Summary: This is the third and last installment in this series. Ben does his best to make amends for what went wrong, but Joe has a plan too. Only time will tell which will be more effective.
T   7,071

Pine Tree series
Pine Tree (by BettyHT)
Pine Tree Challenge (by BettyHT)
Pine Tree Loss and Gains (by BettyHT)

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Pine Tree Loss and Gains

Chapter 1

It was a beautiful spring day, but Doctor Martin pulling away from the Ponderosa ranch house told anyone watching that more trouble had hit the Cartwright family. The doctor was leaving so the assumption was that it couldn’t be too serious but it had been enough to call for a doctor. Inside the house, sitting with Jamie, Ben couldn’t help but remember sitting by Joe’s side so many years earlier in somewhat similar circumstances. It was the same pine tree and another fall. So much had happened in between the two events though that guilt was all that he carried this time. That first time, there was worry and fear for his youngest, and somehow anger at his oldest son. There was no reason for the fear and the same was true for the anger. He didn’t understand it then and to some extent didn’t understand it yet, but he was trying.

“Why do you look so upset? Doc said it’s not bad. He said I’ll be out of this bed in two weeks. Now that it’s splinted, it doesn’t even hurt so much. If it wasn’t for this bump on my head, I would be out of this bed in a couple of days. He’s more worried about me being dizzy and falling than about the break.”

“Yes, he said that, and young man, you better follow his instructions to the letter. Even a simple break is nothing to dismiss lightly.”

“You’re doing it again. You and Joe are very good at it.”

Ben knew what he meant and could only smile.

“Hoss and Candy give me straight answers. Or tell me they can’t answer which is frustrating, but it’s honest at least. And it’s a lot better than my question being ignored.”

“All right, you certainly have time to hear my answer. It’s complicated and may take some time to explain even if I don’t understand everything that well myself. I was remembering when Joe fell out of that tree and broke his leg. Joe must have been about eleven or so. That wasn’t the worst part though. I blamed Adam for what happened. Unfortunately, I have to admit, it was one of many times when I was unfair to him like that.”

Frowning because what he heard didn’t fit with the man he had come to know, Jamie framed the only question he could.

“Why would you treat your son like that?”

“A very good question, and it’s one I have had on my mind for a long time. Hoss said he and Adam talked about that. They thought they knew why or had a theory to explain some of it. I wish they had included me in that conversation. I’m sure I would have disagreed with them at the time, but it might have given me cause to examine how I was going about things and might have changed my way of thinking. It might have changed my way of acting when it could still have made a difference.”

“Why didn’t you talk to him?”

“It seemed that so many times talking turned to arguing. I remember that time when I saw Adam and Hoss talking out by that old pine tree. I saw Adam look up and then Hoss did, and I knew why. All these years, and I never took his advice about that tree. I never went out there and talked to them and accepted what the two were discussing. He wanted me to cut it down then.”

Remembering though was almost painful. Watching them, he had wanted to go out there, but his pride had stopped him. That and pure stubbornness interfered with his good judgment. His sons had seen him at the window, but they were as proud and stubborn as he was and wanted him to make that first move. He had not, and he had not realized it was a small mistake but the final one in a long series. For many years, Adam had thought about leaving the Ponderosa and the things that pulled him away and the things that pushed him to go. Those were gradually overwhelming the things that tied him to his family. The load had finally gotten too great and was the main subject of the conversation he was having with his brother that day.

“Adam, this argument about the tree ain’t that much of a problem, is it?”

“No, by itself, it isn’t. Each time, each thing hasn’t been that much of a problem, but it’s the whole picture that is the problem. We can’t seem to agree even on the simplest things. I want changes. I push for them, and maybe I push too hard, but it has gotten to be so frustrating. It makes me angry or I get discouraged. I am not a nice person either way. He doesn’t want to accept any new idea and resists every effort I make to make him move in a new direction on anything.”

Looking up, Adam got Hoss to do the same.

“Anyone can see this pine is diseased. At some point, it is going to be a danger to someone or even eventually crash down on the house if the disease is allowed to progress far enough. Right now you can see it in the browning of the needles. They’re starting to fall. Branch by branch, this is going to progress. It may spread to other trees nearby too.”

“So we should cut it down?”

“And burn it.”

“And Pa told you not to do it?”

“He said it’s not that bad and came up with all sorts of excuses other than disease why this needle drop might be happening.”

