LOST AND FOUND - PART 6

WEDDING EVE

Chapter 48

The day before Hoss and Dora's wedding had been a very busy one. Everyone had been rushing around with last minute preparations, and then Reverend Jacob Albright had come to dinner. They had all lingered at the table listening to the tall, kind-faced man tell horror stories of other weddings. He had proved to be so entertaining they were sorry when he finally took his leave, especially Dora. For some reason the minister's calm, quiet voice recounting other people's wedding mishaps in a dry manner had helped her to relax after being in a nervous frenzy all day.

Everyone else had gone to bed, but the four Cartwright men were still gathered in Adam's office and the hour was getting late.

"I'm still sorry that Dante couldn't make it to the wedding," Adam said. "Dora hasn't shown it, but she must be disappointed."

Hoss surprised him by shaking his head. "Course she misses her brother, but she told me it only seemed right and fittin' that YOU should walk her down the aisle since you're responsible for all this."

Adam laughed, "Oh no you don't, it's too early to start blaming me."

Ben and Joe chuckled, but Hoss just shook his head again and smiled.

The clock struck the hour and Adam suddenly stood saying, "I can't believe I almost forgot this," and hurried over to his desk. When he came back he was carrying a sheaf of papers backed in blue. He motioned for Hoss and Joe to come over and handed the document to his father.

"You three look this over. I'll be right back," was all he said and hurried through the office door.

Ben held the document up so all three of them could see, but after reading the first paragraph they stopped reading and stared at each other.

"Pa, is that what I think it is?" Joe asked.

Starting to laugh as he flipped through the pages Ben said, "Yes, Joseph, this is a partnership proposal and the deed to the entire Jacob King spread."

Hoss was grinning, "All of it?"

"All of it."

"Dang, no wonder that land auction kept gettin' delayed."

His father was nodding when Adam returned.

"Well," he said as he came through the door. "What do you three think? All you have to do is sign it, and the land is yours."

"Yours too," Hoss said.

"True, but you can just think of me as your...silent partner," Adam grinned at their expressions.

"How did you manage to talk Jason into selling you the whole spread?" Ben asked.

"You'd be surprised at what cash in hand can get you, Pa."

Ben laughed again while Joe shook his head in disbelief, "Cash?"

Adam answered his youngest brother's cryptic question. "Yes, I sold my business holdings in Chicago. I'm sorry, but that's what took so long." His expression became serious. "I don't want any of you to feel that you HAVE to join in this partnership. And I also think this land should not be merged with the Ponderosa, however, the three of you can do whatever you deem fit with it. And if anyone of us at any time should decide they want to sell, the other three partners have the option of buying at the current market price first, before an outsider can buy." He paused again. "Does that seem fair enough to you?"

His father and brothers nodded.

"Now, I'm sure you didn't get to the percentages of sharing in the profits, if there are any at first, but I'm sure you'll see them as being fair. They're on the last page."

Ben flipped to the last page, ran his eyes over the numbers, and gave his eldest son a sharp look. "This hardly seems fair to you, Adam."

"Oh but it is. All I'm putting up is the land. You three will be investing what is known as 'sweat equity'. Remember, I'm your silent partner. And I volunteer to keep the books, that is, if you think you can trust me." He smiled as he looked from face to face.

"Now you don't have to make your minds up right now..." Adam continued, but stopped when his father stood, went over to the desk, picked up a pen, and signed. Hoss and Joe were right behind him.

Adam grinned as he unconsciously lifted his hand to stroke his now non- existent beard - he still missed it sometimes. Then he shook his head and went to bring a decanter and glasses over to the desk. Pa poured the brandy while Adam signed. The four men stood around the desk and smiled at each other.

"Gentlemen," Adam said as he raised his glass, "here's to our new partnership." The other three men echoed the phrase. "And to Hoss and Dora's wedding," he paused as they drank again. "Just remember Hoss, man is incomplete until he marries...and then he is finished."

It took a moment for his father and brothers to fully understand what he had just said, but when they did Joe started choking from some of the brandy going down the wrong way. Hoss gave him a helping hand by pounding the young man on the back as he laughed. Ben just shook his head as he smiled.

"Well boys, I'm off to bed," he said as he set his now empty glass on the desktop and looked first at Adam and then at Hoss. "But before I go, I have to say I could not be more pleased with the women you two have brought into this family." He turned to Joe and reached out to grasp his youngest son's left shoulder. "Follow their example Joe, and you will not go wrong." He gave Joe's shoulder a firm squeeze, said "Good night," and left.

Joe coughed a few more times, managed to wheeze out his own "Good night" and followed his father.

Hoss and Adam looked at each other with serious expressions. Finally Hoss broke the silence.

"Lordy, I didn't expect that, did you?"

"About Thea, yes, but I didn't know he approved of Dora just as much. We shouldn't be surprised, though. What could he possibly find in Dora to object to? Nothing."

"That's true," Hoss answered as they moved over to the sofa and sat down at opposite ends.

