<\/p>\n
Summary:\u00a0<\/span>Ben and Adam face off over the doctor\u2019s orders.<\/span><\/p>\n Rated:<\/span>\u00a0K+\u00a0\u00a0 Word count:\u00a0<\/span>887<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Doctor’s Orders<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben\u2019s harrumph made it clear that he thought his son had exactly that misdeed for which to atone. Adam capitulated. Turning back toward the bed, he shucked off the shirt he had just donned and pulled his discarded nightshirt back over his head. Then his lungs betrayed him, and he was racked by a wheezing cough.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben\u2019s \u201csee the doctor was right\u201d remained unstated, but both men acknowledged the fact silently. As Adam settled back into his bed, Ben softened. \u201cI know it\u2019s hard, but you must rest, Son. Is there anything I can get for you?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThe books,\u201d Adam replied flatly stifling another cough.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben shook his head. \u201cMaybe tomorrow. Today you rest.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam waited until his father had turned to leave before he rolled his eyes. \u201cYes, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben walked back out the open door, and Little Joe entered seconds later. Flopping down on the end of his brother\u2019s bed, Joe declared, \u201cBoy, are you lucky!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cLucky?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIf I\u2019d done what you did, my backside would be burning,\u201d Little Joe observed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIf I were still eleven, mine would be too.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSee, you\u2019re old enough to sass Pa. How old do ya have to be to get away with that?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam shook his head slowly, \u201cAbout as old as Methuselah, if you\u2019re lucky. If you think I\u2019m not going to pay for that one, you haven\u2019t been paying attention. Once you\u2019re over twenty-one, Pa just uses subtler methods.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Little Joe heaved a great sigh. \u201cWell, I\u2019d take subtler over a tanning any day.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam started to disagree but then shrugged and grinned. \u201cWell, just make it through the next ten years and see if you still feel that way.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAdam,\u201d Little Joe leaned toward his older brother, and his voice grew soft and conspiratorial, \u201cPa always makes us do exactly what the doctor says, but he never does. Do you think that\u2019s fair?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam thought for a moment and then tugged his ear. \u201cIt\u2019s not a question of fair really.\u201d Another cough broke through.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI thought maybe it was that grown folk didn\u2019t have to, but you\u2019re grown now, and Pa\u2019s making you,\u201d Little Joe observed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI may be grown,\u201d the twenty-three-year-old replied, \u201cbut I\u2019m still Pa\u2019s son. He knows he can probably see to it that I follow orders, and if he didn\u2019t, well, if I disobeyed Doc Martin and then got sicker, well, Pa would feel guilty. I guess that\u2019s the difference; if Pa disobeys the doctor and gets sicker, he doesn\u2019t have to feel guilty; he can just be mad at himself.\u201d Adam tugged his ear again; it had all become very clear to him as he spoke to his little brother.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNobody likes feeling guilty, I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell, then you best get down to the barn, so ya don\u2019t have to feel guilty about not doing your chores.\u201d Little Joe swung his head to look at his middle brother as he stood in the open doorway.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI wouldn\u2019t have to feel guilty about not doing them if you offered to do them for me.\u201d Little Joe grinned.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cMaybe when the devil starts throwing snowballs,\u201d Hoss countered as he strode across the room. Reaching the bed, he grabbed Joe and tossed him over one shoulder.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Little Joe squealed, \u201cHoss!\u201d and then started to giggle.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam laughed but ended up coughing again.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing\u2019s going to be bringing up some of his cough soother. He\u2019s fixing it now,\u201d Hoss told Adam while keeping a squirming Joe from falling back to the floor.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhich one?\u201d Adam inquired with concern.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss started to tease his older brother but then broke into a grin. \u201cThe good one with the whiskey and lemon.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam relaxed back against the pillows with a slight smile. \u201cThere are some advantages to being grown.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSee, I told you you were lucky,\u201d Little Joe called from his elevated position. \u201cI always get the yucky one.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cPoor baby!\u201d both his brothers exclaimed and then laughed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJoe! Hoss!\u201d Ben Cartwright\u2019s voice echoed up the stairs. \u201cLet your brother rest!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYes, Pa!\u201d Hoss called back starting toward the door.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll come keep ya company when I finish, Adam,\u201d Little Joe volunteered in a stage whisper.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cBring the checkerboard, \u201cAdam replied with a smile and then reached for his book. He would be in bed for two more days, so he might have as well make the best of them. There was no way Pa would let him disobey doctor\u2019s orders.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n