Summary: The first short stories written on Bonanza Trail Riders – April 2018. The participating writers are identified at the beginning of their contribution.
Rating: G, Word Count: 4142
This is the first story challenge on Bonanza Trail Riders – April 2018
~o~
Ben’s quote from the episode Springtime:
“In the Springtime a young man’s fancy likely turns to thoughts of…well, many things.
Anything that will make him forget the long, hard winter and think of all the fun and good times that lie ahead.”
The Challenge
The snows are finally gone and the flowers are blooming.
It’s time for ranch work, Spring cleaning, visiting with neighbors, romance, picnics, Spring floods.
Let your imagination run as free as a Spring breeze, wherever your flight of fancy takes you.
This is a short, short story challenge – no more than 400 words. It can be a complete story or a vignette.
~ B ~ O ~ N ~ A ~ N ~ Z ~ A ~
BettyHT
Spring was in full bloom with the promise of summer wafting in on every warm breeze. Staring at puffy white clouds with Hoss and Little Joe, Ben felt some of the heaviness in his heart lift finally. Almost a year since they had lost Marie, in a short time, Adam would be leaving to go to college in the east. However that thought brought some of the heavy feeling back because for the past few weeks, Adam had been inexplicably irresponsible. Late for meals, missing deadlines, and forgetting chores he had promised to do, he had not been able to give any kind of satisfactory answer any time Ben had questioned him about any one of the incidents. Instead, Adam had been evasive and almost defensive making Ben suspicious but he didn’t know of what. He had tried to give him one more chance that morning to explain himself, but he had stood silent as usual and refused to answer. So Ben had been forced to issue his ultimatum, which he already regretted to some extent.
“If you cannot explain yourself, then you will stay here and catch up on the work you have missed while I take the boys on a picnic to the lake as promised.”
At that point, he had seen something in Adam that looked like he wanted to explain or at least ask to come with them, but then the mask slid over those patrician features of his and there was no communication. He had only said he hoped they had a good time although the words were said without emotion in that flat tone he used when he didn’t want to give anything away at all. His oldest son was a puzzle to him most of the time, and he knew that if he had included him in the outing, he would have had the best chance of drawing out what was troubling him or going on in that labyrinth of his mind.
“Well, that’s enough of staring at the clouds trying to guess what they are. We should get going to the lake for our picnic.”
Hoss looked nervous but made a request. “Pa, can we stop by Marie’s place first?”
They did, and found all the brush cleared away and the spot landscaped with bright spring flower plantings, rosebushes budding out, and a stacked stone bench.
“Pa, who done this?”
Peej (ACSPeej)
The Cartwright brothers, despite the occasional heavy Spring rains, had tended to their outside chores religiously. Pa, who had been gone on business for a week, had charged them with being totally responsible. Hop Sing, who had also been gone for a week to visit cousins, had admonished the three brothers to not make a shambles of the house.
“Keep house clean. Mop floors. Wash clothes,” the housekeeper had said as he made his departure.
At the present moment, Adam, the practical one, sighed. “We’ve got our outside work done but…inside…” His voice trailed off as he surveyed the mess around him.
With a sigh, Joe squeaked. “How could this possibly have happened?”
Looking at the muddy boot prints all over the floor, Hoss sounded morose. “Pa and Hop Sing’ll be back tomorrow.”
And thus it was that three grown men made the decision to do the annual Spring cleaning. Themselves. All three brothers scattered in different directions, opting for different chores. Heading upstairs, Joe grinned to himself. Pa’s room hadn’t been used; Adam tended to be much neater than his siblings. “Piece of cake,” Joe thought to himself.
Hoss elected to mop the floor downstairs. How hard could that be?
Big brother Adam was left to tackle the kitchen – he knew that only he could be trusted to get the plates and cookware absolutely clean.
Many hours later, the house was back in order. Unfortunately, in their efforts, each man sustained injuries. Joe learned that picking up dirty clothes from everywhere and then having to wash them all at once left his hands and knuckles scraped and bloody. Not faring well himself, Hoss slid on the wet floor and then tripped over the mop bucket, taking a hard fall on his backside. As for Adam, a slippery cast iron frying pan landing on one boot came close to crippling him. But the house was finally clean.
