Summary:\u00a0 <\/b>Arguments nearly spoil Christmas, but Hoss has a whistle.
\nRating: G\u00a0 (3,675 words)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The Brandsters acknowledge that the authors are the owners of their stories.\u00a0 Should an author included in this project reach out to us and indicate they do not wish their work to be archived in the Bonanza Brand Fanfiction Library, we will remove their stories.\u00a0 We would also be happy to change contact information for any authors who wish to continue to have their stories archived in the Library.<\/p>\n
The Whistle<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n \n Adam and Joe had been arguing for ten days. The origins of the quarrel had been long forgotten by Adam, although Joe recalled the exact moment when the attractive blonde he had been talking to, looked up and saw his eldest brother enter the hall. She had lost interest in him and gravitated to Adam\u2019s side within minutes. It hadn\u2019t helped when Adam seemed to barely notice her, one courtesy dance before finding his current lady friend. None of that had stopped Joe blaming his brother, his pride hurt as he was used to all the young ladies chasing him.<\/p>\n Over the next days everything Adam did was wrong in Joe\u2019s eyes and he felt that his eldest brother was treating him as a child. In turn he was continually jumping down Adam\u2019s throat, every word the older brother said was taken the wrong way. Inevitably that led to retaliation, Adam was very adept with a cutting comment or sometimes just a raised eyebrow, making Joe feel about twelve instead of his full nineteen years.<\/p>\n Hoss was fed up acting peacemaker between his brothers and had given both of them his opinion of their antics the previous day, but it obviously hadn\u2019t worked. As he went into the barn he saw Adam stagger backwards, followed by a furious younger brother hitting out hard.<\/p>\n Adam hadn\u2019t expected the original blow, he had only said that they had better finish the barn chores quickly or Hop Sing would be threatening to leave again. Since Christmas was only three days away, he didn\u2019t like being on bad terms with his youngest brother and had only been joking. Normally such a comment would have led\u00a0\u00a0to some joking, about how upset Hoss would be if threatened with no Christmas diner, but this time Joe had taken it as a personal criticism and launched himself at Adam.<\/p>\n Adam tried to ward off the blows, not really wanting to fight, but dazed by the first blow, he had cause to regret his efficiency in teaching his youngest brother how to fight. Just as Hoss headed towards them to try and break things up, Adam lost his own temper and landed one perfectly timed blow to Joe\u2019s jaw, which put him flat on his back.<\/p>\n Furious Hoss got between them \u201cDadburn it! That\u2019s enough from both of you or I\u2019ll give you both just what you\u2019ve been asking for fer the last week.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam lent against Sport\u2019s stall, mopping up blood from a cut lip, not about to take on the enraged big man, even though he didn\u2019t really see what he had done wrong. From the look of Hoss that wasn\u2019t a point of view that his brother would accept and he knew from experience that his father believed that as the eldest he should show control.<\/p>\n Joe had some satisfaction from the thick lip and the black eye he could see forming, to say nothing of Adam\u2019s struggle to catch his breath. However all of that didn\u2019t alter the fact that Adam was on his feet while he was sitting on his butt, yet another thing to hold against his eldest brother.<\/p>\n Hoss hauled his little brother to his feet and ordered him to go and get cleaned up and then get in the house. He suggested that Joe start thinking how to explain his bruised jaw to\u00a0Pa.<\/p>\n One Joe had gone, Hoss\u2019 temper deteriorated further as he realised he would have to finish off the barn chores. Adam obviously shaken didn\u2019t look capable of it. As he felt his brother\u2019s gaze on him, Adam tried to straighten up feeling the bruised muscles in his stomach protest. He caught his breath for a moment and then sighed \u201cWe taught the kid too well!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat the hell were you doing fighting him Adam? It\u2019s supposed to be Christmas, spirit of good will. I just don\u2019t understand what\u2019s got into you two\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI wasn\u2019t fighting him\u201d Adam protested knowing his big brother was really upset, it was very unusual for Hoss to swear.