Whenever
You’re in Trouble
By: Rona Y.
Whenever you’re in trouble
Whenever you may need me
I will fight for you
I will help you through
Whenever life’s deceiving,
I’ll give you new meaning
No matter where you are
You’re always in my heart
Whenever you’re in trouble
I will be right here.
Now’s the time
To share what you’re feeling inside
No matter how long it takes
No matter how many mistakes
Oh, now’s the time
To reach and you will find
That whenever you need me to care
I’ll always be there.*
“No!”
The word thundered across the room and everyone present froze, their eyes
instinctively seeking the speaker.
From
his position huddled on the floor, battered and bleeding, Joe Cartwright looked
up in disbelief and breathed a word that only he heard. “
Calling
on the last reserves of his strength, Joe tried to bring his legs underneath
him, but the pain was too great. He began to spiral down into the darkness,
regret that he was unable to do anything to help Ben flooding his heart.
And
just before his eyes closed, Joe saw Adam and Hoss, his brothers, appear in the
doorway beside their father and knew that he didn’t have to worry any more.
That was the last thing he knew.
***********************************
Whenever you’re in trouble
Sitting
by Joe’s bedside, Ben unconsciously rubbed his thumb in a soothing rhythm
against Joe’s arm. It was almost the only uninjured part of his son. Almost
every inch of skin was covered in bandages, plaster casts, splints, scrapes,
bumps and bruises. It broke Ben’s heart to see his lively, energetic, son so
still and pale in the bed.
“Why
didn’t you tell me what was going on?” Ben whispered. He knew that it was
unlikely that any sound he made would rouse Joe. The young man had been
unconscious since they had found him and Ben knew that the probable skull
fracture Joe had sustained was causing the doctor quite a bit of concern. Ben
was deeply worried.
Whenever you may need me
“I
knew something was up with you, Joe,” Ben went on. He searched the pale face,
looking for some signs of stirring, but seeing none. Joe’s perfect features
were marred by a couple of black eyes and a split lip. A graze ran down one
cheek and his head was encircled by a thick bandage. “I can always tell, son.
Why didn’t you confide in me?”
There
was no response. Joe’s breathing was harsh, the results of the broken ribs. He
was immobilised by a cast that ran from shoulder to fingertips on his left arm.
Both Joe’s legs were in splints and bandages were wrapped smoothly over his
chest. The gash on his upper right arm was stitched closed and bandaged from
elbow to shoulder. Ben shuddered and drew back for a moment, closing his eyes
against the tears that threatened to spill over.
I will fight for you
I will help you through
“
“Pa?”
The voice spoke from behind Ben and he turned to see Adam and Hoss standing in
the bedroom door. “How’s he doing?” Adam spoke softly, but nothing could
disguise the worry in his tones.
“No
change,” Ben replied, wearily.
Coming
into the room, both brothers looked down on Joe. It hurt them both to see him
like this. “Sure is a trouble magnet, ain’t he, Pa?” Hoss mused. “I never
knowed anybody like him fer findin’ trouble.”
“I’d
like to know what he was doing with the McAndrew clan in the first place,” Adam
responded, his voice tight with controlling his anger. Quite who he was angry
with – Joe or the McAndrews – Ben wasn’t too sure. Both, he suspected. And it
was a question that was tearing at his heart, too.
“So
would I,” Ben agreed, sighing.
Whenever life’s deceiving,
I’ll give you new meaning
“Then
I’ll tell ya,” responded a new voice. All three of them turned to see Sheriff
Roy Coffee standing there.
“The
McAndrews have talked?” It wasn’t quite a question, nor yet was it a statement.
Ben felt his heart rate increase slightly.
“They
ain’t admitted what they done,”
The
atmosphere in the room changed from expectation to disapproval in a matter of
seconds.
“How
do you know what I think?” Ben asked, coldly. “I think you’d better tell me
what’s going on,
Quailing
under Ben’s stern gaze,
“What?”
Ben thundered. “Why wasn’t I told?” He flinched at the volume of his voice in
the enclosed space and glanced guiltily at Joe, fearful that he had disturbed
the injured man. But Joe hadn’t moved and Ben was more sorrowful that his
shouting hadn’t roused Joe. Taking a conscious grasp of his temper, Ben turned
back to
“I
only heard this mornin’,”
“Go
on,” Ben murmured, sorting out those statements in his mind.
