The next day all the Johnsons went to town. Bernice sat beside Warren on the wagon seat, Alston in her arms, while Grandpa rode in the back.
When they reached the mercantile, the Weavers’ Christmas shopping spree was in full swing. “Well, if it ain’t Bernice!” Mary said as they entered. “How have you been, child? And is that little Alston?”
“Hello, Ma,” Bernice greeted. Despite Mary having married Harlan Hughes, many folks still thought of her as Ma Weaver, Bernice included. “I’m so glad we got a chance to see you.”
“Let me have that little one.” Ma held out her arms.
Bernice let her take the baby and smiled at Bella’s younger siblings running around looking at items to purchase for Christmas presents. “My, looks like most of the family’s here.”
“Most of us,” Ma agreed as she bounced Alston. “Daniel and Ebba are home with Esther and the other little ones.”
“How old is Esther now?” Bernice asked.
“A year last month and growing like a weed.”
Bernice smiled. “That’s right – she’s just a few months older than Alston. They do grow fast.”
“You said it. Daniel’s hoping for a boy next.” Ma glanced at her brood as they picked up items and set them down. Some tried to sneak things to the counter so Matthew or Charlotte could wrap them in brown paper before their intended recipients spotted them. It was hilarious to watch.
Bernice watched Bella’s little sister Melania tiptoe to the counter, a small doll tucked under her arm. She must have drawn Gabby’s name this year. There were so many of them, they had to draw names to keep things straight and economical. The adults in the family could make gifts, but the children weren’t as skilled yet.
“Every year there are more of us,” Ma commented as she patted Alston on the back. The baby cooed and smiled at her.
“But you love it,” Bernice commented. “Though I don’t know how you manage to keep them all in line.” She looked Ma Weaver over. She was petite like Bernice and a lot older, but could still get her clan reined in as needed.
“Oh, it’s not so hard. Love speaks volumes, Bernice.”
“I’d love to watch you do it.”
Ma smiled at her. “Then join us for Christmas this year. We’ve got room for the four of you.”
“Oh no, we couldn’t impose,” Bernice said. “Besides, Warren’s cousin George is coming and …”
“What’s this you’re talking about?” Grandpa asked.
“I just invited your family for Christmas,” Ma said. “How about it, Sam?”
“Yippee!” Grandpa cried. “Perfect! I’ll go tell Albert!”
“Albert?” Ma said in surprise. “Who in tarnation is Albert?” She looked at Bernice. “Is there a new family in town?”
“Nope.” Grandpa strolled off.
Bernice sighed and searched the store for Warren, finally spotting him leaning against the counter talking with Arlan and Matthew. “No, Ma, no one new here. Grandpa, well …” She hung her head and sighed again. “He’s getting old.”
Ma stared at her a moment before her eyes rounded. “Ohhh.” She shook her head. “It happens to the best of us. Ain’t nothing anyone can do about it, child. We’ll all be there one day.”
Bernice smiled and nodded. “Yes, but I hope when I get there I don’t talk to people that aren’t there.”
Ma nodded. “That makes two of us. Lord knows I talk to myself enough as it is. I don’t need to be talking to empty space besides!”
“Heaven help us all if we do that.”
Warren joined them, a peppermint stick in his mouth. “My, it’s lively in here.”
“I just invited your family to Christmas,” Ma informed him. “You will come, won’t you?”
His mouth flopped open. “Christmas?” Gabby ran past, chased by two of her older brothers – he had no idea which ones. “Er, really?”
“Yes, really,” Ma said. “It will be good for all of you to spend time with a big family. It’s far too quiet at your place.”
Warren gulped. “Well, Ma … er, Mary … Mrs. Hughes?”
“Oh, just call me Ma like everyone else does. No need to change things just because I married Harlan.”
“Okay, Ma. Uh …”
“We’d love to,” Bernice answered for him.
