Missing
Child
By: Karen Rodgers
Marie Cartwright looked down at the little wiggling bundle in her arms with great pride. Today marked two months after Joseph Francis was born. His little hand waved in front of his face until his mouth found what it was searching for. Soon the slurping sound of Joe sucking his thumb filled the air.
His wiggling started to slow
down as his eyes started closing. After a few minutes Marie carried her son up
stairs to her and Ben’s room and placed him in his cradle.
For two months old Joe looked more like a new born. He weighed just a few ounces more than seven pounds. Marie sat on the edge of the bed and watched her son sleep. This was a sight that she would never get tired of. She smiled once more at the little thumb in his mouth and how his fingers were out straight covering his tiny face.
Her eyes moved down to the cradle’s end. It was a present for Joe from his father and two brothers. Hand made by the three men that she loved so much. She remembered the day they had surprised her for their new brother or sister with great joy.
Two and a half
months earlier…
Sitting on the settee Marie was sewing on a baby quilt. She stopped as she felt the baby kick. Placing her hand on her tummy she laughed, “you have been a very active little one today.” Placing her sewing to the side Marie placed both hands on her stomach and just sat there as she closed her eyes and leaned her head back to rest on the back of the seat.
The front door opening and slamming shut made her jump up at once. She looked over at the smiling face of her beloved stepson Eric or as everyone else called him ‘Hoss.’
“Eric why on earth are you slamming the door like that you scared me half to death,” she scolded, but she still smiled warmly to the boy.
“Sorry about that Ma, but Pa and Adam sent me in here to get ya,” he beamed.
Getting to her feet slowly she headed toward Hoss, “what do they need?”
“I can’t tell…they said to come get ya,” he said wiped his finger under his runny noise.
“Eric can you please use you handkerchief for that dear,” she told him following the boy out the door.
“Alright,” he said taking the cloth out of his pocket.
Looking around the front yard Marie saw no one in sight, “where are your father and brother?”
“In the barn,’ he said making a run for the building.
Shaking her head Marie walked across the yard after Hoss. ‘Where does he get all that energy.’ She asked herself as she entered the barn and smiled broadly as she heard her family shout, “SURPRISE.”
“Oh, Ben…boys,” she said heading over to the cradle that her family stood beside. It was indeed lovely made of pine and on the ends it had the ponderosa brand to the side, “it’s lovely.”
“You like it Ma?” Hoss asked his eyes shining from surprising his stepmother.
“Oh, to say I like it would be and under statement. I love it,” she smiled down at the child.
Adam went to her side, “we made it ourselves.”
“Oh you did, did you?”
“Yeah, we went and picked the tree out and everything,” Adam told her proudly.
“Then that’s even more reason to love it. I am sure the baby will just love sleeping in it,” She knelt down and looked closely at it.
Standing behind his wife Ben wrapped his arms around her, “Adam helped me design it.”
“Oh that’s wonderful. I know you three had a lot of fun making this for the baby,” she patted her stomach as the baby kicked. “I think he likes it,’ she smiled.
“He?” Ben questioned.
“Well a woman can tell these things you know,” she turned around to face her husband. “We never really talked about it, but what do you want?” She asked.
Laughing Ben looked down at the two boys that were looking up at him, “a healthy baby.”
Hoss looked down at the floor of the barn shifting his feet as he did so, “I don’t want no girl. A boy would be more fun.”
Marie patted him on the shoulder, “a girl can be just a fun to play with as a boy.”
Hoss shook his head, ‘nah…I don’t reckon they would be.”
Present time…
Marie stepped out of the room and was heading down the stairs when the front door opened and she heard her stepson shouting.
“Ma! Ma!” Adam called out.
“Adam what is all the shouting about?” She asked coming to the bottom step.
“You will never guess what happened today.” Adam waved a piece of paper in the air. “You just have to read this.”