<\/p>\n \u201cHow come he\u2019s got a swollen jaw then?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam\u2019s immediate thought of \u201che started it\u201d sounded too childish even to his own ears and he just shook his head \u201cI\u2019ll only take so much, even from Joe\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah well you know him well enough to have avoided this\u201d Hoss glared at his older brother \u201cYou\u2019d better try and slip up the back stairs and clean up, it\u2019s gonna be bad enough when Pa sees you anyways. I\u2019d have liked to be able to enjoy my dinner in peace for once, instead of havin\u2019 to listen to the brotherly love and responsibility lecture again!\u201d<\/p>\n Adam decided that a few minutes peace and quiet was needed, to say nothing of a clean shirt and left Hoss to calm down<\/p>\n Hoss was slowly working through the remaining chores when he saw something glinting in the lamplight. He bent over and unearthed what appeared to be a whistle.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0He couldn\u2019t remember having seen it before but having wiped it off, he couldn\u2019t resist trying it. To his surprise there was no sound from it but it did have two very striking effects. The small dog he\u2019d been caring for over the last two months came rushing in and more worryingly Adam\u2019s big chestnut reared alarmingly in his box. Sport seemed to be trying to kick the stall down and was obviously upset. Hoss hastily put the whistle in his pocket and turned his attention to calming Sport down before he did and damage either to himself or to the barn.<\/p>\n Hoss was first at table for dinner and Ben quickly joined him. Hoss could have scripted the next comments as his father queried the absence of his brothers and then went on to berate their lateness. Hoss tried to concentrate on his food, it never seemed fair that he always heard the lecture, when he was the only one who was always on time!<\/p>\n Eventually Adam slipped into his seat, closely followed by his youngest brother. Ben considered his sons, both carrying sign of a fight. He knew neither had been off the ranch and unfortunately with their current moods it was all too likely that they had been fighting with each other. Ben looked over at Hoss but his big son was concentrating hard on his plate and very unwilling to meet his father\u2019s gaze. Ben gave up on Hoss as a source of information and turned his attention to his eldest son \u201cAdam have you and Joe been fighting?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam sipped some water not wanting to answer but meeting his father\u2019s gaze he knew Ben wasn\u2019t about to let him away without an answer\u00a0\u00a0\u201cNot really Pa\u201d<\/p>\n Ben reached over and turned his youngest son\u2019s face towards him \u201cHow did you get that bruise Joseph?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe didn\u2019t want to answer but Adam decided he really wasn\u2019t that hungry. \u201cYeah Pa I gave Joe that bruise and he gave me mine\u201d He pushed his plate away as he spoke.<\/p>\n Ben angrily demanded \u201cWhat were you two fighting about?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam came to his feet, graceful despite the anger evident in every movement, \u201cI don\u2019t know\u00a0Pa.\u00a0If your youngest son lets you know then maybe you can tell me! For now I need some air\u201d With that Adam turned, grabbed his gunbelt hat and coat and walked out, slamming the door behind him.<\/p>\n Ben looked at Joe \u201cWell?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s between us Pa, we\u2019ll sort it out\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss looked up \u201cI wish you two would hurry up and do it then. I\u2019m fed up trying to be the buffer between you. It\u2019s supposed to be nearly Christmas, time of good will, ain\u2019t much of that round here at the moment\u201d<\/p>\n Joe pushed his plate away and ran back upstairs, ignoring his father\u2019s call. Ben sighed heavily and then met Hoss\u2019 eye \u201cThey\u2019ll work it pout, they always do. Meantime let\u2019s try and enjoy our food or things will go seriously downhill if we annoy Hop Sing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah Pa\u201d Hoss concentrated on eating for a minute and then looked up \u201cDon\u2019t usually stay at outs with each other for so long\u201d<\/p>\n The evening seemed very long to Ben, neither Adam nor Joe reappeared and Hoss soon announced he was tired and would have an early night. Ben sat staring into the fire, unable to concentrate on his book, trying to puzzle out his sons\u2019 behaviour. He was soon lost in memories, other times when they had been arguing but every thing had worked out. Rather calmer Ben headed for bed late in the evening, but he knew Adam hadn\u2019t come back yet and he found it impossible to sleep.