“Old Maids and Young Pups”
By K.K. Shaulis

23 year old Adam Cartwright simply had to get home. They had planned this party so carefully for the last month when they found out that his step cousin’s yearly visit would coincide with her birthday. She had been 10 the last time they celebrated it together. That’s why all of them wanted to make this year for her so very special. Every little detail right down to the daisy bouquet that was part of their present to her was mapped out. In fact, Hop Sing had taken special care in placing the flowers that they had picked for her in the root cellar so they would still be – well -- fresh as a daisy for the party that evening. And, of course, there was this one very special little ‘daisy’ that they were going to give her. He pulled his shirt a little tighter around him in an effort to keep it safe. Why did it take so long for the stage to arrive with it anyway? He reached up and dug a particularly large bug from between his front teeth and cursed that he might not be able to make himself presentable before he got there. The moon was shining brightly. It would be an absolutely perfect evening if only he could get just there.

“Come on, fella,” he urged his mount along the well-worn path toward the ranch. “Just a little bit faster…”

**********
“Put your little foot…,” Josephine Marie Cartwright better known as Josey sang in three-four time, twirling around the barn, her hands holding the hem of her bright yellow dress. “Put your little foot…Put your little foot right here,” she tapped her step cousin’s Little Joe’s black and white pinto on its muzzle as she danced by. “Put your little foot… Put your little..,” she broke off abruptly and sank down on a nearby sawhorse next to the horse’s stall. She sighed and put her chin in her hands and began to gather the hay on the barn’s dirt floor in a little pile with the sides of her soft leather shoes. Where was he? Why was he so late? She knew that the fellas had been planning this party for her for weeks. Everyone was there…dancing…laughing…having a good time…that is, except him and her.

“He’s fine, really,” 12 year old Little Joe tried to reassure her as he took her by the hand and led her out to the middle of the floor for the first dance an hour before. “He’s a big boy and can take care of himself, ya know,” he told her matter-of-factly and then smiled that smile that she was sure was going to cause many a young lady’s heart to flutter in the not so distant future. She nodded but continued to keep her eyes trained on the front door, hoping that he would appear. After dancing at least once with every eligible man present, she excused herself and disappeared out to the barn to reflect on where in the world he could be. She knew he was ‘a big boy,’ like Joe said but… How could she celebrate without her whole family being there?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a light touch on her shoulder and a low “Josey,” whispered in her ear.

Josephine turned her face upward expecting to see him but instead found her Uncle Ben’s ruggedly handsome face looking down at her. “Are you all right?” he crouched so that he was eye-level with her and touched her hand tenderly. “You’re missing all the fun, you know. Not to mention disappointing a lot of young men who really want to dance with you.” He winked playfully at her and then smiled in a way that reminded her so much of her step father John, but was it any wonder since Ben and John were brothers.

Josey smiled. “I’m fine really, Unc,” she tried to reassure him. “I suppose this may sound silly especially coming from me but I’m starting to get worried about …”

Ben chuckled and shook his head. “I know him better than anyone else in this whole wide world. I can say with every confidence that it would take the entire Comanche nation to stop him from getting here for your party,” he patted her hand a few times. “Maybe not exactly on time because of unforeseen circumstances...,” he paused briefly considering what those circumstances might be, “But he’ll be here. Nothing happens to young pups like him.”

“But he left first thing this morning. What was he doing going off to Virginia City today, anyway?” Josey knew that whatever he was doing, it had to be for her but thought maybe Ben might give her a bit more information unintentionally. Of course, that is, if she caught him off guard.

Ben recognized the ploy knowing his little niece as well as he knew his son. “I’m not worried,” he stood up ignoring her question. “And you shouldn’t be either,” he tapped her freckled nose with his index finger. “In the meantime,” he pulled Josey to her feet. “Indulge your uncle a bit, will you? And let me claim another dance with the prettiest girl here,” he squeezed her hand gently, and started to steer her toward the barn door.

“All right,” she decided to comply with his request, “But a couple of the other ladies might take umbrage to your characterization of me as being the ‘prettiest’, don’t you think?”

He took a deep breath. “Well, then what if I say the prettiest girl who is going to have her 21st birthday tomorrow?”

Josephine stopped dead in her tracks and looked up at him in amazement. “It’s not polite to talk about a woman’s age, you know, Mr. Cartwright,” the little redhead frowned at him slightly.

