Hoss, My Son
Chapter 8
And then things finally began to get better as spring came on.
Prudence had survived her ordeal. Hoss had buried their stillborn son next to Marie's grave. It pained him terribly that the baby's headstone only read "Stillborn Baby Cartwright". It didn't seem right to him. He and Prudence had decided long before that if it were a boy they would name him for their fathers, but they hadn't come to a decision about whether to call him "John Benjamin" or "Benjamin John". Hoss had been in favor of using his father-in-law's name first; it seemed to flow better to him, but Pru felt that since Ben had done so much for them and for all of her family, that his name should have pride of place.
A couple of days after he had buried the child, Hoss went back to the grave, a piece of charcoal in his pocket. He didn't care if the law said his child didn't have a name. His son deserved to be recognized. Above the words, "Stillborn Baby" he wrote, "John Benjamin". For the rest of his life, Hoss would return monthly and retrace the letters, even as his hand became shaky in old age.
It was a month after the baby's death that Prudence came to Hoss one evening after they had put Inger to sleep.
"Eric, I think we should start trying to have a baby again," she said softly.
"No, darlin'. It's too soon. Remember, Gertie and the doctor said you should rest up, get your strength back and make sure you can go through having another baby without any problems. We'll wait for six months and see how things are then, alright?" Hoss replied gently.
"But Eric," Pru remonstrated, "I want you to have a son, I want you to have a whole tribe of children! You were meant to be a father."
"Shhh," he said pulling her to him. "There's time enough for that. More than enough time. And you, my sweetheart, were meant to be the mother of those children."
Gertie was seeing patients most of the week. She and Dr. Martin had an understanding; if she didn't advertise her growing skills as a physician, he would look the other way if she treated an illness that she happened to encounter while visiting her women patients. She found that frequently she'd have the women ask her to look at an ailing child, or even occasionally treat a husband with a cough or some injury or other. Unfortunately, this left little time to watch Andy.
Sally Ann had picked up the slack and started to teach him his letters and numbers. However, as the weeks went by and she became bigger with child, it became more difficult to watch after the active boy. Joe had no choice but to bring Andy to stay with Prudence and Inger during the day when June came around. This was more to the boy's liking. Auntie Sally Ann was a good auntie, and he liked learning with her. Her big house was fun to run around in and when Uncle Adam was at home, they'd make things together or play with a ball. But when he stayed with Auntie Pru and Uncle Hoss, he got to play with Cousin Inger who was now running around as fast as he could. Uncle Hoss would carry them around on his shoulders in the fields so that they could see over the hay and oats that were growing, or he'd take them to the little pond a short walk from the house so they could watch the rabbits and the beavers and sometimes Auntie Pru would pack a picnic basket, and they would all go down to the lake and have so much fun. But the best times were when Auntie Gertie would get home early, and she would scoop him up in her arms and hug him tight.
One day, when he was sitting on Uncle Hoss's lap, he turned and asked him when Auntie Gertie would be back.
"Oh, an hour or two, I suppose," was the answer.
"Baba said that she couldn't watch me like she used to 'cause she takes care of sick people now."
"Yes, she does, Andy. And that's mighty important. We're lucky she's part of our family, because she's a very special lady, being able to help people, an' all."
"I know," the boy said sadly. "But I wish she'd be around more. I miss her. I think Baba misses her, too."
Hoss looked at his nephew. Out of the mouth of babes… "I know you miss her. She misses being with you as well. That's a fact. She told me. She's very happy when she gets a chance to see you. And your Baba." He watched Andy's eyes crinkle in happiness, and then turn sad.
"Why isn't Auntie Gertie my mama? I want her to be my mama, but Baba says she can't be. Why not?"
Hoss swallowed hard. How do you explain such things to a two-year-old, precocious as he might be?
"Well," he began, first off, you didn't grow in her belly, like Uncle Adam's and Auntie Sally Ann's baby is growing in her belly. And Uncle Adam and Auntie Sally Ann are married. Your Baba isn't married to Auntie Gertie."
"Is he married to the lady who grew me in her belly?" Andy asked.
"He was, but he's not anymore."
"Why not?"
On the one hand, Hoss wanted to tell his nephew that this was something he needed to ask his father, but on the other hand, he realized that Joseph was determined to erase any memories of his marriage.
"Well, after a while, he and she didn't get along anymore, and they thought it best to end their marriage. I know it's hard for you to understand, but since they had you to think about, they decided to do what they thought was best for you. And that was to come and live with all of us, here on the Ponderosa."
"If Baba's not married to anyone, why doesn't he marry Auntie Gertie?" was Andy's next question.
"Well, it's like this," Hoss swallowed again. "Auntie Gertie's pretty young to be getting married."
"But I thought she was all growed up already!"
"She's almost all grown up, but not…"
Andy interrupted his uncle. "When will she be all growed up? Will it be soon? 'Cause I want her to marry Baba then and be my mama!"
XXXXX
Things got even better as summer came on.
It was early July when Adam came riding one evening into Hoss's yard. He ran into the house, looking just a little bit frantic. Hoss, Prudence and Gertie were eating their supper and Inger was sitting on the floor after finishing her own food, playing with a doll.
Gertie rose before Adam could say a word. "I thought Sally Ann would go into labor pretty soon when I saw her last week. How is she doing?"
