{"id":49048,"date":"2024-03-29T11:52:39","date_gmt":"2024-03-29T15:52:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=49048"},"modified":"2025-09-25T15:37:18","modified_gmt":"2025-09-25T19:37:18","slug":"growing-up-in-different-times-by-harpistforhim","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=49048","title":{"rendered":"Growing Up in Different Times (by Harpistforhim)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Summary:<\/strong> When Joe goes through old memories, it dawns on him that he hadn&#8217;t considered how different his oldest brother&#8217;s childhood was from his own. With the help of a few old trunks of treasures, Joe learns more about Adam&#8217;s past and how, despite their distinct upbringings, they both share a history that will forever be intertwined.<\/p>\n<p>Word Count: 2,820\u00a0 \u00a0Rating: G<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>Author&#8217;s Note: The title is inspired by a line from a song by Shane Alexander called &#8220;Brother of Mine.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>Growing Up in Different Times<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b><i>1857<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When Adam came down the stairs that night, he <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">almost<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> turned right back around. It had been a long day of breaking steers and he ached from top to bottom. As if that weren\u2019t enough, Pa and Hoss were out doing business in Reno, meaning he was in charge of the ranch.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">And<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> his fifteen-year-old brother, who would rather spend his time flirting in the saloons than helping out around the Ponderosa.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Adam couldn&#8217;t relate, even when he looked back on his own fifteen-year-old self, and he couldn&#8217;t say he wanted to. All he wanted was a hot cup of coffee before he had to dig into the books on Pa&#8217;s desk\u2014the ones that had gone untouched since their father had left Sunday afternoon.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The ones Adam hadn&#8217;t been able to bring himself to go over because he just <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">knew<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> they were a mess due to his leaving them unattended for so long.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In short, it had been a long, tiring half-week so far and he was sorely missing the other part of his family.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It was for this reason that Adam almost retreated back to the peace and quiet of the upper level when he caught sight of Joe sitting cross-legged where the coffee table used to be. The table had been shoved off to the side to make room for a large chest and two or three smaller ones.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Adam recognized them immediately.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;Hey, Adam!&#8221; Joe greeted, glancing up from whatever prize he held in his hand. &#8220;Look what I found in the barn!&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;Ah, so <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">that&#8217;s<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> what you&#8217;d been doing in there all evening. And here I thought you were cleaning out the stalls.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Joe waved a hand, trying his best to scowl, though the expression didn&#8217;t quite come across. The curiosity and elation on his face made sure of that.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;I <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">did,<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8221; he said, &#8220;but then, I thought I heard some scuffling up in the loft, so I checked it for mice and I found <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">these!<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> It&#8217;s all our old stuff. You know, like baby stuff and all that. Where&#8217;ve they been all this time? I&#8217;ve never seen them up there before\u2026&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Drawn into the living room by his own growing intrigue, Adam explained, &#8220;Pa was doing some cleaning out of the cellar last week. Apparently, he didn&#8217;t realize that some of the contents were getting damaged. It&#8217;s so musty down there. Probably my things, if we&#8217;re being honest.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;Why yours?&#8221; Joe asked as Adam gazed down at the trinkets and tiny clothes strewn about the floor.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;Because that&#8217;d be just my luck,&#8221; came the overly cynical answer. Adam decided to blame the long day for that one. &#8220;Anyway, he put them up in the loft until he can find a better place to store them.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;Yeah, but some of this should be on display!&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;All right, then, where would you like to hang your baby nightgown, Joe? In the office, or over the fireplace where everyone can get a nice, good look at it when they walk through the front door?