Summary:  Here’s my answer to the December Chaps and Spurs challenge.

Rated: K+  WC  3100

 

                                                                                          A Christmas Story

To Ben Cartwright winter was a time of renewal for man and nature. When spring came around again everyone and everything should have done enough resting to prepare them for the many tasks spring brought with it. For some reason this winter, so far at least, had been filled with only chaos. First there had been Joe slipping and spraining his ankle then Adam coming down with a case of influenza bordering on dangerous. And to top it all off Hoss suffering through a bad case of colic. Of all the people why did it have to be Hoss to catch something that prevented him from eating. It’s not that Ben wished it to have been anyone else but no one else’s complaints would have had Hop-Sing choosing to serve cold suppers so the aromas of food cooking wouldn’t bring hours of lamenting from Hoss about how it wasn’t fair and that he was so hungry to begin with and that smelling Hop-Sing’s cooking was only making him hungrier.

Now as Christmas approached Ben felt some calmness overcome him as it always did at this season of the year. It helped that all was settling back to normal for this time of year once again. His sons were all once again their healthy selves and going about their usual winter routines. Adam always used the cold months to catch up on his reading and correspondences with his friends back east. Joe and Hoss usually became restless and if weather permitted would take trips to town. Otherwise they spent the time playing checkers and making plans for the warm weather’s return. When not together Joe would spend his time reading those penny dreadfuls or cheap detective novels that Adam made fun of. Hoss would spend his time checking on the animals around the house and even venture to winter pastures when he could. Ben’s happy silence was all too soon broken.

“Hey pa.”

“Joe where have you and your brothers been?”

“We were going into town.”

Ben could hear more noise coming from the porch then his sons had ever been capable of making. “I know Joseph but that was before the snow…Joe I know you…Joseph what is going on out there?!”

“Going on pa?”

Sometimes his youngest son’s attempts at feigning innocence were more annoying then others. “Yes, going on. I can hear your brothers doing a lot of hushing out there. Just who is it they are hushing?”

“Well you see pa we was on our way to town. See we had plans to have some…”

Tired of waiting, Adam pushed the door open. “Joe by the time you tell pa we’ll all be frozen or spring will have arrived.”

“Then why don’t you explain Adam.” But an explanation became unnecessary as through the open door marched no less then six children and all it appeared were under the age of ten.

“Pa this is Mr. and Mrs. Nichols. Their wagon became stuck in a drift and they were trying to walk into town. We invited them to stay with us. We thought if we can we’ll dig their wagon out and bring it here.”

Ben knew his sons were not stupid. They were each well aware no wagon would make it anywhere until spring.

Mr. Nichols could sense Ben’s reserve. He himself liked the peace that came with winter days. He also knew that Christmas was, to some, a time for family to spend alone. “Mr. Cartwright your sons said you had a sled. Perhaps we could borrow it to go to town. I’d return it you have my word on that.”

Although Ben’s heart wasn’t completely in it he made the invitation sound heartfelt. “Mr. Nichols you and your family are more then welcome to stay as long as necessary.”

Mrs. Nichols could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. Only a few hours ago she was beginning to fear they would all freeze to death and now they were warm and being made welcome. “Thank you sir we never thought to find such generosity.”

“Mrs. Nichols why don’t you let my sons show you to which rooms you can use. I’m afraid the beds will need to be made up.”

“Just show me where the linens are and I will do it happily.”

“Joe the three rooms at the end of the hall. You can put Mr. and Mrs. Nichols in one room the boys in one of the others and the girls in the other.”

“Oh Mr. Cartwright one room will be sufficient.”

“Nonsense Mr. Nichols. We have the room so why let it go to waste.”

“Thank you! Come children thank Mr. Cartwright.”

Ben heard six small voices obey their mother and whisper their thank yous. He gave them all a smile.

“Mr. Cartwright we’ll only be here a day or so. Just until we can get into town.”

“Mr. Nichols again you are more then welcome to stay as long as necessary.”

“Your sons said you would say that.”

“Yes my boys know me very well.”

 

“Come on everyone follow me.” Joe took the lead and everyone began to follow.

Adam wondered was he the only one to hear the hidden message in his father’s words? “Hoss why don’t you help Joe show everyone to their rooms. Mr. Nichols we’ll try to get to your wagon tomorrow so you can get what ever things you’ll need.”

“Thank you.”

Adam and Ben watched as the parade resumed its march upstairs.

“I know pa. You like winter to be a time of peace and resting, but we couldn’t just leave them stranded on the road to town.”

“No Adam you couldn’t have.” But that’s not your fault is it; it’s not how I raised you.

“I promise pa, the first day I can I’ll get them to town.”

