Bonanza
~*~*~ Advent Calendar ~*~*~
* Day 16*

Summary:  When it comes to Joe’s perfect gift to give…

Rating:  G  1,270 words

Note:  This story was written for the Bonanza Brand 2020 Advent Calendar, originated in the Forums.

Any Gift of Walter’s

“Hey Joe, ya ready to go?”

Hoss stuck his head into the Emporium, quickly locating his brother by the hats and shawls displayed near the front of the store. Joseph was braver than him, fer sure, fixin’ to buy one of them frilly things—Hoss woulda been too tongue-tied to ask the price, much less take it up front and pay for the thing in front of everyone—but one look told him that little brother probably weren’t going to be buying anything today either. Joe joined him, expression fixed between a pout and a scowl.

“It ain’t there anymore. I knew I should have bought it last week when I was in.” Joe’s frown deepened. “Jackson Pierce and Braden Sackett were both sniffin’ around Miss Emma last month, probably one of them beat me to it.”

“Now Joe, you don’t know that. Coulda been anybody come in and pick it up. Miss Emma ain’t the only gal in town.”

“Coulda fooled me.” Joe’s eyes glazed, as if he was even now seeing her from a distance. “Hair the color of corn, eyes like bluebells, shape like a—”

“Well, if it ain’t there no more, yer just gonna have ta buy her somethin’ different.”

“What?” Joe blinked, and turned a puzzled glance on his brother. “What’re you talking about?”

Hoss resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Barely. When little brother was distracted by a pretty female, he could be downright distracted. “A different present, Joe. Fer Miss Emma.”

“She went on about that shawl, though.” Joe’s eyes began to drift again. Hoss sighed. “Light blue, deep hood, knee length. Velvet inside and on the trimming. Ribbon wove into the edges, for that little splash of color …”

“Joe!” Hoss smacked his brother’s shoulder. “Come on! Any gal got you thinkin’ this much about shawls, ya gotta take a step back. Ain’t right, you goin’ on all gooey eyed about a piece of lacey frippery.”

“Lace! There was lace too. It was all …” Joe blinked, and squinted across the street. “It was just like that one over there.” Hoss followed his gaze. “It is that one! That’s it, Hoss, that’s Miss Emma’s shawl!”

Hoss bellowed a laugh, and fetched Joe another good thump. “Looks like it ain’t Miss Emma’s no more.” He raised his voice, waving as he started across the street. “Obie! How ya been, you rascal?”

The old miner turned, a grin splitting his face as he caught sight of the Cartwrights. “Well, Hoss and Joe! What do you know — I was just tellin’ Walter on the way in that it’d been an age, and he was sure we’d see you today.”

Hoss grinned, shaking his head. “Don’t that just beat all?” He looked around, and Joe ducked away before Hoss could thump him again. “Don’t that beat all, Joe? Ain’t that Walter somethin’?”

Joe pasted on a smile. “Ain’t he just?” His eyes strayed to the incongruous sight of the frilly blue shawl in the old man’s hand. “Hey Obie, what—”

“Walter’s here, is he?”

“Oh yeah, up the street a ways.” Obie motioned toward a nearby corner, to a rickety wagon topped by a motionless lump of fur. “He’s right excited to be in town today, can hardly contain hisself.”

“Think I’ll stroll over and say hey.”

“Walter’d be upset if you didn’t.”

Hoss and Obie started down the road. Joe skipped around to the prospector’s other side, stretching his grin wider. “So, you got a lady, Obie?”

Obie’s eyebrows shot up. Hoss hurried ahead toward the dog. “A lady?” He barked a laugh. “Where would Walter and I put a lady?”

“Heh.” Joe leaned against the wagon as they caught up, ignoring Hoss’s enthusiastic tones as he greeted the dog. “Don’t know about Walter, but what about you? Some little gal catch your eye?”

The old miner actually blushed, tumbling his purchases—including Miss Emma’s blue shawl—carelessly into the dusty wagon bed. “Naw, ain’t got no time fer no lady.”

