Synopsis: Her dream is a reality and now they wait for the most important delivery.
Category: Bonanza
Genre: Western, prequel
Rating: T
Word Count: 3,590
Ada Michaelson had spent the past twenty-five years living in the area some people called a wilderness; she loved her life with her husband and their grown family. Even at her age, her features hadn’t changed much; she was still the same beautiful woman her husband had married. Maybe a little graying around the temple of her rich black hair, but her eyes still held the same sparkle.
She guided the single-horse buggy and entered the yard that spanned in front of the ranch house of the Ponderosa that late October afternoon.
*****
She and her husband had been there when the widower and his two young sons first arrived and began to build their small home. She remembered watching as the eldest son helped as best he could to watch over his younger brother. The boy was eager to help his father however he could.
When it was necessary for Ben to leave in order to provide for his family, the Michaelson’s would take the boys into their home; they fit right in and were no additional trouble. Ada cared for the boys as if she were their mother. But things changed when Ben came home from a lengthy trip to New Orleans with a new bride.
Even though more women were making the trek west with their husbands, Marie Cartwright stood out from the rest. Marie was quite refined, so different from the women who called the area their home; she spoke different, dressed different, and walked with a regal bearing about her yet greeted everyone with a warm smile.
At first Ada was unsure what to make of this woman; however, since her arrival, Ada had watched the miracle as the woman transformed herself from a woman of the city into a wife, a mother and a woman of the frontier, and her friend.
*****
During the ensuing months, the small cabin had been expanded upon. Everyone laughed when Adam boasted of helping his father with the floor plans. The ranch house was now a magnificent home; two stories tall with more rooms than anyone would know what to do with.
Marie laughed at that description and said, “Ben wants plenty of children…”
“And what of you?” Ada inquired.
“I want this one to live…” Marie answered as she rubbed her hands over her slightly expanded mid-section, the first outward sign of her pregnancy.
“Then I take it this isn’t your first…” Ada hesitantly stated.
“No, I told you that had been married before.” Ada nodded. “I had a child… a son. He died without my ever knowing what it felt like to take him to my breast.”
“Child, I’m so sorry…” Ada answered when she saw tears welling in Marie’s eyes.
Ada remembered the afternoon she and Marie had spent together months ago, enjoying the tea and cookies provided by Hop Sing, the Oriental man Ben had found and hired to help around the house after learning of his wife’s pregnancy.
*****
She was startled when she heard the first scream coming from the home. She gripped the reins to the buggy horse tightly, torn between fleeing or helping. Moments later the front door flung open and twelve year old Adam Cartwright ran across the porch, causing the horse to slightly rear in its traces.
“I’m sorry Mrs. Michaelson, Hop Sing’s sending me for the doctor, it’s Marie…” Adam called out worriedly. “She’s hurting something fierce…”
“What of your father?”
“Pa! I gotta find Charlie! He knows where Pa is. CHARLIE!” Adam yelled as he raced on to the barn.
Turning in her seat, Ada watched as Adam stood in the open doorway and used his arms and hands to animatedly explain to the ranch foreman of the need to find his father and the need for the doctor. Little time had passed before two horses exited the barn, each heading in separate directions, but both with the same urgency.
“Oh my…” She lifted the gaily wrapped present from the seat beside her and walked to the still opened front door.
*****
As she allowed herself to cross the threshold of the home unannounced, she witnessed a nervous Hop Sing trying to guide a crying Hoss out of the great room and towards the kitchen. He looked up when she called his name and answered, “Missy Ada, Missy Cartwright in bedroom upstairs, baby come.”
*****
Marie rested as the pain of the contraction had lessened, but not her fears. Hearing the door open she knew it was too soon for her husband.
“Marie?” Ada called into the room as she looked around the door and saw Marie lying on her side, her hands cradling her swollen abdomen.
“Ada? Oh Ada… It’s too soon! The baby’s coming too soon!”
Setting her gift on the desk in the room, Ada was soon comforting the distraught woman. Slipping onto the bed, sitting her up, she wrapped an arm around her friend’s shoulders.
Knowing the mother-to-be had to be uncomfortable, from her body trying to expel the baby and from her water having broke; Ada knew that time would soon be of the essence; “We need to get you properly dressed for this impending birth.”
Sitting up and moving her legs to hang from the side of the bed, Marie fumbled at the buttons down the front of her shirt. Pulling the shirttail from the waist of her skirt; Ada helped her sit forward and pulled the blouse from her shoulders. The older woman helped her stand to remove her skirt and the several layers of sodden underskirts she wore.
