Impasse

By Hope

Here’s a short Ponderosa story I whipped out for all of you who wanted a fun episode. btw - I did a story a few months ago where I brought Adam back from college, the family built the two-story house Bonanza fans are familiar with, and Adam got his other horse, Sport. Just wanted to mention that before you start reading this one in case you get a little confused.

Thanks to Kierin for posting this for me. A special thank you goes out to David Dortort for creating those wonderful Cartwrights and letting me borrow them. As always thanks to Matt, Danny, Drew, and Jared for their terrific portrayals of the Cartwrights which I try to capture in my tales.

The usual disclaimers apply. Rated PG.

Hope

At first glance, Adam Cartwright appeared to be just eating his dinner, oblivious to the conversation being carried on by his father and two brothers, Hoss and Little Joe. On closer examination, however, the gleam in Adam’s eyes and the slight upward curve of his mouth gave him away. He was enjoying this immensely.

As their father ranted on about the latest shenanigans of the two youngest Cartwrights, their Chinese cook, Hop Sing, kept well in the background, and Adam kept wisely out of the fray as well.

He knew this would happen. It was just a matter of time before Pa found out about Little Joe and Hoss’s cow painting excursion. Adam had gotten wind of it when Eli Orowitz, owner of the Trading Post, had asked if their father was pleased with the blue barn. Apparently Joe and Hoss had found some extra spending money and had ordered some blue paint with the pretense of surprising their father with a freshly painted barn. Eli had questioned their choice of color at the time but Little Joe remarked that blue was their father’s favorite color and that he’d love it. It was to be a secret though, they told Eli, and he’d agreed he wouldn’t tell Ben. That didn’t stop him from questioning Adam about it though. Adam had told Eli he had no idea what they were planning and, suspecting something afoot, set off to solve the mystery.

The two brothers weren’t hard to locate and neither were the cows. One of the hands, Jasper, had ridden up just as Adam had arrived home in search of his brothers and Jasper had told Adam that he wasn't going to believe what was out in the north pasture - a small herd of blue cows. Adam told him wryly that, yes, he’d believe anything, then he headed out to track down the culprits.

************

Adam sat atop his horse, Sport, on a rise where he could scan most of the north pasture and there they were – five blue cows. Merriment danced in Adam’s eyes and he caught himself chuckling. Oh, how he’d missed times like these when he was back in Boston at college for four years. Slapping the reins, Adam set off to find his two brothers.

He rode in from the other direction so Hoss and Little Joe weren’t aware they’d been spotted. An old man in work clothes was plopping bills into Little Joe’s hands and counting the money out as he did so. "...eighty, eighty one, eighty two ..."

"Hold it." Adam began to dismount while his brothers exchanged sick looks at being caught. The old man halted his counting.

Adam sauntered over to the three and asked in his big brother tone, "What’s going on?"

Little Joe shrugged innocently. "Nuthin’."

Adam shot Hoss a knowing look and Hoss shifted on his feet. "Uh, Adam, we uh ..."

The old man spoke up. "I’m buyin’ these fellers’ blue cows."

Adam bit the insides of his cheeks to keep from laughing. "You are?" he asked calmly.

"Yep. One hundred dollars."

Adam repeated evenly, "One hundred dollars."

"Yep."

Adam eyed his brothers and at that moment Hoss found something very interesting to watch on the ground. Little Joe wasn’t so easily intimidated. "That’s right. We made a deal and he’s payin’ us." Little Joe again extended his hand toward the man, regardless of his big brother standing there, and the old man resumed his count. "Eighty three, eighty four ..."

Adam stood there, arms folded, considering the best course of action. Finally, he mentioned to the man, "You know about blue cows, right?"

The man stopped counting. "Huh?"

Adam’s brothers looked at him dubiously.

Adam continued. "Yeah, blue cows. You know where they come from, don’t you?"

The man scratched his whiskers. "This feller here," he indicated Little Joe, "said they come all the way from England. Said they’re bluebloods. Part of the Queen's own herd."

Again Adam had to keep from busting out laughing. He glanced over at his youngest brother and Little Joe assumed his infamous mask of innocence. Hoss just stood there focusing on anything but his older brother.

Adam cleared his throat to keep his voice even. "That’s right. They’re bluebloods. But they’re sacred. You can’t kill them."

