Summary: Three Cartwrights look out the window in disbelief of the scene below.

Rating :  K+ (840 words)

Tying One On

“I cain’t believe he’s…” Hoss announced. “It’s like he ….”

“If that were me down there; I sure wouldn’t be doing that. Big, know-it-all brother and he just…” Joe bemoaned.   “I can’t believe I’m related to him.”

“I’ve taught him better than this… We’ve had talks in the past, he knows about accountability and respectability; one doesn’t just… I can’t believe I need to have that talk with him!”

*****

“What’s he doin’ now, Pa?” Hoss inquired.

“Looks to me like he’s going off the deep end there, Hoss. Such a shame, all because …”

“Joseph!” Ben quietly warned.

“Ya think we should go down there an’ help him Pa?”

“No Hoss, your brother wouldn’t appreciate our interference.”

“But Pa…” Joe protested. “We can’t let him just…”

“Yes, we will. Now come on, let’s return to bed and leave your brother be.”

*****

With the downstairs clock chiming an hour before midnight, the three left the bedroom window with Hoss returning to his bed while Ben and Joe left the room.

“Brother, I sure hope you have an explanation come mornin’,” Hoss hoped, blowing out the lantern and pulling the covers up to his chin. “Hope I can get some sleep.”

*****

Across the hallway, Little Joe entered his darkened bedroom and made his way to his bed.

“It doesn’t make any sense. Pa should have let me do what I wanted to do. I sure hope Pa don’t get mad at me in the morning for not rising bright and early… All because of his caterwauling.  But then…” As snarky smile floated across Joe’s face as he thought on the scene outside.

*****

Down the hallway, Ben entered his bedroom and strayed to the overstuffed wing-backed chair that sat across from his bed, next to his window.

“Why son? This isn’t like you,” he mused, gazing at Elizabeth’s picture.

The great room clock chimed one o’clock in the morning, and he was still awake listening for his eldest to enter the house.

*****

Hop Sing was clearing the empty breakfast dishes from the table before Adam made his way, albeit slowly, down the staircase, a dramatic pause ensued before he turned and made his way down the lower steps. His hands ostensibly offering balance as they perched on both rails.

At the table, Ben looked up from the Territorial Enterprise, lowering one corner of the newspaper he had been reading; while coffee cups made their way to lips, to hide the snickering smiles that graced the faces of the two youngest Cartwrights.

“Not one word,” Adam proclaimed, guiding guided himself along the table that sat behind the red and white striped settee, carefully placing one foot in front of the other.

“Good morning, son,” Ben quietly greeted Adam, who finally slipped into his chair and used both hands to support his head. “I presume you won’t be going to church with us this morning?”

With puffy, bloodshot, glaring eyes Adam looked up as if to say, ‘You really expect me to answer that question?’

Upon seeing his son’s expression, Ben raised his newspaper to hide his grin.

“Musta been some party last night,” Hoss couldn’t help himself from saying as he set his coffee cup to the table with a loud clink to the saucer. “Cain’t wait to see what Ross looks like. I’m sure Delphine ain’t gonna be none too happy with you regarding the happenin’s of his bachelor party.”

“Please, Hoss…” pleaded Adam, cringing at the noise of China on China, lowering his face to his hands.

“Delphine?! What about Pa?” Joe snipped, looking surreptitiously from one family member to the next.

“What about Pa?” Adam suffered to ask as he dared to raise his head.

“You put on quite a show last night…” Ben answered from behind his newspaper.

“Show? You didn’t come to town last night… did you?” Adam asked.

“No, son,” Ben answered, still hidden.

“Nope,” Hoss proclaimed, lifting his coffee cup and noisily slurping.

“Didn’t need to,” Joe giggled. “We had a show outside last night.”

“What?” Adam stated in total perplexity.

“Not what, who,” Hoss plainly stated.

“Who? Who was here?” Adam asked, his heart began to beat faster.

“Don’t know, but the way they were pleading with you, and you just sitting there in the water trough,” teased Joe.

“I what?”

“Yep, still dressed and ya decide to take a dip in the horse trough,” Hoss laughed.

“I don’t remember…” moaned Adam, again his head returned to his hands.

“Adam, I’ll ask that you respect my position as your father and that you not dishonor our home by repeating your performance of last night.”

“Don’t worry, how can I repeat it, if I can’t remember…”

“Just pray that Delphine doesn’t call off the wedding,” Ben advised, still hiding behind his newspaper trying to keep from busting out laughing.

~The end

Story Tags: Adam Cartwright, Ben Cartwright, Hoss Cartwright, Joe / Little Joe Cartwright

Inspired by the episode:  The Dark Gate: written by:  Ward Hawkins