We came home tired from our tour of the Ponderosa, had dinner and went to bed without a single worry in the world. It felt nice getting to see what Joe’s life was all about, where as I realized just how different mine was from his. I’ve been taking care of myself since I was about four; learning my way around different towns quickly, stealing things whenever I wanted something, finding food wherever I could. And now because of my past there seems to be this one lingering question on my mind; “Was I good enough to be a part of the Cartwright family if I really tried?

So many things ran across my mind before I finally concluded that time would only tell and I fell into a blissful sleep. “Morning Wesley!” Joe woke me up excitedly handing me an old wooden rod. “What’s this for?” I began to rub the sleep out of my eyes.

“My pa always takes me fishing on the first Saturday of spring vacation. Get dressed and I’ll meet ya down stairs at the table.” He had a big happy grin stretched from ear to ear. It seemed like he was up to something cause I really didn’t know what was so exiting about fishing to begin with.

“Dagnabbit little Joe, if you woke Wesley up with that big fox grin of yours he’s bound ta’ know something’s up.” Hoss whispered to Joe as he sat down at the table.

“Don’t worry Hoss; I played it off pretty good. I’m just so excited about pa adopting Wesley, we like all the same things and it’s gonna be real nice having a brother my age to do stuff with.” There went that big flashy smile of his again.

“You mean having a partner in crime don’t you?” Adam raised an eye brow as he teased his wonderfully mischievous little brother.

He was fine with having Wesley around for a brother, it seemed as though his family was always helping someone in need; but one Joseph Cartwright was enough to turn the house upside down, and having two just made him a little uneasy, yet he welcomed the challenge.

“Adam I don’t know what you’re talking about, I’ umm…“ He tried to defend himself but his family knew him all too well and gave way to snickering.

Wesley had just come down stairs to find everyone trying their best to hide their laughs, in which they were failing to do.

“What’s so funny?” He asked as he sat down at the table and began to put food on his plate. Everyone seemed to be acting strange today he thought.

“Oh nothing important, Wesley. Are you exited about fishing today?” Adam asked Wesley as he tried to change the subject. Wesley couldn’t help but notice that Mr. Cartwright wasn’t at the table.

“Well I guess so, but I’ve never really been all that much.” His answer wasn’t very enthusiastic, yet it was still honest.

“Hmm, I think we’re gonna to have to change that. You and Joe are gonna get to go pretty often this spring, I hear there’s lots of fish down by this certain creek; and I think you’ll like it a lot.” Hoss was able to spark a little interest in Wesley by the mentioning of him and Joe being together all this spring. Adam tried to kick Hoss’ leg under the table to get his attention and then give him a look as if to say “weren’t you the one who just told Joe not to say too much about the surprise?”

The wheels in Wesley’s mind began to turn. He was going to spend all spring with Joe and his family? What about his uncle, were they still going to try and find him? “I’m just gonna have to wait and play my cards right.” He thought to himself.

Hoss and Adam went to take care of their barn chores accompanied by Joe and Wesley who were supposed to help but ended up playing in the loft till about noon. Adam and Hoss could hear them talking and just smiled at each other. How long ago was it when they used to hide up there and tell secrets or make plans for the future when they were old enough to go places? It seemed like just the other day they were up there and Adam was telling Hoss all about his many adventures at collage in Boston.

*

It was time for lunch when Ben rode into the front yard wearing a huge smile.

Adam was the first to see this smile and he knew exactly what it meant. He gave Ben a small wink as he offered to put his horse away.

Everyone finished lunch together and set off to enjoy their Saturday. Hoss and Adam went to finish up mending the last few yards of fences along the north pasture in preparation for the upcoming winter. After doing so they intended on a much needed and deserved trip into town, while everyone else went fishing by the special creek Ben had picked out earlier where it would be the perfect place to tell Wesley about the adoption.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~~**~*~*~*~*~~*~*~~*~

Considering how I’ve never really been on a fishing trip before, I had a really great time! Mr. Cartwright show’d me how to cast my line, and then he told us stories of his youth when he would sail on ships and how big the waves would get. Me and Joe caught some real big fish for Hop sing to cook for dinner and after that we went swimming while Mr. Cartwright let his eyes rest, but I think he was really taking a nap. The whole trip was much more fun than I thought it would be; I hope we could be together like this all the time.