“Where in town?”

“I don’t know for certain. Mr. Nichols mentioned something about hearing that a farm was for sale around here. It could be the old Hopkins place he was talking about. That’s been for sale for a while now.”

“Why would someone come to settle a farm this time of year?”

“I don’t know pa but I guess they have their reason.”

********

Ben looked up expecting to see one of his sons coming down, or more accurately Adam coming down, to reassure him that they would have the house to themselves as soon as possible. “Are they all settled?”

“My wife is trying but they are all so excited to once again have a bed to sleep in. Mr. Cartwright I’d like to tell you again that that was a wonderful supper. It’s more then we’ve had in a long time and I want to thank you again.”

“Mr. Nichols please call me Ben and would you like a glass of brandy? I was about to have one myself.”

“Yes, thank you.” He took the glass that Ben was offering.

“So Mr. Nichols…”

“Abbott please Ben.”

“Abbott. Adam said that you were buying a farm?”

“Yes we needed a change.”

“If you don’t mind my asking, why did you start out so late?”

“We had no choice. You see we sold our old place before we knew we were expecting another child. The people who bought our house were kind enough to say we could stay until we made other arrangements, but once we lost the baby my wife said we should come and buy the farm like we had originally planned on doing. I tried to explain to her that it was too late to start out but I don’t think she wished to stay there any longer. She said the Lord would watch over us. I guess she was right although I haven’t felt the Lord was watching me for some time now. I suppose you think me a selfish man. Why should a man who has six healthy children mourn over one lost. You must think me quite greedy when there are men who don’t have any of their babes survive.”

“No Abbott I don’t think you selfish or greedy. As a father I know it wouldn’t matter how many children you have you would always mourn the one missing.”

“Yes I suppose you would. You have three very fine sons Ben.”

“Yes they are.” It didn’t matter how many times he heard it or how many different people said it Ben was always happy to have it reaffirmed that his sons were not only men a father could be proud of but that they were men other people realized were fine men.

********

His sons in an attempt to somewhat placate their father had been doing their best to keep the children out of his way but his attempt to read was disrupted by the noise coming from outside. Ben decided to go and see if he could find out what was causing such a ruckus. He opened the door and the answer hit him squarely in the face.

“Sorry pa we were having a snowball fight.”

Ben wiped the snow from his face. “So I notice Joseph.” Ben bent down and made his own snowball and threw it at his youngest son.

“HEY. Pa Adam threw the one that hit you!”

“Oh he did?” So Ben promptly made another one and threw it at his eldest son.

“HEY!”

That’s all it took to cause the war to start anew, this time with Ben joining the fight.

********

“You all get undressed! You dripping snow all over Hop-Sings clean floor!”

“Everyone RUN.”

“You bad Mr. Cartlight, you bad as children!”

Hop-Sing stormed back into the kitchen but Ben knew that if they all went and changed, and since the fact that they were all too cold and wet to have stayed outside a minute longer was the reason they had come in, they were assured that when they came back down they would find hot chocolate waiting for them. Perhaps even some cookies to go with their drink. As always Ben Cartwright was right.

********

As the days passed into weeks Ben found himself more and more thankful for the unexpected guests. It seemed his sons were retiring earlier and earlier these days. Why there were some days Hoss and Joe went to bed right after supper.

“Ben I’m sorry. We’ve been here much longer they we should have.”

“Abbott how could you know it would snow like this, besides your children have kept those boys of mine so busy they haven’t had time to complain that they’re bored.”

“But still we must be an inconvenience.”

“No. Alright I will admit that at first I was a little annoyed at having my routine disturbed but now I’m glad for it. You don’t know how long it’s been since my sons have acted like such children. Since I’ve acted like such a child. I can’t remember the last time my sons and I had a snowball fight or read those books of fairy tales. Joe’s mother, my third wife Marie, use to read a story from them every night and don’t tell Adam I told you but even though he use to pretend he wasn’t listening she knew he was.”

“I’m happy we helped bring back some nice memories but still if it should clear up enough tomorrow we’ll try to leave.”

“YOU CAN’T. Those boys of mine have been digging thorough the boxes we have packed away in search of…” Ben realized he’d almost spoiled the surprise. His son’s had been going through trunks and boxes in search of any old toy they could find. Even Ben didn’t know that upon not being able to find presents to suit them they had made a trip to town and bought some. “…please Abbot stay at least until after Christmas.”

“Alright Ben we’ll stay until after Christmas.”

********

As they brought in the tree the children stood in silent awe, but the silence didn’t last long.

Brock, the eldest boy in the Nichols’ clan, was the one who spoke. “My ma says them trees is called evergreens ‘cause they ain’t never nothin’ but green.”

