Chapter 1-6: Jax and Joe received their punishment from Hoss and Adam for their trip to San Francisco.
Chapter 7: The Longest Lecture and Punishment Ever (According to Jax and Joe)
Ben walked into the room he was sharing with two youngest children. They had both cried themselves to sleep. He had to laugh because they were sleeping on their stomachs and he could see why, their brothers gave them a tanning they wouldn't soon forget. He covered them up and kissed each one on the head thanking God that they were safe. He sat in the chair next to their bed looking at them.
His twins lived for the day never worrying what was going to happen tomorrow. It was something that needed to change now before something truly dreadful happened to them.
Their main focus in life was how to pull off their grand schemes. He had to admit this one was one of the best plans they had ever came up with. If given a chance they would come up with an even better one that could get hurt or killed. They were only eleven, what type of plan could they devise in three or four years?
Ben was finally able to lie down and got the best night sleep he had in over a week.
The next morning Joe was the first one up. He did not want to turn over knowing that it would really hurt.
"Jax," he whispered.
"What?" his sister said.
"Is Pa in his bed?"
"No, Joe let me go back to sleep. I don't want it to be morning." She knew they still had their father to deal with and knew was he was angrier that both Adam and Hoss combined. Her bottom couldn't take anymore punishment right now.
"Me neither, but it is." Joe said resigned. Their discussion was interrupted by Hoss,
"Pa wants you down for breakfast."
"Hoss, we can't," Joe said.
"You can and you will," Hoss said. "Or I'll send Adam and his belt back up."
"Ok," Joe said.
"Jax, put on a dress, do ya hear me?" Hoss said.
"Ok," Jax said miserably.
"Five minutes," Hoss said shutting the door.
"Guess, he's still mad," Joe said.
"I think, he'll be mad until he gets home," Jax answered. "Guess we need to face the enviable."
Jax did and got out of bed without her backside touching anything. Joe followed her example.
"I'll go behind the divider today," Jax said.
"That's because the chair is padded," Joe complained.
"Use the bed."
They got dressed each one trying to avoid contact with their very sore backsides.
They walked downstairs and over to the table there father and brothers were sitting at.
"Nice to see you looking like a young lady again," Adam said making Jax glare at him.
"Young lady, I wouldn't start your day like that," Ben cautioned.
"Yes sir," Jax said softly.
"Have a seat," Adam smirking.
"We would rather stand," Joe said hoping they would have that option, knowing they wouldn't.
"Son, we don't stand at the table," Ben said.
The three men watched as the twins tried to find a comfortable position on the wooden chairs, both of them finally settling with tears in their eyes.
"I ordered you both pancakes and eggs," Ben said.
"Thank you," Joe said.
"What time do we go home?" Jax asked wanting to go home but not wanting to face Miss Lily's saddle for three days.
"We're not. Your brothers are," Ben said.
"W-w-we're n-n-ot," Joe stammered.
"Yes son, we're not. I have a lot to say to you and your sister. So we're staying right here," Ben said.
The twins looked at each other in surprise and fear.
"When only paid for Miss Lily and Cochise through today," Jax said.
"Your brothers are taking them home. We're taking the stage," Ben said.
"Pa…" Joe began but his father's glare stopped him from saying anything else.
The rest of breakfast was silent. Ben sent the children back upstairs so he could privately word with his older sons,
"So have you figured out what you're going to do?" Adam asked.
"I have a lot to say to them, most of which they won't want to hear. You boys would have never even dreamed about doing this. They could have been hurt or killed."
"Pa, I honestly believe they didn't think about how we would feel or that they could have been hurt," Adam said, "the only thing they thought about was how much punishment they would receive once they were caught."
"That's something that needs to change and I plan on helping them understand that."
"Good Luck," Hoss said walking away.
"Is he ok?"
"He's just mad and feels guilty about tanning their hides. He doesn't feel that it's his right. I told him that as his older brother it is not only a right, but at times a duty. To that Hoss grumbled that I never tanned him and I replied it was because he was bigger than me that made him laugh. I also reminded him that he was never as disobedient as the twins."
"I guess you're not mad at them anymore," Ben said.
"No, just disappointed and hurt," Adam said honestly.
Ben took the children with him to send Hoss and Adam off.
Jimmy was sitting there and said in surprise,
"You're a girl! I almost pounded you!"
"So why does being a girl change anything? You were trying to swindle us. If it wasn't for your boss you would have." Jax snapped.
"I'm sorry for trying to swindle you," Jimmy said remembering his talk with Mr. Philips and the lingering ache in his backside.
