Summary:  Ben remembers the births of each of his sons.
Rating:  G    5,830 words

It’s A Boy

‘It’s a boy!’

The words sent a thrill through Ben’s body and he stood up to grin at his father-in-law. ‘Did you hear that Captain? A boy!  I have a son!’ He smiled back up at his mother-in-law and called to her. ‘Can I come up now?’

She shook her head. ‘No, not yet. In a few moments.’

Ben felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see the Captain standing next to him smiling up at the stairs as well. ‘My first grandson,’ he heard him mutter. The older man patted Ben on the shoulder and nodded. ‘Come on my boy, let’s wet the baby’s head.’  He walked over to the whiskey decanter on the table and poured two large glasses.  Handing one to Ben he lifted the other in the air.  ‘Here’s to my first grandson and your first son. May there be many more!’  Both the men laughed before they swallowed, then Ben sat down.

‘My knees have gone on me,’ he said wonderingly. ‘I feel unsteady.’

‘Of course you do my boy,’ said Captain Stoddard. ‘It’s not every day a man becomes a father for the first time and you’ve certainly had a long day of it.’

Ben nodded. It certainly had been a long day, that was for sure. It had been close to dawn this morning when Elizabeth had woken him and told him that things were beginning to happen, and it was now close to midnight. It seemed like days that he had been pacing the floor down here waiting for it to be finished.  There were times when he didn’t think that he could stand it any longer and now that it was all over he felt the adrenaline that had been holding him together all day slowly begin to leave him.

The Captain had been wonderful, telling him stories and even insisting that they go out for a short walk every now and then to keep his mind off it, but nothing could have taken his thoughts away from that small room upstairs where his darling Elizabeth was fighting hard to bring their son into the world. It was all that the Captain could do to stop him running upstairs several times during the day.

‘No son, it’s best to leave all that to the women and the doctors,’ he said gently.  ‘You’ve got no place being up there.’

‘But it’s my baby too!’ he declared.

The older man patted him on the arm. ‘Trust me,’ he said. ‘It’s better this way.’

Ben had felt totally frustrated at not being able to do anything and had become extremely agitated as the hours went on.  As a man who was used to keeping busy he had not coped at all with the inaction and had taken out his frustration on all those around him.  The Captain had been extremely patient with him, and now that it was all over he could appreciate that. He looked up at him. ‘Thank you for helping me get through this,’ he said.

‘Think nothing of it son,’ the man replied. ‘I’ve been through it myself, remember?’

Ben began to be agitated again. ‘How long are they going to take?’ he said looking upstairs again. ‘I want to see Elizabeth and our son.’

‘All in good time my boy,’ said the Captain settling himself on the settee. ‘Now what is this new grandson of mine going to be called?’

‘We decided on Adam for a boy,’ Ben said with pride. ‘Adam Benjamin.’

The Captain smiled. ‘Adam Benjamin Cartwright.  That’s a fine name.’

Ben nodded. ‘Elizabeth wanted to name him after….’

‘Paradise Lost. Yes I know,’ the older man replied. ‘She’s been mad about that book for years.’

At that moment there was a noise from upstairs and both men jumped to their feet.  The doctor appeared at the top of the staircase and began to slowly descend. Ben rushed to him. ‘Can I go up now?’ he asked anxiously.  When the other man didn’t answer he tried to push past him, but the doctor held onto his arm.

‘Benjamin come and sit down for a moment,’ he said.

Ben shook his head. ‘I don’t want to sit down.  I want to go upstairs to see Elizabeth and the baby first.’

The doctor shook his head and pulled him by the arm towards the settee. ‘No son, you need to sit down first.  I have to talk to you.’

Ben looked at him carefully, startled by the tone in his voice. He sat down slowly. ‘What is it?’ he said anxiously. ‘They’re both all right aren’t they?’

The man hesitated for a moment. ‘Your son is fine,’ he said finally. ‘He’s a lovely boy and he’s doing well.’ There was silence.

‘And Elizabeth?’ Something about the man’s demeanour made Ben afraid to ask the question. ‘Is my wife all right?’

