chap 1: baby girl cartwright
Little joe was staring at the little baby girl, wondering why theyd come all the way to texas just to see her. "pa..."Joe tugged at Bens shirt. "yes, son?"Ben said, looking down at a five year old joe."why we here to see some baby?"joe asked, looking curiously at the bundle wrapped in a blanket. "because, her mother and father are good friends. they asked me to be here. They made me promise if anything happens to them or her brothers, ill take care of her and love her as my own. But, ill tell you a secret, i already do." Ben said, smiling down at joe and then at the bundle with blue eyes. "Elizabeth...she is a bueaty to behold." Ben said. "thank you. Its a bit strange that i have the same name as adam's mother, and for the memories it brings back, i am truly sorry. But my little girl shall be named mara. after the water that was bitter, but became sweet, because she is very sweet." she said. "she is, indeed." Ben agreed. Adam just looked at the ground, until he looked into the blue eyes of the little girl and knew he would never ever forget her. "so, you here to see my sister?"A boy about seven peeked his head around his mothers skirts, his face streaked with dust, his small shoulders hunched, but his eyes challenged anyone who took more than one step too close to his new sister or his mother. "yes."adam said. "oh. well, you better treat her nice, and not make her cry, or else..."he said, his tiny hands balling into fists"Peter!" his mother said. he shrank back into the folds of her skirt. "im sorry, adam, ben. youll have to forgive quite the protecter around here." elizabeth said. "its all right. she has to have a protector." Adam said. "hoss is around here somewhere..." ben said, just as he spotted hoss coming back toward them. "where were you, son?" Ben asked. But the blueberry stains told. Ben just laughed, and suddenly everyone was laughing, even the blue eyed bundle. "dont you have another boy?"adam asked. "yes, but i cant imagine where he is. hes always roaming off sowewhere."Elizabeth said. "here i am." a boy about a year or two younger popped out and grabbed his mom from behind, wrapping his small arms around her waist. "david! you frightened me!" elizabeth was trying hard to look scared, but she burst out laughing."ma? did i really scare you? did i?" david jumped up and down laughing, and then when he saw hoss, little joe and adam all looking at him, ben too, he stopped smiling. they all wore a pained look, ben was almost crying. "im...sorry...really. i dint mean to hurt ya...none of ya..." david whispered, then dashed quick behind his older brothers protective body. suddenly the tiny bundle wrapped her arms around bens neck, and nuzzled into his arms. he was too surprised to even gasp. "luv..."the bundle whipsered. "she,she loves you, mr cartwright."peter said, plainly shocked. Ben held her tight, afriad if he let go of the bundle it would break like a rag doll. he was so happy. then the bundle wrapped her arms around joes neck ,and hugged him around the neck, and would not let go. the young boy was surprised, but he didnt let go either. hede found someone else who loved him as much as his mother. When elizabeth tried to take her from joe, joe wrapped his arm around the bundle and said "Mine" and would not let go. And when Ben tried to tug joe from the little blue eyes grasp, she hung on tighter. "MINE!" she yelled, kicking out at everyone who tried to take joe from her, or her from they pried her from him and him forn her, and ben looked rather happily at joe. "shes yours all right." ben said, as they said good bye to elizabeth and her family, and rode back toward the stage coach pick up.