&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Joe flashed him a look. &#8220;You know what I mean. This, for instance,&#8221; he pressed on, holding up a worn stuffed bear. &#8220;Man, I remember when Hoss ripped his arm off and Ma had to sew it on again.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;Well, for starters, Hoss didn&#8217;t rip the arm off,&#8221; Adam corrected, &#8220;<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">you<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> did when you were throwing a tantrum. And second, it was the leg that came off. See?&#8221; Crouching down, he ran a finger along the seam as he corrected a three-year-old&#8217;s hazy memory. &#8220;She always stitched like she wrote, very flowy with lots of loops.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;Huh.&#8221; Joe studied the bear for a second before replacing it back in the chest. &#8220;Maybe not that one, then. What about this, though?&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Adam gave him a look that was the epitome of unamused. &#8220;You really want your winter baby hat lying around?&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;No, I mean, she fixed this too, didn&#8217;t she?&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Still only half-committed to Joe&#8217;s impromptu trip down memory lane, Adam shifted in his crouch and nodded. &#8220;When you snagged it on a branch. You were <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">not<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> a very fun child in the snow,&#8221; he added with a slight chuckle.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;Hey, it&#8217;s not <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">my<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> fault my gloves kept falling off and I was too young to know how to put them back on.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;Never said it was,&#8221; Adam replied with a sly grin. &#8220;I just said you weren&#8217;t fun. In the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">snow,<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8221; he clarified when Joe made a face. &#8220;You were a fun little toddler in the spring, summer, and fall. Winter, not so much. I still remember the way you&#8217;d always try to get Hoss and me to tell you whose name we picked for the Christmas gift exchange.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Joe gave a chuckle of his own before sifting through the chest again. &#8220;I think this one has a lot of my stuff in it, but also a lot of Ma&#8217;s old things. Dresses and such\u2026 Hey, there&#8217;s Hoss&#8217; old hat, though!&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;I don&#8217;t know why we kept half this stuff.&#8221; But even as he said it, Adam found himself fully sitting down and joining his brother&#8217;s efforts to unearth old treasures.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;Where are all of your things?&#8221; Joe asked after a moment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;Here&#8217;s something.&#8221; Adam held up an old notebook, relinquishing his prize when Joe made a grab for it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;An old journal?&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Adam laughed outright at the disappointment on his brother&#8217;s face when he said, &#8220;And old <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">school book.<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Actually, I think most of my college things are in this chest\u2026&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Giving an exaggerated yawn, Joe pulled over one of the smaller chests. &#8220;Boring. No offense, of course.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;Ah yes,&#8221; Adam said with a smirk, &#8220;the age-old excuse for hurting someone&#8217;s feelings and then pretending to take it all back.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Though he was clearly trying to hide it, Adam caught Joe&#8217;s eye roll. Maybe that was his cue to get that cup of coffee\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;Okay,&#8221; Joe said, lifting the lid, &#8220;this looks like\u2026 Hoss&#8217; stuff? Yeah\u2026&#8221; He pulled out an old bag of marbles. &#8220;This is his. I remember he&#8217;d <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">never<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> let me play with these.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;That&#8217;s because you&#8217;d always put them in your mouth, Joe. I think you even swallowed one, once, and nearly gave Pa a heart attack.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Joe made no comment, sifting through Hoss&#8217; things for a minute or two more before reaching for the other two chests. &#8220;Looks like a bunch of Pa&#8217;s old papers and\u2026 some other stuff that&#8217;s definitely not mine\u2026&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Yeah, now&#8217;s <\/span><\/i><b><i>definitely<\/i><\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> the time to get that coffee.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Instead of standing, however, Adam found himself inching closer to the last two chests. Joe was sifting through Pa&#8217;s papers like the snoop he would always be, but Adam was more drawn to the other chest.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">He remembered helping his father pack all these things away, and for a moment, he wondered if Joe&#8217;s idea to display some of it wasn&#8217;t so crazy after all.