The doctor took a deep breath. ‘Ben, she’s lost a lot of blood.  There were a few complications towards the end and she…. well, she had a rough time.’

‘But she’ll be all right now,’ said Ben. There was silence again. ‘Won’t she?’ he asked fearfully.

The doctor put a hand on his shoulder. ‘Son, I’m sorry.  There’s nothing I can do.  She’s just lost too much blood and there’s nothing I can do to help her.’

‘No!’ the word cut across the silence like a knife. Ben put his head into his hands and closed his eyes and he tried to take in the doctor’s words.  He felt an arm around his shoulder, but stood up and brushed it off. ‘Get up there and help her!’ he yelled to the doctor.

Both men stood up beside him. ‘Ben,’ said the Captain. ‘Just calm down son.  This isn’t going to help Elizabeth.’

Ben stared at the man next to him who looked as stricken as he himself felt. ‘I can’t…….’ he began, but the words refused to come. He tried again. ‘I can’t……’

The doctor stepped forward and held onto both his shoulders. ‘Benjamin I know this is a huge shock for you.  But you have to be strong for just a little longer son.  Elizabeth needs you to be strong for her now.’

Ben nodded, still in a daze.  He felt like his world was spinning around him and he didn’t know how to make it stop. The Captain put his arm around his shoulder again. ‘Ben we need to go up to her now.  You want to see her don’t you?’

Ben nodded soundlessly, his eyes fixed on his father-in-law as if to draw strength from him. He allowed the man to lead him to the stairs and they silently mounted them together.  As they approached the room where he had been trying to get to for hours Ben felt a sense of dread, as if by entering it he would know that this nightmare was for real.  Until he saw Elizabeth he could pretend in the back of his mind that this wasn’t happening, but seeing her would take away any such luxury.

He hesitated at the door, and felt a gentle push form behind as Captain Stoddard propelled him forward.  His eyes searched the room and rested on the bed where she lay – so still and peaceful as if she had just fallen asleep and was enjoying a nap.  He took a couple of steps forward and knelt by her side. ‘Elizabeth?’ he whispered and smiled to see her eyelids flutter at the sound of his voice. ‘Elizabeth darling, I’m here.  It’s Ben.’

She opened her eyes and smiled at him. He reached out and took her hand, surprised how it felt so warm.  The doctor must be wrong.  There was nothing the matter with her!  She was just tired that was all.  Or course she would be tired.  After all she’d been through today with the baby…..  His eyes left her face and travelled across to the cradle beside the bed where he could see a small squirming bundle.  His son! His eyes darted back to her face again as he heard her whisper softly. ‘Ben?’

He bent forward so that their faces were touching. ‘Yes darling?’ he said softly.

‘Ben, our son.  Did you see him?’

‘Not yet.  I will in a few moments.’  He continued to search her face for a sign that the doctor had been wrong, but the more he looked at her the more he noticed the dark rings around her eyes, the whiteness of her skin and the blue tinge around her lips.  He knew in his heart that the man hadn’t been lying and he wanted to stand up and curse the world.  But instead he just knelt there as still as he could and continued to stare at her.  He wanted to imprint her features on his brain, for his mind told him that he would need to remember these moments forever.

Elizabeth turned her head towards the cradle. ‘Adam,’ she said softly. ‘Our son.  I want to hold him Ben.’

Ben reached over and picked up the squirming bundle that was wrapped in the blanket and put it down next to his wife.  In that moment he had his first glimpse of his son and his eyes widened at the sight of him.  His features were perfect. His head was covered with dark fuzz that held the promise of being as dark as his own hair and his nose was all his mother’s.  As Ben stared down at him the baby’s eyes opened and he yawned.  His eyes seemed to stare back into his father’s, although Ben knew that it was no more than a co-incidence, for the child was much too young to be able to focus yet.  The eyes that looked back up at him were so dark that Ben knew they would also mirror his own given time. Adam!  His perfect son.

Even at this very young age the baby seemed to possess a certain air of calmness about him.  He moved his little head and seemed to look around and his small arms waved slowly in the air as if announcing his arrival.  Ben smiled down at him tenderly and felt such a rush of love towards this extension of himself that the tears began to fall from his eyes and he had to brush them away.