Opening the note Adam had handed
her Marie smiled, “Oh Adam you’ve been choicen to go to
“Sure have…I can’t wait until Pa
and Hoss gets back from
“We’ll I know that he’s going to be as proud of you as I am,” she assured the excited young man. “Now would you like something to eat before starting your chores?”
“Yes Ma’am.”
Marie smiled as she watched her stepson rush into the kitchen. Moving over to the settee she picked up her sewing basket from the table and started back to work on her mending.”
It was only half an hour later that the door opened and Ben came in Hoss just a step behind him, “we’re home.”
“It’s good to have you home,” Marie greeted as she went to his side.
“Where is everyone?”
“Adam is in helping Hop Sing and Joseph is upstairs sleeping.”
Ben nodded heading for the stairs, “I’ll be right down I want to get cleaned up and looking in on the baby.”
“Alright, I’ve almost finished with this then you can tell me all about your trip to get supplies.”
Promising to be right back Ben headed up stair excited to see his son. It hadn’t been but two days for him being away from his youngest son, but to him it seemed like an eternity. Opening the door to his and Marie’s Bedroom he tried not to make too much noise as he entered. After getting cleaned up he headed to the other side of the room to the baby’s cradle. What he saw made his heart stop, his son wasn’t in his bed.
‘Maybe,’ he thought Marie laid him down somewhere else. Opening the door he went to the top of the staircase, “Marie where did you lay Joseph down to sleep?”
“In the cradle,” she told him getting to her feet going over to the stairs and heading up to where Ben stood.
“He’s not in it…” Ben told her as they headed back into the room.
Seeing the cradle empty Marie called out for Adam and Hop Sing hoping that they had the child. After a moment they came into the bedroom, “yeah Ma?” Adam asked.
“Joseph… did one of come and get him?” she asked with a shaky voice.
Hop Sing was the first to answer, “no get boy. We were out back getting wash done.”
“Sure were,” Adam agreed. “ I was putting Hop Sing up a new cloths line.” He looked at the empty bed, “where’s he at?”
Even more fear raised in Marie as she turned to her husband, “Ben?” She asked pleading with her husband. “Where is he…where’s our son?”
Ben had no answers, but knew that something had to be done. He looked over at the window and found it open. “We’ll find him.” He was more scared than he had been in a long time. “Adam,” he called out as he headed for the window. “You ride into town and get the sheriff. Hop Sing you and I will look around.”
At this point Hoss came into the room and the first thing he saw was his stepmother crying, “what’s the matter Ma?”
Marie pulled the six year old into her arms and continued to cry as Hoss looked over her should to his father.
Later, when Adam and Roy Coffee
sheriff of
“As soon as Adam told me what
happened I came straight out,”
Ben shook his head, “worried sick about Joe and so am I.”
“Why don’t you show me what you’ve found.”
They headed around the house at
the same time Ben was telling Adam to go in and rest up some. Nodding the boy
went in to get something to drink before heading back out to where his father
was showing Roy what he had found.
“These footprints headed around
the opposite side of the house. As I followed them behind the barn there just
disappeared.” They walked across the yard so Ben could show
They heard horses and went back
around the barn to see Charlie Devlin and a dozen and a half more men with him,
“any luck finding him?”
Ben shook his head, “no.” He
glanced at all the men, “thank you all for coming.”
Roy looked at the volunteers,
“there is still a little daylight left. Lets split up in three groups and see
if we can find any tracks.”
Adam went toward his horse but was stopped by his father, “please stay here with you mother and brother.”
“But Pa?”
“Please Adam, they need you
here,” Ben said heading in the house behind his eldest son. “
“We’ll wait for ya,” he assured
his friend.
As Ben entered he saw Marie
sitting in the great room with Hoss sleeping in her lap, “any word?” His heart
broke when he saw even more tears fall down her lovely face.
“We’re going to spit up and see
if we can find their trail.”
“Oh Ben!” She weeped.
He went to her side and knelt in
front of her, “we’ll get him back.”
