was doing” said Amelia.

“See to it that it doesn’t happen again” said Ben. “Don’t worry Pa it won’t happen again I promise” said Amelia sincerely.

She turns to Joe and her anger starts to come back. “I WISH YOU WERE DEAD! BECAUSE AS FAR AS I’M CONCERN YOU’RE DEAD TO ME JUST LIKE OUT RELATIONSHIP!” yelled Amelia.

Everyone especially Joe and Ben were shocked. “AMELIA ROSE CARTWRIGHT I don’t like that kind of talk young lady and you know I don’t allow it. Now apologize to your brother” scolded Ben angry.

“I rather be on my death bed” said Amelia coldly looking back at Joe before she storms to the house and slams the door behind her.    

Joe’s lips start to tremble as tears fell down his cheeks.