Summary:   This is a little story of what happens when Adam falls for one of Joe’s schemes

Rated: T  WC  2900

 

 

                                                                              This Won’t Work

Adam looked at his youngest brother and slowly shook his head. “It’s not going to work Joe.”

Joe gave his oldest brother his cock surest smile. “Sure it will Adam.”

“No it won’t.” But even as he said it Adam could feel his resolve slipping under his brother’s smile.

“Yeah it will.” Joe could feel his brother coming under his spell just like everyone else did it just took longer with Adam and sometimes Joe ran out of patience long before Adam ran out of resolve. “You just gotta do I like I said.”

“Why don’t you do it?” Adam tried to hold on to his last bit of resolve.

“Cause it won’t work if I do it.” And if I had thought it would I wouldn’t be wasting my time trying to talk you into it. Joe thought that but felt it best not to say it. “It’s just gotta be you Adam.”

Adam again shook his head knowing from now on he’d have to stop talking about how easily Hoss could get dragged into their youngest brother’s schemes.

**********

Ben again eyed his eldest son. “You really think this is a good idea Adam?”

“Yes pa I do.” Adam did his best to keep his voice steady and his gaze level. He wasn’t really lying. The more he had thought on it he began to think it was a fairly good idea.

“Okay then Adam, you and Joe go ahead.” Ben watched as his son turned and went upstairs. Something was up but what kept him from becoming too suspicious was that it was Adam asking. If it were Hoss or Joe he would have demanded to know the real reason for this little trip.

**********

Adam and Joe were up early and quietly saddling their horses. Neither had wanted to sit at the breakfast table with their father. They knew somehow he would get one or both of them to tell him the truth without a word.

“What you two planning?”

Both Adam and Joe jumped but were happy upon turning around to find themselves facing their brother.

“It’s nothing you’d be interested in.” Joe gave Adam a smile but found his brother not returning it. Adam knew Hoss had only unfounded suspicions but with Joe’s statement those suspicions were validated and Hoss’s next statement proved it.

“I knew it!!”

“Would you be quiet.” Adam knew by now their father was probably awake even if he wasn’t downstairs. If he heard them outside he would be joining them and then they may as well forget this trip.

“Tell me what it is.” Hoss lowered his voice. He was upset that his brother’s hadn’t let him in on whatever this was but he wasn’t so upset that he would want his brothers to miss out on something they both seemed to be looking forward to.

Joe knew his brother wouldn’t be satisfied if he didn’t get some kind of an explanation. “You know Bickers right?”

“Course I do.” Hoss knew the man pretty well. He was a loud mouth and real nasty when he was drunk. When he was sober though he was an alright guy.

“Well he just got back from Redville and he says there is this new parlor house and it’s got some of the prettiest ladies he’s ever seen.” Joe could see that Hoss was more interested then he had thought he would be. He guessed he never thought of Hoss having those kind of thoughts. Sure he would tease him about girls but it was always with innocent intent.

“Yeah?” Hoss knew his brothers were playing a dangerous game. Lying to their father was not something to be undertaken lightly no matter what the reward.

“Yeah. He said some of them come straight from Europe. They still got their accents and everything.” Little did Joe know that some of those accents were quite fake.

“What makes you think I wouldn’t be interested?” Hoss felt a little hurt that his brother would think that.

Joe could sense his brother’s hurt and felt a little ashamed for having caused it. “Listen Hoss next time it’ll be you and me but pa would have only believed it was a good idea we go if it was Adam that said it.”

“Thanks a lot Joe. Nice to know how much you really want me along.”

Great Joe thought now I have two birds with ruffled feathers. “Adam of course I want you to come. I wish we could all be going but…”

“But there’s a lot of work to be done and someone has to be here to do it.” Hoss didn’t doubt the sincerity behind Joe’s wish they could all go.

“Come on Hoss. I promise I’ll make it up to you.” Joe put on his best I’m sorry grin.

Hoss was not spiteful and he really did want his brother’s to have fun, especially Adam who had less they either him or Joe, he only wished he were going along. “Okay I’ll keep your secret but you better think of something real good to make it up to me.”

**********

They had gotten away without having to face their father. The brothers rode in silence, each contemplating different things. Joe of the pretty girls waiting and Adam thinking of what they might have to pay and not what they would have to pay for the pretty girls but for the lie they had told.

“Hey Adam you think those girls are all as pretty and refined as Bickers said?” Joe needed some reassurance and Adam was always able to reassure him, almost as well as his father could.

