Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed this chapter. Sisters and Brothers has just passed 600 views I'm so excited and happy that everyone is enjoying the story so far. Please keep reviewing and sharing your comments and your likes and dislikes. Here we get a look inside Kathleen, Adam's and Hoss's heads for a bit. Thank you once again to everyone.
Kathleen's POV
"Joe?"
"Yeah it's me."
Adam and Hoss entered quickly half running over to their brother. After checking him out for themselves ,"Have you been here all this time? We've been looking everywhere for you the past few days."
"Yeah after I got shot I came across this place, and they took me in. The doctor said it was mostly a flesh wound and I should make a full recovery. I even was allowed to get up and help out around here today." Myself and my sisters just glared at him with his wordage of 'help'.
Noticing our glares Joe sat himself up straighter and began to shift around nervously.
"Joseph... Something tells me there's more to this than you are letting on."
Joe started to speak but was interrupted by Isabelle who was still holding a grudge.
"He destroyed my garden, and got 11 of our hens killed." Joe closed his eyes and sank into the settee slowly. Adam's eyes lit up with anger.
"You Did What?"
"Uh he ha well... You see Adam," Joe rose slowly out of the settee and started backing away slowly as Adam furiously approached him. I couldn't just sit here and watch Adam beat his injured brother to death, and besides if he lived then he would be stuck here even longer. And his brothers might stay as well. Ugh why must I justify everything.
Running over in-between the two," Hang on there good sir, now as much as Joe probably deserves this."
"Hey wait just a minute," I turned to him," Just shut up or I'll move out of the way."
Turning back to Adam, who was annoyed at me as much as his brother," You can't just start hitting him."
Crossing his arms," And why not little miss."
Did he just call me little miss? Oh hell no." Excuse me?"
"Your excused now move." He grabbed my arm to move me out of the way. Does he really think that just because he's a man he can come into MY home and order me around and beat up my guest. This man has another thing coming for him.
"Take your arm off of me sir."
"I said to move." He stepped closer to me and put his face right up to mine. I could see the determination in his eyes. Obviously this man has never had anyone stand up to him, or at least not a lady.
So like any good lady should I took a step toward him and stuck my face up to his and set that same determined stare on him. I seriously do not like this man.
"And I said to leave him alone. He is a guest in MY home and so are you so unless you want to be thrown out I say you might want to step down big boy."
He just looked at me. Obviously he has never been in this situation before.
Isabelle, Lila, and Hoss had worried looks in their eyes. Isabelle and Lila knew how stubborn I could be and could tell I wasn't about to back down. I assume Hoss knew that his brother wouldn't either. Joe stood behind me feeling guilty for putting me in this situation.
"Now look here Kathleen your just a little lady and you have no business getting into a fight with.."
"Shut your mouth Joe and get out."
"But Kathleen..?"
"Joseph do as she told you. Hoss you take the young ladies out of here so Ma'am and I can have a word, she obviously doesn't know her place in this world."
Isabelle and Lila's face turned white with shock. They looked to me with worry in their eyes for approval to leave and I gave them a nod without ever breaking my stare down with Adam.I could hear them whisper to each other how that man was going to get it big time. Don't worry sisters he will. Hoss led them out with a reluctant Joe following. Now it was just me and Mister to big for his britches.
With as much sarcasm as I could muster," Well now good Sir where would like to begin on your "How a Lady Should behave Bull' I'm just dying to hear what you come up with." While speaking I crossed over to the settee and gracefully sat down.
His face turned up with annoyance and I could see dimples appear as his mouth twitched. This is the first time I really got a good look at him. To be so disrespectful and rude he was quite handsome. Wait why did I say that. I cannot think that this pig was handsome.
"Where should I even begin. Joseph is my brother and you had no right to intervene with how I choose to punish him. Let alone I was punishing him for what he had done to You."
"If I wanted him punished I would have done it myself."
"You can't go around punishing strangers."
"He's not a stranger he's my guest."
"You're a WOMAN, and no older than 17."
Standing up," I'm 23 thank you very much and what does any of this have to do with me being a woman."
"Women can't punish a man it's not right. It's about as right as a woman living by herself."
"My sister's and I have lived here by ourselves with out any help for 5 years. We do just fine and it isn't yours or anyone's business how we choose to live."
"Well I'm making it my business,, you and your sisters will return to the Ponderosa with us tomorrow."
I stomped my way over to him." Just who do you think you are to tell me how to live."
"Its not safe out here for a lady to be alone, let alone 3."
"I know how to shoot and protect myself and my sisters."