“Then what’d you buy that shawl for?” Joe squeaked, pointing into the wagon. “What do you need a shawl for if you ain’t got a gal?”

“Joe!” Hoss rounded the wagon, frowning. “Obie bought it, didn’t he, I guess he don’t have ta tell us why.”

“Well yeah, but—”

Obie’s cackle cut him off. “Oh, that!” He shot a glance toward Walter, then leaned close, beckoning. Hoss and Joe exchanged a glance, and stepped in. “That’s fer Walter.”

Joe squeaked again. Even Hoss seemed confused. “Walter?”

“Yep!” The prospector nodded enthusiastically. “A little Christmas present. He’s been askin’ for one.”

Joe’s eyes widened. Hoss tilted his head, studying the blue mound of fabric. “Walter’s been askin’ fer a shawl? Ya … ya sure about that, Obie?”

The old man slapped his knee, chuckling. “Well, he ain’t been askin’ for shawl, o’ course.”

Joe’s high-pitched giggle had a hysterical edge. “Course not. Then … what has he been, uh, asking for?”

“A nice new bed. Course, he don’t hardly spend any time in the one he’s got—never sits still, does Walter.”  A snuffling snore rose from the mound of fur. Joe whimpered. Hoss nodded sagely. “But it’s nice ta have somethin’ new every now and again, ain’t it?”

“What’s he need with a fancy shawl for a bed?” Joe protested. “Wouldn’t a blanket do just fine?”

“Now, Joe …”

Obie shook his head. “He’s real particular, is Walter. Wants somethin’ nice and soft.”

Joe sighed. Hoss took pity. “Well Obie, I do agree that velvet looks … mighty comfy, but don’t ya think the ribbon and such might be a bit … much?”

“Yeah!” Joe nodded vigorously. “And that lace might be scratchy. Walter won’t like that. But Obie, it’s okay cause I’ll buy it off of you. Ya won’t even …”

“That’s right kind of ya, Joe, but I’ll just tear all that fancy stuff off. Won’t be no bother.”

Joe cast a desperate glance toward his brother. Hoss shrugged. “I mean, that’d work, Joe.”

“Hoss!”

“Right! Right.” Hoss screwed up his face, thinking. “Look, Obie. Joe sorta had his heart set on that shawl fer Miss Emma Robinson.”

“Huh? Miss Emma?”

“Yeah!” Joe’s eyes glowed. “Miss Emma Robinson.”

“Don’t know her.”

Joe sighed. “Course not.”

“Well, that don’t matter none.” Hoss patted Obie’s shoulder. “How much longer ya gonna be in town, Obie? If Joe and I can find a nice soft bed fer Walter, would ya consider sellin’ the shawl ta little brother here?” Hoss leaned in and lowered his voice. “He’s a little crazy when it comes ta Miss Emma. I don’t rightly know what he’ll do if he can’t give her this shawl. He’s been talkin’ about it for a week.”

Obie sighed, eyeing Joe. Finally, he nodded. “Guess I could see my way clear. Walter ain’t seen it yet, he don’t—”

They all froze, staring at the empty spot where the shawl had been. Joe gaped. “It was just here! Where’d it go?”

Hoss nudged him, nodding toward the lump of dog on the wagon bench.

Joe whimpered.

Walter sprawled across the frilly blue shawl, snoring.

Obie grinned broadly. “Walter done took a shine to it! Knew he would.” He patted Joe’s shoulder apologetically. “Guess we ain’t sellin’, after all. Sorry, boy.”

Hoss thumped his brother. “Never you mind, Joe. We’ll find somethin’ right nice for ya. Think I saw some hand-tooled bracelets in the general store, if ya wanna go look at those. Real nice leather work.”

Joe sighed sadly. “Miss Emma …”

Merry Christmas!

~~~

Character: Walter

Gift: Shawl

Inspired by:  Any Friend of Walter’s
Director:  John Florea
Written by:  Lois Hire, David Dortort (creator)

Link to Bonanza Brand 2020 Advent Calendar – Day 17 – Family Treasures by Sierras