A Hogshead of Whiskey<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
The Cartwrights had just settled down to dinner when someone knocked at the front door. Ben put down his fork.<\/p>\n
“Looks like we\u2019ll have company for supper after all,” he commented. “Would one of you boys answer that?”<\/p>\n
He looked to his sons. Hoss already had his mouth full. Adam and Little Joe exchanged glances. Neither of them spoke a word, but a whole conversation passed between them.<\/p>\n
Ben smiled to himself as he interpreted their exchange. Joe\u2019s look clearly said, \u2018Don\u2019t make me get up, Adam. I\u2019m always the one who gets up.\u2019 Adam rolled his eyes in response, as if to say, \u2018Very well. If you\u2019re going to sit there and moan about it, I\u2019ll get the door.\u2019<\/p>\n
“I\u2019ll get it, Pa,” Adam said out loud.<\/p>\n
“Thank you,” Ben said.<\/p>\n
A moment later Adam was ushering Sheriff Coffee inside. All the Cartwrights stood to greet him and Ben left his plate to walk over to him.<\/p>\n
“How are you, Roy?” he asked. “I hope you\u2019ll have some supper with us.”<\/p>\n
“Love to,” Roy answered. “Oh, Adam, I\u2019ve got a parcel for you. I said I\u2019d bring it over seeing as I was coming to speak with your Pa.”<\/p>\n
“Thank you,” Adam said as he accepted the package.<\/p>\n
“Come on, Roy, sit down,” Ben said as he escorted his friend to the table. “Hop Sing, let\u2019s have another plate here.”<\/p>\n
Ben got Roy settled and then glanced at his oldest son. Adam had opened the parcel. He was holding a book in his right hand\u2014it looked like a book of music\u2014and a letter in his left. His face took on a sad, nostalgic expression as he read the letter.<\/p>\n
“Adam, are you all right?” he called out. “I hope it\u2019s not bad news.”<\/p>\n
He looked up from the letter. “It is, but I can\u2019t say it\u2019s unexpected. Do you remember Father Ronan? He passed on.”<\/p>\n
“Hey,” said Hoss, “that was the priest that was here when Ma died. Your Ma, Little Joe.”<\/p>\n
“That\u2019s right,” said Ben. “He said the Mass. I\u2019m sorry to hear he\u2019s gone.”<\/p>\n
“He was Irish, wasn\u2019t he?” Hoss said. “I remember he taught you all those death songs. You know, like \u2018Look at the Coffin\u2019 and \u2018Finnegan\u2019s Wake.\u2019”<\/p>\n
Adam nodded and held up the book of music. “That\u2019s the one,” he said with a smile. “He could see what a wreck I was after we laid out Marie. So he gave me a flask of whiskey, told me to fetch my guitar and then he took me off to a saloon.”<\/p>\n
Ben shook his head. “And you were all of seventeen.”<\/p>\n
“Well, what can I say, Pa,” Adam said with a tolerant shrug. “He wasn\u2019t much of a priest but he was a good man.”<\/p>\n
“Don\u2019t be too hard on him,” said Roy. “Nothing wrong with letting a young man have a stiff drink or two when he\u2019s grieving.”<\/p>\n
“He let me do more than that,” Adam informed him. “He, ah, introduced me to one of the girls at the saloon.”<\/p>\n
Hoss and Little Joe both burst out laughing.<\/p>\n
“He sounds like more fun than the ministers and priests we\u2019ve got around here now,” Joe managed when he got control of himself. \u201cLord, Adam\u2014it\u2019s nice to know what you were up to the night of my mother\u2019s wake. Was this girl your first?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d he admitted.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow much did she set you back, older brother?\u201d Hoss asked through a mouthful of roast beef.<\/p>\n
Adam shrugged. \u201cI don\u2019t know. Father Ronan picked up the tab.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ben glared at his family as that comment was met by more laughter. Even Roy joined in.<\/p>\n
Ben sighed. “I remember just what I thought to myself that night,\u201d he said. \u201c\u2018Adam\u2019s gone off with a man of the cloth. I\u2019m sure he\u2019s fine.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Still more laughter ensued. Ben rolled his eyes. \u201cI\u2019m glad that I knew nothing about this at the time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Adam grinned. “So am I.” But then his features sobered.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat night was hell, Pa,\u201d he said at length. \u201cMarie and I\u2014well, we always knew how to bring out the worst in each other. She had taught me to waltz just the night before, but I still managed to poison my words to her.\u201d<\/p>\n
