Summary: Little Joe is ready to do anything to help the struggling widow of his childhood friend.<\/p>\n
-Tissue Warning- This story deals with loss (NO main character deaths)<\/p>\n
Rating: PG<\/p>\n
Word Count: 7561<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
For the Love of Pete<\/strong><\/p>\n Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.<\/p>\n ~~<\/p>\n Streets that usually teemed with activity were empty. Doors to shops with their various bells that signaled the arrival of expectant shoppers were closed. The buildings were quiet as if, like the people who lived there, they were grieving over their loss. Just outside the town, on a small hill, inside of an ever-growing cemetery, the citizens of Virginia City were gathered. Solemn faces turned in the direction of the soft-spoken minister, but few heard his words. Near the newly formed mound of earth stood an aging couple, their only child, their son, lying cold and alone beneath the ground. On the other side of the grave stood his widow, a young woman whose natural beauty was, at the moment, lost in her grief. The minister\u2019s words couldn\u2019t offer nearly as much comfort to her as the full presence of the community. Everyone had loved Pete, with his easy banter and warm smile. Few in attendance could claim to be untouched by the young man who had grown up as one of their own, and they now suffered the loss together.<\/p>\n Eventually, one by one, the people turned to leave. Condolences were given, flowers were thrown, but the sadness remained. As the sun went down, the pale sky faded from orange to pink. Only two stayed.<\/p>\n \u201cRose,\u201d Little Joe said as he gently laid a hand on her arm. \u201cI . . . Come on, let me walk you home.\u201d<\/p>\n The young woman nodded, but she made no move to leave. Little Joe felt his throat tighten as she turned to him; her eyes pooled with tears.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy . . . why?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe had no answer to give her, but he knew that none was expected. Instead, he put an arm around her and slowly guided her away from the cemetery.<\/p>\n Why?<\/em><\/p>\n The question lodged itself in his own mind.<\/p>\n Wasn\u2019t it enough that only a few months before the young couple had lost their first child? The baby had never even had a chance to live, stillborn. Why was it that some people had to suffer so much loss; so much pain?<\/p>\n It\u2019s not for us to question . . . He could still hear his father\u2019s words clearly.<\/p>\n But some questions demanded answers, and the death of his friend was one of them. His mind went back to the day before yesterday, when Sheriff Coffee had knocked on the door of the Ponderosa. They\u2019d been expecting the lawman for supper, but he\u2019d brought news.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know how to tell ya this,\u201d he\u2019d said. \u201cIt\u2019s the Hirsch boy-\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe had quickly stood. \u201cPete?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c \u2018Fraid so,\u201d Roy answered. \u201cSeems he took a fall; got too close to the edge of his loft, landed right on a . . . well, he didn\u2019t make it. Doc said his neck was broke.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe forced his mind back to the present. It just didn\u2019t seem possible. Children fell from lofts breaking an arm or a leg, not full-grown adults, and surely not to their deaths, but he knew better than to say anything to the woman walking silently by his side.<\/p>\n \u201cCan I get you anything?\u201d he asked once she was seated at the dining table of her small home.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, thank you, Little Joe. I think I\u2019d just like to be alone.\u201d<\/p>\n He understood, and giving her shoulder a light squeeze, Little Joe made his way outside shutting the door gently behind him.<\/p>\n Over the next few weeks, Little Joe stopped by often with offers of help and friendship, but Rose was always the same.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s all right, Little Joe,\u201d she would say, as she pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders. \u201cI\u2019m fine, thanks anyhow.\u201d<\/p>\n The emptiness in her eyes told a different story, and though Little Joe grieved along with her, he was at a loss as to how to help her.<\/p>\n ~~<\/p>\n Time passed, and day by day the early spring weather grew warmer. It was nearly a month after his last attempt to visit Rose that Little Joe whooped, spurring Cochise into a gallop along the road to Virginia City. It had been a long month, one in which he hadn\u2019t left the Ponderosa even once. The moving of their herds had taken much longer than expected, and this slight reprieve had been well earned. That morning, he and his brothers had made a contest out of bringing in the last of the strays. The two that showed up in the meadow last would have to stay over one more day, until all the fences needed to keep the cattle in place were secured. Needless to say, Hoss and Adam wouldn\u2019t be joining their youngest brother until sometime the next morning or afternoon.<\/p>\n As the clustering of buildings drew closer, Little Joe slowed Cochise to a canter and headed straight for the livery.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, howdy, Little Joe,\u201d Mr. Watkins, the livery owner greeted.<\/p>\n \u201cEvening, Charlie. Hey, set Cochise up with some of the finest will you?\u201d<\/p>\n Charlie smiled as he accepted the reigns from Little Joe. \u201cGonna be in town a while, are ya?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe winked and tossed the man a silver coin. \u201cTwo whole days and two long nights.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHah, ya think your daddy can spare ya that long?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI doubt it, but he\u2019ll make do.