“Well, Arlan mentioned us coming for a visit, but I was thinking springtime …”
“Holidays are more fun,” Ma said. “You could travel home with us after the Christmas dance.”
Warren took one look at Bernice and shrugged. “All right, why not?” He grinned. “Won’t George be surprised?”
“He’ll be surprised, all right,” Bernice quipped.
“The more the merrier!” Ma dodged as Arturo ran past. “I’ll be sure there’s room in the big house. Unless you’d like to stay at Calvin and Bella’s place next door?”
“No!” they said at once. Warren smiled. “We’ll stay with you in the big house, if you don’t mind.”
“Perfect! I know Daniel and Benjamin along with their wives will love the company,” Ma said. “And the babies can play together.”
“What about George?” Warren asked. “Will there be room enough for him too?”
“Of course – we added onto the back of the house and got two spare rooms, since Esther’s still in her parents’ room. It will be fine.”
Warren smiled at Bernice. “Well, then. This will be an adventure.”
Bernice smiled back, then noticed Grandpa over in a corner, talking to either himself or the pickle barrel. She nudged Warren in the ribs and nodded at Grandpa.
He followed her gaze and sighed. “I think we need to be going, Ma. I want to pay Doc and Millie a visit.”
“Anything wrong?”
“Hope not. We’ll see you at the Christmas dance?”
“You can count on it!”
“Good, see you then.” He took Bernice’s hand. “Let’s get Grandpa, then go see Doc.”
She nodded, took Alston from Ma and followed Warren to where Grandpa was gabbing away in the corner. No one else paid him any mind. A good thing too – they didn’t want it to get around town that Old Man Johnson had gone around the bend.
“… I’ll do as you say, Albert, but how do I get them together?”
“Grandpa?” Warren said.
The old man turned to him with a smile. “There you are! I want to introduce you to someone.” He turned back to the corner. “Hey, where’d he go? He was just here!” He scanned their surroundings, but no one was around except Weavers and Quinns. “Albert?”
“Grandpa?” Warren touched him on the arm. “He’s, um … obviously gone. Why don’t we go see Doc and Millie now?”
“Oh well, I suppose,” he said, eyes downcast. “Too bad Albert took off. I really wanted you to meet him.”
Warren sighed and glanced at Bernice. Her worried face matched his. “That’s all right. We’ll meet him later.”
Grandpa’s eyes lit up. “Right you are – I’ll see to it!”
“Let’s see Doc now,” Bernice said gently. “Maybe Millie’s made some of her famous soup.”
Grandpa rubbed his hands together. “I do like that woman’s cooking. Let’s go!” Without waiting for them, he headed for the mercantile doors.
Warren shook his head. “This is worse than I thought. Maybe we shouldn’t spend Christmas with the Weavers.”
Bernice sighed. “I don’t know. Let’s see what Doc Brown says.”
Warren put his hand on her back and ushered her to the doors. “Right, let’s. Land sakes, what’s George going to think?”
“You keep saying he’s a straightforward sort. He’ll understand.”
He nodded. “Thank Heaven for that. All right, let’s go.” They followed Grandpa outside and headed for the doctor’s house.
* * *
“Is everyone ready?” Arlan called. He glanced at his wife Samijo. “You ready, darlin’?”
She snuggled closer. “Of course.” She smiled at their son Justin on her lap. “How about you, darling? Ready to go home?”
Justin grinned at his mother as he chewed a licorice whip. “Yes, Mama.”
She straightened and glanced over her shoulder to check on his twin, Jason. The boys were six now and getting rambunctious. Thankfully Jason was wedged between Arturo and Alfonzo and wasn’t going anywhere. The little imp liked to jump out of the back of the wagon, and had tried to do it on the way into town, just to see if he could. He was a risk taker. Justin was much the same, but he actually looked before he leaped. Jason often didn’t.