“Well, there’s a chance he’s right, isn’t there?”

“There’s a chance that Lake Tahoe will dry up in the summer too, but how likely is it?”

“You didn’t say that to Pa, did you?”

By Adam’s look, Hoss knew he had or something like it.

“Why did you have to go and say something like that?”

“Because he said I could be wrong too. He mentioned there was a chance I could be wrong. He said I had been wrong on a few occasions before so I could be wrong again. To prove his point, he had an example ready to throw at me.”

“Dadburnit, he didn’t?”

“He did.”

“He ought to know better than to throw things like that at you. Which one was it? Howard or Laura?”

“This time it was Howard.”

Hoss was surprised.

“This time? So he’s done that before?”

“He knows how to win an argument with me. He knows how sarcastic I can be and how angry I can get so he baits me at times. When I get going like that, he knows he’s won. I know I’ve lost again. I do better when I’m thinking sarcasm and not saying it.”

“I’m sorry it’s going this way, Adam. Two stallions in the herd never works. He’s not willing to hand over any authority. I wish I understood it. He knew that someday he would have to hand over the ranch to you and have you run it. e kneHIt’s like he wanted it and sent you to school to get you ready for it, and treated you like a partner hitched up tight like a team on a carriage. It was his plan, but now he’s afraid to do it. He can’t let go of the reins.”

Despite smiling slightly at the mixed metaphors, Adam said nothing, and Hoss knew the decision had been made. Although Hoss made a move to sit on the swing, he changed his mind after thinking about what had been said about the diseased tree. It might not be that bad yet, but he wasn’t going to take a chance. He took one of the swing ropes in his hand though as he talked.

“Lots of good memories here. I sparked many a gal back here even if none of ’em turned out to be the right one. You done the same. Little Joe done about twice as many.”

“More.”

They got to laugh about that and lightened the mood.

“You going to leave soon? And if you do, when you coming back cause you better come back?”

“I think I’ll leave after Christmas before winter sets in hard. Don’t tell anyone until then. As to coming back, I promise I will, but I can’t tell you when.”

Hoss remembered that whole conversation verbatim and repeated it to his father after Adam left. Ben remembered it well too and repeated it to Jamie.

“I tried to become a better father after he left. I talked to Hoss about it, and eventually came to better understand myself.”

“I’m guessing you didn’t agree with him when he first told you what they said?”

“No, I did not. I admit to a lot of pride and Cartwrights are stubborn men, but I’m not stupid. I thought about it, and I realized the truth of the matter. Adam was my partner and my best friend, but he was going to replace me.”

“That worried you?”

It did. He could do everything I did, and he did them well. He wouldn’t need me. Being pushed aside and not being needed was a fate I couldn’t accept.”

“Did you really think he would have done that?”

“No, but fearing something isn’t rational.”

“So now what?”

“I have written many letters to Adam since he left. I have tried to mend the damage. He should very much like to read this next one when he gets it. I am going to do what he wanted me to do over seven years ago.”

“Cut down that tree?”

“Oh, no, Adam never had simple ideas like that. I’m going to do the whole plan he laid out for me. It’s going to be good too. He didn’t have bad ideas.”

“Before you leave, I have another question. Why did you blame Adam for Joe climbing that tree and falling?”

“You had to remind me of that too, didn’t you? I guess it’s something else that’s going to have to be included in this long letter I’m going to write. There’s a strong parallel between that and what happened to you. It would be better if Hoss and Joe told that part of the story. I have some plans to make and a few explanations to give to your brothers. We’ve got some work ahead of us, but it’s all going to be for something good.

You’ll see.”

Jamie smiled as Ben left his room because he had been talking with Hoss and Joe about how they might bring their oldest brother home. One big step was to get their father to do his best to make amends. The letter he was talking about writing was going to be another big step in that direction. A few weeks later, Joe said he had another plan and Hoss smiled like he knew what it was or knew something about it. Neither of them wanted to tell Jamie anything and told him it would be revealed in the future. Meanwhile, they continued their discussions of what steps they might take to bring Adam home even if only for a visit.

 

Chapter 2

Months later, Adam opened a mail packet in his office. There was the usual business and banking correspondence and another letter from his father. He was beginning to look forward to these letters as the tone had softened over the years and the news was often brighter. This one was unusually thick and he worried that there might be bad news inside so he decided to wait until he got home to open it. His wife, Regina, saw the letter in his hand as soon as he came in the door, but she didn’t get to ask about it as he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. That had the usual effect of making her forget what she had been going to ask. Later, after dinner, she remembered.