\u201d Little Joe\u2019s laughter blended with Charlie\u2019s as the young man made his way into the city. He stopped for a moment, his eyes roaming over the various shops and establishments. He had narrowed his decision down to the International Hotel or the Silver Dollar, but then his gaze fell upon the little shop two doors down from Hansen\u2019s Feed. His smile slowly faded as memories began to surface of all the times he\u2019d spent inside the tiny store. He and Pete had played in the back room for hours upon hours with bits of glass and broken gears, while Mr. Hirsch worked on his watches or occasionally jewelry. The two young boys had made sure to never stray far from Mr. Hirsch\u2019s watchful eyes, nor from Mrs. Hirsch\u2019s good smelling kitchen.<\/p>\n Little Joe was nearly to the steps before he even realized he\u2019d made the decision to visit his friend\u2019s parents. He paused at the door to run his hand over the wooden shingle where he and Pete had carved their initials. He chuckled as he remembered Pete\u2019s father\u2019s discovery of their handiwork on his newly purchased sign. He\u2019d turned first red and then purple. Little Joe had thought for sure the man would burst, but eventually, he threw up his hands, turned and stomped away.<\/p>\n \u201cLittle Joe, is that you? Come in, boy.\u201d<\/p>\n The sound of the door opening along with Mr. Hirsch\u2019s greeting, interrupted Little Joe\u2019s thoughts.<\/p>\n \u201cGood morning,\u201d Joe answered, stepping inside. \u201cI have a couple days off, and I thought I\u2019d . . . well, is there anything I can do for you?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe took off his hat and smiled as Mrs. Hirsch came bustling in from the kitchen, her cheeks rosy and her smile warm.<\/p>\n \u201cLittle Joe,\u201d she said, \u201cIt is good to see you. Come, I\u2019ve just put the water on.\u201d<\/p>\n Mr. Hirsch reached out an elbow and nudged Joe\u2019s arm, nodding his head in the direction of the kitchen. \u201cYou know she won\u2019t let you go now until you\u2019ve finished her latest batch of tea. She\u2019s been experimenting again?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe shrugged and sniffed the air. \u201cIf it comes with some of that apple pie I\u2019m smelling, I\u2019ll drink it by the gallon.\u201d He nudged the older man back and chuckled.<\/p>\n \u201cAh, Little Joe, it is good to hear laughter again. I\u2019m glad you\u2019ve come.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe forced the smile to stay on his face as he nodded. \u201cDon\u2019t mention it. Pete was a good friend; you folks are like family.\u201d<\/p>\n Mrs. Hirsch interrupted the men as she called them to the table, and Little Joe turned his smile to the older woman, pretending not to notice the moisture in her husband\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n ~~<\/p>\n A few hours later, Little Joe checked in at the hotel. Mrs. Hirsch had offered to let him stay with them, but her husband had been quick to inform her that a young man of Little Joe\u2019s current unattached circumstances would prefer to be on his own. Little Joe had kissed her goodbye, promising to visit again before he left town. That wasn\u2019t the only promise he\u2019d made, however, and he fully intended to visit the newest saloon in town after he freshened up.<\/p>\n It took another half hour before his bath was ready, and while he soaked away the evidence of several weeks\u2019 worth of working with cattle, he thought about what Pete\u2019s parents had told him. From what they\u2019d said, it sounded like Rose was getting herself into some trouble, and he was determined to find out if the rumors being spread around town were true.<\/p>\n \u201cPlease, Little Joe,\u201d Mrs. Hirsch had pleaded as she clenched her teacup, \u201cshe is all we have left of our Peter.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe won\u2019t even see us,\u201d Mr. Hirsch had added. They\u2019d both grown quiet after that, their eyes flickering with shadows of concern.<\/p>\n Now, Little Joe shared that concern. He dunked his head under the water, running his fingers through his hair as the warm liquid enveloped him. A moment later, he came up with a noisy splutter, and reached for the soap. As he washed, he mentally reviewed all he knew of Rose. By Virginia City standards, with its steady stream of people constantly coming and going, she was practically considered a long term citizen; though she\u2019d only moved there about two years ago. Little Joe and Pete had been outside the mercantile one day, about to head over to Sally\u2019s Diner when the stage had rolled in.<\/p>\n They\u2019d both stood in awe as a young slender woman in a green, velvet dress had stepped down onto the boardwalk. Her eyes were the same rich brown as her curly hair. The two young men nearly puddled when she turned to the stage operator and smiled; they watched hypnotized as she pulled a small coin purse out of her bag and tipped the driver, then she reached for her valise. That set the two men in motion, with Little Joe getting a head start. He\u2019d been surprised when his normally bashful friend had reached out and grabbed hold of his jacket collar.<\/p>\n \u201cNot this time, buddy,\u201d Pete had said with his jaw set, \u201cthis one\u2019s mine.\u201d<\/p>\n Whether in pure amazement over his friend\u2019s sudden assertiveness, or amusement over the fact that Pete was hopelessly and utterly smitten, Little Joe wasn\u2019t sure, but he\u2019d decided to let his friend have his way.<\/p>\n Little Joe grinned as he recalled the memory. From the day he\u2019d first seen her until the day he died, Pete had loved Rose with every ounce of his being. Little Joe stood, and grabbing a towel, dried his hair vigorously before wrapping it around his middle. His body was dry by the time he finished combing his hair and he dressed quickly, anxious to get out and start his brief holiday.