"What would you have done if Joe had been a robber or a murderer. You just invited him in not knowing who or what he was."
"He was wounded what did you expect me to do. I wont turn away a hurt person."
Rolling his eyes," See that's what makes it so dangerous, women don't think, that's why they need a man."
"I can think just fine and in that case I would have handled myself just fine. Men are just rude selfish pigs. And I don't need a man" I turned away and crossed my arms. And let out an exasperated sigh I've never been so mad before, I can literally feel my blood boiling." I feel sorry for your wife being married to you must be awful."
Adam rolled his eyes again," I don't have a wife and stop throwing a temper tantrum. If you want to fight with me than do it like a man, not a child." He grabbed my shoulders and forced me around to face him.
"But I'm a woman remember." I refuse to look at this man in the face.
"Stop acting like a child," He put his finger under my chin and lifted my face to look in his eyes. His hand was a bit cold and his deep brown eyes were serious, but I could see they held more than he cared to share. " Understand this Kathleen you and your sisters will go with us back to the Ponderosa until better arrangements can be made. I will not have your death on my conscious. And stop being angry, anger doesn't belong on such a beautiful young face as yours."
I noticed him hesitate for a moment. His hand still rested on my shoulder and the other under my chin forcing me to look at his face. Which I hate to admit is not a bad view. He seemed to be studying me for a moment before he bent down and.. kissed me? His kiss was soft but seemed to hold such meaning. It shocked me and I tried to step back but his hold was strong, and before I knew it I was kissing him back. His soft lips against mine a beautiful feeling that drove all the anger and frustration away . As I began to kiss him back his hold shifted, his hand that was holding my shoulder moved down my back to pull me closer to his body, I shuttered for a second adjusting to the feeling. Next his hand under my chin moved to hold the back of my neck, he manipulated our lips together in such a way that left me completely helpless to his will. The kiss began to change from soft to more passionate as my arms found their way around his neck, but we were soon interrupted by a knock on the door and Hoss's voice. Adam was the first to break the spell. He looked down at me with utter confusion on his face. We broke apart awkwardly and stood there staring at each trying to figure out what had just happened. A second knock came with another shout from Isabelle.
"Is everything ok in there Kath?"
"You haven't done went an' killed each other in there have ya?"
Adam found his voice first and managed to sound completely normal." Everything is fine Hoss, we've reached an agreement."
An agreement sure that's what that was. He didn't seem to want to talk about it an neither did I. Just then the door opened and Hoss and Isabelle entered first looking around noticed our awkwardness. "Is everything ok?"
I looked at Adam and he quickly took charge," Everything is fine," He looked at Isabelle and Lila," Tomorrow you 3 will be going with us back to the Ponderosa. It is not safe for you to be out here all alone."
Lila quickly angered by this," You can't tell us what to do. We were just fine here before you and will be just fine after."
"I can and I am, now you need to watch your mouth little lady before I show you how I handle children that don't know how to respect there elders."
"But Kathleen you cant let him do this."
"You will do as Adam tells you and we will go with them. But trust me this isn't a permanent thing." I addressed that ending toward Adam, to remind him that just because we..kissed. Didn't mean I forgot everything.
Hoss and Joe only looked at one another then back to Adam who nodded.
"Well it's been a long day and everyone is exhausted I'm sure so let's head to bed. Since we don't have any extra beds Hoss and Adam can sleep in the barn, Joe you can have the settee after Isabelle changes your dressings. Girls back to our usual bed."
After everyone was in bed and asleep I turned over and started thinking. How did a heated argument turn into a passionate kiss. And what would have happened if Hoss hadn't interrupted. I touched my lips and remembered how Adam's lips felt against mine, I shivered again. Come on Kath what are you doing. You don't feel anything for that man who is forcing you from your home. I'm to tired to think about this, besides tomorrow is going to be hell on earth.
Adam's POV
As I lay here thinking back on the events of today I find my head spinning. What kind of mess has Joe got himself into now. Pa is going to have my hide tomorrow when I bring these girls home with us. But I can't leave them here by themselves, to many things could happen to a lady out here by herself. And that Kathleen. She is a firecracker. I can tell she knows how to handle herself like a proper lady, but being out here by herself in charge has changed her, and not for the better. She has became to headstrong. But I have to admit I have great respect for her. And the way her emerald eyes shine when she's angry, they have this glow. And her little nose kind of scrunches up. I smiled to myself. She is a very beautiful woman. I still don't know why I kissed her though. It just happened, but why of all times to kiss her in the middle of a heated argument. But I was surprised, she kissed me back. Adam chuckled to himself, I just wonder how far it would have went had Hoss not knocked. Come on Adam you must get better control of yourself. Pa had taught you better than this, I've had plenty enough talks with Pa about how to treat a lady.
