Summary: It\u2019s up to one of the boys to keep Christmas alive during a dark time on the Ponderosa.
\nWritten for day 15 of the 2021 Advent Calendar.
\nRating: G
\nWord Count: 2989<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Bonanza The Boy Who Kept Christmas Alive<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hoss slammed the kitchen door behind him, pulled off his thick gloves and stamped the snow from his boots. The raw air had followed him into the house, and he moved to the fire to warm his frozen hands. He came to an abrupt halt. The kitchen fire had been left to burn to ash and looking around, he saw the lunch dishes were still piled unwashed by the sink.<\/p>\n \u201cDadburnit!\u201d<\/p>\n Adam had only asked their pa to do one thing today. One thing. Prepare lunch for him and Hoss. Was it too much to ask when they were out in the freezing temperatures from dawn to dusk keeping the herd alive?<\/p>\n After a long, frustrated breath, Hoss marched into the living area.<\/p>\n Pa was asleep in his chair. Wearing his familiar worn bath robe, slippers upon his feet, his arms were wrapped around five-year-old Joe, who had clearly tried to escape his father\u2019s clutches, and failed. The boy had squirmed himself to sleep. Hoss took one look at them and hung his head, his momentary burst of irritation melting away.<\/p>\n It was not yet a year since Marie had been killed in the yard outside the house. And Pa had all but given up on life. His days were spent clad in the robe Hoss had long begun to resent, moving from his bedroom to the living area, his zest and love for life obliterated the moment Marie had tumbled from her horse. His one solace was the small boy who was all that was left of his beloved Marie.\u00a0Adam had become the de facto head of what had once been a growing ranch. Now it took every waking moment for Adam, with eleven-year-old Hoss\u2019s help, to keep the animals fed and healthy, as well as keeping the house from falling down around their ears. Little Joe had gone from being an excitable, spirited bundle of energy, to a subdued withdrawn child. Hoss and Adam spent what little time they could with him, but the boy now spent too much time alone, or in the stifling company of his over-protective father.<\/p>\n The living room fire had also burned low, so Hoss took care to move quietly pass his sleeping father and brother and position a fresh log on the dying flames. He stirred some air into the fire and watched as a new flame started to flicker. The log pile was running low. Hoss would have to chop more wood. Yet another thing to add to the never-ending list.<\/p>\n As he straightened up, he looked around the room, noticing the spreading shadows as the late afternoon\u2019s light faded. It was a week until Christmas and the room looked bare, uninviting. Like every day since Marie died.<\/p>\n And as Hoss stood in the darkening room, an idea began to form that filled him with an unwavering resolve. The pinched, heavy appearance he had worn for so long momentarily lightened into a wide gap-toothed smile that bunched his cheeks. For the first time in months, he felt a smattering of optimism warm his veins. He felt so certain of what he needed to do that the idea of eating went clean out of his head.<\/p>\n Hoss turned on his heel and walked straight out of the house to the barn. There he grabbed an axe, a lamp, and a coil of rope. He was relieved Adam was out on the range somewhere. He didn\u2019t want questions, or any attempt made to deter him from his task.<\/p>\n And with a determined step, Hoss tramped out into the nearby forest.<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n Night had fallen by the time Hoss returned home. As he approached the house, he could see Adam silhouetted in the doorway, peering out into the blackness for his missing brother. The snow had started to fall again, making his trudge back to the house longer than expected, but an energy was surging through his veins and Hoss couldn\u2019t keep the grin from his face.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, Adam, grab yer coat and come give me a hand, would ya!\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss saw a frown pass over his brother\u2019s face as he pulled on a coat from the rack behind the door.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere have you been? We\u2019ve been worried sick. I was about to set out looking for you.\u201d<\/p>\n But then\u00a0Adam\u2019s concerned frown faded when he saw what Hoss was dragging along behind him.<\/p>\n \u201cYou got a tree!\u201d<\/p>\n There in the snow was a pine tree with a bundle of boughs strapped to the top. Hoss had tied a rope around his waist to drag the tree behind him.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, dadburnit, no one else was going to, were they. You\u2019re too busy, Joe\u2019s too little and\u2026\u201d\u00a0He stopped and his eyes flicked up to his pa\u2019s room where a faint light glowed.