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Some of the memories\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Adam dipped his hand into the chest and pulled out the first thing his fingers brushed up against, a dulled arrowhead wrapped in a worn length of cord.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;I forgot about this,&#8221; he murmured, turning it over in his hand.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;What is it?&#8221; Joe leaned over his shoulder.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;A few members of our wagon train traded with the Cheyenne,&#8221; Adam explained with a shrug. &#8220;One of the braves gave this to me.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">He could almost see Joe&#8217;s nose scrunching even as he kept his eyes fixed on the arrowhead. &#8220;Why? Just because?&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;A lot of our party were wary about trading with the Indians after\u2026 Well, after the attack. Pa told the Cheyenne as much.&#8221; A tremor of pain filtered through the air as Joe gave a knowing nod and Adam sucked in a short breath. &#8220;So, one of the braves pulled me aside. He told me, &#8216;Not all arrows are used for killing.&#8217; He said this was used to cut his daughter free of some vines she got caught in that nearly strangled her. Then, he gave it to me.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;Wow,&#8221; Joe breathed. &#8220;So\u2026 This chest is yours, then?&#8221; Adam nodded. &#8220;And that&#8217;s Hoss&#8217;&#8230; Wait, why do you two get your own chests and I have to share mine with <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">more<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> of your stuff <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">and<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Mama&#8217;s?&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">With a chuckle, Adam replaced the arrowhead. &#8220;It&#8217;s called Last Child Syndrome, Joe. By the time you came around, Pa either forgot to get you your own chest, or he just didn&#8217;t have the energy.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;Ha. Ha. Very funny.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;Yes, it&#8217;s funny that you think I&#8217;m joking.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Rather than wait for Joe to think up a good comeback, Adam sifted through more of his memories, shoving aside his <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">actual<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> childhood journal lest Joe find it and going for the small wooden box.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;What&#8217;s in there?&#8221; Joe was hovering over his shoulder again, but Adam couldn&#8217;t find it in himself to be annoyed, even as he asked:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;Don&#8217;t you have your <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">own<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> things to go through?&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;Yeah, sure. Baby clothes, toys, and blankets. <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Real<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> interesting. Come on, what&#8217;s in there?&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Adam ran a hand over the crude carving on the lid. &#8220;Well, for starters, you&#8217;re looking at the only carving I&#8217;ve ever attempted.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;I can see why.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;The vote of confidence is appreciated. <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Anyway,<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8221; Adam went on, opening the lid, &#8220;these are little odds and ends I collected on the wagon trail, and then some. Like this.&#8221; He picked up one of the trinkets. &#8220;The first nail to ever go into the Ponderosa Ranch.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;All right, so if it&#8217;s the first nail, how do <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">you<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> have it?&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Adam grinned. &#8220;I took it out.&#8221; When Joe gaped at him, he couldn&#8217;t hold back a laugh. &#8220;The ranch house wasn&#8217;t always here, Joe. This came from the small cabin Pa built for us to live in while we worked on designing the house.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;What about this?&#8221; Joe asked, and Adam appreciated that the kid pointed at the object instead of just snatching it up.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;That&#8217;s a lock of Jenny&#8217;s hair.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;And exactly <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">who<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Jenny?<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Your summer lovin\u2019 girlfriend?&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Giving Joe\u2019s ribs a nudge with his elbow was more satisfying than Adam would care to admit. &#8220;She was a friend from the wagon train. Though, I think she wanted us to be a bit <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">more<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> than friends, which is why she gave me that.