“Adam, was that a letter from home you had with you today?”

“Yes, it was. It was another one from my father.”

“Have you read it?”

“No, the letter seemed much thicker than the usual. I was waiting.”

“You’re worried that it’s bad news. It won’t get better by waiting.”

“Nor will it get worse.”

Pulling the letter from his inside jacket pocket, Adam opened it and read inviting his wife to read it with him. As they read, Adam knew she was going to have many questions by the time they finished.

“Son, as always, I pray that you are well. Your brothers and I truly enjoy receiving your letters and eagerly read what you tell us about what you are doing. We sincerely hope your business ventures are going well and hope to hear more about your endeavors. Despite our disagreements in the past over many issues, I wish you success and know you have everything you need to achieve it. You may have trouble believing that, but I say it with all sincerity.”

Looking up from the letter, Adam made eye contact with his wife. She shrugged. By now, she had read enough letters from Adam’s father to have some idea of what his personality was like, and she guessed there was an apology of sorts on the way. He never apologized completely though. It seemed there was always a caveat. If the letter followed the pattern that was set, this was the prologue to the apology if she was guessing correctly.

“Several things have happened here recently that you should know. The first reminded me of a time when I should have taken your advice. Only months before you left, you told me to cut down that pine tree behind the house because it was diseased. I made excuses as to why that was not necessary. I should have done it then. But what makes this so ironic is that Joe did what I accused you of doing so many years ago. He kept telling Jamie stories of how he had taken girls back there for romantic meetings, and then he told him how he had stood on the swing and gone as high as he could to impress one young lady. That worked and he got a kiss from the previously reluctant young lady.

Well, all that talk encouraged your youngest brother to try the same stunt. The problem is that the disease in that tree had progressed so far that the branch broke under the strain, and Jamie fell to the ground and the branch came down and landed on his head too. The small bone in his lower right leg was cracked but not displaced. Doctor Martin permitted him to walk carefully on it after only two weeks. The head injury took about as long to be resolved.

Most important is that Jamie is fine. I had that tree removed, but it came down too late to save him from injury. The garden you said would be perfect there has been created. It was wonderful to see Hoss hefting those stones to put in place the retaining wall you suggested and then planting the native plants around them to hold the soil. He’s fully recovered from that terrible accident when he almost drowned. I wrote to you earlier about how he tried to rescue that family whose wagon was trapped in floodwaters. His recovery was long, but it has been fully successful.

There was a lot of work for Joe to do too. He and Alice are staying here at the house until the baby is born. There was some trouble with his wife’s brother and his gambling debts. Some men tried to make Alice pay and threatened her as well as her brother. There was a fight, and thankfully Alice and Joe are safe. Her brother is dead though, and the assailants who survived are in jail. We could have used your help on that one too, but it all worked out for the best.”

“Your father can’t help trying to make you feel guilty, can he?”

“In his mind, I’m sure he is thinking he is being honest and straightforward, but you’re correct in how it affects me.”

They continued reading the letter then and Regina noted the small smile that Adam had as he read the next part.

“I believe you would approve of the garden your brothers created, complete with rose bushes and a bench. It is now a pleasant place to rest and think. I have spent time there myself pondering the right words for this letter. You were right too about improving the view from the house. It’s a much better vista without that tree in the middle of it.

Hoss told me about the conversation he had with you by that pine tree before you left. I know that what you two discussed was correct. I thought of our argument about that pine tree as another of our minor disputes. I can see that it was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back. I was not using logic and reason. You saw no reasonable explanation for my response so your reaction was to be angry. There was no way out for us with the pattern we had set. At the time, it was as though there was a wall between us. I did not want to be replaced by you. I thought it would make me feel useless. That should never have been a concern and showed a lack of faith in you that still makes me feel guilty.

When you left, I had to examine my own behavior, and that made me decide to make some changes. I have tried to be a better father and learn from my mistakes. I think I have done that. I know I had to treat Hoss and Joe as men, not boys, and as sons, not employees. That mission was accomplished as much as this proud and stubborn man could do it. With Jamie who is a smart, inquisitive, and rebellious young man, I have tried to use patience and understanding whenever possible to have him learn to be a responsible and compassionate man. Most of the time, I have tried to let him grow and develop in his own way and not attempt to steer him into what I think he should be.