"Adam?"
Hoss must still be awake." Yeah Hoss?"
"What do ya think of these lil' ladies?"
"I suppose they are alright, I haven't had the chance to speak to Isabelle or Lila yet, but Lila seems to have quite the attitude on her."
"Oh she does Adam you should have heard the way she was a talkin' when you and Ms. Kathleen was inside talkin'."
"Oh really. Well I'm sure we will have a talk before we get back to the Ponderosa, and then Pa can get ahold of her."
"She is quite smitten with little Joe."
Lila? Smitten with Joe? No wonder she was all over him when we got here. Joe and I will have to have a talk tomorrow. He has been in a house alone with 3 women I can only imagine, no I don't want to imagine what he has been doing for 3 days while being bed ridden.
"How old is Lila?"
"15."
"She's only a child."
"Yeah but Joe is only 21 himself."
"Pa will sure have his hands full when we get home."
"Adam, what do you think he is going to say when we bring them back?"
"I don't want to think about it right now Hoss, but it won't be good I can tell you that."
I put my hat back over my eyes and tried to go to sleep, I was going to need all my strength for tomorrow.
Hoss's POV
I think Adam went to sleep, but I'm sure what he said was right, Adam's usually always right 'bout things. I cain't sleep cause my minds a wonderin' bout all the stuff that happened today. It started like it had the past few days with Adam an' I out lookin' for Joe. Somehow we ended up findin' lil bro stayin' with 3 ladies. Little Joe sure cause get himself into some strange situations, but this is one of the biggist so far. Kathleen seems pretty nice. But I must admit to fancyin' her little sister Isabelle. See when Adam and Kathleen shooed us out Isabelle was a mighty worried for her sister. So I tried to calm her down and we got to talkin'.
Flashback
"Oh I do hope Kathleen can contain her temper."
I could tell she was nervous because she had her dress all wadded up in her hand and she was biting her lip. I hated to see such a pretty lil lady all worked up so I took a risk and placed my hand on her shoulder. My big ole hand swallowed up her little shoulder," Now don't you go to worrin' yourself miss. I'm sure Adam will take care of everything."
She smiled at me, I could have looked at her smile all day, it was one of those half smiles that made her hazel eyes shine. I always did love hazel eyes.
"I sure hope your right. Oh I've been rude my name is Isabelle."
"I'm Hoss."
She looked at me confused. "Horse?"
I laughed this was a common question," No Hoss."
She giggled, the cutest sound I had ever heard," Oh silly me."
We talked about a little of everything. When Adam and Kathleen started yelling especially loud she crouched in my arms and I held her. She told me she hated fighting. Afterwords everything got real quiet and she told me that was a bad sign. I agreed. So I got up.
"Check the windows Hoss, Oh I do hope they didn't go and kill each other."
"Oh don't you worry your pretty little self."
"Hey Hoss what's going on the yelling just stopped?"
"I don't know little brother that's what I'm trying to find out."
I peeked through the window and that's when I saw it. Adam and Kathleen kissing, and not one of those little kisses either, no wrapped up in each others arms passionately kissing each other's brains out. I gasped and quickly closed the shutter back. Joe noticed," What did you see?" He reached for the shutter but I quickly knocked on the shutter hoping to warn to the two. When Joe opened it they were apart so I guess they heard it.
"Is everything ok in there Kath?" Isabelle walked up to the door and nervously reached for the handle. I walked up beside her and placed my hand on hers and gave her a reassuring smile.
" You haven't done went an' killed each other in there have ya?"
We opened the door and went in together with Joe bringing in Lila. I noticed Kathleen was still out of breath, Adam must have done a number on the little gal. I looked around to the others and no one else seemed to notice I'll have to make sure that they don't I don't want Adam to get a bad reputation and Joe would never let him live it down. I'll just discuss it with him later and get to the bottom of it.
I turned over to look at Adam, he was done asleep, I guess I'll confront him about his little thing with Kathleen later. I am mighty tuckered out. I can't wait to show Isabelle the Ponderosa tomorrow. Pa will be so surprised.
Please review or PM me with your thoughts on Chapter 6 and any ideas you might want to see in future chapters.
Chapter 6 we will be meeting Ben and as Adam said I can only imagine what he will think when his boys bring home not 1 but 3 GIRLS!