Chapter Twenty One

The activity around the Cartwright home was rather busy. Ben was doing his best not to curse his tie, while Little Joe was doing the same with his, though it did not help that his mind was on both his bride to be and the brother he still hoped would arrive in time to be his best man.

Adam had written a few times during the winter, as had Sarah. Both seemed to be doing well and both had stated they planned on being there to see Joe's wedding. It made it so everyone was on edge wondering if the couple would really show up. After all, it had been almost a year since Adam had left. A lot of things could change in a year, and that included people.

"Iff'n ya ask me, Pa, I'd say yer tie is winnin'." Hoss teased as he entered Ben's room through his opened door way, and watched as his stepmother took over the job of doing her husband's tie.

"Has everyone arrived?" Ben asked as he looked over Catlin's head.

Hoss sighed knowing full well his Pa was really asking about Adam and Sarah. "They'll be here, barring some unforeseen event, pa."

That was what was worrying him; some 'unforeseen event'. He didn't know if he could handle that or not, if any of them could. Ever since they'd received the wire that Sarah had sent, the one that said she and Adam still planned on being at Little Joe's wedding, Ben had felt antsy and that feeling had only grown each day. Every day they watched for Adam and his wife to appear; every night they'd gone to bed hoping. Now Little Joe's wedding day had come and still no Adam. Where was he? Had something gone wrong? Just the mere thought made them all sick with worry.

"Well," Hoss said as he turned to leave the room. "I best get down stairs." He smiled though his eyes ached. With no Adam in sight, Hoss had the role of best man.

"Smile Ben," Catlin did her best to smile, "We're having a wedding, not a funeral."

Ben smiled and, taking a hold of his wife's arm, led her out of the room. She was right. Little Joe needed his support, not for him to rain on the parade per say. However, as they reached the top of the stairs, shouts of joy exploded throughout the room as the front door opened and two more guests entered the house.

"ADAM!" Little Joe, who had been standing next to the preacher, flew down the aisle, created when they'd set the chairs up in the spacious living room, and into the biggest bear hug his oldest brother could give him. Ben too, once he'd let go of Catlin, flew down the stairs and over to his eldest son, as did Hoss. The guests, while shouting, were polite enough to let the family greet Adam first.

Ben turned to Sarah, who had stood silently by smiling at the heartfelt reunion she'd dreamt of witnessing for months. "You must be my daughter-in-law." He gave her a huge hug, one that was returned with just as much feeling as he had put into his.

After a few minutes, Alice's mother spoke up. "Are we having a wedding or a family reunion?" Because she said it with a smile on her face and laughter in her eyes, everyone else busted up laughing.

Little Joe blushed, as Adam teased him and then took his place by the preacher once more, only this time he couldn't help but grin from ear to ear. Adam stood to his right and soon his bride would be beside him. It was going to be a wonderful wedding after all.

Arrival from Adam's Point of View...

Days and days of traveling, Adam was more than ready to see his family once again, when the house came into view. He also froze. Due to one thing after another, his and Sarah's trip back to the Ponderosa had been delayed. Now, his brother's wedding was just moment's away, and Adam was shocked to find himself seriously wondering if he should even attend.

As always, Sarah seemed to read his mind. Reaching her hand on, she encouraged him to move forward. "He wants you there, Adam. They all do."

He turned, smiled at her and pushed Sport forward. By the time the two of them put their horses up and made their way around the buggies that had been driven, Adam and his wife could hear the noise level in the house had dropped some. Again, a bit of panic filled Adam's heart as he wondered if he had missed being his brother's best man. Taking a deep breath, he reached out, took a hold of the handle, opened the door up and stepped inside with Sarah following right behind him.

The look of pure joy that appeared on his brother's face, then the way Little Joe tore down the aisle and wrapped his arms around Adam, would have made the man's day, even if the others hadn't followed suit.

"Let's get this wedding going." Adam nodded towards the preacher and smiled. It was going to be a wonderful wedding.

EPILOGUE

Adam and Sarah stood on the porch of the Cartwright home. The stars were just beginning to pop their heads out for the night. Adam, who had been struggling to decide whether or not to continue working on the ranch for awhile, ran his hands over his wife's abdomen which was starting to swell. He didn't know why, but in that moment he knew what he wanted more than anything in the word. "Do you have anything against living in Nevada? More specifically, the Ponderosa? At least for a couple of years." Adam said that because he knew that, sooner or later, he wanted to follow his dream of being an architect.

Sarah smiled, as she leaned against her husband, his arms wrapped around her. "I don't care where we live as long as I'm with you." Those words, the ones spoken by Sarah, would be repeated more than once and at more places than the Ponderosa as the years rolled by, but never again would Adam be separated from his family due to anything caused by fear. That was something all the Cartwrights would be eternally grateful for.