{"id":1532,"date":"2013-09-19T14:53:11","date_gmt":"2013-09-19T18:53:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=1532"},"modified":"2025-08-01T13:29:18","modified_gmt":"2025-08-01T17:29:18","slug":"a-dream-fulfilled","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=1532","title":{"rendered":"A Dream Fulfilled… (by BluewindFarm)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary: \u00a0<\/b>Dream Fulfilled\u2026 A story in six voices, that all viewers wished had happened.\u00a0 Within each section there will be a common thread that also ties each character to the others.\u00a0 At the end of each section the character and the word prompt are listed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Author’s note:\u00a0 The voices are responses to six consecutive prompts from the 2013 Seedling\u2019s Challenges within the forums.\u00a0 Though they were not originally written in the order in which they are combined into this story.
\n<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Rating K (6,705 words)
\n<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0A Dream Fulfilled\u2026<\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

“Home,”<\/em> he mused.<\/span><\/p>\n

Just four letters.\u00a0 No real significance in the count except when you realized within the home resided four individual men, bound by more than name.\u00a0 Life…\u00a0\u00a0Dreams…\u00a0\u00a0Familiarity…\u00a0 Experiences…\u00a0 Tragedies…\u00a0 Some more than others.<\/span><\/p>\n

*****<\/span><\/p>\n

Wearily he sat on his mount and looked down into the valley where the massive\u00a0main house to the Ponderosa sat nestled within the trees for which their empire\u00a0took its\u00a0name.\u00a0 The land had changed, as had the lives within, and still they lived on. Working together, mostly in harmony and sometimes in discord, but always rooted in the knowledge that whether they thrived or failed, there was love and understanding.<\/span><\/p>\n

Understanding…\u00a0 His departure had been difficult, not knowing exactly what drew him away, just knowing that he couldn’t settle and accept this as his life.\u00a0\u00a0He\u00a0had a dream of his own to follow, as had his father when he originally set out from Boston with an infant son at his side.<\/span><\/p>\n

The patriarch, the rock that was his foundation, was solid in his beliefs that one day he would return.\u00a0 The second born, a mediator, the one who could always explain\u00a0the minute nuances between the two sides of the same coin, had wished him a life fulfilled.\u00a0 The last-born son was illogical and so infernally emotional, the one so likely to charge in where saints feared to tread, the one that had turned his back and walked away that day.\u00a0 It wasn’t until later he came to accept that which he now sought; the youngest had not been mad nor angry,\u00a0but having a witness to his crying would shatter his frail illusion of him being a man grown.\u00a0 Finally, there was the wild card, not a joker nor a pawn; just one who had been set adrift by life, someone who had needed an anchor and the guidance and love they all had needed at one time or another.<\/span><\/p>\n

*****<\/span><\/p>\n

Worried that too many years had passed as too many newer memories pressured to break him; his only recourse was to come to the one place where he prayed they would not judge, just accept him as he was.\u00a0 Below was the balm to sooth the ache of too strong a longing, to bask in the tenderness of family, the blanket that envelops all who wish to live in something more than just a house \u2013 a home.\u00a0 It beckoned to him as the warmth from the lamplight<\/em><\/strong> illuminated the front porch.<\/span><\/p>\n

Signaling his mount onward, he allowed his tears to unabashedly fall. Quietly he tended to the horse in the barn, and taking a deep breath, he closed the door behind him before he walked across the yard. Within moments of his footfalls upon the wooden deck, the four within exited the front door.\u00a0\u00a0His head fell on the shoulders of his rock. Massive arms wrapped around the two of them and helped support him. A work-hardened hand clutched his shoulder from behind.\u00a0 After looking into three sets of teary eyes and noticing the none-too-subtle changes, he looked to the fourth standing to the side, gazing at the ground with his hands shoved into his front pockets.\u00a0 Taking a deep breath, he stepped from the others, and\u00a0held out his right hand; his words were honest and sincere.<\/span><\/p>\n

A tentative hand reached out for him, and without conscious thought, the man pulled the youth into an embrace that spoke volumes.<\/span><\/p>\n

With his father and his larger brother heading for the doorway, he waited as the two youngest followed. Before he entered his home of homes, he turned but hesitated and bowed slightly forward. Quietly so that only the one could hear, he spoke words that he had so recently learned to convey his feelings towards the figure who had always been there, waiting, watching, caring.<\/span><\/p>\n

He was Home.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

(ADAM – Lamplight<\/strong>)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

~ B ~ O ~ N ~ A ~ N ~ Z ~ A ~<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In the kitchen of the main ranch house a quiet figure worked constantly to satisfy the needs of those who inhabited the home. Those who became members of his extended family fulfilled a need greater than he would ever admit to them. So long ago he had come to a new country, not knowing the language or anyone else crowded into the cramped quarters below the main deck of the great sailing vessel. He believed and lived that wu-wei (non-action) was the wisest course against those who sought dissension. He had personally witnessed his own family destroyed by those more powerful and greedy, before he left what was known as \u2018our land\u2019 \u2013 China.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Ji\u0101 (Home),” he mused.<\/span><\/p>\n

