SHATTERED
Chapter 41
The first of May had finally arrived and Dante would be leaving to go on tour in a few days. The ranch house was packed full of friends and family gathered together for his going-away party. Impromptu performances by members of Dante's opera company rang out now and again to the amusement of everyone. Especially when those who should have known better joined in.
In the middle of the celebrations Adam went up the steps to stand on the landing. He stood there quietly for a moment as everyone fell silent and turned in his direction.
"Ladies and gentleman," he said in a voice that carried easily across the room. "Although we are all sorry to see Dante leave us, we also have a reason to rejoice tonight. I have been given the honor of announcing the engagement of my brother Hoss to Dante's sister, Dorathea."
The room erupted with excited voices and people rushed to congratulate the couple. Hoss was actually blushing a bit, but Dora was smiling her happiest smile and leaning her head against his shoulder.
Adam had been watching Dante carefully as he made this announcement and frowned with concern when the man's eyes narrowed and his face tightened. He hurried down the steps to stand next to Hoss, hoping there wouldn't be a confrontation.
The crowd around the couple parted as Dante made his way toward them and they all fell silent again when he stopped right in front of Hoss. The two men's eyes were on the same level and Hoss's narrowed too. They stood there for a moment until Dante startled everyone by throwing his arms around Hoss and shouting, "Thank you! My prayers have been answered - she's no longer my responsibility!" He stepped back, grabbed Hoss's hand and shook it vigorously saying, "Thank you, Hoss! Thank you!" as the crowd erupted with laughter.
Thea came to hug and kiss both of them then went to stand in front of Adam as she slowly surveyed the room looking for Joe. She spotted him slipping out the front door. Adam leaned down to whisper something in her ear. Thea nodded her head in agreement, worked her way through the crowd and went out. Shivering slightly, she quickly walked toward the barn and went in, thankful to be out of the chilly wind. She stood there looking around until she heard a rustling sound coming from the second stall on her right.
Moving quietly down the aisle she hesitated a second then stepped into the stall opening. She stood there for a few seconds before he noticed.
"Thea," Joe sighed, "Please just go away, I want to be alone."
She said nothing, didn't acknowledge what he had said in any way, and just came across the length of the stall to stand next to where he was sitting on a bale of hay. He looked up at her and was surprised to see that her eyes were wide and dark with pain - and the pain was for him.
He turned his head away from her; he couldn't stand to look at her sympathetic face without losing control. But Thea would not have it. She put a gentle but firm hand on his right cheek and began to turn his head back toward her. He reached up to push her hand away, but let it fall when he felt and saw a tear splash on the back of his hand. That did him in and he couldn't hold it back anymore.
Thea pulled him to her and cradled his head in her arms against her breast and cried with him as he wrapped his arms around her waist. She put her head down to rest her cheek on the top of his head and kept murmuring choked words of sorrow and comfort as she held him tightly.
Neither of them noticed when Adam stepped into the stall opening and stood there for a second. He put his head down and a hand to his chest when he felt his heart clench in pain for his brother. Then he quietly moved away and left the barn.
Eventually Joe felt completely drained and hollow, but gave a small snort of laughter when Thea let go of him, tipped his face up, and began to dry his face with a handkerchief. He turned red with embarrassment and she tightened her grip on his chin.
"Don't you do that, don't you ever be embarrassed about anything with me," she said firmly. "I love you, Joe."
He shook his head, "I can't for the life of me figure out why," he said in a muffled voice as he pressed his hot face against her again.
She hugged his head tightly saying, "Because you're my brother now and you're an idiot."
He shook with nearly silent laughter for a bit, then pulled away as he moved over on the bale and tugged on her hand so she would sit next to him. When she did, he put an arm around her shoulders.
"You feel like this is all your fault, don't you?"
Thea nodded then laid her head against his shoulder. "She's MY cousin and Adam brought them here for me."
"It's not your fault, Thea. I did this to myself with my arrogant attitude." She lifted her head and leaned back to look him in the face.
"What I'm telling you is true. I never thought for one minute that any woman would prefer Hoss over me. Isn't that stupid? Why shouldn't she care more for Hoss? He's a better man than I'll ever be." He smiled slightly down into her solemn face.
"Things don't have to be that way, Joe," she said softly. "You have three wonderful examples of the best that men can be. Now it's up to you whether or not you use your whole potential instead of getting by on just your looks."
"Do you really think so?"
"I know so. That's always been your problem. You've never really had to work at most things, especially relationships with women. But it's time to grow up now Joe. If you ever want to have what Adam and I have it's going to take some real work and effort on your part."
He nodded as he rubbed his face with his free hand and yawned.
"And the first thing you have to learn is to stop judging women by their looks alone. That's the quickest way to get your heart stomped on. I find that most women who believe they are beautiful have a tendency to be pretty selfish. Remember that."
"You mean they're like me." That made her smile.
"Yes."
Joe gave a startled look then laughed fully this time. He stood with a hand out to help her up.
She put her hand in his and looked up into his face with a serious expression. "Time to be a man Joe, and go congratulate your brother?" she asked softly.
His face tightened with determination and he nodded as he tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow. "Will you help me?"
"I'll be with you every step of the way," she said and gave his arm a firm squeeze.
He sighed deeply then smiled down at her again. "Then let's go."
They left the barn, hurried across the yard, and went in the front door together.
