Summary: Joe has one drink too many at the Marquette’s one-year anniversary party, which wouldn’t have been such an issue with his father if he wasn’t only fourteen years old. The morning after, Adam learns a few things about his little brother… and a few things about himself, too.
\nRating: PG-13
\nWord Count: 4,730<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n Learning the Hard Way<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAnd Joseph, <\/span><\/i>no <\/i><\/b>drinking.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n As Adam watched his baby brother through a haze, he couldn\u2019t stop reflecting on his father\u2019s words of warning.<\/span><\/p>\n It was a strange thing, really. He hadn\u2019t exactly <\/span>seen<\/span><\/i> Joe sneak more than a couple sips of whiskey, yet somehow, the kid just kept spiraling and spiraling. That goofy grin on his face spoke volumes. And the way he swayed\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n Adam downed another shot. Let Joe sway all he wanted. <\/span>It\u2019s probably nothing, <\/span><\/i>his inebriated mind told him. <\/span>\u2018S probably fine\u2026<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n He\u2019d always prided himself on being able to hold his liquor and hold it well. At the moment, this fact only served as a testament to how much whiskey and beer Adam had consumed that evening.<\/span><\/p>\n Hoss still sat off in one of the corners, bawling with Delphine about how truly happy he was for her and Ross. Truly, no one could turn on the waterworks like Hoss with one too many drinks in his system.<\/span><\/p>\n Speak of the devil\u2026<\/span><\/i> Familiar hands refilled his glass and Ross Marquette slid into the chair beside him.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYou know,\u201d Adam began, after stealing a brief moment to rehearse his words in his head. He might have been fading fast, but he still clung to a little thing called dignity. \u201cNext time you throw a party, don\u2019t invite my baby brother.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Ross just grinned. \u201cHey, I\u2019m not th\u2019one who brought \u2018im here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYeah, and you\u2019re not the one who has to take him home, either. Where\u2026\u201d A quick blink wasn\u2019t nearly enough to clear his vision, yet Adam tried in vain all the same. \u201cWhere is he, anyway?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cLost the kid already?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cDidn\u2019t lose him. He\u2019s somewhere\u2026 Just don\u2019t know where\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure Hoss\u2019ll keep track of him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Adam flashed his friend a sardonic look. \u201cNow, I\u2019m gonna pretend you didn\u2019t just say that. Or have you not seen the emotions Hoss and your gal are spillin\u2019 over there?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The responding laugh was jarring, or maybe that was just another effect of the whiskey burning down Adam\u2019s throat.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cNow,\u201d he went on for what felt like the umpteenth time that night, \u201cI jus\u2019 want you to know: I\u2019m not an alcoholic.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI know, I know,\u201d Ross replied, his tone half-hearted at best.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cJust need t\u2019make sure you know that. That you know I don\u2019t have a problem.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a special occasion! No judgment.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Adam flashed a wry grin. \u201cYou say that now.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAnd I\u2019ll say it later, too. Y\u2019know,\u201d Ross said after a moment, slinging his arm around Adam\u2019s shoulders. Another jarring sensation, yet not wholly unpleasant. \u201cYou and your brothers are always welcome to spend here th\u2019night\u2026 Spend th\u2019night here, I mean.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cCouldn\u2019t do that to you, friend.\u201d Adam shook his head, embracing the swirling of the room as he did so. It wasn\u2019t as though it would go away any time soon. <\/span>Might as well just accept it.<\/span><\/i> \u201c<\/span>Nope<\/span><\/i>, just couldn\u2019t do that to you and Del. Not on your one-year anniversary.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Overcome with a sudden emotion Adam couldn\u2019t quite understand, Ross pulled him into a side hug before staring him down with glassy eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s real good of you, Adam,\u201d Ross slurred, voice tight. \u201cIt\u2019s real good of you ta think of me and Delphine in that way. It\u2019s just real good, y\u2019know that. Don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Waving a dismissive hand, Adam forced himself out of the chair, only stumbling a bit as his hands fought for purchase on the table\u2019s edge. \u201cSure, Ross, I know it. You two deserve the world. Always have.