A Hard Road Taken

Chapter: 1

The sun was beating down upon a lone rider as she made her way into Virginia City. Despite a nasty wound that was at least clean and bandaged up, Ken moved on determined to deliver a message to Kalista. That name alone made Ken's heart ache; however two different lifestyles and one not accepting it caused a rift between Ken and her sister; Kalista. In fact if it wasn't for Ken's dad, Rick, she wouldn't be here.

Ken reigned up as she looked around the town. She spotted the saloon and though she knew a good girl just didn't go in there; Ken turned her horse towards the saloon. It was the one place she could hear the gossip and find the way to the Cartwrights. Ken dismounted and tied her horse to the post. Taking a deep breath she stepped through the batwing doors.

Once inside, she moved to the side, letting her eyes adjust to the dim light. She could feel several eyes upon her and whispering going on. She couldn't blame them for staring; it's not like you see a woman in men's clothing with a pistol around her waist every day. Heck, Ken rarely saw one herself; unless she was looking in a mirror. Ken moved to a table in the corner and sat down.

Little Joe sat on the bar stool and like everyone around him couldn't help but stare at the stranger who walked in. The air around her said 'Stay away from me' which only made him that much more interested in her. Little Joe stood up and walked over to the table where the lady was sitting.

Ken head was down remembering the conversion she had with her dad.

"When I am no longer here; promise that you will tell your sister yourself?"

"Pa…"

"Ken, promise me. You can send her a letter, but you have to tell her in person too."

Ken nodded her head and watched her dad pass on. It was her mom who sent the letter and after dealing with some business; here she was.

"Ma'm?" Little Joe asked.

Ken's head came up and Little Joe was met with the coldest eyes he ever saw. She stared at the man in front of her and after a minute pointed to the chair across from her. After the man sat down with his beer she spoke, "What do you want, Mister?" She was not in the mood for men annoyingly trying to flirt with her.

"Name is Little Joe. I was wondering if I could help you; if you are lost?"

Ken gave a small smile as she looked at the man in front of her. "Little Joe?"

"Yeah."

"Unless you know how to get the Ponderosa you can't help me out to much."

"I live there. Last name's Cartwright." Little Joe then asked, "What do you want with my family?"

"That's between me and Kalista. Don't worry I am not out to harm your family. I have I message to deliver to her, then I will go away." Ken said as she thought 'It's not like she would want me around anyways'.

Little Joe put down his beer and motioned for the lady to follow him. Once outside he mounted his horse and waited for her to mount. On the way out of town, he finally asked, "What's your name?"

"I go by Ken."

Little Joe got the feeling that wasn't her real name, however he wasn't about to push her to tell him her real name. If she went by Ken; then that is what he would call her.

~/~

Kalista was hanging up clothes, as her husband talked to Ben on the front porch. She remembered when she'd met Adam. They felt the connection almost right off the bat. She wouldn't trade her time with Adam for any amount of money out there. As she thought about family her mind turned to her own; the one's she left behind.

Kalista wondered how they were dealing with her father's death. The few times they were able to go visit her family, her sister seemed never to be there and that had been five years ago. Where did the time go? She wondered if Amaris was still working on her parents' ranch. Sighing, Kalista couldn't fully understand how her sister had become the woman she had.

Adam and Ben were leaning back in a set of chairs looking at the mountains. They were talking about which field they needed to move the cattle to. Hoss was out in the barn taking care of another animal he found in need and they were excepting Little Joe back from a trip today or tomorrow.

"Do you think Little Joe stopped in town to ask Sally out to the dance this Saturday, Pa?"

"Who knows what your brother is doing; he seems to bring a new girl on his arm to every dance. Sometimes I wish he would settle down, but I don't see that happening anytime soon."

Hoss walked out of the barn and headed to the house when he saw his brother out of the corner of his eye, but when he saw a lady riding close behind, his mouth dropped open. He walked over to where his older brother and Pa sat in silence at the scene before them.

Little Joe dismounted and waited for Ken to dismount before introducing her to his family.

"Hello ya'll. Just show me to Kalista and I will deliver my message. Then I will be on my way." Ken spoke with no emotion in her voice. She had a hard time being warm towards strangers.

Ben noticed dry blood on her hand and on her left side, but before he could ask what had happened to her Adam spoke up.

"What do you want with my wife?" Adam asked.

"That's between me and her." Ken's tone was once again was void of any emotion. While she had never met her brother-in-law; the few times he and her sister come to visit she was always gone. That was due to the fact that the work on the ranch seemed to be never ending. Her dad's health hadn't been great the last few years of his life and since she had no brothers, she took up the ranch life early on and loved everything about it.

Kalista picked up the basket and headed around the house to the front. When she turned the corner what met her eyes was the last thing she thought she would ever see. She walked up to her husband's side barely holding onto the basket not knowing what to say to her sister.

"Kalista." Ken spoke softly.

"Hello, Amaris."

Ken turned her head away as she got the tears that wanted to fall under control and said, "I go by Ken, now."

Adam looked at his wife and asked, "Who is this lady?"

Kalista answered without ever looking away from her sister, "My sister… my twin sister."

The shock looked came on all the Cartwright men. Sure, they knew she had a twin sister, but they all assumed that her sister was married and living too far away for them to visit each other. The lady in front of them didn't look like life had dealt an easy hand for her. No not an easy hand at all.