“I don’t know how I let you talk me into this. You know if pa finds out…”

Joe almost let his smile show. Lord for once he needed to reassure Adam. “Adam will you relax. Pa ain’t gonna find out. Hoss won’t tell and you just think of all the pretty girls we’re gonna see.”

The quiet again stretched between them and Adam again began to wonder how he could have let his brother talk him into this. If he had learned one thing in all his years of living it was that lying to his father always came with repercussions.
**********

They rode into Redville and Joe quickly forgot the silent and uncomfortable ride they had spent hours on to get here. “Wow Adam look at it. If the girls are as impressive as the building…all I can say is wow.”

“Lets go check into the hotel first.” As much as Adam wanted to be as excited as Joe he just kept getting a bad feeling.

Joe could see the steely look in Adam’s eyes that warned most to not try and argue but Joe was not most. “You go I’m just gonna…”

“Joe, hotel first.”

“And you wondered why I wanted to come with Hoss more then with you.”

“You should have come with Hoss.”

“Adam I’m sure you’ll find a girl who’ll help you forget all your worries.”

“That’ll take some girl.”

Joe watched his brother head to the hotel and, defeated, followed after him.

**********

Joe followed Adam down the sidewalk. He could see the sun getting ready to set. “Why’d we have to wait this long.”

“Joe be happy we’re going and not heading right back home. I should…” Adam felt Joe grab his arm and pull him into the alley. “Hey what are you doing?”

“Who’s that look like Adam?”

The disbelief in Joe’s voice had Adam instantly looking in the direction his brother pointed. “Great Joe! Just great!”

“What we gonna do Adam?” Joe again turned to his older brother for some proof that everything would be okay.

“What are we going to do?!” Adam couldn’t believe his brother could have a doubt about what they were going to do. “We are going to go back to the hotel, get some rest and then tomorrow morning we are going to be heading home.”

“Aw come on Adam.” Joe knew that was the answer he’d probably be getting but it wasn’t the one he wanted to hear.

“No Joe. You know what this is? It’s some kind of an omen that’s what it is. I told you lying to pa never turns out good.”

“Adam how can he tell on us without proving his guilt as well.”

“He’s not one of pa’s sons.”

“Adam we can just wait till he’s gone then we can go on in.”

*********

Adam knew it was the wrong thing to do but he found himself lying on the bed while his brother watched out the window. He must have fallen asleep because the next thing he remembered was Joe calling his name rather anxiously.

“Come on Adam he’s gone.”

“You sure Joe?”

“I watched him ride out of town. He’s gone.” Joe felt he stood a better chance of getting Adam to go if he was still groggy from sleep.

“Hey Flossie you know who this is?”

“No but he sure is cute.”

“He’s Ben Cartwright’s Little Joe.”

Joe thought would that name follow him for the rest of his life. “Just Joe is fine ma’am.”

Flossie looked at the man before them. “Ben Cartwright? My but you sure are bigger then I thought. From the way your pa talked about you and all.”

So Joe sat in the downstairs parlor and listened to the ladies ramble on and on about his father and all they had heard from and about him and his family. He sat there and waited for Adam and finally he heard him coming downstairs.

“Thank you ma’am I had a very good time.”

“I hope Adam that I helped you forget all those worries and concerns.”

“Yes you most certainly did.”

“Adam come on lets go.” Joe knew he didn’t want or need to hear any more.

“Why Joe what’s wrong?”

“Nothing Adam.”

Flossie had seen them come in together. “Are you one of Ben’s sons as well?”

Ben’s sons? Adam was instantly alert.

“Do you really need to ask Flossie? Just look at him. He would have to be Adam. Why you’re every bit the man your father said you were.” She slowly traced Adam’s collar with her finger.

Adam didn’t know what was causing him more confusion the lady’s touch or that these ladies spoke so familiarly about his father. “Why thank you ma’am.”

Joe sat there sulking. “Why did I have to be the youngest.”

Adam had almost forgotten his brother was there. He was lost in the women fawning over him. “What was that Joe?”

“I said let’s go.”

“Oh don’t go just yet.”

Joe knew Flossie wasn’t talking to him. All the ladies were just too busy praising Adam. Why, Joe again lamented, did he have to be born last. Why did his pa…his pa? His pa was here? His pa knew these ladies? “Adam I think we’d better go.”

“But Joe it was you who wanted to come here.”

“Yeah and now I want to leave. Adam they all know pa.” Joe knew Adam must have realized this on his own and if he didn’t have so many females oohing and aahing over him he would remember it.

“So what Joe. So what if they know pa.” Adam finally got a grasp on what he had just said. “You know pa?”

“Yes we know your pa.”

“Could you do me a favor Flossie and not let him know we were here.”