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;Okay, what about this one\u2026?&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Adam had figured Joe might get bored, but they went through the significance of each item until there weren&#8217;t any more to talk about. Next, they flipped through an old sketchbook that Adam had completely forgotten about. He could tell Joe was trying not to act too impressed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;I mean, they&#8217;re <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">good\u2026<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> for a ten-year-old.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Adam made sure to conceal his oncoming smirk.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;But,&#8221; Joe questioned with a frown after they&#8217;d gone through nearly the entirety of the chest, &#8220;where&#8217;s all your baby stuff? And your toys and all that?&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;I wouldn&#8217;t have even the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">slightest<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> idea.&#8221; At the dip in Joe&#8217;s brows, Adam clarified, &#8220;I guess Pa didn&#8217;t think he&#8217;d ever have another child who could use them and we didn&#8217;t have much storage during our travels as it was, so everything I grew out of, we sold or gave to someone else.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Joe nodded, fiddling with the sketchbook.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Heaving a sigh, Adam continued when he saw the prompting expression on his brother&#8217;s face. &#8220;As for toys\u2026 Like I said, there wasn&#8217;t that much room in our bags for that kind of thing. Sure, I vaguely remember Pa or someone else carving me a little animal or two, but there <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">are<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> other ways to occupy the time besides playing, you know.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;Don&#8217;t tell my five-year-old self that,&#8221; Joe said with a snort. &#8220;You <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">should<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> display some of this stuff, though. No, I mean it! Your things are way more interesting than mine. They&#8217;re\u2026 They&#8217;re <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">historical.<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Adam let out a soft chuckle. &#8220;Thanks for dating me.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;I&#8217;m serious. You and Pa were part of a whole historical movement, traveling clear across the country like you did. Your stuff, it\u2026 it has <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">character;<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> it has history. Hoss and mine are just your typical, average baby things.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;Oh, I wouldn&#8217;t be so sure of that\u2026&#8221; Reaching into Hoss\u2019 chest, Adam pulled out the bag of marbles. &#8220;These came from a traveling salesman passing through the area. Buying this made Pa his first customer, and years later, when the town started taking root, he came back and opened a store that&#8217;s still standing today: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Schmitt&#8217;s Grocery and Mercantile.<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;You&#8217;re kidding me.&#8221; But Joe was smiling. &#8220;Really? I just figured <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Schmitt&#8217;s<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> had always been there.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;Everything had to get its start sometime, and I&#8217;d say that makes these marbles of Hoss&#8217; <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">pretty<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> historical. And don&#8217;t get me <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">started<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> on your stuff.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Joe was already tugging over the larger chest before Adam had a chance to finish. &#8220;All right, Mr. Historian. You&#8217;re always saying how you know so much more than Hoss and I do. Show me what&#8217;s special about some of this stuff. And <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">don&#8217;t<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> try to make anything up just to pacify me.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hiding a smirk, Adam scanned the contents of the chest, settling on the tiny winter hat from earlier.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;So, the great thing about <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">this<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> piece right here,&#8221; he began, making a show of studying the hat, &#8220;is that its historical significance comes from the fact that Virginia City&#8217;s very own Joseph Francis Cartwright wore it when he was only a baby.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Joe made a face. &#8220;Ha <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">ha.<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> That&#8217;s not history. That&#8217;s just me as a baby.