<\/p>\n He had a twenty dollar bill threatening to burn a hole in his pocket, and he was feeling lucky. Standing outside the hotel for a moment, he listened to the sounds of evening settling in over the town. Virginia City tended to be noisy during the day, but night time was when it really came alive. Joe\u2019s step was light as he made his way across the street. Normally, he would have chosen a smaller establishment, but this time he had motive to try his luck at the much larger, Blue Silver Hotel and Saloon. The place had opened up about six months ago, and already had the reputation of serving, not only the best steaks in town, but also the best whisky and women. The larger crowd would allow Little Joe the chance to be more selective in his poker opponents.<\/p>\n He nodded to the bar tender as he walked inside, and the older gentleman smiled as he held up a pad and pencil.<\/p>\n \u201cNo need, Jake,\u201d Joe said, fishing several silver dollars out of his pocket. \u201cI\u2019ve got cash tonight.\u201d Joe had practically had to ransack his room to fish up enough coins, but after his last tab had somehow found its way into the hands of his pa, he wasn\u2019t too keen on leaving a paper trail again anytime soon. The bartender handed him a mug of cool beer, and as Joe glanced around the room he was pleased to see several different card games taking place. He would have to start small and build up his stash before he would be able to get in on one of the high stakes games but he had high hopes of turning his twenty into enough for a handsome gray stallion he\u2019d been keeping his eye on. He glanced into one of the smaller rooms off to the side as he walked, and caught a glimpse of a familiar brunette sitting alone at a table. Frowning, he changed his direction and, he suspected, the rest of his plans for the evening. He crossed the room quickly to confront the young woman drooped in her chair holding a half-empty bottle of whiskey.<\/p>\n \u201cRose, what is this?\u201d Little Joe asked, struggling to keep his voice calm. \u201cWhat are doing here?\u201d He grabbed a chair and turned it around before sitting down.<\/p>\n Rose slowly lifted her head. Her eyes were bloodshot, and most of her curls were loose, hanging limply around her flushed face. The bags under her eyes testified to more than one sleepless night.<\/p>\n \u201cIs there somewhere else I should be?\u201d Rose asked without looking up.<\/p>\n Little Joe leaned back to escape the stench of alcohol on her breath. Her slurred words indicated that she was even more drunk than he\u2019d figured.<\/p>\n \u201cRose, let me take you home,\u201d he tried. \u201cYou shouldn\u2019t be in a place like this.\u201d<\/p>\n With great concentration the woman managed to settle her watery eyes on Little Joe\u2019s face. \u201cOh . . . Little Joe,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s you. Nice of you to drop up. I\u2019d get you a drink, but I\u2019m off for the night.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe rolled his eyes and stood. \u201cCome on, Rose, time to go,\u201d he said as he reached for her arm. Rose opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but then the thought seemed to pass and she quietly allowed Little Joe to escort her out of the noisy saloon. At the last second, Little Joe opted to take her out the back door. Her scanty dress offered little in the way of modesty and the last thing he wanted to do was fuel the flames of the local town gossips. Though he tried, he couldn\u2019t avoid being seen altogether, and there were more than a few raised eyebrows as the two made their way down B street, toward the little home where Rose now lived alone.<\/p>\n They were a few doors down from her house when Rose started making the warning sounds, and Little Joe quickly rushed her into a side street where she spent the next several minutes vomiting. Little Joe knew he should be feeling sympathetic, but more than anything, he was angry.<\/p>\n How could she?<\/em><\/p>\n Without warning, his mind suddenly flashed back to another night just like this one. A night when it had been a young sixteen-year-old boy inside of an alley retching, while his buddy waited just outside. Little Joe felt his anger fade as he remembered how Pete had stayed with him all night, cleaning up his messes and pumping coffee down his throat so that Little Joe would be able to face his pa in the morning with a clear head.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m ready now.\u201d Rose\u2019s hoarse voice as she stepped out from between the houses brought Joe back from his reverie. Rose managed to make it inside the house before she passed out, and Little Joe carried her the rest of the way to her bed. After lying her down, he hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do about her soiled clothing. Finally, he decided it would be easier to clean the sheets the next day then to explain how\u2019d she\u2019d gotten undressed. After he was sure Rose was settled, he left the room, shutting the door softly. The moon was shining brightly through the windows as he made his way over to the kitchen table to light a lantern. The lamp provided a soft glow, and Little Joe took a look around. Between the tiny kitchen and the main room there wasn\u2019t much furniture. Pete had insisted that they keep to the bare necessities until he and Rose were in there new house. Little Joe tried to ignore the pang in his chest as he thought of his friend\u2019s dreams; dreams of building a little farmhouse just outside of Virginia City.<\/p>\n \u201cA place where there\u2019s room for the kids to grow,\u201d Pete had said. \u201cA place where we can keep chickens, and a milk cow, and . . . if you\u2019ll help me, maybe a place where I can raise a couple of fine horses.