Well, here's my resonse to this week's 'Bonanza Bits' prompt at Bonanza World. It continues the previous two...again, I'm hoping it will grow into a sequel to For Want of a Brother, The Eyes of the Wind and The Monstrosity =)
~
BB # 274
by J. Rosemary Moss
It was just supposed to be a quick trip to the mercantile. But now things would be complicated, wouldn’t they? Hoss sighed and glanced at the man riding beside him in the buckboard. He was the last fellow Hoss would ever have wanted for company.
Well, at least Drew Clayton knew how to keep quiet, Hoss reflected. He hadn’t spoken a word to Hoss since he asked if he might accompany him to the store. He could probably guess just what Hoss thought of him.
Which would be kind of funny, Hoss thought, considering that he wasn’t sure how about that himself. Drew had been staying at the Ponderosa for a while now—pretty much since his brother’s death—so Hoss should have had enough time to puzzle it out by now.
Maybe he should feel sorry for him, seeing as he was blind and all. But somehow Drew wasn’t the sort you felt sorry for. Well, not unless he wanted you to; and he didn't usually want you to. He rarely accepted help from anyone but Adam—and he didn’t always like having Adam help him either. He liked to be as independent as possible. Hoss had to give him credit for that.
Maybe Hoss should hate Drew. Wasn’t this the fellow who was forcing Adam to accompany him to Washington D.C. for three years? But no, that wasn’t fair, was it? Drew wasn’t forcing Adam—not really. Heck, Adam had all but leapt at the chance to go back east.
Hoss glanced sidelong at Drew again. How did Adam stay friends with this fellow? He had a real mean streak in him, Drew did.
Were they even friends? They still fought like the devil sometimes. But it was a real friendship; Hoss had to own up to that. He supposed it was based on a grudging respect for each other if nothing else.
But that wasn’t quite fair either, was it? Hoss had watched the way Adam and Drew played chess together and he had listened to them talk about books and politics and such. Drew had a mind to match Adam’s—and that went a long way toward cementing the friendship between them.
“What’s wrong?” Drew asked.
The words surprised Hoss. Drew had spoke real casual-like, just as if Hoss had been friendly all this time instead of resenting his stay on the Ponderosa.
Hoss shrugged in response. But that was no good, was it? Drew couldn’t see him shrug.
“Ain’t nothing wrong,” Hoss forced himself to say as he eased up on the reigns. He meant to leave it at that, but he couldn’t stop himself from continuing. “I was just speaking to Adam yesterday,” he said. “It’s getting time for you to drag my brother back east.”
Drew didn’t quibble about the word ‘drag,’ Hoss noticed. Maybe he didn't think it was worth his while.
“It’s only for three years, Hoss,” he said softly. “Adam was gone longer when he went to college.”
Hoss grunted at that. “But I knew older brother was coming back then. He didn’t have a blind fellow to look after.”
For a long moment, there was no sound accept the steady clip-clop of the horse. Hoss swallowed hard—he hadn’t meant to be that blunt. There was something about Drew, though, that brought out the worst in folks.
At length Drew broke the silence. “That’s my trump card, isn’t it?” he said easily. “I can’t tell you how useful my blindness is when it comes to my nefarious plan to separate Adam from his family.”
Hoss glanced uncertainly at Drew. “Is that—is that sarcasm?” he ventured.
“Yes,” Drew answered dryly.
“Well, I’m only asking ‘cause I wouldn’t put it past you. You did blackmail Adam into agreeing to go back east with you,” Hoss pointed out. “That’s pretty—what was the word you used? ‘Nefarious.’”
“I suppose it was,” Drew owned, smiling a little.
“Do you think Adam will want to stay back east with you when the three years are up?” Hoss persisted. “Do you think he’ll be so used to city life and—and looking after you that he won’t want to leave?”
Drew rolled his eyes. “I prefer to regard Adam as a business partner rather than a caretaker.”
Hoss grunted again. “Maybe—but you’ll use that trump card of yours, won’t you? You’ll try to get Adam to feel so sorry for you that he’ll stick with you after the three years are up.”
To his surprise, Drew grinned at that. “Yes, I will,” he admitted. “But don’t sell your brother short, Hoss. I won’t be pulling any wool over his eyes. He knows me better than you do—and he’ll recognize any self-pitying ploy of mine. If he wants to come home, he will.”
Hoss gritted his teeth and silently cursed. That was the whole crux of the matter, wasn’t it?
Would Adam want to come home?