“Oh, that’s right,” Ben laughed continuing to pull her outside. “I keep forgetting how ancient you’re getting to be.”

“Ancient?” she sounded shocked, horrified and offended all at the same time. “Ancient? Are you saying I’m an old maid now, Uncle Ben?”

“No, I didn’t say that…”

“And Adam’s a young pup?”

“I did say that but…”

“Well, then, what are you saying?” she demanded as they stepped out of the barn into the moonlight.

“You better quit while you’re ahead, Pa,” his oldest son Adam advised from atop his tall chestnut stallion. “You know, you’re just going to dig yourself in deeper and deeper,” he chuckled and rather stiffly – she thought anyway -- dismounted. “Did you miss me, brat?” he teased his cousin Josephine.

“Oh, weren’t you here?” Josey sniffed indignantly and tried to act unconcerned. “Quite frankly, I didn’t miss you at all.” The smirk on her face and his father’s expression on his face led him to the realization that she wasn’t exactly being truthful.

“Oh, no,” Little Joe giggled as he and 17 year old Hoss appeared from out of the shadows. “She didn’t miss ya at all, big brother. That’s why she’s been fretting out in the barn for half an hour.”

“Joe, darling, didn’t anyone ever tell you to respect your elders?” she smiled sweetly at her youngest cousin but her tone hardly matched the sweet smile.

“Elders?” Hoss laughed shaking his head while Little Joe looked perplexed. “You ain’t that old, Josey.”

“Well, your father here thinks I’m ancient,” she patted her uncle’s cheek playfully. The conversation steered itself back to Ben’s observation.

“That isn’t what I meant and you know it,” the eldest Cartwright rolled his eyes.

“I’m just teasing you, Unc. It’s okay if I call myself an ‘old maid.’ However, you’re the one that mentioned a young pup, not me,’” she giggled but for some reason, her cousins gasped at her statement and looked accusingly at their father.

“Pa, ya told!” Little Joe started to say but Hoss clamped his hand over his mouth before he could say it all.

“Seems like the cat’s out of the bag,” Adam cleared his throat.

“There’s a cat too?” Hoss was really confused now. “I thought there was just a d…”

Ben’s look stopped him and both his other two sons from uttering another syllable.

“Is there something I should know?” Josey looked suspiciously from one to another.

Ben wearily shook his head, smiled and put his arm around his niece. “Josephine, along with all the presents for you inside, we thought we’d give you some flowers…” he paused while his youngest did the honors.

“Happy Birthday, Josey,” Little Joe grinned as he produced the bouquet of daisies that he was hiding behind his back.

“Why thank you, Joe,” she lifted the flowers to her nose to take a sniff.

“And the young pup here,” Ben cocked his head at Adam who made an appropriate face, “Went to Virginia City this morning to pick up…” Again he paused.

Adam’s handsome smile shone in the darkness brighter than the light from the full moon. “A very special Daisy,” he reached inside his shirt and pulled out a ball of light tan fur with great big brown eyes. “Happy Birthday, Josey,” he gently placed the little animal in her cupped hands.

“Ahhhhhhhhhh,” Little Joe reached forward to scratch the little thing’s ear. “Hi there, Daisy.”

“She’s a Cairn terrier from Scotland,” Hoss explained letting the puppy sniff his finger. “Well, she ain’t really from Scotland but her folks came from there originally. Adam and me saw her ma in San Francisco a while back and knew one of her pups would be the perfect present for ya.”

“Yep,” Adam grinned dusting the trail dirt from his clothes with his hands. “She’s just like you – little and scrappy and loud. Brave as a mountain lion, stubborn as a mule and cute as a button.”

“Don’t ya like her, Jose?” Little Joe was a bit puzzled by his cousin’s lack of comment about the tiny animal that sat in her hands looking up at all the strange faces.

Tears briefly glazed Josephine’s dark brown eyes. “I absolutely love her and I absolutely love you all,” she bestowed a kiss on each of their cheeks and then on the dog’s head. “She’s the most adorable Daisy I’ve ever received. And oh so very fitting! A young pup for an old maid,” she winked at her uncle and laughed as Daisy licked her nose.

“You’re not such an old maid that you can’t get 21 swats tomorrow morning for your birthday, young lady,” Ben crossed his arms over his chest and tried to look as irritated as he sounded.

“Yes, sir, Mr. Cartwright,” she giggled, not taking his threat seriously at all.

