{"id":1180,"date":"2007-03-09T22:38:26","date_gmt":"2007-03-10T03:38:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=1180"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:11:37","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:11:37","slug":"adams-journey-of-memories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=1180","title":{"rendered":"Adam’s Journey of Memories (by acspeej)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary: \u00a0<\/strong>After being thrown by a wild mustang, Adam suffers total amnesia. A specialist from San Francisco is summoned – and the specialist turns out to be a sassy, out-spoken but empathetic young woman. As she and Adam spend time together, watch as the two hard-heads become emotionally involved.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Rated T (20,060 words)
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam & Sam Series:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adam’s Journey of Memories
\nAdam’s Surprise Visitor<\/a><\/span>
\nAdam’s Angels
\n<\/a><\/span>Bringing up Babies<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adam’s Journey of Memories<\/strong><\/p>\n

CHAPTER ONE<\/span>
\nHoss Cartwright bent over his older brother\u2019s limp body and pressed a bandana to the wounded man\u2019s head. The body seemed lifeless although a faint heartbeat was present.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJoe!\u201d Hoss shouted. \u201cAdam\u2019s hurt! Real bad!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe jumped down from the fence and raced to the center of the corral. Oblivious to the men around him who were scurrying about, Joe reached Hoss\u2019s side. Kneeling beside the inert body, Joe noticed the blood streaming from a bad head wound and was aware of labored breathing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSounds like he\u2019s got some broken ribs,\u201d Joe said softly. \u201cCan you stop the bleeding from his head?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m tryin\u2019, \u201cHoss responded. \u201cBut the gash is deep and just keeps on pourin\u2019 blood no matter what I do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to town to get Doc Martin,\u201d shouted Joe as he raced across the corral and jumped on Cochise\u2019s back.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHurry!\u201d Hoss shouted back. Then he picked up Adam\u2019s limp body and carried it into the house, climbed the stairs two at a time, and laid his brother gently on the bed. Quickly he soaked a towel in the basin of water on the stand under the mirror and applied the wet towel to the torn skin in Adam\u2019s hairline, but the blood still flowed and soaked the towel. Hoss was scared. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn\u2019t get his brother to wake up. Hop Sing bounded into the room, looked at Adam and then disappeared again. On his return, he carried a large bowl of something that Hoss couldn\u2019t identify and began to apply the unknown concoction to Adam\u2019s head.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing, what is that stuff?\u201d Hoss made a face at the smell.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOld Chinese poultice to stop bleeding,\u201d Hop Sing answered. Sure enough, after a few minutes, the bleeding stopped. Hop Sing silently left the room, taking the bowl with him. His mind was full of Oriental herb cures and he, too, was aware that Adam probably had broken some ribs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s normally tanned face was ashen. He didn\u2019t move. He didn\u2019t wake up. Hoss began removing Adam\u2019s chaps, belt, boots, socks, britches and shirt and, when that was done, he knew he was right about the broken ribs. Already a large area on Adam\u2019s side was turning dark blue. Gingerly, Hoss touched the large bruise, his experienced fingers finding at least three places that surely meant broken ribs. Adam moaned but couldn\u2019t be awakened. Pulling the covers down from under the limp body, Hoss gently slid his big brother between the cool sheets and pulled them up over Adam\u2019s shoulders. Relieved to see that the bleeding had stopped, Hoss pulled a chair close to the bed and waited for Joe\u2019s arrival with Doc Martin. Ben was attending an early morning, supposedly short meeting, of the Cattlemen\u2019s Association in Placerville; Hoss prayed that the meeting would, indeed, be short and that his Pa was on the way home right now. Placerville was not that far away.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing reappeared with yet another larger bowl, steam rising from the towels that were soaking in it. Hoss didn\u2019t even bother to question the family cook. He just watched. Carefully, Hop Sing pulled the covers back to observe the bruises, nodded to himself, and put the towels across Adam\u2019s ribs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis velly good for bruising and breathing,\u201d he said to Hoss. \u201cCover Mistah Adam up and keep him warm. I in kitchen warming more towels.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss once again pulled the covers up over Adam\u2019s shoulders. Adam didn\u2019t move. Despite Hoss\u2019s pleading, Adam didn\u2019t open his eyes. His breathing was labored.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing made several more trips with the bowl and towels. He also had a cup of steaming liquid that he spooned to Adam\u2019s lips, allowing a small amount to dribble into Adam\u2019s mouth, encouraged by the fact that Adam could swallow. He kept up the spooning process until the contents of the cup were gone.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing, do you know what you\u2019re doing?\u201d Hoss was worried.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing velly smart. Herbs in broth good for bleeding inside. You see.\u201d Again, Hop Sing left the room, leaving Hoss to wonder if Adam was dying and if Hop Sing\u2019s potions might be speeding him along toward death. There had been only a few times in Hoss\u2019s life when he felt completely helpless and this was one of those times.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER TWO<\/span><\/p>\n

After what seemed like an eternity, Hoss was aware of the pounding of booted feet on the stairs. Relieved, he watched Doc Martin enter the room with his black bag. Little Joe was right behind him, followed by Hop Sing with a bowlful of cool water and wet towels. Ignoring Hoss, Doc Martin first looked at Adam\u2019s head \u2013 removing the clotted poultice and seeing that the bleeding had stopped.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWho put the poultice on?\u201d he asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing,\u201d answered Hoss.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood job.\u201d That was all Doc Martin said. Hop Sing nodded solemnly. The Chinese had used spider webs and honey for centuries.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pulling back the covers and removing the towels that Hop Sing had applied to Adam\u2019s chest, Doc Martin nodded his head thoughtfully. He could smell the oil from castor beans (said to contain healing properties) and from melted horehound candy (said to promote better breathing). Horehound candy was something the doctor often gave patients if they had bad coughs or chest colds or stuffy noses.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMore of Hop Sing\u2019s work?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYessir,\u201d Hoss answered.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing, I need some cold towels.\u201d Doc Martin was usually quite talkative but he was very succinct now.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing, very knowledgeable, handed over the bowl with the towels. Doc Martin allowed himself a small smile. \u201cYou should be a doctor, Hop Sing. You do good work.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing nodded again. \u201cI give Mistah Adam broth of bayberry bark, beet root, ginseng, willow bark and red clover.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Martin had heard of these things. Bayberry bark was said to prevent hemorrhages; beet root was purported to clean the liver and the spleen; ginseng was used to promote energy; willow bark was an effective pain reliever; red clover had often been used as a blood purifier. The Indians commonly used these herbs for healing. Also, the pioneers on the wagon trains had used the same herbal remedies for the same reasons.<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Martin covered Adam\u2019s bruised ribs with the cold towels, covered him up again, and turned his attention back to Adam\u2019s head.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis wound needs some stitches,\u201d the doctor said, reaching for his bag. As he sewed up the deep cut, Hoss and Little Joe watched and talked to each other.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s Pa?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOn his way back from that meeting in Placerville,\u201d came the answer. \u201cI told Roy what happened. He promised to tell Pa as soon as he got back.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat dadburned jughead!\u201d Hoss muttered. \u201cAin\u2019t nobody been able to break him for over three days now. Adam just had to try one more time. I shoulda stopped him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoss,\u201d Little Joe said gently, \u201cAdam was bound and determined to break that horse. You know how he is when he sees a good challenge. Nobody could stop him from trying again. Nobody could\u2019ve known that this would happen. Adam doesn\u2019t get thrown many times, much less stomped on. At least the guys got to that horse before he did any more damage. \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe looked over at the doctor who had finished with the last of the stitches and was wrapping Adam\u2019s head in a gauze bandage. The job being finished, the doctor turned to the two brothers. \u201cHas he spoken at all?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNope,\u201d Hoss answered. \u201cHe\u2019s groaned some but he ain\u2019t been awake to say nothin\u2019.\u201d<\/span>
\nNow Doc Martin began a careful examination of Adam\u2019s arms and legs, deliberately trying to inflict some pain to see if he could elicit any response from his patient. Adam groaned as his feet and toes were roughly pinched; involuntary movements caused him to move his legs. The same thing happened with his fingers and arms.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoc!\u201d shouted Joe. \u201cStop hurting him!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Turning ruefully to look at Joe, Doc Martin shook his head. \u201cIt\u2019s gotta be done, Little Joe. I need to know if he has feeling in his feet and fingers. It\u2019s a good thing to see that he does have feeling and tries to move away. That tells me that his back isn\u2019t broken. The fact that he groans tells me that his vocal chords work and that his neck isn\u2019t broken. It\u2019s an excellent sign that he is breathing on his own \u2013 no brain damage and apparently no damage to the part of the spinal chord that controls voluntary and involuntary responses.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen why don\u2019t he wake up?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoss, he has a severe concussion. He might not wake up right away. Hop Sing\u2019s poultice stopped the bleeding on the outside, but I can\u2019t be sure that there isn\u2019t still some bleeding inside the skull. Give it some time.\u201d Doc Martin washed his hands in the basin, almost knocking it to the floor, startled as Ben strode through the door.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER THREE<\/span><\/p>\n

While Ben sat by his eldest son\u2019s bedside, Doc Martin told him the same things that he had told Hoss and Little Joe. Then the two brothers recounted how Adam had been adamant about trying for the fourth time to break the roan mustang, how Adam had been thrown and then stomped on by the angry horse before any of the hands had been able to stop the animal. Ben smoothed Adam\u2019s hair back gently, a frown creasing his sad face.<\/span><\/p>\n

Closing his medical bag, Doc Martin spoke to Ben. \u201cI\u2019ll be back later to check on Adam. I\u2019ll leave some pills if he starts to run a fever. Crush them and put them in some chamomile tea. Hop Sing says that Adam has no trouble swallowing little sips of liquid. And keep giving him liquids \u2013 any kind \u2013 beef broth or chicken broth or water so he doesn\u2019t dehydrate.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As he turned to leave the room, Ben reluctantly left Adam\u2019s side and walked downstairs with the doctor.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow bad is it?\u201d Ben got right to the point.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam\u2019s a strong man. His ribs will heal, and so will that hard head of his. Unless there are unforeseen complications, he\u2019ll recover just fine.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And Adam\u2019s ribs did heal, as did the wound on his head. But there was an \u201cunforeseen complication.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER FOUR<\/span><\/p>\n

Four days passed \u2013 long days in which Adam remained unconscious. Doc Martin had visited the Ponderosa every day and continued to say the same thing. \u201cAdam\u2019s brain has become swollen and needs time to heal. Be patient. Keep the fluids going and tell Hop Sing to start adding some honey to the glasses of water. Honey is a good source of sugar and will help promote some energy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben ran his fingers through his gray hair. \u201cHop Sing is still giving him all those roots and herbs. Should he stop?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Martin smiled. \u201cIndians have been using roots and herbs for centuries. None of them will hurt Adam, and they may be helping. But don\u2019t stop the beef and chicken broths \u2013 both are excellent for medicinal purposes. Although he has had some fever, Adam is showing good signs of healing in his ribs; he also is responding better to pain stimuli. There is no sign that a lung has been punctured \u2013 his breathing has stopped sounding so raspy and labored. I\u2019ll be back later on this afternoon to check him again.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Climbing into his buggy, the doctor waved and drove away. Ben turned to look into the worried faces of Hoss, Little Joe and Hop Sing. All they could do was follow the doc\u2019s orders and wait.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER FIVE<\/span><\/p>\n

Much later, through a foggy mist, Adam heard voices. Quickly he learned that sitting up wasn\u2019t a very good idea \u2013 his head banged and throbbed, and there was a dull burning in his chest. He quickly put his head back down on the pillow, reached up and felt the bandages around his head. Lowering his hands to his chest, he felt bandages around his ribs also. He moved his legs and shifted to a more comfortable position in bed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hearing footsteps on the stairs, he turned his face toward the door and saw a man entering the room. The man had gray hair, a tanned face, and broad shoulders and, suddenly, a big smile lit up his face.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWelcome back!\u201d the man said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThanks,\u201d Adam croaked. \u201cWhere am I and who are you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Confusion crossed the gray-haired man\u2019s face. \u201cSon, it\u2019s me. Pa.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Now Adam was confused. He had never seen this man\u2019s face before.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhere am I?\u201d Adam croaked again.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAt home, son. In your room.\u201d The man drew the chair closer and sat down.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy room?\u201d Adam echoed. He looked around and saw shelves full of books and papers. There was a guitar sitting in a chair by a large window. Nothing looked familiar to him.<\/span><\/p>\n

The gray-haired man rose from the chair, went to the door, and called out unfamiliar names. There were heavy footsteps and into the room came two more men. One was a giant of a man, tall and broad-shouldered with blue eyes; the other seemed younger, was lithe but muscular.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Adam!\u201d grinned the giant. \u201cI sure am glad to see you awake. I thought you was gonna sleep forever!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The younger man spoke. \u201cIf you\u2019re trying to get out of spring round-up, this will probably do it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s face was almost frightened. \u201cWho are you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The gray-haired man took Adam\u2019s hand. \u201cThese are your brothers, Adam. Hoss and Little Joe. Don\u2019t you remember?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Into the room rushed an Oriental man, bearing a cup of steaming liquid. \u201cHere, Mistah Adam. Drink this. It help bring back strength.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam sipped the broth which soothed his raspy throat. \u201cWho are you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The cook looked highly insulted. \u201cHop Sing. Chief cook on the Ponderosa! Who you think I am?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam rubbed his head. \u201cI don\u2019t know. I\u2019ve never seen any of you before in my life.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Without taking his eyes from his son\u2019s face, Ben said quietly to Little Joe, \u201cGet Doc Martin. And fast!<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER SIX<\/span><\/p>\n