“Well.”
“Makes
sense, I guess,” Hoss interjected, feeling that someone ought to try and take
the heat out of the situation.
Shooting
the middle son a grateful look,
***********************************
It
wasn’t hard to contrive a meeting with Nell McAndrew. Joe found her, as he had
expected, gazing in the window of the ladies’ dress shop. The McAndrews never
had enough money, for none of their schemes ever came off the way they expected
them to. Nell wasn’t allowed to work – or so she claimed. Joe thought privately
that she couldn’t get work, since she wasn’t at all bright – quite the opposite
in fact. Nell’s mother and older sister made the family’s clothes and they were
very good, since Mrs McAndrew was a seamstress by trade. She somehow managed to
keep the family fed on the small wages she earned. Nell, however, fancied
herself above the homemade clothes and longed to have a store-bought dress.
Consequently, she could be found most afternoons – once she’d completed her
chores – gazing in the dress shop window, imagining the outfit she would buy
herself when she had some money.
“Hi,
Nell,” Joe mumbled. He put on his best hang-dog look, the one he wore when Ben
was annoyed with him.
“Hi,
Little Joe.” Nell beamed brightly at him, then realised that her former
schoolmate looked utterly dejected. “What’s wrong?” She linked her arm through
his and Joe fought down the desire to pull away. “Oh, was it that poker game
last night? Barney said ya lost a lot o’ money.”
“Yeah,
a lot of money an’ Pa’s gonna kill me when he finds out!” Joe whined. In actual
fact, he had only dropped about $5 in total, although there had been a lot of
money on the table at times. Joe, however, not being the greatest poker player
in the world, had kept his money in his wallet and bet only in small amounts.
However, since he hadn’t actually won a game, he was aware that everyone
thought he’d dropped a huge amount at the table.
“How
much?” Nell asked, breathlessly. Joe cynically wondered if it was curiosity or
concern that motivated her query.
“A
few thousand,” Joe replied, trying to sound off hand, but not succeeding.
“Wow!”
Nell’s eyes were as round as a saucer. “What ya gonna do, Joe?”
“I
don’t know,” Joe admitted. “I ain’t got enough to use as a stake in another
poker game. I’ll have to think of something before I get home.” He gave her a
tremulous smile. “I don’t suppose you have any ideas?”
A
crafty look crept over Nell’s face. Joe pretended not to notice, just as he had
pretended not to notice when they were kids. Nell knew that her brothers were
going to raid the Ponderosa that night and rustle about 200 head of cattle.
They had a buyer lined up. The only problem had been that none of the six
McAndrew brothers knew anything about pushing cattle and they had been
stalling, hoping to find someone to help out. To Nell, Joe’s experience was
just what they needed. None of them knew that you needed more than seven men to
push 200 head of cattle!
“Come
with me, Joe,” Nell ordered. “I know jist the thing.” She tugged on Joe’s arm
and he followed, smothering the grin that wanted to break free.
************************************
“I
never rated that girl with many brains, but she seems incredibly stupid to believe
that Joe would steal from his own family,” Ben raged. He was pacing, listening
to
“Stop
thinking like Ben Cartwright and start thinking like a McAndrew,” Adam advised,
keeping his tone calm. “You have honour,
“Reckon
Adam’s right,” Hoss muttered. “An’ we all know how convincin’ Little Joe c’n be
when he sets his mind ta it.”
“You
should’ve talked Joe out of it,” Ben insisted.
“I
ain’t his pa,”
Turning
his eyes back to the still, pale figure on the bed, Ben resumed his seat. “Yes,
he is,” he agreed, his hand stealing out to clasp Joe’s once more. “But a
father still worries, no matter how old his children get.” He looked at
*************************************
As
they neared the McAndrews’ run down home, Joe felt his heart beat accelerate.
He had never liked the McAndrew brothers and six to one weren’t odds that he
fancied at all. But Nell pulled him
onwards and Joe took a deep breath as he followed her into the house.
“What’s
he doin’ here?” demanded Andrew McAndrew, the oldest son, as he jumped to his
feet, throwing the paper he’d been reading onto the floor. He was dressed in
dirty pants that might once have been tan and his braces hung around his
scrawny buttocks. A filthy undershirt of indeterminate colour was all he wore
on the top half of his body and cracked boots decorated his feet. He spat a
plug of tobacco onto the hearth.
