Why is everything different?
Joe took his twin sister fishing. He knew what he had to tell her was going to really make her mad but he didn't want her flying off the handle when Pa told her tonight. Jax's temper hadn't lessened with age in fact it increased.
"Jax," Joe started.
"What's wrong with you? You've been treating me like a caged animal all day," Jax said smiling. Joe could really be a baby sometimes.
"I need to tell you something and you're going to get really mad."
"Just tell me and get it over with."
"Pa's, letting me stay home the rest of the school year," Joe said and watched the anger build in his sister's dark brown eyes.
"Why?" Jax hissed.
"You know it's been a hard winter, so a lot of the cattle moved south. He need every hand he can get to help round up the cattle."
"Good, I'll go too."
"Jax, he's not going to let you."
"Why?"
"You know why."
"Joe, if you say it is because I'm a girl…"
"Jax, you have to face the fact that you are a girl and there is a proper order of things in the world."
"So what is my role?"
"Not to go on a round up," Joe said hoping that would appease her, but knew it wouldn't.
Jax walked away and got on Miss Lily.
"Jax, I have to go back in the fall," Joe called after her and hoped she didn't do anything stupid.
Adam watched her ride in the yard. Jax looked fit to be tied and he knew Joe told her about the round up. He realized quickly that she was about to confront their father, so he grabbed her arm and dragged her into the barn before she could do anything stupid,
"Jax, stop."
"Adam, I have something to say to Pa and I'm going to say it."
"You're not going in there until you've calm down," Adam said calmly.
"Adam it's not fair. I can do the work, so why can't I go on the round up?"
"It's no place for a girl."
"Damn it Adam…" which earned her a hard swat on her backside.
"Jax, don't swear."
"LET GO!" Jax demanded pulling hard against his grip.
"Only if you promise not to go in the house," Adam said.
"I promise." Again she jumped on Miss Lily riding away from yet another brother.
To say she was mad was an understatement. She knew how to wrangle cattle; I mean last summer she had proven that. Yeah, bringing up the cattle rustling incident to prove her point wouldn't be the best idea. Pa, was still a bit touchy about the subject and would start ranting about life threatening stunts. Still, she was sick of the way everyone was treating her. When she thought about it, she has been really calm about everything that had been going on. Joe had been getting more and more responsibility on the ranch and she had been given less and less. Sure, Pa had to tan her hide a few times, ok maybe ten or eleven times for arguing about it, but really she had been reasonable. Well, this was the straw that broke the camel's back.
Yes, she loved going to school and she was book smart like Adam, but she was also wild like Joe. Staying in a classroom was hard, especially when she would much rather be out on the range with the boys. Well, she would prove that she was as much of a man as anyone on the ranch. She walked toward the manliest place she could think of, the Bucket of Blood. She didn't make it through the front door before she was yanked back harshly.
"What do you think are you doing?" Billy Martin asked shocked.
"Proving a point."
"Jax, get away from here now," Billy said dragging her across the street.
"Billy, if you don't want a black eye I suggest you let go of me," Jax warned.
"If you don't want me to drag you back to the Ponderosa tied and gagged I would quit this stupidity."
Billy was becoming one of the best ropers in town. Jax knew this but tried to punch him anyway. He was ready for it and grabbed her arms pinning them to her. It wasn't the first time that Jax had tried to punch him and it defiantly wouldn't be the last. Luckily, it no longer bothered him to pin her down when needed.
"What's wrong?" He demanded as she struggled against him as he pulled her into an alley.
"I'm sick of everyone treating me like a girl."
"Come on let's get supper at the Darson's Restaurant and you can tell me about it," He said.
"Ok," Jax said tears of frustration pouring down her face. Billy at least listened and didn't pass judgment.
Once they were at the restaurant, they sat in quiet for a few minutes before Billy decided to ask,
"What set you off today?"
"The way you make it sound, I get angry every day," Jax said smiling.
"Don't you?" Billy teased.
"Only every other Tuesday."
"It's Friday."
"Oh, I forgot."
"So what happened?"
"Pa is letting Joe stay home for the rest of the school year and they're going on a round up."
"So are you mad or hurt?"
"Why would I be hurt?"
"Because you hate being left behind."
"I hate being told that I can't do something, when I know I can."
"Jax, I can think of an occasion when you thought you could do something and it ended in disaster."
"Billy, are you ever going to forgive me for jumping off Dead Man's Cliff?"
"Nope," Billy said smiling.