Having completed Adam\u2019s in-depth examination and the removal of the head stitches, Doc Martin closed his medical bag. \u201cGet lots of rest and let those ribs heal,\u201d he said. \u201cYour head wound is healing nicely, but here are some powders to take if you have trouble with headaches. I\u2019ll stop in as often as I can to check on your progress. And it\u2019s time for you to start eating real food \u2013 your body and your mind need extra nutrition right now.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He left a bewildered Adam and went downstairs. Ben, Hoss, Little Joe and Hop Sing got quickly to their feet. Each face wore a worried expression.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to talk,\u201d said the doctor. \u201cLet\u2019s sit down and discuss what\u2019s going on with Adam.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Everybody sat. The only sound was that of Hop Sing pouring a steaming mug of coffee for the doctor.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou know that Adam suffered a concussion \u2013 we\u2019ve discussed that already. Physically, his ribs are mending nicely and we can be thankful that his lung wasn\u2019t punctured. His head wound will leave a scar, but that will be hidden by his hair.\u201d The doctor sipped his coffee and leaned back wearily. \u201cThe problem right now is that Adam has a case of total amnesia. He didn\u2019t know who I was at all and he doesn\u2019t recognize any of you. He has no idea that the woman in the picture by his bed is his own mother. I hope you don\u2019t mind, but I told him who she was before I left his room. I wanted to give him some feeling of family. He doesn\u2019t know about Inger or Marie yet.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019s blue eyes were steady. \u201cI\u2019m not sure as I know what this \u2018amnesia\u2019 is. Explain it to me where I can understand.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Smiling, Doc Martin spoke. \u201cAmnesia, from what we know, is totally mentally-related. Apparently it can come from a great mental shock of some kind or it can be the result of some kind of physical trauma. In Adam\u2019s case, we know he was thrown from a horse and was trampled, so that tells me that his case of amnesia is due to physical trauma. My guess is that his brain swelled and hasn\u2019t returned to normal yet. Amnesia is like a door closing on a few yesterdays or, in Adam\u2019s case, the door has closed on his entire life. He has no idea who he is or who any of you are.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben leaned forward. \u201cHow long will this \u2018amnesia\u2019 last?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Shrugging his shoulders, the doctor sipped his coffee. \u201cBen, we just don\u2019t know that much about the mind yet. There are new doctors who specialize in studying the brain and I have read about them and their work in my newest medical journals. Apparently, for some people, memories return in days. Or weeks. Or sometimes not at all.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The silence was overwhelming. Ben rubbed his forehead; Hoss looked down at the floor.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo there\u2019s nothing we can do?\u201d Little Joe asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, there are some things you can do,\u201d the doctor answered. \u201cYou can treat Adam like you always have. Be supportive of him. But don\u2019t push him in any way to try to make him remember. Let his memory come back naturally in its own time. Let him roam around wherever he wants to. Let him live his life normally while his body is healing. He\u2019s very confused and frightened right now, and the stress he\u2019s putting on himself to remember things is not helping him. The more natural each of you acts, the more relaxed he might become. That \u2018closed door\u2019 may open sooner than we can hope.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Heads nodded in understanding.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d like to send a wire to a doctor in San Francisco. He specializes in something called \u2018psychiatry\u2019 which is basically the study of the brain, how it works and why it works. He may be of great help in Adam\u2019s situation. Or we can wait and see if Adam\u2019s memory returns quickly. I\u2019ll do whatever you want me to do. I don\u2019t mean to sound negative, but Adam\u2019s total memory loss isn\u2019t a good sign. And he\u2019s quite upset \u2013 understandably so.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat would you do if this were your son?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBen, if this were my son, I would see if Dr. Montrose would take on this case. I\u2019d try to get any help I could from someone who is knowledgeable in these matters.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe leaned forward. \u201cWill Adam have to go to San Francisco?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Martin shook his head. \u201cI don\u2019t know, Little Joe. My own personal opinion is that Adam is better off here in his own home with things that may cause him to remember more quickly. But I\u2019ll ask and see if you all agree on sending the wire.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben didn\u2019t hesitate. And neither did his sons or Hop Sing. \u201cSend the wire immediately. The worst thing that could happen is that Adam will regain his memory and we\u2019ll have to send another wire canceling any plans that are made.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Rising from his chair, Doc Martin smiled. \u201cI\u2019ll send the wire immediately when I get back to town. And I\u2019ll drop by tomorrow to check again on Adam. Maybe we\u2019ll hear from Dr. Montrose by then.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Amid a chorus of \u201cthank you\u2019s,\u201d Doc Martin made his exit and climbed into his buggy. His biggest fear was that Adam had sustained irreparable brain damage \u2013 but he couldn\u2019t bring himself to tell Ben of his feelings. And, though the hour was late, upon his arrival in Virginia City, the kind doctor hurried into the telegraph office to send a most important wire to San Francisco.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER SEVEN<\/span><\/p>\n

While the Cartwrights were eating supper the very next evening, Doc Martin returned with a telegram tucked safely in his pocket. Hop Sing greeted him at the door and ushered him in.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben rose from his chair and \u2013 always the courteous host \u2013 asked if the doctor would like to eat. With a nod, the doctor looked grateful and sat down.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s Adam?\u201d he asked, looking around and finding the eldest Cartwright son absent from the table. \u201cI told him to start eating regular food. I assumed he would be eating at the family table.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss sighed. \u201cHe won\u2019t come down to eat. Says he\u2019d rather eat in his room \u2018cause it\u2019s better than trying to eat with complete strangers.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Martin accepted a plate from Hop Sing and helped himself to the pork roast, potatoes, and green beans. \u201cI was afraid of that. I\u2019ve been catching up on some reading today, articles in the medical journals that have to do with brains and how they work. Good reading, and I learned a lot. Apparently, Adam is acting as expected. He feels disassociated because he remembers nothing. He prefers privacy right now.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben couldn\u2019t stand the suspense any longer. \u201cDid you hear from Dr. Montrose?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With a twinkle in his eyes, the doctor pulled the slip of paper from his pocket. \u201cAs a matter of fact, that\u2019s what brought me here at this hour. Dr. Montrose himself has almost more patients than he can handle.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe sighed and stared at his plate. Hoss stabbed at his roast.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut!\u201d Continued the doctor. \u201cDr. Sam Nielsen, an associate in Dr. Montrose\u2019s practice, has agreed to take on Adam as a patient. Dr. Nielsen appears to be quite well-qualified, starting with graduation summa cum laude from a most prestigious medical school back East. The list of credits is quite extensive. Here. Read them for yourself.\u201d He handed the telegram across the table to Ben who read the credits aloud.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cQuite impressive! When do we leave for San Francisco?\u201d Ben asked with a broad smile.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t. Dr. Nielsen is coming to Virginia City! On the noon stage in three days. I was so excited that I left that part of the message in my office.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cComing here?\u201d Little Joe could hardly contain his excitement.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDadburnit! That\u2019s the best news I\u2019ve heard in days!\u201d Hoss could barely contain his own excitement.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s face lit up like a thousand candles. \u201cWell, of course it\u2019s wonderful news. And I hope that Dr. Nielsen will stay here with us for as long as necessary!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Martin beamed. \u201cI knew you would say that, so I took the liberty of extending the invitation for you. I didn\u2019t think you\u2019d mind.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben laughed out loud. \u201cOf course I don\u2019t mind! Just three more days. And I\u2019ll be there to meet the stage when it arrives.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing, who had been standing in the shadows, began to cackle and clap his hands with glee. He would see to it that the house was extra-clean and that the guest room was comfortable. Mentally he began making a list of the supplies he would need in town. After all, a doctor from San Francisco would be used to the very best meals in the West!<\/span><\/p>\n

Upstairs, alone in his room, Adam picked at his meal. He heard the laughter and the loud voices and felt very alone. And afraid. He looked at the picture beside his bed \u2013 the picture of his mother \u2013 and was grateful that he wouldn\u2019t have remembered her anyway. She had died shortly after his birth. Her name was Elizabeth but he only knew that because he had been told by the man whom he was supposed to call \u201cPa.\u201d \u201cHoss\u201d and \u201cLittle Joe\u201d were his brothers. His own name was \u201cAdam\u201d. \u201cHop Sing\u201d was the Chinese cook. They all lived on a big ranch called \u201cThe Ponderosa.\u201d This was what he had been told. It was the sum total of everything he knew.<\/span><\/p>\n

When the meal was finished, while walking the doctor outside, Ben asked if he should tell Adam that the doctor would be arriving.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDefinitely! Adam doesn\u2019t need any surprises,\u201d Doc Martin answered. \u201cI don\u2019t need to examine Adam any more. He\u2019s healing very quickly physically. But I do want to be with you when you meet the stage. I\u2019m anxious to meet this Dr. Sam Nielsen.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER EIGHT<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben had explained to him that a doctor \u2013 a noted specialist in the fairly new field of psychiatry \u2013 would be arriving soon. Adam shrugged morosely at the news and showed little interest. He showed little interest in anything.<\/span><\/p>\n

During the following days, Adam continued to stay in his room. Ben, Hoss, Little Joe and Hop Sing took turns taking his meals to him and trying to make conversation. But Adam had very little to say and his attitude made talking uncomfortable. He had pulled a book from the shelf \u2013 a book of poetry \u2013 and began reading it. It made him feel at ease.<\/span><\/p>\n

Not quite knowing how to handle this situation, Ben and his sons \u2013 and Hop Sing \u2013 let Adam have his privacy. Doc Martin had told them not to push Adam too hard, but nobody knew quite what \u201ctoo hard\u201d was. They kept their conversations limited to things like the weather, the new calves that had been born, and things that they were doing around the ranch. Adam tried to seem interested but he fooled nobody. And he certainly didn\u2019t want to be bothered by a doctor who wanted to find out what was wrong with his brain. He just wanted to be left alone to read.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER NINE<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben and Doc Martin waited at the stage depot. Ben couldn\u2019t remember when he had been so nervous, but the doctor kept reassuring him that everything would be \u201cjust fine.\u201d Ben fidgeted and fretted anyway. Doc Martin kept smiling.<\/span><\/p>\n

The stage arrived, the driver jumped down, and several people began disembarking. Ben searched their faces, trying to decide which one was Dr. Nielsen and had just about come to the conclusion that the new doctor wasn\u2019t on the stage. He watched as Doc Martin approached the stage and was helping an attractive brunette woman navigate the step down. The two talked briefly as they shook hands. Ben was confused. He was even more confused when a grinning Doc Martin approached him, smiling woman in tow, and made an astounding introduction.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBen Cartwright, I\u2019d like for you to meet Dr. Sam Nielsen. Dr. Nielsen, meet my good friend, Ben Cartwright, the father of your new patient.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben was astonished but managed to shake hands with the woman.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re Doctor\u2026..Sam\u2026\u2026Nielsen?\u201d he said lamely.<\/span><\/p>\n

The woman laughed. Turning to Doc Martin, she scolded, \u201cYou didn\u2019t tell him, did you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Martin let his eyes drift away momentarily. \u201cUh\u2026No. I don\u2019t think I did tell him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat seems to be something you failed to mention,\u201d Ben muttered, but in a kind way. After all, this woman had come a long way to help his son; he certainly didn\u2019t want to be rude.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Cartwright,\u201d began the woman. \u201cIf you had known I was a woman, would you have consented to let me work with your son?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDr. Nielsen, I wish I could tell you that it didn\u2019t matter. And I guess it doesn\u2019t. I\u2019ve read your credentials and you are obviously more than qualified. I don\u2019t know quite what to say.\u201d Ben began fidgeting again.<\/span><\/p>\n

Turning to Doc Martin, Ben looked him in the eye. \u201cWhy didn\u2019t you tell me yourself? You obviously knew \u2013 probably from that part of the telegram that you \u2018left\u2019 in your office.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow, Ben. Dr. Nielsen has a good point. Would you have allowed her to come here if you\u2019d known she was a woman?\u201d Doc Martin was still grinning.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Nielsen broke into the conversation. \u201cI\u2019d bet dollars to donuts that you\u2019ve been had, Mr. Cartwright. Obviously, this fine doctor standing here, grinning like a goat eating briars, told you that my name is Sam Nielsen. That\u2019s true. But \u2018Sam\u2019 is short for \u2018Samantha.\u2019 I\u2019m a woman, I\u2019m a doctor, and I\u2019m very good at being both.\u201d She paused. \u201cBut if you\u2019re at all uncomfortable with having me work with your son, I\u2019ll get back on the stage tomorrow and head back to San Francisco. No hard feelings. It won\u2019t be the first time that being a female doctor has been a problem.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben liked this woman. There was something very kind about her, even with her being so forthright.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDr. Nielsen,\u201d he said, \u201cI have no problem with your being a woman doctor. But I don\u2019t know if my son will or not. All we can do is see how things work out.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlease call me \u2018Sam,\u2019\u201d she said, laughing again. \u201cCalling me Dr. Nielsen sounds so formal. And I agree with you. Let\u2019s see how things work out with your son. I believe his name is \u2018Adam\u2019?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, his name is \u2018Adam\u2019. And I\u2019ll try to remember to call you \u2018Sam\u2019 if I can. I\u2019ve never called a doctor by a first name, so this will be new to me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf we\u2019re going to try to maintain a family atmosphere, we need to be on a first-name basis. Do you mind if I call you \u2018Ben\u2019?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben laughed for the first time. \u201cNot at all. But, if I had told you to call me \u2018Mr. Cartwright\u2019, what would you have done?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A shake of her head with a giggle. \u201cI\u2019d have called you \u2018Ben\u2019 anyway.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Yep, Ben approved of the woman. She had a contagious laugh; she was forthright without being rude. She was attractive and delightfully sassy. But how well would she act in performing as a doctor?<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Martin laughed at this woman doctor, but he couldn\u2019t go with Ben to the Ponderosa for introductions. Mrs. Elvin was having her first baby and he needed to be with her right now. Explaining the situation to Ben, Doc Martin shook Sam\u2019s hand, then Ben\u2019s, climbed into his buggy and drove away.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gathering Sam\u2019s luggage, Ben led the doctor to his buckboard, helped her in, and they were on their way to the Ponderosa.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTell me all about Adam,\u201d requested Sam. \u201cI need to know as much as I can before I meet him. I need to know what kind of man he is, what he likes, what he doesn\u2019t like, his hobbies, his education, his hopes and dreams\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And, in the time it took to reach the Ponderosa, Sam knew a lot about her patient. Ben was exceedingly good at condensing the needed information.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam was ready.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER TEN<\/span><\/p>\n