Showing posts with label Bonanza Bit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bonanza Bit. Show all posts
Monday, June 9, 2008
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Another Adam & Drew Bit
Well, here's another piece I wrote for the 'Bonanza Bits' over at Bonanza World. Once again, I'm hoping that it will grow up to be a sequel to The Eyes of the Wind, The Monstrosity and For Want of a Brother...
~
BB #273
by J. Rosemary Moss
Adam found Hoss right where he expected—on the ridge overlooking the lake. He stared at his brother for a long moment before approaching him. Hoss was sitting on the grass, keeping still as a robin twittered near him, apparently observing him. But at length the bird lost interest in Hoss and flew off. That seemed as good a time as any to meander over.
“Hey,” Adam said as he took a seat, cross-legged, next to his brother.
“Hey,” Hoss returned, without turning to look. His attention still seemed to be focused on the robin, which was now hopping from branch to branch on a tree just beyond the clearing.
“I’m going to miss the springtime here,” Adam said softly.
Hoss shrugged. “If you weren’t going you wouldn’t miss it,” he pointed out.
Adam sighed. Up till recently, Hoss had taken his decision to go back east for a few years without much anger. But now it was becoming real—now the time was almost here. Suddenly Hoss seemed full of prickly objections.
It was funny to think that Joe understood better than Hoss did, Adam reflected. Joe knew that Adam loved the Ponderosa, but that he didn’t live it and breathe it in the same way the rest of them did. He understood that part of Adam craved real city life.
And Joe understood that Adam would come back. He may or may not live on the Ponderosa when he returned—perhaps he’d live in town or maybe he’d end up spending part of every year in San Francisco. But he would be back.
And so he had more-or-less given his blessing to his brother—along with the warning that if Adam wasn’t back within three years, he’d come east himself to fetch him.
“Do you think—do you think you’ll be all miserable with Drew once you have to deal with him everyday?” Hoss ventured.
Adam managed a smile. It was a deal with Drew that was bringing him back east to begin with.
“No,” he answered. “Drew and I—Drew and I are alike in a lot of ways. And where we differ in business—well, if we don’t let our tempers get the better of us, I think we’ll learn how to compliment each other.”
Hoss sat up straight and jutted his lower lip forward. “Hrmmph. And what’s Drew going to do when you come back here? He’s still going to need a business partner he trusts three years from now—so what then?”
“I don’t know,” Adam said honestly. “I can’t look that far ahead. Perhaps I’ll convince him to return with me. We can focus on business in San Francisco.”
Hoss finally turned to look at him. “And if he wants to stay back east?”
Adam shrugged, not sure what his brother was getting at. “Then he’ll stay. He’ll find someone else he trusts, I suppose.”
“You won’t be tempted to stay there too?” Hoss persisted. “You won’t want to be in Washington or New York or London or some other fancy city more than you’ll want to be here? You won’t write to us explaining how you’ve come to feel responsible for Drew and how you’d just as soon stay?”
“Hoss—”
“I know you’re fixing to do a lot of business for the Ponderosa back east,” Hoss puffed. “What if you get so comfortable making money for us there that you forget how much we need you here? What if you can’t leave all them theatres and restaurants and crowds?”
He paused to give Adam a searching look. “And what if—what if Drew becomes more like a brother to you than me and Joe are, just `cause, being blind, he needs you more?”
Adam put an arm around his brother. “Hoss, Drew will never replace you and Joe. That’s just not possible.”
Hoss hrummphed again. “When you came back from school, I didn’t think it was possible that you’d ever leave here again. You were so happy to be back, older brother, that I’d have sworn wild horses couldn’t drag you away.”
He paused and shrugged Adam’s arm off of him. “Well, it ain’t a wild horse that’s dragging you away—but you’re leaving just the same. So don’t go promising that you’ll be back, Adam. I’ll believe that when I see it.”
And with that Hoss faced forward again and let his eyes look out over the water. Adam cringed, knowing that—for the time being at least—his brother had nothing more to say to him.
~
BB #273
by J. Rosemary Moss
Adam found Hoss right where he expected—on the ridge overlooking the lake. He stared at his brother for a long moment before approaching him. Hoss was sitting on the grass, keeping still as a robin twittered near him, apparently observing him. But at length the bird lost interest in Hoss and flew off. That seemed as good a time as any to meander over.
“Hey,” Adam said as he took a seat, cross-legged, next to his brother.
“Hey,” Hoss returned, without turning to look. His attention still seemed to be focused on the robin, which was now hopping from branch to branch on a tree just beyond the clearing.
“I’m going to miss the springtime here,” Adam said softly.
Hoss shrugged. “If you weren’t going you wouldn’t miss it,” he pointed out.