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe smiled sadly, Pete had always loved horses. When they were young, whenever Pete would stay at the Ponderosa, the two boys would spend hours upon hours riding horses high in the mountains. There was hardly a gully or brook they hadn\u2019t explored. Though Pete had rarely said anything out loud, Little Joe had always known that his friend longed for a horse of his own, but his parents, with their little watch shop had never had the money, the place, nor the skill required to obtain one. \u201cThe things we take for granted,\u201d he spoke softly to himself. His own life had been so different from his friend\u2019s. Little Joe had grown up surrounded by the animals that he and Pete shared a love for. Placing the book back in its place, he scanned the title of the few volumes there. He recognized most of the titles from books his father and oldest brother owned. Most of the one\u2019s on Pete\u2019s shelves were by Charles Dickens, and they all showed evidence of having been read many times over. Knowing that Pete had never been much of a reader, he decided that the novels must belong to Rose.<\/p>\n Little Joe turned when he heard stirring in the bedroom and crossed quickly to the kitchen where he grabbed the biggest bowl he could find. He got the dish to Rose just in time, and began what would be a very long night\u2019s vigil.<\/p>\n ~~<\/p>\n The sun was high in the sky the next day before Little Joe woke. He hadn\u2019t gotten much sleep, and the little he had managed had come at the cost of cramped and aching muscles from trying to fit onto the small sofa in the main room. Standing up with a groan, he decided to check in on Rose before heading to the kitchen to make a fresh pot of coffee. He didn\u2019t think he could stomach another cup personally, but he knew that Rose would be needing it soon.<\/p>\n The coffee was nearly done boiling when he finally heard Rose moving around in the next room, and grabbing a pail near the door, he headed outside to the pump for some cool water. Bringing it back into the house, he poured some into a pitcher near the basin and then dumped the rest into a large pot he already had sitting on the stove. He figured Rose was going to want a bath, and he knew after last night that there was quite a bit of washing to be done.<\/p>\n A few minutes later, the creak of the bedroom door alerted him to Rose\u2019s presence. Taking the coffee pot from the stove, he turned and greeted her with a smile and a good morning.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat are you doing here?\u201d she asked, pulling her robe tighter around her body.<\/p>\n Little Joe hadn\u2019t been sure how much she\u2019d remember from the night before, but he hadn\u2019t expected her to forget about him completely. He was glad to see that she was out of the dirty clothes she\u2019d slept in all night.<\/p>\n \u201cJust helping a friend,\u201d he answered.<\/p>\n Rose eyed him warily for a moment. \u201cWould that be me or Pete?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBoth.\u201d His voice was gentle as he answered, and Rose\u2019s hard gaze softened.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Little Joe. I guess I should be grateful. It\u2019s just that . . . I hate for you to see me this way.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe bit back the first response that came to mind, and opting for silence, motioned to the table where he had two cups and saucers waiting. The two sat for several minutes in silence, and when it became clear that Rose didn\u2019t have any intentions of breaking it, he spoke up.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy the saloon, Rose?\u201d<\/p>\n Rose kept her gaze on the table. \u201cI have to make a living.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat way?\u201d<\/p>\n Her gaze drifted up. \u201cIt was Pete\u2019s dream to live on that farm. I can\u2019t afford to finish it any other way.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe cleared his throat to hide his scoff. Her answer was a cover, although for what he wasn\u2019t sure. She offered no other explanation so he searched her eyes, hoping to find there the truth she refused to speak. What he saw in them caused his remaining anger to vanish. \u201cThank you . . .\u201d she said, \u201cfor what you did last night.\u201d<\/p>\n So she did remember.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cBut, I\u2019m fine now, and I have to get ready for . . .\u201d<\/p>\n Reaching across the table he rested his fingers on her hand. \u201cLet me help you,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Rose looked startled for a moment, but quickly regained her composure. \u201cDon\u2019t be silly. I\u2019m fine, and I meant it,\u201d she said, stopping Little Joe before he could interrupt. \u201cI want to finish Pete\u2019s farm. The barn was almost done, you know?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe didn\u2019t miss the moisture in her eyes when she quickly stood up. There was more to the story, he knew, but he also knew that now wasn\u2019t the time to push her. Pointing to the water on the stove he said, \u201cThought you might want a bath. I\u2019ll stop by again before I leave tomorrow.\u201d Before she could answer, he gave her quick kiss on the cheek and left. As he made his way down to C Street, his stomach\u2019s rumbling reminded him that he hadn\u2019t eaten in a while. Taking a left, he headed toward Daisy\u2019s and chuckled when he saw his brothers\u2019 horses tied out front of the small caf\u00e9.<\/p>\n Little Joe spent most of the afternoon with Hoss and Adam, but toward evening they decided to split up. His brothers were staying at a much cheaper boarding house, so they agreed to meet up again the next morning at Daisy\u2019s for breakfast.<\/p>\n \u201cWe prefer to spend our money on things other than sleeping,\u201d Adam had said.<\/p>\n \u201cHey,\u201d Little Joe answered. \u201cI\u2019ve earned a good sleep, and I intend to do it in style.\u201d<\/p>\n The three brothers parted with laughter, and Little Joe headed back to the Blue Silver Saloon, more than eager to play some poker. Several hours later, Little Joe raked in the pot for the second time that evening. The last two men in the game, threw their cards on the table and left, scraping their chairs noisily across the floor.<\/p>\n Whew! Five-hundred dollars. Not bad.