She glanced around, her strawberry blond hair shone in the Ponderosa sun. It had been ten years since she had visited her uncle and then it had been for the founders festival. Now it was because her father Mark Cartwright, Ben's youngest brother was trying to get her away from her boyfriend Edward. He was five years her senior and Mark felt he had no business being with such a young girl.
"You remember Adam, Hoss, and Little Joe. Don't you?" Ben asked her.
Rachel nodded shyly.
"I'll bet she's anxious to get settled and have some lunch. Hop Sing cooked up something real special for you." Little Joe grabbed her bag and started for the door.
Rachel said nothing but followed her cousin to the house.
Adam looked to his father. "Are you sure this was such a good idea?"
"Yeah," Hoss agreed. "She sure don't look too happy."
"Well, it's what her father wants," Ben replied. "We'll have to do the best we can."
The family sat at the dining-room table for lunch.
"So how are things in Philadelphia?" Ben asked his niece trying desperately to make conversation.
"They're fine," Rachel answered in a small voice. She had spent most of the meal looking sadly down at her plate and moving the food around with her fork.
"Don't you care for your lunch?" Ben asked. "Hop Sing is a wonderful cook."
Rachel set down her fork. "I guess I'm just not very hungry. May I please be excused?"
Ben was sympathetic. "Of course you may." He waited until she had gone up the stairs before saying, "I'm sure she's just tired from the trip."
"That youngin' seems downright dejected," Hoss said.
Joe was quick with an idea. "Maybe she's just homesick."
Ben sipped his coffee. "No. I'm sure she's just tired. She'll be fine."
Rachel stayed in her room the remainder of the day and dinner proceeded much the same as the afternoon meal. She'd excused herself early.
"Well, now what?" Little Joe asked.
Ben shrugged. "I don't know. You know over the years I learned what to do for you boys but never having had a girl...I have no idea what's in her head."
"I know what to do for an injured animal," Hoss said. "But a little girl..."
Adam who had been listening silently rose and headed toward the door. "Well, I know what to do."
His puzzled family followed.
"You know what to do for that girl?" his father asked.
Adam placed his hat on his head. "No. I don't. But I'm going to send for someone who will."
Ben was irritated. "Who do you know..."
"He's going to wire that writer friend of his." Joe said with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.
"Is this true?" Ben asked.
Adam nodded.
"She's still in Stockton?"
Adam reached for his coat. "Jarrod talked her into staying. Look she'd know more about this than we would."
"Besides," Joe continued with a grin. "If she comes to help you'll get to see her again."
Adam cleared his throat nervously. "Yes... well."
"Hadn't you better get going," his father said. He'd never seen Adam blush before.
When Adam was out the door. Hoss spoke. "Joe, you met that gal. Is she really all that?"
"I know," Ben agreed. "Adam acts like she's the greatest thing to hit the west since the gold rush."
Joe thought about the events of his trip to Stockton. "Well, she is pretty special. You'll see for yourself."
"If she comes." Ben said.
"Oh, she will." Joe informed them. "I got a hunch she'd like to see Adam again too."
Adam did not return that night. And the Cartwrights woke to find a blanket of freshly fallen snow on the ground.
Rachel had eaten two bites of breakfast then retreated to her room.
Joe knocked on her door. "Hey, Rachie, what do you say we go out and build a snowman?"
"No thank you," her voice came from inside the room. Hoss approached the door behind Joe. "Hey, Rach, how's about..."
"She doesn't want to build a snowman," Joe interrupted.
They walked away together. "I hope Adam gets back soon," Hoss said.
An hour later two horses neared the house. "They're here!" Ben shouted looking out the window.
Joe looked up from the rifle he was cleaning. "They? She's with him!"
Ben moved in front of his big desk. "I don't know if it's 'she' but there is a woman with him."
The front door opened and Michelle found herself being hugged by an excited Little Joe. It reminded her somewhat of one of her cousin Nick's greetings.
"Joe," Adam admonished. "Let her get in the house." Joe released her from the embrace but left an arm around her shoulder to guide her in where he helped her with her coat.
Hoss who was standing with his father now leaned to him and said, "It looks like Adam wasn't the only one that wanted to see her again."