In many ways, Jamie is like you were at that age, and I don’t want to make the kinds of mistakes I made with you. He has that same kind of independent spirit that tells me if I push too hard and demand too much, he could leave. I couldn’t bear that a second time. It was terrible to know I had contributed to that once. I hope that you will consider coming home even if for a visit. I long to see you, to talk with you, and to put my arms around you to tell you I am sorry. Your brothers and I wait for the letter that might tell us that news.”

There was the usual salutation at the end, but the tone of the letter and its contents had been different enough from previous letters that Adam was unsure of what to think. His wife was not.

“When do you think we could schedule a visit? I do think it is time for me and AC to meet the family, don’t you?”

“I don’t know. I am tied up in so many business deals right now, it would be impossible to go at this time.”

“Could you see about untying yourself?”

“It would take time.”

“Good, it will take time to make preparations too.”

“I didn’t say we were going.”

“You didn’t say no either.”

Smiling because he had not said no, she wrapped an arm around him as he scowled at her. She knew he was acting and at the same time, avoiding talking about what he was feeling. As was true so often, they were thinking along the same lines, but he would need time to think about all of the implications. She knew he was unsure of how things would go in a reunion. So he would take his time and think it all through, but that was all right as long as all that thinking didn’t turn into a dark mood. He was prone to a bit of melancholy and each of these letters from his father had the potential to trigger that. She thought this one would not. He would have plenty of time to work his way through any issues he anticipated because they needed time to make preparations and pick the right time to travel too. The typhoon season was approaching so any decision would be at least six months away anyhow. She wouldn’t take their son on the ocean with that threat out there. It might be a longer wait too if Adam decided he needed more time. If they didn’t go this year, there was always the next year or the one after.

 

Chapter 3

On the Ponderosa, Hoss and Joe were cleaning up the garden area so that the ladies could use it for a baby shower. The weather was nice, and it was nearing the time for Alice to have her baby. It was good to have something for Joe to do to keep him busy. Hoss had a question though because he had been pondering it since they finished the garden and couldn’t come up with an explanation.

“Joe, we burned all the branches from this tree, but we debarked the trunk because it wasn’t looking too bad. You said you would take it to the lumber mill and get it sawed up so we could make benches for the garden.”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I said.”

“Well, that was a mighty large pine, and all we got is one bench and a chair. What happened to the rest of the board feet? The lumber mill keep the rest?”

“Nope, I got a plan for the rest.”

“A plan? No, Joe, not another one of your plans. Ain’t you learned nothing by now? You almost got Adam married off to Miss Abigail. And then there was Sheba, and the bank, and the rabbits, and Oh, Lordy, I can’t go on.”

“No, nothing like those.”

“Then what you gonna do?”

“Well, you see I got a plan that involves the whole family. It’s good, really good, and I do need your help again.”

“How do you want me to help and what kind of trouble are you going to get me in?”

“No trouble. You have a special skill that I need in this plan.”

So Joe sat on the chair and Hoss sat on the bench, and the two talked about the plan. When Hoss heard the details, he liked it because he couldn’t see any negative outcomes. To be honest, he never saw any negative outcomes in any previous plans, but he had grown more skeptical and still saw no problems with this plan. It might fail, but if it succeeded, it would be one of Joe’s great successes. He didn’t mind being part of it, so they worked out the details. If they were successful, it would be another step in getting Adam to come home if only for a visit.

The wood needed a few months to dry properly before the brothers could begin their project but that time was done by the middle of summer. By then, Joe was a father and was back in his house with Alice and his daughter. Joe was responsible for the first part of the project, but Hoss helped when Joe could get time to come over to the main house so they could work together. As they cut the wood and worked, they talked about their memories of events related to that pine tree.

“I remember climbing that tree when I was almost five. It was the most fun I could remember having when I was that young. It was so difficult to hold back the laughter as I watched the people down below searching for me and calling my name. They looked so small. At first, I thought of it as a great adventure.”

“At first?”

“Then everybody got worried when I laughed, and Adam came up to rescue me. I remembered people weren’t happy with me. It wasn’t a good time. Stories about it led to me breaking my leg too.”

“So the memories are bad?”