<\/p>\n Little Joe was tempted to fan out the money and cool himself off with it, but for once, his pa\u2019s warnings of being discreet were ringing in his ears. Instead of boasting of his prize he neatly folded it, put it inside his wallet, and placed it in the inside pocket of his jacket. He\u2019d won enough to buy the stallion he wanted with money left over . Exiting the building, he turned toward the hotel, but a soft cry from the alley stopped him. He turned his ear to listen, half expecting a cat to come careening out into the street, but then there was another cry and he recognized it as a woman\u2019s voice. Darting around the side of the building he saw a man with a young woman pinned against the wall. Her arm was being twisted in his grasp and his mouth was pressed so tightly against hers that Little Joe wouldn\u2019t have been surprised if the woman couldn\u2019t breathe.<\/p>\n \u201cLet her go,\u201d he said, swiftly drawing his pistol and aiming at the man\u2019s head.<\/p>\n The man turned, and let the woman go so suddenly she went flying. \u201cLook, mister, I\u2019ve got no quarrel with you or the young lady.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLittle Joe?\u201d the woman questioned.<\/p>\n Little Joe\u2019s rage was fueled when he recognized Rose. \u201cYeah, I think the lady might have something to say about that,\u201d he said, positioning himself in front of Rose.<\/p>\n The man leered at Joe. \u201cShe\u2019s getting as good as she gives.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe saw red, and before he knew what he was doing the man was picking himself up off the ground, his nose crooked and bleeding. \u201cNow get out of here before I really get angry,\u201d Joe shouted. The man wasted no more words, and took off without even bothering to pick the hat that had flown off his head. Joe grinned and holstered his pistol, then turned to Rose. The expression on her face wasn\u2019t what he\u2019d been expecting.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you have any idea how much money you\u2019ve just cost me?\u201d she spat, then picking up the man\u2019s bowler, she dusted it off and pushed her way past Little Joe.<\/p>\n \u201cRose,\u201d Little Joe said, reaching for her arm. She stopped and turned her gaze on him.<\/p>\n \u201cI told you. I don\u2019t need your help,\u201d she said, and though her words were angry, her eyes showed something more; panic. \u201cPlease, just leave me alone.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe released her arm and watched in defeat as she marched out of the alley. It was then it hit him just how tired he was, and he decided, for the moment, sorting things out with Rose could wait. Twenty minutes later, he smiled as he climbed between the clean, cool sheets of his overpriced hotel room and his thoughts turned to his brothers. He knew without a doubt that they weren\u2019t nearly as comfortable as he was.<\/p>\n ~~<\/p>\n Little Joe\u2019s time off in Virginia City was up before he knew it, and if it hadn\u2019t been for the well-muscled stallion he was leading home, he would have been sad to leave. As it was, the Ponderosa was entering its busy season, and between roping, branding, breaking, and training, Little Joe\u2019s thoughts and worries of Rose were temporarily set aside. It wasn\u2019t until one evening, nearly a month later, that his thoughts of her again came to the forefront. He and Adam had spent the day up at one of the logging mills and had stayed to join the men with their evening meal. The next morning was payday, and the men were boisterous as they ate. Some of them, had begun their celebrating early and a few bottles were being passed around. Little Joe watched as his older brother gave him a wink and took a swig when the bottle was passed to him.<\/p>\n \u201cFan the sinking flame of hilarity with the wing of friendship and pass the rosy wine,\u201d Adam said, passing the bottle to his younger brother.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d Little Joe chuckled.<\/p>\n \u201cDickens, my dear boy,\u201d Adam answered, clapping him on the back. \u201cCharles Dickens.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI must have missed that part,\u201d Joe answered, but then the vision of a shelf full of books by Charles Dickens entered his mind, and he sobered as he passed the bottle to the impatient man next to him.<\/p>\n \u201cOlder brother,\u201d he said, \u201cDon\u2019t you think one of us should be in town with the men tomorrow? I mean, we wouldn\u2019t want to lose any of them to the mines.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe knew there was little danger of that happening with this particular crew. The group was made up mostly of local mountain men that were longtime friends of their father. Many of them, Little Joe knew, wouldn\u2019t even be heading into town the next day, preferring to spend their time off at home with their families. Adam seemed to sense his younger brother\u2019s anxiousness and gave him a half smile along with his blessing. \u201cJust don\u2019t let pa find out. Hoss and I haven\u2019t had the heart to tell him yet that you don\u2019t actually earn your keep.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe decided to let the comment pass as he jumped up from the table. \u201cI\u2019ll see you in a few days,\u201d he said, then turned to leave.<\/p>\n \u201cA few days? I didn\u2019t say . . .\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe didn\u2019t hear the rest of Adam\u2019s statement as the door to the mess shack closed behind him, and he didn\u2019t waste any time saddling up his horse. He and Cochise were well on their way by the time Little Joe figured Adam would be finishing up a slice of pie with the men. As he rode, a sense of urgency fueled him to go faster. He managed to make it into Virginia City just before nightfall and turned immediately up B Street. Somehow he knew something was wrong. Tying his mount outside of Rose\u2019s front gate, he quickly walked up to the door and knocked, then without waiting for an answer, he pushed the door open. His breath caught in his throat as he walked in. Rose, nearly naked, was lying on the floor, her dress in pieces around her, having been torn from her body. Little Joe was by her side in an instant, and she moaned as he gently turned her head.