The Truth About Finishing School
A/N: I want to thank all of my readers, reviewers, favorites, and followers for your patience. I honestly don't mean to take so long between chapters. I also want to thank to my beta, you're the best!
Adam realized something was bothering his sister five minutes into the ride home from town. Jax was too quiet and his baby sister was never quiet, unless she was in trouble or if she was upset.
"What's wrong sis?" Adam asked, smiling at his younger sister.
"Nothing, just thinking."
"Did Billy say something that made ya mad?" Hoss asked, not liking the quiet anymore than his older brother.
"No, actually we had a lot of fun. I guess I'm just worried about Joe," Jax said with a shrug, deciding to shift the focus from her and onto her twin. Adam could always tell when she was lying and she didn't want to raise suspicion and get caught before she could slip the letter into next week's pile. She wanted to talk to Joe about it first.
"Don't worry, Little Joe's going back to school with ya. Pa didn't let me quit until I was sixteen, no matter how many times I argued or whined," Hoss said ruefully.
"Little Joe's not only going back to school with ya but's he's going to graduate and that's all there is to it! That's what Marie would've wanted, so Pa and I are going to respect her wishes. The same goes for you baby sis, so you better not get any ideas about quitting school either. If I would've been home, Hoss' sorry behind would've stayed in school too," Adam said, nodding towards his middle brother making Jax giggle.
"What'd you and Billy do today?" Hoss asked. He didn't want to hear another lecture from his older brother about the huge mistake he made by not finishing his education.
"Just talked about stuff and tried to figure out a way to help Joe," Jax said.
"Help Joe convince Pa or help Joe accept his fate?" Adam asked.
"Accept his fate. We want him in school, it wouldn't be the same without him," Jax said smiling. "Besides, who would irritate Mrs. Jones everyday if he quit?"
"I'm sure you and Billy would do a fine job without Little Joe's help," Hoss teased.
"Naw, Joe's worse and he can get the little ones to…" Jax decided to stop when she saw the eager look on her eldest brother's face.
"He can get the little ones to do what?" Adam asked.
"If I told you, I'd have to kill ya," Jax teased.
Adam and Hoss laughed hard at her audacity.
"I'll just keep feeding you rope, I'm sure sooner or later, Little Joe or you will eventually hang yourselves with it," Adam said shaking his head.
Jax knew it was true. Sooner or later one of their schemes at school would result in a letter home, but most of the time the mayhem they caused was worth it.
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Joseph Cartwright hated isolation more than anything in the world. Sure his actions had led him to being locked metaphorically in his room, but it didn't mean he had to like it.
Why couldn't his Pa and Adam understand? He didn't want to go to college, the Ponderosa was his home and he didn't need some fancy education to run it. The only Cartwright that had a highfalutin education was Adam and the last person he ever wanted to be like was Adam.
Pa should be happy with his children's decisions. Hoss would always take care of the cattle, Adam would take care of the business end, and if Joe had his way, they would start breaking horses, which would bring in a new business venture and even more money for the ranch.
'Why couldn't Pa see my vision for the future? I just want what's best for the Ponderosa,' Joe thought as he threw himself on the bed angrily. Ten seconds later he was up and rubbing his behind ruefully. He couldn't believe he had gotten another ten swats for mouthing off before being sent to his room after lunch. 'Me and my big mouth, Jax must be rubbing off on me.'
He smiled twenty minutes later when he heard the horses riding into the yard. He ran over to the window and threw it open before yelling down,
"Did you have fun?"
"Yeah, see if you can come down and help me with chores so I can tell ya all about it," Jax said.
"Pa, can I help Jax with chores!" Joe yelled not bothering to open his door.
Ben shook his head. His better judgment told him to stay firm and not let his youngest son out of his room, but he knew Jax was the only one who would knock the attitude out of the boy, saving him from another tanning today, so he finally relented and said,
"That'll be fine. See if Adam has anything for you to do as well."
"Yes sir," Joe said the second he was down the stairs with a smile plastered across his face. The first one Ben had seen in days.
