This follows my May 2020 Sourdough (posted in blue).

It’s Complicated
Taking a break by an old oak tree, Adam and Joe dug into the Hop Sing’s fried chicken. They’d spent all morning at a neighboring ranch selling some cattle and selecting some breeding horses for their own herd. Hoss was settling the price for the cattle and would join his brothers soon enough, so Joe and Adam quickly got their chicken before their middle brother had a chance to claim his.

Finishing off one chicken leg, Adam gave Joe a sidelong glance then reached for another leg. His younger brother had been unusually quiet all morning.

“What’s got you so quiet today? We’ve picked out some fine horses. I’d expect you to be excited about that.”

Joe tossed down the remnant of his chicken and sighed. Glancing around and noting that Hoss was still busy, Joe turned toward Adam. “I’ve just been thinking.”

“It takes that much effort, huh?.” Adam went back for a bigger piece of chicken.

“Watch it. Anyway, Hoss and Millie are finally courting.”

“For several months now.”

“Quit interrupting me.”

“Sorry. Go on.”

“Anyway, you know I’ve been seeing someone in town.”

“Yeah, since the Christmas party. Is it getting serious?”

“Might be. But that’s not what I’ve been thinking about. It all made me wonder what’s going on with you and Dolly. You two seemed a good match last fall when you were helping Hoss and Millie, but now you don’t say much about her.”

After a long silence, Joe risked a glance at his brother in time to see his face go dark. “Sorry, didn’t mean to intrude.”

“No, it’s just that it’s complicated, that’s all.”

“Oh.”

About that time Hoss wandered over and dug into what was left of the chicken. “We got a good price for the cattle. Adam, you paid for them horses yet? I wanna get home soon as I promised Millie I’d take her to dinner tonight.”

Joe saw another dark look from Adam which Hoss totally missed.

Adam rose abruptly and muttered sullenly, “I’ll see to the horses.”

Hoss’s head snapped up with a frown. “Did I miss somethin’? What made his mood go south?”

Joe eyed his elder brother. “It’s complicated.” Leaving Hoss to his lunch, Joe jogged over to join Adam and the ranch owner.

—-

Late in the night, Adam silently moved around his room packing a couple of bags. By dawn he was on his way to Virginia City to catch the early stage to San Francisco. When Joe awoke he found a note on his nightstand.

Gone to SF to settle some business. Thanks for the nudge.. Oh, and pick up Sport from the livery.

~A

Joe found himself caught between a frown and a smile. He finally settled on good thoughts for his brother to settle things with Dolly, hopefully for the best.

Revelations
Horses’ hooves thundered across the dry packed ground, leaving a dust storm in their wake. The man in the lead quickly glanced over his shoulder at the rider gaining on him. He snapped the reins against the horse’s flank and gave him his head. The second rider saw the change and leaned low against his mount’s neck making it easier for him to run faster. Hot dusty wind whipped around the riders’ faces as the gap closed between the two. After another mile they were nearly neck and neck.

“Will you slow down? You’re going to kill that horse!”

The first rider ignored the warning, suddenly steering the horse to the west. Used to his brother’s tricks, the second rider followed seconds later. After another few minutes, the lead horse broke its gate and began to slow. With nothing left to give, Adam allowed his horse to slow to a lope, then a walk. Joe did the same riding beside his brother but with about six feet between them.

Reaching a copse of trees and a stream, the brothers dismounted to care for their horses and get water for themselves. After soaking themselves in the chilly waters, they sat side by side in the shade.

“What happened back there? What did Pa say that got you so ticked off?”

“Nothing, I just wanted to be alone.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Does it have something to do with your trip to San Francisco last month?”

Stony silence.

“Come on Adam. I’m the only one who knows you went to see Dolly. And since you got back, you’ve been skittish and ornery. What happened?”

In the lengthening silence, Joe chewed on a blade of grass and watched the hobbled horses as they grazed. Keeping his head still he shifted his eyes from time to time to check on his brother. Boy, Adam could be infuriating when he wanted.

While Joe watched his brother, his brother was watching him just as discreetly. Adam was taken aback by Joe’s quiet patience. Would talking be any easier if his little brother was badgering him with questions?

“Let’s just leave it that Pa and I don’t see eye to eye on some things.” Ending the conversation Adam rose and strode toward the horses.

Joe jumped up ready to go after his brother and demand the rest of the story but Adam’s slumped shoulders told him to honor his brother’s request to let it be. He tossed the mangled blade of grass away and mounted his horse. Together the brothers rode back to the herd as Adam pondered what to tell his father about Dolly, and Joe wondered if his encouragement for Adam to go back to San Francisco had been such a good idea.

Adam and Joe had been doing business for the Ponderosa then relaxed afterwards at a saloon in San Francisco. Joe flirted with every girl he met.

“Joe, will you stop flirting? One of these days you’re going to find yourself at the wrong end of a gun or fist because you flirted with some man’s wife,” Adam warned.

“Relax, Adam I will not,” Joe said brushing off his brother’s remark.

Adam rolled his eyes. Joe never listened and Adam knew it. Sometimes it was better to let his youngest brother deal with the consequences.

Adam walked around town and decided to wander around the mercantile to see if he or his father or brother would want something. Adam saw Joe flirting with a blonde-haired beauty. He almost didn’t think anything of it until he saw a big, burly man watching Joe and the woman. He felt trouble brewing as he made his way to Joe.

“Joe, come on, we have to leave,” Adam whispered tugging on his youngest brothers’ sleeve.

“Adam, would you leave me alone? Can’t you see I’m busy?”

“This will be the last thing you ever say if you don’t leave. There’s a man who’s coming to get you.”

Joe looked and saw the man. Before they could leave, the burly man walked up to them.

“May I ask what you are doing with my wife?” the man asked.

“You’re wife?” Joe asked uncomfortably.

“Yes, my wife.”

Adam saw the man flexing his fingers and curl them into a fist ready to strike Joe. He then looked at the woman and saw a smirk on her face and knew that had to be trouble.

“John, he tried to kiss me too and put his hands on me,” the woman accused.

John looked at Joe and Adam swore he saw the man turn into a bull with his face turning red. Adam wondered if he’d see smoke coming out of the man’s flared nostrils. Adam grabbed Joe’s arm and they ran to their horses.

“What about our bags, Adam?” Joe asked.

“We’ll come back for them later. Right now, we just need to get away from John! I told you not to go flirting with women or you’d find yourself at the end of a fist,” Adam said.

They rode hard out of town kicking up a lot of dust. John and his wife stood outside of the mercantile laughing.