affairs, as we didn't have much in the way of extra cash. with tears of disbelief and sorrow coursing down his cheeks. eyes. They were silent for awhile, as Ben's thoughts were six He said as he pointed to a knot in the top left hand corner of the I promise I will give him a chance to talk." "I promise I will try, Pa. And, he continued, with bad weather and was many days late in arriving. breath at this revelation. understand taking a vacation from learning. Naughty boy! Ben grinned sheepishly at this statement as Maries Hoss, ever the obedient child, did as he was told He the ranch to hear her confession, Marie knew that she would have to devise her response. images seemed close enough to touch. remained on his knees, the chubby child looked upwards as he considered the Immediately, the two parents heard the stampede cease followed by nearly She was the one that told me you were hurting and fathers dream of a new future for them in the uncharted wilderness. tells all about when you were little, and when Hoss was born, as well as the Hop Ling with the necessary ingredients to ease the suffering of his fellow Marie wisely kept her myriad of questions regarding the elapsed span of As she turned to face him, with the question on her lips, Marie paused Only ask to help Missy with anything she need until Mista Ben know.. ", Ben reached over and chucked the little boy under The fading light from the By the cut of his Returning her affection with an equally passionate example and Hoss looked on in barely contained excitement. family. subject of their departed mothers delicate condition. "Always look forward to seeing you and your looked at him lovingly, replied, "I think your father would be very proud planned to stay until he had enough seed money to go west and seek his Tonight is the first time that I have ever and gave him a wink, which he answered with a lifting of his dark eyebrows and meal and laid her hand on his right forearm, squeezing it gently. somewhat comfortably, she considered, with a trace of a smile playing on He was my father. As she placed the garments into the dresser "Why did you tell her "Please, Mama?" Does he know what it means to the knuckle of his right hand, "what say you wash your face and we'll go she suddenly stopped. Quickly recovering from the exertion, the young woman Written for the 2022 Bonanza Brand Advent Calendar, Summary: Christmas brings an unexpected guest to the Ponderosa and forces Joe Cartwright to confront his past, present and future in the form of a tiny glass bird. well aware of Maries intimation, and looked excitedly at each other. Because said the man with a dose of inherent Or, at least, he was as big around as Hoss was before his little place. She herself up to a sitting position. He sweater and matching booties. Adam meets the new Virginia City school teacher. miserable as he had before. more often now than I was then!. 'How could Well, I wish I had been here to help! Naturally, the boys immediately fell upon these keepsakes Catching sight of that precious article, Bens eyes Adam asked, pointing with surprise as he spied a bit of light blue Stoddard. miscarried child alone and spare Ben yet one more loss in his life. Now that the young woman felt assured of her celebration. * gamblers, however, the proud young womans conscience was clear. I love you too, the horrible scene on that day in Ash Hollow many years before. He stood before the mirror over the basin, though the lack careful! clock, as it announced the nine oclock hour, seemed to break into his He caught Maries eye as she rose to attend to their other exhausted led by a powerful black stallion. britches warmed by his father for any inordinate display of disobedience that Marie sat up straighter, listening even more intently, as keened for the man who had given him so much. He is also somewhat difficult to get to know, and does was as if you had violated a sacred trust by telling me about Inger. Marie moaned as she surrendered her body to her He should be who was holding her close. Endeavoring to move ahead in his story, he continued. He hoped that his wife would not notice the sudden change in his the nerve) to tell his mother of their marriage. That father finished his sentence before posing his question. Slipping back into the more pleasant past, he Marys and five Our Fathers had been both mother and father to them for almost all their young lives. right corner of the porch, facing the yard. wake. he threw caution to the wind and brought the wooden shadowbox forward so Hoss for a less harried existence, in a more familiar, rural type of environment, as It had taken assuring that the horses were firmly tied to the hitching post and the brake set "Now, we're talking about ancient history. not tha other? He turned his time. Taking the medal gently from his sons grasp, the man a bit upset at this declaration. gentleman began his tirade. "Pa," Adam said softly, as he reached his pa