“Don’
git angry, Drew,” Nell pleaded. “Joe’s gonna help us.”
“What’ve
ya told him, girl?” Andrew bellowed and clenched his fist.
Stepping
in front of Nell, Joe raised his chin. Andrew might be thin, but Joe knew that
he was terrifically strong. “She hasn’t told me anything!” he retorted. “Leave
her alone.”
“What’d
ya bring him here fer?” Andrew demanded, leaving his fist doubled.
Quickly,
Nell babbled out the story Joe had told her. Joe was interested to note that
she embellished it slightly without realising, but he didn’t object. Gradually,
Andrew’s fist relaxed until his arm was hanging by his side. He gave Joe an
assessing look, which Joe pretended not to notice.
“So
ya dropped a bundle last night,” Andrew sneered. Joe flushed, but Andrew took
it for embarrassment, not anger. “Why’nt ya ask yer daddy ta give ya more?”
“I
can’t,” Joe muttered, looking down.
“Why
not?” When Joe didn’t answer immediately, Andrew grabbed the front of his
jacket and dragged Joe closer. His foul breath washed over Joe’s face. “I asked
ya a question, boy!”
“It
was the payroll money!” Joe snapped. “All right? I collected it early and
thought I’d win some extra money. And instead I lost it all!”
For
a moment, Joe thought that Andrew didn’t believe him. Then the older man let go
and brushed some imaginary dirt from the front of Joe’s jacket. He laughed. He
laughed so hard that he choked himself. “Oh, boy, Cartwright! Ya sure got
yoreself in a pickle, didn’t ya? I suppose ya’d like some fast money ta replace
it, wouldn’t ya?”
“Of
course I would!” Joe drew in a deep breath as though he was trying to control
his temper. In fact, he was trying to control his glee. “Got any suggestions?”
“Might
do.” Andrew appeared to be enjoying himself immensely. “Sit down there, boy.
I’ll git ma brothers.”
**********************************
“I
don’t like it.” The six McAndrew brothers, Andrew, Barney,
“We
don’t,” Andrew drawled, sounding amused. “But he can either do as we say an’
git some money out a this, or we kill him.” He patted Joe insultingly on the
head.
“I’m
desperate,” Joe declared. He sounded suitably subdued.
“Yore
pa got lots o’ money,” Floyd insisted. “Why ya worryin’?”
“Pa
might have money but we don’t,” Joe replied. “I lost the payroll in a poker
game. I don’t earn enough money to pay him back and I’m broke. Pa doesn’t even
pay us as much as the hands,” he added bitterly. “We get up earlier and go to bed
later for less money.” Joe hated what he was saying, but knew the lie would
make his participation in whatever they were planning more convincing. He
lifted his head and met every pair of eyes. “I can hardly rob the bank here,
can I?” he asked sarcastically. “I’m quite well known.”
“I
say he’s in,” Andrew voted. One by one, his brothers agreed with him. “All
right, Cartwright. You go on home like a good little boy an’ be waitin’ fer us
at ten o’clock at the South Forty. Got it?”
“I
got it,” Joe replied, rising. He froze as Andrew grabbed his jacket with one
hand and reeled him in close.
“Just
in case yer thinkin’ o’ double-crossin’ us, here’s a little somthin’ on
account.” He drew back his fist and slammed it into Joe’s belly. Joe doubled over,
gasping for breath, his arms crossing over his body as if that would somehow
lessen the pain. Andrew allowed him to crumple to the floor. “Throw him out,”
he ordered and the brothers did just that.
When
Joe had regained his breath, he picked himself off the ground and made his way
slowly back to his horse. He wondered briefly if he had got himself into a
trickier situation than he had first anticipated, but he felt it was too late
to back out now.
As
he put his foot into the stirrup to mount, Roy Coffee strolled past. “All
right, boy?” he asked.
“Ten
o’clock at the South Forty tonight,” Joe replied, equally quietly as he
mounted. He didn’t look back at
**************************************
“And
just where have you been, young man?” Ben asked, but there was a hint of
amusement in his tones. “I expected you back quite some time ago.”
Flustered,
Joe hadn’t a clue what to say for about the first time in his life, but as he
opened his mouth, Ben started talking again.
