A Happy Halloween Surprise

By: Lynne G.

The morning was very cold, but the sun was brightly shinning as the Cartwright family sat down for breakfast.

" I can't believe that today is Halloween already. This year is going by much too fast," Ben Cartwright mentioned as he looked at his very beautiful wife, Marie.

" Just think darling, in a few short weeks there will be a new Cartwright in our family. It is hard to wait, but hopefully the time will go by fast, just like this year has gone," Ben told his family.

" Oh Ben, I can't wait either, and I know that our baby boy seems to be in a hurry also," Marie laughed, as she really wasn't feeling very good that morning, but she didn't want to her family to know that.

" I can't wait to have my baby brother here Mama. Just think, I'm gonna be a big brother too," Hoss excitedly said with a big smile on his face.

Ben and Adam looked at Hoss and Adam responded, " But Hoss, what if we get a baby sister ? I think that we will have a sister this time." " I feel the same way son," Ben added.

" Nope, it's a boy, right Mama ? Hoss declared as he looked at Marie. " Yes sweetheart, you will have a baby brother," she replied as she smiled at the young , but very large boy.

" See Pa, both Mama and me know that it will be a boy," Hoss proudly said.

After Hoss and Adam had left for school, and Ben had left to do his ranch chores, Marie told Hop Sing that she was going to go back to bed for a while.

" Hop Sing, I'm feeling really tired this morning, so I think I will go back up to bed for while," Marie told Hop Sing.

A concerned Hop Sing looked closely at Marie, and he thought that she did look a little over tired that morning.

" Missy Cartlight need to get lot of rest with baby coming soon. If you need anything, you just let Hop Sing know," Hop Sing suggested.

" Thank you Hop Sing, I will. I tell you Hop Sing, this little one seems to be extremely active this morning. If he keeps this up, I know that we will be in for a very lively little boy once he gets here," Marie teased as she went up the stairs.

Hop Sing watched Marie walk up the stairs and he too thought that this baby just might be a boy, just like Marie and Hoss thought.

As Marie was laying on the bed, she patted her tummy and began to talk to her baby within her. " My goodness my little one you need to settle down a little. You still have a few weeks until you get here."

" I know how much you want to meet your family, and I can't wait to hold you in my arms and give you lots of kisses. I love you so much little one, and your Papa, and two big brother also love you so much too."

" You will be the love of our lives and you will also bring even more happiness in our lives. You will be the most loved baby boy in the world my precious one. I love you !" Marie finished saying as she fell asleep.

Several times during the day, Hop Sing went up to check on Marie to make sure she was doing alright. He had to smile at the sweet look of happiness on her face. " Hop Sing know that Missy Cartlight have beautiful baby. Missy Cartlight very beautiful lady." Hop Sing said to himself.

As soon as Adam and Hoss arrived home from school, they did their chores before starting on their homework. Luckily they didn't have a ot of homework that night for which Hoss was especially happy about. He really didn't care very much for school, but Adam on the other hand loved school and he dearly wanted to go to college after he finished school in Virginia City. It was a dream of his since he was a young boy.

" Hop Sing where's Mama ? Hoss asked when he didn't see her when he came in the house. " Missy Cartlight not feel well, so she stay in bed all day," Hop Sing replied, as he was getting quiet concerned by now.

As soon as Ben arrived home for the day, he quickly went up stairs to check on Marie.

As soon as he entered their bedroom he could hear her moaning slightly and he becamed very worried.

" Darling, are you sick?" Ben softly asked as he sat down on the edge of the bed. " Oh Ben, I'm scared. I think the baby is going to come tonight, but it is too early for him to be born," Marie cried. She had never been so afraid in her life as she was now.

" Maybe the baby will settle down. Has it been active all day honey?" Ben asked as he held Marie's hand. "Yes he has. I keep telling him to settle down, but he won't," Marie declared as she moaned again.

Ben looked at her swollen tummy, put his hand on her tummy and said, " Now listen here baby, you need to settle down. Your Mama is tired and in some pain. Now be a good baby and just relax. You can be as active as you want in a few weeks, but not right now," Ben explained, which caused Marie to giggle. Then she gasped as a sudden pain grew more intense.

Ben quickly ran out of the room and down the stairs and told Adam to go and ask Hank or Charlie to hurry into Virginia City and get the doctor fast.

Adam raced out the door and headed straight for the bunkhouse. " CHARLIE, CHARLIE " Adam shouted. The door suddenly opened and there stood Charlie with a look of concern on his face.

