Is It The Day Yet?
"Hey, Adam?"
"Yeah, Little Joe?"
"You sure Pa won't find it?"
"Yeah, Little Joe, I'm sure."
"Yeah, Li'l Joe. Pa never comes up in the loft. 'Sides, it'll only be up here fer a few days," Hoss said, his chubby legs dangling over the edge.
"Okay. If you're both sure."
"Stop worryin' so much! He ain't gonna find it!"
"Okay, Hoss."
The two younger Cartwright brothers watched as Adam carefully placed the box beneath a bale of hay in the far corner of the loft.
Ben stood on the porch, hands on his hips. "Adam! Hoss! Joseph! Supper's ready!" he yelled in no particular direction. He knew his boys wouldn't go far but he had no idea where they'd run off to after school.
"Comin', Pa," Adam screamed as he helped his baby brother make his way down the ladder. Hoss was the last to climb down. Adam and Little Joe were already halfway out of the barn when he skipped the last rung, his feet hitting the ground with a thud.
"Hey! Wait fer me!" he shouted as he caught up and took Little Joe's free hand, imitating his older brother.
Ben smiled at his sons walking hand in hand, Joe's stature dwarfed even more by walking between his big brothers.
"What have you boys been up to?" he asked.
Hoss and Little Joe's perfectly synchronized glare at their older brother told Ben that they'd most likely been up to no good!
All eyes on Adam made the teenager quite anxious, but he quickly recovered by telling their father they'd been playing with the new litter of barn kittens. Hoping for a peaceful supper together, Ben didn't question the boys even though he knew there was likely to be more to the story.
Three days later, Adam and Hoss entered Little Joe's room before heading to breakfast.
"Is it the day yet?" Little Joe asked as he sat on the hard floor, struggling to pull his boot over his foot. He'd asked the same question three mornings in a row, frustrating his oldest brother.
Kneeling to help, Adam replied, "Yes, Buddy. Today is the day. Now don't forget, I'll go out to the barn and get the box when we get home from school."
"Pa's gonna be so supprised! We ain't never bought him a birthday gift all by ourselfs before, ain't that right, Adam?" Hoss asked as he handed Adam Joe's other boot.
"That's right, Hoss. But we did have a little help from Sheriff Coffee and Mr. Angkins at the store."
"Yeah. But just a little help, right, Adam?"
"Yes, Little Joe. Just a little," Adam spat as he forced Joe's tiny foot into his boot. "Now come on, we'd better get down to breakfast. I heard Pa go down a while ago."
"Okay, Adam…Adam?…Can I…please?"
Adam rolled his eyes, crouched down and hefted Little Joe onto his back. "Hold on tight, Little Joe!"
"Okay, Adam," Joe said, his smile growing until it nearly covered his entire face.
Hoss smiled too, and his smile became a giggle when Adam reached out and mussed his hair to signal the start of the scene. When the boys reached the top of the staircase, Adam nodded and Hoss started down first, followed closely by Adam and his rider.
"Look out, Pa! Here comes the stage!" Little Joe announced as his thin arms wound tightly around Adam's neck, his little hands clasped together under Adam's chin.
Hoss and Adam galloped down the steps with Little Joe hanging on and his spindly legs flailing left to right.
When they got to the table, Little Joe hollered, "Whoa!" and everyone stopped.
"Ain't ya gonna ask, Pa?"
"Of course I'm going to ask, Hoss!…How many passengers today, Driver?" Ben roared in his deep bass tone.
"Just me, Pa! Just me!" Little Joe giggled as Ben completed the nearly daily routine by lifting Little Joe from Adam's back, swinging him onto his own and chasing Hoss through the great room and back to the table. "One of the horses got loose! Get 'em Pa, get 'em!" Little Joe cried as he clung to his father's neck.
Hoss ran straight to his chair at the table where Adam was already seated, watching the fun and giggling along with his brothers.
"Looks like the horse ran right on home and into the barn!" Ben said as he swung Little Joe up and around. Before he could plop his youngest onto the floor, Little Joe grabbed Ben's face with his tiny hands, pulled him closer then kissed his father's cheek. Ben embraced his son and relished every second as he returned his kiss. Next, Little Joe ran around the table, first to Adam.
"Thanks, Adam," he said as he flew by, heading for Hoss's chair.
"Thanks, Hoss," he giggled, anticipating what he knew would come next.
"Thanks, Pa," he tittered as Ben pretended to try and grab him as he ran by. Little Joe deposited himself into his chair just in time for Hop Sing to bring in their breakfast.
"Horse get away again, Li'l Joe?"
"Yeah, Hop Sing, he got away again!"
Hoss looked anxiously at his brothers and when Adam nodded, he counted aloud. "One, two, three!" Ben's three sons all yelled, "Happy Birthday, Pa!"
When the boys returned from school that afternoon, Adam went straight to the barn. Hoss and Little Joe snuck into the house to see where their father was. As usual, he was at his big desk, and their not-so-sneaky approach made him smile.
Hoss popped up at the desk. "Whatcha doin', Pa?"
Little Joe popped up, imitating his brother. "Whatcha doin', Pa?"
"Why, I'm waiting for my boys to give me a hug, that's what I'm doing!"
Hoss and Little Joe piled onto Ben's lap.
"Say, where's Adam?" Ben asked.
"Here I am, Pa!" Adam said as he closed the front door behind him.
"Is it time, Hoss?" Joe asked.
"Shh, Little Joe!" Hoss reprimanded.
Adam came to the desk and the younger boys climbed off their father and ran to stand on either side of Adam. Little Joe's chin barely cleared the top of the desk. He frowned, broke formation and rushed to get a book to stand on. Adam, Hoss and Ben waited patiently and finally, with everyone in place, Adam handed the box to Ben.
"Happy Birthday, Pa!" they shouted.
Ben thanked his boys and opened the box. Inside was a brand new pipe; the one he'd seen just two weeks ago at the General Store in town. Holding the pipe, Ben looked at his three sons as they fidgeted, anticipating his reaction.
"Thank you, boys. This is a most wonderful gift."