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Ross could only nod and down the rest of his drink, leaving Adam to go off in search of his brother.<\/span><\/p>\n Turns out Joe was easier to locate than he\u2019d originally thought. The Marquette house wasn\u2019t nearly as large as the Ponderosa ranch and he found his brother not a minute later, sucking up the rest of a dozing Carl Reagan\u2019s drink off a spoon. Though the sight struck Adam as odd, he couldn\u2019t think of anything to say about it, so he merely handed Joe the glass of water he\u2019d picked up on the way over.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cDrink this,\u201d he ordered.<\/span><\/p>\n Joe, for his part, glanced up in slow surprise. \u201cAdam! This ain\u2019t what it looks like.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cReally? Looks an awful lot like drinkin\u2019 to me. Remember what Pa said?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Scrunching his face up in confusion, Joe cocked his head. \u201cPa said somethin\u2019\u2026?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cNever mind. Give me that.\u201d Grabbing both the glass and the spoon, Adam shoved the water into Joe\u2019s hands. \u201cDrink that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cBut I\u2019m not thirsty.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201c<\/span>Drink<\/span><\/i> it<\/span><\/i>. I don\u2019t care if you\u2019re thirsty or not. You need to drink that water, then go get somethin\u2019 to eat\u2026 or somethin\u2019.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Obediently, Joe downed the water, looking as though he was still trying to remember what Pa had said.<\/span><\/p>\n Seems so long ago.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n For the first time that night, as his little brother shakily made his way off the floor, Adam felt a pang of guilt.<\/span><\/p>\n Should\u2019ve watched him better.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Oh, you\u2019re thinking about this <\/span><\/i>now?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t as if there was an age restriction on drinking in their fine territory\u2026 <\/span>Just Pa\u2019s.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n \u201cNo drinking until you\u2019re sixteen.\u201d<\/span><\/i> That\u2019s the rule they\u2019d always tried to abide by. Unfortunately for everyone involved that night, Little Joe was just a couple years shy of meeting Ben\u2019s requirements.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cFood,\u201d he repeated, pointing toward the slim leftovers of Delphine\u2019s appetizers, \u201cthen you\u2019re gonna go sit in that fluffy chair over there. And you\u2019re gonna <\/span>stay<\/span><\/i> there \u2018til I come \u2018n get ya. Got it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Joe just nodded. As Adam watched him go, he sank into the nearest chair, only falling off the darn thing a couple of times before hitting the target. With a long sigh, he leaned his head against the high backing.<\/span><\/p>\n When he felt the heavy tapping on his shoulder, Adam jolted awake. What seemed like only a couple of minutes could\u2019ve been hours, for all he knew. With this dreadful thought in mind, he jerked out of the chair, coming face-to-face with a puffy-eyed Hoss.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAdam,\u201d Hoss whispered, as if his brother were still sleeping, \u201cmebee we should leave Del \u2018n Ross ta finish th\u2019rest o\u2019their honeymoon alone.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Rubbing at his eyes with a vengeance, Adam shook his head. \u201c\u2018S not their honeymoon, Hoss. Only their anniversary.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWell, whatever ya call it, I think it\u2019s gettin\u2019 late.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIs it?\u201d Adam asked even as a yawn slipped past his lips. \u201cWhere\u2019s\u2026?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cJoe\u2019s dozing over there.\u201d Hoss jerked his head toward some distant location, wincing as he did so. \u201cCome on.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Hoss helped his brother stand and Adam scanned the room for Ross. He and Del were nowhere to be seen.<\/span><\/p>\n Good for them,<\/span><\/i> he thought, glancing toward the bedroom before going to see about Joe.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThink you can carry him out to the wagon?\u201d Adam took a moment to thank his past self for being wise enough to bring the wagon. <\/span>There\u2019s no way we\u2019d be getting back on horses.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll try.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cGood.\u201d With that, Adam followed Hoss and Joe out the door, careful to close it quietly behind him.<\/span><\/p>\n Every so often, he\u2019d lean against Hoss, supporting his brother as <\/span>he<\/span><\/i> supported their baby brother.