Adam's Lessons:
Morning came too soon for Joe. Joe knew he was going to school and wasn't looking forward to a day without his sister Hoss walked in,
"Wake up, Joe."
"Hoss please don't let Adam be mean to Jax today."
"Don't worry; he filled me in on his plans. Besides Adam isn't mean, he's strict there's a big difference."
"She won't see the difference."
"Our baby sister has a hard time seeing a lot of things," Hoss said as he walked out of Joe's bedroom.
"You can say that again."
Joe joined Adam and Hoss downstairs; Jax still hadn't made it down.
"Adam, if Dennis says something about Jax, I'm not going to stand for it," Joe warned.
"I understand, but know this if you get into trouble at school today you'll get a bare bottomed belt tanning the moment you step through the door."
"Dennis is an idiot," Jax said as she walked into the room.
"So you want your brother to fight him, because he in an idiot?"
Jax had nothing to say to that sat at the breakfast table in a huff, only to yelp and stand back up.
"That's what you get for not keeping your temper. It wouldn't have hurt so badly if you would have sat down like a young lady."
Jax glared at Adam rubbing her backside.
"Jacqueline, I suggest you change your attitude we have a long two weeks together."
"Yes sir," Jax said wiping tears from her eyes.
Jax watched her brother ride off to school and wished she was with him. Not that she wanted to go to school; she just hated to be at home without him to talk to.
Adam walked out and said,
"Are you ready?"
"For what?" Jax asked apprehensively.
"You are not sitting here all day without learning."
Jax groaned.
"Last night you said the only why you can get respect is to fight. I don't agree."
"Adam…"
Adam's hand was up,
"Not finished. So the next two week you are going to read about some women and write a report on why they were respected and what they did to earn respect. I will check for grammar and spelling problems so you can revise them."
"How many?"
"One person every other day, so Pa gets home in fourteen days, meaning seven women."
"On the weekends, too?"
"Yes. The first one you'll need the bible and you will look in the Book of Judges for a women by the name Deborah."
"What Chapter and Verse?"
"I'm not making it that easy for you, baby sis."
"Adam that could take all day." Jax whined.
"It could, but you have extra chores to do as well so I wouldn't sit here wasting time."
"How long does the paper have to be?"
"Make it long enough to fully explain the questions, if the paper is too short I will let you know."
"I'm sure you will let me know, Mr. Colle…" Jax mumbled before Adam gave her a hard smack on her backside.
"Oww, Adam," Jax griped.
"Get to work young lady. You have many more lessons to learn the next two weeks," Adam said sternly.
"Yes sir," Jax mumbled. "Can I work in my room?"
"No. I want to keep an eye on you in case you need any motivation to work."
Jax knew the motivation included her backside hurting more than it did right now.
"Yes, sir."
Three hours later, Adam took pity on his sister and said,
"Let's go, part three of your punishment."
"What? How much more punishment am I going to get?"
"As much as I feel you need."
"Adam, remember Pa is going to punish me too."
"I remember and Pa will know everything that we do these next few weeks."
"So he might punish me less?" Jax said hopefully.
"I don't think it will save you from a tanning."
Adam walked his sister into the barn and asked,
"How much do you think Dennis weights?"
"I don't know."
"More or less than Joe?"
"More."
"Ok, go pick up that bale of hay."
"What?"
"Go pick up that bale of hay."
"I can't it's too heavy."
"Ok, pick up a half a bale."
"Adam," Jax said exasperated that was too heavy and Adam knew it.
"So if you can't pick up a half bale of hay, what would you do if Dennis sat on top of you and started hitting you?"
"Roll him off," Jax said with absolute confidence.
"Thought you were going to say that," Adam said and picked up a bag of sand. "Lay down."
Jax laid down nervously and Adam dropped a bag on her heavy enough to simulate a person her weight jumping on her. He made sure it wouldn't hurt her, but it still knocked the wind out of her.
"ADAM!" Jax complained a few seconds later.
"What? Get it off you."
Jax struggled but go the bag off of her. She jumped up and ran at her brother extremely angry. Adam was expecting it and threw another lighter bag at her. Jax fell on her bottom. Now she was crying mostly out of frustration.
"Are you done?" Adam asked.
"NO!" Jax said stubbornly.
"I think you are."
"NO, I'M NOT!"
Adam didn't hesitate he lightly tossed another very light bag at her. This one hit her in the face. Tears were really pouring down.