“I
expect you had a beer in the saloon, huh?” Ben smiled and shook his head. “Go
and get washed up, Joe. Supper will be ready in a minute.”
“Yes,
sir,” Joe replied and nipped quickly upstairs. He had a hasty wash and arrived
at the table just seconds before Hop Sing started serving.
Glancing
at Joe, Ben could see that there was something on his mind. He wondered what it
was and if Joe would volunteer anything about it, or if Ben would have to ask
tactfully around the subject. With Joe, you never knew where he would stand.
Sometimes, he wanted to be asked outright; sometimes he would only tell you
when things had reached disastrous proportions.
But
as Joe began to exchange banter with his brothers, Ben decided that this didn’t
appear to be a disaster-type mood that Joe was in. And yet Ben was uneasy and
he didn’t know why. He kept an eye on Joe over the meal, surreptitiously
looking for something that would give him a clue as to what his youngest son
had become involved in this time. But when the meal ended, Ben was none the
wiser.
“Are
you all right, Joe?” Ben asked, seeing his son wince suddenly as he rose.
“Yeah,
I think so,” Joe replied, fighting to keep his hand away from his sore abdomen.
“Just a muscle twinge or something.”
“Are
you sure?” Ben persisted.
“Pa,
I’m fine,” Joe assured him, grabbing a tight hold of his temper. He hated being
fussed over and he was especially on edge that evening. “It’s nothing.” Joe
smiled and made sure that he didn’t wince again that evening.
A few
times as he was playing checkers with Hoss, Joe contrived to yawn widely and
soon had the others yawning along with him. “I think I’m gonna have an early
night,” he announced. “Good night.”
“Night,
son,” Ben responded, giving Joe a long searching look. He was still sure that
something was up, but he couldn’t decide what. He thought that he might just
pop upstairs for a chat before Joe went off to sleep.
Upstairs,
Joe slid into his jacket, hat and gun belt, which he had managed to bring
upstairs by dint of ‘forgetting’ to take them off when he arrived home, and
opened his bedroom window. He glanced back at the room and saw that the note he
had left for Ben was obvious for all to see in the middle of the bed before
slipping quietly out of the window.
He
hoped he knew what he was doing.
*********************************
No matter where you are
You’re always in my heart
“You
havin’ an early night, too, Pa?” Hoss asked, as Ben headed with purposeful
casualness towards the stairs.
“No,
I just thought I’d look in on Joe,” Ben replied. “Something I wanted to discuss
with him.”
“Do
you know what he’s got into now?” Adam asked, thereby proving to Ben that he
wasn’t imagining things.
“If
I knew,” Ben responded, wryly, “I wouldn’t be going to talk to him now.” He
continued on upstairs and knocked on Joe’s door. There was no response. “Joe?”
Ben knocked again. Surely he hadn’t fallen asleep already? Why it was only ten
minutes since he had gone upstairs.
Opening
the door, Ben looked blankly at the empty room. It took him a moment to realise
what he was seeing. The curtains fluttered in the breeze from the open window
and a piece of paper lay in the middle of the bed. Moving on numb legs, Ben
walked stiffly across the room and picked up the note.
He
wasn’t quite sure what he was expecting the note to say, but Ben’s heart
started to sink at the very first words.
Dear
Pa,
Please
don’t be angry with me for sneaking off like this. I’m not in trouble – at least
I don’t think I am – but I couldn’t tell you when I came home. There is going
to be a raid on the Ponderosa tonight at the South Forty. Come with Adam and
Hoss as soon as you can. Roy Coffee and Clem will meet you there. Don’t worry
about me,
Your
loving son, Joe.
Crushing
the note in his hand, Ben stood paralysed for a moment. “Oh, Joe, why didn’t
you just tell me,” Ben agonised. “It doesn’t matter what you think you’ve done,
I’m on your side. Don’t you know that?”
Whirling,
he hurried out of the room and back downstairs. “Come on, boys. I think your
brother might be in some sort of trouble. We need to hurry.” Ben snatched up
his gun belt and started to buckle it around his hips.
Putting
his book down, Adam stared at Ben. “Pa, Joe just went to bed a few minutes ago.
How could he…” His voice trailed off and he exchanged a glance with Hoss. “He
climbed out of the window, right?”
