THE INVITATION

Vera Stone had big worries. Her neat female society could use a new member but she didn’t come. The girls working at the saloons weren’t considered for the membership. The lady in question had to come from a good family of course. She took herself as example which went down the wrong way with everyone.

Kate Miller said one morning, “I might know somebody for our society. The wife of Adam Cartwright. It appears to be a darling of a woman and she comes from a good family.”

“We send her an invitation. Or even better: we are pay her an honorable visit”, Vera said.

The ladies went outside and happened to see Adam and Mary at the trading post.

“Look who we see there?”, Kate asked.

They walked to the store.

“Good morning Adam”, Vera said suave.

“Hello Miss Stone. What can I do for you?”, Adam asked smiling.

“We actually came to see your wife”, Kate said.

“Honey, these ladies want to see you”, Adam said to Mary.

Mary turned around and looked at the ladies. They looked shocked at her.

Vera said, “We want to invite you to become a member of our lady society.”

“No, thank you. I must together with Adam raise our son Mitch and the second one is on the way. I want to prepare myself for her birth in peace”, Mary answered.

“How long are you now in the family way?”, Kate asked.

“Five months. Can you leave us alone now because we have more to do”, Mary said curt.

Vera turned up her nose and snapped scornful, “Only because that you are walking around with such a distasteful big belly and are married to a Cartwright you think you are really something.”

“You were born too?”, Adam asked.

“Of course”, Vera said amazed.

“Well, then your mother must have also walked around with a very distasteful big belly”, the eldest Cartwright boy reacted quick-witted.

The ladies were very insulted by this answer and walked on by with their noses up very high into the air.

“What a old bats. I really don’t need a club like theirs”, Mary said laughing.

“You are already a member of our club”, Adam said.

“And which club is that?”, his wife asked teasing.

“The Cartwright club”, was Adam’s answer.

He loaded the groceries in where after they rode back to the ranch again.