“Please…please bring him home
Ben…” she cried uncontrollably as she pulled Hoss closer to her waking the
child as she did so.
Ben wrapped his arms around his wife and son, “we’ll find him.” Standing he headed back out.
The three search parties started out for anything that could lead them to the missing baby. They had agreed that if anyone found something they would fire three shots in the air.
Ben rode with four of his friends and as they looked for tracks he listened intently for anything and prayed that maybe he would here the three shot sign. They searched and search and as the night came upon them an hour and a half later he knew that he wasn’t going to hear it that day.
He sighed as the men that he was with turned their horses back to toward the ranch house. They had agreed that they would all meet up there as the sun went down.
Same Time, Old
Cabin Close to
The sound of a baby filled the air Joe had his eyes closed crying his little heart out. Diane Beldon rocked him in her arms as she paced the floor, “why doesn’t he stop crying Jack?”
Her husband shook his head, “not sure… why don’t you feed him.”
“You know I’ve tried to feed him, but he’s not taking to the bottle.”
Jack went and picked up the bottle, “maybe if we warmed the milk up some.”
“We can only try,” She said trying to sooth the small bundle in her arms.
After warming the bottle in some warm water he brought it back to his wife, “try this.”
Taking the bottle she looked at him and smiled as she tried to give the child the bottle. It soon turned to a frown as he turned his head and the crying grew in volume. “This isn’t working…maybe he use to eating from his Ma.”
“He’ll get use to it,” he assured her.
Diane was about in tears as her husband went to her side, “here let me try.” She nodded as she handed her new son over to him.
After a few moment Joe finally got a taste of the warmed milk and started drinking. Jack looked up at his wife and the both exchanged happy smiles as they watched Joe eat.
“Oh Jack when do we leave to go back home?”
“Tomorrow. I have to go into town
and get a few things before we can leave and go to
The Ranch House
As the men road into the yard Ben noticed at once that Paul Martin the town doctor’s buggy was there dismounting from his horse he headed straight for the house, “I want to check on Marie and the kids I’ll be right back.”
Roy stopped his friend, “you stay with your family. We will be back at first light in the morning to go back out.”
“Thank you…thank you all for your help.”
The men all nodded as he headed for the house and to his family. Opening the door he could see Adam pacing the floor, “was that Paul’s buggy outside,” he asked already knowing the answer.
“It sure was,” the doctor said coming down the stairs. “I was just up with your wife. She was very upset so I gave her something to ease her nerves, but she’s awake.”
“Thank you for coming out Paul.”
“No problem Ben. Did you find anything?”
Adam looked at his father harder as he waited for the answer.
“No, there were no signs at all. Whoever took Joseph knew their way around
here,” Ben explained. “And cover their tracks well.”
Paul nodded as he went over to the coffee pot, “when are you men going back out?”
“At first light. They are going to meet us here.”
Adam walked closer to his father, “can I go out with you in the morning?”
“I think it best for you to be here with your mother. She is going to need you while I am with the posse.” Ben watched as his son’s eyes filled with tears.
“But Pa?”
“No buts, Marie is going to need you here…please son.”
Adam nodded, “alright.”
“Thank you son.” He looked up the stairs, “I’ll be up with Marie.”
“I’m about to head back to town after a cup of Hop Sing’s good coffee…you send for me if you need anything,” he told his friend.
“I will.”
Adam watched his father go up the stairs and then headed over to the settee to sit down.
“What is it Adam?” Paul asked.
‘I just wish that I could help…I feel so useless sitting doing nothing.”
Paul sat his cup down and looked over at the young boy, “you know you are helping a great deal.”
“No I’m not…I’m sitting around here doing nothing while somewhere out there is my baby brother.” Adam told the doctor angrily as he got up and started pacing the floor.
“From what I gathered from your
mother you have been a great help. She told me that you went for
Looking up at the doctor her asked, “you really think so?”
