Brother against Brother
At the lower pasture Adam and Hoss were having a coffee break with some of their hands when Joe rode up.
"Hey little brother came to help us?" asked Hoss cheerfully. "No I came to talk to older brother" said Joe who was on the verge of losing his temper when he saw Adam walking toward them.
"What's going on Joe?" asked Adam when he saw the hurt and anger in brother's eyes. Joe's temper snapped and punches Adam in the jaw.
Adam falls back hard to the ground. Hoss was shocked as was Adam. "Little Joe what the heck you did that for?" asked Hoss confused.
"Ask him" said Joe angrily looking down at Adam. "Betrayed by my own brother"
Adam looks at him confused as he gets up. "Joe what are you talking about?" asked Adam.
"Don't act as if you don't know. Valerie told me that she wasn't with anyone when you purposively saw her. I never thought I'll see the day when one of my brothers lied to me" said Joe his eyes willing up with tears of anger and hurt.
"Joe I didn't lie to you. Burney was with me when I saw her. I swear I'm telling you the truth why is it so hard for you to believe that?" asked Adam.
"I wish you weren't my brother! I wish you would leave me alone and stay out of my life!" yelled Joe his voice full of anger and hurt.
Adam was hurt by his younger brother's cursing words as they stabbed him in the heart.
Joe mounts up onto his horse and rides away. Hoss seeing how hurt his brother was puts a hand on his shoulder comfortingly.
"Joe didn't mean it Adam. He's just hurt and angry. He knows that you didn't lie to him" said Hoss assuring.
Adam glances at Hoss appreciative by his brother's effort to comfort him but there was too much hurt and pain that he was feeling.
Adam sadly walks to his horse mounts on and rides home.
Ben was sitting in the living room playing checkers with his daughter Amelia when Adam walks in. He takes off his gun belt and hat.
Ben looks up and saw a bruise on Adam's jaw. "Son, what happen?" asked Ben alarmed with concern. "You alright?" asked Amelia who was just as concern as her Pa.
"I'm fine Mia" said Adam reassuring as he smiles at her. Ben glances over to her. "We'll finish our game later darling"
Taking the queue from her father and looking up at her brother Amelia gets up and walks up the stairs. "What happen?" asked Ben once they were alone.
"Little Joe and I got in a scuffle" said Adam. "What about?" asked Ben. "He thinks that I lied to him about Valerie" said Adam. "I'll talk to him" said Ben. "I'm sure this is one big misunderstanding".
Adam looks at his father. "I don't know what good that'll do Pa. He's real torn up thinking that I lied to him and that's not even the worst of it" said Adam.
Ben looks at him for him to continue. "Joe wishes that I wasn't his brother and how I broken his trust" said Adam sadly remembering his brother's stinging words.
"Everything is gonna be alright Adam" assured Ben. Unconvinced Adam walks over to where he put his hat and gun belt and puts them back on.
"Where you going?" asked Ben. Adam turns to him before walking through the open door. "Town" said Adam.
Before Ben could say anything else Adam walks out the door. Ben turns to the landing of the stairs and saw Amelia standing there with a confuse look on her face.
He gives her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry darling everything is going to be fine" said Ben. Amelia nods and retreats back to her room.