"Besides this is different, unlike Dead Man's Cliff, my family goes on round ups every year. By the way I didn't die when I jumped."
"Ok, let's go ask my Pa how close you came."
"No thanks, he gets more riled up than my pa does about that," Jax said smiling.
"So, here's the question. Are you going to change your pa's mind about letting you go on the round up?"
"Probably not."
"Probably?"
"Ok, no."
"So why have an argument that you know you will lose?"
"To prove a point."
"The only point you'll prove is that you are stubborn enough to take a trip out to the barn."
She knew Billy was right, but she didn't like it. Billy sat in silence waiting for Jax to relent. The one good thing about Jax was she usually would admit when she's wrong.
"Ok, you're right, but I don't think it's fair."
"I know, but you can't change it. How about I come out to the ranch during the week and I can teach you to rope? I have to practice anyway because I want to get a job on a ranch this summer."
"Really?"
"Yeah, I'll even teach you to shoot if you promise not to tell your brother," Billy said smiling.
"Joe already did, but I can always use the practice."
Billy laughed at that.
"And why pray tell do you need the practice," Billy asked.
"You know, Joe can't back down from a bet and he thinks he can shoot better than me. Right now he can, but after some practice, I should be able to beat him."
"Um, Jax," Billy said looking nervous.
"Yeah,"
"Are you allowed to come to town on your own?"
"No, why?"
"Adam's riding up."
"Great."
"I'll try and help."
"Thanks."
Adam stormed into the restaurant. He had been looking for sister for over two hours. Finally one of the hands said he saw her in town.
"Hi, Adam."
"What the devil are you doing here?" Adam demanded.
"I found her on the road, angry and decided to help her calm down before she did something stupid," Bill said calmly.
"Billy, I thank you for your help, but she knows better than to ride into town on her own."
"She was with me. I asked her to join me for supper. I know we should have asked first, but if she went into your house…"
Adam shook his head in understanding, making Billy smile.
"Come on, if Pa knew you were here you won't be able to sit for a week," Adam said grabbing Jax's arm.
"Thanks Billy," Jax said.
The moment they were out of Billy's hearing Adam hissed,
"I know he was lying for you."
"How?"
"Harold said you were going to walk into the Bucket of Blood and Billy stopped you."
"So are you going to tan me or tell Pa?" Jax asked.
"Neither, I'm letting you get away with it," Adam said simply.
"Thanks."
"Don't make me regret it."
"I won't."
"Come on we have to hurry or we'll be late for supper."
"Not really hungry," Jax said smiling.
"You better eat something or Pa will know something is up."
Adam and Jax walked into supper almost ten minutes late, something that did not make Ben happy.
"Sorry, Jax and I needed to talk about something," Adam said.
"Hop Sing wasn't happy," Hoss laughed.
Joe was sneaking peaks at his sister wondering when she was going to blow up.
"Sorry, Pa," Jax said and took her place at the table.
"Jax, there's something we need to talk about," Ben said.
"I already know, both Joe and Adam already told me. I'm not happy, but I know you won't change your mind. So what's the point?"
Ben looked at his daughter in shock. He thought this was going to be a huge argument. Maybe she was growing up after all or Adam's talk had done her some good.
Joe wondered what had changed since Adam left the ranch. Adam said she didn't listen to him and rode off in a huff. He also heard Harold tell Adam about her being in town.
After dinner Jax asked to go up to her room. She knew Billy was right about fighting with her father about this, but she wanted to do something to help him change his mind. He needed to realize that she wasn't one of those girls who would sit at home and knit, waiting for the men in her life to return. How could she do it? Her thoughts were interrupted by Joe.
"Hi."
"Hi."
"What changed your mind?" Joe asked.
"Billy."
"You know, he is probably the only person in the world who can get through your thick skull."
"No, I was afraid he would tie me up," Jax teased.
"So you did go into town."
"Yes."
"Did Adam tan ya or yell?"
"Neither, he was happy that I wasn't throwing a tantrum about the round up," Jax said.
"You're too old to throw a tantrum," Joe admonished.
"I can remember about a week ago you threw a major temper tantrum about wanting to break a horse. Didn't that end with a trip to the barn?"
"Forgot."
"Don't let Pa hear you say that. So how long are you going to be out on the range?"
"Pa thinks three to four weeks."
"Have fun."
Joe walked out of his sister's room knowing she was up to something again. He just hoped it was something to reckless.
The moment Joe left the idea hit her. It was just going to take a lot of patience and work. She would prove her point no matter what.