“Right.”
Ben picked up his hat and saw that his other sons were still sitting by the
fire. “Joe left me a note. There’s going to be a raid on the South Forty
tonight. Joe says Roy and Clem will meet us there, but he must have gone
already. He says he’s not in trouble, but he’s involved somehow. Now come on!”
At
his words, both Adam and Hoss got to their feet. Adam was still annoyed at Joe
for running off without telling them and worrying their father. But he couldn’t
just leave Joe to face whatever it was alone. Protecting the ranch from raids
involved them all.
**************************************
Time
seemed to pass very slowly as Joe waited. After a while, he began to wonder if
the McAndrews had been inept enough to run into the posse on the way to the
ranch, but at last, they turned up. Joe looked at the six brothers and then
looked around. “Where are the rest of them?” he asked.
“Rest
o’ who?” Andrew returned.
“The
rest of the men to help us,” Joe snapped. “What, do you think the seven of us
can push all the cattle in this section?”
“That’s
ezzacly what I’m tellin’ ya,” Andrew snarled. “Ya got a problem wi’ that, boy?”
His hand caressed his gun.
“I
guess not,” Joe shrugged.
“Then
let’s go.” Andrew jerked his head towards the dark mass that was the herd.
Beginning
to feel increasingly nervous, Joe led the way. The hair on the back of his neck
was standing up and an uncomfortable feeling prickled along his skin. He hoped
that Roy and Clem were nearby and he hoped that his family were on the way.
There was nothing he could do alone.
The
cattle were settled for the night, many of them lying down. They had been on
this pasture for several weeks and were accustomed to it. Joe knew that getting
them moving would be tricky. He glanced at Andrew to see what he was going to
do and realised at once that none of the McAndrews were going to be much help.
None of them had any experience pushing cows.
It
took some time, a lot of orders from Joe and some swearing, but at last, a
portion of the herd was on its feet and milling about aimlessly. Joe felt
exhausted, but this wasn’t over yet. He pulled Cochise to a stop and stroked
down the silky neck. Zeke appeared beside him.
“They
ain’t all up yet,” he whined.
“No,
and they won’t all get up,” Joe snapped. “How did you think we were going to
manage to push this many head with so few men? Let’s take what we’ve got and
get out of here.”
Giving
Joe a suspicious look, Zeke frowned. “What’s the hurry, boy? Ya think someone
might come?”
“There’s
always a chance one of the hands on night watch might come along to check on
them,” Joe replied impatiently. “Unlikely, but possible.” He gestured. “Can we
go now?”
They
managed to get about 25 head moving and had separated them from the main body
of the herd when Roy Coffee made his move. “Hold it right there!” he ordered.
Cursing,
Zeke grabbed Joe’s reins as Joe made moves to do as the sheriff ordered.
Someone, Joe thought it might be Andrew, drew his gun and shot at
As
Clem jumped down from his saddle to bend over the injured man, he heard more
hooves approaching. Looking up, he saw the Cartwrights arrive.
Seeing
that the man on the ground – Floyd – was not going to make it, Clem abandoned
him and remounted, turning his mount and hurrying after Roy and the
Cartwrights.
********************************
Whenever you’re in trouble
I will be right here.
Riding
fast in the dark is never a wise thing to do. Galloping flat out is suicide.
But it wasn’t Joe’s horse that brought them to grief; it was Zeke’s. It
stumbled and bumped into Cochise, who in turn bumped into Andrew’s horse. All
three riders were thrown from their saddles and in the confusion screams rent
the air.
“Get
them inta the line shack!” ordered Barney and his brothers hurried to comply.
They were not careful and more than one cry of pain was heard.
With
shaking hands, Barney lit the lantern he found on the wall. He turned to look
at the three men on the floor and saw at once that Zeke was dead, his neck broken.
Andrew and Joe were both bruised and bleeding profusely and far too pale.
“You
set us up, Cartwright!” Barney snarled, advancing on Joe menacingly.
Too
badly injured and in too much pain to consider protecting himself, Joe just lay
there, trying to catch his breath. Barney grabbed him and punched him right in
the mouth, letting go of Joe as he did. Joe dropped back to the floor like a
stone, his head smashing off the corner of the table as he did. His vision
began to waver as he slipped towards unconsciousness.
“No!”
