Summary:  A prequel:  After the sudden death of Marie, Ben Cartwright withdraws himself from his sons, leaving Adam to take care of his young brothers during one of the hardest moments in their lives.  My first fanfiction!

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                                        The Prodigal Father

The Cartwright family stood over the fresh grave silently, except for the soft snuffling that came from the youngest, six-year-old Joe. Adam was holding him in one arm, while Hoss leaned into him on the other side.

Mr. Benjamin Cartwright stood across from them, but he never looked at them. His eyes stayed trained on the sod which covered heavily the casket of his late wife, Marie.

A light rain started to fall.

“Pa?” Adam asked softly.

“You boys go on home,” Ben answered, “I’ll be along shortly.”

“But you don’t have a horse,” Adam said, looking back at the wagon which had brought them to the gravesite.

“I’ll walk,” came the cold reply.

Adam’s heart sank. Going home alone with his brothers meant that he alone would have to console them. However, he carried Joe and led Hoss to the wagon. All three of them sat on the buckboard, pressed together with Joe in the middle.

Clicking his tongue at the horses, Adam wished for the usual plea that came from Hoss asking to help drive. Instead, the twelve-year-old kept his eyes trained on his boots as droplets of rain formed on the brim of his hat.

Joe clung to Adam’s arm, his face buried into Adam’s coat. It made it a little difficult to drive, but he didn’t want to push his brother away. Hadn’t his father done that enough?

In spite of himself, Adam was angry at his father. Ever since Marie died, he had distanced himself from his sons, especially Joe. Adam felt he could handle it. After all, he had handle the death of three mothers now. For Hoss and Joe, they’d never known what it was to lose a mama.

Until now.

Don’t you get it, Pa? Adam asked his father silently, we if somehow his thoughts would become Ben’s, They need you more now than they’ve ever needed you. It’s almost as if you don’t care about us anymore.

He knew his father stilled cared for them. He always snapped out of his spells, but it took awhile. Adam wondered if he could handle it himself, especially now that they had a ranch, and he had two younger brothers instead of one.

I have to handle it, he told himself firmly, if I don’t, no one else will.

No one spoke on the ride home from the gravesite. Ther was nothing to say, and each boy was caught up in their own memories and thoughts. It was not until they pulled into the front of the barn that Hoss spoke up.

“Want me to put away the horses, Adam?”

Perhaps it was an excuse to get away for awhile, Adam wasn’t sure, but he slowly nodded, “Sure, Hoss, that’d be a big help. I’ll come check on you in a bit.”

“You don’t need to do that none, Adam,” Hoss said in a low voice.

Adam didn’t answer, but leapt from the wagon and reached up to take Joe down. Joe wrapped his arms around Adam’s neck, and rested his head on his shoulder. It was so unlike Joe, to be so quiet and listless. All he had done for the last week was cling to whoever offered sympathy, which was mostly Adam and Hoss.

When Sheriff Coffee had come to see how they were, Joe had sat in his lap while the sheriff spoke with the older boys.

“Is Mama gonna be home soon?” Joe whispered.

“I’m afraid not, buddy,” Adam answered gently, shifting Joe to his other arm so he could open the door, “You see, God took her up to heaven to be with him.”

“Can I go see her, then?” Joe asked, “Will God take me up to heaven if I ask him real nice like?”

“It doesn’t work that way, Joe,” Adam said, putting Joe down on the settee. “God calls people to be with Him when their time comes. Our time hasn’t come yet. But when it does, we’ll see Mama, okay?”

Joe nodded. Adam knew he wasn’t explaining this too well. If only Pa were here, he might be able to make Joe understand.

“Ready for supper now?” Hop Sing asked, coming out of the kitchen and looking at Adam curiously.

“Yes, we’ll be ready in just a few minutes,” Adam said, “I don’t know when my father will be joining us.”

“I keep his food warm for him, yes?” asked Hop Sing.

“That would be fine,” Adam agreed.

“Little Joe mind if I let him test cookies?” Hop Sing asked.

Joe looked up at Adam, a smile playing at the corner of his lips for the first time in days. “Could I? Even before supper?”

“Why not?” Adam asked, ruffling Joe’s hair, “I’ll go out and check on Hoss.”

Joe happily slid from the settee and followed a beaming Hop Sing into the kitchen. Adam wondered how Hop Sing knew he needed a little time with Hoss before they settled into supper?

Hoss was rubbing down the horses when Adam came into the barn. “How’s it coming?”

Starting at his voice, Hoss didn’t turn around. “Fine.”

“Hop Sing’s got supper ready,” Adam said, “I thought I’d help you finish up.”

“I ain’t hungry,” came the reply.

Adam bit his lip. His little brother must be really upset if he didn’t want to eat. If there was one thing that Hoss didn’t lose easily, it was his appetite.

“Hoss,” Adam said gently, placing a hand on Hoss’s shoulder, “if you wanna talk about anything, I want to listen.”

“Why won’t Pa listen? I want him to listen to me, Adam,” Hoss cried, whirling around and staring up at his brother with tears in his eyes. “I just want Pa back.”

Adam pulled Hoss into his arms. “I know it’s hard to understand, Hoss.”

“Doesn’t he love us anymore?” Hoss asked desperately.

“Of course he does,” Adam assured him firmly, though his own heart struggled with the same question. “Pa will always love us.”