"I'm glad you didn't get fired," Jax said.
Ben shook his head at his mule headed daughter. Joe was watching his father during the exchange between her and Jimmy. Just another thing on the list of offenses, he thought.
Hoss took Cochise and the Ebenezer's horse. Adam took Miss Lily and the other one.
"What happened to your horses?" Jax asked looking at the strange horses.
"I told you last night, they were stolen," Adam said.
"No you said you were robbed not that your horses were stolen," Jax said with real concern and tears.
"They were and there's nothing we can do about it." Adam said.
"They can't be gone," Joe said with tears. "They're our horses."
"Joe, Jax I think for the first time since you left the Ponderosa you're actually sorry and not just saying it," Adam said.
"Adam, you can't let anything happen to Miss Lily," Jax pleaded.
"Cochise either," Joe begged.
"Guess I was wrong," Adam said glaring at the twins.
"What do you mean by that Adam?" Jax demanded earning her sharp smack on her extremely sore backside by her father. She knew why and apologized before she received another one.
"Well, you were only concerned about the horses because you are afraid you'll lose yours."
"No, Adam! We want your horses back too," Joe pleaded for his brother to believe him.
The look in both of the twin's eyes made him feel guilty about the comment.
"Ok, I believe you," Adam said. Jax grabbed Adam's arm and asked before he mounted Miss Lily,
"Are you still mad at us?"
Adam knelt down to their level and said softly,
"No. Listen to what Pa has to say. You'll understand what Hoss and I are feeling right now."
Jax and Joe hugged both of their brothers.
"Don't make Pa, blister your hides again while you're here," Hoss said. "Adam and I did enough damage last night."
"Ok," they said and watched their brothers riding off.
"Come on, let's get back to the hotel," Ben said. The twins really didn't want to go back there or what was about to come once they were.
Ben escorted his twins back to his room and had them sit on the bed. Again it took a few minutes for them to get comfortable.
"I've had the story from your brother's perspective. I want to know what you did and why you did it. First whose idea was it?"
"The San Francisco part was mine," Jax said.
"I wanted to leave the Ponderosa because we've never been out of Nevada Territory," Joe said
"How long have you two been planning this?" Ben asked.
"A while, we tried to go the honest route first," Jax said.
"So you disobeyed me?" Ben said.
"Not exactly, you said we couldn't go to Sacramento not San Francisco," Jax said.
"YOU KNOW THERE WASN'T A DIFFERENCE!" Ben roared.
"We know that, but it was a way of talking ourselves into going and not feeling like we were strictly disobeying you," Joe said shrinking under his father's roar.
"We'll address that later," Ben said ominously.
"So we wanted to wait until you were gone for two reasons. First because we didn't want to totally disobey you. Second if both you and Adam were home, we never would have made it off the ranch," Jax said not looking at her father. Expecting another burst of anger but didn't receive it.
Jax statement proved that Adam had to punish them because they needed to realize that Adam was in charge when he was gone. Hopefully Adam and his belt drove that point home.
"So you knew it was so wrong that you had to distract both of us?"
"Yes sir," Joe said.
"Who came up with the plan?"
"Both of us added ideas and came up with ways to execute those ideas," Joe said.
"What exactly were the parts of your plan?"
"Wait until you left, know how to get here, get money, take rifles, I needed to dress like a boy, take food, tell Hop Sing we were staying with Adam, and break the fence," Jax said.
Ben put his rubbed his head and asked knowing he wouldn't like the answer,
"So how long did it take you to come up with this plan?"
"About an hour," Joe said honestly, "But we have had lots of experience with plans"
"Joseph, is that really a good thing?"
"I guess not," Joe said.
"You guess not," Ben said shaking his head, "So why didn't you want to wait until I could take you?"
"We're not good at waiting, so we didn't," Jax said honestly.
"So did you think about how this would affect the members of your family?"
"We knew Adam would get mad at Hoss. We also thought we might get into trouble," Jax said.
"You thought you might get in trouble? Did you honestly think I would let you get away with this?"
"No but we hoped you would understand," Jax said.
"Jacqueline there is nothing to understand and nothing to justify what you two did."
"But, Pa…" Joe started.
"NOTHING JOSEPH," Ben yelled.
"Yes sir," they both said defeated.
"So why did you go?"
Jax and Joe had tried this answerwith both of their brothers last night. They didn't like the answer, so it probably would be worse with Pa. But they knew better than to lie.
"We wanted to," Jax whispered and waited for the explosion that came a second later.