The next day, Ben complimented his sons on keeping the house so neat and for tending so well to ranch business. But Hop Sing, whose eyes missed nothing, intuited the truth: Joe’s hands were red and wrinkled. Hoss sat down way too gingerly. Adam limped badly. Too many injuries all at the same time were a dead give-away. Hop Sing smiled and, with a mental picture in his head, he decided to take a vacation every year during Spring cleaning.
AC1830
Springtime Treasure
“Spring here. Open windows, new air chase bad air out. Everybody clean rooms. Hop Sing make sure later no dust.” The Chinese cook waved his rag at the stunned Cartwrights. When no one moved, he frowned and swept his broom at their feet. Ben, Hoss, and Joe fled upstairs followed more slowly by Adam.
“You know my room is spotless.” Adam sidestepped to avoid having his backside swatted by Hop Sing’s rag. Heading upstairs, Adam shared a smile with his friend.
While a cool breeze wafted through his bedroom window and late morning rays brighten the space, Adam strummed his guitar. A quiet knock interrupted the peaceful moment.
“Come in.”
Peering around the door Ben slid into the room. “I take it you’ve finished cleaning?”
Adam nodded, continuing to play his guitar. When Ben remained silent, Adam noticed he held a few books. “What are those?”
As Adam leaned his guitar against the nightstand, Ben pulled a chair around and sat down. “I was cleaning out my old sea trunk; hadn’t opened it in years. I found these under my uniform.” He held them out for Adam to take.
“There are more but I thought you’d like to begin with these.”
Dark eyebrows rising in curiosity, Adam took the books. The patterns on the covers were faded and the leather binding was split. Gently laying the two bottom books aside Adam reverently opened the top one and began reading.
“I have met the most wonderful man. He’s tall, has the warmest brown eyes and the deepest voice. Thoughts of him fill my waking hours and my dreams. Alas, he is a sailor on my father’s ship so my dreams are all I have at the moment. I don’t know if Father would approve of my heart’s desire but I know Ben will keep his promise and convince him that we would make the most wonderful couple. The ship is due to arrive tomorrow after being gone for months. I am so impatient to see him again, to be held in his strong arms and become lost in his soulful eyes. Oh Benjamin, my love, may the waves speed you back to me post haste…..”
As late afternoon sunlight crept across the floor, Adam reclined on his bed. Ben had silently left hours before, but Adam was unaware. He was miles and years away, lost in his mother’s stories.
Hart4Ben
Conflicted Hope
A prequel vignette for Bitter Water
Ben was casually sipping his punch when Andy McCarren entered the social with his son Todd. The neighbors exchanged pleasantries before Todd excused himself to find a dance partner. The widowers stood watching couples gliding across the floor. It had been a longer winter than some. By the number of people attending, the long anticipated spring social, a celebration of the release of winter’s grip, was a success. Many in the room had their eyes on a tall dark-haired Cartwright that they had seen little since his return from Boston last fall.
Ben smiled as he watched Adam whirl Virginia Keith around the room with dexterity and grace. It made Ben wonder how many ladies his son had been involved with during the four years he was away. Totally absorbed in the moment, Ben took no notice that Andy was observing his fatherly pleasure.
“He cuts a fine figure on the dance floor that Adam of yours. I’m sure your pleased as all get out to have him back home.”
Startled out of his reverie, Ben stammered, “Oh — yes, Andy. Thank you. Yes, it’s so good to have Adam home.”
“Virginia Keith is a lovely young woman –make some fortunate man a wonderful wife.” McCarren offered his friend a wry smile.
“Yes, she would, but let’s not go putting the cart before the horse. My boy’s got a mind of his own. And even if that were the case, I’d probably be the last one to know if Adam has his way!”
Andy gave Ben a sideways glance. “Spring is a time for new beginnings. Romances can blossom just like the flowers.”
Ben chuckled. “Andy, I believe you are a romantic at heart. Sounds like you need to find yourself a partner and get out on the floor yourself.”
McCarren slapped his thigh. “Well, these old legs don’t work so well anymore. I’ll leave the dancing to Todd. Have a good evening, Ben.”
