Summary: Beer Time Conversations- When the C’s have a little time to enjoy a beer together, who knows what can transpire. Photo inspirations from The Ape, The Magnificent Adah, The Ride.
Rating: G, Word Count: 2392
I don’t know if enjoying a beer is the right idea, but here goes:
Although he had been shot before, the dark-haired man had never been hit like this. Riding along minding his own business, the bullet had seared into his lower back and out his side knocking him from the saddle with the force and the unexpected nature of the encounter. Laying in the thick grass, hidden from view as long as he didn’t try to get up, he had to admit he was no longer upset with the weeks of rain that had kept him trapped inside or forced him to work in soggy clothing slogging through mud. It had made the grass grow unusually tall which at the moment protected him from another shot. He could tell that his assailant had been up on the ridge. It was probably only that which had kept the man from making a kill shot because he was too far away to be accurate. Unfortunately there was the sound of a rider coming closer at a fast pace and he doubted he would be able to defend himself well in his present condition. Getting ready to do his best, he pulled his pistol despite the pain and prepared to make his last stand. The voice he heard though was filled with fear and concern.
“Candy, what happened? I heard a shot.” Joe Cartwright knelt by his side.
“That was me getting shot. I thought it was him coming for me. He’s on that ridge best I can figure.”
Standing, Joe turned and waved at men coming toward them to go to the ridge instead. One came to them instead. Hoss Cartwright wanted to know what had happened.
“Adam and the others can find out who’s up there. What happened here?”
“Somebody shot Candy. Doesn’t look too bad except he’s bleeding a lot. We need a wagon. I’ll go for one. You take good care of him. All right?”
Understanding that Joe could ride faster than he could, Hoss took what he could from Joe to help Candy and then knelt by the wounded man’s side as Joe mounted up and rode toward the ranch house. Soon, Adam joined Hoss to tell him that no one was on that ridge.
“A couple of the men are following some tracks, but my guess is that they’ll lead back to the road and then it won’t matter. What happened?”
“Somebody shot him in the back. Joe went for a wagon. He’s bleeding quite a bit but otherwise it doesn’t look too bad.”
“It hurts like hell, and would you stop talking about me like I’m not here.”
With a smirk, Adam looked at Candy but spoke to Hoss. “He gets mighty feisty when he’s hurt, doesn’t he?”
“If I had the strength, I’d poke you in the nose for that one.”
Hoss knew what his brother was doing and smiled as he pressed a wad of cloth against the exit wound and then another against the entrance wound letting Adam distract Candy as much as possible. It didn’t work completely as Candy gasped with pain, but it did help.
When Joe got there with the wagon, they took Candy to town instead of back to the ranch when Adam suggested the wait for the doctor might be too long. After Doctor Martin worked his magic and Candy was resting comfortably, the three brothers headed to the saloon for a beer to ease the stress somewhat. Hoss was the first to broach the obvious.
“Candy borrowed your new coat. You know that bullet was probably meant for you.”
After draining his glass, Adam nodded. “I know.”
Ben read again the cryptic invitation that had arrived earlier. It invited him and Hoss to meet an old acquaintance in Placerville. The envelope had not been canceled, and it bore only the return address of the Cattleman’s Hotel. He’d puzzled over it all morning since their newest hand had brought it from town. Now he wondered if somehow it had been delivered without use of the mail.
He and Hoss were to travel to Placerville and register at the aforementioned hotel. They would be contacted for further instructions. It was unsigned. Ben thought he recognized the handwriting. Apparently the author wished to remain anonymous. And he puzzled over why he and Hoss were mentioned but not Joe.
Over the past few months the Ponderosa had undergone hard times. While he was convinced they could survive, Ben wished Adam was here instead of traveling the world. The last letter they’d received from him months ago indicated he was headed to Australia. While Ben was pleased for his son, he missed him terribly and wished he could get his input into the problems they faced. Neither Hoss nor Joe had Adam’s logical mind. He needed to bounce ideas off his eldest.