‘Ben, you’re crying,’ Elizabeth said softly.

He nodded. ‘Yes,’ he said, knowing that the tears were also for her and the unfairness of it all.

‘He’s a beautiful baby, isn’t he?’ she said.

‘Yes he is,’ agreed Ben. ‘A beautiful baby. Just like his mother.’

She smiled up at him and he looked back at them both, knowing that this was a picture he would carry in his mind forever.

‘I’m so tired,’ she said with a small sigh. ‘I think I’ll sleep now.’

Ben bent over and kissed her on the forehead. ‘You sleep now, my darling,’ he said softly.

Elizabeth closed her eyes. ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘Take care of our little boy while I sleep won’t you Ben?  Take care of our son.’

The tears were falling freely now as he whispered softly. ‘Yes my darling. I’ll take care of him. I’ll always take care of him.’

Elizabeth gave a small sigh and then there was silence. Ben looked up at the faces around them both which swam before him as he tried to make them out through his tears.

‘She’s gone son,’ said a faraway voice and he turned towards it.  Hands lifted him up and he felt himself being moved away from the bed. He struggled against them and stepped forward again to pick up the squirming bundle on the bed and hold it tight to his chest. As he stood there he watched Captain Stoddard and his wife kneel on either side of the bed to say their goodbyes to their only child and his heart bled for them.  As it bled also for his son in his arms.

The boy would never know his mother’s love.  He would never know what it felt like to be held by her, her smell, and the look of her.  But one thing Ben was sure of…….. he would know how much she had loved him.  He looked down into the dark eyes that still stared back at him and made a vow that he would love this child of his unconditionally.  He would make up to him for not having a mother.  He would do whatever it took to ensure that this boy grew up happy and safe.

He kissed the baby’s forehead and his tears fell on his small face.  The baby squirmed again and whimpered and Mrs Stoddard stood up and held out her arms towards him. ‘Give him to me Ben,’ she said. ‘I’ll hold him for you.’

He shook his head and continued to stare into his son’s face. ‘No. I need to….. I……’ how could he explain that to let go of his boy would be like letting go of his mother all over again?  This child was all he had left of Elizabeth and he had no intention now or ever of letting go of him. ‘I can’t….. I need to ……’

She nodded. ‘It’s all right,’ she said. ‘You hold onto him then.’

Ben shut his eyes for a moment then opened them again. He walked towards the window with his son in his arms and looked up at the night sky.  There above him a million stars shone down on them both.  There above him Elizabeth looked down on them both. He cuddled his son closer to his chest and sighed.

———————

‘It’s a boy!’

‘What?’ Ben couldn’t believe his ears. ‘Already? You can’t be serious!’

‘I’m serious all right,’ said Mrs Altman beaming at him. ‘He’s a whopper too!’

Ben blinked and scratched his head. ‘But I thought when you said….. I mean…….I thought it would take longer than this!’

‘Babies come in their own good time,’ she said, patting him on the arm. ‘And this one was sure in a hurry. Now you just settle down there for a bit and I’ll let you know when you can come in.’

Ben held onto the woman’s arm as she turned away from him. ‘Mrs Altman,’ he said urgently. ‘Is she……is my wife all right?’

She smiled at him. ‘Right as rain,’ she said kindly. ‘She just needs a good night’s sleep now.’

Ben let out a huge sigh of relief. He knew it was silly, but after Elizabeth he couldn’t help but be worried.  He might have known though that Inger would be fine.  That woman took everything in her stride and having a baby hadn’t seemed to faze her any.  Even this afternoon when she must have sensed that her time was near she still said nothing to him and made sure that he joined the other men in the hunting party who going out looking for food. It was only when they had returned just over an hour ago that he had any idea she had gone into labour, and now…. he smiled. And now there was another son.

He walked quickly over to the Rickett’s wagon where Adam was playing with the other children. ‘Adam,’ he called.

The little boy looked up at his father and smiled. ‘Yes Pa?’