Having experienced seven births herself, she knew the birth of the first Cartwright to be born upon the Ponderosa was close. “Slip off the rest of your undergarments. Which drawer do you place your sleeping chemise?”
Marie pointed and had slipped her pantaloons to her ankles before another contraction pulled her attention.
“Oh, Ada… I don’t remember it hurting this much…” Marie lay back on the bed and cried out.
“Shhhhh…. You won’t remember the hurt after this one is born. All you’ll remember is the love you feel for him,” Ada lovingly answered as she slipped the loose fitting chemise over the woman’s head and help her slip her arms through the appropriate openings, and then worked its way down her body.
Hop Sing had come and gone after cleaning up the puddle from when her water had broke. Another time, he took her soiled clothes that had been tossed into a pile at the foot of the bed so they could be laundered. As time passed, he brought towels and fresh water as the women waited and talked. He moved a wooden dowel rack near the fireplace and hung a large towel over the rack before he added wood to the fire. Every time he came and went, he did so silently in order to not disturb the two women.
“Tell me Marie, tell me of your dreams… Tell me of this son you’ll give to Ben.” She rested her hand upon the woman’s abdomen.
“A son?” Marie’s deepest desire was to give a son to her husband. A few of the women she had friended said it appeared she was carrying a daughter. Even though she knew Ben would love their child, a son meant strength. “You know I’d love to give Benjamin a son…”
“Tell me about him… this son,” Ada encouraged, not letting Marie think of anything other than a boy.
Marie’s eyes softened. “He’ll have dark, curly hair… He’ll have the most perfect face, ten tiny fingers, ten tiny toes.”
“What of his eyes? Who’s eyes will he have?” Ada asked.
“They’ll be… green… Like Ben’s grandmother… they’ll sparkle like emeralds and change with his moods. He’ll grow up to be big and strong, like his brothers…”
Marie gasped as another contraction claimed her breath; she heard Ada’s gentle words coaxing her to relax and to breathe.
When she realized the pains had subsided, Ada prompted, “Tell me more…”
“Our son… He’ll laugh like there’s not a care in the world… It will be so infectious…”
Hours passed as they waited for the doctor and the husband, Ada held tight as each contraction pulled harshly at the smaller woman’s expanded abdomen.
“Tell me more about your son…” Ada continued to encourage.
Lying back Marie dreamed, “He’ll ride like the wind… He’ll be a natural horseman.”
“Will he when he grows up, will he have a girlfriend?”
“He’ll have every pretty, young girl in town after him when he’s old enough,” laughed Marie.
“And what of the older women? Will he be such a handsome man that he’ll be considered a modern day Cassanova?” Ada turned slightly coy with envy at the thought.
“Bless your soul, you’ve got your head in the clouds. You’re a married woman and my son isn’t even born…” Marie smiled and blushed as she rubbed her hands across the light-weight material covering her belly, praying her child could sense her love.
Ada was happy that she could distract her friend’s mind from her discomfort for a while.
“Marie, after all, with you as his mother, and Ben… If I hadn’t already been married to John and had five boys… Ben is a mighty fine catch… and his sons…”
“MARIE!!!!” Ben Cartwright yelled as he entered his home; his footfalls heavy upon the wooden flooring and the steps of the stairs.
“Oh Ben,” Marie called as her husband entered their room and was soon to their bed, holding her in his arms.
*****
“This way,” Adam called as he entered his home and led the way, showing the doctor up the stairs to his parents’ bedroom.
“Adam, why don’t you go find Hoss. I’m sure he’s going to need his big brother.”
“Uh… sure, Doc.”
*****
Paul Martin entered the bedroom, pleased to see all the preparations that Hop Sing had made before his arrival.
He ordered Ben from the room and asked for Ada to remain to help with the baby.
*****
Only thirty minutes had passed since his arrival, but night had already fallen when the wailing cry of a new born infant filled the home.
Paul handed the squirming baby to Ada who proceeded to clean the child in a tub of warm water that had been awaiting its birth.
“Paul?” an exhausted Marie called.
“You’ve given Ben another son… Just lie back and let me tend to you, Momma. Ada’s bathing your child as I speak. Give her a few minutes to finish and we’ll let you nurse him.”
“Even though he’s so tiny, this little one sure has a set of lungs on him… I don’t remember any of mine being this loud,” Ada answered as she lovingly washed the birthing fluids from the squirming and crying infant, then wrapped him in the rich, fluffy towel that had been warming by the fireplace.
