Summary: A WHN for The Hopefuls – a conversation between brothers after Adam said farewell to Regina Darien. 2020 April BTR Collaboration story – AC1830 and AH83
Rating: G, Word Count: 1403
A Fragile Hope
I feel like I’ve lived a year in the last few days. What started out to be a simple offer to escort a wagon train to their new home ended up turning into a nightmare, not only for them folks but for me an’ Adam too. We’re finally on our way home and as I sit by my brother near our campfire, I can tell he’s hurtin’ bad, from both his shoulder and his heart.
Lookin’ back at how it all began, I was surprised, and later rather excited that Adam decided to take up with the folks who’d come all the way from Ohio to settle in these parts. Me, Pa, an’ Joe met ‘em when they were campin’ on the Ponderosa, an’ they asked us to stay to supper. Jacob Darien’s people were an interesting group of folks an’ I’m sure they thought that we were interesting too. When Adam said that he would be going with them to their new home near Slatersville, I decided to ride along. True, they had good food, but I was curious about their ways and wanted to get to know ‘em better. To me it didn’t seem they were much different from us. Sure they wore different clothes and used the words ‘thee’ and ‘thou’, but they were such a friendly group of folks. It was all goin’ so well, and I could tell Adam and Miss Regina, Mister Darien’s daughter, were fallin’ for each other. Little did we know that Sam Bord who came along with Adam would cause so much misery for everybody.
When it looked like Sam Bord and his friends were going to attack the train, that’s when we found out how different the people were from us. Adam tried to convince ‘em to use guns, but they’re a people of peace, not violence. I couldn’t believe they didn’t have any weapons and that they believed their faith would protect ‘em. At least Mister Darien agreed to my suggestion to circle the wagons so they’d be more protected.
As we got ready for the fight, Miss Regina came over to say she would stand with Adam. Shucks how did she put it? ‘If thee can’t believe with us, I’ll try to believe with thee.’ That right there told me how much they cared for each other.
The fight came that night and it was short. Adam killed two of them jaspers but not before Bord and his other friend stole the money these people had saved for their new land. I’d give anything to have kept Miss Regina’s father from gettin’ killed. After we buried him I saw a change in my brother. I’d seen it before, that need he gets to set a wrong to right, but this time he had a fire and determination in him to find Sam since he blamed himself for the death of Mister Darien and their money being stolen. We had always been there for each other, an’ after seein’ that familiar look I felt I needed to be there for him this time, even though I hated to leave Miss Regina and her people alone.
After a long hard search, we finally found Sam Bord in Slatersville just as Miss Regina’s group arrived. She tried so hard to stop Adam from killing Sam. She begged him to let it be. When she warned him that his actions against Sam could be a wedge between them, I thought for sure Adam would listen. But he didn’t. He shoved her into my arms just as Sam drew his gun.
As Adam drew his gun, Bord shot him in the shoulder but Adam still managed to kill Sam and get the people’s money back. When she went to him it broke my heart to see the hurt that came between him and Miss Regina.
A few days later when he said good-bye to Miss Regina, I almost couldn’t stand the sadness I saw in both their eyes. They had fallen in love with each other, but I began to see that Adam would never have done well in their world or she in ours. They’d have to make a lot of changes even though they’ve given their hearts to each other.
As we rode off toward home, we were silent for a spell.
“Hoss, Pa was right.” Adam finally spoke up after several miles of riding.
“About what?”
“He told me that we’re different from them.”
“Adam, we are but you still have something in common.”
“What’s that?”
“You both love your family and will stay with them. You’re both loyal.”
Adam was quiet. I knew he was thinking about what I had said.
We rode on in silence and made camp for the night. After we ate and I put a fresh bandage on Adam’s wound, we settled by the fire. I knew he was still thinkin’ about what I’d said early, and I learned long ago to let him start talkin’ first. It didn’t take long.
“What you said makes sense but how could it be enough for us, Hoss? I know I told her I’d never visit her, but now…well, now I’m not so sure. There’s got to be a way to make it work.”
This troubled me, as I knew he wasn’t thinkin’ straight. Now I kinda regret what I said earlier. A few other questions came to mind an’ I spoke up.
“Let me ask you a few questions. I know you both loved each other but if you did stay, could you change your ways? Could you leave behind the life you lived with us? Could you live in a way that might not be true to you? An’ what about her, could you ask her to live in a place where she doesn’t fit in and where she’d hafta change her ways to fit in with other women?”
Well, now I’ve done it. I barely got those questions out and he bolted straight out of the camp. I waited a bit then went to find him. As I suspected he’d gone over to his horse. I backed off and let him be in peace.
An hour passed and I finally settled down to sleep. That’s when I heard his quiet footfalls. I waited while he got situated on his bedroll.
He turned to me with a sad look on his face. “I couldn’t change my life. It would be too hard. I know it would be hard for her to leave her family and all she knows, especially after Jacob’s death. I know I hurt her when I went after Sam and resorted to violence. What she said to me then was the truth. My actions would be between us no matter what.”
“You went with what you knew, to make a wrong right again. There was no other way, as much as you’d wish there was.”
The silence that followed told me we were through talkin’ for the night. Guess we’ll see what the mornin’ brings.
Adam and I began our journey home the next day. We rode in silence again. It was hard not to ask what he was thinking. I thought I’d let him take the lead with the conversation. I worried I’d said too much last night. I really regret havin’ said what I did about him and her havin’ to change so much.
“Hoss?” Adam’s quiet voice pulled me out of my anxious thoughts.
“Yeah?”
“I’m glad you came with me. You’ve given me a lot to think about.” He shifted in his saddle to ease his aching shoulder. “I’ve been thinking about how things would be between me and Regina. There’s just no way things could work for us.” He let out a deep sigh. “I’ll need time to get over her and to just forget her. Please don’t talk about this to Pa or Joe. This is just between us.”
“’Course. I’d never tell Pa an’ Joe anything unless you tell me.”
Glancing at Adam I saw the sadness still in his eyes and yet I saw a new determination in ‘em. I knew he wouldn’t forget Miss Regina. He’d hold a special place in his heart for her. He was just gonna have to find a way to live without her.
The End
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.
