XxXxX

5

The next time Joe opened his eyes, the house was quiet and Hoss was dozing in the chair next to him. He considered asking for a drink of water, but Hoss looked awfully tired…like maybe he really had moved a mountain for Joe, just as Joe had told Mary he could.

The whole family was probably tired, Joe realized. Tired as much from pulling him up out of that ravine as from looking out for him right there in that bed.

Looking out for him…. They were always looking out for him, weren’t they?

That’s what big brothers and big sisters do, Joe had told Mary.

He wished he could do more looking out and less getting looked after. But…he knew he could always count on his brothers; and he was glad of that. No matter what, no matter how ornery or pigheaded he might be, he could count on them. Like when Hoss let him go riding instead of helping to finish the fence. Or like that very moment right there in Joe’s room. Hoss was still looking out for Joe even when it was clear he needed some sleep, too.

Joe hoped they knew they could count on him just as much as he counted on them.

Well…maybe he couldn’t do much looking out for anyone in bed like he was. But there was one thing he could do: He could let Hoss sleep a little while longer. It wouldn’t hurt Joe any to skip a sip of water.

XxXxX

Joe tasted beef broth. He couldn’t remember eating it, but he sure as heck could taste it. He could smell it, too. Confused, he scrunched up his brow while he gathered the strength to open his eyes again.

“Joe?” his pa called to him. He heard the clatter of a dish against wood. “Joseph?”

Blinking, Joe came awake to find his pa smiling at him.

“It’s good to see you awake, son.”

Just like he couldn’t remember eating, he also couldn’t remember moving, but he was propped up in bed with a mound of pillows beneath him. Sudden apprehension drove his eyes toward the bedside table to find a bowl sitting there…just as he’d expected. Just as he’d feared. Dang. His pa had been feeding him.

Ben followed Joe’s reaction. “I’m afraid you’ve been…asleep for a while.”

“How long?”

“Two days.”

Closing his eyes, Joe blew out a long breath. He knew there was no point to being embarrassed. But how could he not? Little Joe, the little brother, the baby of the family had had to be babied for two days.

“How do you feel?”

“Sore.” The realization struck him at once, pulling his eyes open again. He was sore. Things certainly hurt. But his pain wasn’t as intense as it had been. “Better,” he added then, pleasantly surprised.

“Good. That’s very, very good. You do look better. Much better.”

Joe cautiously took another deep breath and was grateful it didn’t fill him with the stabs of fire he expected. “Sorry.”

“Sorry?” Ben looked at him, clearly puzzled. “For what?”

“You must be tired.”

“Nonsense. I’m fine. Just fine.” Ben’s smile deepened, lending strength to his words.

Joe tried to match that bright smile. He hoped his own looked better than he imagined it must. “Sure. Me, too.”

“Fine as frog hair?” Adam’s voice called Joe’s attention to the doorway, where his oldest brother was leaning against the frame with his arms crossed over his chest.

“You bet,” Joe rasped out in answer.

“Hmm.” Adam nodded and sauntered into the room. “I’m not sure I can believe that, but you do look much finer than you have been looking. You might even be up to a visit from Mary in a few days.”

“Mary?”

“M-hm. She’s anxious to introduce you to her little brother—and to show you she’s being a good big sister.”

“She’s anxious to show both of you,” Ben corrected. His brow lifted as he glanced toward Adam.

The implications encouraged Joe. “You talked to her?”

Adam flashed a quick smile. “Yes, I did; but your talk left such an impression there wasn’t much I really needed to say.”

“I don’t…,” Joe started, confused. “I don’t know anything about…being a big brother.”

“Could have fooled me,” Adam argued. “You were every bit the big brother out on that ridge.”

“Hey, Joe!” Hoss cheerfully called in from the hallway. “I thought I heard talkin’ in here.”

“He woke up a few minutes ago,” Ben explained.

Hoss bobbed his head knowingly. “Just like that Missus Connelly said. All we had to do was think good thoughts.”

“And follow doctor’s orders,” Ben added, turning his attention back to Joe. “The Connelly’s are quite a family. They were a big help when we brought you home the other day. They feel very…very indebted to you.”

