{"id":29585,"date":"2020-08-17T14:19:17","date_gmt":"2020-08-17T18:19:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=29585"},"modified":"2025-09-25T15:39:14","modified_gmt":"2025-09-25T19:39:14","slug":"metamorphosis-by-vcls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=29585","title":{"rendered":"Metamorphosis (by Cheaux)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:<\/strong>\u00a0 In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death, taxes, and change.\u00a0 A WHN after Season 2.<\/p>\n

Rating<\/strong>:\u00a0 K
\nWord Count<\/strong>:\u00a0 6496<\/p>\n

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

Metamorphosis<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter 1 \u2014 Summer Storms<\/strong><\/p>\n

An upstairs door slammed with enough force to rattle not only the dishes on the china shelf in the dining room, but the glass doors on the bookshelves in Ben Cartwright\u2019s office as well.\u00a0 At first he thought it might have been an earthquake since the tremble seemed to roll through the house from one end to the other, but the sound of boots clomping on the hardwood floor upstairs and another door slam dissuaded him from that notion.<\/p>\n

Heaving a sigh, Ben looked at the picture of his first wife and pleaded, \u201cCan\u2019t you do something?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou need somethin\u2019, Pa?\u201d Hoss said as he ambled toward the study munching an apple.<\/p>\n

\u201cI need for your brother to get well so the ranch can get back to normal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoc still has Adam on bed rest?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, and you know how feeling less than a hundred percent puts him in a foul frame of mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI take it Little Joe\u2019s reacting poorly to his mood.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou could say that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, Pa, all that stompin\u2019 around is just him workin\u2019 out his worries.\u00a0 You know he don\u2019t much like it when one of us is sick.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded in agreement.\u00a0 That was the thing about his youngest son\u2014he not only had a mercurial temper, his emotional barometer registered the slightest change in atmosphere.\u00a0 Although Adam had overcome the doctor\u2019s initial grim prognosis, the severity of his illness and the long recovery had taken its toll on everyone.\u00a0 To his credit, Joe had been holding his tongue whenever he and Adam interacted, but his barometer was about as low as it could go.\u00a0 Like thunder on the horizon, the pounding of floorboards and rattling of glass signaled stormy seas ahead if he didn\u2019t intercede soon.<\/p>\n

\u201cWould you mind if I did your evening chores after supper?\u00a0 I\u2019d like to spend some time with Joe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA night off?\u00a0 Sounds right fine to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGoing into town?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI just might do that.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

It took a while, but the camaraderie created by caring for the stock together had worked as Ben hoped.\u00a0 By the time they headed into the house for pie and coffee, Joe willingly opened up about his frustrations.\u00a0 More important, he discussed them without rancor.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know what more I can do to satisfy him, Pa.\u00a0 I did everything on his work list without question or complaint.\u00a0 I even took care of other stuff that needed doing and he just blew up like a misfired cannon when I told him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan you give me an example?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe bunkhouse.\u00a0 I varnished the door, fixed the broken shelves in the bookcase, took inventory and restocked the cupboard.\u00a0 All items on the list.\u00a0 While I was doing that, the new hired hand Harry came in and said there was a whole lot of whistling and rattling during last week\u2019s windstorm.\u00a0 We doubled checked all the windowpanes and caulked the loose-fitting ones. Then I noticed that the stove was leaning kinda funny, so Harry help me move it and I saw the floorboards underneath had dry rot.\u00a0 I replaced them, reinstalled the stove, fired it up and checked that the flue was drafting properly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam must have been pleased at your initiative.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHeck no.\u00a0 He had a fit.\u00a0 Said there were other things that needed attention that were more important.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat other things?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe sputtered some but couldn\u2019t come up with anything.\u00a0 Pa, if that stove had tipped over when it was in use, it could have burned the bunkhouse down, maybe even set the house on fire!\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s pursed his lips.\u00a0 Joe was right of course.\u00a0 It could have been a disaster if it had happened.\u00a0 But what concern him more was the reaction of his clear-thinking, logical oldest son.\u00a0 \u201cCan you think of any reason why he might have been upset?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d Joe rested his cheek on his fist.\u00a0 \u201cI thought he\u2019d be pleased\u2014not that I fixed things, I mean that\u2019s my job\u2014but that I actually remembered to write them down on his blasted checklist.\u00a0 You know how he likes to keep track of every minute detail\u2014how many nails, how much paint, what gauge wire. whether the wind was blowing from the north or the west, if my socks were blue or black.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cI do indeed and it\u2019s probably my fault he’s that way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow so?\u201d Joe loved to get his pa talking about the ranch\u2019s early days.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Adam began overseeing work crews, sometimes things fell through the crack.\u00a0 We were growing fast and there were a lot of pieces to manage.\u00a0 After one particularly epic fail, I suggested we could make the best use of the men\u2019s time and effort if we had a record of all the repairs made each season, including the minutia, so they were properly supplied\u2014minus the socks, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEpic fail, eh?\u00a0 I’d like to hear about it.”<\/p>\n

“Another time, son.\u00a0 Suffice it to say I had grossly underestimated the time and money needed for a project and I shared that lesson with Adam.”<\/p>\n