Ben motioned to him. ‘Come here son, I have something to tell you.’

Adam came across to his father and stood before him. Ben knelt down and put his hands on his son’s arms. ‘You have a new baby brother,’ he said happily.

The little boy’s eyes lit up. ‘Already?’ he said. ‘I thought you said he wouldn’t come until maybe tomorrow Pa.’

Ben laughed. ‘Well it seems like I was wrong,’ he said. ‘He’s come now.’

‘Can we go see him and mama now?’ Adam asked excitedly. ‘What’s he look like?’

Ben shook his head. ‘I haven’t even seen him yet. Don’t you worry we’ll go and see them both soon.  Now go back and play and I’ll let you know when it’s time.’

Adam skipped back to the other children and began to tell them his news.  Ben stood up and stretched before turning towards his wagon again.  ‘Ben!’ called Mrs Altman. ‘You can go in now.’

Ben needed no second bidding.  In three strides he had covered the distance to the back of the wagon and took a leap inside. Inger lay propped up against a couple of pillows smiling at him. ‘Come and meet our new son, ‘she said happily, indicating the bundle in her arms.

Ben moved over towards his wife and gave her a kiss. ‘I can’t believe it,’ he said happily. He looked down at the bundle in her arms and she turned the blanket back. ‘He’s huge!’ said Ben in wonderment. ‘I’ve never seen a newborn baby so big!’

Inger puffed up with pride. ‘He’s going to be a big man some day,’ she said as she kissed the baby on the head. ‘A wonderful man.’ She held him out to Ben, who took him into his arms.  He was amazed at the weight of him.

As he stared down at the bundle in his arms he took note of the fine light fuzz that covered his head. ‘He’s got your light colouring,’ he said. ‘He won’t have dark hair like Adam.’

‘Or dark eyes,’ said Inger. ‘They’re very blue.’

Ben had to take her word for it, as the baby’s eyes were tightly shut. ‘He’s wonderful,’ he said softly. ‘My son.’

Inger leant her head against his shoulder. ‘Yes he is wonderful,’ she said softly. ‘We are truly blessed to have two wonderful boys.

At that moment as if on cue, they heard a small voice outside. ‘Pa? Are you in there Pa?’

They looked at each other. ‘Adam,’ they said together and then laughed. Ben leant over and pulled back the wagon covering. ‘Yes, I’m here son,’ he said. ‘Come on up.’

There was a scuffling noise and presently a little dark head appeared over the side of the wagon.  Ben helped his son in and Adam sat next to him gazing in awe at the bundle in his arms. ‘Is that my brother Pa? Is that him?’

Ben put his arms down so that his son could see the baby.  Adam’s eyes became wide. ‘He’s a bigun isn’t he Pa?’ he asked.

‘Sure is,’ agreed Ben.

‘What’s his name?’ Adam asked.

Inger reached over to stroke the boy’s dark hair out of his eyes. ‘His name is Eric Haas Cartwright,’ she said with a smile at Ben. ‘He is named Eric after my father.’

‘How about Hoss?’ asked Adam. ‘Who’s that after?’

‘It’s Haas dear, not Hoss,’ said Inger gently. ‘It’s Swedish.’

‘Still Hoss isn’t far off the mark,’ said Ben with a laugh as he looked down at the baby in his arms. ‘It actually kind of suits him.’

‘Benjamin!’ said Inger. ‘You are not going to call our son by that terrible name when he has a perfectly good name of his own!’

Ben winked at Adam. ‘Of course my dear,’ he said. ‘Eric is a wonderful name.  Let’s just see which one sticks shall we?’

‘I like Hoss,’ said Adam seriously. ‘Can I hold him?’

Ben looked at Inger who nodded. ‘Be careful,’ he said as he laid the baby in his brother’s arms. ‘Keep his head up.’

‘He keeps his own head up,’ said Adam. Ben looked at the baby and saw that the child was right.  He did in fact seem to be holding his own head up.  There was no doubt about it – this baby was already so big he seemed to be older than a newborn.  He seemed so strong already.

‘Hello baby Hoss,’ said Adam.