As an outsider warmly welcomed to be a part of something special, he grew to understand the men within these walls were bound by more than a name.\u00a0 Sh\u0113nghu\u00f3 (Life)…\u00a0 M\u00e8ng (Dreams)…\u00a0 Ji\u0101t\u00edng (Family)…\u00a0 J\u012bngy\u00e0n (Experiences)… \u00a0B\u0113i’\u0101i (Sorrow)…\u00a0 X\u012bw\u00e0ng (Hopes)\u2026 Du\u014dy\u00e0ng (Diversity)\u2026 Some more than others.<\/span><\/p>\n

*****<\/span><\/p>\n

He knew of the heartaches suffered and had grieved with those he considered his adopted sons. Patching up more than clothing; he\u2019d helped fix many a skinned knee, broken hearts, and bemoaned the foolishness of stubborn pride. But the one hurt he could do nothing to secure an alternative ending was the day Numba One Son<\/em> announced his intentions to leave the one place he had called home the longest.<\/span><\/p>\n

The ever-faithful Oriental thought of the patriarch of the family, the rock, the solid foundation that saw all three of his sons through many trials and happier times; the man grieved but understood the desires that pulled at his eldest. Next, his memories turned to Numba Two Son<\/em> and how even though sad, he wished his brother well and quietly told Adam to live his life to the fullest. As for Numba Three Son<\/em>, the son he had helped raise since the day he became more than an employee to the family, he cried for the young man\u2019s hurt as he suffered a loss almost as tragic as the death of his mother \u2013 the day his oldest brother left the Ponderosa.<\/span><\/p>\n

*****<\/span><\/p>\n

Day after day, year after year, he cooked meals and cleaned the house. As happens with life on a working ranch, he organized items needed to assist the family\u2019s physician in order to tend to injuries caused by the wild horses and the cattle they worked. Too many times, he stood witness to the end-results of fists, knives, or arrows and the heartache that surfaced after any of his charges had been shot<\/em><\/strong>. Concoctions were reverently brewed over the kitchen stove to sooth achy throats or alleviate various ailments, as he hoped to restore the ch\u2019i (life force or breath of life) of this honored family.<\/span><\/p>\n

*****<\/span><\/p>\n

He had worried how life would change when fate brought a young man, cast aside, to their doorstep. When there were finally three Cartwright sons under the roof, he knew better than to believe life would return to the way it was before. But as with all sons, he saw this young man try to emulate his older brothers, sometimes with success, other times, just like his brothers before him, he failed. He mused as the previous youngest son took on the mantle of older brother, <\/em>in mirror of his oldest brother, so many years absent.<\/span><\/p>\n

This extended member of their family wondered if the son realized how much like his oldest brother he had become over the years; he wondered what would have happened had Numba One Son<\/em> not left the land called Ponderosa.<\/span><\/p>\n

And still, even in this changing balance of the family, life continued to be lived.<\/span><\/p>\n

*****<\/span><\/p>\n

This night, he sensed a portent, as if the Tao Elders were trying to alert him of something. And while he quietly cleaned his pots and pans, he strove to understand the atmosphere that set him on edge.<\/span><\/p>\n

From the great room he heard Numba Two Son<\/em> call out, \u201cSomeone\u2019s in the barn, Pa\u2026.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He bowed his head, took a deep breath, and prayed, \u201cQ\u01d0ng, m\u00e9iy\u01d2u g\u00e8ng du\u014d de x\u012bnt\u00f2ng.\u201d (Please, no more heartache.)<\/span><\/p>\n

*****<\/span><\/p>\n

From the quiet shadows of the house, as he had time before time, he witnessed the healing of hearts as the four oldest Cartwrights stood surrounded by a glow not provided by the lamplight that hung over the wooden porch. His spirit soared when the man in black reached a hand towards the newest and youngest of them all and pulled him with welcoming warmth into his heart.<\/span><\/p>\n

Before entering his home of homes, the stranger who was not a stranger respectfully bowed forward and spoke words recently learned to the figure who tried to remain apart, \u201cZ\u016bnj\u00ecng de p\u00e9ngy\u01d2u, xi\u00e8xi\u00e8 n\u01d0 k\u00e0n w\u01d2 de ji\u0101r\u00e9n..\u201d (Honored Friend, thank you for watching over my family.)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFamily now complete. Welcome home, Mr. Adam. You were missed,\u201d answered Hop Sing.<\/span><\/p>\n

With family and ch\u2019i restored, Hop Sing returned to his kitchen.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(HOP SING – Shot)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Translations via Google Translate, I apologize for any errors.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

~ B ~ O ~ N ~ A ~ N ~ Z ~ A ~<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The youth closed his eyes and gave thought to the incongruity of living in this house, not just as a ward of the owner, but as a son. Who would believe that a wayward, wannabe rainmaker could have people who cared so much about him? He thought back to his arrival in Virginia City, and how he wanted to make his murdered-father proud\u2026 by showing all those naysayers that he could make it rain. <\/span><\/p>\n

And now\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

“Home,” he mused as his mind drifted from the past to the present.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another outsider warmly welcomed to be a part of more than just the ranch, a part of something special. The youth was beginning to understand the men within these walls were bound by more than a name.\u00a0 Life…\u00a0 Dreams…\u00a0 Experiences… Sorrow…\u00a0 Hopes\u2026 Heart\u2026 He still had a lot to learn.<\/span><\/p>\n