The room fell silent at that. Joe was the first to speak up. \u201cI told you once, older brother. My ma knew you were a Yankee. She didn\u2019t expect you to have manners.\u201d<\/p>\n
Adam gave him a playful glare and then he turned back to his father.<\/p>\n
\u201cPa,\u201d he began, \u201cI know that Father Ronan\u2019s methods were unorthodox\u2014and probably immoral. But he made a world of difference to me. I\u2019ve kept up with him all this time and I\u2019m going to miss him fiercely.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ben read the deep affection in Adam\u2019s eyes and smiled. \u201cI\u2019m not one to judge a man, Adam. I\u2019m glad that Father Ronan was there for you. But I am wondering one thing\u2014between the whiskey, the songs and the girl, how did you ever make it through the Mass the next day?\u201d<\/p>\n
His son laughed as he shook his head. \u201cI have no idea.\u201d<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
“My favorite waltz,” Marie announced as she stepped outside the house. Ben had hired an excellent violinist for this soiree and he was doing full justice to the music.<\/em><\/p>\nShe stood on the porch for a moment, enjoying the cool night air and the strains of the violin. Then she remembered her purpose.<\/em><\/p>\nShe held a punch glass in each hand. One for herself and one\u2014well, one for a peace offering.<\/em><\/p>\nShe inhaled deeply and then made her way to the rail. There were no horses tied there, but Adam was leaning up against it. He folded his arms as she approached him.<\/em><\/p>\nMarie put on her most charming smile. “Here, cheri,” she said, handing him a glass. “I will take some air with you.”<\/em><\/p>\n“Thank you,” he said as he accepted it. But the flat tone of his voice undermined the gratitude of his words.<\/em><\/p>\nMarie sighed. “Cheri, stop glowering at me. In a few months you will leave for college\u2014and while you\u2019re back east you can forget that your father ever laid eyes on me. But until then, we must do what we can to get along.”<\/em><\/p>\nHe smiled at that\u2014an unpleasant smile. “I don\u2019t mind that my father set eyes on you, Marie,” he said evenly. “I just wish he had offered you a carte blanche instead of a wedding ring.”<\/em><\/p>\nMarie tightened her grip on her glass. Somehow she conquered the urge to box Adam\u2019s ears. She forced herself to smile instead.<\/em><\/p>\n“If you mean to drive me off with insults, you\u2019ll have to do better than that,” she informed him.<\/em><\/p>\nHe stared at her. She met his glare and held it. In the end he was the one to look away. In fact he blushed and stared down at the ground.<\/em><\/p>\nShe felt a bit sorry for him, for she could see that he was ashamed of his words. Poor boy\u2014it was hard to be seventeen.<\/em><\/p>\n“I\u2019m sorry,” he said at last. “I had no right to say that.”<\/em><\/p>\n“No, you did not,” she agreed. “But you\u2019ve been wanting to say it for years. So perhaps it\u2019s best to have it out, n\u2019est-ce pas?”<\/em><\/p>\nHe looked back up at her. “Will you forgive me?”<\/em><\/p>\nShe smiled and put her glass down on the ground. “Only if you\u2019ll dance with me. Come, I adore this waltz.”<\/em><\/p>\nHe shook his head. “No. I, that is\u2014no thank you.”<\/em><\/p>\nMarie was puzzled, but suddenly she understood his reluctance. “Oh, but how stupid of me. You don\u2019t know how to waltz, do you? Don\u2019t worry, cheri, I\u2019ll teach you.”<\/em><\/p>\nShe didn\u2019t give him an opportunity to refuse her. She took the glass out of his hand, set it down, and drew him away from the rail.<\/em><\/p>\nHe held her stiffly when she first showed him how to circle his arm around her waist. But at length he relaxed. He gave her his attention as she taught him the steps and even managed a smile or two.<\/em><\/p>\n“Very good, cheri,” she told him as he settled into the dance. “Ah, but we must practice more before you leave. Those barbarians in Boston will know nothing of waltzing.”