<\/p>\n Adam had ridden up to the lake and sat staring out over the view he loved. He thought back over the years and remembered another time when he had been at odds with Joe. A southern sympathiser Kyle had been raising the temperature in town, trying to get\u00a0Nevada\u2019s silver for the South and the brothers had come to blows. Adam had known then that Joe needed their father and the ranch more than he did. Adam had decided his only option was to leave, the ranch wasn\u2019t big enough for both of them. He had found it far harder to leave than he had expected and Joe had found him at the lake, after learning what Kyle was really like. Then the brothers had gone home together. This time Adam couldn\u2019t believe Joe would bother to stop him, but the rest was still true. Joe needed their home and their Pa more than he did.<\/p>\n It was very late when Adam rode home, but although the big room was empty, Ben hadn\u2019t been able to settle until he heard his eldest son come upstairs. Then he did go to sleep but he might not have done so if he had known what Adam was doing.<\/p>\n Adam slowly collected a few essential clothes and precious momentoes and packed them. For a while at least\u00a0\u00a0maybe things would be better if he and Joe had some miles between them. He had a long standing invitation to join some friends with a ranch near\u00a0Sacramento. He had been best man at their wedding about three years earlier. He had been trying to find the time for a visit and now seemed ideal. He thought of slipping out and just leaving a note but he wasn\u2019t that big a coward and decided to tell his family at breakfast.<\/p>\n Adam spent the rest of the night carefully packing the presents he had bought for each of his family and for Hop Sing. He wrote a brief note to go with each to try and make them understand that although he had to leave he did love them. It was one of the hardest jobs he had ever done. Adam had never found it easy to reveal his feelings but eventually it was done. He slipped down stairs and left them with a covering note for Hop Sing and then went back to his room. He sat staring out of the window at the view that he loved as he awaited dawn.<\/p>\n For once in his life Joe was up early, his stomach reminding him that he had barely touched his dinner the previous evening. Yet another item to add to the long list of complaints he had against his eldest brother. Joe was glad to see only Hoss and his Pa at table as he came down. \u201cAdam already gone out?\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss shook his head \u201cNope for once you\u2019ve beaten him down\u201d Joe joined them at table but a couple of minutes later they heard Adam coming down. Ben turned to make a jocular remark, hoping his eldest son was in a better mood, but it died on his lips as he took in the saddlebags and the coat Adam was wearing.<\/p>\n Hoss was the first to find his voice \u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThought I\u2019d go and visit Sam Butler and Cassie for Christmas\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t\u201d Hoss protested \u201c It\u2019s Christmas Eve tomorrow\u201d realising as he spoke that his protest didn\u2019t make much sense but just knowing he couldn\u2019t have his brother leave for Christmas.<\/p>\n \u201cMore peaceful for all of us\u201d\u00a0\u00a0Adam said with a slight smile to his family and then he swiftly moved over to the door.<\/p>\n Ben swallowed hard \u201cAre you coming back?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know Pa\u201d Adam met his father\u2019s gaze and his eyes softened momentarily \u201cI promise I will write\u201d With that he turned swiftly and went out to the barn to saddle Sport leaving total consternation behind him.<\/p>\n Joe licked suddenly dry lips \u201cHe can\u2019t mean it\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss angrier with both his brothers than he could remember glared at Joe \u201cWhen does Adam ever say anything he don\u2019t mean? Anyway why should you care? I though you wanted him outta here.