Andy walked away to converse with other friends. Ben’s eyes settled once again on Adam and Virginia before moving to her father, Len, who was deep in discussion with the movers and shakers of the town. For the moment, Ben chose to tamp down any reservations he had about being connected to the Keith family. It was a time for breathing in fresh spring air and reveling in the hope of the season.
Muffingstuffin
It was Springtime again on the ranch, a time of rebirth, and Little Joe was curious!
“Where do sisters come from Adam?” asked seven year old Little Joe.
“What?” said Adam,looking up from his book.
“Where’d sisters come from?”
“What kinda idiotic question is that? asked Adam
“I dunno,… but I wanna know…. cos I want one”
“You want one what?” mused Adam
“A sister….Willie Blewitts got one, and I want one too”
Adam put his hand on his mouth to suppress an uncontrollable smile, looked down to his brother who barely came up to his waist, and said;
“Listen Butt Brain. There are some things that you don’t wanna know ‘til you’re older. Now go and do somethin’ useful instead of hanging around here askin’ darn fool questions.”
“…but you said when I’d done my chores that you’d play with me, you said I could look at your guitar…”
“ Yeah, well I’ve changed my mind. Go play outside……….git” said Adam ,kicking the boy’s butt playfully ,steering him toward the door.
“I’ll go ask Hop Sing where I can get a sister, he’ll know “
“No, don’t do that” said Adam masterfully.”” You wouldn’t understand anyways”.
“Can you get me a sister, or not is all I wanna know.I told Willie I’d get one and show it to him after school tomorrow..I just gotta get one by then..Pleeeeeease Adam. Just tell me where to go and I can get one myself.”
Adam was desperate to finish his book and thought the only way he was going to get any peace was to have a serious talk to his youngest brother. He was a pain at the best of times but this was really getting on his nerves.
“Come here Buddie” he said beckoning the child toward him with a crooked finger..”Sit down, and listen, and don’t interrupt me until I’ve finished, and WHEN I’ve finished, there’ll be no more questions….deal?”
“Deal” said the boy, and they shook hands.
About ten minutes later Little Joe stood up, turned around very slowly and made his way outside, without saying a word. His face was ashen ,his eyes were staring and fixed, and his mouth was open wide, his jaw almost down to his chest.The look of horror on his face said it all…………….He knew now, where sisters and indeed brothers, came from….
AH83
I have to first do a huge shoutout to AC for helping me with this story!
Springtime Love
It was springtime on the Ponderosa and Hoss was in love but he had a problem. He’d met a girl at a Christmas dance and had fallen in love with her. Her name was Lydia. She was a sweet girl. She had curly red hair and green eyes. Hoss had asked her to dance and she accepted. They had talked and found out that they enjoyed many of the same things, especially animals. They began courting a week later. And that’s when the snows started and didn’t stop till April. They’d only seen each other a few times since Christmas due to the bad winter.
Now it was Spring. The snow was finally gone and Hoss and Lydia could see each other again. They had gone riding through some of the trees on the Ponderosa and looked at the blooming flowers and the blooms on the trees. They found a grove of trees and got off their horses tying them to a tree limb. The couple walked slowly hand in hand and enjoyed the singing of the birds. There was a large rock where Hoss led Lydia and she sat down.
He took his hat off and played with it. She gently took his hat from his hands and set it by her.
“It’s been good to see you and be with you again. I want to say somethin’ but not sure if it’s too soon.”
Lydia’s heart soared when he asked her to go riding. She had thought of nothing but Hoss during those long winter months since she met him. Lydia had fallen in love with him that night. She loved Hoss and wanted to marry him, but she wasn’t sure how he felt.
“Take your time. Just say what’s in your heart Hoss.” She encouraged him with a smile.
“Lydia, I…I was wondering if you’d marry me?” he mumbled.
“What was that Hoss? I didn’t hear you.” Lydia reached for his hand to stop it shaking.
Hoss looked at her and melted with her smile.
“Lydia, will you marry me?” he spoke with more confidence.
“Of course I will, Hoss!” Lydia said jumping up and hugging the big man.
