The New Hand, Part Fifty-One

by J. Rosemary Moss

Genre: Slash Fan-Fiction (Bonanza)
Rating: PG-13

LINK TO PART ONE

~

Joe had been sitting in a chair to the side of the room, glancing at a newspaper, when he heard voices in the hallway. He tossed the paper aside and stretched his arms as Adam and David walked into the room.

But neither man had noticed Joe as they entered. They’d been far too busy noticing each other.

Joe felt his face lose its color as he stood up. At last he managed to clear his throat and spit out a few words.

“Am I interrupting something?” he demanded.

Adam released David and turned to face him. “Joe,” he said simply, as if his brain was catching up to the fact that Joe was standing right there.

Joe nodded. Then he looked at David. He tried to keep the contempt out of his voice as he addressed Adam’s ‘friend,’ but without success.

“I need to talk to my brother alone,” Joe told him.

David managed a nod as he turned to Adam. “I’m going back downstairs to send that telegraph to Abby,” he said softly.

Adam took a deep breath and nodded back. “All right,” he told David. “Send one to my father as well, letting him know that Joe is here and that we’re not sure how much longer this will take.”

David nodded and left the room. Joe waited expectantly for Adam to say something.

But Adam didn’t speak. He regarded Joe with a steady gaze instead, waiting for him to make the first move.

Joe found it hard to meet his brother’s eyes. He looked away for a moment, trying to make sense of what had happened.

Adam had temporarily lost his mind; that much was plain. Something about David had infatuated him. Well, maybe that wasn’t Adam’s fault. It happened sometimes, that was all—even to otherwise sane men. Maybe Adam would just use David for a while and get it out of his system and then things would be back to normal again.

But what did he see in David? Oh, the man was attractive—even Joe could see that. And he had his mother’s charisma. And Joe wasn’t about to forget that David had once set out to seduce Adam.

So this was all David’s fault. Adam was just—just not himself right now. Somehow he just got carried away. But he would get over this. He would get over David. He probably just needed some time; that was all.

“I—I won’t tell Pa,” Joe managed at last.

“I know,” Adam said with almost maddening calm. “You’re not a five-year-old running to tell on his older brother.”

“Pa—Pa wouldn’t understand,” Joe continued, pretending that Adam hadn’t spoken. “Hell, I don’t understand. I think you’ve lost your mind. Just—just get David out of your system and then we’ll forget this ever happened.”

Adam cocked his head at his little brother. “Joe, David isn’t some toy that I’m amusing myself with. He’s a person—not something to be used and then tossed aside.”

Joe shrugged. “If you want to stay friends with him when it’s all over that’s your concern. Just don’t expect me to be friendly with him.”

“Joe, I don’t have any plans to end things with David,” Adam informed him. “I don’t know what the future holds for us, but—well, I don’t see us ending this anytime soon.”

Joe stared at him. “Adam, what do you see in him? I know he’s attractive and all, but how can he make you forget who you are? You’re not—you’re not like him.”

Adam narrowed his eyes at that. “Don’t say something you won’t be able to take back, Joe,” he said quietly.

Joe felt himself coloring. “All right—but just tell me what you see in him.”

To his surprise, Adam smiled. “I’m not sure,” he admitted. “His audacity—that much is certain. And the way he challenges me, I suppose. And the way he throws himself into chess. And the way his hair gets mussed up in the mornings. And the way he wrestles with his religion—that’s all part of what I see in him.”

Joe felt his mouth drop open. Adam had fallen harder than he thought—this infatuation might last a while.

But it would end, he told himself. Adam would eventually forget about David and then things would be back to normal.

“You—you do what you want, Adam,” he managed at last. “I won’t interfere and I won’t say anything. Just don’t expect me to get along too well with David, that’s all. Meanwhile, let’s forget this for now. Right now—right now I’ve got to get a room of my own.”

“You can use David’s suite,” Adam said softly. “There’s no point paying for a third room when he’s not using his.”

Joe rolled his eyes. “Right. Well, we’ll revisit this when you’re ready to kick him out. Now let’s talk about what’s going on. Fill me in on everything—I came here to help you.”

Adam favored him with a measuring look. “I’ll be grateful for your help, Joe—if you can manage to work with David.”

Joe shrugged. “I’ll manage. I just won’t like it—that’s all.”

LINK TO PART FIFTY-TWO