Ben smiled at Inger who tried to look displeased, but failed miserably. ‘I have a feeling I’m going to lose this fight,’ she said, and then lent back to rest her head on the cushion behind her.

Ben looked at her anxiously. ‘Are you all right?’ he asked.

‘I’m fine,’ she said. ‘Just a little tired, that’s all.’

Ben stroked her head as Adam continued to talk to the baby and tell all the things that a six year-old felt were important for him to know. ‘I’m so glad this is over,’ Ben said. ‘I was so worried about you.’

She opened her eyes again. ‘There was no need for you to worry about me,’ she said.

‘I had no right bringing you both out here like this,’ he replied. ‘What if something had gone wrong?  We’re so far away from any help here.  There’s no chance of a doctor at all.’

‘But nothing did go wrong did it?’ she answered. ‘Ben I’ve told you so many times, I want to be here just as much as you do. We’re on our way to a new life and now we have two fine youngsters to share it with.’  She looked across at Adam fondly as he continued to whisper to his little brother. ‘I pray that these two will be close.’

Ben laughed. ‘I don’t think there’s any worry about that,’ he said as he looked at them fondly. ‘Here son, give me the baby again.’  He reached over and took the baby form Adam’s arms and held him close to his chest. ‘Hello my son,’ he said. Adam cuddled into his side and watched the baby as he slept. Inger’s eyes closed and she drifted off to sleep as well.

As Ben sat there surrounded by the three people he loved most in the world he felt his heart filled to over flowing.  What more could a man ask for?  He had everything now, and life was looking fine.  He bent to kiss the baby’s head and his eyes opened. Ben saw that they were indeed blue, the bluest that he had ever seen. What would this child of his become?  What kind of a man would he grow into? Ben knew that whatever his son’s future there was one thing for sure.  He would grow up loved and happy.  He would see to it.

——————-

‘It’s a boy!’

‘Thank God it’s over,’ said Ben. ‘Is she all right? Are they both all right?’ The emotion of the long hours caught up with him in a rush and his voice quivered as he managed to get the words out.

Mrs Shaunessy bit her lip and hesitated before replying. ‘I think so,’ she said. ‘Doctor Martin said he’d come out and see you in a few moments.’

Ben stared at the door as it closed behind her. He just couldn’t take this any more!  He felt he had nothing left to draw from – his strength had been used up with the tension of the past few hours and he felt himself go limp with exhaustion and grief. He sat down on the chair next to the fire and looked at the two boys asleep next to him.  Hoss had given in hours ago and had settled himself on the settee.  Ben hadn’t the heart to move him to his bed for fear of waking him, so he had covered him with a blanket and simply left him there to sleep.  Adam had gamely stuck it out, refusing to go to bed and leave his father.  Ben smiled at the boy curled up in the large easy chair opposite. It was typical of Adam to stick by his side.  Ben knew that the boy realised how worried he had been, and had wanted to stay here with him.  Yet even he couldn’t keep his eyes open in the end. After all, it had been a long day and a very rough one too.

The problem was that it had all been so totally unexpected.  When Marie had shaken him awake in the middle of last night he had panicked.  The baby wasn’t due for weeks and yet here she was telling him to get the doctor as soon as he could.  Ben couldn’t get the man quickly enough and had gone straight from his office to Mrs Shaunessy’s house as well.  She had promised to help when the time came, but they all thought it would be with the boys.  None of them had realised just how much Marie would need the woman’s support as well as that of the doctor.

Ben went cold when he thought about it. The look on Paul Martin’s face when he came downstairs to tell him of the problems said it all.  Ben immediately feared the worst and all the memories of Elizabeth came flooding back to him.

He had placed his head in his hands and sobbed.  ‘I can’t go through this again Paul.  There has to be something you can do.’

Paul sat next to his friend. ‘Ben calm down.  The baby is early that’s true, but it still could be all right.  The fact that it’s a breech is more worrying at this stage.  I’m going to have to try and turn it around before it’s born.’

Ben looked up at him. ‘How dangerous is that?’

Paul shook his head. ‘Not unduly so, as long as it stays that way.  The danger is if it keeps turning back.  I won’t lie to you Ben.  A breech birth is not something to be taken lightly.’