“Yes I do.”
Up stairs Marie watched as Ben entered their bedroom, “Ben?” She asked her voice was little over a whisper.
“We couldn’t find a trail.” He told her wishing that the news were different.
“Where is my baby?” She asked the questioned not really aimed at anyone.
“I…”
“No, don’t say it again…I know that you will find him, but I want him with me Now!” She said as loud as she could.
Crossing the room in three strides Ben sat down next to his wife, “I know that you’re worried and so am I, but I won’t give up until Joe is back with us.”
She turned her head away from him and whispered, “He must be so scared. And what will he do about eating?” She asked turning back to her husband, “he has never had a bottle…he is use to being breast feed.”
“I know, but he will learn to take one.”
“And what if doesn’t and he isn’t eating…”
“Please try to believe that he is.” Ben took her hand as he leaned over and kissed her. “He will be fine.”
She nodded as she listened to him.”
It was early the next morning before Adam was sure that everyone was in they’re rooms to stay. He knew that no one was sleeping except for Hoss, but he had to find a way to help his little brother and he didn’t want to sit around home. Opening up his window he slipped out.
The Beldon Cabin
The sound of a child screaming brought both Diane and Jack to the little cradle that was in the corner. Picking up Joe she looked over to her husband, “can you go get him another bottle please.”
“Sure.”
As she watched him leave the room Diane rocked the child in her arms. It seemed that after the first bottle that she got Joe to eat they couldn’t get him to eat again. She was getting worried. She thought back to when she had lost her own son just three months ago. She couldn’t get him to eat anything either.
“It’s alright Dear…mommy’s got you.”
“Here you go,” Jack said handing over the bottle that he was carrying.
Diane took the bottle and brought it to the child’s mouth, “come on eat for mommy.”
Joe cried hard as his little green eyes looked at the woman. Diane was getting frustrated, ‘you try.”
Jack nodded as he took the boy from his wife. Taking the bottle he brought it to the boys mouth letting a little drip onto Joe’s lips. After a moment Joe took the bottle again, “you just have to let him know that it is there.”
“So I see,” she smiled.
Jack watched as his wife’s smile fade and she sat on the edge of the bed. Heading over to her side he took a seat next to her as they listened to Joe suck on the bottle, “what’s wrong?”
“His real mother…”
“What about her?”
“Do you think that the Cartwrights will know that it was you that got the child from them?”
“Why would they?” He asked. “No one will think twice about us leaving…we have been talking about it for a month or more. Everyone already knows that we are moving on.”
“I suppose, but I don’t want them coming to where we are going and taking my baby back.”
“Don’t worry none they will not take that child away from you…” he assured her.
“But what if the do?”
They won’t…” he said looking out the window. “The sun is coming up. I’m going to head on into town and get what we need on horseback…you go ahead and start loading up the wagon.”
She nodded as she watched Joe fall asleep as he ate.
The Devlin Farm
Later
Charlie was about to head for the door when his wife went to his side handing him a basket, “make sure to give this to Marie when you get there and send her my best…”
“I will,” he smiled at her.
She patted her pregnant tummy, “I can’t imagine what she is going through.”
Charlie nodded at Amelia she was just a week or so away from having the baby and she was the sight of loveliness. “I’d better get going the sun is starting to rise.”
“Alright you remember what I said to tell Marie right?”
Charlie nodded, “yes.”
Amelia smiled as she watched her husband leave. The she patted her tummy, “well let’s get some work done.” She said as she walked over to the table and carried the dishes into the kitchen.
The Cartwright
Ranch
Marie watched as Ben headed out the door, “you find them.”
“I will turn every rock over until I have Joseph and Adam home,” he said heading outside to join the other men of the posse.
Roy was the first to say something, “Charlie tells me that Adam took off last night?”
Ben nodded.
“Then let’s get tracking.”