<\/em><\/p>\nAdam raised his eyebrows at her. “I might find a few civilized souls there.”<\/em><\/p>\nMarie sniffed contemptuously. “They are Yankees. And that reminds me, Adam. I know that you and your father are Yankee heretics but you must promise me not to burn effigies of the pope.”<\/em><\/p>\nAdam laughed. “That\u2019s no longer the custom in Boston,” he assured her. “At least not since my grandfather was a boy.”<\/em><\/p>\nShe returned his laughter and then showed him how to end the dance. She smiled up at him as she completed her curtsey.<\/em><\/p>\n“Te voila,” she said. “And you did very well.”<\/em><\/p>\nHe nodded his thanks and retrieved the punch glasses. After handing one to her he offered her his arm.<\/em><\/p>\nMarie accepted it and decided to press her luck. Why not? She was finally bringing Adam around. With a bit more coaxing perhaps they could become friends.<\/em><\/p>\n“We should get back to our guests now,” she said. “But would you care to come riding with me in the morning? I want to take Mulciber out.”<\/em><\/p>\nThey had been walking back toward the house but Adam stopped short at that.<\/em><\/p>\n“Mulciber?” he repeated. “That animal is too strong for you, Marie. You should stick with a gelding.”<\/em><\/p>\nShe gave him a teasing smile. “Thank you, cheri, but I can choose my own mount.”<\/em><\/p>\nHe released her arm and turned to face her. Marie rolled her eyes at the disapproval that was plainly written on his face.<\/em><\/p>\n“Poor Adam,” she said as she patted his cheek. “I know it pains you but I\u2019m your stepmother\u2014you can\u2019t throttle me.”<\/em><\/p>\nShe didn\u2019t miss the regret in his voice as he answered. “No,” he admitted. “But if you\u2019re foolish enough to ride that devil I hope he tosses you. That might teach you a lesson.”<\/em><\/p>\nShe laughed as she put her arm back through his. “Perhaps, but I doubt it. I\u2019m better at giving lessons than receiving them. Now come, cheri. Let\u2019s return to our guests.”<\/em><\/p>\n***<\/em><\/p>\nAdam stood out in the barn, staring at the one lantern that was hanging nearby. In a few minutes he would pull himself together. He would go back inside and say everything that was proper. He\u2019d thank people for coming. He\u2019d check on Hoss and Little Joe. And he\u2019d defend his Pa from the tactless fools that wanted to pester him with questions about the accident.<\/em><\/p>\nBut he couldn\u2019t face the house yet\u2014not with Marie laid out.<\/em><\/p>\n“Pardon, lad, but you look like you could use this.”<\/em><\/p>\nThe words startled him out of his thoughts. Adam turned his head and found himself facing the crinkled Irish priest who had come to give Marie her last rites.<\/em><\/p>\nHe was offering Adam a flask.<\/em><\/p>\n“Forgive the intrusion, but I noticed you when I stepped out for some air,” he continued. “Take the whiskey, lad. You\u2019ll feel the better for it.”<\/em><\/p>\nAdam hesitated a moment, but then he accepted the flask. He drank deep and felt the whiskey burn his throat.<\/em><\/p>\n“Thanks,” he said as he handed it back.<\/em><\/p>\nThe priest shook his head. “No, my boy. You keep that. You\u2019ll be needing it more than I will. Now shall I say how sorry I am for your loss, or are you tired of hearing it?”<\/em><\/p>\nAdam managed a smile. “I can stand to hear it again. It\u2019ll be good practice for when I step back inside.”<\/em><\/p>\n“Well in that case, I\u2019m most deeply sorry. It seems she was a lovely woman.”<\/em><\/p>\nAdam fell silent at that. “She had her moments,” he said at last. “But I spent most of my time wishing that she wasn\u2019t my stepmother.”<\/em><\/p>\n“Did you now?” the priest asked. There was no shock or judgement in his voice, just a mild interest. Adam leaned up against the wall of the barn and watched as the man drew a snuffbox from his pocket.<\/em><\/p>\n“Care for a pinch?” he asked.<\/em><\/p>\nAdam shook his head. “No thank you.”<\/em><\/p>\nThe priest took a pinch himself and then put the box away. Then he followed Adam\u2019s lead and leaned up against the wall.<\/em><\/p>\n“My boy, if there\u2019s something weighing on you, I can hear your confession right now.”<\/em><\/p>\n“I\u2019m not Catholic, Father.”