<\/p>\n Little Joe jumped up and worked to steady his hands so he could light a lamp. When he turned back to Rose, he saw that her face was caked with blood. Her eyes were open, and she was watching him. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. The pleading in her eyes seemed to hold Little Joe in a spell, and it wasn\u2019t until a tear slipped down her cheek that he went into action.<\/p>\n \u201cCome on,\u201d he said, scooping her up as gently as he could. Rose cried out with the movement, and she cradled her arm as Little Joe carried her outside toward Doc Martin\u2019s house. Little Joe was exhausted by the time he made it to the porch, and half stumbling up the steps, he kicked loudly at the door. Miraculously, the doctor was in, and helped Little Joe get Rose to an examining table. Little Joe paced the small room until Doc Martin finally ordered him out, and Joe spent the next couple of hours waiting anxiously in the doctor\u2019s parlor.<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t until the next morning that he\u2019d been allowed to see Rose. Doc Martin had explained with as much delicacy as possible the young woman\u2019s situation, and Little Joe had been seething by the time the doctor had finished.<\/p>\n \u201cYou need to calm down before you see her,\u201d the doctor had said. \u201cShe\u2019s been through enough without you upsetting her more.\u201d<\/p>\n Now, as Little Joe walked into the examining room, he was glad he\u2019d waited. Rose was sitting near a window, the morning sun shining down on her hair. Her skin was pale in the places that weren\u2019t bruised, and she looked as if she\u2019d lost a considerable amount of weight. Her left arm was in a sling. The doctor said it hadn\u2019t been broken, but it was badly sprained and she needed to be careful with it for a while.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m taking you to the Ponderosa,\u201d he\u2019d said when she\u2019d turned to him.<\/p>\n \u201cI told you,\u201d<\/p>\n But he didn\u2019t let her finish. \u201cI know what you told me, but I\u2019m bigger than you are and twice as stubborn, so we\u2019re doing things my way.\u201d That hadn\u2019t won him a smile, but she did nod, and he hoped it wasn\u2019t just his imagination that there was a little less droop to her shoulders.<\/p>\n ~~<\/p>\n Rose had only been at the Ponderosa for three days when she started talking of needing to go back. The family was at a loss trying to persuade her to stay longer. In the end, it was Little Joe that had been the one to get her to agree to staying one more day, by offering to take her out to see some of the horses. Rose had smiled for the first time since coming to stay with them when he\u2019d mentioned that they had a few Pete would have loved to see.<\/p>\n The next day, they headed out bright and early to the meadow where Little Joe kept his special horses. He hadn\u2019t had to point out the gray stallion because as soon as they\u2019d rounded the hill and the pasture had come in view, Rose had been practically out of her seat with excitement.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, Little Joe,\u201d she said. \u201cHe\u2019s just beautiful. I\u2019ve never seen a horse that color before. His coat gleams so that he almost shimmers.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe parked the buggy near the gate, and gently lifted Rose to the ground. Though she never complained, he knew that she was still sore. As they approached the gate, Little Joe began making a clicking sound with his tongue and the large gray trotted over to the fence to greet them. Rose laughed and reached out to stroke the horse\u2019s neck. Little Joe decided it was as good a time as any to tell her his secret.<\/p>\n \u201cYou like him?\u201d Little Joe asked.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s too beautiful to like,\u201d she answered. \u201cA person has to love this horse.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe grinned broadly. \u201cHe\u2019s yours then.\u201d<\/p>\n Rose dropped her hand from the horse\u2019s muzzle and turned to Joe in amazement. She started to shake her head no, but Little Joe held up a hand to stop her.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s for Pete,\u201d he said. \u201cI made up my mind the first time I saw him. It\u2019s been my intention all along.\u201d<\/p>\n Tears brimmed in Rose\u2019s eyes and she quickly turned her head. \u201cI . . . I don\u2019t know what to say.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThanks will do.\u201d Little Joe laughed.<\/p>\n Rose smiled and reached out to the horse again. The stallion met her halfway and nuzzled her fingers. \u201cDoes he have a name?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n \u201cYep. Gratitude.\u201d<\/p>\n Rose turned to Little Joe with a raised eyebrow.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not what you think,\u201d Little Joe said, raising his hands in defense. \u201cHoss is actually the one that named him that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd why would Hoss name this magnificent animal Gratitude.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell,\u201d Joe said. \u201cHe\u2019s gray, and he has an attitude. Put the two together, and that\u2019s what old Hoss ended up with.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe\u2019s laugh was infectious and soon Rose joined in. \u201cSo what do you think?\u201d Little Joe asked.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the words of Charles Dickens,\u201d Rose answered, \u201cCows are my passion. But he\u2019ll do.\u201d<\/p>\n Gratitude seemed to be offended by her remark and tossing his head, the large animal turned on its heel and began to run across the meadow. His hair flowed out behind him like flaming silver, and Little Joe and Rose stood in awe. Joe turned, a moment later, when Rose sighed.<\/p>\n \u201cI only ask to be free,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cAnother quote?