Summary: While Hop Sing is away for a few days, Little Joe persuades Hoss to help with a surprise for their father and Adam.<\/p>\n
Rating: K\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Word Count: 3695<\/p>\n
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\u201cAww, come on, Hoss! We can do it! You know how much Pa and Adam love apple pie!\u201d Seven year-old Joe whined as the two brothers walked into the kitchen no more than five minutes after Ben and Adam had ridden out.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI know how much YOU love apple pie, Little Joe, and I wanta be able ta sit down tomorrow. Pa left me in charge.\u201d Twelve year-old Hoss squared his shoulders and put his hands on his hips. \u00a0\u201cAnd yur idea could get us both sent ta the barn for a \u2018necessary talk\u2019! \u2018Sides, we got dishes ta do and then a tack room ta straighten up. R\u2019member?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cBut there\u2019s no cake or pie left, and Hop Sing won\u2019t be back \u2018til Sunday. Pa fixed stew for supper and put it in the oven. Stew and biscuits! That\u2019s it.\u201d Joe pulled a face. \u201cCan\u2019t eat that with no dessert and we gotta do dishes anyway. I watched Hop Sing make pie a bunch o\u2019 times. It\u2019s easy! Easy as — what\u2019s that thing Pa says?\u201d The animated young boy paused for a moment and then his green eyes lit up, \u201cOh, yeah, easy as falling off a log!\u201d He shouted with glee and gave Hoss a satisfied grin.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The older boy scowled and shook his head. \u201cYa know ya ain\u2019t \u2018llowed ta use Hop Sing\u2019s knives, r\u2018member?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe rubbed his hand, remembering a previous misadventure that involved one of the Chinaman\u2019s sharp knives. \u00a0\u201cYeah, I know, but I can make the crust and you can peel the apples. How \u2018bout that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI ain\u2019t never peeled no apples, little brother, and I really don\u2019t wanta start now.\u201d The hefty boy crossed his arms over his chubby middle.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019ll be a great surprise. You can do it. I know you can. You whittle stuff with your pocket knife all the time. Can\u2019t be that much different.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss gave his younger brother a hard look. He had to admit that apple pie did sound really good and his father and older brother were out on the range and not due back until supper time.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Feeling as though he was looking into the eyes of a sad little puppy, Hoss relented. Oh alright! But ya gotta promise not ta do anythin\u2019 crazy, ya hear!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe\u2019s head bobbed up and down. \u201cI promise! It\u2019s gonna be great! You\u2019ll see!! Now, first thing get me that small bowl up there.\u201d Joe pointed up to a shelf that was out of his reach. Taking the bowl from Hoss, Joe grabbed a coffee cup from the sideboard. \u00a0\u201cI\u2019ll get some flour from the bin. You get the salt and the crock of lard.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss bit his lower lip. \u201cI sure hope ya know what yur doin\u2019.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cCourse, I do. Like I said, it\u2019ll be easy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss retrieved the salt and lard for Joe and placed them on the work table. Joe returned from the bin with the bowl half filled with flour and some in the coffee cup. He pulled a spoon and two table knives from the drawer in the sideboard. The youngest Cartwright paused after taking the lid off the crock of lard and gave his brother a frustrated look.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell, don\u2019t just stand there. I know what I\u2019m doing. Start peeling the apples.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss wagged his head back and forth. \u201cDon\u2019tcha get smart with me, Little Joe, cuz ya cain\u2019t do this without me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSorry, Hoss, but we ain\u2019t got all day. You need to get crackin\u2019 on the apples!!\u201d Joe scooped a big dollop of lard into the bowl of flour. He added a pinch of salt and then took the table knives and began working the lard into the flour like he had seen Hop Sing do on numerous occasions. \u201cSee, I told you I know how ta do this.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah, yeah, but I ain\u2019t seein\u2019 no pie just yet, little brother.\u201d Hoss fetched a basket of bright red apples from the sideboard. \u201cHow many of these do I gotta peel, anyway?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe glanced at the apples. \u201cHow many are in the basket?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss did a quick count. \u201cLooks like eight.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing uses six, if they ain\u2019t too small.\u201d Joe continued to cut the lard into the flour.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSix! I was hopin\u2019 for two!!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThat won\u2019t make a very good pie. Come on, Hoss. If I can make the crust, you can peel six apples.