“Then maybe it\u2019s because I sullied his perfectly penned list with my unreadable backhanded scrawl.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think he\u2019s had enough practice reading your \u2018distinctive\u2019 scribble to make out what you wrote.\u00a0 Besides, you know he\u2019ll re-write that list at least half a dozen times between now and the end of the year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now that’s funny, <\/em>Joe thought.<\/p>\n

Ben cut two more slices of pie and said, \u201cHave you considered that perhaps he was embarrassed he hadn\u2019t noticed those things himself?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s eyebrows knitted together as he contemplated his father\u2019s question.\u00a0 \u201cHe shouldn\u2019t be.\u00a0 He\u2019s been sick is all.\u00a0 I\u2019ve had enough fevers to know how your brain feels like scrambled eggs afterwards.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, it\u2019s rare for Adam to run a high fever, that’s why it was so frightening.\u00a0 I think we can assume he\u2019s unaccustomed to that \u2018scrambled\u2019 feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

During Adam\u2019s illness, the family spent as much time with him as the doctor allowed.\u00a0 Hoss took the morning shift, Joe the afternoon, and Ben the evening.\u00a0 Knocking lightly in case his son was asleep, he opened the door gently.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m awake, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben crossed to the bed and put the back of his hand against his son\u2019s brow.\u00a0 \u201cCool,\u201d he reported.\u00a0 \u201cDo you need anything?\u00a0\u00a0 Water?\u00a0 Something to eat?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m good.\u00a0 Hoss brought me a piece of cheesecake from that new Greek bakery.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was thinking more along the lines of chicken broth or soft-boiled eggs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cInfluenza is not the stomach flu, Pa.\u00a0 I can eat real food.\u00a0 Hop Sing\u2019s been giving me nothing but broth and eggs for a week now.\u00a0 No wonder I have no stamina.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll right.\u00a0 I\u2019ll make sure \u2018real\u2019 food is on the menu for tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben pulled the desk chair over to the bed and sat down.\u00a0 \u201cHow are you feeling?\u00a0 Really.\u00a0 Not just what you\u2019ve told the doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you\u2019re also not Little Joe, so the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam cleared his throat.\u00a0 \u201cFatigued. Getting dressed is exhausting and as soon as I do, I\u2019m ready for bed again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat else?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFrustrated.\u00a0 I can\u2019t concentrate on anything for more than five minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were extremely ill, son.\u00a0 We almost lost you.\u00a0 It\u2019s going take some time to build up your strength both physical and mental.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know.\u00a0 There\u2019s just so much to be done this summer and here I am stuck in bed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBed rest doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t get up occasionally.\u00a0 I can have Hoss bring up your blue chair and put it next to the window.\u00a0 Fresh air and a different view would do you a world of good.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam nodded slightly.\u00a0 \u201cAnything\u2019s better than staring at the ceiling.\u00a0 By the way, the plaster\u2019s cracked.\u00a0 I\u2019ll add it to the repair list.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRight below Joe\u2019s additions?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou heard about that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly in passing,\u201d Ben said, quick to dissuade the notion that Joe had been tattling.\u00a0 After all, his youngest was nearly nineteen, not nine.\u00a0 He wasn\u2019t a child anymore, no matter what what his oldest thought. \u201cHe\u2019s worried about you, son.\u00a0 We all were, of course, but Joe was . . . shaken to the core.\u00a0 Your illness brought back old memories and fears.<\/p>\n

\u201cNightmares?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, when you first took ill,\u201d Ben admitted and one nearly every night since.<\/em><\/p>\n

Adam remembered too well the scream-filled nights that followed Marie\u2019s death. \u201cHis mother?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben nodded, uncertain just how much to reveal.\u00a0 \u201cThey start the same each time.\u00a0 He\u2019s wandering in the desert, fevered, delirious, pulling a coffin-sized strong box on a travois.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s in the box?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt varies.\u00a0 He\u2019s afraid but compelled to look.\u00a0 Sometimes it\u2019s his mother.\u00a0 Other times you.\u00a0 Me.\u00a0 Hoss.\u00a0 Hop Sing.\u00a0 Even Cochise.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything he treasures.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything he\u2019s afraid of losing, including your respect.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis summer he’s pulled more than his own weight\u2014and no cracks about how slight he is\u2014around the ranch trying to live up to your expectations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam twisted the edge of the light summer quilt covering his legs before responding. \u201cI was unfair.\u00a0 He saw something that needed to be done and took care of it.\u00a0 Guess I wasn\u2019t prepared to see that level of maturity in my kid brother.\u201d\u00a0 He looked into his father\u2019s dark eyes and saw another truth there as well.\u00a0 \u201cPerhaps I was also a bit chagrined that I hadn\u2019t notice those things myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben smiled.\u00a0 \u201cJoe blames the fever for scrambling your brains.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes he now?\u201d Adam returned the grin.\u00a0 \u201cWell, he would know how that feels more than anyone else in this family.\u00a0 What was it Marie used to say?\u00a0 \u2018That child can get a fever looking at a stove.\u2019\u201d\u00a0 To deflect any reproach, he asked for water.<\/p>\n

