Bonanza
~*~*~ Advent Calendar ~*~*~
* Day 18 *

Summary:  As with all intentions — some good, some not so good — there are always consequences.

Rating:  G
Word Count:  2,225

Good Intentions and Unplanned Consequences

The Cartwright brothers finished eating their steaks and signaled Cosmo for another round of beers.

“All right, Adam, you called this meeting,” said Joe. “What’s up?”

“You heard the news at church this morning. The roof on the storage room of the Emporium collapsed yesterday under the weight of snow and ice from the last storm.”

“Durn shame Sam Whitford didn’t listen to you when you told him those rafters had dry rot.”

“Agreed, Hoss, but that’s beside the point now.”

“What is the point?”

“You want to rebuild it,” Joe interjected.

“I can and I will, but—“

“—you want our help,” Joe finished.

“You know you got it, Adam,” said Hoss. “Whatever you need.”

“I was hoping you’d say that.”

Joe looked at Hoss and raised his eyebrows. The thing with their oldest brother, as they both had learned from bitter experience, was you could never assume you knew what he was thinking.

“What do you have in mind?” he asked, warily. Although he liked cold weather in principle, he was not keen to be hammering up high in the biting wind with no gloves on.

“Sam and Mary were in the storeroom when the roof came down. They are both in bad shape. Doc Martin says they’ll survive, but their recovery will take weeks if not months. Roy contacted Mary’s sister in Ely, but she won’t get here until New Years at the earliest.”

“Their kids are going to be alone for Christmas, is that it?” Hoss asked.

“Yes, and most of the suitable families on the Comstock have too many mouths to feed already or have gone down the hill.”

“Pa wouldn’t object if they stayed with us until their aunt arrives,” said Joe.

“No, he wouldn’t, but he won’t be back from Placerville until Christmas Eve, and—“

“—and Hop Sing is in San Francisco,” Hoss said, frowning.

“Exactly. While I’m rebuilding the roof, who is going to make sure Janey and David are bathed and fed and entertained until Pa gets home?”

“Hoss and I can take care of them just fine.”

“Like you did with the Clark twins last year? I seem to recall your exact words were ‘I can’t cook and watch the kids and keep the piglets out of the living room all at the same time.’”

Joe’s eyes narrowed. “We’re older and wiser now.”

“Might be kinda fun having a couple of young’uns around for Christmas,” Hoss said, lightly.

“Just remember, I will be busy replacing that roof. Until Pa gets home, it’s just going to be the two of you to cook and clean.”

“And decorate,” Joe added. “Can’t have presents under the tree if we don’t have a tree, right Hoss?”

“Darn tootin’!”

“Now wait a minute. We’re all going to have our hands full just doing—”

“—aw, come on, Adam. It’s Christmas. Don’t be a Scrooge.”

When they were younger, Adam had learned the hard way that to obtain his brothers’ full cooperation he had to introduce some element of fun to the task at hand. “All right. A tree . . . and presents . . . but keep it simple.”

“And reindeer. Don’t forget about the reindeer.”

Reindeer? Joe thought.

“The kids are five,” Hoss said. “They still believe. We can’t disappoint them. You remember.”

Adam sighed, drumming his fingers on the table as he looked from brother to brother. Joe had been about the same age as the Whitford kids when his mother died. That Christmas he and Hoss had gone to great lengths to make sure Santa made an appearance on Christmas Eve along with an elf and . . . reindeer. The look on Hoss’s face said he had no choice, so he relented.

“Okay.”

“Reindeer and all?” Hoss asked.

“Yes. Only Joe will have to do it, not me.”

Joe sat up straighter in his chair, warning bells sounding in his head. “Wait a minute . . . what reindeer? . . . and what does it have to do with me?”

“Rigging harnesses with sleigh bells up on the roof to give the illusion of reindeer,” Adam said. “Anchor the harnesses to the chimney, then drop the rope over the edge of the roof so we can pull it to jingle the bells.”

Joe just stared.