The man frowned, "What da ya mean I cain’t kill ‘em? What’d I want ‘em for if'n I cain’t eat ‘em?"

Adam shrugged.

Little Joe started to interrupt, "Now wait a min ..."

The old man got in Joe’s face with his finger. "Ya tried ta cheat me, boy!"

Hoss attempted to intercede, "Now, Mister, he didn’t mean ..."

The little man shoved Hoss aside. "Stay outta this!" Again he was in Little Joe’s face. "Gimme back my money!"

Adam stood to the side with a smirk on his face.

Little Joe held up his hands in appeasement. "Now, wait a minute. These aren’t sacred cows. My brother’s jus’ ..."

For a small, wiry, old fellow, the man had a good grip which he now held Little Joe with and shook him. "Gimme back my money!"

Hoss tried to pull him off, but the old guy held on. Adam remained off to the side enjoying every minute.

"All right! All right! I’ll give it to ya!"

The man released Little Joe, and Joe winced and rubbed his arms where the man had held him in a vise-like grip. Shooting Adam a furious look, Little Joe shoved the money at the man. "Here!"

The man took it and quickly pocketed the funds. Before turning to go off to his old mare, he muttered, "Ya crooks," and walked off.

Adam smiled in mirth as Little Joe mournfully watched the man mount up. Hoss came up beside Little Joe. "Told ya it was a bad idea."

Little Joe let out a long, disgusted sigh. "Would’ve worked if our big brother hadn’t showed up."

Hoss nodded mournfully. "Yep."

Adam strolled over to inspect the cows. Their tails and hooves were coated in blue paint and they had blue splotches all over. "Pa’s gonna love this."

His brothers came over to him. Joe complained to Hoss, "Adam’s gonna go run tell him all about it."

Adam just grinned and continued examining the cows.

"Aw, he wouldn’t do that." Hoss looked to Adam in appeal. "Would’ya?"

Adam stood up and, once more wearing his smirk, remarked, "I won’t have to."

His brothers exchanged questioning looks.

Little Joe asked warily, "How come?"

Adam indicated with his head. "Cause here he comes right now."

Little Joe and Hoss looked in the direction Adam had indicated and saw their father storming their way. "Ut oh," Hoss muttered.

Little Joe’s face contorted in a grimace.

Ben reined in just as his horse reached the group. "WHAT IN BLAZES IS GOING ON HERE?!"

Adam said casually, "Ask your sons," and sauntered over to his horse.

Ben shot Adam an angry, questioning look but Adam wasn’t getting involved. He tipped his hat to his brothers and grinned, "See you, boys." Slapping the reins and still grinning, Adam rode off.

His brothers were left to face their father’s wrath.

************

"But, Pa ..." Little Joe tried to get in.

Their father continued to rage on at the table. "I’m out breaking my neck trying to keep this ranch running and you two CHILDREN are out painting cows BLUE!"

Hoss kept quiet, hoping to blend into the table.

Again Joe tried to interrupt their father. "But, Pa, we would’ve made ..."

"I don’t care what you would’ve made on the deal! You were cheating the man! And painting our cows BLUE!"

Adam cleared his throat quietly, stifling a giggle.

Ben shot him a harsh glance then continued. "I didn’t raise my sons to cheat people!"

"It was just a harmless joke, Pa," Little Joe tried to inject lightly.

"Ha! You would’ve kept the man’s money!" He glared at his youngest.

Joe faced his father but couldn’t take the glare for long. He looked down and responded meekly, "Yes, Sir."

"Of all the irresponsible, dishonest, foolish things I’ve ever heard of!"

Hoss winced with each new decibel his father reached. Hop Sing remained in the kitchen, well out of the line of fire. Adam leaned back and smiled pleasantly.

Ben looked Adam's way. "And you!"

Adam stiffened, caught off-guard. "Me?"

"Yes, you! Where were you when all this was going on?"

Now it was Little Joe’s turn to grin. Hoss perked up also at hearing Adam being pulled into the discussion.

"Where was I?" Adam made the unfortunate mistake of raising his voice. "I was out working like they should’ve been doing!"

"Don’t take that tone with me, boy!"

Flabbergasted that he was on the defensive now, Adam shot back, "These two morons paint your cows blue ..."

His brothers glared at him.

Adam continued, "...and you’re mad at ME?!"

"You’re supposed to keep an eye on them!"