Joe ran into the barn and helped his sister with the saddle.
"Adam, do you have anything for me to do? Please say yes," Joe begged.
Jax giggled and teased,
"Got yourself banished to your room again didn't ya?"
"Yeah and Pa walloped me too. Your rubbing off on me sis, I can't seem to keep my big trap shut," Joe said flashing his million-dollar smile.
"The tack could use polishing and sorting," Adam said knowing that would keep his brother busy and would allow the twins to talk for most of the night.
"Thanks Adam."
"Never thought I would hear the day when Little Joe Cartwright would be thankful for extra chores," Hoss teased, causing the four siblings to laugh.
"Just make sure you do a good job," Adam warned.
"I will," Joe promised.
"And I'll keep you company," Jax said smiling brightly. The past few days not talking to her brother had been dreadfully boring.
"Why don't you cool down our horses before dinner and then you can come back out so you can finish the rest," Adam said taking the hint from his sister. He knew something was bothering her and hoped she would confide in her twin. "Come on Hoss, Pa's waiting for us."
Jax watched as her two older brother's walked into the house. The second they were inside she slipped back into the barn and watched as her twin brushed Sport. She could tell that he was still angry and wasn't sure if she should tell him about the letter or not.
"Quit staring and get to work," Joe said throwing a towel at her.
Jax laughed grabbing the towel out of the air before walking over to Miss Lily. They worked in silence for all of five minutes before Joe asked,
"What's bugging you?"
"Promise you won't fly off the handle."
"Fine, what's going on?"
Jax put her hand in her pocket and handed Joe the envelope. Joe looked at the envelope and said,
"Alright, you stole Adam's mail. You better have a good reason or Pa and Adam are gonna have your hide."
"It's from a finishing school in Boston. Pa and Adam want me to go to a finishing school in Boston!" Jax said and looked for outrage from her brother. She was shocked when she didn't see any. "Wait a minute, you knew?"
Joe looked down before saying,
"I heard them talking about it a couple of months ago. One of Adam's friend's wives runs it or something."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Jax screeched.
"Because I didn't know they were serious and I didn't want you worrying about it."
"I can't believe you," Jax said walking out of the back of the barn towards the pasture.
Joe set the envelope down and followed his mule headed sister out of the barn.
"Come on Jax, don't be like this. There's no way they're going to make you go if you don't want to," Joe tried.
"Just like they're not going to make you go back to school or like they will let me work at the ranch," Jax said angrily.
"Hey, you don't have to take it out on me. It's not my fault."
"No, you just kept it a secret from me. Do you think it's a good idea?"
"Of course not!"
"Will you help me convince them?"
"You know I will," Little Joe said pulling his twin into a hug. "Let's finish the horses before Adam…Great just great."
"What?" Jax said turning towards the barn and saw her eldest brother standing in the doorway holding the envelope. "You left it?"
"I'm sorry," Joe whispered as they walked back in.
"Joseph, will you please finish with the horses? Baby sis and I have a couple of things to discuss," Adam said angrily grabbing his sister's arm to insure she wouldn't escape.
"Good luck sis and go easy on her Adam," Joe said.
Adam just shook his head and walked towards the house. The second they were inside he looked at his middle brother and said,
"Hoss, Little Joe could use some help."
Hoss took one look at the anger in Adam's eyes and was shocked to see, Jax's equally angry expression. Whatever was going on was going to be bad and he didn't want to be in the house for whatever was about to happen.
"Are you going to tell him or am I?" Adam asked his younger sister the second Hoss was out the door. Jax looked at him angrily and said,
"You mean that I found out about the future you both have planned for me? The one where you ship me off to Boston because I'm not good enough for you?"
"Don't try that Jax, because you know that isn't true!" Adam said angrily.
"Stop arguing and tell me what happened," Ben said harshly.
"Jacqueline stole my mail and I would bet a month's wages that she and Billy opened it!"
"Is that true?" Ben asked, glaring at his daughter.
"Yes," Jax spat.
