Nightmares and Suspicions
Late in the middle of thunderstorm hovered over the Ponderosa. The thunder crack so loud it shook the house.
The lighting flashed a bright light that lit up the dark stormy sky. The wind was a powerful breath of air.
The tree branches tapped on the windows of the Cartwright's home. The rain drench the yard between the house and the barn and the rain pounded on the roof shingles loudly.
Amelia tossed and turned in her bed. The tremors rocked her body. She wakes up sweat on her forehead and tears running down her cheeks.
She quickly gets out of bed, puts her robe and slippers and hurries out of the room and into the next room that belonged to her oldest brother.
She hurries over to the bed and tries to wake him up. "Adam" she whimpered softly.
Adam opens his eyes and looks to see a figure of a little girl standing at his bedside. Adam sits up and looks at her.
"Amelia what's matter?" he asked concern. It was very rare for Amelia to wake him up in the middle of the night.
"I had a bad dream Adam" she sobbed even though she was trying to put on a brave face. Adam lifts her up and helps her onto the bed.
He puts his arm around her and holds her until the little girl's tears were spent. "Do you want to tell me what the dream was about?" asked Adam.
"I dreamt that I was in that room in the cabin. I could hear talking and I could see figures but I couldn't see their faces" said the frighten ten year old.
"Do you remember what the voices were saying?" asked Adam. "One of the voices was saying that Papa was responsible for his wife's death. Said he was gonna make Papa pay by killing me" said Amelia as she sobbed thinking about her dream.
Adam tightens his arm around his baby sister comfortingly. "It's alright everything is gonna be alright" he soothed her.
"I recognized him" Amelia said. Adam lifts her chin so he could look at her. "Who shortcake?" asked Adam.
"That new hand Papa hired" Amelia told him. "You mean Bill Donovan?" Adam asked her. Amelia nods her head.
Adam looks at her curiously "How'd you know him?"
"I'm not sure only that he look really familiar to me. Adam?" she said softly.
"What shortcake?" asked Adam concerned. "He really scares me" said Amelia.
Adam immediately pulls her at arms length and looks at her. "Has he said anything to you? Did he hurt you?" he asked concern.
"No but I can't explain it Adam but I just am whenever I see him" Amelia said.
"Did you talk to Pa about it?" asked Adam. "No I don't want to worry him" said Amelia.
"It's getting late so let's get some sleep alright" said Adam. Amelia nods her head.
Once she had made herself comfortable Amelia looks at Adam and kisses him on the cheek.
"Night Adam...I love ya" said Amelia between yawns. Adam looks down at her and smiles. "Night shortcake I love you too" he said as he kisses her on the temple of her head.
"Adam can you sing me a lullaby like you did when I was little?" she asked. Adam looks down at her and holds her in his arms.
He starts to sing 'Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ra' softly as he felt his sister drifting off to sleep. As he was singing Adam starts to remember how he use to sing it to her when she was very little and had trouble sleeping.
Adam sings until he too was asleep.
Ben who was walking by had heard Adam singing. He opens the door and peeks inside. He saw Adam holding his little sister in his arms as the two were fast asleep.
Ben smiles at the beautiful sight and closes the door. He walks into his room and climbs into bed. He thanks God for blessing him with a daughter and three sons who loved each other and always looked out for each other.