"YOU WANTED TO! SO BECAUSE YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING YOU SHOULD DO IT?"
"Not always," Joe said trying to calm his father down.
"Not always, how about this time," Ben was still yelling but not as loud.
"Not this time," Jax said.
"Then why did you do it?"
"We wanted to at the time," Joe said.
"What do you think now?" Be asked.
Joe and Jax look at each other.
"At home yes, but now no," Jax said honestly.
"Why not now?"
"We didn't know how much our backsides were going to hurt." Jax said honestly.
Ben let it go and tried a different route.
"Did you think about Adam, Hoss, or I at all during your trip to San Francisco besides Adam getting mad at Hoss?"
"Not really," Joe said honestly.
"You were in Sacramento, Adam and Hoss were busy on the ranch, so we were in the clear," Jax said, "You should have been too busy to get mad."
"Do you consider we might be worried?"
"A little, but we took the guns. So you should have known we were safe," Jax said.
Ben had enough at those words. He grabbed his daughter and put her over his knee giving her five very hard smacks. Joe was waiting for his, but they didn't come yet,
"Do you feel the same as your sister about the gun?"
He did but didn't want to say so because he knew he would end up receiving the five smacks his sister just did.
"Joseph, I'm waiting. Do not lie to me young man," Ben said.
"At the time yes," Joe said.
"When did you change your mind?"
"When you…"
Ben didn't let him finish his sentence knowing the answer; he put him over his knee and gave him the same five smacks.
"You know for a fact that guns do not always protect you. Both of your brothers were robbed and they are grown men with guns. You are not allowed to touch those guns under any circumstances and you know it."
"S-s-sorry p-pa," Jax said between sobs.
"M-me too," Joe said.
Ben waited for a few minutes before he spoke again.
"You both were only thinking about yourselves during the whole trip. There's a word for that. What is it?"
Both knew the word, but didn't want to say it. Their father was waiting glaring the entire time. Finally Jax crumbled under the glare,
"Selfish."
"Exactly, that's what this trip was, selfish," Ben said with so much disappointment in his voice the twins cried even harder. Both put their faces in their pillows to hide the shame they felt and finally they cried themselves to sleep.
He watched them sleep. At times he wished he could just tan the two of them and have it over with. Unfortunately, they have proved many times that doesn't work.
When the twins woke up he took them down for lunch. They really didn't want to eat, but Ben wouldn't let them leave the table until they ate something. Ben paid the bill and said,
"Let's go back upstairs."
"Yes sir."
"So, what are you thinking so far about your actions?" Ben began.
"Pa, we didn't think we were being selfish when we did it," Jax said.
"What did you think you were being?" Ben said softly.
"Adventurous, "Joe answered for her.
"What do you think now?" Ben asked. The twins looked at each other and said together,
"Selfish."
"So what should we do about that?" Ben said.
The twins looked at each other; they never thought he was going to ask something like that.
"I don't know," Joe said for the both of them.
"Is it ok to be selfish?"
"No," Jax said miserably.
"Why?"
"Because the world doesn't revolve around us," Joe said.
"Did the world revolve around you this week?"
"Yes." They both said.
"How did the world revolve around you?"
"Hoss, Adam and you had to come after us and you all were worried," Joe said.
"But Pa..." Jax started.
"Jacqueline, I hope you weren't going to say we didn't have to come after you?"
Jax hung her head because that was exactly she was going to say.
"Jacqueline, why did we have to come after you?"
"Because you are our family, we are too young to do this on our own, and you love us."
"I think you have the selfish part understood." Ben said, "You'll have one month's restriction and extra chores, as a reminder."
"But Pa…" the protest was held off by their father's glare.
"Yes sir."
"So you didn't think about us. Did you think about yourselves?" Ben asked.
"We thought about how much fun we were going to have," Joe said honestly.
"Joseph, you know I'm not talking about that," Ben said.
"Yes sir." Joe said.
"So what am I talking about?"
"We could've gotten hurt," Joe said.
"But we weren't. Doesn't that count for something?" Jax said quickly.
"You were very lucky. First you met Ebenezer and Ethel which save you from being robbed when your brothers were, second when you went down to the docks instead of meeting a Captain who would have shanghaied you, you met an old friend of mine."
"We sleep two days on the road before Ebenezer and Ethel and nothing happened," Joe said.
"Again, luck." Ben said.
At this point he knew they didn't realize how much danger they were in because they didn't face any. He thanked God for that fact. But how do you prove to two eleven year olds who think they are invincible that they are not?