There was condensation on the outside of the pitcher Hop Sing had brought up after super.\u00a0 Given the lingering heat of the day, Ben figured he must have filled it with ice and left it to melt.\u00a0 When Adam had had enough to drink, his father fluffed his pillows and sat back in the chair with Dickens\u2019 Bleak House in his hands.<\/p>\n

\u201cShall we continue with Chapter 8\u2013Covering a Multitude of Sins\u201d?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter 2 \u2014 A Multitude of Sins<\/strong><\/p>\n

Solid food and the opportunity to get up and read in his chair for short periods a few times a day began to work its magic.\u00a0 Soon Adam was able to dress unassisted and join the family downstairs for one meal where he would make adjustments to the crew work orders for the next day based on what had been accomplished so far.\u00a0 He made a point to tell both Hoss and Joe how pleased he was with the work being done and thanked them for their assistance during his recovery.<\/p>\n

As he turned the pages on the calendar, however, the dwindling days of summer in which to complete both the seasonal work and make the ranch ready for winter, ratcheted up his anxiety and, despite his father\u2019s warnings, he became more demanding and less effusive in his praise.<\/p>\n

While listening to his brothers\u2019 reports after supper one night at the end of July, he checked off each task and made notes, usually responding with a grunt of acknowledgment or a query asking how much longer, what else do you need, why is it taking so long, etc.\u00a0 Hoss was downright chatty with his answers providing more than enough detail for Adam.<\/p>\n

Joe, on the other hand, after being told repeatedly to be succinct, had taken to giving one-word answers and waiting for the next question.\u00a0 He slouched, hands in his armpits and stared, never moving his head but instead fixing his gaze on one aspect of Adam\u2019s person before moving to another, studying every nuance, every tic.<\/p>\n

Perhaps, because Joe had been in motion since the day he was born, this stillness had the unnerving effect of making Adam feel like a fly under a microscope.\u00a0 Putting his pencil down, he said abruptly, \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe shifted his gaze to Hoss whose clear blue eyes widened, then he looked Adam in the eye.\u00a0 \u201cWhat were you doing up on Miller\u2019s Ridge yesterday?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben dropped his fork on his plate and sat back in his chair with both palms flat on the table on either side of his plate.<\/p>\n

Caught out, Adam surveyed his family\u2019s faces, coughed, and replied, \u201cI was checking a stand of fir for possible milling.\u201d\u00a0 Then he went on the offensive.\u00a0 \u201cAnd what were you doing there?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy job.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoing what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTaking payroll to the Timber Camp.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPayroll is Hoss\u2019s job.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe traded.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWithout telling me?\u00a0 WHY?\u00a0 I make assignments for a reason.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was Hoss who now slammed his fist on the table.\u00a0 \u201cDadburnit, Adam, my bunions were hurtin\u2019 somethin\u2019 fierce and you knew that!\u00a0 I couldn\u2019t ride all the way to town, up to camp and back to the house.\u00a0 So I traded with Joe.\u00a0 He handled the payroll and I cleared that beaver dam so as I could soak my feet in cold water.\u00a0 Everything got done and you woulda never known if you had been in bed instead of up on Miller\u2019s Ridge!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the rain,\u201d Joe added.\u00a0 \u201cA real gully washer it was, too, Pa.\u00a0 Soaked me clear through to my . . . well, clear through.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben was furious.\u00a0 \u201cBarely more than month out of a deathbed and you\u2019re out riding in the rain.\u201d\u00a0 He sprang out of his chair and reached Adam in three steps simultaneously feeling his forehead and the back of his neck.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re hot.\u00a0 Joe, go for the doctor.\u00a0 Hoss, help me get Adam into bed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can manage on my own,\u201d Adam protested, but weakly.\u00a0 Now that he was found out, he felt like an hours-old foal, his legs barely able to support his weary body.<\/p>\n

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

Hoss entered the house after tending the stock just as his younger brother trotted down the steps.\u00a0 \u201cPneumonia?\u201d<\/p>\n

Not yet,\u201d Joe said as he collapsed onto the settee.\u00a0 \u201cDoc gave Adam hell for running all around God\u2019s creation.\u00a0 Pa\u2019s beside himself.\u00a0 Hop Sing\u2019s fixin\u2019 up a hot bath.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDang, it\u2019s a good thing you saw him up on that ridge.\u00a0 He woulda never admitted to bein\u2019 sick again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEvidently pneumonia can be a side effect of influenza, that\u2019s why Pa overreacted.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss moved in front of the fireplace and sat on the hearth.\u00a0 \u201cYou sure you\u2019re okay?\u00a0 You got drenched too ya know and you\u2019ve been in the saddle most of the past 24 hours.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe yawned.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m just tired.\u201d When he saw the concerned look on Hoss\u2019s face, he added, \u201cNothing a good night\u2019s sleep won\u2019t fix.\u00a0 Pa said we head \u2018em up, move \u2018em out at dawn.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWait a doggone minute.\u00a0 The cattle drive is on?\u00a0 What about Adam?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYep.\u00a0 A contract\u2019s a contract.\u00a0 Adam’s stayin’ home.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat makes Pa think he\u2019s gonna stay put?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHop Sing\u2019s gonna take charge.\u00a0 He\u2019ll probably hide all Adam\u2019s clothes.\u201d<\/p>\n