Adam escorted Michelle to where his father and Hoss were waiting. "Michelle, this is my father Ben Cartwright."
Ben took her hand, "So your the writer that everyone's making such a fuss about."
"Well, not everyone I imagine," she said modestly.
Adam directed her attention to Hoss. "This is my other brother Hoss."
"Hoss?" she said surprised.
Hoss gave a shy grin. "It's actually Eric, ma'am. Folks just have always called me Hoss."
"Nice to meet you, Eric." Michelle was never one to just be like other folks. She turned to the matter at hand. "Now where is this young lady that needs my help?"
Adam led Michelle up the stairs to the room occupied by the young girl. He knocked then opened the door. Rachel sat on a stool in front of her dressing table staring numbly into the mirror.
They entered the room. "Rachel, I have someone here I'd like you to meet," Adam said. Rachel turned. "This is a friend of mine," Adam began. "Michelle Kaufman."
Rachel's face lit. "The writer?"
Adam and Michelle exchanged a surprised look. Then Adam said, "You've heard of her."
"I have one of your books- 'She Could Have Been Queen.'
Adam smiled to himself. This was the first sign of life out of his young cousin since her arrival.
Michelle picked up a hairbrush from the dressing table and began to brush Rachel's hair. "Adam tells me you're not happy to be here."
Unbeknownst to them Adam remained in the doorway and listened.
"It's okay, I guess," was Rachel's reply.
Michelle continued to brush. "Well, I understand. You're away from your friends."
Rachel's expression told her she was on the right track.
"Any friend in particular," Michelle wanted to know.
"Well," Rachel said coyly. "There's Edward."
"Who's Edward?"
"He's my boyfriend. We want to get married but my father doesn't like him. He thinks I'm too young. That's why he sent me here."
Michelle set the brush down. "Adam tells me you're fourteen."
Rachel nodded.
"If you don't mind my saying so you are very young. I'm thirty-seven, never been married. Never even came close. There are so many things I've done that I wouldn't have been able too had I gotten married young."
"But we love each other."
"If this Edward really loves you, he'll wait until your father feels it's appropriate. In the meantime enjoy your life to the fullest. There's so much to see and do in this world. While you're visiting here make the most of it."
"Didn't you ever want to get married?" Rachel asked.
"I suppose I just never had the time," Michelle told her. "I probably never would have been able to be a writer if I had."
"What about now...that you're older I mean."
"Possibly, if I found the right person."
"Cousin Adam likes you," Rachel couldn't help pointing out.
Michelle wasn't going to be distracted. "The main thing is I still would not rush into anything. You have your whole life ahead. And if Edward won't wait then he was never the one for you in the first place."
Rachel contemplated the words from the author who's book she had read. "My life's going to be great!" she said. "I'm going to do everything and see everything! Well, within reason anyway."
Michelle took her hand. "Good. Let's start by checking out that new fallen snow. Maybe we can beat your cousins at a snowball fight."
Michelle turned to find Adam had watched the whole exchange. She by-passed him and led Rachel downstairs. He followed.
In the living-room Ben said, "Now that's what I like to see a big smile on everyone's faces!"
Rachel went to Little Joe. "Can we build that snowman now."
Joe stood. "Sure can. What are we waiting for. Hoss, let's go."
"I'd like to get in on the myself," her uncle added. They were getting into their coats when Hoss asked, "You two joining us."
"Sounds like fun." Michelle started for her coat but Adam stopped her.
"We'll be out in a minute," Adam said. When everyone was outside Adam led Michelle to the desk. "Something occurred to me while you were talking with Rachel."
Michelle leaned against the desk. "Sounds serious. What is it?"
Adam took a nervous breath. "This." He took her gently by the arms and brought his lips to meet hers. He kissed her tenderly.
He was still kissing her when the door opened and Joe started to ask, "Hey are you two... never mind." He returned to where the rest of his family was rolling a snowball. "They're going to be a while."
"Well, what are they doing?" Ben asked. There was a pause. "Oh."
"It's okay, Uncle Ben," Rachel said. "She's old enough."
THE END?