Adam sighed. Up till recently, Hoss had taken his decision to go back east for a few years without much anger. But now it was becoming real—now the time was almost here. Suddenly Hoss seemed full of prickly objections.
It was funny to think that Joe understood better than Hoss did, Adam reflected. Joe knew that Adam loved the Ponderosa, but that he didn’t live it and breathe it in the same way the rest of them did. He understood that part of Adam craved real city life.
And Joe understood that Adam would come back. He may or may not live on the Ponderosa when he returned—perhaps he’d live in town or maybe he’d end up spending part of every year in San Francisco. But he would be back.
And so he had more-or-less given his blessing to his brother—along with the warning that if Adam wasn’t back within three years, he’d come east himself to fetch him.
“Do you think—do you think you’ll be all miserable with Drew once you have to deal with him everyday?” Hoss ventured.
Adam managed a smile. It was a deal with Drew that was bringing him back east to begin with.
“No,” he answered. “Drew and I—Drew and I are alike in a lot of ways. And where we differ in business—well, if we don’t let our tempers get the better of us, I think we’ll learn how to compliment each other.”
Hoss sat up straight and jutted his lower lip forward. “Hrmmph. And what’s Drew going to do when you come back here? He’s still going to need a business partner he trusts three years from now—so what then?”
“I don’t know,” Adam said honestly. “I can’t look that far ahead. Perhaps I’ll convince him to return with me. We can focus on business in San Francisco.”
Hoss finally turned to look at him. “And if he wants to stay back east?”
Adam shrugged, not sure what his brother was getting at. “Then he’ll stay. He’ll find someone else he trusts, I suppose.”
“You won’t be tempted to stay there too?” Hoss persisted. “You won’t want to be in Washington or New York or London or some other fancy city more than you’ll want to be here? You won’t write to us explaining how you’ve come to feel responsible for Drew and how you’d just as soon stay?”
“Hoss—”
“I know you’re fixing to do a lot of business for the Ponderosa back east,” Hoss puffed. “What if you get so comfortable making money for us there that you forget how much we need you here? What if you can’t leave all them theatres and restaurants and crowds?”
He paused to give Adam a searching look. “And what if—what if Drew becomes more like a brother to you than me and Joe are, just `cause, being blind, he needs you more?”
Adam put an arm around his brother. “Hoss, Drew will never replace you and Joe. That’s just not possible.”
Hoss hrummphed again. “When you came back from school, I didn’t think it was possible that you’d ever leave here again. You were so happy to be back, older brother, that I’d have sworn wild horses couldn’t drag you away.”
He paused and shrugged Adam’s arm off of him. “Well, it ain’t a wild horse that’s dragging you away—but you’re leaving just the same. So don’t go promising that you’ll be back, Adam. I’ll believe that when I see it.”
And with that Hoss faced forward again and let his eyes look out over the water. Adam cringed, knowing that—for the time being at least—his brother had nothing more to say to him.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
An Adam & Drew Bit
Here's a short piece I wrote for Bonanza World's Bonanza Bits--BB's for short. This week's challenge was to include the words 'As he turned to leave, a hand on his shoulder made him pause.'
Now, with a little bit of luck, this bit will grow up to be the sequel to The Eyes of the Wind, The Monstrosity and For Want of a Brother:
~
BB #272
by J. Rosemary Moss
Adam knew where to find Drew. He had disappeared after the judge formally commuted Reuben’s sentence, but Adam could figure out just where he had gone. Guilt, if nothing else, would drive him there—guilt for helping the boy who had murdered his brother.
Adam sighed as he trudged toward the house that he had nicknamed ‘The Monstrosity.’ When he arrived he let himself inside. The door was locked, but that didn’t signify. He had his own key.
The place was empty, bereft even of furniture. Drew had given references to all the servants and then dismissed them—all the servants except Brian and his wife, that is. They would be accompanying Adam and Drew to Washington.
But Brian was lodging in the servants' house, which meant that Drew was all alone in the Monstrosity. Adam swore under his breath. He had told Drew over and over that it wasn’t safe for him to stay in this convoluted mansion on his own. His blindness could easily trap him if, God forbid, there was a fire.
He found Drew in what used to be the library. Drew must have heard and recognized his footfall, for he called out before Adam had a chance to speak.
“You must be thrilled, Adam,” he said, not bothering to disguise the bitterness in his voice. “That cocker spaniel you’ve adopted escaped justice, just as you predicted.”
Adam sighed again. “I think justice was served, Drew. You must think so as well, considering that you helped arrange for Reuben to avoid the noose and serve in the Army of the Potomac in lieu of prison.” He paused and smiled at his friend. Drew would hear the smile in his voice, even if he couldn’t see it. “Besides, I thought the kid was growing on you.”