Oh, if he could only turn back time! He would definitely do things differently and make sure his eldest knew how much he was appreciated and loved. Ben thought back to the last time he had told Adam he loved him. It was shortly before he embarked on his travels. But, before that, was probably when they’d rescued Adam in the desert from Peter Kane. That was over a year before… too long. He’d taken Adam for granted and now was reaping what he’d sown. Over the next year, the arguments had actually decreased. In retrospect he’d realized their lack meant Adam was slowly withdrawing from them after he’d made up his mind to leave.
A silent tear tracked down his cheek as he was overwhelmed with memories and regrets. After a few minutes, he pulled himself together and planned his strategy to convince Hoss to travel with him to Placerville and Joe to stay home. The only way he could think to do that would be to tell them they were going to meet a potential cattle buyer and appeal to Joe’s ego about being left in charge. He’d explain the truth to Hoss on the way.
***
Ten days later, Ben and Hoss wearily rode into Placerville in the late afternoon, stopping in front of the hotel. Ben signed in and then headed to their suite while Hoss took their horses to the livery before joining him.
Later, as they were eating supper in the dining room, Ben received another note asking them to meet their old friend in the private room at the Golden Lion Saloon later.
It looked new and reeked of money. After showing the note to the bartender, he escorted them to the back room. There a man dressed in black whose hat covered his face sat at the table. Once the door closed behind them, he removed his hat.
Both men crossed the room to the table where Adam and three beers awaited. After greeting each other with hugs and back slaps, they sat down. Hoss swallowed half his beer quickly, while the other two nursed theirs.
“Son, your letter said you were heading to Australia. What happened? Did you get back early?”
“I never left. I was shanghaied, shipwrecked and had amnesia for months. Those letters are part of a conspiracy to destroy us and the Ponderosa.”
And he began to explain further.
Before anyone gets their blood pressure up at the cliffhanger, this is part of a longer story I’m working on, although it’s going slowly.
Hoss, Adam, Ben, and Joe had gone into town to get a beer after a long day of ranch work.
“Hoss, are you gonna marry Sam? You’ve been courting for a while now,” Joe asked.
Hoss looked up from his mug of beer.
“I don’t know.”
“What do you mean you don’t know? I know she ain’t been hinting but she has that look about her,” Joe said.
“Joe, Tyler is in the way. He won’t get the hint or be told no when Sam has told him to leave. He’s been awful to deal with.”
“Is that where she got that shiner?” Adam asked.
Hoss’ jaw twitched as he nodded.
“Can’t he go back to jail?” Adam asked.
“Yeah but he’ll be back out like before. He won’t listen to Roy when he’s been told to leave town. He’ll leave but
he keeps coming back.”
“What does Sam think about all this?” Adam asked.
“She’s frustrated. It’s stressing her out. Along with her brothers,” Hoss said taking a swig of beer.
Just then there was a commotion outside. Hoss, his brothers, and the men in the saloon went to see what was going on. Hoss saw Sam trying to fight Tyler. Other men had tried to help, but Tyler would hit them too and the men gave up. Sam would get hit but get up and swing. She connected a few times on Tyler’s jaw. He would just laugh. Hoss had enough and went up behind Tyler and pulled him by the back of his collar. Ben went and helped Sam and took her to the doctors while Adam and Joe took their beers to watch Hoss fight Tyler.
“For a dandy, he sure can fight,” Adam said.
Joe chuckled and took a swig of his beer.
“Shouldn’t Roy be breaking this up by now?” Joe asked.
“Roy and his deputy were called out to a ranch somewhere. Sounded like trouble.”
“Adam, that doesn’t sound right.”
Before they could discuss it more, they saw Tyler hit Hoss hard.
“Get ‘im, Hoss!” Joe yelled.
Adam pulled out his pocket watch after a while to check the time.
“They’ve been going at it for thirty minutes,” Adam said showing Joe the time.
“Wow. It does look like Tyler is slowing down,” Joe replied.