She glanced at Rufi, the eldest of Bella’s siblings, who held Autumn in her lap, singing softly in the child’s ear. “I think we’re ready,” Samijo said as she faced forward. “All are accounted for.”
Arlan twisted on the seat and looked at Benjamin and Charity on the seat of the wagon behind them. “I bet Ben’s glad he and Charity left their younguns at home with Ebba and Danny.”
“Yes, they’ve enjoyed the break. But then they’ll be staying home with the little ones during the Christmas dance. Should we have volunteered?”
“Ben beat me to it. I don’t mind a quiet evenin’ with the children, but I do like the Christmas dance. We can stay behind next year.”
“Next year it’s Daniel and Ebba’s turn,” she reminded him.
He gave the horses a slap of leather. “Oh, yer right – they ain’t had a round yet. This family gets any bigger and we can just have our own dances.”
Samijo laughed. “That’s true!” All total the Weaver clan now numbered twenty-six. There were three homes on the farm – the original house, Calvin and Bella’s place behind it, and Arlan and Samijo’s cabin on the other side of the orchards. There were other meadows, patches of forest and a creek running through the property – plenty of room for a few more houses as needed.
Room was something the Weavers never lacked – they owned their entire valley and lived off it quite well despite the number of mouths to feed. It took three wagons to bring the entire family to town, and even then children had to sit on laps to fit them all. But the whole bunch hadn’t been to Nowhere for some time, between living over a day’s ride away and not being able to leave their livestock unattended that long. Someone always stayed behind.
They left after lunch and traveled the whole afternoon, figuring they’d only make it as far as Gunderson’s stage stop before nightfall, the halfway mark between Nowhere and the Weavers’ farm. “The weather’s good,” Arlan commented. “I hope it’s this good tomorrow. I’d hate to travel the rest of the way in the rain.”
“Me too,” Samijo commented. “Do you think it’ll be good when we go to the dance?”
“I couldn’t say, darlin’. For one … what’s that?”
Samijo looked at him, then ahead. “What? Where?”
“Tarnation!” Arlan pulled on the lines. “Whoa!”
“Arlan?” Samijo said with worry, then looked ahead again. “Oh my goodness!”
Arlan set the brake and jumped down. “Benjamin, Calvin!” His brothers hopped out of their wagon and followed him.
Samijo held Justin a little tighter. There was an overturned wagon up ahead. Arlan had stopped them far enough away to avoid trouble in case there was still any around. She remembered the rifle tucked under the seat and hoped she wouldn’t need it. But just in case … “Justin, honey, sit in your Papa’s spot.”
The child scooted out of her lap and reached for the lines wrapped around the brake.
“I didn’t say you could drive,” she warned as she reached down and pulled the rifle out.
Justin frowned. “Aw, Mama …”
“Samijo?” Rufi said from the back of the wagon. “What’s wrong?”
“Wagon accident up ahead.” She turned on the seat. “Come up here and keep Justin out of trouble – I’ll go see what’s amiss.” She didn’t want Little Mr. Adventure following her.
Rufi detached herself from Autumn as Alfonzo also stood. “I’ll take the rifle, Aunt Sami.”
Alfonzo was a good shot, but still young, and she didn’t want him in harm’s way. “That’s okay, Alf – I’ve got this one.” Samijo climbed down and headed up the road, rifle at the ready. By the time she got there, the men had already assessed the situation. “What happened?”
“Wagon got robbed,” Arlan said. “See how the harness was cut? Varmints stole the horse.”
“That’s terrible.” The wagon lay half in a ditch, half out. She looked around at the clothes scattered around, all wet from an earlier rain. Then something made her take a closer look. “Arlan?” She pointed. “Is that … a body?”
Now all three men looked. It was hard to see with all the dirt and mud, just a flash of white skin. “Good Lord!” Arlan headed toward it.
His brothers followed, guns drawn. “What is it, Arlan?” Calvin asked when they reached the heap of muddied skirts, petticoats and limbs.