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe couldn\u2019t meet his big brother\u2019s angry gaze and his muttered \u201cI never meant him to leave\u201d wasn\u2019t audible to his family.<\/p>\n The three moved out to the yard, each wanting to find some way to stop Adam. By the time they emerged Adam had saddled Sport and was leading him out of the barn. Ben moved swiftly over to his eldest son and put a hand on his arm \u201cThere\u2019s no need for this.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam\u2019s gaze rested on his youngest brother \u201cI think there is Pa before we end up really hating each other. I really don\u2019t know what I have done but I\u2019m not taking much more from him so I think it\u2019s best we get some space between us\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTake care son\u201d<\/p>\n Adam swung aboard and with a wave for his big brother he pushed Sport into a lope. Joe moved next to his father to watch as Adam moved through the deep snow drifts, not knowing how things had come to this but realising it was all his fault. Even when he had physically attacked his big brother Adam had taken a lot of punishment and only landed one blow back. Suddenly honest with himself Joe realised he had been blaming Adam for a blow to his own ego which his brother didn\u2019t even know had happened and certainly wasn\u2019t his fault. All over a girl who meant nothing to either of them, while his brother did matter.<\/p>\n Hoss dug his hands deep in his pockets to stop himself raising a fist towards either of his brothers, not sure which one he was most angry with. He found his hand closing round the strange whistle he\u2019d found and almost without thinking Hoss took the whistle out and blew it hard.<\/p>\n The effect was the same as before, Sport reacted frantically,\u00a0\u00a0rearing and pawing at the air. Adam taken totally by surprise was thrown heavily into the snowdrift on the left of the path.<\/p>\n His family watched in shock and almost before Adam hit the ground Ben and Joe were running towards him. Hoss was stunned by what he had done and stood as though rooted to the spot until Ben called to him \u201cHoss come on, we may need your strength\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0Adam was flat on his back in the snow. Winded and stunned by the unexpected fall, he couldn\u2019t answer his father\u2019s anxious questions. He formed the answers but couldn\u2019t find any breath to speak. Ben frantically cleared the snow from his body and began to check for broken bones as Joe knelt down by him, almost as ashen as his eldest brother \u201cPa is he alright?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s gotta be I didn\u2019t mean any of it.\u00a0\u00a0Please Adam, you must be alright, I need to tell you how sorry I am\u201d<\/p>\n Ben put his hand on Joe\u2019s arm \u201cNot now Joseph. You get Sport, let Hoss and I carry your brother back to the house.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss had finally arrived very worried by his brother\u2019s attempts to get his breath and the pallor of his skin \u201cIs it safe to move him Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe have to. It\u2019s too cold\u201d<\/p>\n Adam was fighting both for breath and for his scattered wits but he could hear the fear in both his father\u2019s voice and his brothers\u2019. He struggled for enough breath to reassure them \u201cAlright —— just\u00a0\u00a0——- winded\u201d he managed to get out with gasps for breath punctuating the words. Thankful that he was able to manage even that much Ben helped Hoss to lift his brother and between them they got Adam back to the house and got him onto the couch.<\/p>\n Joe had caught Sport with no problem but for now he had just tied him to the hitching rail outside. \u201cPa should I get Doc Martin?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWait a minute before we bother Paul, help me get your brother\u2019s boots off\u201d<\/p>\n Adam was shivering with the cold and the shock of the fall and Hoss stood watching, blaming himself, scared his brother was badly hurt. Slowly Adam\u2019s breathing was easing off and once Ben had got his snow covered coat off him, Joe brought the indian blanket over from the stairs and wrapped it round his eldest brother. Ben slowly fed his son a little brandy and Adam gained enough control to insist that he didn\u2019t need a doctor. \u201cAlright son just take it easy. Joe go and get Hop Sing to heat up some broth.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHonest Pa I\u2019m okay\u201d Adam tried to sit up but as he did so the room started going round on him and he realised he had taken more of a blow to the head, when he landed, than he had thought. He let Ben settle him back down,.