\u00a0\u201cWell, I jest figured we needed a tree.\u201d<\/p>\n He grinned at Adam who stood speechless for a moment. But Hoss\u2019s enthusiasm was contagious, and Adam reached out to slap Hoss\u2019s arm.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, let\u2019s get it inside, shall we.\u201d<\/p>\n Half an hour later, a tall pine stood at the side of the hearth, a little lop-sided, and still wet from its journey in the snow, but already a smell of fresh earthy forest brought warmth and calmness to all who stood before it. The long boughs of pine were draped along the mantel.<\/p>\n Little Joe had become over-excited when he saw his two older brothers dragging the tree through the door, and for the first time in many months, he had skipped and jumped around the room. The noise had roused their rumpled-haired father from his room and even he had briefly smiled at his youngest\u2019s exuberance.<\/p>\n Now they all sat at the dining table\u2014eating the dinner Adam had prepared after his day with the herd\u2014barely noticing the food but staring at the tree. All except Pa who kept his head lowered, nibbling on the food set before him. Joe sat jiggling with excitement, and no one had the heart to tell him to settle down whilst at the table.<\/p>\n Hoss swallowed a mouthful of beef stew.\u00a0\u201cWhere are the ornaments, Pa? They ain\u2019t in the attic.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben looked up. \u201cI\u00a0think they\u2019re in the barn. We were clearing out the attic when\u2026\u201d He stopped, his eyes staring into the middle distance. The boys lowered their forks and exchanged glances, but then their father roused himself. \u201cWe were clearing out the loft when your mother died.\u201d He cleared his throat. \u201cWe\u2019d put everything in the barn for safe-keeping when the roof developed that leak.\u201d<\/p>\n It was the most he\u2019d had said in a long time.<\/p>\n Adam nodded as his father returned his attention to his plate.\u00a0\u201cWe fixed the roof, but I guess we left some of the things in the barn. We\u2019ll look tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss lay down his knife and fork.\u00a0\u201cIf you don\u2019t mind, I think I\u2019m gonna go look now.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMe too!\u201d piped up Little Joe. \u201cI wanna go looking too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo!\u201d Ben\u2019s retort was sharper than it needed to be. \u201cYou\u2019re not going outside at this hour, Joseph.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe\u2019s head dropped as he slumped down in his chair.<\/p>\n No one spoke, but then Adam caught Hoss\u2019s eye and nodded towards their pa. Hoss conjured a smile he didn\u2019t feel. \u201cWe\u2019re only going to the barn, Pa, and I\u2019ll look after him, you know I will.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou heard what I said, Joseph is not going outside. It\u2019s too dark and too cold.\u201d<\/p>\n There was an even louder and longer sigh from Joe as he slumped further in his chair.<\/p>\n Hoss stood up and squeezed his little brother\u2019s shoulder. \u201cSorry, Joe.\u201d He looked over to Adam. \u201cI won\u2019t be long.\u201d He threw a quick glance at his stony-faced father and left the table to pull on his coat and boots.<\/p>\n The family sat in silence for a few moments, but then Joe scrambled off his chair.<\/p>\n \u201cJoseph!\u201d<\/p>\n Tears began to trail down Little Joe\u2019s cheeks. \u201cIt ain\u2019t fair, you don\u2019t let me do nothing fun anymore.\u201d And before Ben could respond, the boy was running away from the table and up the stairs. A slammed door soon echoed from above.<\/p>\n Adam looked over at his father who was staring with dark eyes in the direction of Joe\u2019s room, and with a sigh began to stack the discarded dishes. On his way to the kitchen, he paused behind his father\u2019s chair.<\/p>\n \u201cWe know you\u2019re hurting, Pa, but Joe\u2019s still a child. Isn\u2019t it time he was allowed to be one?\u201d<\/p>\n He didn\u2019t see the flicker of hurt that creased Ben\u2019s eyes as he left the room.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n Joe was asleep, and Ben had retired to his bed when Hoss returned to the house.<\/p>\n \u201cYou took your time out there,\u201d said Adam, looking up with tired eyes from the ledgers he was pouring over at Pa\u2019s desk.<\/p>\n Hoss set a small, somewhat crushed, crate down on a nearby chair.\u00a0\u201cI reckoned the horses were better company than Pa right now. Leastwise they don\u2019t shout.\u201d He shrugged his shoulders. \u201cAdam, when\u2019s Pa gonna start being Pa again?\u201d His fingers toyed with the edge of the desk. \u201cI miss him.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam rose and moved out from behind the desk. Curving an arm around the boy\u2019s shoulder he gave him a squeeze.