Bonanza: "The Legacy of Joe Cartwright."

Chapter Seven

Not too long after Alice wakes up, she holds her newborn son for the first time as Joe places him in her arms. She looks down at him and smiles as she brushes her finger against his cheek and says to him, softly. "Hi. Heh." The baby gives a soft cooing noise as Alice then says to Joe. "He’s so beautiful." Joe smiles and then takes a seat on the edge of the bed when little Sara makes her way into the room. Alice sees her and then says. "Joe."

Joe turns around and then picks up little Sara in his arms as he gives a soft chuckle. "Hey, come here you." He places her on his lap and then asks her as he taps her on the nose. "You want to meet your baby brother?" Joe turns her around and points to him. "Say hi." Sara looks down at her baby brother and then says. "Dolly." Joe and Alice both chuckle as Joe responds. "No, sweetheart, he's much better than a doll. You can play with him though when he's a bit older." "But not like a doll." Alice says.

Joe chuckles as Alice looks back down at the baby and then says. "We still have to name him." "Well, I know you wanted to name him after me, but I thought of something even better." Joe tells her. "Oh?" Alice says with intrigue in her voice. Joe nods. "Mm-hm." He then smiles.

In the next room, Doc Martin gathers his medical bag as he tells Ben who is standing next to him with a cup of coffee in his hands. "I need to get to my morning rounds, but I want you to tell Joe that if there are any changes with Alice to let me know. I'll be back to check on her this afternoon to see how her incision site is healing. She's out of danger for now, but there's still a risk for infection if she doesn't keep that incision site clean. So make sure he changes that bandage every few hours." "I will relay the message to him." Ben tells him and Joe then comes out of the bedroom holding his son in his arms as he says. "Pa?" He walks up to them as Doc Martin says. "Oh, Joe. I was just telling your father I will be back later on to check on Alice and to notify me if there are any changes with her and to make sure you change that bandage every few hours." "That's fine, doc." Joe responds. "I can't thank you enough for all your help." "Well, it was my pleasure." Doc Martin tells him and then looks down at the baby as he says. "You take care of that little fellow there." "I will." Joe says and Doc Martin then says to them. "I'll see you later." "See ya." Joe says as Ben tells him. "See you later, doctor." Doc Martin then heads out the door.

Joe then turns to Ben and tells him. "Pa. Alice and I decided on a name for him and we wanted you to be the first to know." "Oh, well, I'd love to hear it." Ben responds with a smile. Joe then says. "You mentioned having a son to carry on my legacy, well, the truth is, Pa, he's not only a part of my legacy, he's a part of yours too. So that is why we are naming him..Benjamin Joseph Cartwright." Ben looks at him, not knowing what to say as he is deeply moved by their gesture. Joe then says. "I was named after my grandfather so why shouldn't my son be named after his?” "I..I don't know what to say." Ben tells him. "Then let me say it, Pa." Joe replies. "Thank you. You taught me everything I know about what it means to be a father. So I want to honor you in the best way I can." Ben's eyes fill with tears as Joe hands him little Benjamin and Ben takes him in his arms as he looks down at him with pride and joy.

Two weeks later, Joe, Alice, Candy, Hannah and Ben are gathered around the living room of the Ponderosa. Hannah and Candy are sitting on the sofa together while Ben sits across from them in his chair and Joe and Alice on the opposite side of him with Alice sitting in a lounge chair and holding little Benjamin in her arms and Joe sitting on the armrest of the chair. They are conversing with each other and laughing when Joe says to Ben. "Hey, Pa, I'm sorry that deal didn't work out for you." "Oh, that's alright." Ben replies. "I don't think anything could have changed that man's mind. If anything I should be apologizing to you. I never would have asked you to come with me if I had known the seriousness of Alice's condition. You know my family's well-being always comes first to me, Joe. Always." Joe smiles when Hannah asks Alice. "So, how are you feeling?" "I'm getting better gradually each day." Alice tells her. "Doctor Martin just said for me to take it easy for the next few weeks, so I'm back to this one over here tending to my every need." She nudges Joe in the shoulder who smiles and Hannah then asks her. "Does he know what the cause of it was?" "Well, he didn't know for sure, he said these things just happen." Alice replies. "The baby was breached, so Ben was correct in his diagnosis. And his head was also quite large so that would explain why I was carrying so heavy." Candy then jokes. "Hey, he did get something from you, Joe, that big head of yours." Ben, Hannah and Alice all chuckle as Joe gives him an annoyed smirk and replies. "Very funny." Candy then looks down at little Benjamin and asks. "So, uh, what's Benjamin's nickname gonna be? You can't call him Ben or Joe."