\u201d<\/p>\n Rose shrugged. \u201cOh, don\u2019t mind me. It just almost seems a pity to keep such a beautiful animal locked up. You\u2019ll keep him here for me, won\u2019t you? Until I get the farm ready?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course. About the farm-\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t, Little Joe. I\u2019ve already told you I\u2019m fine. I don\u2019t need your help.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe wanted to say more, but Rose\u2019s demeanor had changed, and he instinctively knew that nothing he said was going to change her mind, at least, not then, and the next day, it was with a heavy heart that he drove her back into town.<\/p>\n \u201cNext Saturday is the Founder\u2019s Day picnic,\u201d he said as he dropped her off at her home. \u201cThe whole family is going. There\u2019s going to be food and games, and I hear they\u2019re planning a pretty spectacular fireworks display this year. Can I pick you up?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe was puzzled by the shadows that crept into Rose\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d she answered. \u201cThat\u2019s probably going to be a busy night, and-\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd nothing,\u201d Little Joe interrupted. \u201cRose, you can\u2019t possibly be thinking of going back to what you were doing before? That\u2019s not the kind of life for you.\u201d<\/p>\n Rose surprised Joe by reaching out and touching his cheek. \u201cNot all of us have the choices you do, Little Joe,\u201d and with that she turned and ran into the house. Little Joe started to follow, but then heard the lock clicking in place. As he turned to leave, he wasn\u2019t sure whether to be disgusted or concerned, but one thing he knew for sure. Next Saturday, Rose would be going with him to the picnic, and if he had to pay her for her time, so be it.<\/p>\n ~~<\/p>\n Later that night, Little Joe stood outside on the porch of his home. The black sky was strewn with stars twinkling their late night conversations.<\/p>\n \u201cI just don\u2019t understand it, Pa,\u201d Little Joe said when he heard his father\u2019s footfall behind him.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re talking about Rose?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe nodded, keeping his eyes on the stars. Little Joe turned to look at his father. \u201cI know, Pa. I mean, I guess I didn\u2019t know, but I figured as much, but this time, I don\u2019t think she\u2019s choosing it. She says she is, but then I look at her, and I can see that she hates it, that she\u2019s ashamed, maybe even afraid.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe has every right to be afraid after what just happened to her.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut it\u2019s not that. Of course, she was afraid the other night, but before that, the fear in her eyes was from something else. I can\u2019t figure it out yet, Pa, but I know she needs help, and somehow, I\u2019m going to see that she gets it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAre you sure that\u2019s wise, son?\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe looked back to the stars. A phrase he\u2019d come across while leafing through one of Adam\u2019s Dickens books came to mind. \u201cThere is wisdom of the head and there is wisdom of the heart,\u201d he said. He heard his father chuckle behind him and felt his strong hand grip his shoulder.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve got both, Little Joe; just promise me you\u2019ll use both.\u201d<\/p>\n ~~<\/p>\n Little Joe thought back to that promise the next Saturday as he turned his horse toward Rose\u2019s house. All week, he\u2019d had the young woman on his mind, and he had finally come up with a solution the night before. He gently fingered the gold ring inside his pocket. He wasn\u2019t in love with Rose, but they were good friends, and in his heart, he knew that they would come to love each other in time.<\/p>\n As he approached the house, he squinted against the sun. The door to the house was open and flapping in the breeze. That\u2019s not right. He ran Cochise up to the house and jumped down, a feeling of dread settled in the pit of his stomach as he approached the door. He knew, before he even went inside, he knew.<\/p>\n ~~<\/p>\n He\u2019d found her on the bed. The doctor said she\u2019d swallowed an entire bottle of laudanum.<\/p>\n \u201cShe must have taken it when I treated her that night,\u201d Doc Martin had said.<\/p>\n Try as he might, Little Joe couldn\u2019t wrap his mind around it. If she\u2019d taken it then, that would mean she\u2019d had it planned when he\u2019d brought her home, when he\u2019d given her the gray stallion, when he\u2019d invited her to the picnic. Why? Why hadn\u2019t she asked for help?<\/p>\n ~~<\/p>\n Unlike Pete\u2019s funeral, the only people that stood beside Rose\u2019s grave were the Cartwrights and Pete\u2019s broken-hearted parents, and it was for them that Little Joe grieved the most. He was too hurt to feel much more than anger toward Rose. Little Joe was the last to leave the cemetery. Stepping around the freshly formed grave, he laid a hand on the cross where his childhood friend\u2019s epitaph was carved. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Pete,\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n ~~<\/p>\n It was several weeks later, while the Cartwrights were at home eating breakfast that the unexpected knock came at the door. Ben invited the Sherriff in for breakfast, but the lawman said he didn\u2019t have time to stay.<\/p>\n \u201cI come \u2018cause I figured you all hadn\u2019t heard.\u201d The family waited as the sheriff pulled a letter from his pocket. \u201cThis come the other day all the way from San Francisco. It\u2019s from Rose.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe\u2019s head jerked up from his plate, and he glared at the lawman. \u201cWhat are you talking about?