{"id":7440,"date":"2011-10-10T12:03:18","date_gmt":"2011-10-10T16:03:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=7440"},"modified":"2025-02-27T12:25:10","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:25:10","slug":"the-interview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=7440","title":{"rendered":"The Interview (by slaine89)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary: \u00a0<\/span>On the way to their new home, six-year-old Adam asks his Pa some questions. One long, drawn out\u00a0Pa-Adam-Moment.<\/p>\n

Rated:\u00a0 K+ (1,245 words)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Interview<\/strong><\/p>\n

The red rippling over the underbelly of the coals from their supper fire was getting dimmer and dimmer just as the last few streaks of red from the sunset were fading away. Ben Cartwright leaned back against the wagon wheel and closed his eyes, listening to the soft chirp of a cricket from somewhere in the brush. In a few minutes he would get up and check on his young sons and then the horses before going to sleep himself, but for right now, he was content to simply sit in stillness after a long day of rattling and jolting in the wagon. The whole journey had been long and hard, and he would be glad when they reached the end of it and were able to finally start building a new life.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d the sleepy voice roused Ben from his thoughts, and he looked up. In the darkness he could just make out Adam\u2019s small face.<\/p>\n

\u201cShouldn\u2019t you be sleeping, son?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI had a question.\u201d<\/p>\n

A soft smile covered Ben\u2019s features. If Adam had a question there would be no going to sleep until it was answered. Sometimes Ben thought his son would never rest until he knew everything about everything.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s your question?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam climbed down from the wagon and settled himself onto his pa\u2019s lap. He let his head fall back against his chest, finding comfort in the steady rhythm of his father\u2019s heartbeat.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour question?\u201d Ben prompted.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a hard one.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben didn\u2019t doubt it. None of Adam\u2019s questions were ever easy.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s on your mind, son?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, everyone says that heaven is up there.\u201d He lifted one small finger to point to the sky. \u201cAnd that hell is below. Right?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what people say.\u201d Ben had an inkling as to where this was going.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo why did we bury Ma in the ground if she went to heaven?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben wrapped his arms tighter around his son. It was a hard thing for some adults to grasp, let alone a six year old. He pondered how to answer for a few minutes without confusing Adam even more.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, do you know what it means when something is physical?\u201d he finally said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can touch it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right. God isn\u2019t physical; you can\u2019t touch him, just like heaven isn\u2019t a place you can travel to in a wagon. It\u2019s not physically in the sky; people just say that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh. So you can only go when you\u2019re dead?\u201d Adam asked. That took care of his next question then. He\u2019d been going to ask if they could go visit the woman that had become his mother over the past year.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam frowned as his mind mulled over what his Pa had told him. Ben smiled as he held his son. He could almost hear the wheels of his mind turning.<\/p>\n

\u201cPa?\u201d Adam said after a while.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, son?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you afraid of dying?\u201d<\/p>\n

It was a harder question than the last one if Adam had only known it. Ben frowned while he thought about how to answer.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not afraid of death.\u201d He said. \u201cI don\u2019t want to die, but we all have to someday.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want you to die either.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben smiled. \u201cWell I don\u2019t plan on it happening for a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d rather die first. Then I don\u2019t have to miss you too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben\u2019s arms tightened around his son. He knew Adam missed Inger more than he told his Pa. He had never known his real mother, and Inger had filled a void in his life that Adam probably hadn\u2019t even known existed. Several times he\u2019d stumbled upon Adam whispering in Hoss\u2019 baby ears about his now dead mother. He sighed to himself. Would Hoss grow up the same way, never knowing what it was like to have a mother\u2019s love?<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think Hoss will remember her?\u201d Adam demonstrated his uncanny ability to bring Ben\u2019s thoughts into the open without realizing it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll never let her memory die, Adam. Just like I tell you about your mother, we can both tell Hoss about his mother.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s good.\u201d Adam settled deeper into his Pa\u2019s lap. The night was chilly, but he was warm with his father\u2019s arms around him, and the sky was clear and filled with stars. \u201cWill you find a new mother for us?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