“If ya want, I can take the little varmint so ya can enjoy your party, Josey,” Little Joe extended his hands to her and Daisy.

Josey smiled, realizing that her youngest cousin really wanted to hold the little puppy but did not want to appear to ‘want to’ since he didn’t want to be thought of as a ‘young pup’ himself.

“Sure, Joe,” she carefully handed the tiny Cairn to the twelve year old. “After all, it’s would be a little bit difficult to dance with one young pup while holding another,” she linked her arm in her oldest cousin’s and smirked up at him. “Care to ‘trip the light fantastic’ with an old maid, Fido?”

Adam chuckled. “Woof!” he barked at her and steered her toward the ranch house and their guests who seemed to be having a very good time despite the absence of their hosts.

Daisy, hearing the sound of a fellow canine, yapped loudly -- Woof! Woof! -- and began to furiously wag her little nothing of a tail.

“I guess we bonded on the trip home,” Adam laughed and patted the puppy on the head.

Daisy immediately barked again and reached for Adam with her tiny paw.

“Takes one to know one,” Josey taunted him.

“Old maid,” Adam shot back at her.

“I wouldn’t bet on it,” she smiled up at him as all of the Cartwrights along with Daisy headed inside to join the birthday celebration.

**********
“Funny how things change,” Josey set her knitting needles down on the side table and reached down to scratch a sleepy 12 year old Daisy’s left ear. The little tan Cairn moaned softly and rolled on her side so her mistress could easily reach her belly.

“What, brat?” Adam was engrossed in his newspaper and wasn’t really listening.

She smiled mischievously, stood up with a bit of difficulty and sat down on the arm of his chair. “I said,” she spoke loudly into his right ear causing him to jump slightly, “Funny how things change.”

“Oh, whatever do you mean, Mrs. Cartwright?” Adam chuckled and gently pulled her down onto his lap.

“Oh, I was just thinking about my 21st birthday when a certain young pup came into my life and how another young pup will soon be here.”

“So?”

“Well, thanks to you, I’m not an old maid,” she smiled lovingly at him and traced his jaw line with her index finger, “And after all the litters of puppies that Daisy’s had, she’s not an old maid either. However, Daisy is not exactly a young pup anymore and neither are you.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Adam smirked resting his hand on her very swollen stomach, closed his eyes and pressed his mouth ever so tenderly against hers. Even though Josey was a little older than most first time mothers, she was healthy and old Doc Martin was sure there would be no problems. If the truth be told, old doc was thrilled to be delivering a Cartwright instead of patching one up. He had told them to expect the baby to come sometime within the next ten days so a passionate kiss or two was all that had been allowable for some time now. “Hmmm,” he ended with a deep satisfied murmur and a heavy sigh. He smiled at Josey and then looked down at the Cairn. “What do you think, Daisy?”

“Woof! Woof!” Daisy sat up and barked for her fellow ‘young pup.’

“Woof!” Adam smiled smugly and hugged his very pregnant wife.

“Woof!” Josey gasped loudly and twitched slightly on his lap.

“Huh?” Adam looked at her in surprise.

Josey giggled nervously. “That’s ‘young pup’ for ‘I think it’s time to send for the doctor, Adam,’” she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “That is unless you and Daisy plan on helping me all by yourselves on our baby’s birthday.”

Adam looked at Daisy and Daisy looked at Adam. Both seemed to Josey any way to be momentarily stunned.

“Errr…” Adam gulped focusing on remaining calm. “We’ll be back in a minute, darling,” he kissed Josey on the cheek, gently moved her from his lap and carefully sat her back down in the chair. “Don’t worry about a thing. Come on, Daisy,” he ran out of their bedroom and began yelling “Pa!!!!!!” as he clambered down the staircase with the little dog yapping at his heels.

“Young pups!” Josephine giggled. “You too,” she gently patted her abdomen. She sank back deeper in the padded armchair and began to consider the possibility that she could be really outnumbered in the very near future, then decided it was okay since she would just have to be the leader of the pack. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em, she smiled and closed her eyes. After all, it was better than being an old maid.

THE END
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Many thanks to David Dortort for his creation of Bonanza in general and the Cartwrights, Hop Sing and the Ponderosa in particular. The author does not claim ownership of any of the aforementioned characters, just the story. Josephine Marie Cartwright © December, 2004 is a copyrighted character belonging to the author. © May 27, 2006, ALL INTERNATIONAL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED.

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