"Little girl, you better muster up some respect pretty quick or I promise you you'll be over my knee in less than a second and it won't be for opening your brother's mail. I've had enough of my fourteen year olds and their disrespect," Ben hissed angrily.
"Yes sir," Jax said taking a deep breath to calm down.
"Adam, Jacqueline, take a seat," Ben said, indicating the two chairs in front of his desk while he decided to sit behind it. He had a feeling this was going to be a long night. "Jacqueline, why did you steal your brother's mail?"
Adam handed his father the envelope before Jax could say anything.
"I was curious, so I went over to Billy's, opened it, and read what it said," Jax said a few seconds later with a shrug. She decided that she was getting a tanning, so she might as well tell the truth.
"How did you open it?" Adam asked angrily.
"We boiled a pot of water and used the steam."
"Who taught you how to do that?"
"Read about it."
"Guess I need to start monitoring what you're reading again."
"You're not my Pa, Adam. But for your information, I got it from a book you gave me," Jax said with a smug smile.
"Adam and Jacqueline, that's enough," Ben bellowed. He couldn't believe how antagonistic Adam was being or the impertinence coming from his daughter tonight.
Then again, when Ben really thought about it, he could. Adam hated being blindsided. He had a plan in mind when it came to introducing finishing school to his baby sister, one that didn't include her finding out on her own.
"Jacqueline, you will apologize to your brother for reading his mail and you will listen to both of us about finishing school without arguing. If I hear one word leave your mouth, I promise you that the tanning I have in mind for your deception will go from a hand blistering to one with the hairbrush. Do you understand?"
"Yes sir," Jax said looking down thinking, 'How can they yell at me for lying, when they were keeping things from me for months.'
As usual Adam read Jax's thoughts by reading the expressions on her young face.
"We didn't deceive you Jax. I was waiting for this letter to make sure they would even allow us to come. I didn't want to get your hopes up and then have to tell you that you couldn't go," Adam said softly.
"Trust me Adam, going to finishing school is the last thing I ever want to do so not getting an invitation would have been a relief not a disappointment," Jax said.
"Maybe, but you don't know anything about it yet…"
Jax looked like she was about to speak so Ben put his hand up and said,
"This is where you listen Jacqueline. I don't want to hear a sound until Adam is finished."
"Yes sir," Jax said and wondered how hard it was going to be to sit there and not say a word.
Adam turned his chair towards his sister and smiled slightly.
"I'm heading back to Boston for business in a couple of weeks and I wanted to take you. We might not get back before school starts, so I came up with the idea to show you an actual East Coast Finishing School and thought you could write a report about it. I talked to Miss Jones and we decided that she would give you some other work to complete on the trip as well."
Jax decided to raise her hand and get permission before she talked.
Ben chuckled and said,
"Go ahead."
"You're not sending me there?" Jax asked.
"If you want to go there we will. It would be an amazing opportunity for you, but I would never force you to go," Ben said.
"Neither would I," Adam said smiling at his little sister.
"You mean I opened the letter for no reason?"
"Yes and you jumped to the wrong conclusion, getting all worked up over nothing, when all you had to do was ask," Adam said.
"I thought you would lie about it," Jax pouted.
"How many times in your life, have I lied to you?" Adam asked.
Jax shrugged her shoulders.
"None and you know it."
"I guess. Sorry Adam. Sorry Pa."
"And when we're finished upstairs you'll be even more sorry. Go head up, I'll be there directly," Ben said.
"Adam, Pa, will you please keep this between us? I kinda bullied Billy into it."
Adam looked at his father before saying,
"I'll land a few swats when he comes to work on Monday and that will be the end of it."
"Thanks Adam."
"Head on up," Ben said.
The minute she was upstairs Adam looked at his father and said,
"Can you go easy on her? I know where she is coming from."
"I will. She's only getting twenty hearty swats, she'll live," Ben said walking up the stairs.
"Thanks Pa," Adam said walking outside to join his brothers not wanting to hear his baby sister cry. He had a feeling that he would be taking his baby sister over his knee more than once on their trip to Boston.