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAlright! Alright! I\u2019m a\u2019peelin\u2019!\u201d Hoss opened the drawer where the sharp knives were kept and located a paring knife. He then went to work removing the skin from the first apple.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n In the meantime, Joe set the table knives aside and got the pitcher of water that sat nearby. He poured a small amount of water into the bowl, but then more sloshed in, his small hands unable to control the large pitcher. Not sure what to do, he took the spoon and began to stir the flour into a sloppy dough. He stopped when he realized that things were not going well. He poured in some of the flour from the coffee cup that he had been going to use to roll out the pie dough and stirred again. Still not happy with how the dough looked, Joe dumped the remaining flour into the bowl. Stirring the contents of the bowl soon became much more difficult as the dough began to stiffen up. When a lot of flour and bits of dough flew out onto the table, Hoss took notice.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHey there! You\u2019re makin\u2019 a mess and we gotta clean all this up and get the dishes done b\u2019fore Pa and Adam get home.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cMaking pie is messy. I\u2019ll help clean up. Promise.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe took the cup and retrieved some more flour from the bin and found the rolling pin. Sprinkling some flour onto the table, He emptied the bowl and patted the dough into a hard, ragged ball. <\/span><\/p>\n He had watched Hop Sing easily slice through dough with the relatively dull table knife, but Joe had to push down hard and the ball cracked apart unevenly. The boy took one of the pieces and grunted as he pressed down finding it difficult to flatten it the manner he had seen the family cook do.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe\u2019s noises caused Hoss to lose focus on his task. \u201cOuch! Dad burn it! I got slits in my fingers from peelin\u2019 these here apples. The inside o\u2019 this pie is gonna be red from all my blood!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cLet me see.\u201d The smaller boy wiped his floury hands on his shirt and looked at Hoss\u2019 outstretched hand. \u201cIt don\u2019t look too bad. Keep working. Oh! I forgot! You gotta put the apples in a big bowl of water with a little vinegar. That way the apples won\u2019t get all brown and yucky.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cVinegar? In apple pie?\u201d Hoss scrunched up his face in disbelief.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah, that\u2019s what Hop Sing does. I\u2019m sure of it. You pour the water off when you\u2019re done. Go on. I know \u2018bout making pie.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re sure?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYep. I\u2019m sure.\u201d Joe gave his brother a definitive nod.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss did as he was told and went back to peeling the remaining four apples as Joe began rolling out the dough. After a few minutes, the younger boy pushed away his golden brown curls that were sticking to his sweaty forehead with a flour-covered hand. Joe set the rolling pin aside and assessed the thick, irregular disk lying on the table in front of him. As much as he hated to admit it, he was going to need his brother\u2019s help to get anything resembling a pie crust from the lump of dough that was turning into rock before his eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAre you \u2018bout done with the apples?\u201d Joe huffed. \u201cI need some help.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss did a double take. \u201cI thought ya said ya knew whatcha was doin\u2019!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t know what happened. It don\u2019t ever look like this when Hop Sing does it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah, funny thing \u2018bout that, huh? Probly shoulda never let myself get roped inta this mess.\u201d Hoss muttered under his breath. \u201cHold on. I\u2019m jest \u2018bout done here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Minutes later, Hoss was using his brute strength to flatten the dough. However, when Joe attempted to fold it into quarters and place it in the pie pan, the dough cracked into four pieces.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNow look whatcha done! I worked real hard and you broke it!\u201d Hoss wiped his perspiring forehead with the back of his hand.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSorry! That never happens to Hop Sing. I\u2019ll fix this while you roll out the top. Come on. Get busy!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss huffed and smacked the remained lump of dough in front of him and then went to work flattening it with a lot of grunting and groaning. Meanwhile, Joe arranged the pieces of the bottom crust in the pie pan and pressed them together to form a unit. \u201cThere. All fixed and you\u2019re almost done.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah, you better thank yur lucky stars I don\u2019t take this rollin\u2019 pin to yur backside when this is all done!