THIS STORY IS WRITTEN FOR PLEASURE, NOT PROFIT, AND IS NOT INTENDED TO INFRINGE ON ANY KNOWN COPYRIGHT
“Hey there, Little Joe, your Pa home?”
Joe Cartwright nodded at his father’s friend, Andy Johnson, and opened
the door a little wider to let the man in. “Pa!” He yelled as Andy entered and
stood just inside the room, distractedly twisting his hat in his hands. “Pa,
Mr. Johnson to see you!”
“Joseph, there is no need to shout.” Ben admonished the child, coming
over from his desk to greet his friend with a handshake. “I’m not deaf.”
“Sorry, sir.” Joe apologised breezily, obviously not the least put out
by the reprimand. “I thought you were upstairs.”
Shaking his head in exasperation, Ben turned to Andy. “What brings you
to the Ponderosa?” He asked curiously, ushering the man over to the hearth.
“Not often we see you out here.”
“I just came to say goodbye.” Andy perched himself awkwardly on the arm
of the couch and looked up at Ben. “You’ve been a good friend over the years,
didn’t seem right leavin’ town without lettin’ you know.”
“Leaving!” Ben exclaimed in surprise, seating himself in the red leather
armchair beside the fire. “When did this happen, Andy? You never said anything
when I saw you last week.”
“I just decided.” Andy Johnson dropped his head as he spoke but not
before Ben caught sight of the tears that glinted in the man’s dark blue eyes.
“I gotta get away from here.”
“Joseph.” Realising that something was very wrong with Andy, Ben looked
over to where his youngest son was standing by the stairs, listening. “Don’t
you have some homework to do?”
“I don’t have to do it right now.” Joe protested quickly. “I was going
to get round to it this evening.”
“I think you should get started on it.” Ben told him, his voice quiet
but firm, and with a resigned sigh, Joe headed up to his room.
“What’s the problem, Andy?” Ben asked his friend as Joe disappeared from
view. “Anything I can help with?”
“No.” Andy shook his head slowly, brushing the tears from his eyes
before he looked up. “It’s Mary, Ben, she’s found someone else.”
“She’s what?” Ben was aghast. He had known Andy and his wife Mary since
the couple arrived in
“She’s found a new feller.” Andy told Ben now, running agitated fingers
through his thinning brown hair. “She’s carryin’ his baby.”
“I can’t believe it!” Ben was astounded; he’d though the couple were
happy enough together. “How long has this been going on?”
“’Bout six months.” Andy said with a heavy sigh. “Told me she were
visitin’ poor sick old Ma. Peters and all the time she were with this…this…” Words
failed him as tears sprang once more to his eyes.
“She’s sure the baby’s his?” Ben queried softly. “Couldn’t it be yours?”
“I cain’t father no more kids.” Andy confided with a touch of
embarrassment. “You ‘member ‘bout eight years back…when Larry done got the
mumps?”
“I sure do.” Ben told him fervently. Larry Johnson hadn’t been the only
child who had suffered with the illness. Both Hoss, then aged nine, and three
year old Little Joe had also contracted the disease and it had meant two weeks
of caring for fractious, miserable boys for Ben and Marie.
“Well I got it as well.” Andy said, not quite meeting his friend’s eyes.
“Sorta swelled up in other places, if you know what I mean.” He glanced down
and Ben grimaced in understanding. “After that, we tried to have another baby
and when nuthin’ happened Doc said the mumps had made me infer…infert…”
“Infertile.” Ben supplied the word and Andy nodded.
“I see.” Ben stared into the fire for a while, lost in thought. “Has
Mary told you who the man is?” He asked eventually.
“Steve Wilson.” Andy stated flatly. “You know him, Ben. Big shot in
town, owns that real grand house out on the
“I know him.” Ben affirmed. Steve Wilson was a bit of an enigma in
“’Bout seven or eight years.” Andy gave a bitter little laugh as he said
it. “I think Mary’s flattered that a younger man finds her attractive. I just
ain’t good enough any more, Ben. I’m too old, too fat, losin’ my hair and not
too wealthy either.
“I’m sure there’s more to it than your weight and your looks.” Ben
protested. “I can’t believe Mary would be that shallow.”
“Oh, she is.” Andy shut his eyes as tears threatened again. “Cain’t seem
to stop cryin’.” He apologised, dabbing at the moisture with his fingertips.
“Ain’t shed a tear since I was a young ‘un and now I cain’t stop.”
Waving the apology aside, Ben felt in his pocket for a handkerchief,
which he handed to the distraught man. “What does Mary intend doing?” He asked
sombrely.
“She’s gonna live with him.” Andy scrubbed at his eyes before offering
the handkerchief back.
“Keep it.” Ben said, and watched as Andy screwed the cloth into a tight
ball between his hands. “Isn’t Mary worried about the scandal that this will
cause?”
“Don’t reckon she is.” Andy said miserably. “Says she loves him and that
she’ll do anythin’ to be with him. I even offered to stand by her, bring the
baby up as my own, but she turned me down flat.”
“And the children?” Ben asked softly. “Tish and Larry. What happens to
them?”
“They’ll stay with Mary, of course, I can’t take them away from her.”
“You could, you know, the law will be on your side in this.”
“Yep, I know.” Andy’s mouth twisted in despair. “But how could I do that
to them? They love their Ma and, anyway, everyone knows that men ain’t meant to
bring up young ‘uns. I don’t mean you, Ben.” He added hastily, seeing Ben frown
at his words. “You done a fine job with your boys, though it ain’t as if you
had any choice.”
