Chapter 2
"Joe, what's wrong?" I asked. Joe hasn't said a single word since we left the house and we were now on our way back home from the Drake's, who are old friends of Sheriff Coffee's.
"Oh, nothing ma," said Joe giving me a slight, fake smile. "I'm just really tired from being out so late…ma," Joe asked. "Do you think pa is really mad at me for being bad in the last couple of weeks?"
"Um, I'm not sure Joe. All I know is that he is very, very frustrated with all of you. For always spending too much time at the saloon," I said hoping to show him that his brothers were making pa frustrated also and not just him. You see, Joe always has been a little wild but he has the sweetest heart in the world and hates to make his father upset. Even when he does he always is harder on himself. Guilt always eats away at him when he does something bad and sometimes ends up in trouble from it.
"Oh, ok thanks ma," said Joe lowering his head again. As we neared the house Joe started to shiver.
"Joseph," I asked, "are you feeling ok?"
"What!" Joe asked a little alarmed… I must have startled him. "Um, no I was just um a little cold… yeah that's it just a little cold," he replied trying to confirm his statement himself.
"Well, let's see about that," I asked as I reached out to touch his forehead.
Hey! There you are I've been wondering were you were," said Ben smiling as he rode up on his horse Buck.
"Oh, hello Ben… I don't think Joe feels very well," I told him in concern.
"Ma, I feel fine!" Joe said sternly and soon went into a coughing fit. When it stared to get worse he stared to shiver and soon slowly slid out of the saddle.
"Joe!" I said with intense concern. "Ben, catch him!" I finally blurted out. He was almost stunned as Joe started to slide out of the saddle.
"Oh yeah," he said as he finally came out of his trance but it was too late. Joe slid all the way out of the saddle to the ground with a sickening thud.
"Joseph!" Both Ben and I yelled as we went down by his side. Soon Ben stared yelling at Adam and Hoss to help him carry Joe into the house. When we finally got Joe settled into his bed he started to sweat and shiver again.
"Adam," I said go to town and get the doctor, now.
"Yes ma," Adam said half way out the door.
"Joe, can you hear me son?" Ben asked leaning over the Ben close to Joe to hear anything the boy said.
"Pa…can't disappoint…any more…need to be a better son," said Joe finally slipping into unconsciousness with beads of sweat running down his face.
"No, son you are a wonderful son don't change! God made you this way for a reason!" Ben pleaded, " You will always be a little bit of a trouble maker but I love that way it keeps me and your mother on our toes," said Ben with a smile tugging at his face. I soon grabbed Ben's hand.
"Ben, he's unconscious now lets let him rest," I said with even more concern for my little boy. "We will wait for the doctor down stairs."
"No!" Said Ben, "I cant leave him now he thinks I don't appreciate him and that he needs to be better… why would he think that?" asked Ben with so much worry in his eyes.
"Well, Ben you have been really harsh on him the last couple of weeks even when he did something on accident," I said show Ben the error of his ways, " and you know how he gets when he gets treated like that, he is always sensitive to that especially when it's from you. You should know that by now!" I said as my blood started boiling for the safety of my child.
"I-I'm sorry Marie," stuttered Ben, " I've been so busy with Adam, Hoss, the cattle drive coming up soon, and of course the party that I really have been too frustrated to even talk with Joe and when something happened he was the one who took the blame. O my goodness I may have just ruined my relationship with my boy!" Ben realized horrified.
"Oh Ben, its not that bad but…" before I could finish Doc Martin came in with Adam at his heels.
"How is he?" asked Adam when Doc Martin started to check over him.
"Well, it doesn't look too bad…he has a bad fever and he also has a problem breathing but just give him the antibiotics and he will be fine." He said smiling. "You might have to take him to San Francisco to get him checked out if his breathing doesn't get better but I pretty sure what is wrong with him so he just needs plenty of rest and he will be back on his feet in no time." Ben was so relieved.
"When will he wake up?" I asked.
"In about an hour I propose," said the doctor.
"Good, because in need to talk to him," said Ben with determination to make this situation right.