\u00a0\u201cMe too, Hoss. We just gotta give it a bit more time. Now, let\u2019s see what\u2019s in the box?\u201d<\/p>\n After Hoss had prized off the lid of the crate, they dipped their hands in, pulling out the carefully wrapped items. The first packets revealed glass balls smashed into tiny shards. A packet of red ribbons was frayed and torn.\u00a0\u201cI guess the mice got to them,\u201d said Adam with a sigh. Garlands of beads were twisted together and even a gentle pull to unravel them sent loose beads clattering to the bottom of the dusty box.<\/p>\n They threw the last broken items back in and Adam closed the lid.\u00a0\u201cWhere was the box?\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss met his brother\u2019s eyes.\u00a0\u201cUnder two other\u2026 heavier\u2026ones.\u201d His face was drawn and disappointed.<\/p>\n \u201cYou tried, Hoss. And with us not able to get to town with all the snow, and Pa the way he is, I guess we\u2019re just not getting a Christmas this year.\u201d He looked over at the tree. \u201cWe\u2019ll use it for firewood.\u201d He patted his brother\u2019s back as he walked back behind the desk. \u201cGet some sleep, brother.\u201d<\/p>\n It was with an aching heart that he watched Hoss climb wearily up the stairs. But the books beckoned and resting his head in his hand, Adam returned to his figures.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n Adam was shrugging into his winter coat the following morning when Hoss appeared at the top of the stairs. The boy\u2019s tread was heavy as he plodded down one step at a time.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re late, Hoss, I need you up at High Valley with me. We\u2019ve got a lotta hungry beeves to feed.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss thrust his hands deep into his pockets and sighed.\u00a0\u201cD\u2019ya mind if I don\u2019t, Adam? I don\u2019t feel so well, and I\u2019d rather stay home and\u2026well, just stay home.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam shook his head.\u00a0\u201cHoss, I know you\u2019re disappointed about the tree and Christmas and all, but we still got a ranch to run and\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know, I know. Just today, Adam. Please?\u201d<\/p>\n There was a look of resignation, of defeat, on Hoss\u2019s face and Adam felt himself giving in before he\u2019d even braced himself for a fight.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay. Just this once.\u201d He tucked his scarf inside his coat. \u201cI\u2019m taking Joe with me. He\u2019ll spend more time chucking snowballs at me while I spread the hay around, but it\u2019ll get him out of the house and away from Pa for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss looked around.\u00a0\u201cWhere is Pa?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn his room. I don\u2019t think you\u2019ll see much of him today.\u201d<\/p>\n And with a shake of his head as he glanced up at the upper floor, Adam pulled on his gloves and opened the door. Hoss followed him and stood in the chilly morning air watching him mount up behind an already rosy-cheeked Joe. As Adam\u2019s mount stepped through the snow, Little Joe\u2019s excited chatter echoed on the air as the two rode out of the yard.<\/p>\n With a half-smile, Hoss closed the door. But his smile soon faded. The box of broken decorations sat where they\u2019d left it the night before. It taunted him. All he saw was a box of shattered dreams, a forgotten Christmas with an exhausted older brother, a younger sibling in desperate need of normality, and a father who\u2019d given up on life, and his family.<\/p>\n But then, like the day before, Hoss felt a resolve building within him. He wasn\u2019t going to let one crate of broken ornaments take away his dreams of Christmas. No way. He snatched up the box and walking to the hearth, up ended the contents onto the table in front of the fire.<\/p>\n And set to work.<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n Hoss was in the kitchen when the door crashed open, and Adam\u2019s worried voice called out.<\/p>\n \u201cHoss, why aren\u2019t the lamps lit yet, we can normally see the house for miles. Has something hap\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Adam\u2019s voice silenced. Brushing his floury hands over his apron, Hoss walked with soft steps out into the living area. Both Adam and Joe were standing by the open door, staring up at a twinkling, candle-lit, Christmas tree.<\/p>\n His movement caught Adam\u2019s eye who turned with a wide smile and bright eyes to his middle brother. He pointed at the tree. \u201cDid you do this?\u201d<\/p>\n Hoss\u2019s lips formed a smile as he cocked his head and shrugged. \u201cDidn\u2019t have anything else to do.\u201d<\/p>\n Adam shooed Joe into the room, shutting the door behind him. The three stood together in front of the tree, gazing up at what, that morning, had been nothing more than a bare, slightly askew, pine.