*****<\/span><\/p>\n

From the pictures on his father\u2019s desk, he knew of the one absent, his \u2018unknown\u2019 oldest brother. In the quiet of one night, he had stolen into his larger brother\u2019s bedroom and hesitantly asked why no one readily spoke of Ben Cartwright\u2019s first born. He listened as he was told of the heartaches suffered and how the lure of other places called him. Hoss recounted the story of Joe and Adam\u2019s hunting trip to Montpelier Gorge and the devastation wrought while they were hunting that damn wolf. Had Joe not survived…\u00a0\u00a0 The original man in the middle revealed just how close they\u2019d come to his brother leaving, not unlike a cat<\/em><\/strong> hiding away to lick their wounds; not that Adam had been physically wounded, but emotional wounds could be far worse. And so life continued until that fateful date when Adam stated that the Ponderosa could no longer sustain him.<\/span><\/p>\n

He heard of how in the beginning the letters home were frequent and full, but as the years passed\u2026 It had been so long since they\u2019d received a letter, trepidation failed each one to give voice to their heart-rending fears.\u00a0\u00a0 As the narration came to a close, this gentle giant of a brother wrapped an arm around the shoulders of the newest member of the family, allowing him to grieve for their loss; even though he\u2019d never met this brother.<\/span><\/p>\n

*****<\/span><\/p>\n

In the great room, the newest member of the family looked to the patriarch as he sat reading from the Territorial Enterprise<\/em>. He gave thanks that this man was willing to devote the time to strengthen and support the shaky foundation that had left a boy cast adrift by the winds of fate. From working side by side with his larger brother and paying attention to more than just the spoken words, the boy learned how to tend to injured animals and make them feel safe when everything else made them want to bolt away. And from the man who was now the brother in the middle, he learned that one could be hurt, but it was what you did with the hurt that mattered. What good did it do to wallow in self-pity or take anger out on others? This brother spoke from experience, they all did. He came to understand that one can grieve about the past, but in order to heal one\u2019s heart\u2026 one has to get on with living\u2026 laughing\u2026 working\u2026 learning\u2026 forgiving\u2026 Each man in the home had something to teach him, even Hop Sing \u2013 it never paid to be late to the table at mealtimes.<\/span><\/p>\n

*****<\/span><\/p>\n

He\u2019d called Ben Cartwright \u2018Pa\u2019 only for the last few months, but lately\u2026 he\u2019d begun to think about the eldest son. From that one night with Hoss, he knew not to voice his feelings to anyone\u2026 But lately\u2026 he couldn\u2019t shake the thoughts about the brother he\u2019d never known, and it unnerved him as to why.<\/span><\/p>\n

He sat on the floor, his back against the settee, legs stretched under the low table, trying to focus his thoughts on his studies, but the written words wouldn\u2019t make sense. He\u2019d read and reread the passages of Charles Dickens\u2019 Oliver Twist<\/em> and reviewed his notes outlining what had been assigned as part of his homework. He scratched his head as he thought of Oliver being forced to endure life in such deplorable conditions. A shiver coursed through his body before he gave one more effort to put something to pen and paper. Eventually, he set the book down when he heard, \u201cSomeone\u2019s in the barn, Pa\u2026.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

*****<\/span><\/p>\n

Quietly, he followed his family out the door and contemplated why no one gathered their weapons from the credenza as he had witnessed numerous times before.<\/span><\/p>\n

His father and brothers gathered around the stranger while large smiles erupted on their faces, tears fell from their eyes as their voices faltered. To the side he waited with his hands shoved into his front pockets. Watching and not understanding, he took a step to return to the house. Once his family seemed to become aware of his movement, the others wiped at their eyes as they broke from around the man in black, allowing him to step towards the youth and extend his hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy name is Adam, welcome to the family.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Tentatively, he pushed his hand forward into the man\u2019s hand, and felt himself pulled into a strong embrace. He felt so unlike Oliver Twist<\/em>; love permeated the air. He smiled as he thought about replacing the characters in the book with his new family; he envisioned Joe as the Artful Dodger, teaching him while simultaneously leading the ranch hands. He pictured Hoss to be a younger version of Fagin, always \u2018looking out\u2019 for the less fortunate of the world. Of Benjamin Cartwright, he would sort of fit the bill as Edwin Leeford, wouldn\u2019t he? Not that pa had been forced into an unhappy marriage; but that the man found a part of his life he didn\u2019t know was missing until after he took someone new into his heart.<\/span><\/p>\n

*****<\/span><\/p>\n

As the house quieted after the earlier events of the evening, and he settled into bed for the night, he wondered what would come with the sunrise. His thoughts turned to this new brother, would he be a Bill Sikes or an Edward Monk?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNah\u2026 look at Hoss and Joe. After all\u2026wasn\u2019t it Adam who did such a good job in helping to raise the other sons of Benjamin Cartwright?\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(JAMIE – Cat<\/strong>)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

