Summary:\u00a0 Whether being stubborn as a mule or butting heads like big horn sheep, they do care about each other; and he\u2019d waited long enough.
\nRating:\u00a0 T\u00a0 (Words:\u00a0 1,120)<\/p>\n
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Life Isn\u2019t Always Sunshine and Rainbows<\/strong><\/p>\n With Sport tethered to a tree in the shade and contentedly munching on grass, Adam Cartwright had spent the better part of the afternoon surreptitiously watching from high on the hill as his youngest brother threw himself into working the horses, preparing them for sale to the Army.\u00a0 Glancing towards the sun, he realized how much time had passed.\u00a0 Rising to his feet, he retrieved his mount and carefully made his way to the corrals.<\/p>\n With a quick cant of his head, he quietly acknowledged to the few hands helping Joe that he was there, and they could head on back to the bunkhouse. \u00a0Once more, Adam tied Sport in the shade, before turning to observe Joe.\u00a0 Knowing how his brother was when he was in his element, this Joe concerned him.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t look tired from the work, nor did he seem happy as he would normally be.<\/p>\n Straightening with a little bit of alarm, Adam took note when Joe stopped midway through, dismounted and unsaddled the horse.\u00a0 Lastly, he removed the Bosal, draping it over his shoulder before picking up the saddle and blanket, and walked towards the gate.<\/p>\n \u201cJoe?\u201d Moving, Adam opened the gate.<\/p>\n \u201cHey Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIs that the last of them?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, Pa should be happy.\u201d<\/p>\n Placing a hand to his brother\u2019s shoulder, \u201cWhat about you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you want me to say Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe truth.\u201d\u00a0 Dropping his hand, he allowed Joe to exit.\u00a0 Taking a last look at the mare now rolling in the dirt, Adam closed the gate.<\/p>\n Following his sibling into the shack, it surprised Adam to see Joe wiping away the tears in his eyes.\u00a0 \u201cDamn\u201d, Adam breathed.\u00a0 Thinking to himself that maybe he should have left this for Pa to handle. \u00a0They had waited for Joe to come around; he knew neither Pa nor Hoss would push the issue. And Adam knew that was probably the best way to handle this situation, if it had only been the events surrounding the deaths of Julia and Amy.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n They\u2019d returned home less than a week before. Adam remembered the look on their father\u2019s face as they exited the barn.<\/p>\n After his youngest sons had gone to bed, worrying his pipe, Ben thought back, \u2018Why didn\u2019t Adam send Joe home before things got out of hand?\u2019 <\/em>But he remembered the two of them, arms across each other\u2019s shoulders, and asking himself, <\/em>\u2018Who\u2019s supporting who?\u2019\u00a0 <\/em>He wanted more details than Adam\u2019s answer that, \u201cJoe stood up to the posse to rescue me.\u201d(*)<\/em><\/p>\n Adam finally bade his father goodnight and climbed the stairs, guiltily wondering why he hadn\u2019t tried harder to send Joe back home.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n *****<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018How much heartache is the kid supposed to accept?\u00a0 \u00a0It was just unfortunate that he was caught up in the aftermath of Vannie\u2019s murder so close on the heels of…\u2019 <\/em>Shaking his head, \u2018I should have realized he was too young to be exposed to any more of the wrong side of mankind.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n Quietly, Adam picked up a rag and began wiping down the leather straps of the Bosal as Joe finished wiping down the saddle.\u00a0 Once finished, they placed the equipment in its designated places.<\/p>\n With his back to his brother, Joe asked, \u201cYou said something about wanting to know the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI did.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know life isn\u2019t fair,\u201d Joe answered, slowly walking towards to pot-bellied stove that stood in the corner of the room.<\/p>\n \u201cThat can be an understatement, at times.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI mean, look at the three of us, and Pa.\u00a0 We\u2019ve each lost a mother and Pa\u2019s lost three wives.\u201d<\/p>\n Pouring himself a cup of coffee from the pot, Joe offered and poured one for Adam.\u00a0 Carrying both cups outside, Joe handed one over as he sat on the bench, looking towards the fading sun.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re still thinking about the posse.\u201d<\/p>\n Not surprised that Adam knew he wasn\u2019t really talking about their mothers, but he figured his older brother would still be focused on his failed relationships with Julia and then Amy.