Author's Note: This chapter is dedicated to all those that have asked for an update to my stories. As most of you know I have been through the mill this year and that is why my stories have had to be put on the back burner. I have actually been writing quite a bit when I could but a lot of it isn't typed up yet and there are some new stories that are but need quite a bit of editing before they go only and two of them have to wait until The role of a father is a little further along as they give away part of it. Anyway I am still writing and none of my stories have been abandoned despite the delays in posting anything. If I don't get online again before the new year. I wish you all a happy and most importantly healthy new year and if you celebrate the season of goodwill then I hope you enjoy it. Take care. Ulls.
"Well I don't know about you boys but I've a craving for pie and ice cream, who wants to joins me?" asked Hoss and he sat down at the table with his ready-made family.
"I will!" said Henry excitedly
"And me," added Mike.
Ray was still in Caroline's arms soaking up the comfort of a loving mother, something he has missed since leaving home.
"And what about you young Ray, you gonna join in the fun with the rest of us?" asked Hoss.
Ray wiped a tear from his eye with his the part of the outside of the hand between finger and thumb and nodded with a small smile. Hoss gave him a smile and wink which made the small smile on the boy's face get a little bigger.
"Raymond?" Called Caroline and she gently lifted the boys chin up and looked down at him, "if you are going to be eating pie and ice cream you need to go sit in a chair properly, alright?"
Ray sniffed and nodded then he climbed off his new mother lap, but before he could slip away Caroline stopped him and with her handkerchief and a lick of spit, she cleaned up his tear strewn face, "There now that's better," she announced when all the tear tracks were wiped away and she pulled him down and gently kissed the top of his head, "all done, sweetie." she released the now embarrassed young boy and he was guided to a chair next to Hoss who ruffled his head when he sat in it.
Hoss beckoned the waiter and after asking Caroline if she was also joining them, he ordered 5 slices of pie with a large dollop of ice cream on each, with pot of coffee for him and another pot of tea for Caroline plus glasses of fresh lemonade for the boys. The waiter disappeared with the order, leaving the new family alone.
"Pa?"
Hoss looked at the boy who had called him, "Yes, Mike?"
"Uhm... if it's alright with you...can we call you Pa and Miss Caroline, Ma now, like forever?"
Hoss smiled and nodded and he reached for Caroline's hands when he saw the tears starting to pool in her eyes. "O'course you can, because that's what we want to be, we are your parents now for better or worse."
"Yeah I guess that's true, thanks Pa. Ma? Henry's gone all shy right now," Mike continued and Henry started blushing, "but well... would it be alright if he called you Mama instead and Pa Papa?"
Caroline nodded and dabbed at her eyes, "Yes sweetie, I would be very happy for you boys to call me Mama or Ma whatever you prefer."
Mike grinned and nudged his bashful younger brother with his elbow, "See, I told ya that they wouldn't mind." Henry blushed even more.
Just then the waiter returned with a tray of drinks. "3 glasses of fresh lemonade for the 3 well-behaved young gentlemen," he said putting a glass in front of each boy. "A pot of coffee for sir and a nice pot of tea for madam," he added, carefully unloading the tray with the correct items for each. "Your pie and ice cream orders will be right out."
"Thank you," said Hoss
The boys each started on their lemonade, Ray eagerly gulping down half a glass in one go. "Boy am I thirsty and this lemonade is real nice, although not as nice as Mama makes."
"Your Mama used to make you lemonade then sweetie?" asked Caroline whilst adding milk to her tea.
"Ah no, not my real Mama, 'cos well we couldn't afford lemons and sugar much. I mean it's not as good as your lemonade, Mama," Ray said matter of factly.
Caroline's eyes well up further at Ray calling her Mama and praising her lemonade and a lump formed in Hoss' throat.
"Thank you, sweetie that's very kind of you to say so," said Caroline when she got herself together, luckily her discomfort went unnoticed to the boys, who were enjoying their lemonade and looking around the restaurant at the other patrons.
"But it's, true, isn't it, Mike and Henry? Our, Mama makes the best lemonade ever doesn't she?"
"Sure does," agreed Mike and Henry at the same time.
Hoss gave his wife's hand a squeeze, pleased as punch to be sitting in a fancy hotel restaurant with his family acting like everyone else's.
When the ice cream arrived, all the boys' eyes grew wide at the portion size. "Oh wow, is that all for me?" asked Ray looking up at the waiter who put a bowl down in front of him first.
"Yes it is, young man, it's our standard serving, please enjoy."
"Yes sir! I sure will!"