It was getting close to about three in the afternoon and I thought the day just couldn’t get any better. I was lost in my thoughts thinking about all the adventures me and Joe could go on this spring, when suddenly Mr. Cartwright had said he wanted to talk with me. I could see a quick smile come over Joe’s face and I knew this must be whatever they were up to earlier. “Sure Mr. Cartwright, what is it?” Was my response.

“Well, I have a few things I want to tell you about from when I spoke to the sheriff.” I became a little nervous by his carefully chosen words but nodded my head encouraging him to go on.

“Sometimes when people go away without telling you, it usually means they want to live a different life style… a type of single life style. And from what I’ve learned about your uncle from the sheriff, I can see that perhaps your uncle wasn’t ready to live his life with the responsibility of a child. And he has definitely made this evident by his leaving. Now, of course he still loves you, but it seems that he just wasn’t ready to take care of you; so maybe he panicked and left. Do you understand what I mean, Wesley?” He spoke very calmly while trying to explain the situation as gently as possible.

He would have saved a lot of breath if he had just said my uncle didn’t want to be bothered with me so that’s why he left; but Mr. Cartwright was very subtle in some ways about telling people bad news.
“I think I understand what you’re saying, but what does this mean for me?”

“Judge Thatcher, the sheriff, and I have given this a lot of thought, and what it means for you is that you will need a temporary… or perhaps permanent home…”

“What kind of temporary… or permanent home did you have in mind?” My mind was racing and all I could think about was; “please don’t say I’m going to some kind of adoption home for boys!”

“We were all thinking that it would be best if you lived with us for a while whereas arrangements would be made for you to live with us…. permanently.” I wasn’t able to see the look on my face, but I guarantee that it was a look of pure happiness.

“Permanently? Has in… forever? Like I could live there from now on?” I just had to make sure what I was hearing was true.

“Yes, that is the whole idea of… adopting you.” He smiled. “So, What do you think about it Wesley, would you like that?”

“What do I think about it?” I was still in shock that a wonderful family like the Cartwright’s actually wanted to adopt a lower-class kid like me.

“I… yeah, definitely, yes…yes sir, I would like that very much!” I couldn’t say yes fast enough and I felt like screaming it to the world that I Andrew Wesley was being offered a place in the Cartwright family; where I could grow up on the Ponderosa and actually call it home, where I could be loved and cared for by not just one but two big brothers, an amazing father, and have a brother my same age to spend all my time with. Yes, I wanted to shout it all out to the world! But I’d settle for a bunch of big hugs and a welcoming fish dinner made by Hop sing the best cook ever at my new home.

*

I guess it doesn’t matter where you come from; it’s what you make of it that determines your future.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*

Today is Sunday; a week after Mr. Cartwright said he wanted to adopt me. None of my relatives have responded so I guess we can safely say that I have no other relatives, until tomorrow at nine A.M when we meet with the Judge and he confirms the adoption; then I will have a whole new family with the Cartwright’s.

The qualities that I’ve seen demonstrated by all the Cartwright’s let me know that I couldn’t be in better hands and I’m so happy to be only a day away from being an official member of their family.

Well here I am now in the middle of church with my soon to be family; if only I could just keep awake and pay attention. I’ve been struggling for the last half hour and I’ve already been tapped on my knee twice for nodding off. As I look over at Joe, he sits very still with his hands folded neatly but wait, yep, he’s out like a light. Here comes Adam about to tap him on the shoulder, but never mind them, I have to focus on me, “try and stay awake Wesley, you can do this … oh no…. I hear the preacher’s voice trailing off, my eyes are getting heavier…. darkness, bliss, warmth, and goodnight.”

“Praise thy Goddddd!”

“Huh?” I hear loud singing and I jump to my feet as though I’d been standing and singing the whole time. I’m certain that Joe just did the same thing as me.

The final verse was sung and I turned around to look at Mr. Cartwright, who was wearing a big grin that told me he saw the whole fight I had against sleep and boredom.

“That was a great sermon he did, wasn’t it…?” I had a big cheeky grin that imitated Joes down to a T.

“What am I gonna do with you two imps?” He smiled and shook his head in our direction which meant that all is forgiven of course.

“What’d I do?” Joe looked innocent as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

The rest of the day went by slower than a snail covered in tree sap, or maybe it was just me? I was pretty anxious to get through the day and have tomorrow come so I could be an official Cartwright. So I rushed through the rest of the day as it would be the last time I was ever alone in the world. Can you blame me for being so impatient?

