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<\/p>\nSummary:\u00a0 The Cartwrights face a near-tragedy and Christmas visitors.<\/p>\n
Rating:\u00a0 G\u00a0\u00a0 2,144 words<\/p>\n
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Aunt Dinah<\/b><\/p>\n
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The Christmas Visitors<\/strong><\/p>\n Padding down the stairs, Hop Sing paused on the mid landing. Below, his employer sat slumped half asleep, his chin cupped in his left hand, elbow on the over-stuff arm of the chair. Slowly shaking his head at the man, but knowing the only other place the man would be was from where he had just come. He felt fortunate enough to have had his employer finally follow his directions to go rest, so he would be able to care for his son later on.<\/p>\n Hearing a noise, Ben roused to see the Oriental man carrying an armload of tattered clothing and dirty towels. Sitting up further, his face asked an unvoiced question.<\/p>\n \u201cLit\u2019le Joe will be better.\u201d<\/p>\n Standing, \u201cI know. We almost lost him.\u201d<\/p>\n Nodding, \u201cAlmost, but didn\u2019t.\u201d Continuing to his domain, he heard Ben ask, \u201cWhy? Do you know why he was out there?\u201d<\/p>\n Before turning the corner from the dining room to the short hallway, \u201cBoy come running through room, waving envelope. Hop Sing not know it words, only he leave, say he go to town.\u201d<\/p>\n Lowering his head, \u201cThank you Hop Sing.\u201d Allowing the flames to mesmerize and leech away the cold shiver than ran down and back up his spine, Ben held his hands forward.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Entering the kitchen, Hop Sing spied Adam struggling to carry a full wood-sling and shut the door through which he had just entered, \u201cBoy will appreciate warmth of room.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBoy? He\u2019s almost twenty, he should have known better.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe so. But, he always be boy, just like you,\u201d Adam huffed at the smaller man\u2019s words, \u201cTo your father you always be boy, just like Joe.\u201d Adam\u2019s visible breath faded the farther he entered into the room; he paused to wipe the beads of perspiration dotting his forehead. \u201cSweat good for man, and boy.\u201d He continued to smile as Adam moved across the room.<\/p>\n Unable to stop the corners of his mouth from tweaking up, \u201cLet\u2019s hope he enjoys it under all those blankets Pa piled on him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe does. Body getting warmer. Color come to cheeks.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing, thank you for all your help.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo need thank Hop Sing, it what family do.\u201d The cook, housekeeper, majordomo, defacto man in charge set a kettle on the stove after dropping the laundry in a corner.<\/p>\n ****<\/p>\n Making his way through the dining room, Adam hesitated as the front door opened allowing a burst of cold air to enter at the same time as Hoss.<\/p>\n Pushing the door closed, he set a brown-paper wrapped package tied with string on the sideboard before rubbing his hands up and down his arms, \u201cDagummit, I didn\u2019t think it could get any colder than it were.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow\u2019s the kid\u2019s horse?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAbout like Shortshanks, bumps and bruises, and chilled.\u201d Pulling off his heavy coat, \u201cMaybe a strained tendon, but I couldn\u2019t find nothin\u2019 serious wrong with \u2018em.\u201d Heavily striding to the fireplace to warm himself. \u201cJoe owes his life ta that horse.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not the first time Cochise has rescued him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo Adam, it\u2019s not,” Ben commented.\u00a0 “But when he came limping into the yard with Joe\u2019s saddle askew and then turned away, I felt I could have died right then and there. I just don\u2019t understand why the boy felt he had to go out. Hop Sing said he went to town. What was so important tonight? This of all nights.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow\u2019s he doing? He gonna be alright?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAccording to Hop Sing, he\u2019s going to be fine.\u201d Returning to his seat and settling about, Ben fixed his pipe and drew in a deep breath. Slowly exhaling the smoke drifted to the ceiling; his nerves beginning to calm.<\/p>\n \u201cI better get this wood upstairs.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll come with ya, I wanna see him too.\u201d<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n With his heart in his throat, Ben ran up the stairs at hearing the mixed voices of his sons yelling, \u201cPa, come quick!\u201d<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Breathlessly asking, \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d Ben barely avoided colliding into Adam and Hoss standing down the hallway from his youngest\u2019s bedroom, pointing as a light brightly shone from under the door.<\/p>\n \u201cPa, when I come in, there weren\u2019t no light on in Joe\u2019s room.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJoe couldn\u2019t have lit the lamp. Not with his hands\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n As the three opened the door, the room faded back to the soft tones offered by the logs burning in the fireplace.