Hearing the buckboard\u2019s arrival, Hoss, Little Joe and Hop Sing opened the front door and hurried outside – just in time to see Ben helping a woman down from the high seat.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJoe, that\u2019s a gal!\u201d Hoss muttered.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe cocked his head. \u201cIt sure is! Maybe she\u2019s Dr. Nielsen\u2019s nurse?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing shook his head and muttered in Chinese. Then he backed silently into the house.<\/span><\/p>\n

Taking Sam\u2019s elbow, Ben led her to meet the two men.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoss. Joe. I\u2019d like you to meet Dr. Nielsen. Dr. Sam Nielsen. Sam, this is my middle son, Hoss, and my youngest son, Joseph.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss couldn\u2019t help it. As he shook the woman\u2019s hand, he gawked as he welcomed her and shook her hand a little too long. Joe was more subtle and asked not to be called \u201cJoseph.\u201d He couldn\u2019t think of anything else to say.<\/span><\/p>\n

Both sons were thinking, \u201cThis is the doctor?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam\u2019s lips twitched slightly as she stifled a laugh. \u201cI don\u2019t guess you expected to be invaded by a female, but here I am! And, please, call me \u2018Sam\u2019. \u2018Doctor Nielsen\u2019 sounds so stuffy and so formal!\u201d She made a face and rolled her eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Her comical expression made Hoss and Little Joe laugh in spite of their surprise at the fact that she was actually a doctor. In an instant, the tension in the air was completely gone. Ben was impressed. She had used the same ploy on him and it had made him feel quite at ease.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss and Little Joe both retrieved the luggage, whispering as they did so.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow \u2018bout that? A female doctor.\u201d This from Hoss.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBoy, Adam\u2019s gonna hit the roof for sure when he meets her!!\u201d This from Little Joe.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam and Ben entered the house. Sam\u2019s eyes took in everything in quick order.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat a beautiful home you have, Ben,\u201d she said. \u201cVery comfortable, very well-appointed, very welcoming.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing appeared, his slanted eyes looking at the visitor curiously and with a wee bit of animosity.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I mustn\u2019t forget to introduce the most important man on the Ponderosa,\u201d Ben said smiling. \u201cThis is Hop Sing, the best cook you\u2019ll ever find.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam surprised Ben completely as she bowed formally, in Chinese tradition, and addressed Hop Sing in his native language.<\/span><\/p>\n

A broad smile began to spread across Hop Sing\u2019s face as Sam spoke. The more she spoke, the broader his smile became as he bowed and then answered her in Chinese.<\/span><\/p>\n

With glee, Hop Sing turned his eyes to Ben. \u201cMissie Doctor Sam\u2019s room all ready. Coffee ready to pour. Sit, please.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben chuckled to himself. Hop Sing was always quite formal with women visitors to the Ponderosa until he got to know them well. Sam was working wonders already. Could she work wonders with Adam?<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam was anxious to meet Adam but knew that manners came first. \u201cCoffee sounds wonderful. I\u2019d love to sit down for a few minutes, Ben, if that\u2019s all right with you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And so they sat and talked. One woman, three Cartwrights, and even one Chinese cook. Meanwhile, the fourth Cartwright remained upstairs, steadfastly reading his book of poetry.<\/span><\/p>\n

Time flew by. Hop Sing excused himself as he headed for the kitchen to prepare the evening meal. Sam hadn\u2019t meant to sit for so long, but she truly enjoyed the company of these men. However, the time had come for her to meet Adam.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll make the introductions,\u201d Ben announced rising.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Ben. It\u2019s better if I meet Adam by myself. He doesn\u2019t know that I\u2019m the doctor yet, even though you\u2019ve told him that a doctor is to arrive. We need to talk about this, just the two of us.\u201d Sam looked steadily into Ben\u2019s eyes. \u201cGive me a thirty-minute warning before supper is served.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Having been told where Adam\u2019s room was located, Sam walked up the stairs alone.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Lordy,\u201d Hoss moaned.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER ELEVEN<\/span><\/p>\n

An unwelcoming \u201ccome in\u201d was the response to Sam\u2019s knock on Adam\u2019s door. And so she entered the room and found Adam, in his bathrobe and slippers, sitting in a chair and reading a book of poetry. He looked up, surprised to see that there was a woman standing in his room. The \u201cman\u201d in him took over as he quickly assessed his visitor. Curly brunette hair with copper highlights, green eyes, a smattering of freckles across her small nose, full lips, taller than average, shapely body. Putting the book down, he rose to his feet and was met with a smile, revealing astonishingly white teeth.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHello, Adam,\u201d the visitor said. \u201cI\u2019m Doctor Samantha Nielsen.\u201d She extended her hand, and Adam found himself reflexively shaking it. His grip was firm; so was hers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo. I hear you\u2019ve come to investigate my brain, Doctor Nielsen,\u201d Adam said sarcastically.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think the word \u2018investigate\u2019 is a poor choice of words.\u201d Sam countered. \u201cI\u2019d prefer to use the word \u2018nudge\u2019 instead.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs you wish,\u201d countered Adam, sitting back down.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo you mind if I sit down too?\u201d asked Sam.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam shrugged and pointed to a chair across the room. Sam\u2019s skirts rustled as she moved across the floor and sat down.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo you remember anything at all about yourself, your past, your family?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam raised an eyebrow. \u201cYou don\u2019t beat around the bush, do you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNope,\u201d came the succinct answer.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo. I don\u2019t remember anything,\u201d Adam said, a wistfulness in his voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d be scared spitless if I had lost my memory,\u201d Sam mused. Deliberately.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam looked at her and sighed. \u201cI\u2019m not scared.\u201d He lied, of course.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re a better man than I am\u2026\u201d began Sam, falling back on a quote from a book she\u2019d read.<\/span><\/p>\n

Without thinking, Adam finished the quote, \u201c\u2026Gunga Din.\u201d Then he wondered why he had said that. How odd.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam said nothing. Her eyes and her demeanor gave no sign that Adam had remembered something.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know why you\u2019re here,\u201d Adam said brusquely. \u201cI don\u2019t need a doctor.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe not. But I\u2019m here anyway, for the sake of your father and brothers. They\u2019re very worried about you. They don\u2019t know how to act or what to do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With sarcasm dripping from every word, Adam answered. \u201cAnd you\u2019re gonna fix me and make me all better. Maybe you have some kind of magic potion for restoring memories?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam\u2019s eyebrow shot up to her hairline. \u201cLook, Adam. I don\u2019t care if you like me or not. I don\u2019t care if you call me \u2018Sam\u2019 which I prefer, or if you call me \u2018Doctor Sam\u2019 or \u2018Doctor Nielsen\u2019 or whatever makes you comfortable. But I worked extremely hard to become a doctor, and I\u2019m a damn good one. I ask nothing from you but that you give me respect. I\u2019ll accept nothing less. And I\u2019ll do the same for you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Surprised, Adam spoke. \u201cYou don\u2019t mince words, do you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNope.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The conversation was interrupted by a shout from Hoss. \u201cSupper in thirty minutes!\u201d Sam was hungry, and the aroma wafting from the kitchen made her mouth water.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAhhh,\u201d she sighed happily. \u201cFood! Get dressed and let\u2019s go eat!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not going downstairs. Somebody will bring my food up. You go ahead and go.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAbsolutely not!\u201d said Sam firmly. \u201cGet dressed and go eat with the rest of the family.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFamily? I don\u2019t know them!\u201d Adam snorted.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I don\u2019t either!\u201d stormed Sam. \u201cI\u2019ve had a very long trip. I\u2019m tired. I\u2019m hungry. I\u2019m supposed to sit at a table with three men I met just a little while ago and make polite conversation all by myself? And, if my nose tells me correctly, there\u2019s a Chinese cook who insists on calling me \u2018Missie Doctor Sam\u2019 and who has tried to flamb\u00e9 a dessert and failed miserably.\u2019 She paused. \u201cAre you gonna throw me to the lions?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In spite of himself, Adam gave a lop-sided smile. \u201cIt wouldn\u2019t be very mannerly, would it?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHardly. Now get dressed. And shave, for God\u2019s sake! You look like a bear!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He couldn\u2019t help it. He actually liked this woman.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou gonna watch me shave and get dressed?\u201d he asked, a gleam in his eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShave, yes. Get dressed, no. I\u2019ll turn my back. I\u2019m not leaving this room without you!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you trust me?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo!\u201d Sam was emphatic.<\/span><\/p>\n

And, while Adam shaved, Sam took her time perusing this man. Dark, curly hair, tanned skin, hazel eyes, cupid\u2019s-bow mouth, broad chest and shoulders, long fingers. He was an attractive man, but she wondered if he was aware of it.<\/span><\/p>\n

She watched as Adam pulled a shirt and trousers from the armoire.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUh,\u201d he said, with another slight grin, \u201cyou\u2019re supposed to turn your back while I get dressed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI did say that, didn\u2019t I?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYep.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Dutifully turning her back as she listened to the sounds of clothing coming off, Sam looked at the bookshelves. \u201cWhat a wonderful collection of books!\u201d She ran her fingers over the spines of several of them. Offhandedly, she asked, \u201cDid you read them all?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYep.\u201d Again, Adam answered without thinking. He wondered how he knew that he had read the books when the titles weren\u2019t familiar to him. He waited to see if the woman would make a comment, but she didn\u2019t. He didn\u2019t know that she had taken mental notes of what he said when he wasn\u2019t forcing himself to concentrate.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOkay. I\u2019m decent. You can turn around now.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam wasn\u2019t expecting what she saw. This man, this Adam Cartwright, wasn\u2019t just attractive. He was downright handsome!<\/span><\/p>\n

They walked downstairs together.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER TWELVE<\/span><\/p>\n

As Adam and Sam began to cross the floor, nearing the dining room table, Ben whispered, \u201cJust act natural. Let\u2019s have a pleasant conversation without pushing Adam to remember anything.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Always the gentleman, whether it was from memory or not, Adam pulled out an empty chair for Sam. He took the seat to her right; Ben was seated to her left. The vegetables were already on the table, and now Hop Sing scurried out bearing a huge platter of expertly-cooked rack of lamb.<\/span><\/p>\n

As Ben carved the meat, complimenting the cook on a job well done, Adam actually smiled. \u201cLamb! One of my favorites!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss, astounded, began, \u201cHow did\u2026.?\u201d What he had meant to say was, \u201cHow did you know that it\u2019s one of your favorites?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He felt a kick to the shins under the table, saw Sam bite her tongue slightly, and never finished the sentence.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam finished it for him. \u201cHow did Hop Sing know that lamb is one of my favorites? One of you must\u2019ve told him. How thoughtful!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Conversation was not as tense as Ben had thought it would be. Although Adam had little to say, he seemed to be listening intently to things that pertained to the ranch. He paid special attention when the conversation turned to questions about Sam, her parents (who were now dead), her life as a child and adult, her education, her likes and dislikes, how she worked hard to become a doctor. She had a way with words, turning dreary subjects into funny ones \u2013 often making everybody at the table laugh out loud.<\/span><\/p>\n

The main meal being finished, Hop Sing brought in a somewhat seared dessert. He apologized and said to scrape off the burned parts \u2013 the rest would be tasty. He was right. Sam cut her eyes at Adam and they shared a conspiratorial grin.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing,\u201d began Sam, speaking in Chinese, \u201cthe first time I ever tried to flamb\u00e9 a dessert, I caught my hair on fire. My father threw a bucket of water on my head while my mother ran in circles, shrieking like a banshee. The water filled the dessert tin, and it tipped over, fell on the floor and the whole mushy mess floated across the kitchen. I\u2019ve never tried to flamb\u00e9 anything since.\u201d Hop Sing laughed heartily. Then Sam realized she had been speaking in Chinese and had to re-tell the story in English. Sam laughed at herself easily, and Adam liked the way her freckled nose wrinkled.<\/span><\/p>\n

And soon, after eating for the first time with the family he didn\u2019t remember, Adam realized the experience hadn\u2019t been bad at all. The group retired to the great room to sit in front of the fireplace. Ben offered a glass of brandy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo I like brandy?\u201d Adam asked. This was the first time he had asked a question about himself in many days.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben handled it well. \u201cSometimes you do, sometimes you don\u2019t.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI guess this is a time that I do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And everybody had a snifter whether they really wanted to or not. The evening was growing late, and Sam felt bone-weary.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPlease excuse me,\u201d she said. \u201cI guess all that good food plus the brandy has made me sleepy. I think I\u2019ll just troddle off to bed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As she stood up, all four Cartwrights rose to their feet. And Hop Sing was at the door to the guest room downstairs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis Missie Doctor Sam\u2019s room,\u201d he said proudly. He had taken great pains to make it as aesthetically-pleasing as possible when he discovered that \u201cthe doctor\u201d was a nice lady who spoke Chinese.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSleep well,\u201d called Ben as Sam made her way into the bedroom.<\/span><\/p>\n