The word thundered across the room and everyone present froze, their eyes
instinctively seeking the speaker.
***********************************
Now’s the time
To share what you’re feeling inside
No matter how long it takes
No matter how many mistakes
“Why
didn’t Joe tell me?” Ben asked, but no one could give an answer. The only
person who could give Ben the answer he needed was unconscious and none of them
knew if Joe would recover.
A
door at the far side of the room opened and Paul Martin came in. He looked
weary, as well he ought. He had had a busy evening, but it hadn’t been a
satisfying one. He had treated the injured men brought in as best he could,
but… Looking at Roy Coffee, he shook his head. “Andrew McAndrew just died,” he
reported quietly. “Massive internal bleeding.”
Wordlessly,
Ben turned and sat down by Joe’s bed again and resumed his former position,
holding his son’s hand. Joe was reassuringly warm to the touch, momentarily
easing Ben’s fears. But they returned full strength as Paul bent over the young
man and listened to his heart. “Well?” he asked, for Joe was still far too pale
for Ben’s liking.
Straightening,
Paul gathered his thoughts. They all knew that Joe, Zeke and Andrew had been
trampled when the horses fell. The hoof shaped bruises had been silent
witnesses to that fact. Andrew’s abdomen had been black when he arrived in the
ranch and although Paul operated on him the moment he had arrived, it had been
too late. Ideally, he should have stayed with Andrew, but he had another badly
injured man waiting to be treated and Paul had decided that his best bet was to
treat the man who seemed most likely to survive. And it wasn’t until he was
well on in the examination that he discovered the possible fractured skull.
Head
wounds were always tricky. Internal bleeding could cause someone to die when
they seemed to be doing all right. Paul was beset with an unusual lack of
confidence. “He’s holding his own,” he replied at last.
The
dark eyes that met his were filled with fear. “Does Joe have internal
bleeding?” Ben asked, his voice shaking slightly.
Hesitating
again, Paul saw the fear grow and knew he had to offer Ben support. “Not as far
as I can tell,” he sighed. “And,” he pulled out his watch, shocked to see that
it was about 4 am, “if there was any internal bleeding, it would have weakened
Joe considerably by now.” Paul once more felt over Joe’s abdomen, but there was
no unusual rigidity there, no bruises suddenly springing into life.
Moving
down to check Joe’s legs, Paul was relieved to see that the swelling had gone
down a bit since the splints were applied. He suddenly felt more optimistic. If
the swelling was going down, then there was no hidden bleeding in Joe’s legs.
They were horribly bruised and the imprints of the hooves that had struck him
in several places – hard enough to cause breakage – were very defined.
Unknown
to Paul there had been a change in his demeanour as he examined Joe’s legs and
the whole atmosphere in the room relaxed slightly. Straightening, he smiled at
Ben. “The swelling is going down in his legs,” he announced. “That’s far sooner
than I could have hoped for and I think it’s a good sign.”
Leaning
over once more, Paul pulled up Joe’s eyelids and was more than relieved to see
each pupil contract in the sudden light. There was a tiny tracing of red on the
white of each eye, but nothing like as much as Paul had feared to see. There
was probably a skull fracture, but the fracture didn’t appear to have affected
his brain very much. Of course, there was no way to tell how much brain damage
there really was until Joe woke up – and it was anyone’s guess when that would
happen.
Sighing,
Paul stood upright once more. “We just have to wait for him to wake up,” he
concluded.
Frowning,
Ben looked at Joe. Adam and Hoss looked at each other and Roy Coffee muttered
something about getting some sleep before it was time to get up again. They all
knew that he was going to take McAndrew’s body back to town. The sudden flare
of hope that everyone had felt was dissoluted by the unsatisfactory conclusion
of the examination. They wanted a miracle cure, for Paul to say “Arise” and Joe
would open his eyes, as it happened in the best fairy tales.
Medical
science didn’t work like that.
********************************
It
was mid-afternoon. Ben was once more by Joe’s bedside. He had slept and eaten
but he didn’t look or feel rested. Outside on the ranch, the hands went about
their everyday business, but inside the house, Ben’s entire attention was
focused on Joe.
“Why
didn’t you tell me?” Ben asked, not for the first time. “Did you think I would
be angry?” Ben reflected on that for a moment. “Well, I might have shouted a
bit,” he admitted. “But I would have listened to you, Joe. Don’t you know
that?” He had been talking for hours and his voice sounded strained and weary,
even to himself.