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNow simmer down there, Little Joe, that\u2019s what I\u2019ve come to tell ya. It seems Rose gave this letter to a man passin\u2019 through Virginia City more\u2019n a month ago, and asked him to send it when he reached San Francisco. The letter just came to my office yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat does it say, Roy?\u201d Ben asked impatiently.<\/p>\n \u201cIt says plenty,\u201d Roy answered, then hurried on. \u201cIt seems that some fellow from Rose\u2019s past, a Mike Jackson, moved into Virginia City about the same time that new saloon opened up. I guess Rose had worked for him a long time ago. He\u2019d use her to get close to men with money, get them to spend money on her, then he\u2019d take most of it. She said that\u2019s why she moved here in the first place; to get away from him. Wasn\u2019t the first time she\u2019d tried to get away either. She said he found her every time. She thought she\u2019d gotten away from all that here, and then she met Pete, but that skunk found her again. Came into their home one night with a couple of other fellows and threatened \u2018em both at gunpoint.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy didn\u2019t Pete just go to you?\u201d Adam interrupted.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m gettin\u2019 to that,\u201d Roy answered. \u201cIt seems the night them fellers came and threatened \u2018em, well, it upset Rose so much that she went into labor. She had the baby that night, while Pete was tied up in the next room. That Jackson fella took the baby and told her that she\u2019d better do just what he said, or the baby would pay for it.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe\u2019s head was swimming, and the next thing he knew his father was forcing a glass of water into his hand and urging him to sit down. The ringing in Little Joe\u2019s ears cleared just in time for him to hear the sheriff finish his story.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s how Pete was killed. He found out they had some old woman lookin\u2019 after the baby out at his own farm. Pete went to try and get the baby back, but Mike\u2019s men were there that night. Darn fool decided to try and confront them by himself. One of Jackson\u2019s men was a mighty big fella, broke Pete\u2019s neck and then pushed him out of the loft to make it look like an accident.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy!\u201d Little Joe suddenly shouted, \u201cWhy didn\u2019t she ask for help? She could have come to you with all this in person. Why did she kill herself?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJoe, don\u2019t you see,\u201d Adam said softly, \u201cif Jackson got wind that she\u2019d gone to the sheriff, the first thing he\u2019d do is get rid of the evidence. Rose knew that as long as she was alive her baby was in danger.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cImagine how she must have felt, Little Joe,\u201d his pa said, \u201cthe men were constantly hunting her down. She must have felt trapped.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI only ask to be free.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe closed his eyes against the pain in his heart as he remembered the words Rose had quoted. \u201cShe could have told me. I would have done something.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLike Pete?\u201d Adam questioned.<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes, son,\u201d Ben said, reaching across the table to lay a hand on Joe\u2019s arm. \u201cAll a mother has is wisdom of the heart.\u201d<\/p>\n Little Joe\u2019s shoulders fell and he nodded. \u201cWhere\u2019s the baby?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think you should come and see for yourself,\u201d Roy said.<\/p>\n ~~<\/p>\n A few hours later, Little Joe walked into the kitchen of the home where he and his friend had spent so many happy hours.<\/p>\n \u201cCome,\u201d Mrs. Hirsch said. \u201cCome meet my grandson, Little Pete.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever known. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Summary: Little Joe is ready to do anything to help the struggling widow of his childhood friend.
\nAcross the room on a small shelf, a book on farm animals caught Little Joe\u2019s attention. Picking it up, he leafed through the pages, noting that the section on horses seemed to be the most worn.<\/p>\n
\nIn her eyes was pleading, hopelessness, fear, and then she turned away.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cYou know, Little Joe. When I was in town the other day, I did some checking. I met a man that seemed to know an awful lot about Rose. Said he\u2019d known her in San Francisco. This life that she\u2019s leading now . . . well, it\u2019s not the first time she\u2019s chosen to . . .\u201d<\/p>\n
\n~Charles Dickens~<\/p>\n
\n-Tissue Warning- This story deals with loss (NO main character deaths)
\nRating: PG Word Count: 7875<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":14676,"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_hide_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_featured_image_duplicate_dismissed":0,"_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},"categories":[23,1007],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-38672","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-joe-cartwright","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-1007-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\/2017\/08\/IMG_2234.jpg?fit=840%2C639&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38672","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\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=38672"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38672\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/14676"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=38672"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=38672"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=38672"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}