“No, they aren’t because when I was in bed with that broken leg, I really got to know my brothers. It was the beginning of really getting to know Adam. We began to be real brothers even with all those years between us. He showed me how much he cared during those weeks, and we got to talk in ways we never had.”

“That’s a good memory to have. Using this pine as a symbol of all of us is good medicine for what ails the family too. I’m hoping it can heal some of the wounds starting with the ones relating to this tree.”

“What wounds?”

“Adam wanted Pa to cut this tree down before he left. It was one of the last arguments they had. But I think one of the most hurtful things is that after he rescued you that first time from this tree, Pa never even thanked him. He took you in the house and ignored Adam. I asked him about it a long time after it happened, and the answer he gave me was sad. He said it was all right because he was used to being left out and watching his brothers get the hugs. He said it would make it easier to leave when it was time to go.”

“He was thinking about that back then?”

“Maybe escaping would be a better word. There were times he was unhappy with how he and Pa got along. It was like with this tree.

Both times you climbed it, Pa blamed Adam. You know how Pa can lose his temper and say things he doesn’t really mean. Later, he said he was sorry, but you know that never takes away all the hurt. You lose a little something between two people when things like that are said.”

“I know the pain from people you love hurting you is the worst, but Pa tried his best to make it up to him.”

“Can you really make up for something that is lost? I think you got to start over and build it up until you have it again.”

While the two brothers worked on their project, a remarkably similar conversation developed in the house. Jamie had wanted to visit with his brothers, but they had sent him away because of what they were doing. So he went to his father to commiserate if he could.

“Hoss and Joe are making some kind of Christmas presents out there in the barn. They don’t want me around so I know one of the presents must be for me. I have no idea what to get them for Christmas.”

“Jamie, it’s July. You have lots of time to come up with ideas.”

“I know, but if they’re working on them now, it must be a really good idea. I’ll never be able to match what they’re doing.”

“Gifts are not about ‘matching’ but about giving from the heart. If you give something that shows you care, that’s what matters.”

“That really helped. You’re a great father.”

“Now that right there was probably the best gift you could ever give me.”

“All your sons must have given you that gift already.”

“No, I’m afraid my eldest son might disagree with your statement.”

“I hear things like that said about Adam, but no one ever explains why.”

“I guess we have some time now and you’re part of the family. As we came west, I was very strict with my sons especially Adam because he was older. I needed him to help. Our survival depended on following orders and getting things done that needed to be done. He didn’t have much of a childhood facing hazards and dangers most children never see. You know something about that too. Well, once we got settled, I didn’t change my pattern of behavior with him. I was demanding and expected a lot from him. Then Hoss and Joe needed him to be like a second parent after Marie died. My family needed me to be in charge, make decisions, and take care of them. As Adam got older and took on more responsibilities, it was difficult for me to change. I knew that Adam would take over for me one day, and yet I resisted that. He allowed it to happen too. He accepted my role as head of the family until he simply couldn’t any longer, and he left.”

“So it’s his responsibility too that he left?”

“He never said it wasn’t. He said he let the situation go on too long.”

“But he won’t come back if he thinks it would be the same?”

“I’m afraid that’s true.”

“Difficult to mend those fences in letters.”

“It is. I have tried. I had hoped the last letter I sent would have done some good, but his response wasn’t much different than earlier ones.”

“Have you ever put in a letter something like the conversation we just had?”

“Not in so many words.”

“Maybe you should if you can. I know it won’t be easy, but it might help. Seems like he’s the one who ought to hear what you told me.”

“I’ll see what I can do. You’re getting to be a wise young man.”

“I’ve got some good teachers here.”

Following Jamie’s advice, it took Ben over a month to compose that second letter. It was shorter by far than that earlier letter that he had sent, but he felt he made his point and didn’t know what else to add. Joe had written a letter about his baby so there was no need to include those details. Hoss was seeing a woman and their relationship was getting serious. Ben guessed he had written to Adam about that too. When he finally finished his letter, he sealed it up, addressed it, and gave it to his sons who were heading to town to mail a package to Adam.

“His Christmas present from the two of you?”

“Yeah, how did you know?”

“Not too hard to guess after you told Jamie you were working on Christmas presents.”

“You ain’t guessed what me and Joe made for everybody, have you?”

“No, you have been very good about guarding that secret.”