<\/em><\/p>\n“Ah. Well, perhaps you\u2019d just like a sympathetic ear. Why didn\u2019t you want her for a stepmother?”<\/em><\/p>\nAdam hesitated, but the priest must\u2019ve guessed his thoughts.<\/em><\/p>\n“If you\u2019re going to confide in someone, lad, it might as well be me,” he said. “After all, I\u2019m just passing through here. You\u2019ll never see me again\u2014so what do you care what I think of you?<\/em><\/p>\nAdam grinned at that and took another gulp of the whiskey. “All right,” he said.<\/em><\/p>\nHe took his time, trying to find the right words. “There were times when I wanted to forget that she was my stepmother just so I could throttle her,” he explained. “Marie knew that. She even teased me about it. But I never told her\u2014”<\/em><\/p>\nAdam paused and felt himself blush. “Well, there was another reason that I wished she wasn\u2019t my father\u2019s wife. And I was all the more brutal to her because of it.”<\/em><\/p>\nThe priest gave him a wan smile. “Ah, so you weren\u2019t immune to her charm. I\u2019m not surprised. Me, I\u2019ve only seen her laid out, but had I met her before\u2014well, me bucko, I\u2019d have regretted joining the priesthood.”<\/em><\/p>\nHe paused and pulled out the snuffbox again. “No, lad,” he continued after taking another pinch, “don\u2019t brood over that. Just keep a warm spot for her.”<\/em><\/p>\nAdam considered that as he took another sip from the flask. “Father,” he said at length, “I knew she meant to ride Mulciber. I could\u2019ve stopped her. And I should have\u2014even if it meant dragging her out of the barn.”<\/em><\/p>\n“Well, there\u2019s that problem of her being your stepmother again. T\u2019aint exactly good form to go dragging your stepmother about.”<\/em><\/p>\nAdam shook his head. “I could\u2019ve told my Pa. He would have stopped her. But Marie and I never carried tales about each other\u2026” he let his voice trail off.<\/em><\/p>\nHe sighed and downed the last of the whiskey. “And the worst of it, Father, is what I said last night. I told her that I hoped Mulciber would toss her. I\u2014I wanted her to learn a lesson.”<\/em><\/p>\nHe was looking down now, but he felt the priest place a hand on his shoulder.<\/em><\/p>\n“You didn\u2019t mean for this to happen,” the priest told him. “And you can be sure she knows that.”<\/em><\/p>\nHe paused and gave Adam a long look. “All right, me bucko,” he said at length. “I can see that you’re determined to beat yourself up. We need to get you away from here. Now, you\u2019re not the son that plays the guitar, are you?”<\/em><\/p>\nAdam nodded. “I am.”<\/em><\/p>\n“That\u2019s grand. Go on and fetch it, will you? Let me just look to your family and then I\u2019ve got just the thing to help with your guilt and your grief\u2014it\u2019s drink and song you need.”<\/em><\/p>\n***<\/p>\n
Adam stood at Marie\u2019s gravesite, glaring at her tombstone. It was six years after they had buried her.<\/p>\n
“This was your job,” he informed her, not bothering to keep the biting anger out of his voice. “You should have been here to see to Joe. Instead I had to take him in hand while Pa\u2019s away\u2014and watch him despise me for it.”<\/p>\n
There was no response from the stone. Not that he expected one, but he longed to carry out this argument in the flesh.<\/p>\n
“And now I\u2019m so annoyed that I\u2019m standing here reprimanding a dead woman,” he continued as he threw down his hat in disgust. Then he sighed and put one hand on his forehead.<\/p>\n
“Marie,” he said at length, “I know I gave you a hard time while you were alive, but I wish to God you hadn\u2019t left us.”<\/p>\n
He paused again and crouched down so that he was eye-level with her gravestone. “You shouldn\u2019t have tried to ride that horse,” he told her. “You knew that devil was too strong for you. And your son is just as reckless. I hope you\u2019re watching over him because he\u2019s determined to break his neck.”<\/p>\n
“It wouldn\u2019t have mattered if she was here,” a voice called out. Adam nearly jumped out of his skin\u2014that voice was a strange echo of Marie\u2019s.<\/p>\n
He stood up and turned around. Little Joe was a few feet back, regarding him with a half-smile. The little scamp suddenly looked older than his eleven years.<\/p>\n