“Better question’s who.” Benjamin bent over the body and turned it over.
“Is she alive?” Samijo asked, a shiver in her voice.
Benjamin put his ear to her chest – this was no time for propriety. Besides, the woman was covered in mud, as if she’d been dragged through it. “Heart’s beatin’!”
“We should get her into one of the wagons,” Calvin declared. “Gunderson’s ain’t far.”
Arlan turned to Benjamin. “Bring yours. Some of the children will have to huddle up.”
Benjamin jumped up and ran back to fetch his wagon. By the time he returned with it Bella already had relocated a few of her siblings to Arlan and Samijo’s wagon. The older children stood and watched what was taking place, but thankfully didn’t leave the wagons – Rufi’s fierce Italian temper saw to that.
Benjamin brought the wagon to a halt and hopped down. “She got any broken bones, ya think?”
“I dunno,” Arlan said. “Ma?”
Harlan climbed out of the wagon and helped Mary down. “I’m a comin’,” she said as her feet touched the ground. She hurried over and knelt by the woman. “Who is she?”
“Hanged if I know,” Arlan said.
His mother began to poke and prod the still form. “She’s cold. Someone fetch a blanket.”
Calvin ran to the wagon, brought a blanket and covered the woman. “If she ain’t got no broken bones, let’s get her in the wagon.”
“My thoughts exactly, Calvin,” Ma said. “Someone pick her up, but be gentle.”
Arlan bent down, lifted the woman into his arms and carried her to the wagon.
Harlan watched him go, then looked around. “Looks like a robbery to me. Poor thing – must have took her valuables and horse and … well, who knows what they done to her. From the looks of it …”
“Say no more, Harlan,” Ma told him. “The thing to do now is to get her to Gunderson’s and make sure she’s all right. Who knows how long she’s been lying out in the cold? At least it’s not freezing.”
“Poor dear’d be dead by now if it was.” Harlan ushered Mary back to the wagon, helped her up then watched her cover her patient with another blanket.
Benjamin and Calvin picked up what was left of the woman’s belongings, wrapped them in a bundle and placed them in the back of the wagon next to her. “Harlan, why don’t you drive?” Benjamin suggested. “Calvin and I can walk the rest of the way so there’s room in the wagons for the children.”
“Good idea.” Harlan climbed onto the wagon seat and took up the lines.
Calvin ran to the other wagon, directed several of the children to Benjamin’s wagon, then followed them to help the little ones into the wagon bed. They took up less room, so they got to ride with Ma, Harlan and their patient.
“Is she alive?” Leo asked.
“Yes, she is,” Ma said. “And I aim to keep her that way.”
“She’s dirty,” Gabby stated. “Did she wallow in the mud like the pigs do?”
Ma did her best not to smile. “No, I think someone threw her into the ditch.”
“Well, that’s mean!” Gabby declared. “Alfonzo did that to me once. I couldn’t get out and got dirtier and dirtier.”
“I remember,” Harlan said from the wagon seat. “Took dumping at least three buckets of water on ya to get ya clean.”
Gabby smiled, proud of herself. “Four! And Alfonzo got a whipping!”
“He’d earned it,” Harlan muttered as he checked to make sure everyone was settled. He gave the team a slap of leather and got the wagon moving. They had a few miles to go to reach the stage stop, where they could tend the woman properly.
Ma wiped the mud and grime off her patient’s face, but still didn’t recognize her. Besides, she was more concerned about the blood she discovered oozing from the side of the woman’s head. “I think someone struck her.”
Harlan glanced over his shoulder. “Robbery, I’m sure of it. I’ll have Mrs. Gunderson get a message to Sheriff Riley in Nowhere. After that poor gal comes to, maybe she can give us a description of the thieving varmints.”
Ma studied the unconscious woman. “Let’s hope she wakes up at all.” Then she gasped. She suddenly realized who this was!