"I’m not their keeper!"

"But you’re the oldest!"

Incensed, Adam tossed his napkin on his plate and got up.

"Just where do you think you’re going?" his father demanded.

Adam announced defiantly, "Out," and left the table.

Ben started to rise. "I’m not through with you, Adam!"

Adam walked over to retrieve his hat and holster. Putting them on as his father got up from the table and stormed over to him, Adam retorted, "See ya, Pa." He left Ben fuming and glaring at a closed door.

His brothers had remained at the table and now exchanged disturbed looks. They both felt a bit guilty that their mischief had led to this.

************

Adam had hurriedly saddled Sport and just as hurriedly had taken off. He had no clear destination in mind; just needed to blow off some steam.

Unbelievable, he thought as his horse galloped along. Those two brothers of mine pull a stunt like that and he yells at ME! Unbelievable!

He rode on, huffing and shaking his head in amazement.

************

Hoss and Little Joe kept out of their father's way the rest of the evening. Pa was still seething after his run-in with Adam, and the other two boys weren't about to remind him of where he had left off in their haranguing. They turned in early and spent the next few hours in Hoss's room playing checkers and keeping out of their father's line of fire.

Hop Sing finished up the dinner dishes and took himself off to his room. That left Ben alone with his thoughts. He grabbed his pipe and the newspaper from town and sat down to read. But his mind was elsewhere. Angry with his oldest son for running off in the middle of an argument, Ben had also begun to feel a bit guilty about that argument. Perhaps he'd been too hard on Adam. After all, he'd had no part of the cow painting scheme. So why had Ben drawn him into it?

Ben tossed the paper on the table and chewed absently on the tip of his pipe while staring off into the fireplace.

************

Late that night, Ben lay in his bed and heard the sound he'd been waiting up and listening for - the front door opening. He got up, threw on his robe and slippers, turned up the lantern and grabbed it, then made his way quietly to the staircase.

His oldest son, however, was making no attempt to be quiet. His father heard him bump into something downstairs and mutter under his breath. Shining the lantern in that direction, Ben saw Adam bend down to retrieve his hat he'd dropped it on the floor and heard him remark, "Whoops," then chuckle to himself. Fumbling to put the hat up on the dresser by the door, he knocked Hoss and Little Joe's gun belts to the floor and they fell with two noisy thuds.

Ben whispered harshly, "Adam!"

Adam glanced over and saw his father coming down the stairs as Adam clumsily set the gun belts back on the dresser. He said a little too loudly, "Hi, Pa!"

"Shhhhhhh!" Ben admonished immediately.

Adam shrugged and smiled hazily. "What? Is somebody sleeping?"

"Not anymore," Little Joe announced as he started down the stairs in his nightshirt, followed shortly thereafter by Hoss.

Ben came over to his eldest son, lantern in hand. "What's wrong with you?"

Adam shrugged again and answered, "Nuthin'."

A horse whinnied just outside.

The door was still open and Little Joe and Hoss joined the others near the door.

Ben shown the lantern in Adam's face. "You've been drinking!"

Adam snorted and said, "Nah." He smiled and turned away from the glare of the lantern.

They heard the horse whinny again. Ben grabbed his son's arm. "Didn't you even have enough sense to put your horse up?"

Little Joe and Hoss braced for the coming tirade.

Adam giggled as the horse whinnied once more. "Oh, that horse? That's not my horse."

"Well, whose horse is it?" Ben demanded.

Adam pulled out of his father's grasp, detoured a little clumsily around his father and his brothers, and headed to the porch with the others following. It was dark out except for the lantern Ben held. As Ben and as Adam's brothers got nearer and as the light finally shown on the animal Adam announced, "It's your horse, Pa."

Ben's eyes bulged out as his eyes registered on the sight before him. Little Joe and Hoss's mouths dropped open. Adam propped himself against the hitching post and grinned. "Thought you'd like your horse to match the cows."

Ben's horse was covered in blue polka dots.

"ADAM!"

Hoss and Little Joe were too stunned to say anything.

Adam looked blearily at his father. "Is there a problem, Pa?"

If there had been more light out, Ben's sons would've seen the veins in his neck almost pop. "What have you done to my horse?!"

Adam savored every moment as he leaned against the hitching post.

Ben hollered, "He's BLUE!"