Under
his hand, Joe stirred slightly. “Joe?” Ben suddenly didn’t feel tired any more.
“Joe, can you hear me?” Joe stirred again. Ben leapt to his feet and hurried to
the door. He yanked it open and called, “Paul!” before resuming his seat and
taking hold of Joe’s hand again. “Joe? I’m here, son.”
“What
is it, Ben?” Paul asked, coming in quickly.
“Joe
moved,” Ben reported, his eyes fixed to his son’s pale face. At his words, Joe
grimaced and his eyes flickered open.
“Pa,”
he breathed, the word barely audible.
“I’m
here, Joe,” Ben repeated.
“It…
hurts,” Joe grimaced, screwing up his face and wincing.
“Don’t
move, Joe!” Paul ordered, placing his hand on Joe’s chest. “It’s really
important that you stay still. Do you understand?”
“Yes,”
Joe agreed, subsiding. Now that he was more or less awake, he didn’t want to
move after all. Everything hurt, but most especially his head. “What…
happened?”
“If
you promise to stay awake for a while, I promise to tell you,” Paul bargained.
“All right?”
Joe
began to wonder if the bump on his head was worse than he thought or if Paul
Martin had gone mad. He had a good bedside manner, but the way he was talking
made Joe wonder. He’d never heard the doctor enunciate his words so precisely.
He squinted at Paul. “Doc?” He waited for Paul to nod. “You… okay?”
The
choked sound Ben made had more of hysteria in it than real amusement and as Joe
stared at him in consternation, Ben found himself weeping. Paul, who also felt
his eyes damp, patted his friend on the shoulder.
“Pa?”
Joe queried, growing concerned. He tried to reach for Ben, only to discover the
cast on his left arm. “Pa?” he repeated, louder this time and with a clear edge
of panic.
“I’m
all right,” Ben assured him, pulling himself together. “I’m all right, son.” He
looked at Paul. “I guess we don’t need to worry about Joe’s mental condition,”
he suggested.
“No,
neither do I!” Paul agreed.
He
gave Joe an examination while Adam and Hoss were urgently summoned from
outside. Once they were present, and the greetings between the brothers had
resulted in more damp eyes, Paul explained to Joe what had happened.
“I
remember,” Joe whispered. He had managed to keep down some water and Paul was
hoping to get some broth into him before he went back to sleep. The young man’s
eyelids already looked heavy.
“Why
didn’t you tell me, Joe?” Ben asked.
Oh, now’s the time
To reach and you will find
That whenever you need me to care
I’ll always be there.
“I
thought you might… tell me not to go,” Joe admitted. “I didn’t want… to fight.”
He blinked back sleep. “If we’d had… time to talk… with
Clutching
Joe’s hand close to his chest, Ben gently touched his cheek. “I might have
yelled at you,” he admitted and saw a slight smile cross Joe’s face. “But I
hope I would have listened, too. You did what you did for the ranch, didn’t
you, son?” Joe gave a slight nod. “I knew that there was something on your
mind, Joe. I hoped you would confide in me.”
“Didn’t
want you to… worry all evening,” Joe replied. “Sorry.”
“Joe,
I’m always there for you and your brothers when you need me. Whenever you need
me, day or night, I’ll always be there.”
“I
know,” Joe sighed. His eyes closed and he drifted back to sleep secure in the
knowledge that when he woke up again, Ben would still be there.
“He’s
going to be all right,” Paul declared. “And I don’t think it had anything to do
with me.”
“Well,
I hope you’re not suggesting that it had anything to do with me!” Ben retorted,
looking affronted. “I’m not a doctor. I had nothing to do with it!”
“You
doctored his soul,” Paul reminded his friend. “With love and compassion when he
needed you.”
“Just
as you’ve always done,” Adam added, softly.
“I
didn’t do anything special,” Ben objected. “I just did what any father would
do.”
“I
think its special,” Hoss mumbled. “Yer allus there fer us,
Whenever you’re in trouble
Whenever you may need me
I will fight for you
I will help you through
Whenever life’s deceiving,
I’ll give you new meaning
No matter where you are
You’re always in my heart
Whenever you’re in trouble
I will be right here.
The
End