“She would\u2019ve shook her head,” Joe continued, “and told you that she couldn\u2019t bring herself to raise a hand to me\u2014much less a belt. Then she would\u2019ve smiled at you, patted your cheek and left you to punish me.”<\/p>\n
Adam managed a grin. “That\u2019s probably true.”<\/p>\n
Joe grinned back, but then his face grew serious. “Did you hate her?”<\/p>\n
“No,” he answered, taking care to meet his brother\u2019s eyes. “I just resented her for a while.”<\/p>\n
Joe looked down at his feet. “Why?”<\/p>\n
Adam shrugged. “I suppose because she was different from Inger. I\u2014I was a bit brutal to your Ma, Joe. I admit that. And I\u2019m sorry for it now.”<\/p>\n
Little Joe looked up again and Adam could see the mischief back in his eyes.<\/p>\n
“That\u2019s all right. She knew you were a Yankee, Adam. She didn\u2019t expect you to have manners.”<\/p>\n
Adam bit back a smile. “You trying for another tanning, boy?”<\/p>\n
“Nah. I just\u2014I just wanted to tell you that I\u2019m sorry. I shouldn\u2019t have pulled a dangerous stunt like that. And I didn’t mean it when I said that I hated you.”<\/p>\n
He paused and stared at Adam. “And I\u2019m impressed, older brother,” he said at last. “You wield a belt just as good as Pa does.”<\/p>\n
“Yeah, well, I learned from the best.”<\/p>\n
Little Joe laughed at that and ran up to him. Adam suddenly found himself locked in a hug.<\/p>\n
“One thing, older brother,” Joe said, still clutching him. “Are we squared up now, or are you going to tell Pa?”<\/p>\n
Adam smiled. “We\u2019re squared up,” he assured him.<\/p>\n
They broke apart from each other and Adam retrieved his hat. “Come on, Joe. Let\u2019s go back to the house.”<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
When dinner was over Ben walked Roy to the door and bid him goodnight. Then he turned around to find Hoss handing Adam his guitar.<\/p>\n
“I\u2019ll get us drinks,” Little Joe put in, “and we\u2019ll have some toasts and some songs in honor of Father Ronan.”<\/p>\n
Adam smiled. “What song shall it be, me buckos?” he asked, aping an Irish brogue.<\/p>\n
“Well, if it\u2019s death songs,” Hoss said, “I like that one you learned about Rosin the Beau.”<\/p>\n
Adam nodded. He gave his guitar a couple of tentative strums and then he began to sing:<\/p>\n
Well, I\u2019ve traveled this wide world all over<\/span><\/em><\/p>\nAnd now to another I go<\/span><\/em><\/p>\nBut I know that good quarters are waiting<\/span><\/em><\/p>\nTo welcome old Rosin the Beau!<\/span><\/em><\/p>\nTo welcome old Rosin the Beau, me lads, to welcome old Rosin the Beau<\/span><\/em><\/p>\nI know that good quarters are waiting, to welcome old Rosin the beau.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\nAnd when I’m dead and laid out on the counter<\/span><\/em><\/p>\nThen a voice you may hear from below<\/span><\/em><\/p>\nSaying ‘Send down a hogshead of whiskey<\/span><\/em><\/p>\nTo drink with old Rosin the Beau!’<\/span><\/em><\/p>\nTo drink with old Rosin the Beau, me lads…*<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Ben smiled as Hoss and Little Joe joined in the boisterous chorus. He shook his head at the three of them, but he offered his own private toast up to the spirit of Father Ronan.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t believe you lost your virginity on the night of my mother\u2019s wake,\u201d Joe said, shaking his head at Adam.<\/p>\n
Their father had long since retired, so only the three boys remained downstairs. They were gathered around the fireplace.<\/p>\n
Adam sighed. \u201cI\u2019m trying to think of something to say that will make that sound better.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCome up with anything yet?\u201d Hoss asked him.<\/p>\n
Adam took another swig of whiskey and then passed the bottle on. \u201cOnly that she was a redhead,\u201d he answered.<\/p>\n
\u201cA redhead?\u201d Joe repeated, impressed. He took a mouthful from the bottle and then handed it to Hoss. \u201cAll right, that does make it better. Now what verse were we up to?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t even remember what song we were on,\u201d said Hoss.<\/p>\n