~ B ~ O ~ N ~ A ~ N ~ Z ~ A ~<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The fire crackled and popped within the fireplace of the great room, casting shadows and light that danced across the furniture; the red and white striped settee, the burgundy leather chair, and the suede blue chair that surrounded the low, wooden table in front of the stone hearth. Life had been lived and grieved within these walls.<\/span><\/p>\n

*****<\/span><\/p>\n

While holding\u00a0a\u00a0saucer in one hand and\u00a0a cup of coffee in the other, a lone figure looked from the dining room, past the great room to the staircase\u00a0and gave pause to wonder if it had all been a dream.\u00a0 Had it really happened? Had it only been a short time earlier that all his sons\u2026 all four of his sons bid him goodnight as they headed up the stairs to their bedrooms.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Home<\/em>,” he mused.<\/span><\/p>\n

A simple word, just four letters, but tonight the word had more meaning than it had in a long time.\u00a0 The men who occupied the residence were bound by more than just a name, Dreams…\u00a0 Longings…\u00a0 Heartache…\u00a0 Yet through all the tears and laughter, they had managed to live.<\/span><\/p>\n

When he settled on this land, there were three of them. Life forced him to travel, to deliver a message to a woman that she was now a widow. Without intending to, he fell in love, married, and returned to the land.\u00a0 Within a year, there were five under the roof.\u00a0 They were happy;\u00a0until their numbers were reduced to four.\u00a0 Three times he’d lost, but he continued to live and prosper.\u00a0 Land…\u00a0 Cattle… Horses… Mines… Lumber… Wealth…\u00a0 His sons were his greatest wealth, three fine sons that no man could be prouder to call his own. Until that day\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

“Pa, I’ve given everything I can to the Ponderosa…\u00a0 I have my own dreams…\u00a0 Maybe it’s because of the time it took us to travel here, and the years I spent at Harvard…\u00a0\u00a0I need more than what she can give me.”<\/span><\/p>\n

And so, he and his second born waved goodbye as the stagecoach pulled away and listened as the traveler yelled, “I’ll write.\u00a0 Don’t worry, I’ll be back!”\u00a0 Looking the opposite direction, his youngest sat upon his pinto horse, wiping his jacket sleeve across his face.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018I had to let him go, I couldn’t keep him here any longer,\u2019 <\/em>the man grieved as he walked to the horse and buggy.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

*****<\/span><\/p>\n

Years passed and the hole remained; especially when the letters became fewer and fewer, and finally stopped.\u00a0 He decided to take a chance and help a youth apparently cast aside by life.\u00a0 They were four once more, but the dynamics had changed.<\/span><\/p>\n

The patriarch was still a rock; however, starting to show a little wear as even the mightiest of stones ultimately give\u00a0way to\u00a0nature’s fury, worn down by standing tall against time.\u00a0 The mediator became a guiding light, showing the courage it took to face life anew.\u00a0The temperamental one\u00a0had changed most of all; his wings had finally strengthened enough to soar high above the mighty pines for which the Ponderosa drew her name.\u00a0 A new wild card became the youngest, he accepted their name… he wanted to belong.<\/span><\/p>\n

Time passed…\u00a0 Even though they were four, there was still a hole.<\/span><\/p>\n

*****<\/span><\/p>\n

“Please God, let me wake in the morning to find this was real,” he prayed as he cast his eyes upwards, closing his eyelids in an effort to stop the tears from falling.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I’m sorry, Pa.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben Cartwright opened his eyes to a sight he had truly thought he’d never live to see again, “Son,” he called.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Still dressed in black, Adam Cartwright slowly made his way\u00a0down the last few steps and walked across the floor.\u00a0 He was a little heavier around his middle than he was before he left.\u00a0 His appearance was quite distinguished, with the beard and mustache he now bore peppered with hints of grey.\u00a0 Ben kept his musing to himself, Was the beard an effort to make up for what was no longer upon the top of his head?<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

“I didn’t mean to be gone so long,” the eldest son breathed as he lowered his head in supplication.\u00a0 “I’m sorry I stopped writing.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Why?”\u00a0 He set the cup and saucer on the table, hoping that one word would convey his desperate desire to understand.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

“Distance,\u201d was the first word Adam used as an explanation, he paused as he struggled with the words he wanted to say.<\/span><\/p>\n

It had been many years since Ben had seen his son, but never before had he witnessed this inner conflict within the man.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI wasn’t as strong as you…\u00a0 I thought I knew what I wanted, but…”<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben waited.<\/span><\/p>\n

“In time, I met a woman.\u00a0 We\u00a0fell in love… married…\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Upon hearing that his son had married, Ben allowed his son to have his say before he would ask if his son\u2019s wife would be joining them soon.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe continued to travel Europe, Africa, Australia… It was my life, Pa. I was finally<\/em> living everything I thought I wanted.\u201d Turning from his father, Adam walked over to and stared into the fire, allowing the flickering image to ignite his need to confess. \u201cIt wasn’t enough; even with everything we did and everywhere we went\u2026 something was still pulling me.\u00a0 We were happy, God we were happy\u2026 and then she died two years ago.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“I’m sorry son,” Ben grieved for the daughter-in-law he\u2019d never known.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I didn’t know if I could come home again; I had left my father’s house…\u201d Adam hesitated.<\/span><\/p>\n