With broad grins, Hoss and Joe headed to town. They had a plan for that letter from their father. It fits perfectly with what they had already done. In town, after unwrapping and then rewrapping Adam’s gift, they sent it off hoping it would arrive well before Christmas. It was their hope that Adam would be so moved by the gift and its contents that he would decide to visit at Christmas.

 

Chapter 4

Christmas was the target day because Joe loved the holiday, but more significantly, Hoss had plans. Hoss was thinking of proposing to his lady, and if she accepted, he wanted to have a Christmas wedding. If Adam was there too, it was going to be perfect. As the holiday approached, and there was no word from Adam, Hoss and his fiancé talked.

“Hoss, do you want to postpone the wedding? I know you said you wanted to get married at Christmas, but you wanted all your brothers here too.”

“No, Meg, if he was going to come, he would have let me know. He’s missed a lot of other events in the family. This is just another one. I want to marry you, and nothing is going to change that.”

So, on Christmas Eve day, at church, Hoss Cartwright married Meg with her family and his family in attendance. Friends and neighbors filled every other available spot in the church. There was a brief reception in the social hall, but everyone wanted to get home after that before it was dark and cold. Travel was treacherous sometimes in the winter months so being careful was wise. It was a happy caravan of carriages that headed to the Ponderosa with the sides tightly covered and the occupants wrapped in blankets for the trip. At the ranchhouse, Hop Sing had a small banquet prepared for the newlyweds and the family. Joe, Alice, and their daughter stayed at the main house for Christmas so it was a full house.

On Christmas morning, the mysterious project was revealed as Hoss and Joe presented wooden boxes of various sizes to each of the family members. All the names of family members had been carved into every one of the boxes with various emblems of the Ponderosa. Ben got a box for his tobacco, but the ladies got larger boxes for their sewing materials. Jamie got a large box for his drawing and writing materials. Hoss and Joe got boxes for their hobbies.

“We sent one off to Adam too with a promise that any other member of his family would get one too once we knew what kind of box they would want. We put letters inside his cause he got one for writing. Me and Joe still got some wood left from that old pine tree.”

Ben was surprised and delighted.

“All of these were made from that old pine tree?”

“They were. It was my idea, and when I told Hoss, he agreed to help. We kinda fibbed a little about why there was only a bench and a chair in the garden. We needed to keep enough of the wood to make all these boxes.”

“I’m glad you sent one to Adam. I wish he could have been here to accept it.”

“That’s what we were hoping too. We sent letters and we put that letter you wrote into the package too. But, I guess it still wasn’t enough. Makes us think maybe nothing will ever be enough.”

Hop Sing thought it was time to intervene in the conversation.

“Number one son come home. He too smart to come home in winter. If he come home, you watch in spring. It time of new beginnings. He smart and that when he come.”

“I don’t know if that’s true, Hop Sing. I got my heart set on him coming home so many times, I don’t think I can do it again. I got to look forward now with Meg and maybe starting my own family.”

Realizing what he had said, Hoss turned a little pink in the cheeks. At his age, Meg thought it endearing and hoped that night would be when he might decide they ought to begin working on his plan. She smiled at him to let him know what she was thinking and wrapped her arms around his. It was likely that everyone else in the room got the message she was sending to her husband. Hoss only got more of a pink glow on his cheeks.

In April, the family got a scare when Hoss’ horse foundered in spring runoff as he was returning from town. Meg declared that he was no longer allowed to ride anywhere near a flooded waterway.

“This time only the supplies you bought and the mail drowned, but that’s two close calls for you. I don’t want to lose you.”

Ben offered his agreement with Meg’s proposal. Joe and Jamie agreed that Hoss was simply too big a man to be attempting these crossings of flooded waterways. He finally reluctantly agreed.

“I guess eventually you get old enough to realize you got to pass some things on to the younger men.”

Nodding, Ben noted how much wiser Hoss was about such issues than he had been. The flood waters receded and spring brought better news.

At the end of May, Hoss and Meg announced a quickening. They were going to be parents. Hop Sing brought cookies, coffee, and lemonade to the porch as the family celebrated the news. While they were there, a carriage pulled into the yard. As the driver halted the carriage and hailed the family, there was a brief eerie silence that Jamie broke.

“Who is it?”

“Adam!”

“Adam’s home.”