When her door was closed, Ben said softly, \u201cShe\u2019s quite a woman.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam, swirling the last of his brandy in its snifter, answered, \u201cYes, she is.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER THIRTEEN<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam rose early the next morning just as the sun was beginning to rise. He felt rested and physically stronger. Looking at his reflection in the mirror as he shaved, he considered the fact that he just knew how to perform this task. Vaguely he wondered if this was a memory or just something that he had done so long that his body remembered all by itself.<\/span><\/p>\n

He turned his attention to the books on the shelves, running his fingers along the spines and reading the titles and the authors. The complete works of Shakespeare, lots of books of poetry, a book written by Milton\u2026 To his surprise, he remembered not only the books and authors\u2019 names \u2013 he remembered the contents of the books and when he had read them for the first time. With each book he touched, he heard an almost audible click in his mind as a door seemed to open in his memory.<\/span><\/p>\n

All of a sudden, he was ravenously hungry. It would be too early yet for Hop Sing to be serving (click), but he dressed in a hurry and headed downstairs. He planned to go outside and just walk around a bit.<\/span><\/p>\n

The house was quiet except for the muted sounds of voices in the kitchen. There he found Sam and Hop Sing in deep conversation. Speaking in Chinese. Hop Sing was just beginning to make coffee, and Sam was cracking eggs and adding their contents to a big bowl.<\/span><\/p>\n

Today, Sam was dressed in jeans and a shirt rolled up to her elbows. And she was barefoot. Adam gave her body an appreciative once-over. He liked what he saw. He had underestimated her yesterday \u2013 she definitely had a well-sculptured body with graceful curves and dips in all the right places! Her brunette hair was fastened by a clasp behind her neck. Yesterday it had been piled on top of her head. The morning\u2019s light reflected off the copper highlights; errant waves and curls straggled around her face.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood morning,\u201d chirped Sam, in English. \u201cI hope we didn\u2019t wake you. I was hungry and came looking for something to eat. I think I woke Hop Sing, but he denies it.\u201d She paused and then laughed. \u201cPut your eyes back in your head, Mister! If my backside could blush, it would!<\/span><\/p>\n

Caught, Adam looked away. But he wasn\u2019t embarrassed in the least. \u201cAnd good morning to you two. And I\u2019ll have you know that I\u2019m just appreciating the beauty of the morning.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam snorted and reached for a whisk.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing cackled happily as he put the coffee on the stove. \u201cMissie Doctor Sam got eggs for breakfast.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam snorted. \u201cI got attacked by the chickens for my trouble, too.\u201d She held up her hands showing little red marks from the chicken beaks. \u201cA murderous lot, those creatures. I was lucky to get away with my life!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing is the only person who can collect eggs without physical harm, \u201cAdam began. Click. His mouth turned up at the corners. \u201cYou were lucky to be successful,\u201d he added as he reached into the correct cabinet for a cup. Click. The cabinets and shelves were very familiar.<\/span><\/p>\n

Looking at Sam now. \u201cWhere did you learn to speak Chinese?\u201d he asked as he leaned against the doorjamb.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn San Francisco. I have some friends there who taught me the language. It was almost in self-defense. So many doctors there speak Chinese that I felt like an outsider. I had one strike against me for being a female doctor so I decided that I needed to broaden my language skills to make myself fit in a little better. I speak a little Spanish, a little Italian, some French, and some very bad Chinese.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe speaky velly good Chinee,\u201d interjected Hop Sing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot really,\u201d Sam giggled. \u201cHop Sing asked me how old I was and I told him \u2018one hundred and twenty seven\u2019.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing cackled as he poured fresh coffee into Adam\u2019s cup. \u201cShe just make small mistake.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam laughed. \u201cHe asked you your age?\u201d He shook his finger at Hop Sing, who deliberately turned his back and began to slice bacon. \u201cWhat a rude question.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Then with a devilish grin, he asked, \u201cWell, how old are you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was only off by one hundred years, Mr. Nosy!\u201d came the retort. \u201cAnd why are you up at this hour?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cKipling. Rudyard Kipling.\u201d Adam looked smug. \u201cI remember reading the book. That\u2019s why I could finish your quote from yesterday, Gunga Din.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam clapped her hands with glee. \u201cThat\u2019s wonderful, Adam! What a positive sign!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not all,\u201d Adam continued, sipping his coffee. \u201cI remembered every book on the shelves. Titles, authors, contents. I can remember where I was when I was reading each book for the first time, too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam looked at Adam. He had the happy face of a young boy who has just performed a great miracle.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is just the beginning,\u201d Sam said. \u201cThe less you obsess on remembering, the more you will remember. Take last night\u2019s supper, for instance. You remembered that lamb is one of your favorite meats. You weren\u2019t trying to decide if you liked it or not \u2013 you just knew. Your memory will come back slowly at times and in a big rush at times. Just relax and don\u2019t obsess if things don\u2019t progress as quickly as you\u2019d like.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam nodded and smiled. \u201cI think I\u2019ll go look around the house and see if anything else comes to mind.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019m staying in the kitchen. I want to see how much food it takes to feed four big Cartwrights, one starving female, and one Chinese cook.\u201d Sam turned her attention to whisking the eggs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam strolled through the great room and ended up behind a large desk which, he assumed correctly, belonged to the man who was his father. On the desk was a trio of pictures of three beautiful women. One, he already had been told, was his mother. The other two he didn\u2019t recognize. He\u2019d ask about them later.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLater\u201d turned out to be over breakfast. He couldn\u2019t wait. And when Ben got through with the condensed version of the women, Adam could fit some parts of the missing puzzle together. Hoss and Little Joe were his half-brothers. Hoss\u2019s mother, Inger, the blond woman in the picture, was Swedish, and had died before reaching Nevada. Little Joe\u2019s mother, the other woman in the trio of pictures, was from New Orleans and had been responsible for calling her son \u201cLittle Joe.\u201d But Adam had no memory of either woman, and his face reflected his concern over the lack of remembering.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStop trying to force memories, Adam,\u201d scolded Sam quietly while Ben was talking about the Spring round-up to his other sons.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam sighed. He had been so hopeful that his memory would return in a rush\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER FOURTEEN<\/span><\/p>\n

After breakfast came morning chores. Because of his healing ribs, Adam was exempt from chopping wood and changing wheels on a wagon. While Ben caught up on bookwork, it was Sam\u2019s idea that Adam show her around outside. After pulling on her boots, she let him lead her as they both looked around. Adam felt a comfortable familiarity with everything he saw. He was relaxed.<\/span><\/p>\n

The barn smelled of hay, horses, manure, and leather. Each horse had his own stall.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat beautiful horses!\u201d Sam exclaimed. \u201cWho owns which one?\u201d She was deliberately \u201cleading\u201d Adam into opening his mind without realizing it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis Pinto\u2019s name is \u2018Cochise\u2019, and he belongs to Little Joe. The big Bay in the next stall belongs to Hoss. Over here is the Buckskin that belongs to Pa. And over here, the Chestnut, is Sport. He\u2019s hard to handle but he\u2019s mine, and we have an understanding. Don\u2019t we, boy?\u201d He patted Sport\u2019s nose. Click. Click. Click. Click.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam looked at Adam, a smug smile lighting her face. Not only did Adam remember the names of the horses, but he referred to Ben as \u201cPa.\u201d That was a first.<\/span><\/p>\n

Suddenly realizing what he\u2019d said, Adam\u2019s face was a mixture of exultation and confusion. \u201cI can remember what the horses\u2019 names are but I still don\u2019t know who I am.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRelax, Adam,\u201d soothed Sam. \u201cRome wasn\u2019t built in a day, you know.\u201d She didn\u2019t mention that Adam had said \u201cPa.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Buoyed by this experience, Adam wanted to go riding. Now. He wanted to explore more of the Ponderosa.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCan you ride?\u201d he asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Shrugging, Sam deliberately avoided a direct answer. She could ride like the wind, but she hoped to help Adam\u2019s memory by letting him teach her a few things. \u201cI\u2019ll try anything once. Twice if I like it.\u201d She looked around. \u201cBut don\u2019t you have a horse in a smaller size? These are so\u2026.big \u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam couldn\u2019t help but laugh at Sam\u2019s answer. Confidently he strode over to yet another stall. \u201cOld Betsy, here, is the perfect horse for you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam deliberately looked dubious. She watched while Adam saddled Sport and Old Betsy, and knew that he was completely unaware that he was putting the correct saddles and bridles on each horse. She kept these thoughts to herself.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cReady?\u201d asked Adam, leading Old Betsy up close to Sam.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bowing her legs out in an exaggerated fashion, Sam gave an unenthusiastic \u201cYahoo.\u201d She feigned difficulty in pulling herself into the saddle and gave Adam a dubious look as he adjusted her stirrups. She watched while Adam swung expertly into his own saddle and then headed out the barn door, looking behind him to make sure that Old Betsy would follow. She did.<\/span><\/p>\n

Spending a few minutes teaching Sam the basic mechanics of how to keep her heels down in the stirrups, how to hold the reins, how to turn the horse, Sam looked ready. But Old Betsy was backing up and Sam look frightened.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStop!\u201d Sam hollered. \u201cHelp, Adam! She\u2019s backing into the barn!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam chuckled. \u201cYou\u2019re pulling the reins too tight. Loosen up a little and give her a nudge with your heels. She\u2019ll move forward.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Doing as she\u2019d been told, Sam looked triumphant. \u201cI\u2019ve got the hang of it now. Let\u2019s go somewhere!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Now Adam was confused. He didn\u2019t know where to go because he had no memory of the lay of Ponderosa land. To hide his confusion \u2013 and his frustration with himself \u2013 he suggested that they just follow the well-traveled road. He knew he could find his way back by following that road.<\/span><\/p>\n

Peeking out the window was Ben. He smiled and then looked wistfully at the picture of Elizabeth. With a sigh, he sat down and returned his attention to the lumber contract he\u2019d been reading.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss, fixing the wagon wheel, hollered, \u201cHave a good ride!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe, splitting wood, called out, \u201cHurry up and get better, big brother. I\u2019m tired of doing all your chores.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam put his hand up in the air to show that he had heard them. He and Sam continued down the road, Sam sliding around in the saddle every now and then.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER FIFTEEN<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam was honestly interested in seeing the Ponderosa and she was enjoying the ride and being able to look at the trees and small animals that scampered about. But the view from the main road soon became boring. As she was about to lie, tell Adam that she was getting saddle-sore and wanted to go back, he stopped and looked around. There was a small trail that appeared to his right. He pinched the bridge of his nose and cocked his head. This was a physical clue, Sam knew, of a person\u2019s struggle as a memory tried to come through. She sat quietly until Adam spoke.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s go this way,\u201d he said as he neck-reined Sport to the right.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam followed. The two riders were surrounded by Ponderosa pines, lush green grass, and beautiful wild flowers. The day was turning into a beautiful afternoon, the sky was blue beyond the tops of the trees. Sam was enjoying this part of the ride, not only for the scenery, but because Adam seemed to be a man with a purpose. Coming through the last of the trees, was a small meadow. And beyond that \u2013 the most beautiful thing she had seen in a while. A panoramic view of mountains and tree lines and the shimmering waters of Lake Tahoe!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is what Pa saw that made him want to live here. A long time ago. On a search for food when we were part of the wagon train,\u201d Adam said softly. \u201cI remember him telling me about it when I was little, and he brought me here to show it to me. I remember it as clear as though it were yesterday!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam said simply, \u201cIt\u2019s a beautiful view, Adam. I can see for miles and miles. I understand why he wanted to settle around here.\u201d She was afraid to say too much, afraid that she might interrupt his memory.<\/span><\/p>\n

They sat there for a while, sharing a companionable silence. Then Adam looked around. There were several trails going further into the trees. He pinched the bridge of his nose again.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis way, I think,\u201d he said as he chose a trail. It was well-worn and easy to follow, and he nudged Sport into a trot.<\/span><\/p>\n

Old Betsy was a gentle horse, but her trot was of the \u201csingle-foot\u201d variety, and Sam was jounced around until her backside screamed at her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam! We\u2019ve got to slow down! Please! I can\u2019t stand this pace \u2013 I think my teeth are about to fall out from all this bouncing!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam had all but forgotten that anyone was with him. \u201cSorry,\u201d he said. \u201cNot much farther now.\u201d He slowed Sport to a walk.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam sighed with relief. Even though she was an excellent horsewoman, sitting Old Betsy\u2019s trot was a nightmare.<\/span><\/p>\n

Suddenly, the two riders came into a huge clearing. Adam pinched the bridge of his nose again and dismounted. Approaching Sam, he said, \u201cThis is the place. Let\u2019s walk a little and let the horses graze.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell,\u201d began Sam, \u201cfor God\u2019s sake, help me get off this creature!\u201d Adam laughed as he helped the woman down. And he laughed again as Sam muttered, \u201cThe Ponderosa is full of murderous creatures. The chickens tried to kill me first and, failing that, Old Betsy has tried to finish the job.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam took her farther into the clearing where the wildflowers were just beginning to bloom. The deep red of Indian Paintbrush could be seen everywhere. It was a beautiful setting.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam stepped in a woodchuck hole and almost fell. Adam caught her before she hit the ground, his hand grazing the soft curve of a breast. He gave her a lop-sided grin, one that she would grow to love.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, stop groping me, will you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLady, if I was even trying to grope you, you\u2019d know it!\u201d He said it with a twinkle in his eyes, but Sam knew that he was serious.<\/span><\/p>\n

