Blood Is Thicker?

By Kate O'Neill

(Dedicated to all who love Bonanza and The Ponderosa and seek to live up to the Cartwright honor and integrity)

Ben carefully sat in the wooden rocker on the porch. Minding the muscle spasm in his back, he slowly eased his legs out, stretching his calves to encourage the charley horses to dissipate. It wasn't working. "Ow!" he complained.

Never before had he been as bone-tired and mule-kicked sore as he was right now. Not even after he had fought a 22-hour storm at sea. Not after he had been on the losing end of a severe beating during an unofficial and unplanned boxing match. No. Nothing compared to the bone-jarring, teeth-rattling joust atop an angry wild horse. He had only managed to ride four this afternoon. Three too many. Adam had managed two and looked worse for the wear.

Ben's clothes were a sight. Coated with the fine dust of the arena, the sweat from a hard day, and the ever-present Spring mud. He looked down at his boots. They would not be coming inside the house tonight!

Ben watched Adam come up the road to the house, dressed in fresh undershirt and trousers, suspenders hanging down. Having just bathed in the ice-cold creek, Adam's face was red from the cold water. He was carrying his dirty clothes in a bundle, walking slowly and a mite carefully. Wordlessly, they exchanged slight smiles and a wave of the hand. It was unspoken, but Adam was heading for his bed and a book. Ben sighed, he would like to do the same, he thought, if he could just force himself up from this chair.

The sun was down, but the brilliant rays still lit half the sky. The shadows were gone from the yard, but there was enough light to see by. He looked out at the horses feeding off their evening portions, the chickens settling in to brood, the kittens skittering around a pine tree chasing each other. He glanced to his right. Hop Sing's garden was in full leaf and flower, already putting on fruit.

It was true, what they said about the west. It is God's country. Wide open spaces, sharp mountain air and room for dreams.

He was lost in these thoughts, when he felt rather than heard, a presence near him. He looked to his right to find Little Joe standing there, freshly washed and sporting a clean nightshirt.

"Hi, Pa." Joe said happily.

"Hi, son. Have a good wash?" Ben's eyes twinkled, teasing Joe about the much-hated chore.

"Yeah, I guess." Joe frowned. He looked out at the yard, watched the kittens, then looked at his father again.

"Something on your mind, son?" Ben asked.

"Kinda." Joe replied.

"I'm listening."

"Well, ya know how Adam, Hoss and I are just half brothers?" Joe looked at Ben quizically.

"Not 'just' half-brothers. You're brother's just the same." Ben corrected.

"I know. But Tommy Jensen says that his brother is more of a brother to him than Hoss and Adam are to me."

"I see." Ben replied and hesitated, in case Joe had anything more to say. "Son, I have known members of families, full-blood relatives, that would just as soon shoot each other as look at each other. And I've known people to take in little orphaned children and love them like they birthed them."

"Yeah! I've seen that too! Like when the Anderson's adopted that Paiute boy!" Joe smiled.

"Exactly!"

"Tommy always says blood is thicker than water." Joe turned wide expectant eyes toward his father.

Ben frowned. "Son, remember when Hop Sing took care of all of us when I was sick with the Cholera? Would you say that was love? Or, when our neighbors came to help us rebuild our house after the fire? That seems like love to me!"

"Yes, sir. I remember."

And don't forget when all of us worked together to get that fool mustang out of that hole? That showed a fair amount of love. And I know for a fact none of us is blood relation to that horse!" Ben gave Joe a wide grin.

"Oh, PA!" Joe rolled his eyes.

"Joseph. There may be some truth to the saying 'Blood is thicker than water.' But there is one thing I want you to understand and understand good." Ben pressed a finger onto Joe's chest.

"Love is thicker than blood." Ben leveled his most serious look into Joe's eyes, sealing the words into Joe's heart and mind.

Joe smiled slightly. Ben saw the worry fade from the boy's face. Joe came nearer and leaned against the arm of the rocker. Ben put his arm around his youngest and they watched the light travel out of the yard and listened as the comforting sounds of the evening drifted over them.

(Inspired by Garth Brook's song Love Is Thicker Than Blood)