Joe's POV
Betrayed by my own brother, I'll never forget what he said to me the other night "you know that I love you" If he loves me then why would he lied to me?
Then he said that "he never wanted to hurt me" If he never wanted to hurt me then why would he lied to me?
That's what Joe kept contemplating about while sitting by his mother's grave.
"I never have been so confused in my life. Something's not right but what am I suppose to do? Either way I'm going to find out that one of them betrayed me" I said to myself.
"Maybe I should talk to my twelve year old sister she does have pretty good insights on things. How pathetic would that be to go to my baby sister for advice?"
Joe rode into the yard expecting to see Adam's horse but it was nowhere in sight.
"I guess Adam hadn't come home yet" I said to myself.
I was thinking that I was safe from Pa's raft.
Joe mounts off his horse and walks into the house.
As soon as I walk into the house I right then that I was in trouble. I heard my Pa yell out my name and that's when I knew that Adam told him what happen.
Dang that Adam!
I walk to my father's desk and sure enough there he was with a disappointed look on his face. I hate that look.
"What's this I hear about you and your brother fighting?" asked Ben.
I shrug my shoulders. "Joe do you honestly believe that Adam would hurt you?" asked Ben.
"No but I don't know who to believe. Valerie says she wasn't with anyone but Adam says that she was. I honestly don't know who to believe Pa" I said feeling incredibly helpless.
My Pa walks over to be and gives me an understanding smile.
"I'm sure it doesn't make it any easier especially when you have to choose between the two people you love dearly. Before you do something you regret take my advice and get all the facts straight before deciding who to believe" advised Ben.
I nod my head thinking about what my Pa said. "I'm gonna go talk to Valerie" I said. I was about to walk to the door when my Pa stops me.
"Remember son Adam is your brother, he loves you and he would never do anything to hurt you. All he is trying to do is protect you. Keep that in mind the next time you see him" said Ben.
I turn to my Pa and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I will Pa" I told him I turn around and walk out of the house.
Strike Two
In town Adam was in the restaurant drinking coffee with Valerie unaware that Joe was on his way to town.
"I have nothing to say to you" said Valerie harshly. "I think you do. You can start by telling me who that man was I saw you with" said Adam.
"What business is it of your?" Valerie demanded defensively. "I'm making it my business after all Joe is my brother and he is so in love with you that he is convince that one of his family members is lying to him. I don't enjoy fighting with my brother nor do I enjoy seeing him get hurt by the likes of you. So for the sake of saving my brother anymore pain then he is going to endure and tell me who you were with" said Adam calmly.
Joe walks in and saw Adam talking to Valerie. It caught him off guard and it gave him an unsettling feeling which quickly turns to anger as he storms up to them.
Valerie sees him and immediately gets up. "Joe I can explain" said Valerie trying to act innocent.
"What's going on here?" demanded Joe glaring at Adam. "Joe, Valerie lied to you" said Adam. Joe looks at him in disbelief.
"That's not true Joe I never lied to you. Your brother's trying to come between us" said Valerie.
Adam looks at her then at Joe. "That's ridiculous Joe you can't believe that. She's obliviously lying can't you see that?" Adam pleaded desperately wanting his brother to believe him.
Joe glares at him coldly. "Leave me alone Adam. You've done enough it's clear that I can't trust you" he said with anger and hurt in his eyes.
He turns to Valerie. "I'll take you home it's clear that you don't need to hear anymore of his lies". He turns to Adam. "I'll see you at home Adam" coldly.
Joe walks out of the restaurant with Valerie.
Later that day the Cartwright's were finishing their supper. Ben couldn't help but notice how silent the family was especially his sons Adam and Joe.
Ben turns to his daughter who was sitting at the right side of the table next to Joe and Adam and Hoss sat across from them.
"Amelia can you get some wood for the fireplace?" asked Ben.
Amelia knowing why her father meant gets up from the table and walks out the door.
Ben looks at Adam then at Joe. He was tired of the constant bickering between them and decided that enough was enough.
"You boys haven't said a word all through supper. I won't tolerate anymore of this bickering. The both of you need to work this out because if you don't then this quarrel will have a significant effect on your relationship not to mention this family" stated Ben firmly.
He looks at them again and could see that they understood. "I know you two don't want that to happen because I know how much you both love each other as well as this family" said Ben more calmly.
He then turns to Joe. "Joe something has been bothering you since you came home" said Ben wanting to find out what was troubling his youngest son.
Joe glares across the table to Adam who was looking down at his half eaten apple pie before looking up meeting his brother's glare.
"There is something bothering me. A certain brother of mine won't mind his own business and tried to come between me and my girl" accused Joe.