This was a different Adam than the one she knew. More confident. More in control. And he was now walking purposefully to a clover-strewn spot. Reaching it, he turned in a slow circle, a faraway look in his eyes. Another lop-sided grin.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou gonna let me in on the joke?\u201d Sam asked. Adam was obviously remembering something.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSuellen Terry.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSue who?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA girl I used to go out with. We had a picnic here once\u2026\u201d Adam hid a smirk behind his hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, tell me about it,\u201d Sam pushed. Adam obviously remembered something quite interesting.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI remember the day,\u201d he said, thinking and rubbing his cheek with his hand, still smirking. \u201cI remember the food, the conversation, the girl, what she wore. But that\u2019s all I\u2019ll tell you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam ballooned out her cheeks. She had a mental image of two naked bodies rolling in the clover \u2013 and she felt a pang of jealousy. She was surprised at herself and had to remind herself that Adam was her patient. Nothing more.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSounds quite personal,\u201d she managed to say.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cQuite,\u201d came the answer, the smirk still there.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo you still go out with this girl?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Adam answered flatly. \u201cShe got murdered.\u201d The smirk disappeared. \u201cI got arrested but the killer was finally found. I had to kill the man in self-defense.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Trying to be professional, Sam spoke. \u201cAdam, the main thing is that you\u2019re remembering. Names. Faces. Places. Relationships. The good and the bad. I\u2019m sorry for your loss and I\u2019m sorry that you had to kill a man, but these things are woven into the fabric of who you are. You\u2019re doing very well at putting pieces of the puzzle together.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Stepping close to Sam, Adam looked into her green eyes. \u201cYou give me encouragement. Do you realize how important that is?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam tingled all over. She hoped that he would kiss her \u2013 and then she prayed he wouldn\u2019t. He didn\u2019t. Just at that moment, her stomach made an enormous growling sound, and the two people laughed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLunch time,\u201d said Adam. \u201cLet\u2019s head back and feed that noisy stomach.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCan we please not go at a trot again?\u201d begged Sam. \u201cI don\u2019t think my backside can take any more punishment.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam chuckled. \u201cWe have to walk on this trail anyway. It\u2019s too full of potholes to go any faster.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam\u2019s legs had gotten stiff already. She hadn\u2019t ridden a horse in a while and pretending to slip and slide, together with Old Betsy\u2019s uneven trot, had tightened her muscles. She couldn\u2019t get her foot in the stirrup securely enough to raise her up to throw her right leg over the saddle.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDammit,\u201d she muttered.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam was at her side. \u201cNeed some help?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sighing, Sam nodded her head. Shoving her left foot into the stirrup, she rose into the air easily. Because Adam had a firm grip on her backside.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam!!\u201d Sam chastised.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam backed away and spread his arms out wide. \u201cI wasn\u2019t groping, Gunga Din. I just gave you a little boost.\u201d He looked so innocent. \u201cAnd it isn\u2019t polite for a lady to swear.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam rolled her eyes. She was speechless because of the emotions whirling around her head and her body. She had felt jealousy because Adam had been with another woman (she knew intellectually that he had probably been with many women, but somehow she didn\u2019t want to hear about it); she had tingled at the nearness of this man; and she actually had liked the feel of his hand on her breast and her backside.<\/span><\/p>\n

When she found her voice, she was curt. \u201cDo you have memory enough to find your way back home?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam looked at her strangely. \u201cYes, I do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Softening her voice, Sam said, \u201cWell, don\u2019t get too far ahead of me. I don\u2019t want to be lost and hungry.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t lose you, Gunga Din,\u201d Adam said, his voice equally gentle.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER SIXTEEN<\/span><\/p>\n

By the time Adam and Sam arrived at the Ponderosa, both riders were hungry. Helping Sam dismount, Adam remarked that Hoss and Joe weren\u2019t yet home because their horses weren\u2019t tied up outside.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHoss won\u2019t miss a meal,\u201d Adam grinned. Click \u201cHop Sing must\u2019ve packed a lunch for him and Joe to take while they\u2019re out mending fences.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben was still sitting at his desk when Adam and Sam entered the house. Adam\u2019s face was animated.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben looked up quickly. Adam hadn\u2019t called him \u201cPa\u201d since the accident. He never called Ben by any name at all.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam stayed in the background to watch how this scene would play out.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI remember you,\u201d Adam said in a gush. \u201cWell, I remember that you\u2019re my Pa. I don\u2019t remember anything about you yet. But I found a trail that took us to the Tahoe overlook. And I remembered that you took me there when I was little and told me that this was the land where we would put down our roots.\u201d Adam stopped to catch his breath.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben rose so abruptly that a sheaf of papers fell on the floor. Quickly he was at Adam\u2019s side, putting his arm around Adam\u2019s shoulder.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s wonderful, son. Just wonderful!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The love and the happiness in Ben\u2019s eyes were unmistakable. Sam smiled to herself. How heartwarming this scene was.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa, do you remember a girl named Suellen Terry?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A slight frown creased Ben\u2019s face. \u201cI do. What about her?\u201d It was obvious to Sam that Ben hadn\u2019t cared much for this particular girl. Sam was glad.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI remembered her. I remembered everything about her. And I also know that she got killed by the sheriff and that I killed the sheriff in self-defense.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s face relaxed. \u201cYou did what you had to do under the circumstances, son.\u201d Then, \u201cDid you remember anything else?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere were some trails that I thought looked familiar \u2013 trails that I want to explore at a later time. Right now, I\u2019m famished.\u201d Both Adam and Ben realized that Sam was standing at a bit of a distance, and she was smiling. Her freckled nose was wrinkling.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, Sam and I both are hungry,\u201d Adam amended. \u201cI\u2019m gonna ask Hop Sing to shake a leg and put some sandwiches on the table.\u201d He turned and hurried toward the kitchen.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam approached Ben and spoke quickly. \u201cDoors are beginning to open in Adam\u2019s mind. If you have anything at all around the house, even things that you don\u2019t think are important, put them out where Adam can see them. Some old things, some new things, anything you think might be important. And don\u2019t tell him too much information \u2013 he needs to know that he remembers, not that he knows details because he\u2019s been told. Let Hoss and Little Joe know this also.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben nodded as Adam burst into the room and saw that the two were in deep conversation. \u201cWhat are you two concocting?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAbsolutely nothing,\u201d Sam interjected quickly. \u201cI was telling Ben about Old Betsy and that awful trot. When we go riding again, Adam, I want a horse that is skinnier and who has the common decency to move without jarring my insides into mush.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh,\u201d replied Adam, his mind on his stomach. \u201cHop Sing is bringing out food. Let\u2019s eat!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben couldn\u2019t stop smiling and he seemed more relaxed than he had been in almost two weeks. Sam could see the hope in his eyes \u2013 and in Adam\u2019s. The conversation flowed easily among the three as they ate \u2013 this was the first meal without some kind of tension.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing answered a knock at the door and found Doc Martin standing there. The cook ushered the doctor in, and Adam was the first to rise when their eyes met. Click.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHello, Doc!\u201d Adam put out his hand and clasped the surprised doctor\u2019s hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou remember me?\u201d Doc Martin asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI recognized you when you walked in the door. It\u2019s rather startling but my memory seems to kick in at strange times. Come in and let\u2019s talk.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing brought out more sandwiches, and Doc Martin sat down, shaking his head as he looked at Sam. \u201cApparently you\u2019ve been a big help, but I\u2019d like to hear how Adam is recovering so fast. Oh, and by the way, I brought your mail in from town. Everybody seems to be asking how you are; now I can tell them that you\u2019re progressing quite well.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam looked at Sam. Her face was relaxed, and her nose wrinkled slightly as she smiled. Adam was becoming an expert at looking at Sam when she didn\u2019t know it, and he was beginning to feel a special bond with this woman. She was patient at times, sassy at times, and very easy to talk to. She never pushed him, was understanding when he couldn\u2019t remember things, and highly supportive when he did remember things. Sam was a very special lady.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam now answered Doc Martin. \u201cI\u2019m not doing anything. Adam is just relaxing and letting memories wash over him. Let him tell you about what he\u2019s learned so far.\u201d She rose from the table. \u201cI need to write some things down \u2013 I\u2019m documenting Adam\u2019s progress. I\u2019m learning just as much as he is.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Martin handed her a sheaf of letters. A shadow crossed Sam\u2019s face as she looked at the envelopes \u2013 and Adam, always the scrutinizer \u2013 noticed the slight frown.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot bad news, I hope,\u201d he said softly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d was all Sam said. Entering her bedroom quickly, she gathered up a pad of paper, a pencil, and some envelopes. Exiting her room, she announced that she\u2019d be outside. Adam saw her drop a letter but said nothing; it slid, unnoticed, under the table by the door.<\/span><\/p>\n

Doc Martin stayed for quite a while and Ben listened to the doctor and Adam\u2019s conversation, adding a few things here and there. Though Adam\u2019s memories of the doctor weren\u2019t complete, his hopes grew higher.<\/span><\/p>\n

When Doc Martin was ready to leave, both Ben and Adam walked him to the door. Adam leaned down quickly to retrieve the letter that Sam had dropped but hid it in his back pocket. Though Ben wanted to talk to his eldest son, Adam preferred to go outside and see what Sam was doing.<\/span><\/p>\n

She was stretched out in a chair in the sunshine and her head lolled gently to the side. She was asleep. Adam watched her, feeling a tingling sensation at the back of his neck. Sam had taken off her boots and stretched her long legs out, an action that pulled her jeans tight across her belly. There was a certain \u201ccrease\u201d that Adam\u2019s eyes fixed on. Another tingle, but one deep in his body \u2013 a heat that increased as he let his eyes travel upwards across the snugness of her shirt which revealed the soft curves beneath the fabric. Her lips were relaxed and full; her eyelashes soft and dark across her skin.<\/span><\/p>\n

Making himself look away from her \u2013 not an easy task \u2013 Adam looked at the letter he had hidden. He read the return address. Dr. Robert Sternberg was the name on it. Adam was curious but assumed that this was a colleague.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kneeling beside her, Adam touched her arm. She stirred slightly. Lightly pulling an errant curl, Adam said softly, \u201cGunga Din?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam woke up slowly. She stretched like a cat and opened her eyes \u2013 seeing hazel eyes staring at her. \u201cWhen are you gonna stop calling me that silly name,\u201d she teased gently as she pulled his hair in retaliation. Suddenly, Adam felt that his jeans were too tight, and he shifted positions.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou dropped a letter inside,\u201d Adam said, trying to distance his mind from where it had been traveling. \u201cI thought it might be important.\u201d He didn\u2019t bother to say he had read the return address, and he didn\u2019t ask who this \u201cDr. Sternberg\u201d was.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam took the letter from him and sat up. Her demeanor changed. \u201cIt\u2019s just another doctor. Probably wanting to know when I\u2019m coming back.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam knew she was lying but didn\u2019t know why. He convinced himself to stay out of her business. Looking at the ground, he saw the large pad of paper, filled with writing from top to bottom.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIs this about me?\u201d he asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUh huh,\u201d came the answer. \u201cI told you I was documenting everything that\u2019s happened with you so far. It\u2019s something that doctors do now.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam wanted to read what was written but kept his mouth shut. Instead, he just said, \u201cOh.\u201d Then he looked toward the horses, still standing at the hitching post. \u201cDo you want to ride some more today?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam rolled her eyes. \u201cI don\u2019t think my body can stand any more riding. Can we do that tomorrow instead?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam was disappointed \u2013 he wanted to spend some more time with her alone \u2013 but he graciously accepted her answer.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen I\u2019ll take them into the barn and give them a good brushing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Abruptly he rose and walked toward the horses. Sam\u2019s eyes followed him, noting the easy grace in his walk. She took a deep breath and then opened the letter that Adam had brought her, the words evoking mixed emotions. Putting the letter back into its envelope, she began writing a letter of her own.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN<\/span><\/p>\n

For two days, Adam could remember nothing. Oh, he had fleeting glimpses of a person or a thing that came and went in his mind\u2019s eye, but nothing like he had been experiencing before. He and Sam went riding each day, and a trail or two would seem familiar but offered nothing as to why it was familiar. A trip to town for supplies only frustrated him \u2013 people\u2019s faces seemed familiar but he couldn\u2019t remember any names. He didn\u2019t remember Sheriff Roy Coffee, but he had the feeling that he should have. The same thing with the owner of the General Store and the bank president. He didn\u2019t remember \u201cCosmo\u201d in what Hoss had told Sam was Adam\u2019s favorite saloon. The chess set and the cribbage board that Ben had set out weren\u2019t unfamiliar, but Adam didn\u2019t remember how the games were played.<\/span><\/p>\n

His laughter ceasing, Adam became withdrawn again, resorting to re-reading a book he knew was familiar. He stayed in his room, gloomy and resentful, coming downstairs only for meals. And that was due to Sam\u2019s prodding and pushing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam discussed this problem with Ben, Hoss, Joe and even Hop Sing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s hit a brick wall in his memory,\u201d explained Sam. \u201cIt happens more frequently than one would imagine. He was so very excited at first and now he\u2019s frustrated and a little angry that his mind is withholding information. He wants so desperately to remember Hoss and Joe, and he just can\u2019t. You are the people who matter most to him but he can\u2019t make the relationship \u2018fit\u2019.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben puffed on his pipe. And he asked the question that nobody had dared to ask. \u201cWill he ever get his memory back? Completely?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam thought a minute before she spoke the words nobody wanted to hear. \u201cI think you ought to consider the possibility that there may only be a few break-throughs. It\u2019s possible that his memory may not fully return. Having said that, you can\u2019t give up. It may take only one or two incidents to open those closed doors. Be patient.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And she was right. And it all started on Sunday when the family attended church.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER NINETEEN<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell!\u201d said Sam as he gave each man an appreciative glance. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing more handsome than an entire family dressed for church. Coats and string ties, crisp clean shirts. Freshly shaven. This is a real treat!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe grinned. \u201cWell, ma\u2019am, you look absolutely beautiful. What more could four men ask for than to escort such a fine-lookin\u2019 woman to town!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben and Hoss laughed. Adam gave a grudging smile and, catching Sam\u2019s eye, he deliberately let his eyes travel up and down her body. Very slowly. Stopping at key points along the way. He got the response he hoped for \u2013 Sam blushed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cVery pretty,\u201d was all he said, but his eyes spoke volumes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam had been subtle when she had looked Adam over. He was too busy being difficult to get along with to notice Sam\u2019s perusal. His dark hair, his black string tie, his crisp white shirt and dark pin-striped pants, his black hat and gold jacket made him look like every woman\u2019s dream. Wondering vaguely why he wasn\u2019t married yet, Sam allowed her mind to wander. And she had blushed at the thoughts that ran through her head.<\/span><\/p>\n