<\/span><\/p>\n Pa\u2019s gonna kill me.<\/span><\/i> It was a troubling thought, and yet Adam found he didn\u2019t have the attention span required to dwell on it at the moment. Fatigue washed over him in waves, mixing with the nausea like brandy on an empty stomach.<\/span><\/p>\n If he could just get Joe and Hoss up to bed before Pa saw\u2026 <\/span>Then Pa might not even have to know.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Yeah\u2026<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n As the wagon rumbled along down the road, it was all Adam could do to keep the reins tied securely between his fingers.<\/span><\/p>\n Yeah. They can sleep it off, no problem.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n No problem\u2026<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Tomorrow, it\u2019ll be just like none of this ever happened\u2026<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The pounding headache that woke him the next day told Adam his prediction last night was wrong. <\/span>Very<\/span><\/i> wrong.<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s nothing new,<\/span><\/i> his brain told him. <\/span>You\u2019ve suffered worse hangovers.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n True.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Pulling on his clothes and belt, he snatched up his boots and made his way down the hall. He had confidence Pa wouldn\u2019t fault him for the way he was feeling. After all, their father had always held to the belief that the misery of a hangover was enough punishment on its own. There wasn\u2019t any need to add a firm talking-to into the mix.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYour choices are your own,\u201d <\/span><\/i>he recalled Ben saying nearly ten years ago\u2014on the morning of Adam\u2019s first hangover. <\/span>\u201cI can\u2019t help it if I wish you\u2019d make better ones.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Right.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Pa awaited Adam at the dining room table, a knowing look gracing his features.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cGood morning, son. And just how are you today?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cFine,\u201d Adam replied with a tight grin. \u201cJust fine, Pa. How\u2019re you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cOh, I\u2019m fine. I slept very well.\u201d If he was trying to rub it in, it was working, <\/span>dang it.<\/span><\/i> Adam\u2019s restless night sleep made itself known via another crashing wave of exhaustion.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d was all he could think to say, sliding into his chair and pouring a nice steaming cup of coffee. And he might\u2019ve been mistaken, but he was sure he saw the corners of Ben\u2019s lips curve upward.<\/span><\/p>\n Breakfast continued in silence after that, but it was a nice silence. As he picked at his food, ignoring the many ways his body continuously reminded him of last night\u2019s fiesta, Adam found his thoughts wandering toward marriage. How much longer would he have to wait until he had what Del and Ross had?<\/span><\/p>\n With your luck? Years, probably.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Another sip of coffee banished such thoughts. Besides, that line of thinking wasn\u2019t important now. His time would be better spent trying to ward off the effects of the hangover before his morning chores reared their ugly heads.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cHey, Pa?\u201d Hoss called out from the landing, shattering the quiet atmosphere. \u201cLittle Joe says he needs ya for a minute.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Adam felt his insides freeze. <\/span>Joe.<\/span><\/i> How could he have forgotten about <\/span>Joe?<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll be right there.\u201d As Ben started toward the stairs, he shot Adam a look. \u201cYour brother didn\u2019t happen to have anything to drink last night, did he?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n A shrug was the best Adam could offer, his gaze dropping down to his steaming cup of coffee. <\/span>Idiot. How could you forget about Joe?<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n \u201cHmm. Interesting.\u201d Ben disappeared upstairs without another word.<\/span><\/p>\n This new silence hung heavy on the two remaining Cartwrights. Hoss made his way to the table, joining Adam in his meal of dejection.<\/span><\/p>\n Sucking in a breath, Adam glanced up at his brother. \u201cHow\u2019d he seem?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Hoss gave a shrug and began picking at his plate. \u201cLike you and me, I guess, \u2018cept worse. Like a kid who shouldn\u2019t be drinkin\u2019 drank too much.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYeah.\u201d Adam heaved a sigh. <\/span>Great. Just great. <\/span><\/i>\u201c<\/span>You<\/span><\/i>
\nRated for the high alcohol content of the first half of this story and subtle hints at adult themes.
\nInspired by true events.<\/em><\/p>\n