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat the\u2026?\u201d Ben\u2019s hand remained on the doorknob, a gentle caress touched his cheek. \u201cMarie?\u201d A long familiar, but never forgotten fragrance of his late wife lingered momentarily before dissipating.<\/p>\n Slowly entering farther into the room, Ben spied sparkling green eyes peaking over the multitude of blankets, \u201cHi, P-pa.\u201d<\/p>\n The blankets shifted as an arm moved and stiff fingers appeared trying to curl over to pull the blanket down a little.<\/p>\n \u201cUh, uh, uh. No you don\u2019t.\u201d Hoss was first to his brother\u2019s bed. \u201cYou keep all a ya under those blankets.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cW-want-ted t-to see b-bet-ter.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYoung man, you\u2019re lucky to see at all.\u201d Finally composing himself, Ben sat on the edge of the bed while Adam placed several pieces of wood in the fireplace before putting the rest in the woodbin. \u201cSon, what was so important that you had to go to town?\u201d Unable to keep anger from his voice at the thought of his youngest dying before they could rescue him, \u201cAnd tonight at that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHad t-to\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re lucky Cochise was able to lead us to you,\u201d Adam stated.<\/p>\n \u201cS-s-so-ry.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJoe, I just cain\u2019t image, if that pony a yours hadn\u2019t come home when he did. Ya\u2019d a died out there all alone.\u201d<\/p>\n Realizing now was not the time, \u201cSon, well, we\u2019ll talk of this in the morning, when you\u2019re warmer.\u201d Standing to leave, Ben made sure the blankets were tightly tucked under the mattress.<\/p>\n Only Adam heard, \u201cI wasn\u2019t alone,\u201d as Joe snuggled deeper into his warm cocoon.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n From the dining room table, three Cartwrights looked up as Hop Sing slowly assisted his youngest charge down the staircase.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d Ben was instantly to his feet.<\/p>\n \u201cI-I can do it Pa,\u201d Joe apologetically answered. Giving a warm smile as Adam offered his chair for Joe to sit. Hoss switched Adam\u2019s half-filled plate with an empty one for his brother. Taking a moment, he filled a coffee cup and set it within close reach.<\/p>\n \u201cHow are you feeling, son?\u201d His eyes followed Hop Sing leaving the room, before returning to his son.<\/p>\n \u201cB-better.\u201d Trying to avert his eyes, yet wanting wanting to see his father\u2019s expression, \u201cNever thought I\u2019d get warm again.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, drink your coffee and you\u2019ll eat everything Hop Sing puts on your plate.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, them biscuits and gravy will sure finish warming ya up.\u201d Hoss proceeded to finish eating his own breakfast.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n A half hour later, Hop Sing brought a fresh pot of steaming coffee to the family. A smile slowly spread at the sight, Little Joe fussing as his family cajoled him against sitting on the floor so close to the Christmas tree.<\/p>\n \u201cTake my chair Sport.\u201d Adam once again offered his seat.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks,\u201d having the grace to blush as Hoss tucked the Indian blanket from the staircase over his lap and around his legs. \u201cI guess you want to know why I went to town.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd needlessly risked your life. Joe, I know you heard me warn your brothers and the men about the dangers of an avalanche along that part of the trail.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know, but I forgot about the letter, and I just had to get to town.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLetter?\u201d three voices asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI got a letter from a Mrs. Carmichael.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss look from Joe to Ben to Adam and back to Joe.<\/p>\n \u201cI remember picking up the mail a few weeks back,\u201d Adam spoke, \u201cand there was an envelope with a return address from a Mr. and Mrs. Carmichael\u2026 New Orleans.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben\u2019s and Hoss\u2019 eyes widened at the mention of the city, \u201cWho\u2019s Mrs. Carmichael?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou wouldn\u2019t remember her as Mrs. Carmichael, none of us would. She wrote that when she left, she\u2019d taken something with her; only it took her a lot longer to finish than she thought it would. After she received your letter, telling her about Momma, she stopped working on it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cStopped working on what, Shortshanks?\u201d Hoss sat forward on the stone hearth.<\/p>\n \u201cI doesn\u2019t matter. I lost it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat was so important that you\u2019d risk your life on the day before Christmas. As I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve heard us say, you could have died out there all alone.