Only Adam chose to ride horseback into Virginia City. Everybody else piled into the surrey, with Sam giggling as Hoss settled himself in and the surrey tipped to his side slightly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Townsfolk were gathered in front of the church as Sam and the Cartwright family arrived and were greeted. Everybody by now had heard of Doctor Sam Nielsen and why she had come to the Ponderosa. Adam was well-liked; he had no idea how many people prayed for his speedy recovery. He shook hands with folks who had familiar faces, but he was distracted. It was the sound of the organ playing softly in the background. Somehow, the music touched him deeply. He pinched the bridge of his nose, deep in thought.<\/span><\/p>\n

Inside the church, the music was louder. Adam began to hum softly, feeling his body relax. But it was the singing of the hymns that brought a flurry of flashes so quickly that he couldn\u2019t hold onto them. No matter. He was happy just singing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Only Sam noticed that Adam never looked at the words to the songs in the hymn book. Only she had noticed when he had pinched the bridge of his nose. As she listened to his perfectly-pitched, perfectly-tuned baritone voice, she was swept away with hope. And a much deeper feeling\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER TWENTY<\/span><\/p>\n

The church service being over, once again the townsfolk gathered outside to talk. Sam and the Cartwrights were involved in pleasant conversation with Doc Martin when Sam realized that Adam wasn\u2019t anywhere around. Puzzled, Sam looked around just in time to see the church organist, Mrs. Elvin, walking down the church steps with Adam. And in Adam\u2019s arms was Mrs. Elvin\u2019s two-week old baby! Adam looked completely at ease as he and Mrs. Elvin walked up to Ben.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPa, look here,\u201d Adam began. \u201cHe reminds me so much of Hoss when Hoss was a baby.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Stunned at what Adam had just said, Ben peered at the newest Elvin child. Indeed, the infant had big blue eyes that seemed to miss nothing \u2013 very reminiscent of Hoss\u2019s baby eyes, alert and aware.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam continued. \u201cJoe was much smaller when he was born. But I remember Marie letting me hold him a lot while she tended to other things.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

At this moment, the infant in Adam\u2019s arms began to cry but, instead of handing the child over to his mother, Adam began to hum a melody that Ben had almost forgotten.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, Hoss\u2019s mother used to sing to you when you couldn\u2019t go to sleep. That\u2019s the melody to her lullaby!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Very quietly, Sam spoke to Adam. \u201cHum the melody some more, Adam. The words are not far behind.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Bouncing the baby gently, Adam\u2019s eyes began taking on a faraway look. The words came haltingly at first and then more quickly. But they weren\u2019t in English. Adam looked confused.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s eyes welled up for just a moment. \u201cInger sang that lullaby in Swedish. I never could learn the words, but apparently you remember them.\u201d Then, hoping to swing the doors of Adam\u2019s memory wider, Ben added. \u201cMarie used to sing to you and your brothers. Do you remember her favorite song?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam rubbed the infant\u2019s tiny hand and felt the fingers wrap around his own finger. Click. With little hesitation, Adam began singing softly to the baby. Another song that touched Ben\u2019s heart. Adam was singing in French, just the way Marie used to.<\/span><\/p>\n

The infant had stopped crying and seemed quite calm. Mrs. Elvin smiled as Adam handed the child into her waiting arms.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI remember, Pa,\u201d Adam said, a hoarseness in his voice. He looked around and saw children playing marbles. Click. One little boy was rolling a hoop with a stick. Click. Adam remembered playing those games with his brothers. Looking around at the buildings, Adam\u2019s eyes fell on the one-room school house. Click. And on other buildings. Click. Click. Click. People\u2019s faces now had names, and Adam remembered who they were and what they did.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam looked at Adam\u2019s face and realized he was being overwhelmed with memories. Quietly, she suggested to Ben that they go back to the Ponderosa before Adam became overloaded too soon. Ben took Sam\u2019s wise advice and soon the family was on its way home. But this time, Adam rode in front of the surrey rather than behind it. He rode easy in the saddle, back straight and shoulders squared. Confident again.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoes he really remember us?\u201d Hoss asked. \u201cJust like that \u2013 all of a sudden?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben answered, \u201cIt would appear so. But I don\u2019t know what triggered it.\u201d He turned to look at Sam.<\/span><\/p>\n

Smiling broadly, Sam answered. \u201cNobody knows how or why things like this happen. But they do. And right now we don\u2019t know if Adam has long-term memory recovery or if short-term memory recovery is included. Don\u2019t push him. He\u2019s very excited now. Let him tell you what he knows.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s exuberance went on and on through lunch. The subdued Adam was gone \u2013 replaced now by a flurry of talking about things he remembered. Hop Sing even pulled up a chair to listen. There was the memory of Inger\u2019s death. Hoss\u2019s real name. Marie\u2019s death. What the original house had looked like before a fire burned it down. The people who had helped rebuild it. The names of friends, living and dead. Anecdotes about each member of the family \u2013 including Hop Sing. Memories of past Spring round-ups. Being thrown and trampled by the mustang. Each memory seemed to spawn another and another.<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, Sam spoke rather firmly to Adam. \u201cYou need to rest your mind for a while. Why don\u2019t you find something quiet to do for just a while?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid to stop, Gunga Din,\u201d came the answer. \u201cI\u2019m afraid my memory will disappear again.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Shaking her head, Sam spoke the truth. \u201cNothing will take away what\u2019s already come back. You\u2019ll remember more and more as the days go by. I promise.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Touching Sam\u2019s arm gently, Adam excused himself. \u201cI think I\u2019ll go for a ride. That\u2019s the most relaxing thing I can do right now.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And it was. The familiar creaking of the saddle, the feel of Sport\u2019s gait, familiar trails to be followed \u2013 all allowed Adam the comfort that he needed.<\/span><\/p>\n

And while he was gone, Hoss and Joe\u2019s jubilation at finally being remembered led to whoops and hollers. Hop Sing raved first in Chinese and then in English. Ben\u2019s booming laughter echoed throughout the house. Sam watched happily and then fetched her pencil and paper, went outside and began to write. Her job would soon be done here, but she wanted to document the events of the day before she forgot anything. But her heart told her that Adam was a man she would always remember.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO<\/span><\/p>\n

While standing in a copse of trees, rubbing Sport\u2019s neck, Adam listened to the wind humming a tune, listened to the songs of the birds, heard the babbling of a nearby stream. He thought about the music from the church\u2019s organ. He thought about the guitar in his bedroom. Turning Sport in the direction of home, his mind was busy. He pinched the bridge of his nose. A tiny spark of a thought flashed through his mind, and he was anxious to try something.<\/span><\/p>\n

Unseen by anyone \u2013 Hoss and Joe were in the barn; Ben was snoozing in his chair; Sam was also fast asleep outside in her usual place in the sunshine \u2013 Adam walked silently up to his room. There was something familiar now about the guitar which had been placed in a corner. Picking it up gently, Adam balanced it on his leg, allowing his left hand to curl around the neck of the instrument, his right hand over the strings on the body of the guitar. He waited. At first, nothing happened. But slowly, his left fingers found the positions he had hoped for, and he began to strum softly with the fingers of his right hand. The longer he strummed, the faster his fingers changed chords. And he remembered the names of each chord \u2013 A, C, G, F, D\u2026 Then minor chords \u2013 A minor, E minor, D minor\u2026 And the diminished chords \u2013 all of them. The easy ones and the hard ones. Soon his fingers were flying and he was playing arpeggio melodies. Words came back to him. He was at peace.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam decided to take an early bath and, with the help of Hop Sing, managed to fill the tub with hot water until it was just the right temperature. Undressing quickly, she grabbed her lavender soap and stepped into the slightly-steaming water. With a happy sigh, she submerged her entire body until she needed to breathe, and then she leaned back and began scrubbing gently with the soap and washcloth. The lavender scent was so relaxing, and she enjoyed the simple pleasures of playing with the soap bubbles.<\/span><\/p>\n

There was a light knock on her door. \u201cI\u2019m taking a bath. Who\u2019s there?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A muffled voice. \u201cAdam. I have something to tell you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be out in a few minutes, Adam,\u201d she answered.<\/span><\/p>\n

Much to her surprise, the door opened and Adam walked in.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam! I\u2019m taking a bath, for God\u2019s sake!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI see that,\u201d he answered with a devilish grin. \u201cBut I wanted to tell you something.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t care! Now get out of here!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI remembered that I can play the guitar,\u201d he grinned. Whereupon he pulled the guitar from behind his back, leaned against the doorjamb and began playing and singing a rousing chorus of \u201cCindy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The racket from Sam\u2019s hollering and the sounds of Adam\u2019s singing and guitar-playing woke Ben up. He took in the situation immediately, sprang from his chair, went through Sam\u2019s open doorway and grabbed Adam by the arm.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBen Cartwright! You\u2019ve raised a pervert!\u201d Sam yelled.<\/span><\/p>\n

At just that moment, Hoss and Joe were coming through the front door. Hearing the commotion, they headed quickly to Sam\u2019s room and peered in as Ben was half dragging Adam \u2013 with his guitar – from the room. Sam was hollering at Adam, Ben was shouting at Adam, and Hoss was trying to ask what was going on. Joe suggested that there might be a critter of some kind in the bathtub.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing appeared, saw what was going on, and then scurried back into the kitchen, mumbling Chinese the whole way.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss, an astute judge of the obvious, said evenly. \u201cAdam, you can\u2019t go in there. Sam\u2019s nekkid!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam exploded. \u201cOf course I\u2019m naked! I\u2019m trying to take a bath! In exasperation, she put the washcloth over her face and shouted, \u201cWill somebody please have the decency to shut the door?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben was the one who finally closed the door. It was a good thing, because it muffled the sounds of Sam\u2019s cursing like a sailor.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam! What were you thinking?\u201d Ben demanded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d interjected Joe who hadn\u2019t been able to see much and was disappointed. \u201cPa taught us better manners.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, Lordy,\u201d muttered Hoss. Sam was still swearing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam looked completely unruffled. \u201cI remembered how to play the guitar. And I remembered a whole bunch of songs. Just thought I\u2019d share the news.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhile Sam is taking a bath?\u201d Ben asked, trying his best not to laugh.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI felt like singing,\u201d Adam grinned. \u201cIsn\u2019t it wonderful how much I remembered?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI need to sit down,\u201d Ben said, still holding Adam by the arm and dragging him away from Sam\u2019s room.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think Sam\u2019s awful mad,\u201d said Hoss. \u201cI\u2019m gonna go back outside.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood idea, Hoss. I\u2019m going with you,\u201d Joe added and then fled out the door with Hoss.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m extremely happy that you discovered your guitar,\u201d Ben said evenly, trying to look stern. It was difficult. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you play something soothing. Now seems like a good time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

From behind Sam\u2019s door came the sound of much stomping around, punctuated by words like \u201cdemented\u201d and \u201cperverted\u201d and \u201cill-mannered.\u201d<\/span>
\nStill grinning, Adam strummed his guitar, choosing melodies that were soft and gentle. He didn\u2019t sing. His thoughts were on what he had seen. Bare shoulders. Bare knees. And the swell of the tops of Sam\u2019s breasts. Heat ran through him and the grin disappeared from his face.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben lit his pipe and shook his head. Hoss and Joe returned. Hop Sing banged pots in the kitchen.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fully dressed now, Sam\u2019s door opened. \u201cAdam, would you please come here? I\u2019d like to speak with you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Gently putting his guitar down, Adam walked into Sam\u2019s room. The door shut. Muted voices were heard.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do ya reck\u2019n she\u2019s saying?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe shrugged. \u201cShh. I\u2019m trying to listen.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Before Ben could say anything, there was a loud crash, followed by a watery thump. And then Sam appeared in the open doorway, her dress wet in a few places. She seemed calm.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBen, I broke the water pitcher. I\u2019ll pay for it, of course.\u201d With that, she flounced off into the kitchen to speak to Hop Sing. In Chinese.<\/span><\/p>\n

When Adam didn\u2019t emerge from Sam\u2019s room, Joe sprinted toward the open door. Hoss and Ben were right behind him. They found Adam, sitting in the bathtub, droplets of water falling from his hair. There was water on the floor, and there were pieces of the water pitcher strewn about. Adam hoisted himself out of the tub, shrugged his shoulders, and opined, \u201cI thought that the first rule of the Hippocratic Oath was \u2018Do No Harm\u2019.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR<\/span><\/p>\n