Adam held back the scream that threatened to escape. He didn’t think any one could mangle the English language worse the Joe, but he’d just been proven wrong. “You’re right Brock these trees are called evergreens because unlike other trees their leaves do not change color and fall in autumn.”

Abby, the eldest of the Nichols girls and also one half of the two sets of twins the Nichols had, asked what was to her a very pertinent question. “Do you think Santa will know where we are Adam?”

“Yes Abby Santa knows everything.”

Again Ben was surprised at how Adam handled the children. He knew the sentence that Brock had said earlier must have had his eldest son screaming on the inside but he had managed to correct the boy without embarrassing him. It’s not that Ben believed Adam wasn’t good with children, he’d seen him with more then enough to know that was untrue, but he had expected them to follow Hoss and Joe around more then Adam. Most of the time it would have been hard to follow any one of his sons more then the other because they were usually together during the day. At night though it seemed as if Hoss and Joe tired more quickly of the endless questions and constant requests but Adam seemed to possess the patience of a saint. Now if only, Ben thought, he could possess such patience with his youngest brother things might be more peaceful in the future.

Ben watched as Abby again asked if Adam would read to her and tuck her and her little sister Fanny in. It appeared to Ben that that little girl was developing quite a crush on his son.

********

It was Christmas Eve and Ben stood back to admire the tree that was finally decorated. He had forgotten how much extra time it took to decorate one tree when little hands helped. He had also forgotten how light the work seemed as well.

Adam finished lighting the last of the many candles that adorned every branch.

Susan Nichols felt a sense of wonder. “It’s beautiful.”

Abbott could hear his wife’s tears. He knew she too was thinking of the one whose first Christmas this would have been. “It’s the biggest tree I’ve ever seen, right children?”

Brock answered first. “It sure is pa.”

Abby usually tried to find ways to disagree with her brother but this time she couldn’t. “Yeah it sure is.”

“Angel?”

“Yes Cody that’s an angel.” Susan picked up her youngest child.

“She sure is pretty.” Danny, who was Fanny’s twin brother and along with her the second to youngest, had never seen an angel so pretty before.

“Yes Danny she is pretty.” Abbott felt a small twinge of regret at knowing tomorrow would prove to be a great disappointment to his children. They may not have been able to give their children much on Christmas day but they at least had all gotten one present.

“I don’t mean to break this party up but shouldn’t we all get to bed so Santa can come?” Ben smiled as he saw the looks on the children’s faces as they all ran upstairs. He also couldn’t help but notice the look that passed between their mother and father as they followed their children upstairs. Have faith Ben thought.

********

The following morning, as had been the fashion for centuries before and would be for centuries to come, the children were the first ones up and anxiously awaited the adults awakening. Of course when it seemed to be taking longer then they could stand they helped it to happen.

Ben was surprised himself by the number of gifts under the tree. He suspected that he hadn’t been the last one to have snuck down last night to play Santa and drop some presents off.

Susan watched her children run to the tree and start to pick up boxes that were lying there. She still didn’t comprehend that most of those boxes were for her sons and daughters.

“Children! Let someone else hand out the gifts.”

“Why papa?”

“Because Cody you don’t know who the gifts are for, you can’t read.”

The gifts were handed out and there were children playing everywhere.

“Papa I thought you said that Santa might not come this year. That even though Adam said he would find us he still might get confused and go to our old house and we would have to wait for the people to send the gifts to our new house once we got one.”

“That’s true Abby but your father forgot one thing. He forgot that Santa is magic and can come in many different ways.”

“Yes I guess I did.”

Ben acknowledged the silent thank yous. “Well it appears that there are still some gifts left under the tree. Joe would you like to hand those out?”

Joe handed out the ones that were for his father and bothers and set aside the ones for himself. He then picked up the boxes still remaining and handed them to the only other two people in the room without any gifts in front of them.

“For us?” Surely, Susan thought, they must realize the happiness they’ve given my children is enough.

“So it would seem Susan.”

“But Ben.”

“Abbot I do believe those gifts are from Santa. You can’t very well refuse a gift from Santa.”

“Papa please don’t. If you do he might get insulted and come and take back all the presents he brought.”

“That’s very true Brock.” Adam was glad to see the English lessons were having some affect.

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Abbott says that you’ll be buying that farm because my sons and I would love to have you and your family as neighbors.”

“How can we say no? I know we couldn’t find better neighbors any where else.”

********

Not only did they prove to be good neighbors but there came a time when Adam regretted the English lessons he was giving. It facilitated the situation that proved the Nichols were also very good in-laws. But that’s a story for another time.