The image of older brother running around buck naked being chased by their cleaver-bearing cook was priceless and both Joe and Hoss cackled.<\/p>\n

\u201cWait, if Hop Sing\u2019s gonna be tendin\u2019 to Adam, who\u2019s gonna be Cookie?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cChuck wagon is already packed.\u00a0 Pa sent Harry over to the Lazy K to borrow their cook.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHot diggity!\u00a0 Slim makes the best son-of-a-bitch stew.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou and your stomach!\u00a0 It\u2019s a short drive.\u00a0 You\u2019ll survive.\u201d\u00a0 Joe\u2019s jaw opened in another wide yawn.\u00a0 \u201cThink I\u2019ll get me a glass of milk before bed.\u00a0 You want anything?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNaw.\u00a0 I\u2019m gonna go up and check on Adam.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was lookin\u2019 kinda pained over the attention of Papa Hen.\u00a0 Better see what you can do to get Pa off his back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss snorted.\u00a0 \u201cRight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBetter you than me, brother.\u00a0 G\u2019nite,\u201d Joe waved over his shoulder as he headed for the kitchen where he heated up some milk and dribbled honey into his mug.\u00a0 On the way to bed he paused at the table by the foot of the stairs to add a shot of brandy.<\/p>\n

Maybe that would calm the tickle in his throat.<\/p>\n

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

Assured that Adam had just overdone it and was not in danger of a relapse, Ben had reluctantly agreed to leave him at home under the watchful eye of Hop Sing.\u00a0 The size of the herd would be manageable with the three remaining Cartwrights, six cowboys, and Cookie, so they could begin on schedule.\u00a0 Even so, he was thankful the herd could be driven to Sacramento in 5-6 days, 7 at the outside.<\/p>\n

As usual, Ben was trail boss, in charge of everything and rode out in front of the herd.\u00a0 Adam, as Segundo, would normally have ridden beside him, scouting ahead for places to graze the cattle, cross rivers, or looking out for trouble.\u00a0 Hoss now filled that role.\u00a0 As Wrangler, Joe had pre-selected the horses for the remuda.\u00a0 Each cowboy had three or four horses and it was his job to feed, saddle, and care for all of them.<\/p>\n

The rest of the crew rode swing, flank or drag.\u00a0 Riding for the Ponderosa was a coveted job and drovers willingly returned year after year because of Ben\u2019s reputation as a tough-but-fair boss who treated cow punchers better than other outfits.\u00a0 Positions were rotated. not assigned on the basis of seniority or favoritism, and rank did not have its privilege as even the Cartwright sons took turns riding drag. This impressed every crew member because riding at the back of the herd was the worst position on a cattle drive.\u00a0 It meant eating dust and rounding up strays who were too lazy to keep up with the herd.<\/p>\n

It was no surprise to anyone, therefore, that Joe volunteered for drag on the third day.\u00a0 No one suspected that he did it to stay as far away from his father as possible and no one questioned his raspy voice and cough at evening campfire.<\/p>\n

Except Slim.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou lookin\u2019 a bit peaked, boy,\u201d said the grizzled cook.\u00a0 He was shorter than Joe, wider than Hoss and, with one leg shorter than the other, walked like a duck.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine,\u201d Joe croaked.\u00a0 \u201cJust the dust.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUh-huh.\u00a0 And I\u2019m a ballerina.\u201d\u00a0 Slim waddled away and returned with a bowl and spoon.\u00a0 \u201cArroz con leche.\u00a0 It\u2019ll go down easier than that stew.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks,\u201d Joe said, trading his mess plate and fork for the bowl.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome mornin\u2019 I\u2019m gonna take a look at that throat.\u00a0 No arguments.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t say anything to the Boss, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n

Slim stood flat footed with his hands on his hips.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy brother nearly died of the influenza a while back.\u00a0 I don\u2019t want to worry him over nothing,\u201d he said, but the effort it took to swallow belied his nonchalance.<\/p>\n

\u201cMorning.\u00a0 Don\u2019t make me come lookin\u2019 for you,\u201d he grumbled, and returned to the chuck wagon to finish cleanup and start preparations for breakfast.<\/p>\n

Joe put his bowl and spoon in the bucket of hot soapy water and then picked up his canteen and hurried down to the river to fill it.\u00a0 While there, he ducked his head in the fast-moving current mostly to wash the caked dirt off his scalp and neck.\u00a0 That the water also cooled his fevered skin was a bonus.<\/p>\n

It was time to check in.<\/p>\n

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

From across the campfire, Ben watched Joe stop and talk with each of the men, listening to a story or a trading quips as he made his way to where he and Hoss were sitting.\u00a0 His youngest worked a camp the way his mother had worked the salon at Eduard D\u2019Arcy\u2019s club in New Orleans.<\/p>\n