“I did as it happens.” Ben informed him quietly. “Adam’s grandfather,
Captain Stoddard, offered to help me arrange for him to be brought up by a
couple he knew in Boston and one of the women in the wagon train wanted to take
Hoss after Inger was killed.” He smiled softly, thinking about his two eldest
sons. “I’m so glad I never accepted either offer.”
“Thing is.” Andy continued, as Ben fell silent. “I cain’t stay here.
I’ve decided to leave, go back east.”
“Back east?” Ben looked at his friend in surprise. “Leave Tish and Larry
completely?”
“I cain’t face seein’ them all with Steve Wilson.” Andy confessed
unhappily. “I just cain’t do it, Ben. I cain’t bear to see Mary growin’ heavy
with his child. Loving him when I still love her.” He lowered his head into his
hands, shoulders shaking as he sobbed quietly. “It’s too hard.”
“Hard on you, I agree.” Ben said sympathetically. “But think of your
children. How will they feel? They’ll have to deal with all the upheaval, the
scandal. They don’t deserve to lose their father as well.”
“They’ll have
“No!” Ben protested. “They’re your children, Andy. How can you even
think of abandoning them?”
“I have to.” Getting heavily to his feet, Andy held out his hand. “I
just came to say goodbye, Ben, and thanks for bein’ such a good friend over the
years.”
Standing up, Ben grasped the man’s hand. “I wish you’d take a little
more time and think this over.” He said, as Andy shook hands and turned towards
the door. “I really do think you’re making a mistake.”
“Mr. Johnson?” The nervous young voice caught both men by surprise and
they looked round to see Joe at the top of the stairs. “Can I talk to you?”
“Joseph!” Ben frowned at his youngest in annoyance. “Have you been
eavesdropping on our conversation?”
Joe nodded guiltily. “I’m sorry,
“Well you’re right in that I will be punishing you.” Ben told him
sternly. “And as for talking to Mr. Johnson, that’s up to him.” He looked over
at Andy. “What do you think?”
“Sure you can speak to me, Little Joe.” Andy smiled up at the boy.
“What’s the problem?”
Coming slowly downstairs, Joe went to stand beside his father, looking
over at Andy. “Are you really going away?” He asked softly. “Really leaving
Larry and Tish?”
“You have to understand that I don’t want to.” Andy explained, sitting
back down on the arm of the couch. “You’re a little too young to understand…”
“I might be too young to understand why Mrs. Johnson wants to live with
Mr. Wilson.” Joe interrupted, drawing a warning glance from Ben. “But I do know
how the twins will feel.”
“They’ll be upset, I know.” Andy began. “But they need their moth…”
“They need you both!” Joe jumped in quickly. “Larry and Tish, they’re
always telling me about you Mr. Johnson. What a great Pa you are, how much fun
they have with you. They really love you.”
“I know that.” Andy’s eyes filled with tears once more at the child’s
words. “But I just cain’t…”
“Please, Mr. Johnson.” Joe begged, tears in his own eyes now. “I lost my Mama, so I know what it’s like to lose someone you love. My Mama died, she didn’t have the choice of staying with me but you can choose. You can stay with your kids if you want.”
“Joe, I don’t really think you can compare Mr. Johnson
leaving with your Mama dying.” Ben put a hand on his son’s shoulder and gave
the boy a comforting pat. “Larry and Tish will still have a
“It is the same.” Joe insisted looking from his father to Andy. “Fact is for the twins it’ll be worse. Least I know my Mama didn’t want to leave me, can’t come back and see me. Larry and Tish might not see their Pa again and they’ll know it was his choice to go.”
“I love my kids, Little Joe.” Andy said angrily, standing up again. “I didn’t want this to happen…”
“The twins didn’t ask for this to happen either.” Joe said quietly. “They love their Ma and they love you. They don’t want to lose either of you.”
“I think Joe’s right.” Ben put in, smiling down at his son. “If you leave them now I don’t think you’ll ever forgive yourself. It’ll be hard seeing them with Steve, seeing the new baby, but I think it’ll be harder never seeing your children again.”
“I guess…” Andy looked down at the floor, then up at Ben. “Perhaps you’re right, perhaps I’m deciding this too quickly. Guess I should take a while, see how things go.”
“I think that’s a pretty good idea.” Ben told him. “And
just remember, Andy, you’ve got friends in
“Thanks, Ben.” Andy managed a watery smile as he reached for his hat and put it on. “I ain’t sayin’ I’ll stay but I will give it some more thought, and some more time and I think…” He looked down at Joe. “I’ll have a talk with the twins and see how they feel.”
“I hope you reach the decision that’s right for you and for them.” Ben told him, leaving Joe’s side and going to show his friend to the door. “Let me know what happens.”
“I will.” Andy assured him, shaking hands again before leaving.
“You gonna punish me now, Pa?” Joe asked with trepidation as Ben closed the door behind Andy. “I am sorry, honest.”
“I think we might let the punishment be doing that homework you were sent to do.” Ben told him with a twinkle in his dark brown eyes. “What you did was wrong, Joseph, but I think you may just have got through to Mr. Johnson where I couldn’t.”
“You think he’ll stay?” Joe sat down on the edge of the coffee table, relieved to be let off so lightly. “I sure hope so.”
“I don’t know, son.” Ben came to sit beside Joe, putting his arm around the boy in a hug. “But if he does I think you’ll have had a lot to do with it. Now get along and do that homework.”
As Joe headed upstairs Ben watched him go, hoping that Andy would stay in town to watch his children grow and that Tish and Larry would always know their father.
© Kathleen Pitts 2002
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