There was quite a celebration then, but one big question eventually. As soon as Adam stepped from the carriage, Ben hugged his son as he had promised to do. Adam was grabbed by Hoss next and then Joe. He asked for a moment to introduce his wife and son. Other introductions were made as there were several new members of the family. Then the big question was asked by Ben.

“Why didn’t you tell us you were coming?”

“I did. I wrote that I would be here in late May or early June. I wasn’t sure when I would be able to travel.”

“Pa, the mail I lost. It was all in a bundle because of all the bad weather we’d been having. I never checked to see what was in there.”

“Well, it’s wonderful that you’re here now, son. And we get to meet your wife, Regina, and your son, AC, too. Is this a visit or are you here to stay?”

“A visit here, but we’re in the country to stay. We’ll decide on where to live and what to do as we get a feel for how things are going.”

Joe had picked up on something that made his detective senses light up though. He’d noticed too that Adam had a slight limp.

“What did you mean about when you would be able to travel? You didn’t say we. You said it was about you.”

With a deep sigh, Adam looked to his wife who grinned.

“You let the cat out of the bag, yourself, luv. Should I tell them or will you?”

Raising his hands in mock surrender, Adam let her take the lead. She was a slender woman, but there was nothing weak in her manner or her voice.

“We had a stand of pines as a windbreak. None of the branches on these pines was strong. Our Australian pines are not so broad and strong as your American ones here. Adam decided to put a crossbar from one pine to another so AC could have a swing. Of course, he thought he could do it by himself, and you might guess what happened. He fell from a pine and broke his leg. It was lucky that we had been having some rain, and the ground was soft. The break wasn’t bad, but it delayed us leaving by over a month. So we were sure our letter would be here well in advance of our arrival.”

“The rain and that soft ground is why I fell. The ladder shifted and there was nothing to grab on that damn pine so I fell.”

Hoss and Joe couldn’t help it and started laughing uproariously. Joe choked out what both were thinking.

“You fell from a pine tree and broke your leg!”

Regina was puzzled.

“Why is that funny?”

Because Adam’s brothers were laughing too much to answer, Ben did.

“It is a very long story, my dear. Actually, it is more than one story. Please, will you have some refreshments and a seat, and I’m sure his brothers will be happy to tell the stories as soon as they recover.”

Offering one arm to Regina, Ben put his other arm on Adam’s shoulder and guided him to sit beside him. He didn’t want him to get too far away again. The whole family pulled chairs in a solid circle. Regina sat with AC on her lap and with a smile that wouldn’t stop. Of all the possible scenarios she had anticipated for a reunion, this had to be the best. The love the family was showing for her husband was without reservation. He looked as happy as she had ever seen him.

The stories of the pine tree and many others were told. There were too many stories for that day so they continued over the next few days as the family was reunited in fact and spirit, and the new members were made to feel like true Cartwrights.

After about a month, Adam and Regina announced their plans. They intended to have a home near San Francisco and a home in Virginia City. Ben had to ask what was in his heart.

“Which home will be your primary residence?”

With a grin, Adam spread his arms all around him to encompass the Ponderosa. Ben could not have been happier and Joe could not have been prouder.

“You know this is all because of me. It was all my plan that brought this about.”

The other three brothers looked at each other and nodded as if they had anticipated this moment. They had. Jamie spoke for them.

“We guessed you would take credit, and we don’t deny you deserve it this time. We have all agreed to have this toast in your honor.”

Raising his glass, Jamie waited for the others to do the same.

“We all agree. Hoss wrote this and Adam agreed it was appropriate.”

Joe waited in anticipation, but Ben grew a bit worried. He knew his sons well. He was correct.

“Congratulations, Joe, you did it. Eventually even a blind dog will find a bone.”

“Somebody is going to end up in the water trough for that one.”

“Hey, I wasn’t alone in this.”

“You’re the one who said it.”

And the chase was on with one brother chasing another brother who was being helped by the two other brothers. Hoss tripped over Jamie’s pine box filled with books and other papers. Yes, by the end of the day, he lay in bed with his leg splinted. One more story of a brother with a broken leg from a pine was added to the collection. Now there was one for each of them. The wives declared it had to be the end of it, and Ben concurred. Then they all laughed. Those Cartwright brothers!

 

Note: I often write stories without beta help, but with this story, I needed two. A big thank you to Hart4Ben for helping me with the Ben voice and another thank you to AC1830 for the beta read of the story for flow and general guidance.