Drew managed a slight laugh at that. “He’ll grow on me even more if he manages to get himself blown to bits in the war.”
“Yeah, I’m sure of that. Come on, Drew. Let’s leave here. You may as well stay at the Ponderosa for now.”
But Drew shook his head. “No, I need to be here tonight.”
Adam cringed at that: the place seemed too empty and desolate. But he understood. This house had been his brother’s dream, after all. “Then I’ll stay with you,” he said quietly.
“No!” Drew barked. “I don’t want you here. Stay in the house if you’d like, but keep away from me tonight.”
Adam stared at his friend, wishing that for once Drew would allow himself to mourn in front of him. There was no reason that he should bear all the guilt and grief he felt alone. But he couldn’t force Drew to accept his company—and he was wise enough not to try. Drew was constantly pulling Adam toward him with one hand and pushing him away with the other. There was nothing to be done about that.
But as he turned to leave, a hand on his shoulder made him pause. It was Drew reaching out for him, clumsily grabbing for him in his blindness. Adam stood there for a moment, waiting uncertainly.
“I’m sorry,” Drew whispered, his voice cracking. “You don’t have to leave. I just—”
Adam didn’t wait for any further invitation. He turned and gathered Drew up in his arms and then let him sob into his shoulder. Adam shut his eyes as he held his friend. He knew he couldn’t make things right for Drew—he couldn’t bring his brother back. But at least he could be there for him as he grieved.
Now, with a little bit of luck, this bit will grow up to be the sequel to The Eyes of the Wind, The Monstrosity and For Want of a Brother:
~
BB #272
by J. Rosemary Moss
Adam knew where to find Drew. He had disappeared after the judge formally commuted Reuben’s sentence, but Adam could figure out just where he had gone. Guilt, if nothing else, would drive him there—guilt for helping the boy who had murdered his brother.
Adam sighed as he trudged toward the house that he had nicknamed ‘The Monstrosity.’ When he arrived he let himself inside. The door was locked, but that didn’t signify. He had his own key.
The place was empty, bereft even of furniture. Drew had given references to all the servants and then dismissed them—all the servants except Brian and his wife, that is. They would be accompanying Adam and Drew to Washington.
But Brian was lodging in the servants' house, which meant that Drew was all alone in the Monstrosity. Adam swore under his breath. He had told Drew over and over that it wasn’t safe for him to stay in this convoluted mansion on his own. His blindness could easily trap him if, God forbid, there was a fire.
He found Drew in what used to be the library. Drew must have heard and recognized his footfall, for he called out before Adam had a chance to speak.
“You must be thrilled, Adam,” he said, not bothering to disguise the bitterness in his voice. “That cocker spaniel you’ve adopted escaped justice, just as you predicted.”
Adam sighed again. “I think justice was served, Drew. You must think so as well, considering that you helped arrange for Reuben to avoid the noose and serve in the Army of the Potomac in lieu of prison.” He paused and smiled at his friend. Drew would hear the smile in his voice, even if he couldn’t see it. “Besides, I thought the kid was growing on you.”
Drew managed a slight laugh at that. “He’ll grow on me even more if he manages to get himself blown to bits in the war.”
“Yeah, I’m sure of that. Come on, Drew. Let’s leave here. You may as well stay at the Ponderosa for now.”
But Drew shook his head. “No, I need to be here tonight.”
Adam cringed at that: the place seemed too empty and desolate. But he understood. This house had been his brother’s dream, after all. “Then I’ll stay with you,” he said quietly.
“No!” Drew barked. “I don’t want you here. Stay in the house if you’d like, but keep away from me tonight.”
Adam stared at his friend, wishing that for once Drew would allow himself to mourn in front of him. There was no reason that he should bear all the guilt and grief he felt alone. But he couldn’t force Drew to accept his company—and he was wise enough not to try. Drew was constantly pulling Adam toward him with one hand and pushing him away with the other. There was nothing to be done about that.
But as he turned to leave, a hand on his shoulder made him pause. It was Drew reaching out for him, clumsily grabbing for him in his blindness. Adam stood there for a moment, waiting uncertainly.
“I’m sorry,” Drew whispered, his voice cracking. “You don’t have to leave. I just—”
Adam didn’t wait for any further invitation. He turned and gathered Drew up in his arms and then let him sob into his shoulder. Adam shut his eyes as he held his friend. He knew he couldn’t make things right for Drew—he couldn’t bring his brother back. But at least he could be there for him as he grieved.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)