Summary: Four vignettes in which the each Cartwright decides to share a hidden truth with the others.<\/p>\n
Rating – K, WC – 823<\/p>\n
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Hoss<\/b><\/p>\n
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Adam slowly lowered his aching body to the ground, cradling his left arm tight against his chest. As a groan escaped his clenched lips he leaned back against his saddle, closed his eyes, and willed everything inside of him to stop hurting. Before he could drift off, he heard a familiar voice.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cUh, Adam?\u00a0 Can I talk to ya?\u00a0 Adam?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Adam opened his eyes and waited. Ben and Joe watched from where they sat by the fire.<\/span><\/p>\n Hoss, knelt by his brother, twisting his hat in his big hands. His blue eyes were riddled with guilt.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m real sorry you got hurt. It\u2019s all my fault. I knew better than to let that horse into the remuda. He just weren\u2019t ready to be around them cows. It\u2019s all my fault\u2026.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cNo…Hoss. I-I chose him. My\u2026fault.\u201d\u00a0 Adam\u2019s eyes fell closed.<\/span><\/p>\n Hoss sighed and dragged his bedroll over beside his brother\u2019s. He wasn\u2019t going to leave him until they could talk it out.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n —————<\/span><\/p>\n Joe<\/b><\/p>\n Joe sat by the fire, cleaning and polishing his rifle.\u00a0 Yeah, it was his, the one he got from Adam as collateral for the horse race. Oh it was a mighty fine rifle, easy to sight and it shot straight and true. Older brother sure knew how to pick \u2018em.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Hearing tense whispers, Joe looked up to see Adam talking to Hoss, well more like Hoss lecturing Adam. Ever since the race, it appeared that Adam had forgiven Hoss for his part in the fiasco, but not him. Adam gave Hoss some choice words then strode to the fire, ignoring Joe. Pa appeared out of nowhere with a bucket of water. Joe didn\u2019t miss his stern look.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n He rubbed down the rifle once more and, deciding it wasn\u2019t worth the price, held it out to Adam.<\/span><\/p>\n His brother flicked his eyes over the rifle then at Joe, raising one dark brow.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI got carried away with all the betting and collateral stuff. I shouldn\u2019t have asked for the rifle. It needs to go back to its rightful owner, and\u2026 well, I need my brother back.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Adam quietly took the rifle and stepped over to his bedroll to lay it down. Joe dropped his head as Hoss and Ben shared nervous looks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Adam returned to the campfire, dropping down on a log, and changed his frown to a lopsided grin. \u201cGuess I need my little brother back, too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n ———–<\/span><\/p>\n Adam<\/b><\/p>\n Adam draped his arms over his knees as he sat by the fire. Ben sat across from him after pouring a cup of coffee. It had been a rough couple of days of roundup but Ben knew that wasn\u2019t what was bothering his son.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWant to talk about it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s there to say?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI expect Margarita and Don Luis are at his home by now.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYeah.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cShe was quite a woman; full of life and very lovely.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYes she was. Okay, I\u2019ll say it and then that\u2019s the end of it. Yes, I was developing feelings for her. Despite the um\u2026difficulties we encountered, she was…special. If Don Luis hadn\u2019t been in the picture, maybe we could have\u2026 Oh well, it\u2019s in the past. I wish them both every happiness.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMm-hmm. Want some coffee?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Adam reached for the proffered cup.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The fire crackled and spit sparks into the black sky as father and son sat peacefully, sipping their coffee, with something stronger added.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n ————<\/span><\/p>\n Ben<\/b><\/p>\n With the campfire out, he mounted up. Turning toward home the rider reined in his Buckskin as the pinto bearing his youngest son approached. \u201cEvenin\u2019 son.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Joe remained silent as the two riders headed down the road at a steady walk.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYou were at her grave again.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYeah.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The chill in his son\u2019s voice told Ben all was not yet forgiven. Ben tugged on Buck\u2019s reins. \u201cJoe, look at me, please.\u201d Ben waited until he could see his son\u2019s green eyes. \u201cI know you and Julia had something special, and that it still hurts you that she\u2019s gone. I also know that you think I had no right to be so hard on you about getting involved with her, but, son, I had to do it. It wasn\u2019t a decision I made lightly. I came down hard on you, did my best to keep you away from her, because…well…I knew what could happen if you became involved with her, son.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Joe\u2019s eyes flashed. \u201cNo Pa, you didn\u2019t know. You could never know what could have been.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re wrong, Joe.\u201d Ben fixed his son with his black eyes, his strong voice beginning to waiver. \u201cI do know.\u201d Now almost a whisper, \u201cI… do… know.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Joe stared blankly at his father until the meaning behind those three words finally sank in. \u201cNo!!\u201d He kicked Cochise into a frantic run.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Ben held Buck back until his son disappeared over the ridge, then he nudged his horse into a slow, maudlin walk toward home. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Author’s Note: Written for a challenge – Campfire Confessions on Bonanza Trailriders.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Tags:<\/strong> Family<\/p>\n