Adam smiled hazily, "Yeah. Nice shade, don't 'cha think?"

Hoss and Little Joe exchanged terrified looks knowing their brother was in grave danger.

Ben grabbed Adam by the arm and yanked him closer to the horse. "I want that paint off and I want it off NAOW!"

It was a good thing Ben had Adam by the arm because Adam probably wouldn't have still been in an upright position. The world was spinning faster and faster with each passing moment and Adam's insides were beginning to protest a bit. "Can't do it, Pa."

Ben bellowed even though his son was standing right there, "WHY NOT?!"

"Because I'm gonna be sick." Adam tugged his arm out of his father's hold and just barely made it over to the nearby bushes as his earlier drinking excursion caught up with him.

Ben stood seething nearby while Hoss and Joe cringed as they heard their depths of their brother's misery.

Done for the time being, Adam groaned and grasped the hitching post for support. He groaned again.

Having no sympathy whatsoever for his miscreant son, Ben lectured, "Feel real good right now, don't you?"

Little Joe and Hoss grinned to themselves. It wasn't often they weren't the brunt of their father's wrath and that their "perfect" brother wasn't smirking at them in the background. It was nice to have the tables turned for once.

Adam muttered to his father, "Uh huh."

Ben came over closer and shoved a finger in Adam's face. "You're not to come into the house until you get that horse washed down. Do you understand me?"

The ground was looking mighty tempting to Adam. He figured he'd just make a bed of good ol' Ponderosa dirt as soon as his father got out of his face.

"Did you hear me, Adam?!"

Adam muttered, "Yeah."

"What was that?"

Adam groaned again but answered, "Yes."

Ben wasn't finished with him. "Yes, what?"

Adam was about to repeat the earlier bushes scene. He mumbled, "Yes, Sir," and again rushed over to purge his stomach.

His father continued to show no sympathy for him. His brothers winced as Adam's vomiting continued. Ben looked to his other sons. "You, two!"

Little Joe's mask of innocence made another appearance. "Us?"

"Us?" Hoss asked meekly.

"Yes, you. You'll help your brother get this animal cleaned up."

Joe whined, "Aw, but, Pa …"

Ben glared at his youngest son, daring him to continue. "But Pa, what?"

Joe backed down seeing the near-eruption in the man's eyes. "Nuthin'."

Ben shot his middle son a look. "Do you have any thing to say?"

Hoss sure wanted to speak up, feeling this was totally unfair. But he knew better than to take on his father when he was in this state. "Nah."

"Good!" Ben cast one last glance at his eldest son, who was just then wobbly taking himself back to the hitching post. Keeping the lantern in his possession and heading toward the front door, Ben turned back to add, "Get your own lanterns!" and went inside, closing the door forcefully. His sons became devoured by the darkness.

Hoss and Little Joe shoulders slumped as they realized how much work it would be to clean all of the paint off the horse. Adam sagged against the post and groaned again.

************

Adam didn't remember passing out but apparently had done it in the barn and his ever-caring brothers had left him there, facedown and lying in the middle of the barn.

Just beginning to come around the next morning, he moaned as he was yanked up to a kneeling position by his loving father.

"Get up, boy!"

'Boy.' His father only used that term on him when Adam was in real trouble.

Vaguely aware of the previous night, Adam realized he had made a definite lapse of judgment and now there would be hell to pay. 'Well, it was worth it - I think.' He attempted to stand but was having a difficult time.

There were very few times in his life when Adam Cartwright had let his emotions rule his actions and last night had been one of those rare occasions. But he'd been so angry at his father and so fed up that he'd thrown caution to the wind and had gone out and had a great time. First it was heavy drinking at one of the saloons for several hours. (Of course he hadn't gone to Shelby's as she never would've permitted him to consume so much.) Then he'd gotten the brilliant idea to paint Pa's horse blue. He knew he was taking his life in his hands but, if he was going to be blamed for the paint incident anyway, Adam decided he'd enjoy himself. He was just glad his brothers had left a can of the blue paint behind.

Ben yanked him up the rest of the way to a standing position and Adam stood, though hunched over a bit.

"What's gotten into you?"

Adam winced as his father's volume echoed through his brain. "Sorry."

"Sorry? What kind of example are you setting for your brothers?"

"Don't know." He figured short answers would keep this confrontation brief. He was wrong.