"Pa, you let us go to Virginia City all the time, why is this road any different?" Jax asked.
"This is a main road. It harbors criminals and ruffians that wouldn't think twice about killing anyone including children. You have heard of the stage coach robberies. They always happen on main roads, such as the one you traveled on."
"Oh," Jax said starting to understand what Ebenezer was saying.
"How many homes did you see near the road?" Ben asked.
"A few," Joe said.
"Ok, let's say Jax fell off her horse and hit her head. Could you have helped her?"
"No."
"Why."
"There wouldn't be anything around," Jax said. "But isn't it the same for you, Hoss, and Adam?"
"Yes, but we aren't eleven and have more experienced."
"Why does every one tell us we are eleven, of course we know we are eleven," Jax mumbled. Ben grabbed his little girl off the bed and gave her a quick sharp smack.
"Oww, Pa," Jax complained.
"Think before you speak, Jacqueline," Ben said harshly.
"At home you give us tons of chances to do something so we can get more experience. Shouldn't this trip give us some of the experience you have?" Joe asked.
"Do I let you do things alone on the Ponderosa that you've never done before?"
"No, sir, but after a lot of tries you let us," Jax said and scooted out her father's reach before adding, "we have a lot of practice riding places that are dangerous already with Hoss, Adam, and you. Every time we go hunting you tell us how dangerous the trek is."
Joe scooted away too, before saying, "We face dangers everyday on the Ponderosa this shouldn't have been any different."
"ON THE PONDERSOSA NO ONE WILL SHOOT YOU, ROB YOU, OR KIDNAP YOU. THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE!" Ben bellowed.
"I guess you're right," Jax cowered this time under her father's rage.
"GUESS!"
"You're right," Jax said quickly.
"You're right," Joe said.
Ben had to count to fifty before he could speak again.
"Do you agree this was dangerous?"
"Yes sir," Both of them said.
"Are you saying that to save your hides or do you really think it was dangerous?"
"Both," Joe said honestly.
"The trip was dangerous because we could have been hurt or killed." Jax said
"And our backsides are helping us to remember that." Joe said.
"Ok, since you're still not convinced you need two more month restriction and extra chores."
"That's three months," Joe complained.
"I'm glad you can count, there will be many more months coming your way."
Both twins hung their heads. It was on the tip of Jax's tongue to say something but something in her father's eyes closed it for once.
"Ok, selfish and dangerous down. How about the guns?"
"You already tanned us for the guns." Jax protested fearing what was about to come.
"Jacqueline, that was because you felt that you could be totally protected by them, not that you took them."
"Oh," Jax said defeated.
"What have I always told you about the guns?"
"Not to touch them." Joe said.
"Why?"
"We could get hurt," Joe said.
"Why?"
"We don't know how to use them and your policy is that children don't get guns until they are thirteen," Jax said.
"What is the difference between thirteen and eleven," Ben said.
Joe couldn't help it so whispered to his sister, "two."
Ben grabbed his son and gave him quick smack.
"IS THIS FUNNY JOSEPH?"
"No sir," Joe said rubbing his backside. "Sorry."
"Experience," Jax answered.
"Exactly."
"So what did I promise if I caught you playing with guns?"
Neither wanted to say it or experience it. Again Jax broke under her father's glare,
"A bare bottom tanning so hard that we wouldn't be able to sit for at least two weeks."
"Exactly."
"Pa, we can't handle that right now. I don't think we're going to sit for a month as it is," Joe begged.
"I guess you should have thought about it before you touched the guns." He grabbed Joe and took him behind the divider. Lowering his pants, seeing how red his little bottom already was it was hard to administer more punishment, but it was his duty. Two strikes had his little boy begging him to stop. He didn't have the heart to spank him the promised amount, so he stopped at ten good spanks.
Joe pulled up his pants and walked out sobbing.
"Jacqueline."
Jax couldn't go and face it.
"Jacqueline Anne-Marie, if I have to come and get you it will be twice as bad."
Jax slowly walked back there to her impending doom. She lowered her pantaloons and received the same ten hard spanks her brother received.
Ben again let his twins cry themselves to sleep again. He felt guilty for spanking them again knowing a bare bottom spanking on an already red bottom hurt twice as much but they had to realize that consequences come no matter what. He left the room to get their supper. Knowing it would be cruel to make them sit on the wooden chairs.
Jax woke up before her father returned and shook Joe awake.
"I think the stealing is coming next."
"Shut up Jax. This is your fault."
"Why are you saying that?"
"It just is. I would have waited."
"You wouldn't have and you know it."
