{"id":15211,"date":"2017-09-25T15:39:57","date_gmt":"2017-09-25T19:39:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=15211"},"modified":"2025-09-25T15:41:04","modified_gmt":"2025-09-25T19:41:04","slug":"a-brothers-heartache-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=15211","title":{"rendered":"A Brother’s Heartache (by AC1830)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>In She Walks in Beauty, Regan Miller nearly destroyed two brothers’ relationship. \u00a0So what happened from the time when Hoss nearly beat Adam to death to when they reunited in Virginia City? A missing scene, or two, for She Walks in Beauty.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rating K+, Word Count 1430<\/p>\n

A Brother\u2019s Heartache<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adam<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy were you fighting him?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI wasn\u2019t fighting him.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, why was he fighting you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

I was still reeling from Hoss\u2019 pounding and Pa\u2019s tightly controlled voice made it more difficult to answer that question. \u00a0Even worse was having to tell him all that had happened with Regan Miller. \u00a0His smoldering eyes told me everything I already knew. I had crossed the line in family honor and brotherly trust; yes, I had betrayed my brother. \u00a0<\/span>But I didn\u2019t kiss her, she kissed me!! <\/span><\/i>The words sound so lame now. \u00a0In spite of his anger with me, Pa helped me clean up my face then mumbled something about needing to talk to Hoss. \u00a0I guess I did a good job of convincing him I was alright since he left pretty quickly. <\/span><\/p>\n

I waited a few more moments then staggered to the main door of the bunkhouse, leaning on any solid structure I could find. \u00a0I just wanted to get on Sport and ride away. \u00a0At the doorway I heard Joe\u2019s voice from across the yard then saw some of the guests arriving. \u00a0Slinking back into the shadows I waited until they moved to the porch, then quietly whistled for Sport. \u00a0He came immediately. \u00a0I have no clue how I managed to get into the saddle. \u00a0The moment I lifted my foot to the stirrup, everything spun around and my aching ribs cut off my breathing. \u00a0I closed my eyes tight and heaved myself up. \u00a0Sport started walking before I was settled but I didn\u2019t care. \u00a0I just needed to get away from Hoss, from the family. \u00a0I needed to think and let this thing cool down \u2013 yeah, not much chance of that happening. No, in truth I needed to leave, leave everyone behind. \u00a0I knew in my heart I\u2019d never be welcomed at home anymore. <\/span><\/p>\n

My head hurt, my ribs hurt, I could barely stay in the saddle. \u00a0I just let Sport meander across the ranch. \u00a0I fought to stay conscious but kept failing. \u00a0I guess Sport sensed that I was not well, so he stopped and I finally fell off. \u00a0The hard impact with the ground jolted pain through my chest but it was no worse than what was already in my heart. \u00a0I felt Sport\u2019s warm nose push at my face as footsteps quickly approached. \u00a0A quiet but panicked voice cut through the fog in my head. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam? \u00a0What happened?!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