\u201d<\/p>\n The depths of his feelings illuminated Joe\u2019s face, \u201cBut I wasn\u2019t alone. Momma was there with me. She kept telling me that you were on your way, and\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd?\u201d Adam encouraged.<\/p>\n Pulling the blanket higher and draping it across his chest, trying to recreate the feeling, \u201cShe wrapped her arms around me to keep me warm. She told me stories of her sewing sessions with Aunt Dinah. How the two of them would giggle when I\u2019d try to help them arrange their swatches.\u00a0 I guess there was one time I went a little overboard and made a real mess when they’d gone to the kitchen to do some Christmas baking. Ma told how they came out to find me in the middle of the room, swatches everywhere and their sewing baskets emptied all over the floor.\u00a0 She paddled<\/em> me for being so naughty and made me clean everything up.\u201d Pleading eyes, \u201cI wasn\u2019t scared, I felt safe in Momma\u2019s arms.\u201d Dropping the blanket, \u201cBut it doesn\u2019t matter, I lost it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSon\u2026. Joseph, I don\u2019t understand. What did you lose?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMomma,\u201d Joe whispered.<\/p>\n Three confused men looked on towards the disheartened member of their family.<\/p>\n Sitting up straight, \u201cWait a minute! You went to town to pick something up? You placed it in a carry sack?\u201d Hoss asked.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, it\u2019s probably at the bottom of the gorge. We\u2019d be lucky if we found it by summer, and then it would be ruined.\u201d<\/p>\n Jumping up from his place in front of the hearth, Hoss proceeded to the sideboard and picked up the packet he\u2019d brought in the night before after tending to his brother\u2019s horse. \u201cThis whatcha talkin\u2019 about?\u201d<\/p>\n Looking up, eyes once again bright, \u201cWhere\u2019d you find that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn the carry bag tied to yer saddle.\u201d<\/p>\n Reaching out, Joe took the package before untying the string and removing all the layers of brown paper.<\/p>\n \u201cOh Heavens,\u201d Ben muttered as the memories flooded back. \u201cMarie was here last night.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMomma checked on me last night, right before you three came in; only she didn\u2019t say anything about Hoss finding this.\u201d Joe unfurled the richly colored material.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought this was lost,\u201d Ben rose and then knelt in front of the quilt. \u201cYour mother and Dinah Mathiessen were working on this. Oh, the time I came home to find Marie in a dither, you’d helped <\/em>them.\u00a0<\/em> Marie was guiding your hands to help return Dinah’s sewing basket back to her.\u00a0 The last time I saw this, they were about three-quarter of the way to finishing, but then Dinah and her husband moved; he was offered a better paying job. Later, I wrote and told her of Marie\u2019s accident; I never heard back from her.\u201d<\/p>\n “Dinah Mathiessen?” Hoss inquired.<\/p>\n “Aunt Dinah,” Adam nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cI have her letter upstairs Pa. Abram died a number of years after they arrived back in New Orleans. She finally finished this when she found love again, she married a Joseph Carmichael.\u201d Running his hands across the various pieces of fabric stitched together; feeling the love that went into its creation, as well as the completion of the project. \u201cI forgot all about the letter, she said she wanted us to have this, and I really wanted to have Momma here for Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben understood his son\u2019s sentiments, \u201cShe\u2019s always here, as are Elizabeth, and Inger.\u201d He looked to Adam, and then Hoss. \u201cBut, this\u2026.\u201d Ben\u2019s eyes brimmed with unshed tears.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, how about we unwrap the rest a our Christmas presents.\u201d Hoss eagerly pulled gifts from under the gaily decorated tree and handed them to his family.<\/p>\n \u201cHop Sing!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know, you talk, talk, talk, coffee get cold. I get more.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYa know, I\u2019m sure he enjoyed listenin\u2019 to your story.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe cackled, \u201cYep, he loves us, in his own special way.\u201d<\/p>\n The rest of the morning focused on the festivities shared around the world among those who observed the holiday and all it\u2019s traditions. Blessings abound as the family wished each other a very merry Christmas.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Later that evening, his sons all having turned in earlier, Ben finally made his way upstairs and down the hall. Bright lights from under each of his sons\u2019 doors dimmed moments before he felt one by one a gentle caress of lips pressed against his cheeks and softly heard, \u201cMerry Christmas, My Love\u201d spoken in three different accents.<\/p>\n Merry Christmas<\/p>\n Feliz Navidad<\/p>\n Feliz Natal<\/p>\n Joyeux Noel<\/p>\n Fr\u00f6hliche Weihnachten<\/p>\n God jul<\/p>\n Mele Kalikimaka<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
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