The only mention of the \u201cbathtub incident\u201d during the evening meal was when Hop Sing looked directly at Adam and said something in Chinese.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam\u2019s lips twitched as she tried her best to keep from smiling.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTranslate that for me, will you?\u201d Adam asked, looking at Sam\u2019s wrinkling nose.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBasically, Hop Sing said that you did a bad thing,\u201d Sam answered, as she concentrated on cutting her pork roast.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBasically,\u201d Adam repeated. \u201cAnything else I should know?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNope.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe snickered. Hoss ducked his head. Ben smothered a grin. And the conversation turned to the joy of Adam\u2019s memory coming back. Sam was quiet as she listened, absorbing the family dynamics. The Cartwrights were a most unusual family and she was gratified to feel the love and the happiness that surrounded her. She was happy to be a part of this family\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

After the meal, Adam picked up his guitar and sang a few songs that he remembered from the \u201cwagon train\u201d days \u2013 \u201cSweet Betsy from Pike,\u201d \u201cHome on the Range,\u201d and \u201cGreen Grow the Lilacs.\u201d These were songs that Ben, Hoss and Joe could sing along with.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss\u2019s innocent request for \u201cEarly One Morning\u201d brought back yet another of Adam\u2019s memories. After beginning the song, Adam stopped and stared at his brothers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou two got me into a heap of trouble!\u201d he said with mock anger. \u201cHank could\u2019ve killed me, and Miss Abigail wanted to marry me!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe and Hoss dissolved into fits of laughter. \u201cYou\u2019re just irresistible to women, big brother!\u201d they said in unison.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam looked at Ben, who was chuckling. Sam looked confused. So Adam, Hoss, and Little Joe explained to Sam the course of events about \u201cMiss Abigail.\u201d When they reached the part where Miss Abigail discovered that it was Adam, not Hank, who was doing the singing, Sam began to laugh and couldn\u2019t stop. Tears rolled down her face until Ben, ever the gentleman, handed her a handkerchief. The story was one of the funniest ones she had ever heard.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam continued to sing, strumming his guitar expertly, and the songs that came to mind were soft songs, love songs. Often he glanced at Sam as he sang, a fact that didn\u2019t go unnoticed by his family. The hour grew late. Adam realized that only he and Sam were left. Adam put his guitar down.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you thinking?\u201d he asked Sam. She had a softness about her, her long hair falling gently to her shoulders, her eyes looking into his \u2013 looking through him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re a very complex man, Adam Cartwright. You\u2019re an intellectual, you\u2019re quite talented \u2013 your voice is amazing, and your ability to play the guitar is impressive. You can laugh at yourself. You\u2019re a gentleman. I\u2019m trying to figure out why you\u2019re not married with a family of your own.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Shrugging, Adam answered. \u201cI\u2019ve come close a few times. Things just didn\u2019t work out.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With a faint blush, Sam had a question. \u201cHow much did you see today? While I was in the bathtub?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam\u2019s honest response. \u201cEnough to pique my interest. Not nearly enough to satisfy it.\u201d<\/span>
\nSam could feel a tingle from the top of her head to the bottoms of her feet. Slowly she rose, walked over to Adam and touched his cheek gently. \u201cIt\u2019s been a long day. I\u2019m ready to go to sleep.\u201d Turning quickly, she headed toward her bedroom.<\/span><\/p>\n

As she reached the door, she heard Adam call to her, a softness in his voice. \u201cSam? Sleep well.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

It was the first time he had spoken her name.<\/span><\/p>\n

She closed the door behind her gently, leaving Adam to feel the heat where her hand had touched his cheek\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam and Hoss rode into Virginia City the next morning to pick up supplies and mail. As Hoss was loading the wagon, Adam stopped to investigate the letters. There was one for Sam from Dr. Montrose and there were two for Sam from Dr. Robert Sternberg. Adam wrestled with himself \u2013 he wanted to open one from this Dr. Sternberg, and his thumb actually slipped slightly under the sealed flap. Finally, he talked himself out of trying to read Sam\u2019s mail. It had been a hard decision though. Sam had said that Dr. Sternberg was a colleague. The letters were none of his business. Perhaps he should just ask Sam outright. Perhaps not.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the meantime, he helped Hoss load supplies. Being distracted by speaking to people he remembered was a helpful distraction. But on the way back to the Ponderosa, Adam asked Hoss in an off-handed manner if he knew anything about Dr. Sternberg.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thinking, Hoss answered in the negative. \u201cNever heard of him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam quickly changed the subject to that of the upcoming Spring round-up. But the letters were on his mind.<\/span><\/p>\n

Arriving at the ranch, Hoss and Adam unloaded the supplies, then Adam took the mail into the house. Ben was sitting at his desk, and Adam handed over all but three letters. Sam, wearing jeans and nothing on her feet, was sitting cross-legged in a chair, writing on her pad of paper.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve got mail,\u201d Adam said casually.<\/span><\/p>\n

Extending her hand and smiling her thanks, Sam looked at the letters. Adam had deliberately put the envelope from Dr. Montrose on top, and Sam smiled as she looked at the return address. Opening the letter, she smiled again.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDr. Montrose always wants to make sure that I\u2019m taking copious notes. And I am. He\u2019s a stickler for every detail.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The next two envelopes evoked a strange look on her face. She looked up at Adam briefly, tucked the letters under one knee, and went back to her writing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam wanted to ask questions but felt that this was not the time. But, as he walked across the room \u2013 pretending to look at the gun cabinet – he noticed that Sam stopped writing and went to her room. She obviously wanted to read in privacy. Why?<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX<\/span><\/p>\n

Several minutes later, Sam emerged from her room, boots on her feet. \u201cI feel like taking a ride,\u201d she said as she headed out the door.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam followed along behind her. \u201cIt\u2019s a beautiful day. Mind if I ride with you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam hesitated, then replied. \u201cYour company is always welcome, Adam.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam wondered why Sam sounded so formal. But he walked into the barn with her and watched as she saddled the roan horse she rode instead of Old Betsy. Adam never knew that Sam knew how to ride \u2013 he just assumed that she was a quick learner. Sam would always keep that fact a secret.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhere to today?\u201d Sam asked as she settled in her saddle.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSomeplace we\u2019ve never been before,\u201d came the answer. \u201cI think you\u2019ll like it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And off they went. It was a fairly long ride, and the two talked and laughed as they rode. It was obvious that they enjoyed each other\u2019s company. And then they reached an enormous clearing that had a magnificent view of the mountains in the background. There was a clear creek babbling along its merry way.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is it,\u201d Adam said, dismounting. \u201cLet\u2019s water the horses and stop for a while.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Grabbing Sam around the waist, Adam half-dragged her off her horse. He held her suspended in his strong arms and then let her slide down his body until her feet touched the ground. She smelled of lavender soap, and he thought about how she looked in the bathtub. He brushed her lips lightly with his own and was surprised at himself. He was encouraged by the fact that she didn\u2019t pull away from him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat was that for?\u201d she asked, when she could find her voice. His arms were still around her, and she was so close to him that she could feel the beating of his heart. Or was it her heart?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJust seemed the thing to do at the time,\u201d he answered, his voice husky. And then he let her go.<\/span><\/p>\n

While the horses drank from the stream, Adam watched as Sam looked around at the vast panorama.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat a treasure this is,\u201d she said breathlessly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy favorite place,\u201d Adam answered. \u201cPa gave this land to me. One day I\u2019ll build a house here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With that, he sat down and plucked a long grass stem and put the end between his teeth. Sam sat down beside him, wrapping her arms around her bent legs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Ponderosa has everything, Adam. Trees, flowers, creeks, Lake Tahoe, wild animals, a beautiful home. How lucky you are!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been hard work to get all this land,\u201d Adam replied. \u201cSome things are worth the hard work.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam looked at Adam, wondering if there was a double meaning to what he\u2019d said. But she was soon distracted by the appearance of a doe and her fawn. Adam watched her eyes grow wide with excitement.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDid you see that!\u201d exclaimed Sam. \u201cWhat beautiful creatures! And just listen to the birds\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And Adam did see the doe and the fawn. He did listen to the birds. He saw through Sam\u2019s eyes; he listened through Sam\u2019s ears. He thought of all the sights and sounds that he had taken for granted. He thought of his lost memories which had been regained. Sam had become an integral part of his life. She was teaching him the joy of living.<\/span><\/p>\n

The pair sat in companionable silence for quite a while. An eagle flew overhead. White, fluffy clouds slowly changed shapes and eventually passed by.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam broke the silence. \u201cDo all of your patients fall in love with you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam looked at him to see if he was serious. He was.<\/span><\/p>\n

Giving a little shrug, she answered. \u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHave you ever fallen in love with any of your patients?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d came the whispered answer. \u201cIt\u2019s unprofessional. The doctor-patient relationship is a special one. Patients tell a doctor things that nobody else knows, private things, and expects those things to be held in the highest confidence. Only an idiot would take advantage of a patient\u2019s feelings.\u201d She paused. \u201cSome patients, I\u2019ve heard, think they\u2019ve fallen in love with their doctor because of that special relationship that they hold. That\u2019s especially true in the field of psychiatry. Helping to heal the body is one thing, but helping to heal the mind is another. A very delicate balance must be maintained.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Silence again. But Adam could see that Sam was uncomfortable with this conversation. Slipping an arm around her shoulders, Adam drew Sam close to him. She turned her face to his and, looking into his eyes, she felt her body tremble slightly. Felt his fingers in her hair, then felt them trace her jawline.<\/span><\/p>\n

He kissed her then, gently and slowly. His lips were warm, soft but strong. And then, as her mind was thinking \u201cGod help me,\u201d she was wrapped in his arms, his mouth stronger on hers. And she didn\u2019t want this moment to end. Her arms went around his neck, her fingers found their way into his hair, and she felt herself falling sideways and down until her body was next to his in the lush grass. They both felt the same heat, the same passion. It felt so right\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

Suddenly, Adam felt Sam\u2019s body stiffen. She pulled away from him, scooted away from the reach of his arms. Her hand went to her lips and she shook her head. \u201cI can\u2019t do this, Adam. I\u2019m sorry. I\u2019m. So. Sorry!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going too fast,\u201d Adam said quickly. \u201cGive me time. I won\u2019t push you. Give us time!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Shaking her head, Sam jumped to her feet and raced toward her horse. Scrambling into the saddle, she jerked the reins and galloped away.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam rose slowly. He knew that Sam could find her way back to the house; he knew that she needed time to think. Taking Sport\u2019s reins in his hand, the man swung into his saddle and proceeded in a walk that would take him back home.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam wept as she unsaddled her horse in the oh-so-familiar barn. She wiped him down, made sure he had water and some sweet-feed, then hurried into the house. Ben happened to be standing close to the door and saw Sam as she entered. Her eyes were red, her cheeks were damp. And Adam wasn\u2019t with her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSam? Are you all right? Is Adam all right?\u201d Ben\u2019s voice showed great concern. He reached for her arm, but she sidled past him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re both fine,\u201d was all Sam could say before she bolted for her room. She didn\u2019t come out until supper.<\/span><\/p>\n

Eventually Adam arrived. Entering the barn, he saw Sam\u2019s unsaddled horse and knew that the woman had found her way back. Quickly, he removed Sport\u2019s saddle and strode into the house.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben looked up from his paperwork but said nothing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIs Sam here?\u201d Adam asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes. She\u2019s in her room.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam turned toward the bedroom, but Ben stopped him. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t go in there just now, son. Sam seems\u2026upset.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know.\u201d Adam looked extremely unhappy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf you want to talk about it, I\u2019m here to listen,\u201d Ben said wisely.<\/span><\/p>\n

Taking a deep breath, Adam answered. \u201cI was too pushy, Pa. I know I should\u2019ve given her more time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben understood those two short sentences. \u201cSo much has happened in what seems to be a short time. Let her figure things out for herself, son, and then respect her decision. Whatever it may be.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s advice was good. As always.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam was pleasant but subdued at supper. Hoss and Joe didn\u2019t notice the slight puffiness around her eyes, but Ben and Adam did. Besides, the topic of conversation didn\u2019t center around Adam and his journey of memories \u2013 there was the Spring round-up to be discussed. And Ben, in his infinite wisdom, kept the discussion going in great detail, deliberately drawing his eldest son into the conversation.<\/span><\/p>\n

After supper, Sam curled up in a chair and concentrated on her writing. Hoss and Joe rode into town. Adam opened a book but couldn\u2019t focus his mind on its contents. He kept sneaking peeks at Sam who, every now and then, was sneaking peeks at him. Ben returned to his bookwork. The only sound in the room was the ticking of the clock.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam could stand this no more. Closing his book loudly, he looked at Sam. \u201cI think we need to talk.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot tonight, Adam. I\u2019m just too tired. But I agree \u2013 we do need to talk.\u201d She gave him what looked like a half-smile.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam walked outside and simmered. But he remembered what his father had told him: \u201cGive her time.\u201d Trying to control his impatience, eventually he went back inside, only to find that Sam had already gone to bed. Give her time.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam had tossed and turned all night but had finally fallen asleep in the wee hours of the morning. When he opened his eyes, he could tell by the sun\u2019s position that he had overslept. Dressing in a hurry, he rushed \u2013 unshaven and with shirttail flapping – downstairs and found his father and brothers just finishing breakfast.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s Sam?\u201d he asked as he approached the table and noticed there was not a plate, empty or otherwise, at her place.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss finished his last bite of ham. \u201cShe went into town. Said she had to send a wire and do some other stuff. She sure missed a good breakfast!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDid she take anything with her?\u201d Adam pressed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLike what?\u201d Little Joe answered. \u201cWhat\u2019s going on with you two anyway? I was hoping I was gonna hear wedding bells.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph,\u201d Ben cautioned.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph! Eat your breakfast. We have a lot of things to tend to today!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam opened Sam\u2019s bedroom door and looked around. Taking the liberty of opening her armoire \u2013 something he would never have done under normal circumstances \u2013 he was relieved to see her suitcases and her clothes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to town,\u201d he announced as he emerged from the room.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, you are not,\u201d Ben said firmly. \u201cYou are going to stay here and work like the rest of us. There\u2019s a lot to do before the round-up. In case you\u2019ve forgotten, it starts in three days.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam knew better than to argue with his father. Heaving a sigh, he sat down at the table and ate what was left on the breakfast platters.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben looked at Adam and knew how upset he was. He longed to tell his eldest son of the conversation that he had with Sam the night before. He had been working late, checking and re-checking figures in his bookwork when Sam appeared. Adam had already gone upstairs.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCan I talk with you, Ben? I need some advice,\u201d she had said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, Sam.\u201d Ben rose and took her elbow gently.<\/span><\/p>\n