"I don't know how many times I have to tell you that I was doing no such thing. If you keep letting your girlfriend tell you what's the truth and what's a lie you're not gonna have any sense left not that you had any to begin with" snapped Adam.
Joe slams his hands on the table and got up. "Is that so well if you had any sense in you older brother you wouldn't have lied to me" said Joe.
Adam gets up. "For the last time I didn't lie to you Joe I don't know why that's so hard for you to believe" said Adam.
Joe's eyes began to well up with tears. "I believed you when you said that you love me that you never wanted to hurt me but that was a lie wasn't it?" said Joe trying to keep himself from crying. He takes a deep breath.
"I use to trust you with everything including my life but I guess I was wrong" said Joe.
He looks at his brother once more and said "Now I really wish you weren't my brother. I hate you Adam Cartwright!"
Adam had tears in his eyes after hearing his brother's cursing words. Hoss and Ben were surprised.
"Joe you don't mean that" said Hoss aghast. "Yes I do with every bone in my body" said Joe coldly his fists shaking.
He turns to his father. "I'm gonna marry Valerie pa. I asked her and she said yes" said Joe. He turns to Adam.
"As soon as I get marry I'm gonna get out of here from away from you" said Joe.
They heard a thump on the floor they walk over to find the doorway open and a couple of wooded logs on the floor in front of the door.
Joe turns to Ben figuring that Amelia had heard the argument. "I'll go after her Pa" offered Joe out of concern for his sister.
He walks over to the coat hanger grabs his hat, coat and gun belt. He puts them on and walks out the door.
He followed Amelia's horse's tracks out to her favorite place on the ranch; her swing that was tied to the big oak tree by the pond where she liked to go fishing and where her mother was buried.
He found his sister sitting on the grass staring at the pond. He mounts off his horse and slowly walks over to her taking off his hat as he walked.
"I'm sorry that my announcement upset you" said Joe thinking that was the reason why she was upset. "That's not why I'm upset" said Amelia sobbing.
"Why are you upset honey?" asked Joe concerned as he sits down next to her.
Amelia turns to him. "You and Adam are fighting about Valerie and now you want to marry her. Pa and Hoss don't know what to do and I feel as though everything is crumbling around me that the family is falling apart".
Joe puts his arm around her. He felt guilty about how his fighting with Adam was affecting his sister. "I'm sorry you felt that way baby" said Joe feeling guilty.
"I'm afraid that your fight with Adam and marrying Valerie is gonna spilt the family apart. Once you get marry you're gonna leave the ranch and Adam would probably want to go back East. It'll just be Pa, Hoss and me left to take care of the ranch" said Amelia looking down at the grass before looking up at her brother.
Joe's heart broke as he heard her unload her troubles and fears. Amelia takes a deep breath before continuing.
"Once you and Adam leave the work is gonna pile high up and I don't think I can help Hoss with all that work" said Amelia sobbing.
"Amelia looked at me" said Joe as he gently lifts her chin up and looks in her watery green eyes.
"Nothing is gonna happen to the family. After I get marry I'll still be around. You know that there's no place I rather be than here on the Ponderosa" said Joe as he wipes his sister's tears that were rolling down her pink cheeks. "I don't want you to fret anymore about the fight between me and Adam we'll work things out in time" said Joe reassuringly.
"I hope so I hate seeing my brothers fight" said Amelia. "I hate it to. I don't know what I should do" said Joe. He turns to her.
"What do you think I should do?" asked Joe. Amelia looks at him surprised. "What are you asking me for?"
Joe smiles and says "I trust your opinion".
Amelia thinks for a moment and says "I think you should trust Adam not because he's your brother but because he cares a great deal about you Joe. All he was trying to do was to protect you from getting hurt that why he was hesitant about telling you about Valerie. Telling you was the hardest thing Adam had to do but he wanted to be honest with you; that was the most important thing to him"
Amelia looks at him. "He loves you Joe".
Joe sits there absorbing everything his sister was telling him. He knew that his sister was speaking the truth but he was too stubborn to admit that Valerie would lie to him.
"Do you think Valerie would lie to me?" asked Joe. "Honestly?" asked Amelia. Joe nods his head.
"Honestly if you knew the answer then you wouldn't be asking me that" said Amelia. She places her hand on his.
"As much as I would like to tell you what you should do I can't. You need to follow your heart Joe. Just don't sell Adam short. I just want you to be happy" said Amelia.
Joe smiles "Since when did my baby sister become smarter than me?" Amelia chuckles. "I had years of practice".
Joe laughs and hugs her. "I love you big brother" said Amelia. Joe smiles and kisses her on the head.