Paul walked to the head of the bed to help Marie sit up and placed several more pillows behind her. “Ada, why don’t you bring the baby over here so Marie can begin to nurse him before I go down and tell the family of the newest arrival.”
Weary as she was from the exhausting labor, Marie unbuttoned the top of her chemise. Even though she had been pregnant once before, this was a new experience, to have a child suckle at her breast. As Ada walked over carrying the baby, Marie wondered of the differences between the sensations; remembering all the nights she and Ben had made love, feeling his lips, his tongue, and his teeth upon her nipples. What would it be like to have this child, her child, their child draw his life from her?
“Open your chemise a little more,” Ada stated over the sound of the crying child as she placed the infant into his mother’s arms. “You might need to guide your breast into his mouth.”
Using her fingers, Marie maneuvered herself to her son, but he did not latch on, he just cried. The new mother looked up with worry in her eyes.
“This isn’t uncommon… you’re already beginning to flow Marie,” Paul stated. “Just squeeze a little out, allow it to flow into his mouth.”
Marie was unsure what to do.
Paul’s warm hand surrounded her breast and he gently squeezed, Marie’s eyes widened at the increased discomfort, and watched as the milky substance flowed into her son’s mouth. The child’s mouth closed and he swallowed and then opened his mouth again to cry.
“Just as I did Marie… Do it a few more times, a little bit at a time… But when he closes he mouth, make sure his lips are over your nipple.”
Marie squeezed, amazed at the life in her arms and lifted him against her breast as his mouth closed and stayed closed.
“That’s it,” Paul encouraged.
As the infant swallowed Paul stated, “Squeeze again…. And again… Okay, let’s see what he does…”
The physician smiled when the child began slurping and swallowing, drawing his sustenance from his mother on his own. The child held one tiny fisted hand near his ear.
Marie smiled as her life giving fluid began to seep around the baby’s lips. “Hungry are you, Mon Petit?” The feeling was one of pure bliss. She thought Ben had made her complete, but this was a totally new level of completeness.
“I think we’ve kept Papa in the dark long enough,” Paul announced.
“After the child is through nursing, I’ll help Marie into a fresh dressing gown,” Ada stated, hoping the doctor would take his time before bringing the new father into the room. Ada wanted Marie to look her best for Ben’s return.
*****
Tired from a day that began well before sun up and had seen him across too many miles, Paul slowly walked down the steps. He paused at the mid-landing when he heard his name.
“Paul, we heard a baby, and…” Ben quietly spoke.
“I’m sorry Ben…” Seeing his friend’s facial expression become crest-fallen, he smiled and walked the rest of the way down the steps with more energy than he felt. “It’s just been a long day. As you heard,” he pointed upstairs, “a fine set of lungs; it just took a little coaxing to get the baby to nurse.”
“Do I got a brother?” a sleepy Hoss asked as he rose up from lying next to his older brother on the settee.
“Did Marie have a boy or a girl?” Adam asked as he looked expectantly up to the physician.
“Paul?” Ben queried and nervously stood in place.
“Three for three, Ben. You’ve another son,” Paul beamed.
“Yippee!!! I gots another brother!” squealed Hoss as he jumped off the settee.
“And Marie?” Adam hesitantly asked, remembering the story of his own birth and his mother’s death shortly thereafter. He also remembered the first few months after his father’s arrival with Marie as his wife; he had not been the best son, but in time he had vowed to do what whatever it took to protect Marie and the baby. …and to love them.
“Adam, you’ll be happy to know that both are doing fine.”
“Pa, what’s my brother’s name?” Hoss asked as he walked over and grabbed Ben’s hand and pulled on it.
“I don’t know… We’ll need to talk with your momma about that.”
Hoss dropped his Pa’s hand and made for the stairs, “I’m gonna go see Momma.”
“Hoss, wait!” Paul called.
“Yeah…” He was halfway up to the mid-landing.
“Why don’t you wait down here for a few minutes; Mrs. Michaelson is helping your momma freshen up, she wants to look pretty for when you see her.”
Hoss looked to his father, “Momma’s already pretty.”
“That she is. Come on Hoss,” Adam walked over to his brother and held out his hand. “Let’s go tell Hop Sing about the baby.”
“Okay.”
Six year old Hoss reached for Adam’s hand and followed him.
*****
Paul opened the door and allowed the anxious father to enter the room first.
The lanterns on the nightstands softly illuminated the figure of his wife sleeping in their bed. Her golden hair cascaded around her shoulders, framing the dark head of hair that lay asleep upon her.