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHey! I\u2019m working just as hard as you! Now we got to get the apples ready. See that bowl with the holes?\u201d Joe pointed to a colander sitting on the sideboard. \u201cI\u2019ll hold that and you can pour the apples in it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss dusted off his hands on his pants and picked up the bowl of cut apples. The boys stepped outside the kitchen door and dumped the apples into the strainer without losing any or soaking their feet.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOk, now you got to slice the apples and I\u2019ll get the sugar and flour ready.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cMore cuttin\u2019?\u201d Hoss grimaced while complaining. \u201cThis is takin\u2019 forever! Golly Little Joe, this better be the best dang pie in the world at this rate!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJust cut the apples and put them back in the bowl.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Once Joe could see that his brother was back at work, the younger boy got a cup of sugar and a small amount of flour in two cups and then went to the knife drawer.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019tcha be gettin\u2019 in that drawer, Joe. Pa \u2018ill have my hide iffin you get cut up!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m just looking for this metal thing Hop Sing uses for the cinnamon stick.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cMetal thing? Cinnamon stick? Whatcha talkin\u2019 \u2018bout?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing rubs a cinnamon stick on a piece of metal, you know, kinda like what you use on a horse\u2019s hoof only littler.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Hoss scrunched up his face. \u201cYa mean a rasp?\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah, like that. Here it is. I\u2019m being real careful getting it out.\u201d Joe removed a narrow rasp from the drawer and brought it to the work table. He pushed a chair over to a string of cinnamon sticks that were suspended from a hook in the ceiling and pulled one loose from its knot. After doing everything he could think of in preparation, Joe stood impatiently watching Hoss slice the last of the apples.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cGood! You\u2019re done!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOne thing\u2019s fur sure, I\u2019m gonna \u2018ppreciate Hop Sing\u2019s next pie a whole lot more!\u201d Hoss wiped his hands on his pant legs. \u201cNow what?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou do the cinnamon. Be careful! That thing is sharp. Hop Sing always has a little bit left. He puts it in his tea.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n While Joe poured the sugar and flour into the bowl and stirred the apples, Hoss worked on grating the cinnamon stick. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHey, that smells right good! See whatcha mean \u2018bout bein\u2019 careful. This rasp thing is sharp. There.\u201d Hoss held up the remaining piece of the stick. \u201cThink I best quit before I lose part of my finger.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe took a table knife and pushed the ground cinnamon onto the blade and dumped it into the bowl and then took a pinch of salt and sprinkled it over the apples. Giving the contents a good mixing, the boy ran his finger around the side of the bowl and licked off the syrupy liquid.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cMmmmm!! That\u2019s good! Try it!\u201d Joe smacked his lips.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss pushed a chubby finger into the bowl and stuck it into his mouth. \u201cHey now! This may turn out better than I thought! I don\u2019t know how you done it, but ya done a good job, Little Joe!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe gave his brother a satisfied nod. \u201cOk you hold the bowl and I\u2019ll spoon the apples into the crust.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n After arranging the mound of fruit and retrieving a few slices that had escaped, Joe licked off the spoon. Hoss went to work with two fingers cleaning out the residue in the bowl. A snap of his younger brother\u2019s fingers caught him by surprise.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI almost forgot about the butter. We got to put little bits of butter on the apples.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss shrugged and continued cleaning out the bowl while Joe went to get the small crock that held the butter. With a table knife, the boy dropped dabs of butter over the sweetened apples.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThere. Now we\u2019re ready. Think you better help me put the top on cause we don\u2019t wanta fold it like we did the bottom part. That didn\u2019t work at all!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJest a minute. I ain\u2019t done with the bowl yet.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe put his hands on his hips. \u201cWell hurry up! We got to get this pie into the oven!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss set the bowl aside. \u201cAll right. Let\u2019s get this done. Ya better kinda slide your hands under it and then lift.