Off the
Adam wasn’t sure what he was going to tell his father when he got back home, but he wanted to help find his brother. He had walked with his horse behind him half the night as he carried a lantern in his hand searching the ground for anything. He knew that it wasn’t likely that he would find anything, but he was determined. As he lay in his room hours before he remembered seeing something on his ride home from school the day before.
It was nothing really just a feeling that he was being followed, but as he doubled back he couldn’t find anyone in sight. He now knew as he guided his mount farther down the woods he found what he was looking for. A set of tracks as clear as day, but he wondered if they could have been from the posse the day before or someone else that was passing through.
Not wanting to chance it he
followed the tracks toward
He could see Mrs. Beldon walking around packing things into a wooden box and then he heard it…the sound that he had longed to hear the unmistakable crying of his baby brother. He froze where he stood as he saw the woman pick up Joe and rock him in her arms.
Swallowing hard Adam went around the side of the house and opened the door. It he would have thought it out more he would have come up with a better plan, but this woman had his brother and he wanted to bring Joe home.
“What are you doing coming into my house young man,” she shouted at the boy.
“What am I doing here?” He questioned his anger getting the better of him. “Why do you have my little brother?”
“I…I…don’t have…” She stopped talking when she saw her husband come up behind Adam and grab the boys shoulders.
“Good thing I had to turn back…what was this boy doing here,” he asked forcing Adam on into the house and closing the door behind them.
“Let me go,” Adam said struggling trying to get away from the man’s strong hold.
“Shut up kid.”
“No…let me go,” he shouted again as he took his boot and stomped on the man foot.
“Why you little,” Jack said spinning Adam around and raised his hand to hit the boy.
“Jack no!” Diane said franticly. “He’s just a boy.”
Trying to control his anger Jack took a deep breath, “we can’t just let him go he will go straight to his daddy.”
“Then we keep him here,” she told him.
“So be it,” he pulled the boy over to a chair, “get me some rope Diane.”
“You’re going to tie him up?”
“There’s no other way,” he said looking up at her as she tried to calm the crying child in her arms.
“Let me try to calm him down…please?” Adam pleaded.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea at all,” Diane told him bringing Joe closer to her.
“Please…I can help you get him to stop crying.” Adam bit his bottom lip as he waited for the woman’s answer. He couldn’t stand to hear his brother crying like that.
Looking from Adam to Joe, Diane didn’t know what to do. She wished that there was an easy way to help the child without letting him out of her arms but knew that there wouldn’t be. After a few moments she nodded, “alright.”
As the woman brought Little Joe to Adam and put the child into his brother’s arms it brought an instant grin to the young man’s face, “thank you.”
Jack brought his attention to his wife, “I forgot your list.”
She nodded getting him the piece of paper. “I found it just a few minutes ago.”
He took it from her and then looked at Adam, “Diane get me that rope.”
Looking down at Adam Diane watched as the boy started to sing to his brother and Joe seemed to quiet down as he looked up at Adam with wide eyes enjoying what he was hearing. “Let’s leave him be. We can put him in the bedroom and I’ll keep and eye on him.”
“I don’t know.”
Diane smiled, “look at them…he’s got the baby listening to him and where could he go if he’s in the bedroom?”
“Oh alright.” He turned back to Adam, “get in there.” He said pointing to a room over to the right.
“Yes Sir.” Adam followed Jack into the room and watched, as the door was kept open.
Half A Mile from
The Cartwright Ranch House
Charlie knelt down looking at the tracks, “looks like Adam went this way.”
Ben nodded, “wonder where he’s headed to?”
“Toward
“I’d rather just two of us follow him and the rest of the men to spread out again.” Ben said turning to Charlie. “Will you lead that?”
Charlie nodded, “sure thing.”
Roy glanced over at Ben, “I’ll go with you Ben.”
The Beldon Cabin
Adam listened until he heard Jack leave, as he laid on the bed beside the sleeping Joe. He had his eyes closed when Diane looked in on them. She smiled as she watched them sleep and then turned to get back to her work closing the door a little as she did so…so the noise wouldn’t wake the two boys.