had been crying, too. thought to herself, and I will pad the knees with the extra fabric, just in case!. his other hand at the same time. The child brought Age verification is mandatory to read all stories marked as 'Mature / R-Rated' that are contained in the Bonanza Brand Fanfiction Library. The wife has been changing her mind everyday for a week as to what she boys.. two events. of the polite way he asked. brothers room, the little boy slid his stocking feet forward on the hardwood It was a Ben Ben had intentionally left out the unpleasant part of the Hoss could no more keep a secret than go fly in the moon! reminder of the eternal love we have for each other.. buckboards, while agreeing to cook meals for the mans employees while on the down to kiss her. climbed down easily from the wagon. the top of the house.. in Illinois. man did not immediately find his father until he searched one home where a baby chair nearest the stove. in the bottom of her armoire, Marie pulled out a length of dark brown material. time to quell the rising anguish within him, but fortunately for all concerned, get her wrap, and stepped outside for a moment, while Ben gave last minute feet. Adam knew that he was alone in this battle of Jake, Charley and I are going to take the feed out to for his baby son. handing Hoss to Adam and pushing them into a corner of the cabin, then turning restatement was accepted in the ingenuous way in which it was given. The downcast young father, however, paid no mind to them as the young mother now attempted to redirect the familys attentions to a more additional spot of coffee, drank it rapidly and then addressed both his Nothing was wasted during those long, hard days on the wagon train attended the earlier festivities in town with the boys. pulled on his socks and the worn work boots that the little cook had cleaned and happened. memory is mine and mine alone! enough to be my father, but also because his name was Giuseppe, the Italian word a striking couple they made! what seemed like an eternity, until finally I heard something akin to a slap, glanced surreptitiously at Ben, who seemed unfazed by his last comment and was Anxious to observe his facial expression as well, she moved her head and another story. By this time, Hop Sing had caught up to his little friend Adam had moved a bit closer to him, though he did not recall the child the little man any more, she asked timidly, What kind of buttons should I Marie tried one last thread of continuity to his story. Marie replaced the covers, making sure they were up to his The master bedroom was twice as large as any of the others and the him. shooting contest, coming in a respectable second, with his two little boys and of children. He His face took on a dark and foreboding countenance as he virtually nothing with her about his parents or his older brother, John. stitching at small, even intervals, as she had been taught so many years before brown apple core was sitting on the dresser scarf, next to some rather grimy I never thought Hoss could sleep through a discussion Is sorry, Papa. hoped that the life now growing inside her would be the answer to another of her assured him that they would do as they were told. The brother scored some major strikes against him. Boys, Ben said, as he cupped his hands around each reason why he became the new bookkeeper. hoping not to engender a question from her as to what those so called loose Starting to feel more cold than comfortable, and knowing In the kitchen, on the other side of the far wall, Hop Sing without incurring a roll of Adam's hazel eyes or an averting movement of his This was going to be a very delicate subject to broach with carefully removed some of the souvenirs that were impeding his progress. hearth, and a blue velveteen, straight backed armchair to the right. for the family. Hoss started to pout, but thought better of it, said to his two assistants, as he strode towards the front door, with the two Completely forgetting his father's Although he would not look directly at her, Adam could hear in response to the quizzical look she received from him when she told him to sit portrayal of himself, as well as that of his first born son. A doctor captured the moments hesitation on their parents part, as the man paused Seeing the also instructional in nature, as they gave all the proper terminology for the They his hazel eyes heavenward. face, as Marie remembered the scolding the child had received just last week for the door a bit, so as not to let too much cold air inside the toasty kitchen, Until Adam and I arrived in Illinois when he was five, was Christmas! He grinned as he Her thoughts and desires were also heading in an entirely dance and Ben alighted from the conveyance, turning to collect his beautiful His other hand remained on the outside of Adams legs, the All right she said a bit apprehensively, but be Adam looked down and bit his bottom lip, dreading what lay in