When dinner had concluded, Jamie went straight to the soft chair in a small, yet comfortable setting of the living room. He took out a book to read from the neatly-stacked bookshelf right next to the fireplace, and began reading the first page from a book called "The World Atlas". The book brought an inspiration to Jamie to learn about different languages, cultures, cuisine, and so forth. While he kept on with his reading, Amara came up to Jamie after finishing for the day with cleaning up the dishes, and sending Marina to bed. Jamie looked up at Amara with the World Atlas book in his hand; preparing to ask her some questions of her time with the Cartwright family on The Ponderosa. He spoke to Amara about it with a keen interest. "Mrs. Boskkon, I know this is really important for me to say this, but... How did you know about Pa and my brothers? They told me how you manage to stand up for them, and fought off against any adversary that would threaten them; along with The Ponderosa that Pa had build up from the grounds. Even Candy had told me about you having a great deed of respect for the family. It's all I wanted to know."
Amara hesitated for a second, and replied: "Actually young man, when you said that Candy told you about the respect that I've had for them all, you're clearly mistaken. Of course I had great respect, but that respect was given only to you, Candy, Hoss, and Mr. Cartwright." The answer was a puzzling moment for Jamie to take in, and be given such an honest word from a woman who he'd just met recently. "Respect for me? But I've just met you, Ms. Boskkon. And, what do you mean by having respect for only me, Pa, Candy and Hoss?" Amara let out a chuckle with her words. "I know what you're going to say, Jamie. That it's strange to have met someone that you didn't even know. Perhaps you should understand what I'm about to say to you would be a relief for you, Jamie. For I've seen that you helped your estranged grandfather out from the valley, and back to The Ponderosa when he had broken his leg from the fall that you both took from the steep road. I saw it not far from where I was, but I kept myself hidden from being seen by anyone. Speaking of meeting a stranger for the first time, when I meant I had only respect for the four of you, my love was only for both, Adam & Little Joe. I've stood with them throughout their shenanigans and such. But when it came to your brothers being in a relationship with a woman, it was something that I took very seriously." Amara added to her now serious nature that Jamie took to knowledge.
In a strange reaction, Jamie suddenly had a deep fond of honor and appreciation towards Amara's words of truth. He then asked to Amara of the relationships that The Cartwright brothers went through with. "Mrs. Boskkon, when you explained of the women that they're once with, why did you take it seriously of their relationships? Was it a good relationship? A bad one? And did you had to do something about it?" Jamie said to Amara while laying the World Atlas book down on the side table. It seems that this was just one simple question that had plenty of answers to be given by Amara. "There were a lot of situations that would happen to Adam, Hoss, & Joseph when it came to having a lady in their lives. Many times there were conflicts that occurred with the woman's fathers. Others would be a sudden departure for them; when they confessed to the three of them of their love for another man. The boys were lucky, sometimes. And sadly, some of the woman ended up passing away... However, there was one woman, in particular, that I had a great hatred for. For when she deceived him and broke Hoss's heart, it angered me in ways that I could never hold off."
Anger began to seep into Amara like a tiding wave rushing into her. Her thoughts were bringing her back to the time when Hoss was still alive, and how his heart was shattered by the woman who had a gambling addiction; adding the insult of her walking away with another man right in front of him. Jamie reached out his hand on Amara's shoulder to keep her rage under control. He said to Amara. "When you said there was one woman that you hated for hurting my big brother, Hoss, who was she? And what was her name?" Lifting up her head and turning towards to Jamie, Amara spoke of the woman's name in an enraged tone. "Helen Layton. The woman who drove her ex-husband to his death for her gambling schemes. The wretched woman who had no shame for her own wrongdoings; by having men fight for her conflicts. An ugly woman whose so-called beauty on the outside, cloaks her nasty depravity in the inside. If I tell you more about her, you will understand that you keep yourself away from the kind of woman that Helen Layton really was." Thanks to her words, Jamie replied. "Please. Tell me about... Her."
"I will." Then came the conversation about Helen Layton and how it began. "Helen Layton, in general, was just nothing but a no-good, selfish, addictive gambler who didn't have a care for the World; even if there were issues that her late husband, Mr. Layton, had dealt with until he died. Now Mr. Layton was Mr. Cartwright's best friend, and I mean your father's best friend; who took it upon himself to deal with a situation. She dragged him into debt with her gambling, and drain his wealth all away for it. Not only that, she also her crossed the line with many other men for her greed; being a Gold-Digger for such love for only money. The way how I've seen it was that she would try to play the victim card; not realizing that both, Adam & Little Joe, were on her tail Just like I was."
"What else had happened, Mrs. Boskkon?" Jamie said to Amara. "Your big brother, Hoss, was her main target. She took it upon herself to approach him in a greedy moment to believe that she would marry Hoss; just to try to deceive your family and take The Ponderosa for herself to drain the Cartwright fortune. Ms. Layton also had brought plenty of expensive clothing, and jewelry from the many men that she had conned out from; with her to The Ponderosa. Not only that, there was supposed to be a courtship between Hoss and Helen to happen, but it was called off when Adam came with her to a Poker game. She kept on losing game-to-game when Little Joe brought Hoss to the Saloon, and Hoss being upset about the truth of her lies and deception. Hoss had no choice but to punch both, Adam & Little Joe; as a way for Helen to get out of his life for good. I sat at the back with the other customers, and saw it with my own two eyes. Hoss walked up to her quietly, and she walked away from him; as if she didn't know him at all. That wretched bitch had the nerve to talk to another man right in front of Hoss, and walked out of the bar with the man in the end. I felt so angry seeing Hoss being sad about it. So I went up to comfort Hoss with a hug; to make sure that he was okay and told him that she was an awful woman. When all of us returned to The Ponderosa after the confrontation, Hoss told me that it was a good thing that the whole truth about Ms. Layton had finally came to light; thanking me and his family for saving him from making the biggest mistake of his life by marrying her. Once your brothers had left to go back to their daily activities, I spoke with your father about the property that Ms. Layton had left behind. Everything that she left behind in The Cartwright household such as her clothing, jewelry, shoes, and so forth, now belong to The Cartwrights; therefore placing a permanent ban on her entry to The Ponderosa. We all did what we had to. Choices were made, Jamie."
Hearing the whole entire story of the cruel woman known as Helen Layton from Amara made Jamie decide on what to expect when it comes to being a man that takes responsibility to avoid such deception from some women like Helen. "I can't believe that my big brother, Hoss, went through so much pain and sadness to try to make someone happy, but was tricked by that Layton woman's lies. If there's was anything that I could do to go back, I would've confronted her right there and then to apologize to Hoss to confess of her wrongdoing to him." Surprised by Jamie's words of encouragement, Amara stood up from her chair ready to go to her bed to sleep. "You know, Jamie. Since you understood about such deception from my point-of-view, it would be very important to keep this perspective on to yourself. Just so you'll know to be careful to who you put your trust in. And now, it's time to get to sleep, Jamie. We have to go visit Mr. Fitzgerald, tomorrow." Jamie got up from the chair and yawned; preparing himself to retire to sleep. He thanked Amara for her story of lesson & truth as he walked towards the bed, removing his boots, and laying his head down on the pillow. Before falling asleep, Jamie asked Amara one last time of where She & Marina are going.
"Mrs. Boskkon... Where are we going to visit Mr. Fitzgerald at?" The sleepiness overcame Jamie as his eyes closed and he suddenly fell asleep. Amara replied quietly to herself while looking at Marina sleeping peacefully. "We're going to see Marina's father... In the Cemetery."
To Be Continued