The wedding was set for a few weeks later. The ceremony was held outside among the flowers and blossoming trees. Hoss and Lydia couldn’t have been any happier as they started their lives together as husband and wife.
Tampa
Ducks
Crouching at the pond’s edge, they watched as the new family tested the water.
“Watch the papa duck swim around.”
“Wow. How does he go so fast, Adam?,” Joe asked. “Why don’t he make big splashes when he swims, like I do?”
“When the duck goes in the water, his feet go straight down.” Adam demonstrated by holding his hands downward into the water. “Because his feet are webbed, he pushes the water behind him like this,” he explained, paddling his hands. “A duck’s feet are always under water so they don’t splash. When it gets hot this summer, we’ll go into the pond and watch beneath the water. “
Joe looked duckward again. “What happens to the babies when they grow up?”
“They’ll join other ducks and fly some place warm for the winter.”
“Will they ever come back ?”
“In the spring,” Adam predicted.
Late afternoon was closing in, the sun beginning to drop, and so too the temperature. The two boys snuggled back against a pair of large sun-baked rocks and listened to the birds. Adam’s arms encircled Joe as they quietly watched bugs dip into the water and baby ducks climb the bank behind their mother. He pointed toward a lone possum that waddled down to the opposite shore for a drink.
“Adam, are you the smartest person in the world?,” Joe suddenly piped up.
Adam laughed. “Not even close. That’s why I want to go away to school, to learn new things.”
“Are you going away for the winter like the ducks?”
Adam nodded.
“Will you come back in the spring?”
“I’ll try.”
Joe whirled around, clutching Adam’s shirt. “No. Don’t leave. What if Papa goes away? Me and Hoss’ll be alone.”
Fear reflected from a little face that should have been too young to truly understand it. Adam hugged Joe tightly, then ruffled his hair.
“If anything ever happens to Pa, I will be here. I promise. But, you don’t need to worry. Nothing’s going to happen.”
“You promise you’ll come back?”
“Yes. I’ll come back home.”
“You’ll go away like the ducks but come back like them too.”
“Yes,” Adam repeated.
“You’ll come back,” Joe murmured.
“Mmm-hmm.”
“You’ll come home?”
“Always.”
Listening to his brother’s soft, reassuring voice, Joe settled back into Adam’s arms and the anxiety that had gripped his small heart for so many months began to relinquish its hold at last.
Lizabeth
Seven-year-old Hoss came barreling in the door after school, causing Ben to reprimand him for the noise. The boys were very late on their first day back after the long winter. Adam had been difficult since Ben had unexpectedly come home married to Marie. Although he had warmed towards his stepmother since Joseph was born last fall, sometimes Adam was so close-mouthed about his thoughts that it was infuriating.
Ben hoped he hadn’t done something to irritate the teacher the first day back at school. Actually, that didn’t make any sense because his oldest son had been looking forward to returning to school for weeks. Before the worried father let his imagination run wild, wondering about what mischief his boys had gotten into, he barked, “Where’s Adam?”
“He’s puttin’ up the horses. Told me to come inside.”
“Why are you two late?”
“Some of the bigger boys said something mean, and Adam fought them.”
“Is he alright?”
“Yeah. He had to see the doc. He has a shiner. Real doozy, too. The doc said it was a badge of honor.” He nodded before continuing, “And he’s proud of Adam.” Hoss stood straighter while he relayed this information, obviously pleased with his older brother.
The doctor proud of Adam fighting? Ben suddenly felt like the world had gone mad. Sometimes getting information out of both of his older sons was like pulling teeth. Ben was starting to get frustrated at the way Hoss was telling the story. “What was the fight about?”
Marie looked up from holding Joseph and gently made a suggestion. “Ben, perhaps it would be best if Adam explained what happened.”
“I want to hear what both boys say. Hoss, what was the fight about?”
“Well, it don’t make no sense to me. Adam was so happy we were able to go to school after the long winter. Then at recess he got mad when the boys said Mama used to work in a factory.”
Puzzled, Marie and Ben looked at each other, and then at Hoss. Marie spoke softly. “A factory? I never worked in a factory.”
