*From here on out, when Hoss learns his true name, I will go stop referring to him as Fredrick UNLESS Mary is talking to him. Remember, she's been calling him Fredrick for a number of years.

ChapterNine

Fredrick leaned against the stair railing, while Mary sat on the couch next to Laura Ann. She was in shock at what Adam, who was sitting in his chair, and her father in law, who was standing leaning against the mantle of the fireplace, had just told her.

Fredrick had stayed quiet during the discussion about Tabitha's condition, and what should be done. Dr. Martin had said there was nothing that he could do for the young girl. It was only when Adam said they should consider sending the child to a blind school, and Laura Ann vehemently objected to the suggestion, Fredrick spoke up.

"Iff'n you don't mind, I have another idea." Fredrick looked at Mary first; she gave him a slight nod of her head knowing full well what he was thinking and why, and then at everyone else. Naturally they were all curious.

"What is it?" Adam asked after a few moments of silence.

Fredrick took a deep breath and began, "Well, to be honest, before I tell ya, I reckon we need to talk about another matter first." He looked at Ben and Adam and, mentioning Adam's question in the barn, shocked the two men when he asked them if they knew who he was before he got amnesia, along with admitting the Ponderosa and they were familiar to him.

"If the idea I am gonna give you is ta work, there kin't be any surprises waitin' to pop out at us." He explained.

Adam looked at his father. Ben looked as if it was all he could do not to jump up and embrace his middle son. Adam guessed his father would have if he wasn't feeling as if he was being tossed about on one very tumultuous sea.

Adam looked back at his brother and said quietly, "You're my half-brother. We share the same father, but different mothers, as does Little Joe." Adam went on to explain that he was the oldest, and then added, "You disappeared after going to check on a string of horses. We were never to find out why, though we always wondered if it had anything to do with the large amount of money you had on you had the time."

The fact that he was surprised to hear he was actually talking to his family showed as his eyes widened, though a slight frown and a more serious look quickly took its place upon his face. "He has nothing, papa," Christina's voice floated through the partially opened door that led to the room where he lay, "no memory, no money, nothing. We can be his family, no?"

"I dare say it was the money." Fredrick said as the long ago memory finished running through his mind. "What's my name?" He looked at Ben, who seemed to be getting a hold of himself.

"Eric," Ben answered slowly. "But, we called you Hoss." He paused and looked up the stairs and then back to his son. "We wanted to tell you, but we were afraid." He went on to repeat what both the retired doctor and his son had told them. "Hoss," he leaned forward, "I may call you Hoss again, can't I?" When Hoss nodded slightly, Ben continued, "What is your idea?"

"Fer you to understand how I dare make the suggestion I'm gonna give ya..." Hoss said, as he stepped away from the stair railing and sat down by his wife, while he and Laura Ann had moved over to make room for him, "You need to know that shortly after Mary and I went and got married, I had an accident myself." He shrugged his shoulders and shocked them again when he said, "I spent two years with no sight. When it came back, all the doctors could guess was that it was more of an emotional shock that had blinded me rather than the damage they thought had been done."

With his admission, the Cartwrights caught on to what Hoss was leading to. "You want to be her teacher?" Adam sat straight up and asked, even as he asked the question, he had the strongest impression there was more to it than that.

There was, and Hoss didn't deny it. "Sometimes, the first reaction a person has is; 'why me' and the need for others to feel sorry for them." Hoss smiled as he looked at Mary, squeezed her hand ever gently, and then looked back at the man he now knew to be his older brother. "The best thing Mary did for me was to find a teacher who was willing to work with me, but consented to stay in a small home a few miles away from the one she and I shared. That way it was like being in a school instead of just havin' someone visitin'."

Hoss wasn't surprised when horror filled Laura Ann's eyes, and concern filled both Adam and Ben's.

"You need to understand, there's a high chance Tabitha would simply turn to you and want you to do what she can do most likely for herself. It's not like you couldn't come by every day and visit for an hour or so."

Silence filled the room as Adam, his wife and Ben all let Hoss' words set in. The fact that he'd told them he'd spent two years without his sight was both their minds boggling and comforting; as strange as it was to think that way they knew it was the truth. At least they would have the knowledge he could give Tabitha with the empathy she needed as well as the backbone to insist she learn to be independent in spite of her blindness…however long it lasted, be it a few days, weeks or even a lifetime.

"We'll talk about it." Adam looked at his wife and then stood up and walked over to Hoss, who had also stood to meet him. Adam clamped his hand down upon Hoss' shoulder and gave it a slight shake. "Thanks, brother."

Even as he said the words brother, Hoss embraced him. That broke the ice and soon Ben was also hugging him, along with stating the fact that, as sorry as he was to hear that Hoss had spent two years blind, he was grateful Tabitha would have someone in the family who could relate to the life she now may face. Afterwards, Ben couldn't get to town fast enough…to send a wire to Little Joe and let him know what had taken place.