Ben swallowed. ‘Is the danger to Marie or the baby?’

‘Both really, but more to the child. Let’s just hope we don’t have to face that all right?’  He stood up. ‘I’ll go back to her now. Just pray that this works.’

During those next few hours Ben prayed like he had never prayed before.  Yet everything seemed to be against them.  Mrs Shaunessy reported to him at various intervals that try as the doctor would to turn it, the baby kept turning back again. Ben tried to keep the boys busy and out of the way even suggesting that they leave and go to a neighbour’s ranch, but they both shook their heads. ‘We want to be here with you Pa,’ said Adam solemnly.

Hoss held onto his father’s arm. ‘Pa?’ he said quietly. ‘Will mama die like Adam’s mother did when he was borned?’

Ben swallowed. ‘No son, we have to pray that she won’t,’ he said. ‘I’m sure it will be all right.’

But he wasn’t sure at all.  As the hours passed and there was no word from upstairs, he began to pace in an agitated state.  Just when he got to the stage when he didn’t think he could stand it much longer, Paul appeared at the top of the stairs and motioned to him. ‘Ben,’ he said quietly. ‘I’ve done all I can, but this baby of yours is sure a stubborn little cuss.  It’s determined to be born backwards and we’re faced with a breech after all.’

Ben nodded silently, his eyes filling with tears. ‘I know you’re doing all you can for them both,’ he said.

Paul patted him on the arm and disappeared again.  As Ben sat by the fireplace and watched the two sleeping boys he felt numb.  It couldn’t all end like this!  He couldn’t lose Marie and he couldn’t even imagine losing this child they had both been so looking forward to.  For half an hour he sat there, not moving or speaking, just simply staring and praying.  Until that moment that Mrs Shaunessy’s words had made it all right again.

He walked to the bottom of the staircase and looked up.  Slowly he began to climb the stairs and just stood at the top looking down the hall at the bedroom door.  After a moment, Paul opened it and walked towards him. ‘She’s fine Ben,’ he said and Ben swayed slightly as the relief flooded over him. ‘It was difficult, but she’s fine now that it’s over.’

‘And the baby……. my son?’

‘I told you he was a stubborn little cuss didn’t I? He’s very small, but at this stage he seems to be doing all right. Come on in and see.’

Ben quickly entered the room and sat on the edge of the bed.  Marie was very pale, but managed to smile up at him. ‘Hello,’ she said with as much brightness as she could muster. ‘Don’t look so worried my darling, it’s all over now.’

He couldn’t say anything, but simply bent his head and rested his face against hers.  They stayed like that for a few moments and then he moved slightly and kissed her. ‘I thought I’d lost you,’ he said.

‘Don’t be silly. I’m fine,’ she replied.

Ben smiled. ‘You’d say that no matter what happened,’ he said, the relief obvious in his voice.

There was a movement behind them and Mrs Shaunessy bent down and placed a tiny bundle on the bed between them. ‘Here’s someone who wants to meet you both,’ she said.

Marie reached over and pulled back the blanket to reveal a tiny little body. ‘Look at him Ben,’ she said with awe in her voice. ‘He’s just perfect!’

Ben looked down at the tiny boy.  He was the smallest baby he had ever seen, but even so he was perfect in every way.  He had a mop of curls and a look of his mother that was obvious even at such a young age.  His little arms and legs were in perpetual motion and waved around as he wriggled, and his face was contorted in a mixture of a yawn and a yell.  Suddenly there was an ear-piercing cry from the tiny little thing as he began to make his presence felt.

‘How can a baby this size make such a loud noise?’ asked Ben amazed.

Marie laughed. ‘He’s sure a feisty little thing isn’t he?’ she said with pride. ‘Hello there little one.’

Ben looked at his tiny son again and marvelled at how perfect he was. Suddenly he felt a rush of pride and love overtake him and he bent down and gathered up the tiny child and held him in front of his face as he took in every part of him. ‘My God Marie, he’s just…..’  Words failed him as he tried to express his emotions and Marie reached up and touched his cheek to brush away the tears.