Indebted? Joe didn’t like the sound of that. Adam was calling him a big brother and his pa was acting like he’d done something special, but he’d only done what anyone would do. He hadn’t even done it well.

Ben misread his reasons for closing his eyes and furrowing his brows like he did. “Maybe we’d better let your brother rest.”

Taking in a small pull of air, Joe opened his eyes again. “I was clumsy, Pa. My aim was off. I didn’t hit that puma clean.”

“You saved Mary’s life.”

“My bad shot could have gotten both of us killed,” Joe admitted softly.

“It wasn’t a bad shot,” Adam said. “You were surprised by a wild and unpredictable animal that you hadn’t been hunting for. You had to shoot quick and you did. Face it, you didn’t do anything wrong. You took the best shot you could and you managed to look after Mary even after you were hurt.”

“Yeah, Joe,” Hoss added. “Like it or not, you’re a hero to that gal and her family.”

Ben nodded. “To this family, too.”

“Any one of you would have done the same, only…better.”

“Don’t sell yourself short.” Adam cocked his head. “You’re a good shot…among the best I’ve seen, especially when speed matters.”

Taken aback, Joe studied his family. Their postures were relaxed, their smiles, genuine. He saw no sign of tension…or…or belittlement. Maybe…maybe he even saw something that looked a whole lot like respect.

Adam had said Joe was a good shot. Among the best he’d ever seen? And it was pretty apparent that he truly meant it. Joe really didn’t know how to respond, except perhaps to say, “I learned…from you.”

The words elicited one of Adam’s sideways grins. “Well, what do you know about that, Hoss? Our little brother has admitted to learning a little something from his big brothers.”

“Yeah. I reckon shortshanks here is gonna start movin’ mountains next.”

Ben’s eyebrows shot up. “He already has.”

“More like…,” Joe muttered tiredly as he settled back into his pillows, “the mountain moved me.”

“You, son, moved a confused little girl to realize some very important truths about responsibility and family.”

Adam’s grin faded. “I think he moved a much bigger mountain than that, pa.” He looked to Ben and then each of his brothers. “Me,” he admitted before easing his grin back into place. “Let’s just say you forced me to acknowledge that you’re not always the selfish brat I occasionally accuse you of being.”

Joe matched his grin…and maybe even surpassed it. Back in that ravine, he’d told Mary how special it was to be a big sister. But there was something pretty special about being the little brother, too. Right there at that moment, hearing pride and respect in his big brother’s words made Joe feel about as good as he could ever imagine feeling. It was almost enough to let him forget the pain of his injuries.

Almost. But not quite. He grimaced at the twinge in his arm where the puma’s claws had struck him.

“All right, boys,” Ben said. “That’s enough for now. Your brother needs his rest. And, as I recall, there are still some strays to round up.”

Joe wasn’t about to argue. But…there was one more thing he wanted to say. “Adam?” He waited for his brother to turn. “Thanks.”

At Adam’s responding wink, Joe closed his eyes again. He did need his rest, just like his pa had said. And…it was okay, he decided. There was no point to worrying about being babied.

“I’ll take the high country,” Hoss started saying as Joe began to relax, “where Joe was lookin’. Bound to be some of them cattle made their way up there.”

“Well, then,” Adam answered, “I suppose I’ll take the low country.” There was a playful tone in his voice.

An instant later, Adam surprised Joe by singing out, “And I’ll be in Scotland afore ye.”

Curious, Joe opened his eyes in time to see Adam leading Hoss from the room with his hand on Hoss’s shoulder. And then, suddenly, both of Joe’s brothers were singing. “Me and my true love will never meet again, on the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond….”

They didn’t make it to the next verse; not after a certain Chinese cook started scolding them for making so much noise and foolishment while number three son was trying to sleep.

Joe couldn’t help but giggle…until his soreness grew painful enough to steal his breath. But even then…it was all right. He wouldn’t trade those big brothers of his for anything.

XxXxX

~end~

Tags:  Family, JAM, JHM, JPM, SJS