Adam yawned and propped his feet on the low table in front of him. Then he turned to his brother and smiled. "Alright Hoss, here's a stupid question - what's on your mind?"

Hoss chuckled, but kept staring into the fire as he thought for a moment. "I've been watchin' you and Thea for weeks, tryin' to figure out how you two make it work."

"Our marriage, you mean?"

"Yep," his brother said, then turned his head to look at Adam. "I know it's not, but you make it look easy."

"No, it's anything but easy." Adam's eyes narrowed and he leaned back as he thought about the question for a while. "You know, I think the most important thing is that we are determined to make it. We're both too pig- headed stubborn to ever let anything defeat us, or to let anyone or anything get in the way. Neither of us would tolerate that - from ourselves I mean. Is any of this making sense to you?"

Hoss nodded, "Kinda like you're in a three-legged race?"

Adam put his head back and laughed. "Exactly!"

"What else? There's gotta be more."

"There is - friendship is very important too."

"Friendship?"

"Yes. Couldn't you, right now, say that Dora is your friend?"

"My friend?" Hoss thought about that, and then smiled. "Yeah, I guess I could."

"That is so important. There are going to be times in your marriage, and I can tell you this from experience, when it will seem like love just flew out the window. If you don't have that friendship to fall back on you will really be in trouble." He paused to yawn and stretch. "And then one day, when you're not looking, love will fly right back in."

"It will?"

"Oh yes. Take my word for it - it will. At least it will if you don't do something extremely foolish like looking for it someplace else. And if you ever do, I am going to come down on you like a ton of bricks!"

The other man shook his head, aware that his older brother would be only too happy to accuse him of being unfaithful in revenge. When he turned toward him, Adam gave Hoss a narrow-eyed look saying, "Ha! I'll be watching YOU."

Chuckling Hoss said, "I guess I'll have to be real careful I don't get outta line then."

"You got that right," Adam said with a sharp smile. "Another thing I can tell you is to always pick your fights carefully. DO NOT fight over petty things. That will be very hard to do, but find a way, even if it means going out to the barn and punching the wall to cool off. Do that if necessary."

"You've done that?!"

"Have you forgotten who I'm married too? Of course I have. I've done more damage to my hands on barn walls than beating on people."

Hoss snorted with laughter.

"Yeah, laugh it up now, but you'll find out in spite of your even temper."

"I bet you're right."

Adam gave his favorite response, "Of course I'm right."

Hoss laughed harder, "Must be awful hard for you to stay so humble." His older brother just grinned, but then his expression turned serious. When the other man was over his laughing fit, Adam sat up and turned toward him. Hoss did the same.

"Now I have a question for you. Who do you think is in charge in this house?"

Surprised by the question Hoss opened his mouth, but at first didn't know what to answer, and then made up his mind. "You are."

"Correct. I am and don't ever forget it. But then I'm not heavy handed either." Adam shook his head, "I am perfectly aware there are men in this town who think I'm a fool for letting Thea get away with, well, everything she gets away with. But they don't understand. Thea's spirit is one of the things I love about her the most. Why would I ever want to break her? That would be ridiculous, yet there are many men who would feel the need to do just that. Idiots."

"That WOULD be stupid."

"Yes it would be, and the reason I brought this up is because Dora has an independent spirit too. There will be many times that you will find you have to put your foot down with her. But be choosy about which things, be careful how you do it, and be firm. I know that will be hard for you, but I think you can do it."

Hoss was nodding as he thought that over when Adam said, "I can't believe it's almost one o'clock already. We better both haul ourselves upstairs and get at least a little sleep." He stood.

Still deep in thought the big man looked up. "What?"

Adam smiled, "Come on, you can continue your heavy thinking upstairs."

"Oh...OK," Hoss stood and started for the door while Adam put out the lamps and checked the fire screen.

They went up the stairs and down the hallway to Hoss's room. He had his hand on the doorknob when his older brother reached out to grip his shoulder.

"Your life is going to be entirely different after tomorrow. But I'll always be here if you need someone to talk to. Just remember, my marriage isn't perfect and yours won't be either. I can guarantee you that."

Hoss looked down for a moment then met the other man's gaze, his bright blue eyes shining as he smiled. He threw his arms around his brother, gave him a bone-crushing hug, abruptly let go then opened his room door and went in.

Adam chuckled softly as he turned toward the room he shared with Thea. When he was at the door, he paused and sighed. "Good luck, Hoss. You're going to need it," he said under his breath then went in.

The silence that enveloped the house then seemed to be almost thrumming with anticipation, as though the sleepers were humming the same elemental tune. But that silence was quietly broken a few moments later when Hoss's door opened again.

He carefully poked his head out to look up and down the hallway then stepped out. Reaching back inside the room he pulled Dora out by the arm, walked her down the hall, opened her door, and pushed her inside.

When she turned around with a soft giggle he pointed a finger at her, quietly said, "Stay!" and pulled the door shut. Only then, as he made his way back to his room, did he allow himself to smile his widest smile