“A little late for that isn’t it Adam?”

“PA!” Adam was quickly out of every lady’s reach.

Joe was quickly on his feet. “Pa I didn’t go upstairs.”

Adam shoved his brother and Joe found himself sitting back on the settee with a very lovely young lady close, too close, with his father standing in the same room. “You may not have gone upstairs little brother but this was all your idea.”

“Ladies will you all please excuse us.” Ben gave the ladies a smile which quickly evaporated when he turned and faced his sons. “You two come with me. Hoss is waiting at the hotel. You know we had to ride pretty hard and fast to get here before you two did.”

Adam and Joe followed their father out. “I told you Joe. Lying to pa never works out well.”

“At least you had some fun. I spent the entire time hearing how cute I am.”

“Can we please wait to discuss this at the hotel.” Neither of his sons could see the smile on their father’s face. They probably wouldn’t have believed it if they had.

**********

Ben looked at his eldest and youngest son in turn. “So what do you two have to say for yourselves.” Ben waited a minute or so. “Nothing? Good. Now you two will wait here while Hoss and I…”

“Pa I couldn’t. Not with you.”

Ben watched as Hoss looked to the ground. “I meant while we go have a nice dinner.”

“But pa it’s not fair. I didn’t have any fun.” Joe hadn’t meant to sound like a skulking schoolboy but that’s just what he sounded like.

“That’s too bad Joseph and if you think I don’t know that somehow this is all your doing you’d be wrong.”

“HA!”

Ben turned to his eldest who now sounded like a schoolboy as well. “All you had to do Adam was to tell him no.”

“Sure and have him walk around with an attitude for weeks.”

“And how do you think his attitude will be now Adam?”

Joe began to have a inkling of a suspicion. “Pa did you tell those ladies too…”

“I told them nothing Joseph, except that you were my little boy.”

Joe knew that for any woman to be told you were someone’s little boy was like telling them you needed a mother not a woman. “And what did you tell them about Adam?”

“I told them he was my eldest and a very fine young man.”

Joe also knew a lot of women wanted nothing more then to help a fine young man become a man. Even after seeing that Adam was anything but a young man. “Why did you have to tell them I was your little boy?”

“Because you are Joseph.”

“But I’m not a little boy.”

“You certainly are sounding like one. Come on Hoss.”

“Hey pa how’d you know we were coming here?” Joe gave Hoss a look full of accusation.

“Hoss told me nothing Joseph. I have ears as well and you are my son. If anyone knows you it’s me. I’m just surprised you got dragged into this so easily Adam.”

“Believe me pa it wasn’t easy. All he kept saying was it would turn out bad.”

“It did didn’t it little brother.”

“Not for you.”

“Enough! Hoss and I are going to get something to eat and then we will be leaving in the morning.”

*********

“Joe where are you going?” Adam had woken up just in time to catch his brother slipping out the window.

“Listen Adam if I’m going to get into trouble I want it to be for something worth getting into trouble for.”

“Joe I’ve tried to warn you, somehow pa will know.”

“Adam pa and Hoss are sleeping. Dawn isn’t for two or three hours and that’s more then enough time.”

“Not with those ladies.”

“Adam I’m going and don’t try and stop me.”

“Stop you Joe? I have no intentions of trying to stop you I just felt as your older brother I should try to warn you. But I’ve done that and now I’m going back to sleep.”

**********

When morning came Adam rolled over and was surprised to find Joe in his bed. “Hey little brother I’m surprised you made it back in time.”

“I was back a few minutes after I left.”

“Why?”

“Pa was waiting.”

“I warned you.”

“Yeah and next time I’ll heed your warning.”

“Then this trip wasn’t a complete waste was it.”

“Not for you.”

“Give it time Joe. In time you’ll come to realize that all you want is for that one woman that you can love to come along not want to love every woman that comes along.”

Ben had heard Adam’s lesson through the closed door and wondered when did he get so smart.

“Adam how am I gonna learn that if pa don’t ever let me love any woman.”

Ben rolled his eyes and knocked. “Come on you two lets get going.” He walked back down the hall to the room he and Hoss had shared. Adam and Joe, sometimes so different and yet at times so alike.

“Something wrong pa?”

“No Hoss I was just thinking about your brothers.”

“Yeah they can be so alike at times.”

“That’s what I was thinking. I only hope in time Joe will come to see all that you older brother does.”

“He will pa if you let him grow up.”

“Are you reprimanding me Hoss?”

“No pa just saying if you want Joe to grow up to know some of the things Adam does you got to let him grow up.”

“I guess I will, someday. Just not today.”