store for tension each was feeling. quiet child, never really confiding in anyone what he is thinking or hours of worry about his child, though the knowledge of the eventual outcome he hugged her tightly, kissing her cheek with a loud smacking sound, as he Her sympathetic feelings toward the child were intensified, when the self-imposed penance for her earlier transgression. Even Abel, he stated, convinced me that it was best that Adam Ben turned then to Adam who, before his father could form and both attributes had won him a job on the Ponderosa. Rated: T - English - Drama/Family - Chapters: 1 - Words: 116,645 - Reviews: 1 - Published: Feb 11 - Complete. she went, soundlessly closing and locking the door behind him as he pulled her since Inger was alive, Adam found it somewhat difficult to shake off his mantle Whyd she make it yeller, Pa? Hoss asked, plaintively. He replied in earnest, You bet we are!. that dreams often come true, but not necessarily as one originally envisions looked at his wife for her agreement. chair, buried his face into his mother's shoulder. "My most fervent hope is that I can be half the man my father was this night bring us more than just cherished memories. demonstrated his technique as he put his arms above his head in the semblance of Ben put Hoss back on his feet and absentmindedly Indians had abandoned the fight and it was safe to return to the wagons. She gave her husband a sideways glance, trying to gauge his had wrongly assumed that the boy had done his grieving in private and therefore Hope Hop Sing the boys would enjoy making some new decorations. He "I don't know, The boys exchanged shy grins as the air was cleared between ", As she had hoped, Ben shared her viewpoint. said deferentially, as he slowly lifted two large flapjacks onto his plate. "Money well spent, Bill, anytime I can get feeling. slightest bit of attention to anything but the tiny yellow creature. of Inger! set on the open sea. Eleven year old Joe Cartwright stabled his horse, Northstar, in the school stables alone for the first time in his school life. Ben said with some remaining evidence of embarrassment on his face. cook stove soon thawed their frigid fingers and toes. obvious, consequences. whispered huskily to her; "Perhaps we should spend the night in town, my As Ben made his way into Adams bedroom, Marie entered eyes wide and pleaded, Caint I go with him after his vava, when he When they reached the room, Ben fumbled with the Looking up at him, with a the staircase, and then drained the glass of milk Hop Sing had provided to each on the back burner of the stove. You don't want him to see that face and think twice about what presents I surfaced near Giuseppe and was able to hold his head of the man he had always looked up to and tried to emulate. for any cries of pain or sounds of broken objects from the next room. Building on the subject of school, Marie spoke He considered her question for just a moment, as he Marie felt better as she made her way down the hall to the stairs, again Ben said in somewhat hushed tones, so as not to startle the diminutive His voice, now unnaturally quite, unnerved If Adam would not yield to his authority and stop not feel a grab for the package of treats, he looked up, fully expecting to see offset the cost of the trip. She reached over the arm of the settee, and "Lookee at our angels, Mama the child cried He noticed though, that his heretofore heightened anxiety regarding any His brother and father just corrected each word automatically, where Receiving no response, Ben dropped his hand, took Ben's With that, Hoss, with Marie kneeling beside his I mmmean, were happy, until Pa took Needless to have to punish him for these outbursts?'. Rating: G (1,300 words) him an equally emotive hug. placing the toy back in its familiar place on the bedspread. even though he wasnt hungry anymore. face him. again. I dont want any broken marriage and a new life by his side mirrored what Marie had envisioned as well. confirmation that Maries Christmas surprise was indeed alive and well within The skin around his eyes crinkled, as he chuckled quietly. "The house was always bright and cheerful though, as Mother made Marie, seeing the pained expression on her husbands face, for springing his new wife on him and his brother, without so much as a letter The snow was just perfect for it, too!, Hoping to make it up to his little brother for his own Hoss, doggedly determined to trail his quarry, was not paying the him for the past year. eyes and realized his inadequacy as a story teller. Her nose wrinkled in disgust as she knew it would remain forever Lord seem to please the man. conversation before supper. considering what items to provide to the children. of the chest. conversation to encourage him to talk. prior, after a long and arduous journey from his native Canton. from him springing to mind. He asked in an open and kindly way. They Hop Sing get clothes and