Jack had been gone for half and hour and she knew that he wouldn’t be long since they lived just minutes from the town. She started singing in a whisper the song that Adam has sang to his brother just a half-hour to and hour before.
As soon the door closed more he got out of bed and headed over to the window as quietly as he could. Opening it he was grateful that it didn’t make a sound. Walking back over to the bed he gently picked his brother up and soon climbed out the window.
Diane looked out the kitchen window as Adam passed it, “what do you think you’re doing?” She yelled out.
Adam kept running for his horse, but as he looked back he saw that Mrs. Beldon was right behind him and gaining on him fast. With Joe starting to cry from being bounced about he decided to pass the horse and head toward a place the he and his brother Hoss had found playing out near the Ponderosa boundary.
Diane stopped when she heard someone behind her and saw that it was her husband in their yard, “Jack,” she cried out and waved her hands so he could see her.
Turning his horse around the man headed it toward his wife. As he stopped he noticed that panic on her face, “what is it?”
“That Cartwright boy took our baby.” She said pointing farther into the woods.
Nodding he started in the direction that his wife had pointed.
Adam was glad when he saw a old cave and headed into it. He gently rocked his little brother to calm him. After a few moments Joe closed his eyes and was asleep again. Laying his brother down Adam took off his coat and laid it down to make a bead for Joe then picked him up and gently laid him in it.
Ben and Roy stopped as they thought
that they had heard something…the sound of a crying baby then it had stopped.
Looking around
“I know it was, there is no way that I couldn’t recognized the sound of Joseph’s crying.”
“Alright then,”
Ben didn’t need to be told twice as
he headed one way and
Roy headed to the right and it didn’t take him long before he saw a rider heading his way and stopped as Jack Beldon stopped close to him, “Beldon,” he greeted.
Jack thought fast as he scanned the area for the two boys he was searching for, “I heard that the young Cartwright baby was missing and wanted to see if I can help you guys look.” He studied the sheriff’s face to see if the man believed him.
“We can always use the help,”
“Good, where do you want me to start?” Beldon asked.
Jack turned his mount toward the south left glad to be away from the sheriff, but also stopping when he was far enough away so Coffee couldn’t see him. Turning his mount around he headed back toward the Ponderosa Ranch.
Adam looked out of the cave when he heard a horse and was pleased to see Roy Coffee. He looked back to his brother and then excited the sheltered area, “Over here Sheriff,” he called out.
Roy hearing his name being called turned around and saw the young man standing near a group of rocks, “Adam Cartwright we have been…” He started to say when Jack Beldon rode his horse toward the boy.
“Me too,” he said stopping and aiming his gun at Adam.
Swallowing hard Adam remembered another time five months before when Beldon worked for his father that he had come face to face with that man carrying a pistol pointed at him…
A drunk Jack Beldon headed into the Cartwright barn after being in town instead of Carl’s ridge where he was sent that morning. He laughed as he bumped into one of the other hands Chet Sanders, “you should watch where you’re going,” the man slurred.
“You’re drunk…if Cartwright catches you in that state you’re be out of here,” the man warned.
“What’s he going to do to me…nothing that’s what.”
They turned when they heard someone coming into the barn and before Sanders knew what happened Beldon pulled out his gun. He smiled as he saw Adam leading his horse into the barn. ‘We’ll look what we have here.”
Adam looked up at the man and could smell the liquor as he entered, “put that gun away,” he ordered.
Jack took a step toward the boy and cocked the pistol, “you talk as big as that daddy of yours…I’ll just show you what that big Cartwright talk will get you…”
Sander’s lunged for the man as the gun went off barely missing Adam. The boy backed up against the wall as the men continued to roll on the ground. He finally looked up when he heard a thunderous shout, “what’s going on here!”