"Most of the plan was yours."
"That's untrue and you know it."
"I STILL SAY THIS IS YOUR FAULT!" Joe yelled.
"WHY IS IT MY FAULT?"
"I don't know my bottoms on fire and I am so mad at us for not thinking and going in the first place"
""You're right we were wrong for going at all."
"My bottom isn't the only thing hurting right now."
"I know my heart hurts. Pa had tears in his eyes when I walked back there. He didn't want to tan us again, but we were wrong."
"I've been thinking about it and Pa's right we were really selfish. The only thing we thought about was coming and having fun. The only danger we thought about was the tanning, not that I knew it would be this bad. I would die if something would have happened to you." Joe said.
"I feel the same way about you. Adam, Hoss and Pa lost a lot by having to come after us too. Pa lost the contract, Adam and Hoss were robbed. I think we lost Hoss's trust the most because we broke the fence and blamed it on him," Jax said.
"Do you think they will ever forgive us?"
"I hope so. I think we really hurt all of them."
Joe walked over and hugged his twin. Ben listened to the exchange outside and shook his head. He may have gotten through those thick skulls after all.
"I thought you two wouldn't like sitting in the chairs downstairs, so I brought you supper up."
"I'm not hungry," Jax said.
"You need to eat."
"Yes sir," Jax said.
"So the gun part is over. I won't give you restriction for that because I only promised a tanning if you touched them," Ben said.
"Pa," Joe ventured.
"Yes son.''
"Can we be punished for the stealing when we get home? Please?" Joe begged.
"Do you believe you were wrong for stealing?"
"Yes," the both said quickly.
"That was the hardest part of the plan to justify." Jax said.
"We know stealing is wrong."
"So nothing else you did was wrong?" Ben asked sternly.
"NO! Everything we did was wrong." Joe pleaded.
"Explain it to me, Joseph and Jacqueline feel free to help him."
"The moment you said no to us going to Sacramento, we decided to do something selfish and came up with a plan that hurt everyone," Joe said repeating everything he and his sister had just said to one another.
The twin always tried to justify what they do but most times they realized why they were punished and what they did wrong. Ben was happy about that even if like today it had to be pointed out directly to them.
"Pa," Jax said tentatively.
"Yes."
"Are you mad or disappointed?"
"I was both, now like Adam and Hoss I'm hurt by what you did."
The twins burst into tears.
"Come here," Ben said.
The twins walked over to their father. He picked up Joe first sitting him on his knee making sure not to hurt his bottom. Jax was next. He hugged his twins as the cried their guilt out.
"Pa," Joe asked.
"Yes,"
"Will you ever forgive us?"
"I did the moment I found you, but you needed to understand what you did was wrong. Adam and Hoss said that last night you were more worried about your punishment than about what you did wrong."
"So this was to help us understand why what we did wrong?" Jax asked.
"Yes. Not that you don't have more punishment coming," Ben said. "When we get home you still need to answer to me for you disobedience and stealing."
"We deserve it," Joe said miserably.
"How many parts are left of your plan that we didn't discuss besides the stealing? Remember no lying."
"Does stealing food fall under that category," Jax asked. Making Ben laugh.
"No, I'll give you that one."
"Breaking the fence, sneaking out of our window…" Joe said thinking.
"Lying to Hop Sing and dressing like a boy," Jax finished.
"How about making the plan at all?"
"Yes."
"So let' total this up; one month for selfishness, two for months for putting yourselves in danger, I'm giving you two months for making the plan in the first place, and four weeks more for the parts of the plan." Ben said.
"Pa, we'll be restricted until Christmas." Joe said, "Plus Jax was…."
Joe stopped under his father's intense graze.
"Also, your talking hole is getting filled in." Ben said knowing this was going to be the worst part of the punishment for them. One he had been debating about for days.
"Forever?" Jax asked.
"Yes, forever," Ben answered.
"But we talk every night," Joe said.
"You also scheme though it."
"Please don't, Pa," Jax and Joe begged.
"My decision is final and don't even think about making another one."
Silent tears fell down the twins faces as they nodded their heads.
Epilogue:
Ben took the children out to the barn the moment they arrived at the Ponderosa where they received their punishment for disobedience.
According to the twins that tanning was worse than all of the tannings they received at the hotel combined.
Ben closed the talking hole the next day feeling guilty the entire time, but knew it was for the best.
The months of restriction dragged by, but as Joe predicted with Christmas so did their parole. Jax joked it almost took that long for them to sit without wincing.
So are the twins finished with their mischief? Guess we'll just have to see.