Walking to stand close to his oldest, Ben quietly spoke, \u201cAdam, don\u2019t\u2026 I understood and accepted your reasons for leaving. And I accepted that I had fulfilled my duty to you as your father. Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it1<\/sup>. <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

“Just because you left this home doesn\u2019t mean\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Hearing regret in his father\u2019s words, Adam turned, \u201cAm I too late<\/em><\/strong> to come home?”\u00a0his voice and eyes beseeched.<\/span><\/p>\n

With understanding, Ben answered, “No son, you came home when the time was right for you, and I\u2019m glad you\u2019re here.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Turning his son with a hand affectionately resting on his shoulder, they crossed the room and headed up the staircase.<\/span><\/p>\n

Adam stopped\u00a0on the landing and looked over his shoulder, “Home.\u00a0 Maybe I had to leave to finally understand that this is where I belong. I feel more at peace than I have in a very long time.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

(BEN – Late)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

___________<\/span><\/p>\n

(1)\u00a0\u00a0 <\/sup><\/em>Proverbs 22:6<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

~ B ~ O ~ N ~ A ~ N ~ Z ~ A ~<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Having spent restless hours during the night tossing and turning, lamenting the fact that sleep wouldn\u2019t come, the man pushed the covers aside and slid his legs over the side of his bed and exhaled deeply. Earlier, while he\u2019d waited for sleep to come, he\u2019d heard a door open and close, and the footsteps on the stairs before they crossed the floor of the great room. He heard muted voices before the boot steps returned to make their way up the staircase. He had been able to tell who was who between the two men walking down the hallway; with a wry smile he gave a quiet laugh at the comfort presented by hearing the sounds. Finally giving up on sleep, he sat up. He listened to the sounds that resonated throughout his home; the grandfather clock downstairs striking the hour and his brother snoring down the hallway.\u00a0\u00a0 Outside, the wind gently caressed the house, all in the deepest part of the night; when he should have been asleep.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Home,”<\/em> he mused.<\/span><\/p>\n

Just four letters.\u00a0 No real significance in the count except when one realized home had taken on a whole new meaning.\u00a0 The men within these walls were bound by more than name.\u00a0 Life…\u00a0 Dreams…\u00a0 Familiarity…\u00a0 Experiences… \u00a0Sorrow…\u00a0 Hopes\u2026 Some more than others.<\/span><\/p>\n

All his life he had been the youngest of Benjamin Cartwright\u2019s three sons, and then one day he found that he was one of two who remained to live and work the land; his carefree life forever changed. He never understood his oldest brother\u2019s desire to leave their home; to him the sun always rose and set upon the Ponderosa.<\/span><\/p>\n

*****<\/span><\/p>\n

Several hours had passed since the three\u2026 no, the four of them had bid their father goodnight and headed up the staircase. With sleep not forthcoming, he pulled on his pants and boots and slipped from the house, making his way to the barn. Afer closing the door behind him, he took comfort in the noises of horses contentedly munching on the last of their nightly hay, slurping water from their buckets, or just dozing on their hooves.<\/span><\/p>\n

Past the buckskin with the graying muzzle, past the large black with a white blaze, beyond the chestnut with the coat as colorful as his youngest brother\u2019s hair, he stopped to scratch behind the flickering ears of the black and white pinto to which he also offered a lump of sugar.<\/span><\/p>\n

He remembered the anger and sense of betrayal from years past; tears fell from his eyes as he thought of their loss and the heartache of losing such a part of his family. Months had dragged slowly by, when he overheard his father and Hop Sing speaking one night of how Adam\u2019s departure had struck them all, but the one they felt who was the most hurt was the heart of the Ponderosa.<\/span><\/p>\n

The young man realized that it was indeed time to grow up, his sulking and anger did no good. He vowed he would do anything he could to ease the hurt of his family and make the land they called home prosper. He knew he\u2019d done well when he saw his family smile as his cackle echoed through the house and across the yard.<\/span><\/p>\n

Life had been lived when they welcomed into their home a boy cast adrift by fate. The man didn\u2019t begrudge relinquishing the title of the youngest son to another\u2026 He eagerly looked forward to assuming the role of older brother and helping to mould the young man to take his rightful place alongside Ben Cartwright\u2019s sons, as his oldest brother had done for him so many years ago.<\/span><\/p>\n

*****<\/span><\/p>\n

He looked to the livery horse standing in the stall that Sport had once claimed, and thought of the one returned only hours earlier, wondering how life would change now that older brother was home.<\/span><\/p>\n

The silent figure laughed at himself, even with graying hair, he still couldn\u2019t help but feel his brother was there to overshadow him. All the years before Adam had left; he worried how others compared him to his oldest brother, his father\u2019s right-hand man who was there when the Ponderosa woke to her first sun rise. The man who had taken on the role of a second father-figure to the youngest Cartwright in the months after his mother\u2019s untimely death; a role not thoroughly relinquished upon Ben Cartwright\u2019s return home2<\/sup>.<\/span><\/p>\n