"Pretty well. You prepared us well, but we'd better be going. I don't like leaving her alone at a time like this." he replied.
"You go on back, then," Gertie directed him. "I'll get my things. Hoss, would you mind…"
"I'll go hitch the buggy right up." He turned to his older brother. "Pru and I will be along in a little bit. Now don't you worry, Adam. Everything will be alright." Hoss and Adam looked at each other, remembering the morning months back when they could only stare at each other from many feet away. This time they embraced tightly and then Adam turned and was gone.
The whole family gathered again, this time around Adam's unique fireplace. Even Andy and Inger were there, although they had long ago crawled under the dining room table and had fallen asleep there. Dr. Martin had arrived late in the evening, had taken a look at Sally Ann and pronounced her to be progressing well.
"I'll leave you in your sister's capable hands, but I'll stop in again in the morning." And with that, he left.
Adam was up and down the stairs all night while Hop Sing fed everyone over and over again. Prudence and their mother took turns walking with Sally Ann and Ben, Hoss and Joseph and John took turns sleeping and shuttling in wood for the bedroom fireplace upstairs.
Finally, around eight in the morning, Adam descended the stairs, a huge smile on his face.
"Here he is," he announced. "This is Stoddard Cartwright, to be known as 'Dard'."
Dard was christened on Gertie's sixteenth birthday and naturally, she was his godmother. Joseph was his godfather. After church, all the Cartwright's and all the Whitman's came back to the Ponderosa's big house for the double celebration. Ben had hired the best musicians in the region and Hop Sing and his number two cousin had been cooking since the day before and they outdid themselves.
"I no let down family!" Hop Sing declared. "This big day. Birthday party for Missy Gertie and party for Mr. Adam's first boy!"
Andy and Inger were particularly concerned with Dard and insisted on rocking his cradle when Sally Ann placed him in it on the porch. Although she sat down to watch, the first two Cartwright cousins were gentle with their rocking.
Inger asked Andy, "When he can play wi' us?"
Andy shrugged his shoulders. "He's gotta grow a lot. Maybe a week?"
Sally Ann laughed. "I think it's going to take a lot longer than a week for Dard to be able to run and play with you two. Remember, he was born two weeks ago, and he's only grown a tiny bit. In one more week, he'll be just a little bit bigger, hardly enough for you to notice."
Inger and Andy decided that if they'd have to wait for their new cousin more than a week to be big enough to play with them, they'd go and entertain themselves rather than watch him not growing 'enough to notice'. Hand in hand, they ran off to inspect the table with the cookies and cakes which were still their favorites. Hop Sing spied them looking longingly at the sweets.
"No cookies, no cakes until you eat some meat and some vegetable! Need good food to grow up 'n be big Cartwright boy and girl."
"Ah, Hop Hop!" whined Andy.
"Ah, Hop Hop!" imitated Inger.
"I make you plate of food. You eat, then I give you good dessert. A surprise just for you two." Hop Sing ruffled their hair and then picked each one up in an arm and sat them down on the steps of the porch and provided them with plates with cut up pieces of beef, mashed potatoes, and buttered peas. The surprise dessert turned out to be ice cream.
Gertie had been chatting with her parents when Joseph appeared at her side. The musicians were playing a sprightly tune.
"May I have this dance, Miss Gertrude?" he asked as he took her hand.
"Why, yes you may, Mr. Cartwright!" she replied. Her father looked at his wife and then back to his daughter and Joe as they retreated to the open space in the yard where the dancing was taking place.
"John, why are you looking so upset?" asked Margaret.
"Maggie, she's entirely too young and I don't think it's a good idea to encourage another Cartwright relationship."
"Oh, come on. There's nothing wrong with all of our daughters being part of that family. As for her age, yes, she's young, but she's matured an awful lot in the last year. And she and Joseph are closer in age than Sally Ann and Adam," she responded.
"Well, I just don't know…" he grumbled unhappily.
Although they were dancing, Joe was slowly maneuvering Gertie toward the edge of the bunkhouse where all the guests' horses and buggies had been parked. Once they rounded the corner, he took her by the elbow, and she looked at him with a bit of surprise on her face.
"I wanted to ask you something, Gertie. You know the keepsake box I gave you at Christmas?" Joe asked.
"Yes, of course. It's sitting on my dressing table," she answered.
"You know what flower is painted on it?"
"It's a Forget-Me-Not.," Gertie replied.
"That was the reason I knew that I had to get it for you. I didn't want you to forget me while I waited for you. You haven't, have you?"
She looked at him in utter shock. "I thought you had no interest in me."
Joe shook his head. "You could say I had too much interest, but never too little." He looked at her questioningly. "Gertie?"
She couldn't believe what he was saying, and her eyes were fixed on something very distant.
"Gertie?" Joe asked again. "Gertie, look at me." She refocused her eyes on his face, still not sure what she was hearing, much less what she was feeling. "Gertie, I'd like to court you. Will you let me?"
She couldn't speak. She realized that she was staring at him, open-mouthed. She couldn't find her voice, so she simply nodded "yes".
Joe smiled. Not his wide, happy grin, but one that started at his hazel-green eyes and pulled up the corners of his mouth. He caressed her cheek with one hand and he pulled her close to him with the other, and then he bent down and kissed her on the lips, at last.
The End