Chapter 41
The first of May had finally arrived and Dante would be leaving to go on tour in a few days. The ranch house was packed full of friends and family gathered together for his going-away party. Impromptu performances by members of Dante's opera company rang out now and again to the amusement of everyone. Especially when those who should have known better joined in.
In the middle of the celebrations Adam went up the steps to stand on the landing. He stood there quietly for a moment as everyone fell silent and turned in his direction.
"Ladies and gentleman," he said in a voice that carried easily across the room. "Although we are all sorry to see Dante leave us, we also have a reason to rejoice tonight. I have been given the honor of announcing the engagement of my brother Hoss to Dante's sister, Dorathea."
The room erupted with excited voices and people rushed to congratulate the couple. Hoss was actually blushing a bit, but Dora was smiling her happiest smile and leaning her head against his shoulder.
Adam had been watching Dante carefully as he made this announcement and frowned with concern when the man's eyes narrowed and his face tightened. He hurried down the steps to stand next to Hoss, hoping there wouldn't be a confrontation.
The crowd around the couple parted as Dante made his way toward them and they all fell silent again when he stopped right in front of Hoss. The two men's eyes were on the same level and Hoss's narrowed too. They stood there for a moment until Dante startled everyone by throwing his arms around Hoss and shouting, "Thank you! My prayers have been answered - she's no longer my responsibility!" He stepped back, grabbed Hoss's hand and shook it vigorously saying, "Thank you, Hoss! Thank you!" as the crowd erupted with laughter.
Thea came to hug and kiss both of them then went to stand in front of Adam as she slowly surveyed the room looking for Joe. She spotted him slipping out the front door. Adam leaned down to whisper something in her ear. Thea nodded her head in agreement, worked her way through the crowd and went out. Shivering slightly, she quickly walked toward the barn and went in, thankful to be out of the chilly wind. She stood there looking around until she heard a rustling sound coming from the second stall on her right.
Moving quietly down the aisle she hesitated a second then stepped into the stall opening. She stood there for a few seconds before he noticed.
"Thea," Joe sighed, "Please just go away, I want to be alone."
She said nothing, didn't acknowledge what he had said in any way, and just came across the length of the stall to stand next to where he was sitting on a bale of hay. He looked up at her and was surprised to see that her eyes were wide and dark with pain - and the pain was for him.
He turned his head away from her; he couldn't stand to look at her sympathetic face without losing control. But Thea would not have it. She put a gentle but firm hand on his right cheek and began to turn his head back toward her. He reached up to push her hand away, but let it fall when he felt and saw a tear splash on the back of his hand. That did him in and he couldn't hold it back anymore.
Thea pulled him to her and cradled his head in her arms against her breast and cried with him as he wrapped his arms around her waist. She put her head down to rest her cheek on the top of his head and kept murmuring choked words of sorrow and comfort as she held him tightly.
Neither of them noticed when Adam stepped into the stall opening and stood there for a second. He put his head down and a hand to his chest when he felt his heart clench in pain for his brother. Then he quietly moved away and left the barn.
Eventually Joe felt completely drained and hollow, but gave a small snort of laughter when Thea let go of him, tipped his face up, and began to dry his face with a handkerchief. He turned red with embarrassment and she tightened her grip on his chin.
"Don't you do that, don't you ever be embarrassed about anything with me," she said firmly. "I love you, Joe."
He shook his head, "I can't for the life of me figure out why," he said in a muffled voice as he pressed his hot face against her again.
She hugged his head tightly saying, "Because you're my brother now and you're an idiot."
He shook with nearly silent laughter for a bit, then pulled away as he moved over on the bale and tugged on her hand so she would sit next to him. When she did, he put an arm around her shoulders.
"You feel like this is all your fault, don't you?"
Thea nodded then laid her head against his shoulder. "She's MY cousin and Adam brought them here for me."
"It's not your fault, Thea. I did this to myself with my arrogant attitude." She lifted her head and leaned back to look him in the face.
"What I'm telling you is true. I never thought for one minute that any woman would prefer Hoss over me. Isn't that stupid? Why shouldn't she care more for Hoss? He's a better man than I'll ever be." He smiled slightly down into her solemn face.
"Things don't have to be that way, Joe," she said softly. "You have three wonderful examples of the best that men can be. Now it's up to you whether or not you use your whole potential instead of getting by on just your looks."
"Do you really think so?"
"I know so. That's always been your problem. You've never really had to work at most things, especially relationships with women. But it's time to grow up now Joe. If you ever want to have what Adam and I have it's going to take some real work and effort on your part."
He nodded as he rubbed his face with his free hand and yawned.
"And the first thing you have to learn is to stop judging women by their looks alone. That's the quickest way to get your heart stomped on. I find that most women who believe they are beautiful have a tendency to be pretty selfish. Remember that."
"You mean they're like me." That made her smile.
"Yes."
Joe gave a startled look then laughed fully this time. He stood with a hand out to help her up.
She put her hand in his and looked up into his face with a serious expression. "Time to be a man Joe, and go congratulate your brother?" she asked softly.
His face tightened with determination and he nodded as he tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow. "Will you help me?"
"I'll be with you every step of the way," she said and gave his arm a firm squeeze.
He sighed deeply then smiled down at her again. "Then let's go."
They left the barn, hurried across the yard, and went in the front door together.