He spoke to his faithful mount. \u201cPa\u2019s always been our rock. And Hoss\u2026 it wasn\u2019t easy on him being in the middle of us. Hoss has always been my confidant\u2026 And now there\u2019s Jamie\u2026 who would have thought I could be a big brother? Even though he was practically grown when he became my brother… He\u2019s never given me nearly as much grief as I gave Adam. Don\u2019t know why I was so difficult.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe for the same reason as I don\u2019t know why I was so difficult\u2026\u201d the dark clad figure spoke as he made his presence known.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joe defensively stood straight.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy apologies. Didn\u2019t mean to startle you, I heard you leave the house. Are you okay?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Recognizing the changes in his brother and accepting him in a new light, Joe answered, \u201cGuess Hoss was right, we were just two sides of the same coin. Always looking at things from opposite directions and never taking the time to try to see things the way the other did\u2026 I suppose.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat sounds like Hoss,\u201d Adam answered. \u201cI would say that you haven\u2019t changed, Joe, but that wouldn\u2019t be true. The Joe I remember would have come at me with fists flying.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGuess I\u2019m a little rusty<\/em><\/strong> at being the youngest brother\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSeeing life from a different perspective has that effect on a\u2026 man.\u201d Adam hoped his brother would understand that he saw him in a different light, no longer the wayward little brother, someone to drag home from the saloon or watch over to make sure a job was done proper, the first time.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was mad when you left,\u201d Joe admitted.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was mad when you stopped writing and then\u2026then I worried that maybe something had happened to you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou grew up, Joe. You became Pa\u2019s right-hand man. I knew you would.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd now?\u201d Joe hesitantly asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re still his right-hand man, I\u2019ll be happy just to be your oldest brother and Pa\u2019s oldest son.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGive it a few weeks, and I think I can make you into a fairly decent ranch hand. I\u2019ve got pull with the boss,\u201d teased Joe as all his anxieties left and he wrapped an arm around his oldest brother\u2019s shoulders, relieved that he now could find peace in sleep.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

(JOE – Rusty)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

__________<\/span><\/p>\n

(2)\u00a0\u00a0 <\/sup><\/em>During the episode The Mill, Ben admitting having left the boys alone for some time while he tried to come to terms with his grief over Marie’s death.
\n<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

~ B ~ O ~ N ~ A ~ N ~ Z ~ A ~<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The solitary figure sat upon the raised porch; his chair rocked back on two legs against the wall.\u00a0 The rising sun had just begun to paint the morning sky a pale rose, the hard-packed dirt of the ground between the house and barn lie waiting for the first person to tread across.\u00a0 The man lounged, hesitant to be the first, fearful the dust kicked up would vanquish the dream he\u2019d experienced the night before.<\/span><\/p>\n

His dream felt as old as the mountains that reached majestically towards the heavens.\u00a0 How many times had he looked and prayed for this dream to become a reality; but he knew there was nothing he could have done differently.\u00a0 They loved each other and had seen the longing in the man\u2019s eyes, the need for fulfillment beyond the borders of the home they called the Ponderosa.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Home,”<\/em> he mused.<\/span><\/p>\n

Just four letters.\u00a0 No real significance in the count except when one realized home had taken on a whole new meaning.\u00a0 The men within these walls were bound by more than name.\u00a0 Life…\u00a0 Dreams…\u00a0 Familiarity…\u00a0 Experiences… \u00a0Sorrow…\u00a0 Longings\u2026 Some more than others.<\/span><\/p>\n

*****<\/span><\/p>\n

It had been years since the tears had fallen, the words were spoken, and hearts were broken; but when acceptance had shown its light, he wished the man a life fulfilled, and then the stagecoach took him away.<\/span><\/p>\n

*****<\/span><\/p>\n

The large man sat forward on his chair, easing it to all four legs as he rested his elbows to his knees, hands folded in quiet contemplation.<\/span><\/p>\n

*****<\/span><\/p>\n

Having returned home that day, life had taken on a new meaning; whereas before he had been the mediator, now he was the leader\u2026 well, after Pa.\u00a0 As the weeks and months passed, he realized that maybe their heartache was worth it.\u00a0 His illogically, temperamental brother was changing.\u00a0 Oh\u2026 he could still cackle with the best of them, but no longer was he just the third son of Benjamin Cartwright, youngest brother of Adam and Hoss. Joe was maturing and the men had a greater respect for him all the while the youngest failed to realize he was becoming their father\u2019s right-hand man; a fact Hoss didn\u2019t begrudge. \u00a0And then there was the newest, younger brother.\u00a0 That threw him for a loop; a wild card thrown into the mix when a rainmaker came to town and the boy was left to whatever fate life saw fit to hand him.\u00a0 No one could have predicted the events that transpired to make the family grow as it had.<\/span><\/p>\n

*****<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018But what about me?\u2019 <\/em>the man thought. \u00a0\u201cI guess I grow\u2019d up too.\u00a0 Became more confident o\u2019 myself, knowin\u2019 that Adam wasn\u2019t here to tell me what to do.\u00a0 Not that I was green<\/strong>, no I knew what needed done, but it always felt good to have older brother there to back me up.\u2019<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