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;And you were a damn cute one, too.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;Well, gee, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">thanks,<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> but that&#8217;s not what I want to know. Come on, find something else. Something real this time. Unless there\u2019s actually something special about that hat?&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cI\u2019m sorry to break it to you, but there\u2019s literally nothing special about this little piece of cloth.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cI thought so. So, something <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">special <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">this time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;All right, Joe,&#8221; Adam said, chuckling, &#8220;all right. Let&#8217;s see\u2026&#8221; His eyes skimmed over Marie&#8217;s tightly folded wedding dress, his own worn college books, and several carved wooden animals that had once made up Joe&#8217;s favorite collection of toys.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Finally, he pulled out a blanket. A mismatched old thing that a much younger Joe had slept in, chewed on, and left out in the rain more times than any of them could count.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When Joe saw it, he scrunched his nose. &#8220;That thing?&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A small smile tugged at Adam&#8217;s lips. &#8220;Clearly, you don&#8217;t know the significance of <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">that thing,<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> or you wouldn&#8217;t have said it like that.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;Enlighten me, then, oh wise one.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Shooting Joe a quick eye roll, Adam leaned back against the edge of the settee, stretching out legs that had long since begun to cramp up. &#8220;Your Ma started working on this before you were even born. She wanted to make something special for you; something that would encompass all of our histories. Hers, Pa&#8217;s, the Ponderosa\u2019s, even Hoss\u2019 and mine.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Running his fingers over the edge of the blanket, Adam continued, &#8220;Each triangle patch comes from something significant. Like this white one\u2026 Well, it <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">used<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to be white. That&#8217;s a piece from the cover of our wagon. That light pink triangle is from Marie&#8217;s wedding veil, and the one next to it is from her great-grandmother\u2019s shawl. That one there was cut from the first American flag Pa hung on the ranch. It got worn and tattered over the years, then a thunderstorm finally took it down, so Marie gave it another use.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Joe was staring at the blanket now, as if truly seeing it for the first time. &#8220;I always thought it was just a regular old patchwork quilt. Why didn&#8217;t any of you tell me all this <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">before?<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Adam flashed a grin. &#8220;Now, do you really think your five-year-old self would have cared about all that? Much less <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">understood?<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Though Adam could clearly see it pained him to admit it, Joe gave a half-shrug. &#8220;I mean, I <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">guess<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> not. What&#8217;s this one, then?&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;That little patch was once a part of a buckskin vest given to Pa by a Comanche chief. They became blood brothers because the chief respected Pa enough to have his braves help of our wagon train pass through hostile Indian territory unscathed.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;I told you not to pull my leg, Adam.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;I&#8217;m not,&#8221; came Adam&#8217;s soft reply and Joe gently gripped the blanket. &#8220;See, Hoss and I aren&#8217;t the only ones with interesting memories. Or <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">historical<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> ones, as you like you put it.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">&#8220;Yeah\u2026&#8221; Joe breathed, making a dive for the chest. &#8220;What else is in here\u2026?&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As Joe dug through his old things, Adam shifted against the settee, settling in for a long night of stories and memories.