‘I know,’ she said simply.

Paul appeared around the side of the bed. ‘We’ll have to watch him for a while,’ he said. ‘But judging by the sound of those lungs we won’t have much to worry about now.’

Everyone laughed as Mrs Shaunessy approached the bed. ‘I think he’s woken up his two brothers,’ she said with an amused grin.

Ben was suddenly aware of the two boys standing nervously in the doorway and he motioned for them to approach. ‘Come in boys.  Come and say hello to your mother and meet your new little brother.’

They walked over and bent one at a time to kiss Marie before turning towards the squirming and noisy bundle in Ben’s arms. ‘He sure knows how ta yell, don’t he?’ said Hoss in wonderment.

‘Yes he sure does,’ said his father. ‘There’s nothing wrong with this boy’s voice that’s for sure.’

‘What’s his name Pa?’ asked Adam, and Ben glanced at him tentatively.  He was remembering a conversation they had had a couple of weeks before about this very topic.  Adam had stated in no uncertain terms that Marie’s idea of naming him after her father was not one that he approved of.

‘You can’t!’ the boy had said aghast. ‘All the other kids will pick on him if you call him François!’

Marie had bristled. ‘There’s nothing wrong with François, ‘ she said indignantly. ‘It’s a beautiful French name.’

‘It’s a sissy name,’ said Adam, before Ben could signal for him to be quiet. Privately he agreed with his son, but wouldn’t dare tell Marie that.  He knew how stubborn that woman could be and preferred to take the softer approach of gradually reasoning with her.

‘I’ve always wanted to name one of my sons after my own father,’ he said wistfully, looking at her out of the corner of his eye to gauge her reaction. ‘But it’s just never happened up until now.’

She smiled at him. ‘Of course my darling. How about Joseph François then?’

Getting closer, he thought to himself with a smile.

‘Pa?’ repeated Adam. ‘What’s his name?’

‘Joseph François,’ said Ben after a moment’s pause and noticed the disgusted look Adam gave him.

‘Joseph Francis,’ interrupted Marie.  ‘I’ve been thinking about that. He is a little American boy, not French after all.’ Ben smiled at her, delighted. ‘If you say so dear,’ he said with a twinkle in his eye. ‘Joseph Francis it is then.’

Hoss reached over and touched his little brother’s cheek. ‘Little Joe,’ he said in wonderment.

‘What did you say?’ asked Ben.

Hoss looked up at him and smiled. ‘Little Joe, ‘he repeated. ‘He’s my little brother Pa, so I can call him that, can’t I?’

‘Of course you can just for now dear,’ said Marie. ‘Although his proper name is Joseph and that’s what he’ll be known as.’

Ben looked down at the tiny baby in his arms and thrilled at the touch of him.  He cuddled him into his chest and kissed the tiny mop of curls.

Adam reached out to touch his little brother and the baby grasped hold of his finger tightly.  ‘Hey look Pa,’ the boy said excitedly. ‘He’s got a grip on him for sure!’ They all laughed. ‘And a voice,’ Adam added. ‘Do you think he’ll ever stop yelling?’

‘He’s just getting used to everything,’ said Marie. ‘He’s going to be a perfect little boy aren’t you little one?’

Ben somehow doubted that this child would match his mother’s description of perfect in that sense.  He was far too restless to meet that description.  He could feel the little arms and legs still moving beneath the blanket and noted the movement of the baby’s head as if he were looking all around him and checking out the world. ‘We’ll see,’ he said.

He put the baby back on the bed and watched with satisfaction as the other two boys immediately leant over him in a protective stance.  He hoped that they would continue like this through their lives, the older two looking out for their little brother.  It thrilled him to think of his three boys being close.

As the boys marvelled over the baby he slid over to sit next to Marie and put his arm around her shoulders. She looked up at him and smiled and he bent over to kiss her. ‘Thank you,’ he said softly. ‘He’s just perfect.’

She giggled. ‘I told you he was,’ she said contentedly.

Ben rested his head on top of hers and surveyed his complete family.  Could life get any better than this?

The End