Adam noticed it and nodded. Hoss took one last swing and Tyler went down and stayed in the dirt. He swayed too and fro getting back to his brothers then plunked down on the wagon tongue. The men
“Where’s Sam?” Hoss asked.
“Pa took her to Paul’s. We should take you there to get looked at,” Adam said.
He handed Joe his mug and Joe ran the empty mugs back in the saloon and followed his brothers to the doctors.
There is more to the story. Promise. I’m working on it.
A Special Performance
San Francisco – 1875
Adam shrugged into his jacket and checked his tie in the mirror before turning back to his wife.
“Are you sure you don’t mind, Ana? I can go with Hoss and Joe tomorrow.”
“I would not think of it. It is your birthday and you should have some time with just your brothers.
Now go and have a good time.” She turned her husband toward the door and gave him a playful shove.
Just as Adam grasped the knob, a hearty knock resounded from the other side. He pulled the door open and found himself face to face with his grinning brothers.
“Hey big brother. Glad to see you’re ready to go. For a minute there we thought we were goin’ to have to hog tie you to get you to come with us. Afternoon, Ana.”
“Hello Hoss, Joe.” She smiled and winked at her brothers-in-law behind Adam’s back. “I turn him over to you but be back here by 5 o’clock for dinner.”
“Don’t worry. Alice and Molly have already made us promise not to be late. Now let’s get going brother. The clock’s ticking.” Adam quickly kissed Ana as Joe yanked him across the threshold.
Watching Joe and Hoss tease Adam as they made their way down the hall Ana sighed contentedly. She could hardly wait to see his face tonight after dinner.
~~~~~
“One more round, bartender.”
“Two is enough for me, Hoss.”
“Ah, come on Adam, you’re allowed to splurge a little since it’s your birthday. ‘Sides this is the best beer we’ve had anywhere.”
The grins on his brother’s faces convinced him. “Alright, one more then we have to leave.”
Adam sipped his third mug of beer as he reflected upon the grand couple of hours he’d spent with his brothers. They had laughed and reminisced about old times, marriage, and fatherhood, although that last didn’t apply to Hoss yet. Leaving the saloon, Adam focused his thoughts on the upcoming dinner and surprise event.
“Are you two sure you don’t know what Ana has planned for tonight?”
“Nope. She knows better than to tell us anything after what happened last year.”
Adam cringed as he recalled how he nearly tore the hotel apart trying to dispel rumors about Joe and Ana, not realizing it all was for a surprise party for him*. “I see your point.”
“Besides, not knowin’s much more fun. Right Joe?”
“It sure is.”
~~~~~
After a sumptuous dinner, three couples stood in front of the concert hall as Ana handed the tickets to Adam. “Happy Birthday, from each of us and your father and Sarah.”
Ana slipped her hand around his arm as he kept glancing between her and the tickets.
“You are pleased, yes?”
“Oh more than pleased. But how…”
“You will have your answer in a few minutes.”
Puzzled, Adam led his party up the steps. Upon seeing the tickets the doorman escorted them backstage to a dressing room. Adam was greeted with an enthusiastic handshake.
“Adam, you’re a sight for sore eyes. It’s wonderful to see you again.”
“And you as well. I understand you played a part in this little surprise.”
“Only a small part, my friend.”
With an exaggerated sweep of his arm Adam’s friend ushered everyone into his dressing room.
“Please, make yourselves comfortable. With almost half an hour before my curtain call we have plenty of time to get reacquainted.”
Adam leaned over to whisper in Ana’s ear, “You never cease to amaze me and I thank you.”
Ana smiled lovingly at him. “You are welcome, mi amor. Happy Birthday.”
——————-
*Rendezvous – Ana pulls off her first birthday surprise for Adam, barely.
Don’t fret, the mystery performer will be revealed in my upcoming summer story about an Historical person in Adam’s life.
A Note from the Brandsters. This was originally written and published on the Bonanza Trail Riders site. Brand is happy to offer this story a new home.
