{"id":35038,"date":"2020-12-25T00:03:55","date_gmt":"2020-12-25T05:03:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=35038"},"modified":"2025-09-25T15:38:54","modified_gmt":"2025-09-25T19:38:54","slug":"the-greatest-gift-by-annie-k-cowgirl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=35038","title":{"rendered":"The Greatest Gift (by Annie K Cowgirl)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bonanza<\/span><\/strong>
\n~*~*~ Advent Calendar ~*~*~<\/span><\/strong>
\n* Day 3<\/span> <\/strong>*<\/span><\/p>\n

Summary:\u00a0 A Christmas surprise turns out to be most welcomed.<\/p>\n

Rating:\u00a0 G\u00a0 1020 Words<\/p>\n

Note:\u00a0 This story was written for the Bonanza Brand 2020 Advent Calendar, originated in the Forums.<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The Greatest Gift<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ensconced in his red leather chair, Ben Cartwright let out a sigh of contentment. All around him were the sights and smells of the holiday season. The fire danced merrily on the hearth. Hints of pine and cinnamon wafted through the air. Soft feminine voices reached his ears as his daughters-in-law worked together\u2014under the watchful eye of Hop Sing\u2014to turn out a slew of pies: cherry, apple, pecan, and Marlborough. Glancing out the window, he saw his sons battling it out in an impromptu snowball fight like the overgrown boys that they were.<\/p>\n

It was a perfect Christmas…well, almost. Secretly he knew there was only one thing would make it better: grandchildren.<\/p>\n

He frowned. He was happy, truly he was. All three of his boys had finally settled down with brides of their own. However, there were as yet no signs from any of them that their families were increasing.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn time,\u201d he told himself. His sons were still in their prime, and somehow he knew it wouldn\u2019t be long before the house was filled once more with the pitter-patter of little feet.<\/p>\n

Pushing the thought aside, he took a sip of his coffee, letting the bitter liquid roll around on his tongue before he swallowed it.<\/p>\n

The front door swung open, allowing a blast of frigid air to enter the house and it nearly stole his breath away.<\/p>\n

\u201cPhew! It\u2019s colder than a polar bear\u2019s nose out there,\u201d Joe exclaimed, closing the barrier behind him before making a beeline to the fireplace. Shucking his gloves, he rubbed his hands together vigorously in an attempt to get some warmth into his half frozen digits. When he turned around to heat up his backside, Ben chuckled.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, who\u2019s winning?\u2019 he asked.<\/p>\n

Joe grinned. \u201cWhy me of course.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben raised an eyebrow. \u201cI\u2019m not so sure that your brothers would agree with you,\u201d he replied, eyeing the puddle forming around his youngest\u2019s feet. Hop Sing was going to lose it when he saw the mess the boy was making…but it was Christmas, and Ben was willing to turn a blind eye just this once. And maybe their cook would too. Maybe…possibly…more than likely not.<\/p>\n

\u201cTrue. Actually, I think Hoss had the upper hand when I left.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stripping off his coat, Joe made his way over to the rack near the door and hug it on one of the pegs, then he headed towards the settee. When he came even with the Christmas tree, he paused for a moment, glancing at the enormous pine that Hoss had cut down a few days ago. Fingers twitching, he snagged a package dangling between the fragrant branches and then settled himself on the end of the table, completely ignoring the perfectly suitable chair behind him as usual.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know we\u2019ll be opening gifts later this evening, but I can\u2019t wait anymore,\u201d he said and slowly handed it to his father. Setting aside his mug, Ben took the present. It was a small box, around the size of his palm, and held closed with a red, satin ribbon.<\/p>\n

\u201cWait a minute!\u201d Joe cried just as Ben\u2019s fingers closed over the end of the ribbon. \u201cDru will kill me if I let you open it without her.\u201d<\/p>\n

That elicited a laugh from the older man. Married nearly a year and already his son had his priorities straight.<\/p>\n

Joe quickly bustled off to the kitchen to fetch his blushing bride, and soon returned with a petite redhead in tow.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t believe you\u2019re going to do this now,\u201d Drusilla Cartwright said, a touch of exasperation coloring her voice, but there was a fond smile on her lips, \u201cyou are such a child.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, but that\u2019s why you love me,\u201d Joe replied. Plopping down on the settee, he promptly pulled Dru down onto his lap, ignoring her protests. \u201cAll right, now you can open it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shaking his head at his son\u2019s shenanigans, Ben slowly untied the ribbon and lifted the lid.<\/p>\n

There on a bed of brown paper lay a set of marbles.<\/p>\n

Marbles? He stared down at the gift in confusion. They were well made and must have cost a pretty penny, but still…they were marbles. The last time he had played the game was when Joe was around ten years old.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you…I think,\u201d he said, mumbling that last part under his breath.<\/p>\n

Dru and Joe gave each other a knowing look before Dru stood up, pulling her husband with her. She stepped closer to her father-in-law\u2019s chair.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe saw these when we went to San Francisco last month and thought you might like to have them. Joe told me how you taught all of your sons how to play when they were younger and…well, perhaps you might want to keep that tradition going and teach our child when he or she is old enough,\u201d she said and placed a flour covered hand over her belly.<\/p>\n

The box of marbles was instantly forgotten as Ben scrambled to his feet. \u201cYou mean\u2026.\u201d he couldn\u2019t bring himself to say aloud what he hoped with all his heart to be true.<\/p>\n

Joe smiled at him, green eyes twinkling with the excitement of all expectant parents everywhere. \u201cYou\u2019re gonna be a grandfather, Pa,\u201d he said softly.<\/p>\n

Ben threw his arms around both his son and daughter-in-law, tears unashamedly running down his cheeks.<\/p>\n

\u201cI take it you like your present?\u201d Joe asked dryly and the trio burst into laughter.<\/p>\n

\u201cSon, you and Dru have given me the greatest gift a man could ever ask for,\u201d Ben said, releasing them from his embrace.<\/p>\n

\u201cGood, I\u2019m glad. If I\u2019d known you would react this way to a set of marbles, I would have bought you some years ago,\u201d Joe said cheekily, earning himself a swat from his wife.<\/p>\n

\u201cJoseph Francis Cartwright, you are incorrigible!\u201d<\/p>\n

As the pair began to squabble, Ben picked up his gift and settled back into his chair with a heartfelt sigh.<\/p>\n

He\u2019d been right all along. It truly was a perfect Christmas.<\/p>\n

~Finis<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Character<\/strong>: Ben Cartwright<\/p>\n

Gift<\/strong>: A set of marbles<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Link to:\u00a0 Bonanza Brand 2020 Advent Calendar – Day 4 – Women’s Work Matters (by sklamb)<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

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

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

Summary:\u00a0 A Christmas surprise turns out to be most welcomed.<\/p>\n

Rating:\u00a0 G\u00a0 1020 Words<\/p>\n

Note:\u00a0 This story was written for the Bonanza Brand 2020 Advent Calendar, originated in the Forums.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":159,"featured_media":5835,"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_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[7,23,1008,698,40],"tags":[1062],"class_list":["post-35038","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-a-u","category-drama","category-family","category-post-timeline","category-challenges","tag-advent-calendar","wpcat-7-id","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-1008-id","wpcat-698-id","wpcat-40-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":1136,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Christmas-Traditions.jpg?fit=639%2C480&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":61185,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=61185","url_meta":{"origin":35038,"position":0},"title":"The Meaning of Christmas (by PatD in PA)","author":"Pat D in PA","date":"December 24, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 An explanation of Christmas, between brothers. 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