Author Note and Disclaimer: Hello there everyone, this is my first-time actually writing a fan fiction storyline and deciding it is good enough to publish on ; with that being said I must say that all Bonanza characters and locations are not mine, but NBC/Universal Studios. All other characters and the storyline are purely fictional and mine.
Please read and comment on the story, I would really love feedback and if anything, anyone who wishes to peer-review my works before I post them on , just send me a message. It would be a great help for me.
Thank you and happy readings!
Summary: Benjamin Cartwright gets a phone call from West Virginia from a man asking for a favor. Ben agrees and informs the Boys that there will be an extended guest at the Ponderosa.
"Mr. Cartwright, there is a telephone call for you." Benjamin Cartwright turn his head towards the door of the house to see Hop-Sing filling the entrance way. "What did you say?" asked Ben. "I said you have a telephone call," replied Hop-Sing, their hired cook, "they say their name is Thomas…from West Virginia."
It was the last part that had Ben rushing towards the door. His three boys were looking in the direction that their father went and wondered what could make their father go that fast for a phone call. "Thank you Hop-Sing," He said and he quickly picked up the telephone receiver that was lying on his desk, "This is Ben."
Meanwhile, the Cartwright Boys, Adam, Hoss (Eric), and Little Joe (Joseph) were tossing hay into the back of a pickup truck and conversing about their father. "Wonder what made Pa rush into the house like that, for a phone call for that matter," Hoss said as he hauled a bundle of hay into the truck. "Don't know, but I didn't know he knew anyone from West Virginia," replied Little Joe, who was sitting down on the edge of the truck. Adam was just looking at the door of the house, he could not think of a reason either for this odd behavior, especially for phone calls.
"Well it is mighty nice of you two sitting and thinking, while I haul all this hay into the truck," Hoss exclaimed as he tossed another bundle. Adam turned his head, smirked and replied, "Well, Hoss we know how much you love helping out people. We just could not deny you the pleasure." Little Joe agreed instantly and all Hoss could think was how he could get away with getting at his brothers without killing them.
Out of the three boys Hoss was the giant and strongman of the bunch, that was many thanks to his mother's family. He was ever grateful for what his mother and her family gave him, though all he had was just that, Hoss never met his mother, for she died just after his birth. But, his father said that he has more of his mother in him than he would ever know.
Right now though he was not thinking of how much he was to his mother. Hoss looked at the situation at hand. He noticed that if he tossed a bundle just the right way he would hit Little Joe into Adam. Hoss smiled at this and grabbed another bundle.
"Pa did seem a little anxious, didn't he Adam," Little Joe asked. Adam had turned back to look at the door, but answered, "He certainly did, my question would be was this call expected or not." Hoss had the bundle in his arms, he knew he had just one shot at this and even with the consequences; he would not care at all. He threw the bundle and it did as he hoped.
The corner of the bundle of hay pushed into Little Joe. It was just enough force to unbalance Little Joe and push him off the truck and into his brother, Adam; to which both landed onto the ground. Little Joe and Adam were a little out of wits for they did not understand what just happened, but they could hear their brother, Hoss laughing away like he heard the best joke in the world. What a joke it was!
Ben hung up the phone and sat back into his chair. This put a new spin into the environment of the Ponderosa. He is going to have to tell his boys. Ben lifted himself out of his chair and walked towards the door. He could hear sounds outside the door, like laughing and shouting. This could not be good, sounds like a sibling argument was upon him, he wondered why he had not shot one, no all of them yet.
Opening the door he comes upon a new scene that did not leave when he went to answer the phone. Little Joe and Adam were shouting at Hoss and closing in to give him a good whooping and Hoss, he was on the ground laughing to the point he could have been ripping at the seams if he had any. Ben shook his head, smiled and then looked above and thanked the Lord for the gifts of having his boys in his life.
"Little Joe, Adam!" They both turned their heads to see their father walking out from the house towards them. Oh they are going to get Hoss in trouble. Hoss would pay for what he did. "Pa, Hoss hit me with a bundle of hay that made me shove into Adam," explained Little Joe as he pointed his finger towards the giant on the ground. Hoss was calming down from laughing so hard, the hardest in his life, he tipped his hat back and looked up at his father and said, "Well, Pa it was the funniest thing that I have seen happen in a while."
Ben knew this would happen, even though his boys were grown, they could never seem to be left by themselves without something happening. Ben also knew that Little Joe and Adam tended to make Hoss do all the work, and so Hoss would of course find a way to get back at them for leaving for him to do everything while they lazed around. Ben smiled and said, "Well, Hoss would not have had to done that if you two would have stop being lazy and actually helping him." He could tell this was not good for Little Joe and Adam for Ben knew they wanted him to yell at Hoss; instead Ben scolded them like two little boys.
They did not argue with him, but Adam looked at his father and asked, "Pa, who was it on the phone?" Ben knew he had to tell them, wonder what would happen and how they would react really. "Adam, you remember Thomas Mallory?" Adam looked at his father and answered, "Yes, a little, why?" "Well that was him on the phone," Ben looked down for a second and then looked back up to see that Hoss was now standing up, he continued, "you see, he called to ask for a favor."
It was Hoss then that asked, "What was the favor, Pa?" Ben rubbed the back of his neck as he answered, "He asked if we would take in his daughter, Catherine, while she studies in nearby Reno." Adam looked at Ben with a look of confusion and Hoss arched his brows, but it was Little Joe that spoke, "Why would he want that?" "Well you see Catherine has never been passed the Mississippi in her life and there is neither family nor friends she knows in the area. So, Thomas helping his daughter out wished her to live with someone whom knew her family and would make sure she would be safe." Ben answered and waited for his boys to give him their reaction. Hoss pushed between his brothers stood right in front of his father, Ben had to look slightly up because Hoss was a bit taller than him. "Pa, I think we should help the little lady out, plus, it would be nice to have a woman in the house," Hoss said with a smile, "means we are going to have to get a room ready for her."
Hoss walked away and went towards the house Ben followed with his eyes, he then turned to look at the other boys and then just smiled and nodded. "She is coming in about a week, her things will be here in two days, so we've got a lot of work to do," Ben said as he walked towards the house. Hauling the hay will be taken care of, but right now they had to prepare for their guest.