"Let's go back inside," Adam said helping his sister up.
Jax wanted with all her might to punch Adam, but knew that was a bad idea. Once they were in the house Adam said,
"So what do you think?"
"That you're out of your mind,"Jax said honestly.
"Why? You said you could take on any child at school?"
"That wasn't a fight," Jax protested.
"I was replicating what happens during a fight."
"No that was you throwing bags at me," Jax said enraged.
"The bag I dropped on you was weighed a little less than you. Dennis is twice that size, but you could barely get that weight off you. It would be twice as hard if he was hitting you. The second bag was it someone even lighter ran towards you knocking you down. Finally, the third bag was if someone threw a punch."
"No, that's not fair. I didn't have a chance to get ready."
"Did you give Dennis a chance to get ready yesterday?"
"No," Jax said defeated. Adam walked over and hugged his sister,
"Go back to your paper."
"Adam, I still think I could win a fair fight."
"We'll see about that."
Jax sat at the table and began writing again about Deborah. Adam had made it easy for her. Debora was the in fourth chapter in the Book of Judges. Jax had to admit that she was an amazing woman.
"Adam?"
"Yes," looking up from the books.
"I have a question."
"Yes?"
"Deborah was the fourth judge and she led an army into battle. Why did you choose her?"
"Did she want to go into battle?"
"No, Barak wanted her to come."
"Did she actually fight?"
"No, Barak and his armies did."
"So, was she respected even though she didn't actually fight?"
"I guess so."
"Guess?"
"She was. Can't we just talk about the women instead of me writing about them?"
"No, this part of your school work for the next two weeks. Joe is getting everything else for you to finish."
"So, I have to do this and my regular school work?"
"Plus extra chores and whatever else I deem necessary to help you stop and think before you provoke a fight."
"Adam, this is cruel," Jax protested.
"You deserve everything you are doing right now."
"I haven't been in that many fights."
"Nine in the last three months," Adam corrected.
"That's not many," Jax said.
"Too many for Pa and me, now get back to work."
"Yes, sir."
Joe came home on time to find his sister working hard on the paper Adam has assigned her.
"Looks, like you didn't get into a fight with Dennis," Adam said.
"No, just a little argument," Joe said. "I think he was afraid because of how hard Jax hit him yesterday."
Jax laughed until Adam glared at her and pointed toward the paper indicting that she should get back to work.
"Joe, take your books upstairs and get your chores done. Remember you are restricted to your room and can only come out for supper," Adam said.
"Yes sir," Joe said miserably.
"Can I go do my chores too? My hand hurts from writing," Jax begged.
"Go ahead."
Jax caught up with Joe.
"How was your day?" Joe asked.
"I've decided that Adam is crazy," Jax said laughing.
"Why?"
"He threw bags of sand at me to show me that I couldn't fight with the boys at school."
"Really? What were you doing when I came home?"
"I have to write papers about women who were respected but didn't fight," Jax said miserably.
"He told me I needed to bring your schoolwork home too. He's gonna keep you very busy."
"I kinda wish I was going to school. What actually happened with Dennis today?"
"He was saying how he got you kicked out of school and that wild girls like you shouldn't be allowed there anyway. Well, I was going to punch him, but thought better of it because of Adam's warning. I asked Billy Martin for help and we go him behind the outhouse where I punched him a few times. By the way you gave him a black eye."
Adam had walked up behind them and listened to Joe's story as the story went on he took off his belt. He grabbed his little brother's arm put him over his knee and tanned him good before Joe even had a chance to argue.
"You will not lie to me, Joseph. Finish your chores."
"That wasn't fair Adam. You said he couldn't get in trouble at school, not that he couldn't punch Dennis," Jax said watching her sobbing brother work on his chores.
"He lied saying it just having an argument. He punched Dennis," Adam said simply, "now finish your chores."
Jax stood there with her arms folded glaring at Adam who was putting on his belt. Adam turned her around and gave her a yet another sharp smack on her on her backside.
"My belt is only half way on, so if you don't want another tanning I suggest you do your chores," Adam said.
Jax moved after that and Adam finished putting his belt back on. Jax and Joe finished their chores slowly in absolute silence. Both were angry with Adam.
"You two are slower than molasses in January," Hoss said laughing.
"Don't want ta go inside. I have ta stay in my room and Jax has to sit and do work," Joe complained.