" What is it son?" Charlie asked as he saw the worried look on the boy's face. " Charlie you need to get the doctor fast ! Pa said that the baby is coming !" Adam excitedly explained. " I'll hurry son !" Charlie replied as he raced to saddle his horse as Adam raced back in the house.

In the meantime, Hop Sing had lots of hot water on the stove and many towels ready. He knew that with the baby coming this early, that it didn't look very good for the baby or even Marie for that fact. Hop Sing prayed that both the baby and Marie would be just fine.

By now Marie was in a lot of pain and she and Ben both knew that it wouldn't be long until the baby came.

Ben was bathing Marie's face with cool water, holding her hand and trying to keep her as calm as he could, even though he was nervous wreck. He was also praying that his wife and their baby would be just fine.

Downstairs, Adam was trying to keep Hoss calm too. Hoss couldn't understand what the problem was. All he wanted was to have his baby brother to be born. He wanted to be a big brother so badly, just like Adam was to him.

" Adam, is Mama gonna be alright? Is our baby brother gonna be alright too?" Hoss kept asking Adam. " Yes, I hope they will be Hoss, but that baby wants to get here early for some reason," Adam said as he looked at Hoss and tried to give him a big smile.

" Ben, promise me that if anything happens to me, you will take take good care of our baby boy for me. Please Ben promise me," Marie pleaded as she cried out in pain.

" Marie my love, nothing is going to happen to you. You hear me ? You will be able to take care of our baby just fine," Ben replied as he held her in his arms.

Finally which seemed like days to everyone, Dr. Paul Martin ran into the bedroom. " Paul, thank God you go here so fast. The baby is coming, but it is too soon for him to be born," Ben worriedly said.

Marie smiled even though she was in pain. "Ben finally said ' him ' referring to the baby," she thought to herself.

" Ben, I want you to please go downstairs and wait with Adam and Hoss. Please ask Hop Sing to bring up lots of hot water and towels. I will need his help too," Paul told a nervous Ben.

" Marie, I will be downstairs. I love you so much. I will see you and the baby as soon as Paul will let me. Don't worry, everything will be alright, I promise," Ben softly told Marie as he leaned down gave her a kiss. " I love you so much Ben," Marie softly replied as she gasped out again.

Once downstairs, all Ben did was to pace back and forth and look at the stairs every few seconds. " Pa, please come and sit down for a while," Adam suggested as he was just about as nervous as Ben was.

Ben sat down, but not for long. Hoss on the other hand still didn't see what the problem was. He was waiting for his baby brother to come so he could play with him.

" Just think Adam, we can teach our baby brother how ta fish, ride a pony and how ta swim. Won't that be fun ?" Hoss suggested.

Adam looked at Hoss and smiled at him. " Yes, little brother that will be fun," Adam replied, but in his heart he hoped and prayed that he and Hoss would be abe to do all those things and more.

Upstairs about two hours later, Paul looked at a very tired Marie, and with a big smile on his face, he said, " One more big push and the baby will be here Marie."

A couple of minutes later Marie gave one more big push and a loud cry could be heard as the newest member of the Cartwright family made his early enterance into the world with an very loud cry.

With a big smile on his face, Paul looked at Marie and Hop Sing and said, " Marie you have a beautiful tiny baby boy. Congratulations Mama !"

An exhausted Marie smiled at Paul and Hop Sing, and she softly said, " Thank you God, Paul, Hop Sing. Is my baby boy alright?" " He's perfectly healthy Marie," Paul happily replied.

Paul quickly, but very gently cleaned the baby then he laid the baby in Marie's waiting arms.

As soon as Marie saw her tiny new born son, she cried. " Oh he's so beautiful ! Look at all the dark curly hair he has, and those big eyes."

She carefully looked over her baby to make sure he had all of his fingers and toes, before she wrapped him up in a soft blanket. " Oh, I love you so much my precious son," she said as she gently gave the baby a kiss.

" Baby boy is very beautiful for a boy," Hop Sing softly told Marie as he had tears in his eyes, as did Paul. " Thank you Hop Sing. He is so beautiful," Marie proudly said as she smiled.

As soon as Ben, Adam and Hoss heard the crying of the baby, Ben raced up the stairs. " Hey Adam, our baby brother is here ! He's really here !" Hoss shouted in excitement. " Yes, he sure is, and boy he sure is loud too," Adam teased. " Wonder why he's crying ?" Hoss questioned. He couldn't figure out why his baby brother would be crying.

