Summary: Adam learns the importance of his promises.

Rating: G, Word Count: 1445

The Promise

 

The summer sun hit Adam Cartwright on the back as he joined the rest of the hands for the cattle drive. He could feel the sweat trickling down his back.

“Keep ‘em moving!” he yelled out at Jason.

Jason Hansen was one of the ranch hands and a hard worker. Jason waved quickly acknowledging that he had heard Adam and turned to the cattle. Jason whistled at the cattle and kept them moving. Since Adam had just returned from school and was getting used to ranch work again he wouldn’t be joining the drive, but he still helped gather the cattle. Assured all was going well with the herd, Adam decided to head back to the ranch for a cool drink of water and talk to his pa about the cattle drive.

Adam walked in the house, put his gun holster and hat on the credenza and walked in the kitchen. He grabbed a glass and filled it under the pump at the sink. The water filled the cup and he gulped it greedily. He sighed contently as he put the cup on the counter.

“Adam!” a young voice cried out.

Adam turned and saw nine-year-old Joe standing in the doorway.

“Yes?” Adam asked.

“Do you wanna go fishin’?” Joe asked in excitement.

“Sorry, Little Joe, I’ve got work to do. Maybe later,” Adam replied and walked out of the kitchen.

He didn’t see Joe’s small shoulders slump in disappointment. Joe had been so excited that Adam was coming home and had wanted to go fishing with his big brother. He headed back into the dining room and flattened himself against the wall, trying to listen to his father and brother talk.

“The cattle are just about ready and there are plenty of men to take them to Texas,” Adam said to Ben.

“You’ve done a good job. Thank you, son. Are you going back out there or do something else?” Ben asked.

“I need to get working on the contract for Abe Miller for the cattle,” Adam replied.

“Sounds good.”

Adam turned and walked up to his room. Joe walked outside. When would Adam have time for him? Joe hadn’t seen Adam for four long years. Joe had written Adam about Christmas and New Year’s and told his brother he hoped to go fishing when he came home from school. Adam had written back and promised to go fishing with him. Joe was excited that Adam would be coming home for good and would be able to spend time with him.

“So much for that promise,” Joe grumbled as he kicked the trough.

That was a bad idea. It had hurt his foot. He limped to the porch and sat down in a huff. He stayed outside until the throbbing stopped and he slowly got up and walked around to make sure he didn’t limp. He didn’t want to have to explain to his pa why he was limping.

Days had gone by and Joe kept asking Adam to go fishing and every time the answer was “I’m busy” and Joe would slink off in disappointment. Ben had noticed the change in Joe. He wasn’t his happy self. Ben wanted to know why he wasn’t happy or running around with Hoss. Hoss had tried getting Joe to play with him but Joe kept telling him no and would sit on the settee staring off into space. One morning, Ben went looking for his youngest son. He went outside and saw Hoss on the porch whittling.

“Hoss, have you seen Joe?” Ben asked.

Hoss looked up.

“I think he was in the barn.”

“Thanks.” Ben walked into the barn but didn’t see Joe anywhere.

“Joe?”

No reply.

“Joseph?” He called again.

He heard rustling up in the loft and saw bits of hay falling through the cracks then he saw Joe’s head peek over the
edge of the loft.

“Yes, sir?”

“Come down here, please. I need to talk to you.”

Joe hesitated then climbed down the ladder.

“What’s wrong?” Ben asked.

“Nothin’.”

“Now Joe, I know something is wrong because you haven’t been running around and causing me a headache,” Ben asked in a soft tone.

Joe looked at his pa and heaved a heavy sigh for one so young.

“It’s Adam.”

“What about Adam?”

Ben led Joe to bales of hay and set him on one to see him eye to eye.

“He promised he’d go fishing with me when he’d come home. He promised me when he wrote me after Christmas. Now he’s too busy,” Joe explained.

“Why don’t you go with me or Hoss?”

“Because I want to go with my big brother. I haven’t seen him in a long time and we haven’t gone fishin’ in forever,” Joe said stubbornly.

Ben hid a smile.

“How about I go talk to Adam about going fishing with you for a while. I’m sure he needs a break from all the work,” Ben offered.

“You’d do that for me?” Joe asked, not sure if it would really work.

“Sure. I’ll go right now. You stay right here.” Ben patted his sons leg and left.

Ben walked to his oldest son’s room and could hear the scratching of his quill against paper. He knocked.

“Come in,” came the muffled reply.

Ben opened the door and saw Adam hunched over his desk writing. He noticed Adam’s hair was disheveled. He wondered how long he’d been working on the contract.

“Adam.”

Adam looked up and saw his father standing in the doorway.

“Yes?”

“We need to talk,” Ben said walking to Adam’s bed and sitting down.

“What is it?”

The sooner they got to talking, the sooner Adam could get back to the contract.

“It’s about Joe,” Ben said.

“What about him? Is he all right?”

“No, he’s not.”

“What’s wrong?” Adam asked slightly alarmed.

“He is sad.”

“About what?”

“You.”

“Me?”

“Yes. You promised him in your last letter to him that when you came back you’d go fishing with him. You haven’t had any time for him,” Ben explained.

“Pa, I’ve been busy and have had no time for fishing,” Adam retorted.

“But you made a promise and need to keep it. And before you ask, he doesn’t want to go with me or Hoss. He wants to go with you. I’m sure you can take a break from this and spend time with your little brother.”

“I can go next week.”

“Adam, he won’t want to go next week. He wants to go now. He won’t trust your word if you make any other promises,” Ben replied then got up and walked out.

Adam sighed. He did promise Joe he’d go fishing with him. He set his quill down and went downstairs.

“Where’s Joe?” Adam asked Ben who was now at his desk.

“He’s in the barn.” Ben replied and watched Adam walk out.

Adam walked out to the barn and saw Joe sitting on the bales of hay kicking his feet against the hay.

“Joe?” Adam asked.

Joe didn’t look up and Adam walked closer.

“Do you want to go fishing?” Adam asked.

He watched his brother’s reaction.

“When?” Joe asked still not looking at Adam.

“How about now?”

Joe straightened up and looked at his brother.

“Really?” He asked in surprise.

“Really. Let’s go.”

Joe jumped off the hay and ran to grab their fishing gear.

Within an hour they got their things and went to the lake.

“Adam, I’ve got one!” Joe shouted in excitement when he finally caught a fish.

“Look at the size of him,” Adam said helping Joe.

They continued fishing and Joe would dance in excitement when either one would catch fish. Adam looked at his youngest brother and was glad he had gone fishing. He needed to get closer to Joe and he learned to keep his word with the young boy. When they finally headed home, Joe could hardly stay awake on his horse. When they got home, Adam helped Joe off his horse and he carried Joe inside.

“Everything go all right?” Ben asked.

“It was really fun. We caught a lot of fish. Joe’s tuckered out. I’ll take him up to bed and be back down to take care of the fish,” Adam said.

He took Joe upstairs.

“Adam, thanks for a really fun day. I hope we can do it again,” Joe said sleepily.

“We will. That is a promise,” Adam said helping him get into his pajamas and tucked into bed.

Adam gently rubbed his brothers head then walked out. Adam promised himself they’d go again on Saturday.

 

From the Brandsters.  The story was originally written and published on the Bonanza Trail Riders site.  Brand is happy to offer this story a new home.