And Sam opened her heart to Ben. He listened intently, spoke little and, when the conversation was over, he had told her to do what was right for her. Reassuring her that what they had discussed would be held in strictest confidence, Ben had kissed Sam lightly on the cheek and watched as she returned to her room.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER THIRTY<\/span><\/p>\n

The house was empty when Sam returned from town. Even Hop Sing was missing. But, from listening to the conversations of the imminent round-up, Sam assumed correctly that ranch business was taking precedence.<\/span><\/p>\n

She walked through the quiet house, looking at things that had become so familiar to her. She smiled as she remembered Ben\u2019s booming voice, chastising Little Joe. \u201cJoseph! How many times do I have to tell you to get your feet off the settee!\u201d As she looked into each room upstairs, voices whispered to her. In Adam\u2019s room, she sat down and looked around the room, looking at all the books, the pictures on the wall, the bed. Her thoughts went back to the day she had first met Adam \u2013 unshaven and withdrawn and understandably cranky. Opening his armoire, she touched his bathrobe and caught a whiff of his familiar scent. What a long way he had come since that day! And what a long way she had come since that day.<\/span><\/p>\n

And then she went downstairs to her room, sat on the bed, and did some more thinking. She had made a decision, but would it be the right one?<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing was the first one to arrive at the Ponderosa, and Sam hurried outside to give him a hand with the supplies. There ensued a long conversation in Chinese ending with an inscrutable look on the cook\u2019s face. He planned to prepare a special dinner for the evening meal.<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe arrived next. He discovered Sam dusting the pictures on Ben\u2019s desk, a most peculiar look on her face. Putting down the feather duster, Sam spoke at length to the youngest Cartwright and then swore him to secrecy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss arrived via the kitchen. He had a sandwich in his hands, and Sam heard the familiar muttering of Hop Sing. With Little Joe standing close by, Sam repeated to Hoss what she had said to Joe. And swore him to secrecy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben arrived as the sun was just beginning to sink low on the horizon. He looked weary but he could tell by looking at Sam that there was a personal conversation that needed to be heard. He listened intently to what Sam had to say. And he, too, was sworn to secrecy.<\/span><\/p>\n

The only man missing was Adam. And Adam was the man Sam wanted to talk to the most\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam had been thinking about Sam the whole day. He tended to the work he needed to do, spoke with the people he needed to speak with, and even sat \u2013 though slightly impatiently \u2013 as Maggie Ferguson plopped some blueberry pie in front of him as her husband droned on about the round-up.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam had so many things he wanted to say to Sam \u2013 so many things that were in his heart. His father had cautioned him about being too \u201cpushy,\u201d but Adam didn\u2019t care. Something told him that he and Sam needed to talk. Not tomorrow or the next day. Tonight!<\/span><\/p>\n

But he was running late, and he urged Sport into a gallop through the twilight.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE<\/span><\/p>\n

Though he had almost pushed Sport to the limit, Adam discovered that he was late for supper. Ignoring Hop Sing\u2019s mutterings \u2013 in both Chinese and English \u2013 Adam washed up and hurriedly sat down at the table.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSorry I\u2019m late,\u201d he apologized. \u201cI got caught at the Ferguson ranch and couldn\u2019t get away as soon as I would\u2019ve liked.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He looked at Sam\u2019s sweet smile. And he looked at the table, laden with what was left of an enormous standing-rib roast and every vegetable that Hop Sing could get out of his garden.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing really outdid himself tonight,\u201d Adam laughed as he reached for the dish of butter-and-parsley potatoes. \u201cWhat\u2019s the occasion?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll have to ask Hop Sing,\u201d Ben answered. He had a strange look on his face as he side-stepped giving a direct answer.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam looked at the faces around the table. He could feel something in the air but couldn\u2019t put his finger on just what it was. Expectancy?<\/span><\/p>\n

He hurried through his meal, barely listening to the conversation around him. He was an impatient man tonight. But he would have to wait to talk to Sam just a little longer, because out came a grinning Hop Sing with a dessert he had managed to flamb\u00e9 perfectly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam clapped her hands in delight and laughed out loud, her freckled nose wrinkling.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing! It\u2019s perfect!\u201d Sam chortled.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Chinese cook\u2019s face spread into a happy grin. \u201cThis velly special for Missie Doctor Sam!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss and Joe looked suspiciously at the dessert. \u201cWhat is it?\u201d they asked in unison, eliciting a highly-insulted look from Hop Sing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a special dessert,\u201d laughed Sam. \u201cYou\u2019ll really like it!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And they did.<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, Sam pushed back from the table. \u201cI\u2019m stuffed. I can\u2019t eat another bite.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing began clearing the dishes as everybody rose to move into the living room. He froze briefly when he heard Adam say to Sam, \u201cCome walk with me outside. It\u2019s a beautiful night.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Three pairs of Cartwright eyes watched as Adam took Sam\u2019s elbow and guided her out the door.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR<\/span><\/p>\n

As the two walked outside, Sam looked into the sky. A full moon was beginning to rise, and the first early stars had appeared.<\/span><\/p>\n

Taking Sam\u2019s hand in his own, Adam began to speak. \u201cSamantha, there\u2019s so much I want to tell you\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam had never called her by her full name before and, for a moment, all Sam could do was look into those hazel eyes that were so dear to her. She put her finger to Adam\u2019s lips.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHush,\u201d she said quietly. \u201cI\u2019ve got some things I have to say first. Come sit on the bench with me and just listen.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Feeling the pounding of his heart, Adam walked to the bench, allowing Sam to be seated and then sitting far enough away from her so he could see her face clearly but close enough to smell the scent of the lavender soap that she always used.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam opened her mouth to say something, then closed it again.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJust spit it out, Samantha,\u201d Adam said soothingly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam tried to choose her words wisely. \u201cSpring round-up is about to begin, and the house will be empty for a few weeks. It\u2019s time for me to go back to San Francisco, Adam. I have work to do there; I can\u2019t ask others to do what I should be doing. I\u2019ve stayed here way too long. Your memory came back so quickly, it seems, and I kept telling myself \u201cjust one more day.\u201d The Ponderosa is like every woman\u2019s fantasy, and your family has treated me more like family than what I really am. They\u2019ve become very special to me. You\u2019ve become very special to me in a way that confuses me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

All the things that Adam had intended to say to Sam flew right out of his head. \u201cWe just need more time,\u201d he said intently. \u201cWe need to give our feelings a chance to grow. I care so much for you\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I care for you, Adam,\u201d Sam answered as she stroked the stubble on his cheeks. \u201cBut I have other obligations. Personal ones.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDr. Robert Sternberg,\u201d Adam said gruffly. \u201cYou never bothered to tell me about him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I didn\u2019t. Nobody asked, and my personal life had nothing to do with my professional life. I was asked here in the capacity of a physician. That\u2019s all.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI want to know about him.\u201d Adam had become tense.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a good man, Adam. He works hard. We share so many common interests. He\u2019s gentle and he\u2019s kind. He loves me. And he trusts me. And I feel guilty that I\u2019ve betrayed that trust.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam growled. \u201cSo those kisses were just for fun? They meant the world to me but were you just teasing me? That\u2019s not fair.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam\u2019s eyes glistened. \u201cAdam, those kisses meant more to me than you\u2019ll ever know. I wasn\u2019t playing a schoolgirl\u2019s game with you. It was for real. And you\u2019re right, it wasn\u2019t fair. For so many days, I\u2019ve lost sight of what should\u2019ve been a doctor-patient relationship. I saw you as a man \u2013 a very attractive, intelligent, caring man. I felt myself being swept away and should have left the Ponderosa before now.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Silence fell between them. Then Adam spoke.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDo you love him?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam chewed on the inside of her cheek. \u201cI thought I did. I was sure that I did. But with you\u2026\u201d She stopped. \u201cI\u2019ve been trying to second-guess my feelings. I\u2019m just very confused.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStay here. I won\u2019t go on the round-up. Pa will understand. Give \u201cus\u201d a chance.\u201d Adam wasn\u2019t begging. He was trying his best to give this woman an alternative solution.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, you don\u2019t know me at all,\u201d Sam said slowly. \u201cYou don\u2019t know what things I like, what things I don\u2019t like. What my hopes and dreams are. You don\u2019t even know what my favorite color is, or what my favorite food is. I know everything about you, but you know very little about me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam gave a wry smile. \u201cI know that you don\u2019t like riding Old Betsy. And I know you like lavender soap. And I know you can be deadly with a water pitcher.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam had to laugh in spite of herself. \u201cAnd I know that you\u2019re a Peeping Tom!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Silence again. Crickets chirped and somewhere there was the hoot of an owl.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve made up your mind then,\u201d Adam said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen do you plan to leave?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTonight on the late stage. Ben said he would drive me into town.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI want to take you there.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Shaking her head, Sam looked again into Adam\u2019s eyes, saw the pain, confusion and hurt there. \u201cNo, Adam. Selfishly on my part, that would just be too hard.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam played with a lock of Sam\u2019s hair. \u201cWill you come back? If things don\u2019t work out with you and\u2026him?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Sam answered slowly. \u201cI still have my practice there. I don\u2019t think Virginia City has a need for what I do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou brought my memories back.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo. You brought your own memories back. You did all the hard work. I just sat around and tried to lead you to familiar things. We were lucky that it worked out.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI still want to take you into Virginia City,\u201d Adam said adamantly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Just as adamantly, Sam said, \u201cNo.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam stood up then, resigned to her decision. Sam stood up too. And very quickly, she threw her arms around Adam\u2019s neck and kissed him quickly on his cupid\u2019s-bow mouth. With skirts flying, she ran into the house, leaving Adam to stand outside and to try to understand a million things at once.<\/span><\/p>\n

With glistening eyes, Sam looked at Ben. \u201cI have some last-minute packing to do. It won\u2019t take me long.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben nodded, noticing that Adam hadn\u2019t come inside. Hoss and Joe looked at each other sadly. Nothing was said.<\/span><\/p>\n

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE<\/span><\/p>\n

Hoss put Sam\u2019s luggage in the buggy. Joe kicked a pebble, raising a small cloud of dust. Adam stood behind his brothers, broad shoulders sagging slightly. Behind him was an unhappy Hop Sing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not going to say \u2018good bye\u2019 to any of you,\u201d stated Sam. \u201cThat\u2019s too final. And I don\u2019t want you to say it to me either. When you least expect it, you might find me on your doorstep.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat would be quite a pleasure,\u201d said Ben, his voice deeper than usual.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sam turned to Hoss and kissed him on his cheek. \u201cWhat a wonderful man you are. A big man with an even bigger heart. I\u2019m proud to know a man like you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHave a safe trip, Sam,\u201d was all the big man could say.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kissing Little Joe on the cheek, Sam smiled. \u201cJoe, one of these days you\u2019re gonna be chasing a girl and she\u2019ll stop and let you catch her. Then what will you do?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Little Joe flashed his well-known smile. \u201cI\u2019ll wire you for help!\u201d Then, \u201cTake care of yourself.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hop Sing came next. Sam kissed him on his cheek and spoke briefly to him in Chinese. The cook smiled, nodded, and then handed her a small brown bag. \u201cFood to keep Missie Doctor Sam from hunger on trip.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam saw tears in Sam\u2019s eyes when she turned to him. Holding both his hands in her own, she struggled to speak. \u201cThank you for everything, Adam. You\u2019ve got your memories, and you\u2019ve given me some precious ones of my own. Vaya con Dios. Go with God.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam nodded. It was all he could manage to do.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben helped Sam into the buggy and clucked to the horse. Hop Sing had disappeared; Hoss and Little Joe had gone into the house, leaving Adam to his thoughts. He kept hoping that the buggy would turn around but, when it didn\u2019t, he went into the house and upstairs to his room. He looked out the window, the lump in his throat seeming to grow so large that surely it would burst.<\/span><\/p>\n

Turning around, something caught his eye. And on his bed he found a book. It was, of course, Rudyard Kipling\u2019s \u201cGunga Din.\u201d Right next to it was an object wrapped in tissue paper. Unwrapped, it revealed its contents \u2013 a bar of lavender soap.<\/span><\/p>\n

In spite of himself, Adam smiled. Maybe there was hope after all.<\/span><\/p>\n

END<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Next story in the Adam & Sam Series:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adam’s Surprise Visitor<\/a><\/span>
\nAdam’s Angels
\n<\/a><\/span>Bringing up Babies<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary: \u00a0After being thrown by a wild mustang, Adam suffers total amnesia. A specialist from San Francisco is summoned – and the specialist turns out to be a sassy, out-spoken but empathetic young woman. As she and Adam spend time together, watch as the two hard-heads become emotionally involved.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Rated T (20,060 words)<\/p>\n

Adam and Sam series, links to all the stories within the series included.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":52,"featured_media":378,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[1005,23],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1180","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adam-cartwright","category-drama","wpcat-1005-id","wpcat-23-id"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/bonanza-1.jpg?fit=193%2C140&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1180","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/52"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1180"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1180\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/378"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1180"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1180"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1180"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}