" Hoss, all babies cry when they are born," Adam said. " Why ?" " Don't know, they just do, but it could be that they are a little scared because with everything being so new to them," Adam added. Hoss just nodded, and hoped that he and Adam could meet their baby brother soon.

As soon as Ben arrived in the bedroom he saw Marie holding a little bundle in her arms wrapped up in a blanket. Then he saw all the smiles that greeted him.

" Congratulations Papa. You have a beautiful, very tiny baby boy, and I must say, It's about time you showed up. We were all beginning wonder where you went," Paul teased.

" Ben, your new son has to be the most beautiful baby that I have ever seen in my life and I have seen a lot of babies," Paul told a very happy and relieved looking Papa.

With a big smile on her face, Marie looked at Ben and said, " Ben, come and meet your new tiny son. He is perfect in everyway."

Ben walked over to the bed and he gave Marie a big kiss, then he looked down at his baby son. " Oh Marie, he is beautiful and so tiny," Ben proudly said. Then he turned around and looked at Paul, smiled and said, " Paul, are you sure it's a boy? This baby is too beautiful to be a boy !"

" Ben I assure you that he is all boy in everyway," Paul laughed. Marie thought what Ben had said was funny and she laughed as did Hop Sing.

" Ben look," she said as she uncovered their new born son. " See, he is all boy, very tiny and very beautiful," she teased.

As he was turning red, Ben declared, " Yup, he's a boy alright. Look at all that hair he has, and those big eyes, plus he has all of his fingers and toes too."

" I love you baby boy," Ben said as he gave his new son a gentle kiss. " Joseph Francis Cartwright, welcome to the Ponderosa," Ben added as he had tears in his eyes.

Paul and Hop Sing went downstairs so Marie and Ben could get to know their new son. They were met by a very anxious Adam and Hoss.

With a big smile on his face, Paul said, " Boys, you have a very tiny baby brother and he is very healthy too. Why don't you both go up and meet your baby brother."

With a big gasp, Hoss looked at Adam and proudly said, " See Adam, I dun told ya we would get a baby brother !" " Yes you did, didn't you?" Adam teased as they ran up the stairs.

" He's looking at us darling. I still can't believe how tiny he is and how beautiful he is too, but you are very beautiful my darling," Ben said as he held the baby in his arms. " He looks just like you too," he added.

" Do you think he does Ben? I do hope he will have my green eyes too. Oh Ben I love you so much. You have made me the happiest lady on this earth, and just look at our beautiful little boy. Life is just perfect Ben," Marie declared, with a lot of emotion in her voice. Ben could only nod back at her.

Both Ben and Marie looked up as soon as they heard Adam and Hoss walk into the room with big smiles on their faces.

" Boys come here and meet your new baby brother, Joseph Francis Cartwright," Ben proudly suggested.

" Will ya look how tiny he is. He won't break will he Pa, cuz he is so tiny ? I ain't never seen a baby this tiny before !" Hoss declared as he couldn't take his eyes off of his tiny baby brother.

" No son, he won't break," Ben laughed.

" I love ya Little Joe !" Hoss told the tiny baby. " Little Joe ?" Ben questioned. " Yup, that name fits him much better than what you called him.

" I love that name ! Little Joe," Marie said as she smiled at Hoss then at Little Joe who continued to look at them.

At first Adam was speechless. Then he looked at Marie and spoke up, " Mama thank you for giving us a beautiful baby brother. I love him so much and I love you too." He gave Marie a kiss on her forehead which meant a lot to her.

" Thank you Adam, and I love you and Hoss with all my heart," Marie told them

Both Adam and Hoss took turns holding their new baby brother. They couldn't stop looking at him.

As Adam was holding the baby, he looked at the baby, smiled and said, " My goodness Little Joe, you certainly are a tiny little one aren't you ? Don't you worry none, because Hoss and I will always look out for you and we will keep you safe at all times. There are so many things that we want to teach you, but there is plenty of time for all that when you get bigger." He gently gave his baby brother a kiss.

" Boy, Little Joe sure has a strong hold of my finger Pa," Hoss said in surprise. " How can he be so strong and be so tiny too?" Hoss asked.

With a big smile on his face, Ben looked at Hoss and put his arm around his son and said, " Because he is a Cartwright, that's why ! We Cartwrights are very strong son."

" Well, I have to say that we certainly have had one heck of a Happy Halloween Surprise, didn't we?" Ben added. " We sure did !" they all agreed as they all looked at the newest member of the family, Little Joe, who was now sound to sleep.

The End.

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