\u201c`Finnegan\u2019s Wake,\u2019\u201d Joe answered in unison with Adam.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow let\u2019s see,\u201d Joe continued, frowning in an effort of memory. \u201cWe introduced Tim Finnegan and his tippler\u2019s way, we saw him crack his skull, we laid him out for the wake in nice clean sheets, put whiskey and porter about his head and started the brawl. I think we must be on the last verse.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe you are correct,\u201d Adam said with a respectful nod. He picked up his guitar and began to sing:<\/p>\n
Now Mickey Malone raised up his head<\/span><\/em><\/p>\nWhen a gallon of whiskey flew at him<\/span><\/em><\/p>\nIt missed and landed on the bed<\/span><\/em><\/p>\nAnd the whiskey scattered all over Tim!<\/span><\/em><\/p>\nHoss and Joe both joined in for the final lines:<\/p>\n
By God! He revives, see how he rises<\/em><\/span><\/p>\nTim Finnegan is jumping from the bed<\/em><\/span><\/p>\nCrying as he ran around like blazes<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n‘Thundering Jesus, did you think I\u2019m dead!’*<\/em><\/span><\/p>\nHoss slapped the table in time as they finished with a final chorus and then all three boys collapsed in laughter.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo what was the name of the little lady?\u201d Hoss asked when they recovered.<\/p>\n
\u201cNancy,\u201d Adam answered.<\/p>\n
\u201cNancy,\u201d Hoss repeated reverently.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s have a toast to her,\u201d said Joe. \u201cWait, where\u2019s our glasses? We can\u2019t toast straight from the bottle.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re on the table over there,\u201d Adam said as he set down his guitar.<\/p>\n
Joe, who was now perched on the corner of the settee, glanced in the general direction of the dining room.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s too far,\u201d he decided. \u201cSorry Nancy, no toast. Hand over that bottle, Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPoor Nancy,\u201d Hoss sighed as he dutifully passed the whiskey.<\/p>\n
\u201cDoesn\u2019t matter,\u201d Adam said as he settled into the settee and put his feet on the table. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t Nancy that I held in my arms that night.\u201d<\/p>\n
Joe put the bottle down at that and raised his eyebrows. \u201cWhat are you saying, older brother?\u201d<\/p>\n
Adam shrugged. \u201cOnly that your mother was the most charming minx I ever knew. And that\u2019s one of the reasons I couldn\u2019t stand her.\u201d<\/p>\n
Joe stared at him. \u201cYou\u2019ve never told me that before.\u201d<\/p>\n
Adam shut his eyes. \u201cI\u2019ve never been drunk enough to admit it before\u2014at least not to you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAh-ha!\u201d Joe exclaimed, shaking his head. \u201cNow I understand why you always got on better with Hoss than with me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI could\u2019ve explained that to you, little brother,\u201d Hoss put in. \u201cYou see, when Adam looks at me, he don\u2019t see Marie.\u201d<\/p>\n
Little Joe smiled at that. \u201cI should\u2019ve known you had a soft spot for her, Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI did. But I still wanted to throttle her. In fact, I came damn close to spanking her once.\u201d<\/p>\n
Joe laughed. “That must have been the day she hurled Inger’s picture at your head. But she wasn’t trying to kill you. She knew you’d duck.”<\/p>\n
“Don’t be too sure,” Adam insisted. “We were both riled up. And she had surprisingly good aim.”<\/p>\n
“Is that what happened to that picture?” Hoss asked. “That had a heavy frame on it. Good thing you did duck, Adam. But you shouldn’t have kept comparing her to my Ma. You knew that made her crazy.”<\/p>\n
Adam gave them a sour smile. “Why do you think I did it?” he asked. “But there’s more to that story. Ask me about it when I’m sober.” He paused and looked up. \u201cDo you two realize that we\u2019ve got to be awake by cockcrow?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYup,\u201d Hoss answered. \u201cBut I\u2019m going to fall asleep right here in this chair. I don\u2019t want to chance the stairs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Little Joe promptly surveyed the staircase. The whiskey made it look menacing.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s smart thinking, Hoss,\u201d he owned. He climbed down off his perch, sat next to Adam and likewise rested his feet on the table.<\/p>\n