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Working together, the boys managed to get the crust over the apples.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNow we got to push down around the edge like this.\u201d However, cracks formed in the top crust when Joe pressed down attempting to seal the two layers together.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhatcha gonna do \u2018bout that?\u201d Hoss asked with a scowl.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cMaybe we can patch it. You need to cut around the pan and then I\u2019ll do the fork thing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThe fork thing? What\u2019s that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll show you, but you gotta do the cutting first.\u201d Joe picked up the fork he had gotten earlier and waited for his brother to cut away the excess pie dough. Then he pushed the tines into the top layer around the edge of the pan. Taking some of the dough that had been cut off, Joe broke off pieces to plug the holes he had made in the top crust.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cTwo more things, then we\u2019re done.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cTwo more. What now?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou take the sharp knife and make a star in the middle.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cMake a star?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah, four times. Here, here, here, and here.\u201d Joe pointed. \u201cLooks like a star when Hop Sing does it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAll right.\u201d Hoss took the knife and did as Joe had instructed.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNow we do the egg.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cEgg?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah, egg.\u201d Joe went to the basket on the sideboard and brought back one egg. \u201cYou ever crack an egg?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cMe? No. You?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNah, Hop Sing don\u2019t let me do it, but it can\u2019t be that hard.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe smacked the egg on the coffee cup causing the white to leak out and run down the side. He pushed his thumbs into the crack; the broken yolk, white, and some shell fell into the cup. After several tries at removing the piece of shell, the boy gave up and took the fork and whisked the egg. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cCan you pour a little milk into the cup. I might get too much. Hop Sing only puts a little with the egg.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cEgg, milk. Anything else ya need? Seems like we\u2019re never gonna be done!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThis is it. I promise!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss brought the pitcher of milk and poured a small amount into the beaten egg. Joe gave it another stir and then smeared the mixture over the crust.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNow we\u2019re done! You can put it in the oven with the stew.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss opened the oven door and slid the pie pan in beside the pot of stew.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n **********************************<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hours later, Adam entered the house ahead of his father, ready for a hot meal.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHope those biscuits don\u2019t take too long, Pa, I\u2019m starved.\u201d Adam\u2019s voice trailed away and he side-eyed his father. There was an unmistakable fragrance of apples and cinnamon in the air.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben gave his oldest a glance when he observed that the table was set and the living room vacant. \u201cHop Sing? Boys?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss and Joe soon appeared \u00a0at the top of the stairs. \u201cOh hi, Pa! Adam!\u201d We were just cleaning our rooms.\u201d Little Joe offered his father and oldest brother a wide grin and enthusiastic nod.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam removed his holster and set it on the credenza. \u201cCleaning your rooms? You two feeling ok?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss and Joe trotted down the stairs and were trying not to show how much they were bracing themselves for a reprimand from their father.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben gave his younger sons a skeptical look. \u201cI\u2019m glad to see that the house is still standing. Is Hop Sing back? If I didn\u2019t know better, I\u2019d say someone baked apple pie.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss tucked his thumbs into his belt in an attempt to look older than twelve. \u201cNo, Pa. Hop Sing ain\u2019t back. He\u2019s comin\u2019 back on Sunday. R\u2019member?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s what I thought. And the pie?\u201d Ben pressed.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe couldn\u2019t contain his excitement. \u201cWe wanted to surprise you, Pa, cause we know how much you like apple pie!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben frowned at his younger sons. \u201cI thought you two understood the rules about messing around in the kitchen.