"Going out drinking for hours! Stumbling home! Then painting a horse - my horse - BLUE!"

"I'm sorry," Adam mumbled again then took a few shaky steps away from his irate father.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you!" Ben was brooking no insolence today.

Adam straightened up a little and faced his father.

"What got into you last night, Adam?"

Adam shrugged.

"I could expect that kind of thing from your brothers, but not you."

Adam looked away.

"Well?"

"Pa, I'm sorry. Can't we just …?"

"No, I won't just forget it. I'm ashamed of you!"

Adam muttered, "I'm sorry I'm such a disappointment." He turned to walk away but Ben grabbed his arm and turned him back to face him again.

"What got into you?"

The pounding in his brain and Pa's relentless torrent combined to push Adam just a mite farther than a prudent man would go. "What got into me?" he cried. "What got into me, Pa? I'll tell you. It was you! You drove me to it!"

Outraged, Ben shot back, "Me?"

Adam stood up to his full height and answered, "Yes, Pa - you! Always yelling at me when Little Joe and Hoss mess up. Always expecting me to do the right thing and make the right choices. Always expecting me to take the blame whenever anything goes wrong ..."

"That's not true, Adam."

Adam's anger now matched his father's. "Yes it is. And I'm tired of it! I did nothing wrong yesterday yet you chose to turn your fury on me - in the middle of lecturing Hoss and Little Joe."

Ben's anger continued to burn.

Adam went on. "So I decided as long as I was going to be blamed for something I might as well enjoy it!"

"Oh, you did?"

"Yes, I did."

"You're an adult, Adam, and I expect you to act like one."

Defiant, Adam shot back, "You do?"

"Yes."

"Fine!" Adam looked around for his hat and saw it lying several feet away on the ground. He walked over and scooped it up. Plopping it on his head and wiping the hay off his clothes, he headed a little unsteadily to his saddle.

"Where are you going?" Pa demanded.

Adam hefted his saddle and toted it to Sport's stall. "Out."

Ben came over near the stall and watched as Adam began saddling his horse. "Adam, I won't tolerate disrespect."

Adam snorted slightly and kept to his work. "Disrespect? That works both ways, Pa."

Ben came ominously closer. "You may be older than your brothers and out of college, but you're still my son and you'll treat me appropriately."

Adam adjusted his cinch. "You haven't even heard me, Pa."

"Adam …" Ben warned.

Adam grabbed the bridle and threw it on Sport then began leading his horse out of its stall. Ben grabbed his arm as he went by. "You have work to do."

Adam yanked his arm away and repeated his earlier words. "I'm sorry I'm such a disappointment." He continued on out of the barn then mounted Sport and tore off. He left his father glaring after him.

************

They could've been called angels if it weren't for the fact of who they were. Never had Ben Cartwright known two more obedient, helpful sons than his two youngest that day. They had witnessed Adam storming off and had also seen the look on their father's face as Adam had done so. As a matter of fact, they had been on their way to the barn and had overheard much of the conversation that had passed between their father and brother. Exchanging looks, Little Joe and Hoss decided for their own safety they'd better be on their best behaviors - at least for the rest of the day.

They tended to all of their chores and reluctantly took care of Adam's also. They spent most of the rest of the day digging post holes, one of their least favorite chores but one that had been neglected for a very long time. Finally returning to the house hours later and sore all over, they took care of their horses and made sure to clean up and get to the dinner table not a minute too late.

It was a relatively quiet dinner. Little Joe and Hoss weren't anxious to initiate conversation with their father as Adam hadn't returned home yet and they could see their pa's thoughts were distracted. They figured he was probably wondering where his eldest son was and still fuming about the whole thing. He did manage to tell them "Good work" after they'd informed him that all of the post holes had been dug and all the chores tended to.

As Hop Sing served dessert, Ben asked him to save his dessert for later that evening, excused himself, and went outside. Hop Sing had felt the tension in the house and did as he was told without comment.

Hoss looked at Little Joe as their father left. "Where d'ja think Adam is?"

Joe shrugged. "Who knows? But he better not come home drunk again."

Hoss dug into his dessert half-heartedly. "Yeah."

They ate in silence for awhile. Finally, Hoss spoke up again. "Think we oughtta go find him?"

Little Joe considered this for a moment and scratched his head. "Guess we could."

"Yeah. Maybe we can cool him down. Git him ta apologize ta Pa."