<\/p>\n Now, the tree was adorned with rows upon rows of glistening beaded garlands, sparkling red, gold, and sapphire blue.<\/p>\n \u201cTook me all mornin\u2019 to thread all them beads back on. I used the thread we use when repairin\u2019 the tack.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n They shone and sparkled in the light of a multitude of candle stubs glued to the branches by blobs of melted wax.<\/p>\n \u201cFigure I got more wax on me than the tree.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n Small toys hung from the highest point to the lowest boughs \u2013 a toy soldier, a miniature drum, a\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cHey, that\u2019s my horsey!\u201d<\/p>\n \u2026a wooden horse from Joe\u2019s collection of toys. Hoss had raided Joe\u2019s toy chest and nigh on cleared it out.<\/p>\n And instead of the broken glass ornaments, the tree was covered in bright white pinecones.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t touch! They\u2019re still wet. I used all the cones we gathered for fire startin\u2019 and dipped \u2018em in whitewash.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n And at the very top of the tree was tied a large bright red ribbon.<\/p>\n \u201cI reckon all our mamas would be proud of me. I sewed what was left of the little ribbons together and made one big one.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n Adam\u2019s face was wide with wonder. \u201cI can\u2019t believe you did all this while we were out.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt ain\u2019t finished yet. Wait here.\u201d<\/p>\n And turning on his heel, Hoss ran back to the kitchen. He soon returned with a plate of gingerbread men, each one threaded with a loop of string.<\/p>\n \u201cMama taught us all how to make \u2018em, so I thought, why not hang \u2018em on the tree.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe, so transfixed by the wonderful sight before him, pulled his gaze from the tree. Dropping his head, he ran to Hoss and wrapped his arms around Hoss\u2019s legs.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s the bestest Christmas tree I ever saw.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt is!\u201d<\/p>\n The voice came from above them. Their father stood at the top of the stairs. His hair was combed back, his face washed, and to the boys\u2019 surprise he was wearing a pair of smart pants, and a clean shirt. They watched as he walked down to stand next to Hoss and gaze up at the tree. His eyes glistened in the candlelight.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s wonderful, Hoss.\u201d He turned to his middle son. \u201cI was halfway down the stairs earlier and saw you sitting on the hearth with a pile of broken ornaments on the table, and heaps of pinecones at your feet. And you were so focused on threading those beads on the thread, with such a serious look of concentration on your face, you didn\u2019t see your silly old pa watching you.\u201d He cupped Hoss\u2019s neck with his hand. \u201cAnd I suddenly felt so ashamed. Because you refused to give up on giving your family a Christmas they so dreadfully needed, even faced with a boxful of broken ornaments. And I had\u2026\u201d He glanced away for a moment. \u201cI had lost my way for so long, only thinking of what I had lost, not what I had right in front of me.\u201d<\/p>\n He sniffed and then looked back to Hoss.\u00a0\u201cDo you forgive me, son?\u201d He turned to Adam and Joe. \u201cDo you all forgive me?\u201d<\/p>\n Adam gripped his father\u2019s arm and swallowed hard. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing to forgive, Pa.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben opened his arms to his boys, and they stood together in the glow of the tree until Hoss shook himself free.\u00a0\u201cHey, we ain\u2019t quite finished yet,\u201d he laughed. And together they hung the gingerbread men from the tree\u2019s branches.<\/p>\n It had taken one boy\u2019s steadfast refusal to not give up on Christmas to bring their pa back to them. And as they sat in the glow of the candles, munching on gingerbread men, promises were made that they all knew would be kept \u2013 that this Christmas they\u2019d remember, with stories and laughter, the lives of those they had lost. What better way to celebrate their loved ones\u2019 lives? But they\u2019d also celebrate each other, and the love that kept them strong.<\/p>\n The ornaments on the tree could be replaced, but family never could be.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Character: Hoss<\/p>\n Activity: Replacing broken gear<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Link to Day 16 of the Bonanza Brand 2021 Advent Calendar:\u00a0 A Stitch in Time by AC1830<\/a><\/p>\n
\n~*~*~ Advent Calendar ~*~*~
\n* Day 15*<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n