Hoss saw what his father saw.\u00a0 \u201cA born politician that one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s hope not!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s doin\u2019 real well, though, ain\u2019t he?\u201d<\/p>\n

When Little Joe first started going on cattle drives at age 14, Ben had hovered.\u00a0 He tried not to, but there was so much danger and his son was fearless.\u00a0 Someone had to watch over him.\u00a0 When one of the drovers started calling him \u201cSissy Joe\u201d and \u201cDaddy\u2019s Little Darling,\u201d Ben knew he had to do something.\u00a0 He fired the drover and told Joe could have the run of the camp\u2014eat where he wanted, sleep where he wanted\u2014on two conditions:\u00a0 one, that he obey every command from anyone, and two, that he checked in with Adam in the morning, Hoss in the afternoon and himself at night.\u00a0 It worked.\u00a0 Free from harassment, Joe was observant and inquisitive.\u00a0 The men enjoyed sharing their expertise and wisdom and schooling the boy in the ways of cattle. \u00a0Joe\u2019s sense of self-worth and pride grew over the next four years as he gained new skills.\u00a0 By letting go, there were more eyes on Joe than Ben could have ever hoped for.\u00a0 And now, no matter how exhausted after a day\u2019s work, his son still checked in.\u00a0 Ben smiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Hoss, he\u2019s doing just fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHiya,\u201d Joe said in a raspy voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cEat a lot of dust today, short shanks?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe could only nod as a coughing spasm took him.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you get enough to eat, son?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure did!\u00a0 Slim was a good hire, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t let Hop Sing hear that,\u201d Hoss said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBoys, I\u2019m going to be leaving early in the morning for Sacramento to make arrangements at the bank for the payment of wages and bonuses.\u00a0 I probably won\u2019t be back until the following day.\u00a0 Hoss is charge, understand?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure.\u00a0 Um, Pa?\u00a0 I know bonuses are never guaranteed, but if I were to be gettin\u2019 one\u2014\u201c<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2014Yes?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCould you see that Red gets mine?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThought you was savin\u2019 up for that new saddle,\u201d said Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cWas.\u00a0 Found a better purpose.\u201d\u00a0 Joe wondered if they thought he had only volunteered to ride drag to get the bonus.\u00a0 He had, but not for the reason they thought.\u00a0 \u201cRed lost his wife to the influenza and he\u2019s got little ones.\u00a0 A girl and twin boys.\u201c<\/p>\n

\u201cHe would be eligible for a larger bonus if he had worked the herd rather than the remuda,\u201d said Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cWaste of a good drover if you ask me,\u201c said Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs there more to tell, Joe?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLast couple months I\u2019ve been working with Red teaching him about horses.\u00a0 Figured he could get a job that wasn\u2019t so dangerous.\u00a0 You know.\u00a0 Since he\u2019s\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2014the only parent those children have,\u201d finished Ben.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe twins are five, Pa.\u201d Joe\u2019s voice broke and he swallowed hard.<\/p>\n

Ben noticed and assumed it was the recall of losing his own mother at such a young age. \u201cI\u2019ll take care of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks.\u00a0 G\u2019nite.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss and Ben watched Joe headed toward the remuda instead of where they knew his bedroll was.<\/p>\n

\u201cCheckin\u2019 to see Red took care of things proper,\u201d guessed Hoss.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs supervisor, he is the one who is ultimately responsible.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSupervisor!\u00a0 Dang, he\u2019s grown up mighty fast.\u00a0 Too bad Adam ain\u2019t here to see it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMmm. Your older brother does have trouble seeing him as\u2014\u201c<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2014a politician in the making?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA potential leader of men.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter 3 \u2014 Two Steps Forward, One Step Back<\/strong><\/p>\n

The role of Cookie meant Slim was not only chief cook and bottle washer, but also father confessor, counselor, and medic.\u00a0 A hand to the forehead and one look at the throat earned Joe confinement to the chuck wagon for the duration of the drive.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I feel better,\u201d Joe whispered.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, you don\u2019t.\u00a0 Eat your egg custard and go back to sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoss rode up beside the wagon and asked about the verdict.<\/p>\n

\u201cTonsillitis.\u00a0 He\u2019ll need surgery.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDang!\u00a0 Does he need to see a doc now?\u00a0 I can take him in to Sacramento as soon as pa gets back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo need.\u00a0 He\u2019s hurtin\u2019 some but I suspect he\u2019d rather have Doc Martin do the surgery rather than some stranger.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s for dang sure.\u00a0 Pa, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Later that afternoon, Hoss spotted his father coming down the hill and rode to out meet him to deliver the news about Joe.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat scamp!\u00a0 Why didn\u2019t he say something?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDidn\u2019t want to worry ya none.\u00a0 I told Cookie to make evening camp at the river bend outside Parker.\u00a0 It\u2019ll make for a long day today but shorten the time tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood.\u00a0 I\u2019ll ride with Cookie.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFigured you might.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRight now, I\u2019m going to give that boy a piece of my mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Ben rode off toward the chuck wagon, Hoss smiled.\u00a0 From Leader of Men to Pa\u2019s Little Boy.<\/em><\/p>\n