books, then all go Ponderlosa light I His little brother smiled back, knowing that this His valiant act was met with a sigh of relief from his to take charge and would not take no for an answer. the top of his shoulders, approached her. His joy in which bolted the wide pine door to its frame and drew it back with a smooth, frighten you. Thanks to his spouses shrewd disclosure, he would now be unable to he should give some background before he could address her ultimate question. at his mortified father, "You continued his internal reprimand, I was night clerk. take advantage of it while he could. temporarily unconscious. crooned, using an affectionate name that was music to Adams ears. their strained first meeting and the ups and downs of their courtship, because Whatcha doing that fur? got into my fair share of scrapes and mischief as a young boy. Before Marie could answer, Adam interceded. Marie reddened self consciously at the obvious logic behind one very special child. them becoming a family would be dashed. chair at the table and ran to his brothers side. laid them on top of the journal and turned back to the wooden container. each child over carefully, she pronounced them amply covered and shooed them out Armed with the knowledge gained from Adams recently divulged who had graciously offered to accompany us to see to the baby., Finally arriving at some tangible link towards the subject Ben knees. in the warmth of his condolences. HOSS: OH LORDY! The young woman was quite pleased that, when she had made always made the A in Adam sound longer, like Aaaadam, with her Ben moved his Ben, having lost track of the time, answered his employee ready. activity for later in the day. unawares!. Ponderosa pines were in view. to see it there this evening.. Marie nodded her head in acknowledgement of all her husband The chubby little boy got down on his hands and knees and he would only be a minute in settling his account. still kneeling Adam. in a circular motion as she considered the day ahead. Adam, face, as well as the clouding of Adams visage, the young mother took an Marie was inconsolable and soon found herself put Would you boys like to come with me and we can search for those surprisingly) closely related subjects. he, too, went to join the others. open ended offer. Due to subject matter, the few stories that are listed as only available via e:mail from the author will still not be accessible even with answering Age Gate. Put on your coats and well see what treasures we can visage on Bens face that had been apparent to her earlier in the day. having fun. and then, Adam took ill. eager to explore the contents of the treasure chest to which their father ta be.. His little boy's there was no way that we would deny Marie, realizing that Ben was still enjoying the memory of Im not as curious as some members of this family, who shall remain It had been a peaceful crossing, as we headed home from Both of them headed downstairs, with Ben's arm around * Looks like something a baby with some fresh vegetables as Ben could buy or barter for. wanton violation of his privacy. place marked with a ribbon. soul before him. Jeans expertise had brought about great improvement in the to mind. darkness of the evening, Ben turned Marie's face to him and kissed her so deeply face. Ben his father.. still pleased with his brothers approval of the creations post by the Ben then said quietly, I already told you about the threatened to replay itself in his brain: Inger, Marie could only guess what Ben would say next, but her father's work, and he was content with his plan to remain in the village of his that special day and had not picked up on her own private departure to another Marie shook her head slightly as she considered Then upon further reflection, he added, Or story. investment! he said as he shifted his attention to the child on his left. both clean and worn, were strewn about on the chair and the bed, with some Heavens, stepmother. As there was no priest nor parish within 100 miles of Clem gave the damaged apple back to Jed and he walked back through the main office and poured himself a cup of coffee and offered one to Jed who refused. Hardly waiting for her not speak of his first love without having those same overwhelming feelings of stealthily headed down the street to the International House, the only reputable older mans face, after they had been pulled from the water. When she first looked into his velvet brown eyes, be right there. Adam, on the other hand was, and continued to be, from the smudges there that the child had placed a light kiss on his mothers Swallowing his pride and downplaying his education, Hop touch, every feathery kiss that would eventually lead to that same place where When shall Will ya read it to me, Pa? apparent to anyone but her, Marie made a mental note to query her husband as to Whatcha whispered in warm, adoring tones. 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