“You’re sure she’s alright?” Ben hesitated before entering any farther.
“Ben?” Marie called as her eyes fluttered open.
“Shhh…” Ben whispered as he climbed upon the bed, next to his wife. “I thought you were sleeping.”
“I’m so tired, but I wanted to present our son to you.”
“He’s so tiny…” Ben quietly spoke as he looked to the bundled infant; the child’s head nestled in the valley between his mother’s breasts.
“He’s about a month pre-mature, Ben,” Paul Martin answered. “You’ll need to be careful for the next few weeks to make sure he’s kept warm and not exposed to the outside elements, yet.”
Ben’s eyes gleamed with tears of happiness as he continued to watch his wife and his infant son.
“Go ahead, I know you want to make sure he’s all there…” teased Marie as she handed her husband their son.
Gently, Ben opened the fluffy towel and counted all ten fingers. He smiled as his eyes confirmed he was indeed holding a son, before he counted all ten toes.
“What would you like to name our son, Mon Cherie?” Marie asked. “Ben?”
“What?” Ben hadn’t heard the question, so focused on his son he had been. He wrapped the towel back around his child and looked to his wife.
“You told me once how it was Elizabeth who named Adam, and Inger had named Eric, but it was Adam’s nickname of Hoss that stuck. I want you to name our son.” Marie looked lovingly into her husband’s eyes.
“You said your father’s name was Francis…”
“No Ben, please… do not name our son that. I remember hearing my father once telling my mother how he hated Francis, but that’s what she always called him, at least the French variation of Francois.”
“How about Joseph for my father and Francis for yours. Joseph Francis Cartwright,” Ben announced as the baby yawned and raised his fisted hands into the air. “Not sure if that means he likes it or not.” Ben lightly laughed.
“Joseph Francis Cartwright,” Marie yawned and hmmm’d as she snuggled into the pillows that propped her against the headboard and fell asleep.
“Ben, Ada has agreed to spend the night and help Marie. I need to get going, but you need to introduce Joseph to his older brothers,” Paul announced.
“Are you sure that’s okay?” Ben asked, concerned about what Paul has said earlier.
“You can bring them up here, but make sure they understand they need to be quiet… for Marie’s sake. She needs her sleep, she told me she hadn’t realized she’d been in the early stages of labor before you even left the house this morning. She, as well as I, thought she had another month.”
As Paul left the room, Ada spoke, “If you’d like, I can go get the boys.”
“Thank you Ada,” Ben answered.
*****
Ben’s oldest sons had met their little brother and been asleep for several hours when his newest son woke, announcing his unhappiness. Marie stirred next to Ben, “No Sweetheart, you lie still. I’ll bring our son to you.”
Ben walked around the foot of the bed and lifted his son from the bassinet that had been placed closer to the warmth provided by the fireplace.
“Come Joseph, shhh…” He rested the infant against his chest. “Your momma is ready to feed you.”
Handing his son in his wife, Ben felt a stir in his loins as Marie unbuttoned her chemise and exposed a tantalizing orb… it had been so long since they had enjoyed themselves as husband and wife. But, once Marie had reached a point in her pregnancy, Paul advised that for the health of both Marie and the baby that they abstain from any further intimacy. Ben smiled and licked his own lips as his son latched onto the breast waiting for him and nursed with gusto.
“He’s a fast learner,” Marie commented as her son wrapped his tiny hand around one of her fingers.
Ben slipped back into bed and nestled close to his wife, watching in wonder as the two of them bonded. He had not been able to experience this time with Elizabeth and Adam, and had only experienced the bliss for a short time with Inger and Hoss. In his heart he knew that he was truly blessed to watch his wife nurture their child.
Resting back against the headboard, Ben thought of the past and the present. This was the life he had first envisioned with Elizabeth and the life he had hoped to share with Inger. His only regret was their deaths, yet he loved his previous wives and cherished the sons each had bore him. And now, the Ponderosa was prospering, as well as his family… Ben knew his vision had transformed into reality, he was home.
~The End
*****
The Vision Series:
The Vision
The Vision… the Epilogue
This story was inspired by Marie, My Love: written by: David Dortort, Anthony Lawrence, Anne Howard Bailey
NOTE: The epilogue was inspired by a Seedling Challenge, to use “Bless your soul, you’ve got your head in the clouds” within a story. I immediately thought of a continuation for my story, The Vision.
Return to Author’s Bonanza Stories Page
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