The man continued to think of the events of the night before, had they been real?\u00a0 Supper was finished and Hop Sing in the kitchen fixing a final pot of coffee, washing the dishes and cookware, as the family enjoyed some time together before heading to bed to fall asleep and dream.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pa had sat in his chair, reading the Territorial Enterprise and slowly smoking from his pipe.\u00a0 He\u2019d looked to Joe, \u2018Cain\u2019t believe how grey his hair\u2019s become over the years,<\/em>\u2019 who was reading a book he\u2019d recently acquired, not one of those dime store novels he used to read all the time.\u00a0 Jamie sat on the floor, schoolbooks on the table between the settee and the fireplace, working on his homework.<\/span><\/p>\n

He reflected upon his family, and the one missing.\u00a0 It had been too long since the last letter had been received and read over and over\u2026\u00a0 He forced his mind away from the thoughts no one dared mention, but in his heart he knew he should know if something had happened.\u00a0 Disquieted\u2026 tonight, he wanted to give voice to a persistent feeling that he couldn\u2019t shake.\u00a0 Was this the sign they all feared?\u00a0 But he kept quiet and sought solace in the family that was present.<\/span><\/p>\n

Drawn to a noise outside, he slowly stood and walked over to look out the window behind his father\u2019s desk.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSomeone\u2019s in the barn, Pa\u2026\u201d he spoke.<\/span><\/p>\n

For some strange reason, all of them stepped to the door, not a one drawing a weapon from their holsters on the sideboard.\u00a0 Pa was first out the door, slowly, as if not wanting to scare away the figure as the stranger stepped to the wooden porch.<\/span><\/p>\n

*****<\/span><\/p>\n

His thoughts returned to the present at the sound of the door opening and he heard a hearty inhalation and the breath slowly being released, followed by footsteps treading softly across the porch.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not a dream, Hoss.\u00a0 I\u2019m home.\u201d Carefully he stepped onto the deck, his eyes inquiring if it was okay for him to have a seat.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBeen a long time, stranger,\u201d Hoss motioned for him to help himself to a chair.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cToo long,\u201d he said in response.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHelp yourself,\u201d Hoss motioned to the coffee pot and a second cup placed beside it, \u201cHop Sing and I figured you\u2019d be out here soon enough.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

“He hasn’t changed, has he?\u00a0 Knowing what we need before we do?” Adam asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

His brother smiled and shook his head, and then sipped from his own coffee cup.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thoughtfully they sat beside each other, enjoying their coffee as they watched the sun continue to rise; both thinking about this day\u2026 and the days to come and what they would bring.<\/span><\/p>\n

Clearing his throat, the stranger spoke, \u201cI have a favor to ask\u2026\u00a0 I need your help.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy help?\u201d Hoss inquired.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI need to know how to be a brother again, will you help me?\u201d spoke the dark-haired stranger turned oldest brother as his heart settled in peace. \u2018This is where I belong.\u2019<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

(HOSS – Green)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

~The End<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Story Tags: Adam Cartwright, <\/span>Ben Cartwright, <\/span>Hop Sing, <\/span>Hoss Cartwright, <\/span>Jamie Hunter Cartwright, <\/span>Joe \/ Little Joe Cartwright<\/p>\n

The next page contains the comments\/reviews left on the old BonanzaBrand Library.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Reviewer: Frannie2013<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Date: 18 Nov 2013 05:32 pm Title: Green – Seedling Challenge (Hoss)<\/span><\/p>\n

Nice! Yes, Joe became his father’s right-hand man after Adam left. <\/span><\/p>\n

I love how Hoss was the one that he asked for help.<\/span><\/p>\n

Good job!<\/span><\/p>\n

Author’s Response: <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Frannie, glad you enjoyed the story.\u00a0 Thank you for letting me know.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

**********<\/span><\/p>\n

Reviewer: JoeC<\/a><\/span>
\n Date: 25 Oct 2013 05:17 am Title: Lamplight — Seedling Prompt (Adam)<\/span><\/p>\n

In every human beeing comes a time he thinks about the past and what the future will bring.\u00a0At this point of life someone can change his life —with the help of family and friends.<\/span><\/p>\n

The JAM is so nice and I would love to see how Adam copes with a matured Joe. Please do a sequel.\u00a0\u00a0 Thanx. Helga<\/span>
\n Author’s Response: <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Helga, I agree that family and friends can help change a person’s life, for the best!\u00a0 I believe that we were cheated by PR’s leaving, in that we didn’t get to see how Adam coped with a matured Joe, a brother who could more than stand up to his oldest brother.\u00a0 But there would alway be love between the two.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

If you haven’t read the Tahoe Ladies’ ‘Honor’ series, I humbly suggest you do.\u00a0 This is a believable story of Adam’s return, post Hoss’ and Alice’s deaths, and how Adam and Joe have to learn to live and work together, again.<\/span><\/p>\n

**********<\/span><\/p>\n

Reviewer: freyakendra<\/a><\/span>
\n Date: 24 Oct 2013 10:58 am Title: Green – Seedling Challenge (Hoss)<\/span><\/p>\n

Nah! Adam doesn’t need help with that! \ud83d\ude09<\/span><\/p>\n

What a lovely compilation of thoughts, feelings and questions. I would love to see this story continue, to see Adam settle into his new place and learn things from his brothers–all of them!:)<\/span><\/p>\n

Author’s Response: <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Like Joe’s comment about giving it a few weeks and he’ll make a good ranch hand, I think Adam will easily fit right back into the family fold.\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