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

Steak, fried potatoes, beans, and apple cobbler awaited the drovers when they arrived at camp that evening.\u00a0 After they\u2019d eaten, Ben spoke to the crew.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to thank you all for efforts in getting the cattle here in record time and also working shorthanded after Joe took ill. \u00a0Red will be taking care of the remuda from here to home. \u00a0Hoss will handle the sale tomorrow and distribute your pay and bonuses afterwards.\u00a0 I\u2019ve arranged for room and board for everyone for two days at Cattlemen\u2019s Lodge.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes that include a bath for Jake?\u00a0 We got here early cause them beeves were running from him!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor Jake and you, Clint,\u201d Ben said. \u201cIn fact, I hear the Sheriff in Sacramento has issued a warrant for any cowboy going into town without bathing first!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh shucks, Boss, I dun took a bath last year.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou mean last decade, don\u2019t you?\u201d\u00a0 Ribald laughter echoed through the camp.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll see you back at the Ponderosa in two weeks.\u00a0 After all, we have cattle to move to winter pasture.\u201d<\/p>\n

Groans filled the air.<\/p>\n

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

It was a common enough surgery which Paul had performed hundreds of times.\u00a0 What he didn\u2019t tell the family until afterwards was that adults sometimes didn\u2019t fare as well as children.\u00a0 That confused Adam.\u00a0 Maybe it was the scrambled egg brain he still suffered from occasionally, but as far as he was concerned, he and Hoss and Pa were the only adults in the house.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen I don\u2019t see the problem,\u201d Adam said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe problem is that Joe is not a child,\u201d Ben said.\u00a0 \u201cIf you had been with us on the cattle drive you would have seen a different side of him.\u00a0 The men treated him as an equal.\u00a0 He undertook the retraining and supervision of an older, granted not by much but nevertheless, older man who accepted his leadership and authority without question.\u00a0 He has a gift for intuitively knowing what people need.\u00a0 He took Harry under his wing while you were sick, working with him side by side, showing him the ropes, helping him to fit in with the other hands.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI meant what is the problem with Joe?\u00a0 Why is it taking him longer to recover?\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul answered.\u00a0 \u201cThere was a lot of scar tissue from prior bouts with tonsillitis and the tonsils were hard to remove. \u00a0He bled profusely. I had to spread his jaw pretty wide to access them and the ligaments are torn.\u00a0 They’ll mend, he just won\u2019t be able to chew for some time.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was Ben\u2019s turn not to understand.\u00a0 \u201cJoe\u2019s only had tonsillitis once when he was seven.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHis tonsils were shredded indicating he\u2019s had several bouts. I would guess within the last year or two.\u00a0 He never complained?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben looked at his sons.\u00a0 Shrugs all around.\u00a0 \u201cHop Sing?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMister Joe sometimes have sore throat.\u00a0 He say from dust or yelling.\u00a0 He drink hot soup, tea.\u00a0 Keep working.\u00a0 All better few days.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMakes sense, Ben.\u00a0 Tonsilitis lasts a week.\u00a0 I wouldn’t have been able to do much more for him than he did for himself.\u00a0 He\u2019s tough.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s also in big trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAw, Pa,\u201d Hoss said.\u00a0 \u201cNot being able to chew for a couple of weeks has got to be punishment enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe was in for a rough go for a while.\u00a0 He hated the ice bags on his cheeks.\u00a0 He could talk but only with his jaw clenched shut which forced a liquid diet.\u00a0 His fever spiked once and then vanished, but the recurring nightmare about a coffin-sized strongbox continued unabated.\u00a0 The only difference was that Joe saw himself in it. Eventually, even the dreams stopped and by the end of August, he could finally open his mouth again and eat real food and get back to work full time.<\/p>\n

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

Paul Martin dropped his stethoscope into his medical bag and snapped it shut.\u00a0 \u201cBen, I think it would be more economical for you to put me on a yearly retainer than pay for each visit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not funny, Paul,\u201d Ben croaked.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot intended to be.\u00a0 So far, that new hired hand\u2014what\u2019s his name?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHarry.\u00a0 Harry Crawford.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHarry is the only person on the Ponderosa who has not required my services this year.\u00a0 Nice young man, by the way, helping out wherever he was needed while you and your boys were laid up.\u00a0 Frankly, I\u2019m surprised it took this long for you to get sick.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWasn\u2019t my plan.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I don\u2019t suppose it was, but you\u2019ve been run ragged taking care of first Adam, then going on that cattle drive, and then caring for Joe after his surgery.\u00a0 Frankly, I don\u2019t know how you stayed healthy this long.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf Joe had admitted he was sick\u2014\u201c<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2014That\u2019s enough, Ben.\u00a0 For the last time, Joe had tonsillitis.\u00a0 You\u2019ve got a common cold.\u00a0 Not the same thing.\u00a0 Sip your tea and rest your voice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t feel common.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben glowered at his friend and sank his chin deeper into the collar of his robe.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chapter 4 \u2014 Change of Plans<\/strong><\/p>\n