The other boys having been lucky enough to remember being able to eat what they wanted before when they were all be it younger were not as impressed as their new brother, but they acted as if they were to make him feel normal.
"How's it taste, Ray?" asked Hoss whilst the waiter finished putting bowls in front of each person.
Ray picked up a spoon and he dove his spoon into the ice cream and brought it to his mouth, "Ooommm it's... gooood."
"Great 'cos I'm starving," said Hoss rubbing his hands in anticipation of tasting it himself.
"Eric!" scolded Caroline, "don't encourage bad manners at the table! Raymond, I am glad you are enjoying your dessert, but please don't talk whilst you are eating something. It sounds awful and it's not polite," chastised Caroline softly.
Ray swallowed what was in his mouth, and he dipped his head, "Yes ma'am, sorry."
"That's OK, sweetie, just don't do it again please." Caroline said with a smile
Ray nodded and he returned to eating his ice cream.
"Mmm, this pie is really good, honey. I think I might need me another slice when I've finished this," said Hoss devouring his pie and ice cream now that his appetite had returned.
Caroline chuckled, her nervous, unsure husband from earlier today had disappeared, to be replaced by the normal happy confident food loving man that she knew and adored.
The family sat together and enjoyed their pie and ice cream, Hoss indeed ordered an extra slice of pie for himself and some more ice cream for the boys, happy to indulge them in a celebration of sorts, even if Caroline did give him a glare for it.
Meanwhile elsewhere in town...
"Roy, I've rarely seen Hoss so happy and I'd hate to see that bubble burst, but I have a thinking that Deakins isn't going to leave him alone, he looks like the type to hold a grudge," said Ben moving the checker across the board and picking up his coffee.
"I reckon, you're right, Ben but ya can be sure that I'm gonna be keeping a close eye on that there critter 'til he leaves my town. Tho, I sure wouldn't mind having an opportunity to lock him up in my jail or ship him off to prison for what he did to that boy in the name of discipline," spat Roy, taking two of Ben's checkers.
Ben immediately hopped 3 of Roy's checkers taking them from the checkerboard to the sheriff's disgust. "Sorry, Roy, but you fell into my trap," countered Ben with a smirk.
Roy grumbled and got to his feet stomping across the room to the stove and pouring himself some more coffee, "Refill, Ben?" he asked gesturing with the pot.
Ben nodded and offered his cup, so Roy stepped nearer to fill it before returning the pot to the stove.
Roy returned to his chair just as the office door opened, "Sheriff Coffee? Oh, sorry to interrupt," blushed a lady dressed in a pale blue flowing dress, complete with a blue straw hat with feathers and a while lace closed up parasol, the lady also wore while lace gloves and was softly spoken.
"Not at all, Miss Martha, come on in. Ben Cartwright, Miss Martha Stevens." introduced Roy.
Ben stood up and he removed his hat. "Good day to you, Miss Stevens," he said taking her hand and giving it a light shake.
"Please to make your acquaintance, Mr. Cartwright. I do apologise for interrupting your game."
"Oh not at all, just keeping the Sheriff company for a while," said Ben graciously," Would you like to take a seat, Miss Stevens?"
"Thank you but no that's not necessary. Sheriff Coffee, when you have a moment would you please come by I need to talk to you about my little problem?"
"Certainly, be glad to, this afternoon convenient?"
"Yes that would be fine." Miss Stevens turned her attention to Ben. "Nice to meet you finally, Mr. Cartwright. If you gentlemen excuse me I have a few items to purchase at the mercantile."
"Yes of course, ma'am have a good day," replied Ben.
Miss Stevens graced Ben with a small smile, "Good day to you as well, Mr. Cartwright. Good day, Sheriff."
"Ma'am." replied Roy touching his hand to his head and he opened the door for her to walk out of.
"Pretty and polite young lady," said Ben when Roy resumed his seat.
"Yes, she's only been in town a few weeks and seems she's been getting some mischief played on her as she lives alone. Sounds like kids, but so far I've not been able to catch the rascals that are involved, but I will."
"I'm sure you will, Roy. You need any help with that?"
"Nah, I've got it Ben, problems usually happen at a set time but not every day. You know I reckon whoever it is, knows I've been there and so they stayed away a while, but now they've started coming back and so I reckon I might have a chance of catching 'em this afternoon." Roy turned his attention back to the checker game and after a few minutes he moved a counter which Ben promptly took.
"King me, please."
Roy grumbled but added another counter to Ben's, "I reckon that youngest boy of yours ain't the only one that cheats at checkers, Ben. Are you sure you didn't change things when I was distracted getting coffee?"
