A Pair of Black Eyes, Part Seven

by J. Rosemary Moss

Genre: Fan-Fiction (Bonanza)
Rating: Mature Content

LINK TO PART ONE

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Joe didn't get home till late that night, but he could see by all the lamps shining through the windows that both of his brothers were waiting up for him. Well, that figured.

He took a deep breath as he stepped inside. Then he mumbled a greeting as he took off his hat, his gun belt, and his jacket.

They were sitting by the fireplace playing a game of chess. It was amazing how Hoss could constantly lose at checkers, yet almost hold his own against Adam on the chessboard. Then again, big brother's losses at checkers might have something to do with his own cheating, Joe reflected.

Joe took a seat on the settee as Adam and Hoss returned his greeting. Then he plucked up his courage and told them what he and Bess had decided. He could almost feel the relief in the room as he finished.

"So I suppose you wired Pa for nothing," he continued, giving Hoss an apologetic glance.

"Aw, shucks, Little Joe," Hoss said. "I didn't wire him. I just couldn't bring myself to do it. You're a grown man now—and I reckoned that you've got to figure things out for yourself."

"And under the circumstances," Adam put in, "I think you and Bess came up with the best solution."

Joe gave them both a grateful look. "It was her idea. But she was right—her brother did disown her and the rest of her family followed suit."

"I've got a thing or two that I'd like to say to that family of hers," Hoss grumbled.

"Me too," Joe agreed. "But I'm going to hold my peace. I think she’ll be better off without them."

"What about you, Little Joe?" Adam asked. "Do you think you'll be better off without her?"

Joe managed a smile as he thought about Bess and her black eyes—those black eyes that had gotten him into so much trouble.

"I'm not sure, older brother,” he said at last. “But tell you what: There's a certain 'widow' that I'm going to keep calling on—just until I figure that out."

~The End~