If anyone had told Adam a month ago he would be spending Pa\u2019s birthday anywhere but home he would have thought them insane.\u00a0 Holidays\u2014especially birthdays in Ben Cartwright\u2019s world\u2014were sacrosanct and the four Cartwrights spent them together to remember their mothers, reflect on the passage of another year, and share hopes for the year ahead.\u00a0 Instead, Hoss and Ben were together on the Ponderosa and Joe and Adam were in Monterrey, California, a city that was built three hundred years before Joe was born.<\/p>\n

That wasn\u2019t the plan.\u00a0 At least not his.<\/p>\n

Hoss told him that their father was hankering for he and Joe to spend some \u201cquality\u201d time together.\u00a0 Like they weren\u2019t going to see enough of each other this winter when they would all be snowbound together for weeks on end, maybe months?\u00a0 Endless days and nights of sameness.\u00a0 No visitors, no trips to Virginia City or Carson City, Piper\u2019s Opera House, no newspapers, no mail.\u00a0 The same meals over and over again, looking across the table at the same faces.<\/p>\n

After Joe recovered, Ben pulled Adam aside.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve had a tough year.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo worse than any other, Pa.\u00a0 The Ponderosa takes hard work.\u00a0 Always has, always will.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not talking just about the ranch.\u00a0 You have experienced personal losses this year.\u00a0 It takes a toll son, I know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want to talk about that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t intrude on your grief.\u00a0 Don\u2019t look at me like that.\u00a0 I know what grief looks like.\u00a0 You have buried yourself in multiple projects and lists to keep busy.\u00a0 And that tactic worked until you got sick at the end of May and had nothing else to fill your time except think.\u00a0 Now you are fully recovered and summer is over to be replaced by a new season of projects and lists.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it you want?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI would like you and Joe to find each other again.\u00a0 You and he are not so different, you know.\u00a0 There\u2019s that look again.\u00a0 I understand the two of you experienced different situations growing up.\u00a0 You lived in a wagon; Joe had a permanent home.\u00a0 You were an only child until Hoss was born.\u00a0 Joe had two big brothers from the start.\u00a0 You\u2019re the first born, he\u2019s the youngest.\u00a0 But if you stop looking at the differences and look for the similarities, you\u2019ll find you and he have more in common than you think.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor example?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLoss.\u00a0 You and he both lost mothers when you were five.\u00a0 You lost Ruth and Ross this year.\u00a0 He lost Amy and Julia last year.\u00a0 You both love Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd me.\u00a0 And the Ponderosa.\u00a0 Adam, please.\u00a0 These years go by so fast.\u00a0 Take some time to discover the man Joe\u2019s becoming, not the kid you remember.\u00a0 Find neutral territory.\u00a0 Call it your birthday present to me.\u00a0 Please.\u201d<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s how he and Joe wound up in Monterrey, a city neither had been to before.\u00a0 As hard as it was to admit, the change was good for them.\u00a0 They explored the city together and learned about its history.\u00a0 They fished, ate wonderful food, found entertainment they both liked.\u00a0 They made friends\u2014with each other and with others.\u00a0 One of them was Manuel de Guerra who invited them to his ranchero.<\/p>\n

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

Casa de la Guerra was a typical Spanish hacienda built around a center courtyard filled with palm trees, blooming hibiscus, and other flowering shrubs.\u00a0 A mariachi band played in the corner.\u00a0 A wide variety of food filled the plank tables.\u00a0 Beautiful women in colorful dresses strolled by with their chaperones in tow.<\/p>\n

Adam helped himself to the punch which he discovered was heavily laced with tequila.\u00a0 Joe declined, opting for a beer instead. That was the thing about Joe.\u00a0 Life alone intoxicated him\u2014a fast ride with the wind in his hair; a good joke that produced either a deep belly laugh or a high pitched giggle; and a woman\u2014not necessarily\u00a0a beautiful one in the traditional sense\u2014any woman, young, old, or in between.<\/p>\n

Case in point.\u00a0 The moment their host introduced him to an elderly se\u00f1ora, Joe brought her arthritic, liver-spotted, blue-veined hand to his lips all the while gazing into her eyes.\u00a0 Adam couldn\u2019t hear what he said, but she smiled slyly and inclined her ancient head forward.\u00a0 Joe helped her rise and led her to the center of the courtyard as the crowd parted.\u00a0 He bowed from the waist and assumed a ballroom stance with open left palm and his right palm on her left shoulder blade.\u00a0 Adam was taken aback, but he supposed his brother could have seen a picture.\u00a0 Or a book on \u201cHow to Dance.\u201d\u00a0 Brother Hoss was always bringing home \u201cHow To\u201d books.<\/p>\n

When the\u00a0band began to play a waltz, Joe glided smoothly in 3\/4 time without missing a beat.<\/p>\n

Adam heard a few gasps and murmurs buzzing around him and surveyed the room quickly, ready to put an end to his brother\u2019s social faux pas, but all he saw were smiles and nods of approval. \u00a0He caught their host\u2019s eye and raised an eyebrow, each man threading his way through the crowd toward the other.<\/p>\n