Joe snorted. "I don't know 'bout that. You know how stubborn our older brother is. 'Sides, I'm not sure I wanna get in the middle of this thing between Pa and Adam."

Hoss thought about it. "But we cain't let this thing go on. After all, it was our fault."

"Our fault? We didn't make him get all liquored up. And we didn't make him paint Pa's horse!"

"But we did paint the cows blue and that's what started this whole durned thing."

Little Joe again considered Hoss's words. "Yeah, I guess."

"So we're gonna go find 'im?"

Joe at last conceded. "Yeah. But let's wait till Pa comes back in. Then we'll slip out."

Hoss nodded and attacked the rest of his dessert with renewed vigor.

************

He'd gone to town for the day. A leisurely bath, a shave, and a new shirt and pants, (both black), and Adam felt like a new man. He had stabled his horse at the livery earlier and reserved a room at the hotel. He spent part of the day in his room reading a new novel he'd picked up at the mercantile and also stewing over his recent confrontations with his father. Now, as Adam enjoyed a nice steak and wine dinner at the hotel, he frowned at seeing his brothers entering the place. They looked around, spotted him, and came over to his table.

"What do you two want?"

Adam's brothers each pulled up a chair. As they sat down, Hoss remarked, "Nuthin'," and helped himself to a roll. Adam couldn't help but grin when he saw that.

Adam looked to his youngest brother. "Pa send you to find me?"

Joe set his hat on the table and shrugged. "Nah. We just figured we'd come see how you're doin'."

Adam sipped at his wine. Setting the glass down, he told them, "I'm fine."

Joe eyed the wine but Adam poured some more and set it well out of Little Joe's reach. He knew his brothers well.

"So, how 'bout it, Adam?" Little Joe asked. "Ya comin' home with us?"

Adam again enjoyed his wine. "Nope."

Hoss stuffed another roll in his mouth and asked through mouthfuls, "How come?"

Adam couldn't help but comment, "Don't talk with your mouth full, Hoss."

Little Joe grinned. "Yeah, Hoss."

Hoss swallowed a big gulp and muttered, "Sorry."

Joe chuckled.

A feminine voice asked from across the room, "You ready to go, Handsome?"

Adam glanced up from his meal as his brothers turned in the seats to see a beautiful young woman with striking red hair and wearing a lovely gown coming over toward their table. Adam patted his napkin to his lips and set it aside. "Yes." He rose and met her partway, taking her hand on his arm.

Adam's brothers stared at the woman, mouths open and struck speechless at their brother's good fortune.

As Adam and the woman reached the table, the woman smiled sweetly at Hoss and Little Joe and commented, "I don't believe we've met."

Adam nodded in Hoss and Joe's direction. "These are my brothers - Hoss …"

Hoss's mouth was still agape. Joe had to prod him before Hoss could get the words out. "Uh - pleased to meet ya, Ma'am."

Adam continued, "And Little Joe."

Joe rose quickly and added, "Just Joe, Ma'am."

The girl smiled and looked to Adam for the rest of the introductions.

"This is Eve," Adam said with a wry grin then dropped some money on the table. Eyeing Little Joe, Adam grabbed the wine bottle and, with a smirk, added, "See you, boys." He and the girl strolled out.

The significance of the girl's name was lost on his brothers for several moments. Finally it hit them simultaneously and they exclaimed, "Adam and Eve?" They exchanged amused looks as Little Joe remarked, "Guess he's not comin' home tonight."

Hoss grabbed Adam's plate and in between mouthfuls managed, "Nope."

************

And he didn't. Late the next morning, whistling and with a slight grin on his face, Adam dismounted in front of his house and tied Sport's reins to the hitching post. He glanced toward the front door, wiped the grin off, and calmly headed inside.

Closing the front door, he tossed his hat on the dresser and glanced around. No one was in sight. He headed on to the kitchen where he found Hop Sing chopping vegetables. "Where is everybody?"

Hop Sing stopped, pointed his knife in Adam's direction, and scolded, "Why you no come home last night? Father very angry."

Adam said evenly, "Had something to do. Where are they?"

Hop Sing resumed his chopping. "Everybody out at lumber camp. Father said you come home, you go there. No excuses."

Adam nodded. "All right." He was in no rush to face his father's wrath but figured he might as well get it over with.