Ben sat back in his chair and roared with laughter. "Bad players always complain about being cheated."
Roy glared at Ben and then started chuckling himself, "Alright, Ben I guess you win. I never could beat you."
"No, seems you can't, not at checkers anyway. Why do you think I don't challenge you to a game of poker?"
"Why you old, rascal! I wondered why you always wanted a game of checkers," retorted Roy.
"Less of the old if you don't mind Roy, we're practically the same age and anyway how do you think I managed to bring up 3 boisterous young men without learning a trick or two?" said Ben with a wink.
Roy acknowledged that with a pointed finger, "Fair point."
Ben stood up, "Well, Roy I think I'm going to purchase some tobacco for my pipe and head on back to the hotel to ride on back with Hoss and my newly adopted grandsons. Thanks for the coffee and the game, Roy and best of luck with your investigations this afternoon."
Roy shook hands with Ben who put on his hat and left the office, leaving Roy dismantling the checker game.
Across town in the saloon….
"Right so that's settled then, tomorrow morning at 6 we meet out on the Ponderosa, just off the trail where I've marked on the map and when we see that big oaf leave his homestead we'll ride in and get your son back before he goes to school agreed?" said Tom.
"Yeah agreed," said Mr. Deakins drunkenly.
"Ok. Rex, come we'd better get going as we got some preparations to make. You make sure that you are there in the morning at 6, Deakins. Go sleep off that alcohol at the livery, oh and get yourself a burlap sap in case'n ya need it for the boy." Tom and Rex both slapped Deakins on the back and they left the saloon laughing that they were gonna get back at the Cartwright's for daring to sack them.
When Ben walked back into the hotel, Hoss was just paying the check. "Hi Pa, we're just about ready to leave but we're gonna go by the mercantile first, get these boys some more changes of clothes and stuff now they're staying with us for keeps so if you wanna head on home without us it's alright."
"Actually Hoss I'd like to accompany you to the mercantile if I may, seems like I got me 3 new grandsons to spoil," replied Ben with a warm smile for the boys.
"Ben, you don't have to spoil them, how would your other grandchildren feel about that?" chastised Caroline.
Ben took Caroline's hand in his, "Well my dear I don't think they would mind all that much given that these boys haven't had the same loving family as they have and I try and treat all of them the same. Please, just let me treat them a little? I'm sure the boys would love to have a few books and games to play with and I have a might few birthdays to make up for don't I?"
Caroline rolled her eyes, Ben could be a big softy when it came to it, stern disciplinarian that he still was. "Alright, Ben you may buy the boy's some presents but don't overdo it please, we don't want the boys thinking that you buying them gifts will be an everyday occurrence."
"No, I promise it's just for today, a treat to celebrate them joining the family for good, ok? Then is just birthdays and Christmas." And whenever I just get a fancy for spoiling them just like I do Adam's children. thought Ben not adding that aloud.
Caroline nodded and smiled, "OK, Ben."
They all left the restaurant together, Ray, Mike and Henry as excited as 3 boys could be. Not only did they have a new home and parents that cared about them, but now they had a doting grandfather who was going to buy them a present just for joining the family.
The boys walked along the boardwalk chatting excitedly with their grandfather about their delicious meal and how great it was to now be called Cartwright's whilst Hoss and Caroline strolled along behind then arm in arm.
When they reached the mercantile, Ben sent the boys inside with instructions to find a game that they could play together and some books to read if they wanted.
"Well hello again, Ben, did you forget something when you came in for your tobacco?" asked Sam Carter the shop keeper.
"No, Sam, I just brought my new grandchildren in to get a few things," he said gesturing to the 3 excitable boys who were now pulling things down from various shelves and arguing with each other. "Boys, please be careful, if you break something you will pay for it," scolded Ben.
"Yes sir, sorry Grandpa," replied Mike and he stopped the other two boys arguing and took the items from them and returned them to the shelves. "Hey stop arguing and touching stuff, you heard Grandpa, you don't want to risk not getting anything do ya?" he scolded.
"Well what are we gonna choose then? Grandpa said we had to get something we agree on so we could share it," said Henry.
"I dunno, but we better look first and then decide," ordered Mike as usual taking charge of the small group.
"Excitable boys aren't they? So Hoss and Caroline have taken the boys on for good have they, Ben?"
"Yes they have, Sam. They had the judge sign the adoption papers this morning," replied Ben with a smile.