\u00a0 Sheepishly he answered, \u201cYeah, I am.\u201d\u00a0 Joe inhaled the steaming dark brew before taking a sip.\u00a0 Lowering his hands to his lap, \u201cThe world\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Adam allowed the pause.<\/p>\n \u201cThe world seems full of good men\u2026\u201d Joe closed his eyes and rested his head back against the building.<\/p>\n \u201cEven if there are monsters in it,\u201d Adam finished, believing he understood the way his brother was feeling.<\/p>\n \u201cExactly.\u00a0 I guess I\u2019m having a hard time accepting that men can be so cruel and yet, I\u2019m supposed to go on like nothing happened.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJoe, I wish that you could go on believing that life is nothing but sunshine and rainbows all the time.\u201d\u00a0 Emptying the last of his, not so good coffee, onto the dirt, \u201cIt\u2019s not fair that you had to learn the dark truth of humanity so young in life.\u00a0 I\u2019m sorry I didn\u2019t try harder to send you home.\u201d<\/p>\n He watched as Joe briefly bristled before calming once more, \u201cYou don\u2019t really mean that.\u00a0 To you it\u2019s all a part of growing up; learning lessons the hard way.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJoe, there are many ways to learn, and the hard way isn\u2019t always right and doesn\u2019t always make it easier to understand.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes life just stinks.\u201d Sitting up, taking in the last rays of sunlight, \u201cI guess a good analogy would be the sun.\u201d<\/p>\n Unable to comprehend the change of subject, \u201cNow you have me stumped.\u201d Adam turned his head to look at his brother, intrigued that the corners of Joe\u2019s mouth quirked up.<\/p>\n \u201cLight and Dark.\u00a0 Good and Bad.\u201d\u00a0 Drinking the last from his cup, \u201cAs the preacher says, we couldn\u2019t truly appreciate the good without the devil in the works.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo, you\u2019ve been faking sleeping through the sermons?\u201d<\/p>\n Rising to his feet, \u201cI guess you, Pa, and Hoss have been worried about me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, we have.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt took me a while to figure it out, on my own.\u201d Holding out his hand, \u201cI may not show it at times, Adam, but I do appreciate that you\u2019re trying to protect me, wanting me to be a kid for a little while longer.\u201d<\/p>\n Handing him the empty cup, \u201cBut as you\u2019re so fond of telling us\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Looking his brother in the eye, \u201cI\u2019m not a kid.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam began to feel a little better when a hint of Joe\u2019s infamous cackle slipped out.<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u00a0 No, you\u2019re not.\u00a0 But even grown men can feel confused and scared.\u00a0 There\u2019s nothing to be ashamed about needing to talk to someone.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI guess that\u2019s your way of telling me I need to speak with Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOnly if you want to.\u201d\u00a0 Draping an arm over his brother\u2019s shoulders, Adam said, \u201cCome on, let\u2019s get the horses and head home.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure Pa\u2019s waiting for us.\u201d<\/p>\n ~The End<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Inspired by the October 15th<\/sup> Pine Cone Challenge:<\/p>\n \u201cThe world seems full of good men, even if there are monsters in it.\u201d –Bram Stoker,\u00a0Dracula<\/em><\/p>\n Thank you for the prompt.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Which made me want to expand one of my submissions for the Little Bit Challenge from 2015.<\/p>\n WHN – The Hanging Posse\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2018They\u2019re home.\u2019<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0Relief finally etched Ben\u2019s face, believing Little Joe too young to experience the rigors of a posse; and fearing the worst, a lynching. Knowing Adam would do anything to protect his youngest brother had brought him little comfort.<\/p>\n From the porch he saw movement in the barn; heard Adam asking a hand to see to the horses.\u00a0\u2018I was right. Why didn\u2019t Adam send Joe home before things got out of hand?\u2019<\/em>\u00a0Walking through the doorway, his sons came into sight.\u00a0\u2018Who\u2019s supporting who?\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n Proudly, Adam spoke, \u201cJoe stood up to the posse to rescue me.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Hanging Posse written by:<\/p>\n Carey Wilber <\/p>\n <\/p>\n
\nDavid Dortort
\nFred Hamilton<\/p>\n