<\/p>\n \u00a0Joe came back over and started to rub his brother\u2019s hands and arms to try and warm him up \u201cAdam I\u2019m so sorry, all my fault.\u00a0\u00a0I didn\u2019t mean it\u201d<\/p>\n Adam pulled his hand away and ruffled his brother\u2019s hair \u201cOkay kid forget it\u201d Joe looked up at the \u2018kid\u2019 but the smile on his brother\u2019s face told him he really was forgiven and he relaxed and concentrated on trying to warm Adam up.<\/p>\n Ben hurried over with the hot broth but Joe insisted on helping his brother. Hoss slowly relaxed and got himself a sandwich. He had been scared at first that he\u2019d really hurt his brother but reassured on that he just revelled in watching his brothers. Adam for once accepting all the cosseting and visibly relaxing and Joe hardly able to bear to lose contact with the brother, he thought he had driven away. Realising again just how much his eldest brother did mean to him.<\/p>\n Ben sat back in his own chair with a coffee \u201cI take it you are going to stay with us for Christmas?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam looked up but his hand rested on his little brother\u2019s shoulder as Joe still sat on the floor by the couch \u201cWell when I feel up to riding \u2013\u201c<\/p>\n Joe tensed under his hand but Adam squeezed gently \u201cI might just take my brothers into town for a drink. Otherwise I think home sounds pretty good\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss fingered the whistle in his pocket as he watched. He\u2019d got the only Christmas present he really wanted, his family complete and his brothers back to normal.<\/p>\n \n Epilogue<\/p>\n On Christmas morning the four gathered under the tree after breakfast and began to hand out the presents. Adam was totally relaxed he had dreaded not being here, but now everything seemed fine with his youngest brother. He was watching Hoss open the set of knives he had bought for Hoss\u2019 whittling, when out of the corner of his eye he realised Ben was opening an envelope. Adam\u2019s first instinct was to grab the envelope and throw it on the fire but he realised that the explanations would be even worse.<\/p>\n Adam got abruptly to his feet and walked over to stare out of the window. Joe and Hoss stared at him, worried by the tension they could see in every line of his body. Adam could not believe that he had totally forgotten those notes that he had worked so hard over. Notes that were only supposed to be read because he was in a different state. The stray thought came into his mind, maybe he had deliberately forgotten because the notes said things he couldn\u2019t bring himself to say face to face. Whatever the reason he was on edge, unsure how his family was going to take what he had written.<\/p>\n Joe and Hoss looked at each other and then at Ben but were surprised to find Ben smiling. Ben held up the envelope and gestured at their own gifts each with an obvious envelope, now the gift was unwrapped. Ben knew his eldest son very well and just how hard it was for Adam to reveal his feelings. He needed no explanations for Adam\u2019s abrupt move.<\/p>\n The brothers read their notes but it was Joe, who made a move over to his eldest brother. Adam had said just how proud he was of the man his youngest brother had grown into and had apologised if he sometimes failed to acknowledge that Joe was now a man. That Joe\u2019s opinions did matter and that he loved his brother very much, too much to risk what they meant to each other by staying and over reacting. He had also insisted that it wasn\u2019t Joe\u2019s fault but his own that he wasn\u2019t able to talk it out.<\/p>\n Joe knew that it was his fault, whatever Adam said, and he also knew just how much Adam meant to him but for once he was the one who couldn\u2019t put it into words. He just turned his brother round from the window and hugged him. Adam relaxed at that and returned the hug.<\/p>\n Ben, knowing how uncomfortable Adam got with displays of emotion, poured out four brandies \u201cI propose a toast \u2018To the Cartwrights, with four aces in every hand we can\u2019t fail\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n His sons laughed and all joined him round the fire, it was a fantastic Christmas!<\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Summary:\u00a0 Arguments nearly spoil Christmas, but Hoss has a whistle.
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