"Do you think Adam won't notice how long it is taking the both of you?"
"Didn't think about it and at this point I'm too mad to care," Jax said.
"When he tans your hide you'll care. Come on get things done," Hoss said reasonably.
They followed Hoss's advice. When they walked in and as Hoss predicted Adam noticed how long it took them to finish,
"Tomorrow you both will do your chores on your own."
"Adam, it's the only time we get to talk," Joe moaned.
"I'll let you have one more try, but if you are this slow tomorrow you will do your chores separately until Pa gets home."
"Thanks Adam," they both said smiling.
Joe headed to his room and Jax sat back down at the table. She finished the paper and handed it to Adam, praying that it was long enough. Adam didn't gave her a chance to rest,
"You have regular homework to do now."
"Fine," Jax said sitting down hard again it didn't hurt as bad but she still jumped up.
"I see you're still having a problem with your temper."
"Would you just shu…" she didn't finish the statement, realizing too late who she was talking to. Adam knew exactly what she was going to say and walked over there with purpose.
"Adam, I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking," Jax said backing up.
Adam took his sister to a chair turned her over his knee and delivered ten extremely hard spanks.
"Will you ever learn to keep that temper?" Adam said exasperated to the crying twelve year old. "Get back to work."
Jax sat down gently but this time it didn't matter, she couldn't find a comfortable position. So put her head on the table and cried. After another hour, Hop Sing wanted to set up for supper.
"Take your stuff upstairs and keep working until I call you for dinner. Do even think about stopping at Joe's room."
Jax was up the stairs in a second. She had wanted to get away from her oldest brother for all day. The moment she was upstairs, she was out the window and knocking on her brother's.
"Hi."
"Hi."
"Did Adam tan you again downstairs a little while ago?"
"Yes, I swear I'll never sit comfortably again."
"What did you do?"
"Told him to shut up, I stop shu… because my brain finally kicked in."
Joe laughed and Jax heard someone bounding up the stairs. She was out the window before Adam burst in Joe's door.
"Why were you laughing?"
"I can't laugh?"
"Sorry, I thought you and Jax had found a new way to communicate. It's supper time anyway."
Joe and Jax went downstairs. Supper was extremely joyful experience because Adam let the twins talk to each other. Even though the twins were the squirming to find a comfortable way to sit. After supper Adam sent them back to their rooms. He wanted to talk to Hoss alone.
"You will not believe what she almost told me to do," Adam said.
"What?" Hoss said.
"Shut up," Adam said shaking his head.
"That girl has guts, I wouldn't tell you to shut up," Hoss said smiling.
"Hoss, I don't know if I am getting through to her or making things worse. Should I wait for Pa or keep going?"
"I don't know."
"Do you think I am making things worse?" Adam asked miserably.
"It's the first day, Adam. I'm also going to talk to her tonight and see if that helps," Hoss said.
"I swear all I do is yell at her or tan her when Pa's not home."
"Stop worrying and beat me at checkers."
Adam smiled and did just that.
About an hour later, Hoss made good on his promise knocking on Jax's door.
"Hi sweetheart."
"Hi, Hoss. I thought it was Adam to yell at me or tan me. He's really being mean," Jax said pouting.
"You don't think you have anything to do with that?"
"He threw bags of sand at me!"
"Why?"
"He thinks it will prove to me that I can't beat up every boy on the playground. I still think I can," Jax smiled mischievously.
Hoss shook his head and understood the frustration that Adam was talking about.
"I want you to do me a favor," Hoss said.
"Anything," Jax said.
"Listen to Adam for the next few days."
"Why?"
"Everything he's doing is for your own good," Hoss said softly.
"Ok," Jax said not looking at him.
"Jacqueline, I want you to promise."
Jax thought about it for a few minutes and said,
"How about I promise to try? I don't know if I'll agree to everything he says."
"That'll work. Also try and keep your temper, Adam's sick of tanning you."
"I'm sick of Adam tanning me too," Jax said rubbing her backside.
Making Hoss laugh hard.
"Night sweetheart," Hoss said hugging her.
"Night"
Adam came up a few minutes later and hugged his sister goodnight. Jax stopped him before he left the room,
"Adam, I'm sorry I almost told you to shut up. I know it's very disrespectful. I'll try harder tomorrow."
Adam walked back in and gave her a second hug,
"Thank you, Jax."
Jax words helped gave him hope that maybe he was on the right track.