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">His coffee all but forgotten in the wake of his little brother&#8217;s joy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>The End<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"pvc_stats_49048\" class=\"pvc_stats all  \" data-element-id=\"49048\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" version=\"1.0\" viewBox=\"0 0 502 315\" preserveAspectRatio=\"xMidYMid meet\"><g transform=\"translate(0,332) scale(0.1,-0.1)\" fill=\"\" stroke=\"none\"><path d=\"M2394 3279 l-29 -30 -3 -207 c-2 -182 0 -211 15 -242 39 -76 157 -76 196 0 15 31 17 60 15 243 l-3 209 -33 29 c-26 23 -41 29 -80 29 -41 0 -53 -5 -78 -31z\"\/><path d=\"M3085 3251 c-45 -19 -58 -50 -96 -229 -47 -217 -49 -260 -13 -295 52 -53 146 -42 177 20 16 31 87 366 87 410 0 70 -86 122 -155 94z\"\/><path d=\"M1751 3234 c-13 -9 -29 -31 -37 -50 -12 -29 -10 -49 21 -204 19 -94 39 -189 45 -210 14 -50 54 -80 110 -80 34 0 48 6 76 34 21 21 34 44 34 59 0 14 -18 113 -40 219 -37 178 -43 195 -70 221 -36 32 -101 37 -139 11z\"\/><path d=\"M1163 3073 c-36 -7 -73 -59 -73 -102 0 -56 133 -378 171 -413 34 -32 83 -37 129 -13 70 36 67 87 -16 290 -86 209 -89 214 -129 231 -35 14 -42 15 -82 7z\"\/><path d=\"M3689 3066 c-15 -9 -33 -30 -42 -48 -48 -103 -147 -355 -147 -375 0 -98 131 -148 192 -74 13 15 57 108 97 206 80 196 84 226 37 273 -30 30 -99 39 -137 18z\"\/><path d=\"M583 2784 c-38 -19 -67 -74 -58 -113 9 -42 211 -354 242 -373 16 -10 45 -18 66 -18 51 0 107 52 107 100 0 39 -1 41 -124 234 -80 126 -108 162 -133 173 -41 17 -61 16 -100 -3z\"\/><path d=\"M4250 2784 c-14 -9 -74 -91 -133 -183 -95 -150 -107 -173 -107 -213 0 -55 33 -94 87 -104 67 -13 90 8 211 198 130 202 137 225 78 284 -27 27 -42 34 -72 34 -22 0 -50 -8 -64 -16z\"\/><path d=\"M2275 2693 c-553 -48 -1095 -270 -1585 -649 -135 -104 -459 -423 -483 -476 -23 -49 -22 -139 2 -186 73 -142 361 -457 571 -626 285 -228 642 -407 990 -497 242 -63 336 -73 660 -74 310 0 370 5 595 52 535 111 1045 392 1455 803 122 121 250 273 275 326 19 41 19 137 0 174 -41 79 -309 363 -465 492 -447 370 -946 591 -1479 653 -113 14 -422 18 -536 8z m395 -428 c171 -34 330 -124 456 -258 112 -119 167 -219 211 -378 27 -96 24 -300 -5 -401 -72 -255 -236 -447 -474 -557 -132 -62 -201 -76 -368 -76 -167 0 -236 14 -368 76 -213 98 -373 271 -451 485 -162 444 86 934 547 1084 153 49 292 57 452 25z m909 -232 c222 -123 408 -262 593 -441 76 -74 138 -139 138 -144 0 -16 -233 -242 -330 -319 -155 -123 -309 -223 -461 -299 l-81 -41 32 46 c18 26 49 83 70 128 143 306 141 649 -6 957 -25 52 -61 116 -79 142 l-34 47 45 -20 c26 -10 76 -36 113 -56z m-2057 25 c-40 -58 -105 -190 -130 -263 -110 -324 -59 -707 132 -981 25 -35 42 -64 37 -64 -19 0 -241 119 -326 174 -188 122 -406 314 -532 468 l-58 71 108 103 c185 178 428 349 672 473 66 33 121 60 123 61 2 0 -10 -19 -26 -42z\"\/><path d=\"M2375 1950 c-198 -44 -350 -190 -395 -379 -18 -76 -8 -221 19 -290 114 -284 457 -406 731 -260 98 52 188 154 231 260 27 69 37 214 19 290 -38 163 -166 304 -326 360 -67 23 -215 33 -279 19z\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/i> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Loading\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/plugins\/page-views-count\/ajax-loader-2x.gif?resize=16%2C16&#038;ssl=1\" border=0 \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Summary: When Joe goes through old memories, it dawns on him that he hadn&#8217;t considered how different his oldest brother&#8217;s childhood was from his own. With the help of a few old trunks of treasures, Joe learns more about Adam&#8217;s past and how, despite their distinct upbringings, they both share a history that will forever be intertwined.<br \/>\nWord Count: 2,820\u00a0 \u00a0Rating: G<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11949,"featured_media":49051,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1091,30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-49048","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adam-joe","category-prequels","wpcat-1091-id","wpcat-30-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":1197,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/IMG_2672.jpeg?fit=1200%2C889&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":48063,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=48063","url_meta":{"origin":49048,"position":0},"title":"Pictures of Angels (by AH83)","author":"BZTrailRiders","date":"December 21, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: While sorting through Christmas decorations, Ben finds two cherished mementos of a Christmas long ago.\u00a0 Rating: K, Word Count: 917","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Ben Cartwright&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Ben Cartwright","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=1004"},"img":{"alt_text":"Preserving Their Legacy","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/BTR.png?fit=442%2C255&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":15567,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=15567","url_meta":{"origin":49048,"position":1},"title":"Memories for Christmas (by Juanita)","author":"Nita","date":"December 25, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 This story was written for the 2016 Advent Collection.\u00a0 What does it take to restore fading memories? Rating:\u00a0 G\u00a0 (1,850 words)","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Drama&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/00001_Advent1.jpg?fit=791%2C680&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/00001_Advent1.jpg?fit=791%2C680&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/00001_Advent1.jpg?fit=791%2C680&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/00001_Advent1.jpg?fit=791%2C680&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5505,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=5505","url_meta":{"origin":49048,"position":2},"title":"Goodbyes (by EPM)","author":"EPM","date":"April 23, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0Joe teaches Adam to look at things in a different way. 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