“Oh, and one other thing. You do this dressed as an elf.”

“An elf,” Joe stated flatly. “I suppose it has to be me because you’re too tall to be an elf?”

“Yes.”

“And Hoss is too—“

“Careful short shanks.”

“—wide. I was gonna say wide. Give me some credit here, Hoss.”

“Yes,” Adam said again.

“And I’m just right, is that it?”

“That about sums it up, baby bear.”

“Great,” Joe said, draining his mug. “Reduced to a fairy tale.”

“Let’s hope there is a happily ever after,” mumbled Hoss.

“What did you say?” Joe asked sharply.

“Nothin’.”

***

Surprisingly, things proceeded smoothly over the next few days while Adam was in town re-roofing the storage room. The kids were teary but fairly well-behaved considering their world had been turned upside down. Joe did a good job cooking, bathing and dressing them. Hoss fixed up the toboggan so the kids could go sledding. Each night the brothers took turns reading bedtime stories and singing songs. Before they knew it, it was Christmas Eve. Pa still wasn’t home but—hoping he would get there by night fall—they all went into the woods to harvest a tree.

When Adam left for town to finish up the last of the work on the Emporium roof, Hoss, Joe and the kids popped corn and made paper garlands to decorate the tree that now stood between the hearth and the staircase.

The snow started mid-afternoon. Big fluffy flakes that delighted Janey and David as they twirled in the yard with their heads tilted back, tongues sticking out. There wasn’t enough snow on the ground to make snow angels, but, with a twinkle in his eye, Joe fired the first salvo and the snowball fight was on!

Wet and tired, the four piled into the kitchen and enjoyed hot chocolate with marshmallows while Joe put together a light supper.

When the dishes were done, Hoss tugged on Joe’s arm and pointed out the window. Dark clouds swirled above, and the ceiling was dropping. “You’d better get started on our little project. Wind’s picking up,” he whispered.

“Tuck the kids in and then come help me.”

“I found the elf suit in the attic and put it in your room. You’d better put it on before you go outside.”

“Why? And don’t say ‘cause Adam said so.’”

Hoss glanced over his shoulder to make sure Janey and David weren’t around. “In case they see you, they’ll think you’re one of Santa’s elves.”

Joe stared at Hoss for a long while. A niggling thought tickled the back of his memory. “You’d better have something stronger than hot chocolate ready when I get finished,” he muttered.

***

The kids were nestled snug in their beds and sound asleep when Hoss heard a muffled scream.

He ran to the window at the end of the hallway and flung open the sash to see what was the matter. Green feet appeared suspended in space twisting in the wind.

“Joe!”

***

Hoss shut the window, checked that the kids were still asleep, and hurried outside. Joe was hanging from the roof trussed up in tangled rope and swaying to and fro.

“Well, this is a fine mess you’ve gotten us into,” Hoss said, nose to nose with his brother once he stopped swinging.

“What do you mean ‘I’ve gotten us into’?”

“You’re the brains, I’m just the brawn. Isn’t that what you always tell me, little brother.”

“It’s not my fault there were exposed nails on the roof that snagged the rope.”

“Not my doing.”

“Stop sidetracking the issue and cut me down,” Joe spit out.

“What’s wrong with your knife?”

“My hands are twisted up in the rope and I can’t reach it, that’s what’s wrong.”

“What makes you think I can reach mine?”

“Because you’re not hanging upside down and freezing your ass off like I am.”

“I don’t got it.”

“What do you mean ‘you don’t got it’? You always carry your knife.”

“Not today.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t that’s all.”

Joe blew air through his puffed out red cheeks. “I’m not even going to ask.”

“That’s good, ‘cause I ain’t gonna tell you.”

“Use my knife then.”

“Sure. Which bootie is it in?”

“I’m not wearing boots.”

“I’m talking about them there green, jingle bell booties on your feet, little brother,” Hoss said waving his hands in the air.

“It’s not there.”

“Well where is it then? Ain’t no pockets in that green tunic that I can see.”