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWe did the dishes and cleaned everything up! Come see! And we were real careful. I didn\u2019t touch any sharp knives! Hoss did all the cutting. Promise!\u201d Joe\u2019s face was solemn.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah, Pa, we was real careful and we done all the jobs you told us ta do.\u201d Hoss added, resisting the urge to rub the tiny slits in his fingers left from peeling apples.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Though he was not happy that his sons had broken one of his rules, Ben had to admit that it did appear that Hoss and Joe had been responsible in doing his list of chores. He had checked the tack room before coming into the house and found things in good order.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben turned to hang up his hat and place his gun belt on the credenza. \u201cWell now, let\u2019s all go have a look at the kitchen.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss and Joe fell dutifully in line and followed their father into the kitchen with Adam bringing up the rear. Ben took a good look around. Everything looked as it should and the pie in question sat under a towel on the sideboard. He lifted the towel and had to work to suppress a smile. Though the top crust was oddly misshapen and patched together, the pie looked only slightly over-baked and still edible.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ben dropped the corner of the towel before a very curious Adam got a good look at the pie. He reached out and placed a hand on his younger sons\u2019 shoulders. \u201cMaybe I have underestimated you boys. You\u2019ve been busy today and done a good job. Run on and get washed up for dinner. Should be ready in about thirty minutes.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe was beaming up at his father while his brother\u2019s smile seemed less certain. Ben\u2019s sons disappeared to their rooms to clean up as their father began preparing the biscuits. Though it seemed like an eternity to Joe, supper was soon on the table. He struggled to eat his small serving of stew and managed one biscuit. Practically bouncing in his chair with eager anticipation, he watched his father and oldest brother clear their plates. Joe was about to ask to be excused to get the pie when Adam took a second helping of stew while shooting a smirk in his youngest \u00a0brother\u2019s direction. Joe frowned and took another biscuit. He ate a few bites just to pass the time. Finally, he was given permission to bring out the apple pie. Ben cut and served it with some difficulty because the crust broke apart. Joe observed his father and brothers anxiously as they took their first bites.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Years later, three Cartwrights were sitting around the kitchen table enjoying a freshly baked apple pie. Hop Sing stood nearby with the coffee pot in hand ready to top off Ben and Joe\u2019s cups and kept a watchful eye on Jamie\u2019s glass of milk.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll never forget the looks on your faces when you, Adam, and Hoss bit into your pie. Adam said it was kind of like eating apples and hard tack.\u201d There were chuckles all around the table and Hop Sing nodded, unsurprised by that fact. \u201cBut you tried hard, Pa, to make the best of it because you could tell how hard we had tried to please you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYes, as I remember the apple filling tasted amazingly similar to Hop Sing\u2019s.\u201d Ben held up his fork and then took a bite of pie. \u201cYou had obviously paid close attention and had a good teacher.\u201d Hop Sing smiled at Ben\u2019s compliment.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell, that was the one and only pie we ever made. Hoss wanted no part of it ever again. He only wanted Hop Sing\u2019s pies.\u201d Joe eyed the half of the pie still sitting in the pan in front of them and let out a heavy sigh. \u201cI\u2019d give anything to be fending him off from the rest of this pie.\u201d Joe dabbed at his damp eyes with his shirt sleeve. \u201cGod, I miss him so much.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Jamie\u2019s chin dropped to his chest and Hop Sing turned his focus to the stove, both unable to deal with the sudden sadness that filled the room. Placing one hand first on Joe\u2019s shoulder and the other on Jamie\u2019s arm that was resting on the table, Ben spoke through his tears.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI miss him, too. We all do.\u201d Joe and Jamie took in their father\u2019s loving expression. \u201cBut I want you know that I\u2019m thankful for all of my sons\u201d, Ben paused and looked over to Hop Sing, \u201cand for a good friend of many years. I\u2019m so happy that we have each other. Hoss wouldn\u2019t want us to be sad, but to remember him with laughter and fond memories.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Cartwrights finished their dessert in relative quiet as they pondered the blessings of family and friends and a brother and son who had filled their lives with joy and love.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Tags:\u00a0 Ben Cartwright,\u00a0Family,\u00a0Hoss Cartwright,\u00a0Joe \/ Little Joe Cartwright<\/p>\n