\u201cTell me something, Adam,\u201d he said. \u201cHow long does it take to recover from someone like my mother?\u201d<\/p>\n
Adam shrugged again. \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d he answered in a flat voice. \u201cI never did.\u201d<\/p>\n
Joe rested his head on his older brother\u2019s shoulder. \u201cThat\u2019s not true,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, Adam,\u201d Hoss put in. \u201cYou ain’t exactly been pining.\u201d<\/p>\n
Adam managed a smile. \u201cNo, I haven\u2019t pined. But I\u2019ll always measure every woman I meet against your Ma, Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n
Little Joe grinned. \u201cThat\u2019s fine,\u201d he said as he closed his eyes and stifled a yawn. \u201cIn fact, that\u2019s the way it should be.\u201d<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
When Adam woke up the following morning Little Joe was asleep with his head on his shoulder. Hoss was snoring on the chair next to them.<\/p>\n
Adam smiled and gently pushed Joe over, careful not to wake him.<\/p>\n
He ignored the splitting pain in his head and made his way out to the barn. He was forced to pause by the side of it in order to vomit the excess whiskey in his system.<\/p>\n
He shook his head at himself. He’d think twice before drinking like that again.<\/p>\n
He managed to get Sport saddled up and then he rode out a ways, hoping to clear his head. But he found himself making his way to Marie’s grave site.<\/p>\n
He hadn’t visited her grave for some time. He dismounted Sport and walked up to it.<\/p>\n
He crouched down and placed his hand on the stone. Then he traced the outline of her name with his finger.<\/p>\n
“I should have brought you some flowers, cherie,” he said softly. “I’ll have to remedy that later.”<\/p>\n
Once again, the stone was silent.<\/p>\n
“Listen, Marie,” he said. “I don’t remember precisely what I told your son last night, but I know we talked about the time you threw that picture at me.”<\/p>\n
He paused to look down at his hands. Then he gave her an apologetic smile.<\/p>\n
“He doesn’t know what I found out about you that day,” he told her. “But it was nothing to be ashamed of. And I only promised to keep it from him until he was grown.”<\/p>\n
He sighed. “Well, cherie, he’s an adult now. He deserves to know. I hope you’ll understand.”<\/p>\n
He stood up and tipped his hat at the stone. Then he went back to Sport and rode off to find Little Joe.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The End<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Summary: Whiskey loosens Adam’s tongue one night and he opens up to Little Joe, giving us a glimpse into Adam’s uneven relationship with Marie.<\/p>\n
Rating and Reader Alerts: PG-13 (mature themes, serial) \/ Words:\u00a0 4,535<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12436,"featured_media":41001,"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":false,"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":[1091,23,4,30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-46297","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adam-joe","category-drama","category-humor","category-prequels","wpcat-1091-id","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-4-id","wpcat-30-id"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Preserving-Their-Legacy.png?fit=732%2C477&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46297","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\/12436"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=46297"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46297\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/41001"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=46297"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=46297"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=46297"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}