************

Hoss set the end of the log down while breathing heavily, pulled out his neckerchief to wipe off his brow, stood up, and commented, "Look who's comin'."

Little Joe's attention was in the other direction watching the men and he turned to see who Hoss had spotted. He saw their older brother riding toward the camp. "'Bout time he got here."

The two headed over as their brother was dismounting. Adam glanced around. "Where's Pa?"

"He's due back any minute," Joe informed him. As he got the words out, the three brothers heard hoof beats and caught sight of their father riding up. Adam set his face and walked toward him as his brothers stayed wisely where they were.

Ben tied the reins to a bush and looked up to see his eldest son coming his way.

Adam got to him and waited for the tongue-lashing to begin.

His father glared at him but didn't say anything.

Adam finally ventured, "Pa?"

Ben began walking toward his other sons.

Adam watched him go and eventually decided he'd better follow.

Joe and Hoss had observed from the distance and stood waiting as the other two approached. Apprehensive, the younger Cartwrights weren't looking forward to the coming storm.

Ben reached them and Adam arrived a moment later. Ben looked toward his youngest sons. "You two finish that stand of trees?"

Hoss nodded. "Yep."

"Good." Ben glanced around at the men working. "Looks like we're on schedule."

Adam stood by patiently. He wasn't in any hurry to clash with his father again.

At last, Ben looked his way. "Adam. You'll finish up here. The lumber is due at the mine in two days."

Adam just nodded. He figured with Hoss and Little Joe helping that would be no problem.

His father added, "We'll be leaving for Sacramento in the morning."

His three sons exchanged looks wondering who the "we" included. Little Joe asked, "Pa?"

Ben informed his eldest son while cognizant of his other sons' curiosity, "Little Joe and Hoss are coming with me.

Hoss glanced Adam's way then ventured, "Pa. Mebbe I should stay and help Adam?"

As if he hadn't heard him, Ben remarked, "Come on, boys," and looked toward Hoss and Little Joe. "Let's get home."

Adam's brothers watched their father walk off then glanced at Adam. Adam smiled to ease their concerns. "Have a good trip."

Joe suggested, "Adam, maybe we could …"

Adam cut him off lightly. "I'll be all right. You better go."

Neither Hoss or Joe felt good about leaving their brother with the big task ahead but they knew their father was waiting and was in no mood to argue. Hoss slugged Adam lightly on the arm and remarked, "Ya take care, Big Brother."

Adam nodded.

Little Joe echoed Hoss's remark. "Yeah. Take care, Adam."

Adam smiled again. "I will."

With that, the youngest Cartwrights headed toward their horses. Adam watched them go and snorted slightly at the situation. He turned away and headed toward the other men.

************

Well, he did it. Working from sunup till sundown and staying at the camp two straight nights to deal with details, Adam met the terms of the contract and had the lumber cut, stacked, and delivered on schedule after only a few mishaps.

Once that task was finished, he gave the crew the rest of the day off and gave the foreman instructions for the remainder of the week. Then he took himself home for a hot meal and some well-earned sleep.

Over the next week, Adam spent his time attending to different tasks around the ranch, supervising the crew working with the herd, negotiating a sale for some horses, and tackling the unending bookwork. In between all of those things, he also spent time dwelling over the ongoing confrontations between himself and his father. This latest one was at an impasse. Both men believed they were right and Adam didn't believe he should be the one to apologize. It was time Pa realized that Adam wasn't just part of a group - that he was an individual and deserved to be treated based on his own merits or faults. But how could he make his father see that?

Adam closed the ledger and leaned back in his chair as he brooded over the situation.

************

The rest of the family returned three days later. Adam was out chopping wood as they rode up and dismounted. He set the ax down and went over to greet them.

"Hey, Adam!" Hoss called out while coming over to shake his hand.

Adam returned the handshake and responded. "How was your trip?" while eyeing his father. Ben concentrated on loosening the ties that held his bedroll to his saddle. Joe came over to his eldest brother and shook his hand, too, while saying, "Great. We got a deal for two hundred head of cattle."

Adam smiled. "That's good," though his mind was distracted waiting to see what mood his father was in.

Neither brother was eager to ask Adam how the lumber delivery went, figuring he probably had trouble making the deadline.

Adam glanced toward his father then commented to his brothers, "You're probably tired. Why don't you go in and I'll put your horses up?"