His brows furrowed, Ben used that tone of voice that would make a whisper carry across the room and his sons knew meant business. “Hoss, what exactly did the boys say?”
“They said she worked in a ‘hore house.’ Ain’t that where they make horehound medicine and candy?”
MissKitty4Adam
His heart sorrowed, Ben walked down the hallway and knocked on Adam’s door. Not receiving an answer, he cautiously turned the knob and stepped inside. What he found broke his heart anew.
As morning light streamed through the room’s lone window, Adam lay in bed, arms flung above his head. The sweat glistening on his body and the white sheets tangled about his legs told the father everything there was to know.
“I heard there’s a birthday today,” Ben smiled, “Hop Sing made a special breakfast.”
“I’m not hungry, Pa.”
“He made pancakes with strawberry sauce, one of your favorites,” the father tried again.
Adam drew a forearm over his eyes and sighed forcefully. “Please…leave me alone, Pa. I have a headache.”
Every year on this late spring day, the grief that touched Ben’s heart, also shadowed his eldest son. On April 25th, 1830, their dear Elizabeth had passed away. Adam always avoided his family on this date but this year, a cold had kept him from ducking out for a hunt or cattle drive or any other excuse to be alone.
All at once, Ben had a revelation and stepped out of the room. Several hours later, he returned. Squaring his shoulders, he knocked and entered before he heard a rebuttal. Adam had barely moved, except now he was leaning against the headboard, the sheets pulled up to his chest, and was listlessly looking out of the window.
“Adam, get up, get dressed! We’re going for a ride!”
“But, I have a…”
“Dang, your headache, boy, I have something to show you!” Ben commanded, grinning at Adam’s stunned expression. “Come on, up and at ’em!”
A time later, the two men halted their horses by Lake Tahoe. Rose vines, their bows heavy, were clustered about a small, wooded clearing. A sparkling stream trickled from the woods, past a white cross set in the grass, along with a six-foot stretch of fresh dirt. The crossbar held the words, ‘Elizabeth Cartwright, beloved wife and mother.’
“Pa, what is this?” Adam asked, his voice choked.
“Son, Joe has a grave to visit and Hoss has both that and the journal but you…” Ben’s throat tightened and he reached out to squeeze Adam’s shoulder. “I realized that you didn’t have a place to go…”
Native_gal
(Thank you, AC for helping me make this story fit this challenge.)
There was a sense of peace drifting over him, and he felt the warmth of the Springtime sun. The pain he’d felt earlier was fading. He stirred, opening his eyes, and found himself resting on his side on a blanket. He was next to a river surrounded by Spring flowers, a river like the one he’d picnicked with another love of his life nearly thirty years ago now. ‘Was Adam really going on thirty?’ he thought.
“Hello, my dear Ben.” Elizabeth smiled at him, gazing into his eyes. It was in that sweet soft almost childlike tone of hers. “I just love those beautiful dark eyes of yours, Ben.”
He was afraid to say anything for fear that she’d disappear. He just lay there not taking his tired weary eyes away from her as he pressed his cheek against her hand.
‘Hmm, there’s no pain. I must be dead’ he thought, but he didn’t care.
“Honey, I’m happy here with you. I’ve lived a long life. Adam has two brothers now, and with their help I’ve practically built an empire out of that wilderness. They’ll be fine from here on without me.”
She looked at him sternly. “Ben it is not your time yet. I can’t tell you what your future has in store, but you’ll be needed. I’m also depending on you to take care of our sons for awhile longer. We can sit here awhile. Then you must cross back over sweetheart.”
Once more, he began feeling the pain and tiredness but forced it away. “There’s no pain here and those sons are all grown. They don’t need me to take care of them any longer.”
She touched his back where the bullet must be, ever so gently. “I know, my dear, Ben, but you still must go back. It’s not your time yet”. She pointed worriedly with her eyes across the river and said lovingly. “You need to go back now before it’s too late. We’ll be waiting right here for you when it’s your time.”
He stood up to protest, missing the ‘we’ part of her comment. He stumbled, slipping into the river but caught himself just long enough to look up seeing all three of his wives sitting around on rocks on the shore. He relished those faces he’d loved so much, before crossing the river back to where he belonged.