“It’s in my tights.”

“In your . . . oh no, Joseph. I ain’t rootin’ around inside your tights.”

“You don’t have to root. It’s at the front under the waistband. Just put two fingers in there and pull it out.”

Hoss made a face but reached up and was poking gingerly under the waistband when the nail—which had snagged the rope that caused Joe to slip on the icy shingles and fall of the roof—bent. Joe jerked downwards suddenly.

“HEY! THAT IS NOT MY KNIFE!”

“Don’t get your britch—“ Hoss’s shout was interrupted as the nail worked itself completely loose and Joe, the harnesses, rope, snow and icicles fell on top of him . . . just as a horse entered the yard.

“What in tarnation!”

Pa was home.

Adam rode in behind him. Aghast at the spectacle before him, he first ascertained whether his brothers were hurt and then began to speak.

“Of all the bird-brained—”

“Not now, Adam, help me get your brothers inside before they catch pneumonia.”

***

Recriminations passed back and forth for nearly an hour before their father called a halt. The brothers sat sullenly in front of the fire drinking their brandies.

Ben made a production of lighting his pipe, all the while thinking how he could respond without adding to his sons’ already bruised egos. After all, their intentions were good—as they often were—like when Joe and Hoss robbed that bank to keep it from closing its doors and defrauding investors, or when Adam played Cyrano to Hank Myers’ Christian. Good intentions and unplanned consequences.

“Boys, it is always the person not in the predicament who knows what ought to have been done in it and would unquestionably have done it too. That doesn’t mean Adam would have fared any better than you had he been the one up on the roof, Joseph, or you, Hoss, had he been on the ground in your stead.”

His three sons sipped in silence.

“And a twenty-year-old plan has as much merit today as it did then, Adam, Now, how about we all get some shut eye before those children hear reindeer and wake us up.”

“But, Pa, we didn’t fin—”

“Hush! Or in the morning there will be coal in the stockings of three naughty little boys who don’t believe in Santa.”

***

Adam was on the edge of sleep when his door opened. No knock, so of course it was Joe. He turned over and was about to utter what passed for profanity in the Cartwright household when Joe plunked down on the end of the bed and tucked his bare feet under the extra quilt there. Illuminated by the glow from the fireplace, the expression on his brother’s face both mystified and concerned him. He waited.

“Hoss said I had to wear that stupid elf outfit.”

“Did he tell you why?”

“‘In case you’re seen they’ll think you’re one of Santa’s elves.’” Joe looked daggers at Adam. “Made me angry.”

So it wasn’t the costume that upset his brother, it was being seen. Curious, Adam asked, “Why?”

Joe rose from the bed and crossed to the window. The storm had passed, and stars were visible in the obsidian sky. He stood there a long time before speaking.

“The Christmas Eve after Mama died I heard sleigh bells and saw an elf tiptoeing down the stairs. I believed. I knew Mama had sent him. Years later, of course, I found out Santa wasn’t real. But deep in my soul, I held onto that special memory, believing with all my heart what I saw and heard was true. Until today.”

“Joe, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what to say beyond that. It wasn’t our intention to ruin that memory for you.”

“I know. You and Hoss just wanted to make it special for the kids. I get it.” Joe turned from the window and returned to the foot of the bed. “I’m sure Pa will figure out some way for them to hear the sleigh bells. Although . . .” the corner of his mouth turned up, “. . . he’ll never fit in those tights.”

“That would be something to see, wouldn’t it?”

When he reached the door, Joe turned and said, “Thank you.”

Astonished and not sure he heard correctly, Adam repeated, “Thank you?”

“For caring enough about me back then to make that first Christmas Eve without her special.”

“I’ve never stopped caring.”

“I hope not. Maybe there’s a little bit of Santa Claus in all of us if we care enough. Good night, Adam.”

“Good night, Joe.”

 

And to all a good night.

Link to 2019 Advent Calendar – December 19:

Christmas Decorations by Sibylle