Looking up Adam saw his father not far from him and continued as Ben broke up the fight, “what was all that shooting about?” He questioned still not seeing his son in the barn.
Sanders cleared his throat as he pointed to Adam, “I had to stop him from shooting at your son Boss.”
Ben went to his son’s side and then turned to face Beldon, “you get off my land this minute and I would advise you never show your face around here again.”
“I was only funning with him,” Jack tried to explain.
“I said leave!” he thundered. Ben waited until the man has left before he knelt down in front of his son, “are you alright?”
Adam nodded, “yeah…” Ben pulled his son into a hug.
Sander’s looked at his boss, “you let him just leave?”
Looking up at the hand he said, “they had just lost there son. His wife is going to need him.”
Present
“Put the gun away,” Adam heard
“Not likely old man.” Looking back down at Adam he asked, “Where’s the boy?”
“I’m not telling you.” Adam replied unable to believe his ears for no sooner had the brave words come out of his mouth Joe’s crying started coming from the cave.
“He’s a handy little one ain’t he,” Jack laughed as he dismounted. Pointing his pistol at Adam he smiled, “we’ve been in this position before.”
“You seem to forget that I have a gun aimed at the boy…you shoot at me and the boy’s dead.”
From above him on the rocks Jack could see a movement and as he turned his head the gun went to the side so it wasn’t pointing at Adam any longer. Ben jumped from the rock forcing the man the ground as the gun flew from Beldon’s hand.
“Roy, we need to get him home to Ma to feed,” he voice came out more like a plea than a statement.
“We will…” he stopped when Ben came into the cave and went over to his sons.
“Roy, Beldon is outside please get him out of my sight,” he said as he picked up Joe from Adam’s arms and hugged him close to him. “Adam and I have to get this little one home.”
“We sure do,” Adam beamed.
Ben looked up at Roy, “give us a few minutes before you fire up the three shots to let the other’s know that we found them.
Adam looked at the sheriff, “my horse is at the Beldon’s near the woods can you get someone to get it home?”
“Sure can.”
“Thanks,” Adam smiled as he went to his father side. “I guess I have a lot to explain?”
“You sure do, but that can wait until we get home and everything settled.” He glanced back to his friend, “please thank everyone for me. I’ll see each of the men later, but I want them to know how grateful I am for all their help.”
“Will do,”
“Thank you.”
It didn’t take long for the three Cartwright’s to enter the yard of the ranch house. The door opened and a very quick Hoss ran toward his father’s horse that had all three Cartwrights on it, “you found him Pa didn’t ya?”
“No son, Adam found him,” Ben explained as he helped Adam get down.
Hoss’ eyes widened, “oh wow you did Adam…”
“Well…” he didn’t get to say anymore before Marie came out of the house and rushed over to her husband who was just handing down Joseph to Adam so he could dismount.
“Oh you found him,” she cried. Taking the child into her arms she hugged Joe to her and with the other hand pulled Adam close to her as well. The family was whole again.
Hoss crinkled up his noise, “I think he needs a diaper change.”
Marie laughed though the tears, “I believe you’re right… and you can help me.”
Hoss just shook his head before saying, “thanks alright.” He assured her as they all headed into the house.
Three months later…
Marie held Joe in her arms as she visited her friend Amelia Devlin and her two and a half month old son Mitch, “oh you and Charlie must be so proud.”
“Oh we can’t begin to tell you how glad we are to have this little one. It has been a long time since Pete has been a baby.” She smiled thinking about her oldest son who was at school.”
“I have never had a child before Joseph, but I know that from having Eric and Adam around it is quite different when you have an infant around.”
“Yes it is,” Amelia agreed as she stood with her sleeping son. “Give me a moment to lay him down.”
Marie nodded and noticed that Joe had fallen asleep in her arms, “do you mind if I lay Joe down in your room?”
“Not at all,” the two women laid their children down to sleep. “They’re going to be great friends.”
“The best,” Amelia agreed once more.
The End
September 2003