I just might take this into a full story.\u00a0 There are several others who have requested Adam based stories; this might be the one to fill the requests.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Freyakendra, thank you for taking the time to read and to leave a review for each chapter!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

**********<\/span><\/p>\n

Reviewer: freyakendra<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Date: 24 Oct 2013 10:36 am Title: Rusty — Seedling Prompt (Joe)<\/span><\/p>\n

Wonderful JAM!:)<\/span><\/p>\n

Author’s Response: <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

I’m pleased this met with the Freyakendra’s ‘seal of approval’.\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

**********<\/span><\/p>\n

Reviewer: freyakendra<\/a><\/span>
\n Date: 24 Oct 2013 10:31 am Title: Late – Seedling Prompt (Ben)<\/span><\/p>\n

It’s never too late to follow your heart!<\/span><\/p>\n

Author’s Response: <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

There is the saying, “You can never go home!”\u00a0 I believe in some manner this is true; the home you as it was when you left will never be the same, but the family and the love…\u00a0 You can always go home to this home.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

**********<\/span><\/p>\n

Reviewer: freyakendra<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Date: 24 Oct 2013 10:20 am Title: Shot – Seedling Prompt (Hop Sing)<\/span><\/p>\n

Wonderful glimpse into Hop Sing’s heart! I love your exploration of the language and Adam’s special greeting to his honored friend!<\/span><\/p>\n

Author’s Response: <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

With maturity of being on his own, I do believe that Adam would have honored his friend in such a manner upon his return.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

**********<\/span><\/p>\n

Reviewer: freyakendra<\/a><\/span>
\n Date: 24 Oct 2013 10:15 am Title: Cat – Seedling Prompt (Jamie)<\/span><\/p>\n

Another eloquent chapter! I particularly love the wisdom in this line: “He came to understand that one can grieve about the past, but in order to heal one\u2019s heart\u2026 \u00a0one has to get on with living\u2026 laughing\u2026 working\u2026 learning\u2026 forgiving\u2026 “<\/span><\/p>\n

Author’s Response: <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, that line was most poetic.\u00a0 To bad I didn’t come up with it to work into Joe’s chapter, but then I think it was more fitting that this would be something that Joe would have taught to Jamie.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

**********<\/span><\/p>\n

Reviewer: freyakendra<\/a><\/span>
\n Date: 24 Oct 2013 10:07 am Title: Lamplight — Seedling Prompt (Adam)<\/span><\/p>\n

Wonderfully and eloquently written!<\/span><\/p>\n

Author’s Response: <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Thank you so much for taking the time to read.\u00a0 As soon as I saw Paula’s prompt I knew this is what I wanted to write for that Seedling Challenge.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

**********<\/span><\/p>\n

Reviewer: Laurie<\/span>
\n Date: 21 Oct 2013 07:59 pm Title: Green – Seedling Challenge (Hoss)<\/span><\/p>\n

Love of family… where would we be without it! Loved it, thanks!<\/span><\/p>\n

Author’s Response: <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Laurie, where would we\u00a0be without family love?\u00a0 A very sad world.\u00a0 Thank you for reading and reviewing.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

**********<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Reviewer: Belle<\/a><\/span>
\n Date: 21 Oct 2013 01:36 pm Title: Green – Seedling Challenge (Hoss)<\/span><\/p>\n

Very poignant! \u00a0It’s nice to see that the circle is unbroken.<\/span><\/p>\n

Author’s Response: <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Hello Belle, thank you for taking the time to read and leave a review.\u00a0 I had to go back and modify a few of the earlier voices written in order for them to tie-in to what I later wrote, after each subsequent Weekly Seedling Challenge .\u00a0\u00a0 And I agree with you, a circle is never ending.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/g><\/svg><\/i> \"Loading\"<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Summary: \u00a0Dream Fulfilled\u2026 A story in six voices, that all viewers wished had happened.\u00a0 Within each section there will be a common thread that also ties each character to the others.\u00a0 At the end of each section the character and the word prompt are listed.<\/p>\n

Rating K (6,705 words)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":4115,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full-width-post.php","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,1008,27,40],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1532","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-family","category-whi","category-challenges","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-1008-id","wpcat-27-id","wpcat-40-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":1405,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/frontporch.jpg?fit=439%2C305&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":8446,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=8446","url_meta":{"origin":1532,"position":0},"title":"Between the Twelfth of Never and Forever… (by BluewindFarm)","author":"BluewindFarm","date":"June 16, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"SUMMARY:\u00a0 A time of contemplation as a man reflects on what's happened in the past, and what good could come from any of it. --\u00a0 \u2018How am I gonna be an optimist about this?\u2019 Rating: \u00a0K \u00a0(695 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/godshands.jpg?fit=1133%2C717&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/godshands.jpg?fit=1133%2C717&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/godshands.jpg?fit=1133%2C717&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/godshands.jpg?fit=1133%2C717&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/godshands.jpg?fit=1133%2C717&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":15556,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=15556","url_meta":{"origin":1532,"position":1},"title":"A Gift of Memories (by DanceDiva)","author":"DanceDiva","date":"December 25, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 This story was written for the 2016 Advent Collection. 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