The other two quickly took the hint. They chorused, "Thanks," then grabbed their saddlebags and bedrolls and headed toward the house. Their father led his horse into the barn. Adam untied both sets of reins from the post and led his brother's horses into the barn also.

Ben was unsaddling his horse as Adam led Paint, his youngest brother's horse, into its stall after having left Hoss's horse, Chub, next to the stall. Adam removed Paint's saddle and bridle then went to attend to Chub.

Ben brushed his horse down quickly as Adam unsaddled Hoss's horse. By the time Adam had brushed down both horses, Ben had already given his horse some water and hay and was heading toward the door. Adam set the brush aside as he came out of Paint's stall and decided he'd risk approaching his father. "Pa?"

Ben stopped and turned back to him but didn't say anything.

This isn't going to be easy, Adam thought to himself. He walked closer to his father. "Pa, we need to talk."

Ben stood there and said flatly, "All right."

Adam studied him, contemplating how best to handle the situation. "We need to get this settled, Pa."

It took Ben several moments before he answered, "You owe me an apology, Adam."

Adam let out a long breath and looked off momentarily. He looked back at his father. "Pa, it's about more than that."

"I won't tolerate disrespect. From any of my sons."

"But I deserve respect, too."

Ben's face assumed a mask of stone, but Adam persisted. "I carry a big load around here, Pa, but you still treat me like a kid."

"I don't treat you any differently than Hoss and Little Joe."

Adam took a few impatient paces away then turned back. He spread his hands. "But that's just it. I am different. Just as Hoss and Joe are different. And we each deserve to be treated based on our own deeds or misdeeds and based on who we are."

Ben spat, "So you're saying I'm a bad father?"

Adam responded quickly. "No. Not at all. But you did pull me into something I had no part of."

Ben stared at his son for a few moments. He realized that Adam did have a point but Ben also wasn't willing to let Adam's insolence go unchallenged. "You let me down, Adam. And you were impudent."

Adam raked his hair with his right hand. "I had TWO evenings where I went out and enjoyed myself. I'm only human, Pa. But you know I've always tried to do the right thing; always tried to set a good example for Hoss and Little Joe." He considered his father, gave a deep sigh, then added, "I was disrespectful to you, though. For that I apologize."

Ben took the words in. As he did, he thought back to the talks he'd had with Little Joe and Hoss on the trip to Sacramento and how they'd tried unsuccessfully to defend their big brother.

Adam figured he was getting nowhere. "Pa?"

Ben gave his son no clue as to whether his words had broken through. He headed to the door but at the last moment hesitated.

Adam saw that and came over to him. He said softly, "Pa, I'm not perfect."

Ben looked at him. His mask of stone had begun to chisel away. "I don't expect you to be, Son."

Skeptical, Adam replied, "Really?"

Ben half-laughed, breaking the tension. "Of course not. You wouldn't be one of my sons if you were."

Adam grinned as the knot in his gut at last relaxed. After a few seconds, he joked, "So you didn't mind a blue horse?"

Ben took a moment then chuckled, "I would've preferred orange."

This time Adam laughed. "I see."

Ben faked a punch at him then after a moment pulled him into a spontaneous embrace.

Caught off-guard, Adam whispered, "Am I forgiven?"

Ben released his hold and looked at his son. "This time." He smiled.

Adam smiled in return.

Ben regarded him for a moment and he knew what he had to do. "I apologize, too, Adam."

Amazement framed Adam's face as he heard those words and as he realized what it must have taken for his father to say them. With voice catching, Adam uttered, "Thanks, Pa."

Ben leaned in and whispered, "Don't tell your brothers or I'll deny it."

"Don't worry," Adam said drolly. "They'd never believe me."

Ben chuckled and took a step toward the door. "Come on. Let's see if Hop Sing's got anything to eat."

"All right. I am hungry, come to think of it." Adam followed his father out.

As they walked toward the house, Ben asked, "By the way. Did you get the lumber delivered?"

Adam kept walking and remarked casually, "No. We're being sued."

Ben halted in his tracks. "WHAT?!"

Adam stopped and looked over at him with mirth in his eyes. Ben realized he was being put on and shook his head, noting dryly, "You're pushing it, Son."

Adam laughed.

Ben put his arm around Adam's shoulder and the two continued on.

THE END.