Gene pulled the string that rang the bell and waited. Little Joe Cartwright opened the door. He looked at Gene puzzled. "May I help you?"
Gene offered his hand. "You must be Joe. I've heard about you from my cousin."
Joe accepted his hand but was confused.
"Michelle Kaufman," Gene continued. "She's my cousin. She's been here for a few days."
Joe's expression changed as he pointed at Gene with his free hand. "You must be Eugene. Come on in."
Gene entered. "She's here isn't she?"
Joe put his hands on his hips. "Yes and no. She's still here but right now she's in town."
Gene pursed his lips. "How long do you think she'll be?"
Joe folded his arms. "Hard telling. You see she and my brother Adam took my cousin Rachie for a new dress. That could be an all day event." He paused. "Is there something I can help you with?"
"Oh, no, no. Mother said she'd feel better if someone came and rode home with her."
Joe laughed. "I'm sure Adam would have taken care of that...and that's why they sent you." He nodded with Gene. "Well, you're welcome to wait. My pa and brother Hoss took some supplies to an elderly couple. I'm by myself. Could use the company."
Gene unbuttoned his coat. "Sounds good to me."
"I was about to have a cup of coffee," Joe said. "Care for some?"
"I'd love some." Gene freed himself from his heavy coat.
The two soon found themselves on the settee with coffee, Hop Sing's sugar cookies and nothing to do but talk.
"Your brother sure likes my cousin," Gene couldn't help saying.
Joe chuckled. "You're telling me. Heck, I'm glad he finally met her. Just about all he's talked about since that first book of hers came out." He sipped his coffee. "I knew it was more than just her writing."
Gene raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you did?"
"I saw her picture on the back of the book," Joe said matter-of-factly.
Gene was slightly annoyed. He'd grown used to comments about his cousin's appearance, especially since she was quite...buxom. But he said, "She happens to be a talented writer. If you'd ever read her books you'd know that."
Joe turned cocky. "What makes you think I haven't?"
"Remarks about her picture." Gene paused. "Well, have you read them?"
Joe relented with a smile. "No. I've never been much for reading. Adam says they're real good." Joe cocked an eyebrow. "Have you read them?" he asked Gene.
Now it was Gene's turn to smile. "Finally read one of them. Jarrod had been after me for years to. I think next to Adam Jarrod is her biggest fan."
Joe nibbled at a cookie. "Did you like the book?"
Gene nodded. "It was good. Well written, held my interest. It's hard to believe that could have been her last."
"Really? How so?"
Gene drank from his cup. "'Brothers in Arms', the one I read was her second book. People were liking it a lot too. It was about as popular as her first. Then some swanky newspaper editor decided it was inappropriate... whatever that meant and he wrote a review saying so. He trashed her from one coast to the other."
Joe's eyes widened. "So...what happened?"
Gene grinned. "She kept writing. Seven more books. And she's more popular than ever. Folks can't get enough of her stories." Gene sighed. "I'm glad Jarrod talked me into reading it."
Joe sat back and folded his arms. "You know I think Adam and Jarrod are a lot alike. They both like book learning."
Gene sat back also. "I don't know Adam too well."
"Like Jarrod." Joe offered. "What I said. And he's a great brother."
Gene was nodding in agreement. "Yeah, although sometimes I thought he was bossy."
"Amen!" Joe interrupted referring to Adam.
"He even tanned my hide once," Gene continued.
Joe was amazed. "Once?"
"Yeah, he caught me sneaking in my window. The next morning he let his belt do the talking."
Joe leaned forward. "What I meant was only once? My brother Adam tanned me so many times I lost count." He was having a particular memory of the most recent time in San Francisco. "But I always knew he loved me," he added.
Gene grew thoughtful. "Yeah, Jarrod told me all the time too."
"Told you?"
"Yeah, told me. Didn't Adam tell you?"
Joe ran his hand through his hair. "Yeah, I guess he did. Then one day he stopped... but that was my fault. I was what, thirteen. I thought I was a big shot. One day Adam hugged me and told me he loved me. I shoved him away and said not to do that anymore. I was too old."
Gene reached for a cookie. "Jarrod wouldn't have let you get away with that."
"I reckon Adam thought I was going to come to my senses. I didn't."
"That's too bad, Joe."
Joe stood and stretched the kinks from his back. "Well, that fence has been mended. Happened at your house in fact. I learned you never get too old."
Gene looked quizzical. "What happened?"
"Let's say we reconnected."
Gene was about to ask Joe what on Earth he was talking about when the front door flung open. Rachel bounded in excitedly followed by Adam and Michelle. "Cousin Joe, wait til you see my new dress!"
Gene rose from the settee. Michelle was taken aback. "What are you doing here?"
Gene feigned irritation. "Hi, Gene, how are you?"
Michelle laughed. "Hi, Gene. What are you doing here?"
"Mother thought you should have some company coming home."
"You didn't have to come all the way out here," Adam said. "I would have made the trip with her... and that is why you're here." Adam turned to Michelle. "I just don't think your family trusts me," he joked.
"Can I show my new dress?" Rachie asked.
"Run along upstairs and put it on," Michelle answered. "I'll be up in a minute."
Adam helped Michelle with her coat then went with Joe to the kitchen for coffee.
Gene put an arm around his cousin. "Tell me something. What is this 'reconnection' that Joe and Adam had at our house?"
Michelle responded the same way she had when Jarrod had inquired a month ago. "What makes you think I know?"
"Because you know everything."
"Not this time," she lied.
"Okay, fine. I suppose if Joe had wanted me to know he would have told me."
Michelle started for the stairs.
"Are you going to write about it?"
Michelle rolled her eyes and started up the steps.
"Michelle... Michelle..."
THE END
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