Se\u00f1or de Guerra met him halfway.\u00a0 \u201cI sense disapproval.\u00a0 Is everything all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMore like bewilderment, Manuel.\u00a0 I was concerned my brother had overstepped as there seemed to be a few people upset with his actions.\u00a0 We are most grateful for your hospitality and intend no disrespect. \u201c<\/p>\n

\u201cOn the contrary, Adam.\u00a0 What you hear is not only approval, but gratitude.\u00a0 Se\u00f1ora Perez, the Do\u00f1a your brother is dancing with, is much beloved in this community.\u00a0 She has been in mourning for far too long and there has been nothing any of us could do to bring her out of her depression.\u201c<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was an accident in the mines and her husband and only grandson were both killed.\u00a0 They were a close family.\u00a0 She hasn\u2019t spoken publicly in over a year, much less danced.\u00a0 Her husband loved the waltz.\u00a0 I can\u2019t imagine she would tell a stranger that.\u00a0 Your brother must have intuited it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps.\u00a0Women love him and he loves them.\u201d Manny looked slightly alarmed at this revelation. \u201cNot in that way. He has a genuine appreciation of the fairer sex, and he treats them with respect. \u00a0All women.\u00a0 No matter their station in life.\u00a0 Our father instilled that in all his sons.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA wise man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, he is.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is not with you on this trip?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. My other brother, Hoss, got his foot stomped on by a horse.\u00a0 Pa didn\u2019t feel comfortable leaving him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA parent never stops worrying about their children.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I suppose not,\u201d Adam said.<\/p>\n

The music ended and Joe escorted Se\u00f1ora Perez off the dance floor.\u00a0 After she placed her hands on his shoulders and whispered in his ear, he took both her hands in his and kissed the back of each before easing her into her chair.\u00a0 They exchanged a few more words before he bowed again and left to find another partner.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell you certainly made an impression,\u201d Adam said when he caught up with Joe later in the courtyard.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSe\u00f1ora Perez.\u00a0 Did someone tell you to do that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo what?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDance.\u00a0 The old woman?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, no. \u00a0 She just looked sad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah.\u00a0 So I asked her to dance.\u00a0 What?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing.\u00a0 You amaze me sometimes, that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly sometimes?\u00a0 Gee, I must be getting rusty.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Adam wandered through the throng of guests overhearing snatches of conversation in several tongues.\u00a0 His French was rusty, but his Spanish was good.\u00a0 It appeared party talk was universal, regardless of the language\u2014business, gossip, politics, match-making, fashion.<\/p>\n

When he came upon Joe in a passionate discussion with two gentlemen about the finer points of breeding horses, he listened.\u00a0 The points Joe made were valid and he could see the men were interested in hearing more from him.\u00a0 Throughout the afternoon and evening he had had several opportunities to observe his brother’s interactions with people from all walks of life and hear their discourse.\u00a0 He came to the conclusion that his father, again, had been right.\u00a0 Unacknowledged grief had altered his perception of the world and clouded his ability to accept change.<\/p>\n

He was on his way back from the punch bowl when he heard an exchange between two young women that brought him to a dead stop.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is good-looking, but dresses as such a boy!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you see him arrive?\u00a0 That little blue jacket and small brown hat.\u00a0 Who could take anyone like that seriously?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Adam tossed and turned all night.\u00a0 In the morning he asked Joe if he were ready to go home.<\/p>\n

\u201cHeck yes!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you were homesick, why didn\u2019t you say something?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not homesick.\u00a0 In fact, I love it here.\u00a0 I met this really nice girl named Emily and she\u2019s invited me\u2014us\u2014back for a visit.\u00a0 She\u2019s a good horsewoman.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen why do you want to go home?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you forgotten Pa\u2019s birthday is Thursday?\u00a0\u00a0 If we hurry, we\u2019ll only be a little late.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam laughed.\u00a0 \u201cFair enough, but first we have to make one stop.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

When Ben met the stage in Virginia City on Saturday, he almost overlooked the first man to step down.\u00a0\u00a0 A man in a tan Stetson wearing a green jacket.<\/p>\n

And thus it was evermore.<\/p>\n

The End<\/p>\n

Author\u2019s Note:<\/p>\n

Written for the 2020 Ponderosa Paddlewheel Poker Tournament.\u00a0 The game was Five Card Draw.\u00a0 The words or phrases I was dealt were:<\/p>\n

Waltz
\nTimber Camp
\nBunkhouse
\nNew Hired Hand
\nStrongbox<\/p>\n

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

Summary:\u00a0 In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death, taxes, and change.\u00a0 A WHN after Season 2.<\/p>\n

Rating:\u00a0 K
\nWord Count:\u00a0 6496<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":29680,"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":[1008,40],"tags":[158],"class_list":["post-29585","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-family","category-challenges","tag-pppt","wpcat-1008-id","wpcat-40-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\/2020\/08\/MS-Dixie-cc.jpg?fit=600%2C390&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29585","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\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=29585"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29585\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/29680"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=29585"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=29585"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=29585"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}