Beauty is in
the Eye of
the Beholder
There was just enough light in the barn to complete his
preparations
in private, far away from the prying eyes of his father and
brothers. It was such a relief to escape from the house, where
privacy often seemed to be at a premium and even a firmly-closed
bedroom door did not act as an effective deterrent again unwelcome
visitors. Although the Ponderosa was a large and spacious house, it
could be remarkably difficult to do anything that did not become a
topic for family discussion. But a man had a right to some freedom
after all, and some secrets.
"What they don't know won't hurt them," he reasoned.
"Tonight I'm
going to have some fun after all, I deserve it!"
First things first: time to change out of his familiar work-shirt
and into a clean, white one, that would contrast well against his
light jacket and darker pants. Next, he looped a string tie around
his neck and tied it with a flourish, standing back slightly so
that
he could admire his reflection in the mirror he'd carefully
secreted
away in the depths of the barn, far away from prying eyes or
interfering brothers. So far so good. It looked as if he might just
get away with this and sneak out to the dance unnoticed. It would
be
nice to do something by himself for once, away from the constraints
of his family. Every man needed to be free and unfettered at times
and tonight was definitely one of those times!
The last remaining chore was to attend to his hair. This was of
prime importance. Normally, he exuded an air of studied nonchalance
when it came to grooming, but this was a ruse. Artfully arranged
hair, brushed in a way that suggested total unconcern was an
essential element in the overall appearance he chose to present to
the world. The hairbrushes moved swiftly in the darkening light as
the grooming was finally completed to his satisfaction.
And now the finishing touch! As the smell of cologne wafted above
the sweet notes of hay the barn door creaked open, heralding an
unwelcome visitor. So near and yet so far
"Adam?" Joe called out. "Are you in there?"
He walked forward into the interior of the barn and studied Adam
closely, drinking in all the details of his older brother's smart
appearance clean shirt, the custard-coloured jacket looped
carelessly over one shoulder and the neatly arranged hair. The
merest hint of a smile sweetly curved his Joe's lips as he
struggled
to keep a neutral expression on his face.
"Going somewhere?" Joe asked with an air of studied innocence
that
fooled neither brother. Behind him, Ben and Hoss stood with broad
grins on their faces, thoroughly enjoying the scene.
Adam stifled a sigh of frustration. Why did he have to be born the
eldest?
Claire