"Well then Ben many congratulations. Good day, Hoss, Ms Caroline." He called over Ben's shoulder when they walked into the store. "I understand that you now are the proud parents of those three boisterous young boys?" said Sam greeting Hoss and Caroline who had finally made it to the store, Hoss having delayed Caroline saying that Ben would be just fine handing the boys if they went in ahead of them.
"Yep, proud as punch we are about it too, Sam."
Sam Carter extended his hand and Hoss offered his own and Sam gave it a hearty shake, "Well congratulations Hoss you've always struck me as a man who would make a fine father and I'm mighty glad for you. You too Ms Caroline, I'm sure those boys after what they've been through are so happy to have such a lovely mother."
"Thank ya Sam," replied Hoss.
Caroline blushed at the compliment being offered. "Thank you very much, Mr. Carter that's kind of you to say so."
"Oh come on now, Ms Caroline, there's no need to be so formal, call me Sam, everyone else does," he said with a smile.
Caroline gave a slight nod, "Very well, Sam then. Thank you for the very kind words I hope I can be the mother the boys need me to be."
"Of course you can and ya are, honey. Uh...Excuse me for a minute will ya, all? I'm gonna go help the boys find something." Hoss said and he left Ben, Sam and Caroline talking and went to round up his sons.
"Find anything, ya like yet boys?" he asked coming up behind them at the back of the store.
"Oh geez, Pa you startled me," said Mike
Hoss ruffled the boy's head, "Sorry, Mike. So have ya?"
"Yes sir, we've seen lots of stuff but we can't agree and Grandpa said we was to find something we all like and can play together."
"Oh, well why don't we have a look around together then and maybe we can find something? Oh and boys whilst ya looking for that I want ya to see iffin ya can find something nice for ya Ma, it's to be from you boys, ok?"
"OK, Papa," replied Henry.
The four of them started wandering about together until Ray spotted a beautiful vase with wild flowers and he wandered over to Hoss and tugged on his pants, "Pa, I think I've found something for Ma," he said almost in a whisper looking to the front of the store where Sam was serving Caroline.
Hoss looked down and then quickly checking Caroline wasn't looking, he whispered, "Where?"
"Over there on the top shelf, see the vase," he said pointing to it.
"I think that's a mighty fine idea, Ray. Go fetch your brothers over here real quiet like."
Ray went to tap Mike and Henry on the shoulders and they each carefully replaced what they were looking at and they followed Ray back to where Hoss was now standing, which was in front of the row of shelves that housed the vase.
"Boys you see that pretty vase up on the top shelf? Well your brother Ray thinks you should get that for your, Ma, do you all agree?"
"I sure do, Pa it's real nice," said Mike looking at the vase.
"Uhm it's nice an' all, Papa, but I wanted to get Mama a silver comb, it real pretty," answered Henry shyly.
"Well you can get them both then, I'm sure your Ma wouldn't mind getting two presents," said Hoss with a grin and he put his arm around Henry.
"Gee, Papa, are you sure it's ok?" asked Henry who was embarrassed at having Hoss have to spend more money just to accommodate his request.
"Yeah, 'course I'm sure. Go get the comb and bring it back here and then I'll go and get your Grandpa to come back here whilst I take your Ma outside for a minute, alright?"
Hoss received 3 nods and Henry took the others to see the silver comb which they all agreed Caroline would love and Hoss made his way to the front of the store.
"The boys still choosing things?" Caroline asked.
Hoss chucked, "Yes, they are I think there's so much here that they don't know what to get as there so much choice. What have you been buying, hmm?"
"Oh just a couple of extra sets of pants and shirts for the boys and a tablet each and some pencils for school. They are going to be going to school now aren't they, Eric?"
"Of course they are, when we've enrolled them anyway. Actually, honey we can do that now iffin you like? Pa, would you mind keeping an eye on the boys for a while whilst we go on down to the school house and see about getting the boys enrolled?"
"No I'd love to. Shall we meet you there or the livery afterwards?"
"At the livery please, Pa." Hoss took out his wallet and went to give Ben the money for the boy's gifts, but Ben refused.
"Caroline has already put the clothes and your other goods on your account, the boys gifts are my treat remember?"
Hoss leant nearer to whisper to his father; luckily at that point Caroline had seen some lovely fabric on the other side of the store and wandered away. "Ah, Pa the boys are getting something for their new Ma as well, so can you get it wrapped up and keep it hidden so they can give it to her when we get home?"
Ben nodded and patted his arm"I'll take care of it, now you go and enrol the boys in school and let me spoil my grandsons!"
"Yes sir." Hoss grinned at his father then turned and walked away calling to the boys to mind their Grandpa.
Caroline left the store with her husband arm in arm and they walked down the street to the school house.