I had fun at the picnic with Joe. We found a good spot to eat our lunch and just talk under this shade tree. We had already come to the conclusion that we were both each other’s best friend and started to plan all the things we could do when we got older. One of those ideas included going to New Orleans to see where my parents and his mother were from, I guess it was because inside we each had a little part of us missing and it seemed as if going there would fill it. We would plan from that day forward our trip and all the things we would do, how great it would be, just the two of us.

“Today’s the day! Wake up Joe, come on and get dressed!” Now in case you didn’t notice, today was the day I get adopted and I was extremely excited, and so was Joe after I finally woke him up.

“Oh yeah, today’s the day!” Joe sprung to his feet and got ready; together we rushed downstairs where all the other Cartwright’s were sitting at the table.

I love it every time I see my new family sitting at the table, and then coming down the stairs with my best friend / brother.

“Would you two mind not running in the house this morning? We still have rules to maintain you know.” Mr. Cartwright was being only mock stern and smiling as we took are reserved seats at the table. Though I did take him seriously when he said there are rules to maintain, and I’m not entirely sure how well I’ll measure up to them, but we’ll see.

And so, the day started with my name being Andrew Wesley; and now, it has ended with my new full name being Andrew Wesley Cartwright. A day I will always remember.

*

But there was one thing I was a little un-sure of. How was I supposed to go about calling Mr. Cartwright pa? Was it ok to just cross over that line and eventually it would become a normal thing? In some way wouldn’t I be betraying my biological father? I was in deep thought on the ride home when Mr. Cartwright stopped his horse and looked at me.

“Adam, take Joe and Hoss home; I’m going to talk with Wesley a bit.”

“Alright, see you later pa.” He motioned for sport to go back to a steady gallop and Joe and Hoss followed along without him saying a word but only exchanging looks.

“Wesley I want to talk with you about something important. Do you remember the creek we went to last Saturday?”

“Yes, I remember where it is.”

“That would be a better place to talk, don’t you think?”

I nodded my head and followed him all the way to the little creek. I’m glad we went there to talk; it’s one of my favorite places on the Ponderosa. Good things happen there.

We got to the creek and Mr. Cartwright took down his saddle blanket and laid it down under this nice big tree. We sat down and started talking.

“You know Wesley; I think you’ve had a hard life so far. Taking care of yourself all the time when you were living with your parents, and then there’s all that happened with your uncle as well. I’m truly sorry for the things you’ve had to endure.”

“That’s okay Mr. Cartwright, things have gotten a lot better since I met all of you. I’m glad you adopted me too, I like living here.” I looked around at the scenery.

“I’m glad too Wesley, I really am. But there’s something you need to know and something I feel we should get understood.”

“Okay.”

“I want you to understand that you no longer have to take care of yourself, and that you are my responsibility now. I’m here for you when you need me and I always will be. You might think at times I can be strict or un-fair, but I truly want what’s best for you just as I would my other sons and I think of you as my son.” His words were spoken quiet and soft, yet they held a broad meaning.

I nodded my head and said; “I want you to know something too.” I looked up at him not sure of how to say what I wanted to let him know.

“Go on, tell me.” He gave me his full attention.

“I… I’ve never… been this happy in a long time, Mr. Cartwright. I…. well…” I was struggling with my question because I just couldn’t form the right words.

“Good, I like it when my sons are happy. And I also like it when they address me as their father… it makes me feel proud.” He had a cheerful and expectant tone.

I’m so glad he said that, it was as if he answered the question that was on my mind without me having to ask it. I just looked up at him and we both laughed. From that day forward I would always call him pa. I didn’t feel as though I was betraying my biological father because it makes sense that the man who takes care of you and gives you everything you’ll need in life such as love, a roof over your head, food, security, discipline and guidance, is your actual father. There was no doubt in my mind he was my “real” father, and the kind I always wanted too.

Now I know I’ve ended the whole adoption thing early, but that’s not even one percent of all the adventures me and Joe got into! Eventually I’ll get to the part of where we are now, twelve years later; and oh yeah, Joes gonna have a few stories to tell you as well. There’s still a lot to cover so listen close as I continue telling the many adventure of us… Joe & Wesley Cartwright.