Ben wondered how many questions he would be answering that night. Adam could go on and on if you let him, but Ben didn\u2019t have the heart to send him back to bed. Death was a hard thing for a child to grasp, and he\u2019d rather Adam talk about it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know. If I meet a woman that I can love then I might marry again.\u201d He didn\u2019t see that happening anytime soon. He\u2019d loved both of his wives deeply, and it took a while to recover from that kind of loss.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want to get married.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd why not?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to stay with you forever.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben chuckled, and Adam leaned against the deep vibration in his pa\u2019s chest. \u201cGive it a few years, Adam. Someday you\u2019ll find that women are more interesting than your old pa.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not old.\u201d Adam protested. \u201cHow old do you have to be to get married?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose it depends. But you don\u2019t need to worry about it for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy do people get married?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause they love each other.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat doesn\u2019t make sense.\u201d Adam protested. \u201cYou say you love me and Hoss.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben sighed. The topic had swerved, and he was tired. It was time to wrap things up.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are different kinds of love, Adam. You\u2019ll understand when you\u2019re older.\u201d He instantly regretted saying the phrase that worked on every other child in the world except his own.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I want to understand now.\u201d Adam said, as he did every time. \u201cIs it because they want to have children? Like you and Ma had Hoss?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d Ben said, hoping Adam wouldn\u2019t ask what he was sure would be the natural next question.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow do people have children?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben was torn between amusement at his son and annoyance at himself. He\u2019d walked into that one.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt happens when a man and a woman love each other.\u201d He said, hoping that that would be the end of it. Naturally it wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut how?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdam, there are some things that you just won\u2019t understand until you\u2019re a little older.\u201d Ben tried the old standby one last time, and this time Adam sighed in acceptance.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow much older?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA while. But don\u2019t worry too much about it. Wouldn\u2019t you rather always have things to learn and understand throughout your life instead of learning everything in the first few years?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess. But I still wish I understood more.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell tomorrow you can ask more endless questions. Tonight it\u2019s time for bed.\u201d He stood and lifted Adam up and back into the wagon. Adam burrowed under his blanket and wriggled around until he got comfortable. Then he looked up at his father.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan I ask one more question?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben couldn\u2019t say no. \u201cWhat is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWill you always be able to help me understand and answer my questions?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben put his hand on his son\u2019s shoulder and let it rest there for a moment. \u201cAlways.\u201d He said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

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

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

Summary: \u00a0On the way to their new home, six-year-old Adam asks his Pa some questions. One long, drawn out\u00a0Pa-Adam-Moment. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Rated:\u00a0 K+ (1,245 words)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":216,"featured_media":13439,"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":[23,30],"tags":[14,15],"class_list":["post-7440","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-prequels","tag-adam-cartwright","tag-ben","wpcat-23-id","wpcat-30-id"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":1215,"today_views":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Young-Adam.png?fit=212%2C231&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6891,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=6891","url_meta":{"origin":7440,"position":0},"title":"Posies (by pbeaking)","author":"pbeaking","date":"May 5, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary: Ben has just found the very spot he wants to call home. 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I wondered how the Milfords and the Cartwrights might\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Drama"","block_context":{"text":"Drama","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=23"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/4Cs.jpg?fit=400%2C401&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":7607,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=7607","url_meta":{"origin":7440,"position":4},"title":"Fresh Start (by DJK)","author":"DJK","date":"May 9, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 Once again Adam is the new kid. Rated:\u00a0 K+\u00a0\u00a0 Word count:\u00a01131","rel":"","context":"In "Ben \/ Adam"","block_context":{"text":"Ben \/ Adam","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=1016"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Young-Adam.png?fit=212%2C231&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":13013,"url":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?p=13013","url_meta":{"origin":7440,"position":5},"title":"The Dead Mule Story (by Robin)","author":"profrobinw","date":"May 5, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Summary:\u00a0 With these three sons, this tale should never have been told.\u00a0 They're your sons, Ben. Rating:\u00a0 T\u00a0 (1,225 words)","rel":"","context":"In "Humor"","block_context":{"text":"Humor","link":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/?cat=4"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/ARLE-e1497282889671.png?fit=570%2C416&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/ARLE-e1497282889671.png?fit=570%2C416&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/ARLE-e1497282889671.png?fit=570%2C416&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7440","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\/216"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7440"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7440\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/13439"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7440"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7440"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bonanzabrand.info\/library\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7440"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}