All I could recall after that were medicinal smells and the worried chatter from Paul Martin. <\/span><\/p>\n

~~~~~~<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In a darkened hotel room I sat by the fire and nursed my injuries – physical and emotional – with my third glass of brandy. \u00a0Paul had bound my ribs, thankfully they were only bruised, gave me a good lecture about rest and let me leave. \u00a0I took a room at the hotel and here I sit, numb from it all. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy God, what have I done?\u201d My voice called out but only the walls were there to hear. My thoughts were still in a whirlwind. \u00a0<\/span>I wanted to prove that Regan was lying but I got caught in my own snare. \u00a0How dare she kiss me! I spent the rest of the day riding around, trying to get a plan in my head. \u00a0When I rode into the yard I hoped to find Hoss alone. \u00a0I needed to talk to him before the party. \u00a0My insides went cold when Hop Sing told me Hoss wanted to see me. \u00a0Hoss knew, and I knew all the truth would come out now. But all he saw was the betrayal by a brother – I\u2019d kissed the woman he wanted to marry. \u00a0I took every punch, every throw as my punishment. \u00a0My relationship with my brother is shattered.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

How could one woman shatter a family, all in one night? \u00a0My eyes couldn\u2019t stay open any longer; the brandy was doing its job. \u00a0Ready to succumb to the drink and pain, I fell asleep by a dying fire hoping to awake from this nightmare by morning.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss<\/b><\/p>\n

Well the party\u2019s over and after Pa and Joe finally went to bed thinking I was already asleep in my room, I got up and moved to Adam\u2019s empty room. \u00a0Don\u2019t rightly know why. He\u2019d hurt me deeply, so why would I want to be in his room? I spent the whole night there trying to sort out this mess over Regan. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How could Adam do it? \u00a0He kissed her knowing I was going to ask her to marry me. \u00a0When I saw them kissin\u2019 I wanted to ride up and tear him limb from limb. \u00a0Thinkin\u2019 back I realized he never was real happy about me an\u2019 Regan. \u00a0When she had come for dinner he kept lookin\u2019 at her, an\u2019 she seemed kinda nervous \u2018round him. \u00a0Now I reckon I know why. \u00a0I decided as I left Miss Regan\u2019s house I was gonna have to set Adam straight on jest who was gonna marry Miss Regan. \u00a0I couldn\u2019t wait for him to get home. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Now my thoughts keep goin\u2019 back to the bunkhouse. \u00a0Adam came in and seemed like he wanted to talk, but when I accused him of being with Regan, he got his hackles up. \u00a0Guess I shoulda let him talk some more but then I wasn\u2019t gonna let him tell me he was goin\u2019 after my gal. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When Pa told me Adam was just trying to help it only added to my fury. \u00a0He\u2019d practically made love to her! \u00a0He and Pa seemed to think that there was somethin\u2019 awful in Miss Regan\u2019s past that was gonna hurt me. \u00a0There was no way I was gonna let them talk bad about the woman I loved. \u00a0And as for Adam, well, if he never showed his face around me, I\u2019d be just fine about that! <\/span><\/p>\n

I was so sure Regan loved me. \u00a0Her past didn\u2019t bother me and I told her she\u2019d never want to look at any other man if she\u2019d give her heart to me. \u00a0I told her I\u2019d be there for her and we\u2019d be able to grow old together. \u00a0Why didn\u2019t she believe me? \u00a0Why didn\u2019t Pa or Adam believe me either? \u00a0They seemed to think Regan would never change to be with me. \u00a0When she told me tonight at the party that she couldn\u2019t just love me but I\u2019d have to share her with other men, my heart broke right then and there into \u2018bout a million pieces. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The sky\u2019s getting light now and still no Adam. Where was he anyhow? \u00a0I sure didn\u2019t expect to see him at the party, woulda probably hit him again if he\u2019d shown up, but he never came to his room neither. \u00a0At first I figured he was acting like the coward I thought he was. \u00a0But now, after sittin\u2019 here all night, thinkin\u2019 about all he done, all Pa tried to tell me and all Miss Regan said, well, seems I\u2019m the one done made the big mistake. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

All night all I could think about was what he\u2019d done to me, but now I\u2019m worried what I\u2019ve done to my brother. \u00a0I was so furious with him I didn\u2019t even realize he wasn\u2019t fightin\u2019 back. \u00a0Dear God, these big hands mighta killed him if Pa and Joe hadn\u2019t come in when they did. \u00a0Why would I get so mad at him, even believe that he\u2019d be goin\u2019 after my girl? \u00a0That ain\u2019t like me or Adam. \u00a0Now I know what he was doin\u2019. He was tryin\u2019 to help me, just like Pa said. \u00a0Oh Lord, what have I done to my brother? The sun\u2019s coming up and he ain\u2019t home. \u00a0I gotta go find him and we just gotta work this out. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Still Brothers?<\/b><\/p>\n

Despite my aching head and ribs, I managed to get downstairs for breakfast. \u00a0As I headed outside for some fresh air I saw her, standing by the stagecoach. I leaned heavily in the hotel doorway and watched as she entered the coach. \u00a0She certainly didn\u2019t waste time leaving town. \u00a0As the stage rolled away, I saw Hoss standing in the middle of the street. \u00a0Careful of my sore ribs I moved slowly to stand by him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHi Adam.\u201d \u00a0The words were lifeless.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, there goes one we\u2019ll never forget, hmm?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah\u2026.let\u2019s go home.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As we walked I spoke hesitantly, \u201cI was wrong, Hoss. \u00a0I shouldn\u2019t have interfered.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo more wrong than me, Adam.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

I knew we\u2019d be talking a lot more, but one thing was sure \u2013 Hoss putting his arm on my shoulder told me we were still brothers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

*Thanks to MK for the collage.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tags:\u00a0 Adam Cartwright,\u00a0Hoss Cartwright<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary: In She Walks in Beauty, Regan Miller nearly destroyed two brothers’ relationship. \u00a0So what happened from the time when Hoss nearly beat Adam to death to when they reunited in Virginia City? A missing scene, or two, for She Walks in Beauty.<\/p>\n

Rating K+, Word Count 1430<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8333,"featured_media":15212,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[23,61],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15211","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-missing-scene","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-61-id"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Adam-and-Hoss-A-Brothers-Heartache-Regan-Trouble-MK.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15211","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8333"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=15211"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15211\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/15212"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=15211"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=15211"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=15211"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}