Adam Cartwright was with his wife Sally and oldest son Mitch in San Francisco for family circumstances and business. The business concerned the Ponderosa ranch and the Ponderosa Bed & Breakfast, which was being run by Mitch and his husband Matthew Walker with support of his parents.
The cousin of Sally, Claire Baxton, had gotten a serious car accident sand laid in the hospital. Her husband, David, had died within the accident. Sally sat by Claire.
“Sally, is Mitch there took?”, she asked.
“Yes, he and Adam are waiting in the hall. Why?”, Sally wanted to know.
“I want to see Mitch for a moment”, said Claire.
Sally got up and went to get her stepson. Mitch recognized Claire right away and the other way around. Sally left them alone. Mitch went to sit by his ex.
“Mitch, can you still remember our weekend in October 2009?”, asked Claire.
The young Cartwright nodded.
“During that weekend our son Tim has been conceived. David knew everything and has made sure that you look after the boy after our death. My mother-in-law thinks that Tim was born a month too early. She had never accepted me and Tim. Promise me that you take good care of him”, Claire said exhausted.
“I promise. Tim won’t be missing out on anything with us”, Mitch said a bit confused by the news that he suddenly had a son now.
Claire closed her eyes for good then. Adam and Sally came in and saw what had happened.
“She told me that I’m the father of Tim. She died after I had promised to look well after the boy”, said Mitch.
“Then you must do it too, boy”, Adam said serious.
Mitch realized that too. Sally phoned her aunt and told that Claire had died too.
Via an aunt of Sally, Emily Baxton, they had heard that David and Claire (the son and daughter-in-law of Emily) have had a serious accident. They had a son named Tim left behind. Tim was with Emily but she wasn’t fond of him.
The Cartwrights came for the double funeral and to receive Tim. Sally had told Adam and Mitch about the relationship of her aunt with her cousins.
“So the boy has never been wanted by your aunt?”, Mitch asked for the security.
“No, aunt Emily was already against it that David married Claire. And when Tim was born it was totally rumpus”, answered Sally.
“Cozy aunt you have”, said Mitch.
“Mitch, I suggest that you keep yourself busy with Tim. He has it already tough enough without his parents and a grandma who doesn’t want to know him”, said Adam.
“Will do that”, promised his son.
Adam stopped at a big house where Emily Baxton lived. In the front yard Tim sat with his baseball glove and a ball. Mitch got out and walked up to him. Here after he went to sit next to the boy.
Tim saw the glove of Mitch and said admiring, “You have a beautiful baseball glove.”
“Yours is also beautiful”, said Mitch.
“Daddy and momma gave it for my birthday. They aren’t around anymore”, Tim said with tears in his throat and eyes.
A moment later he began to cry so that Mitch took him into his arms. Adam and Sally saw that and knew that Tim was in good hands with their son.
Tim asked still a bit sobbing, “May I live with you? Gran doesn’t want that I live here.”
“I’m fine with that. I am Mitch Cartwright. You must be Tim Baxton then. Pleased to meet you. Can you play baseball?”, asked Mitch.
“Daddy would teach me how. Can you play baseball?”, Tim wanted to know.
“I have even played pro baseball for a while so I can and will teach you it”, answered Mitch.
They went to throw over to each other.
Inside Sally introduced Adam to her aunt and they gave their condolences with the loss of her son and daughter-in-law.
“Claire has taken David away from me. Besides she sat behind the wheel when they crashed. And now I’m stuck with that brat!”, said Emily.
Adams reaction was, “Tim has lost both his parents and doesn’t get any support from you.”
“He stays here until the funerals and then he leaves for the orphanage”, said Emily.
For a moment it was silent.
Then Emily said, “Upstairs are the bed rooms for you.”
“We have a house here and take Tim along at once”, said Adam.
“Why do you that troublesome child along? He is not even related to you?”, snapped Emily.
Adam and Sally looked at each other and Adam answered, “Tim happens to be related to us because he is my grandson. Claire told my oldest son just before she died that he is the father of the boy.”
The face of Emily brighted up at once when she heard that Tim wasn’t her grandson at all.
“That changes everything of course. You wait here, then I make coffee.”
Emily disappeared to the kitchen.
Sally asked, “Darling, can’t we take Tim into our house?”
“What my is concerned yes. But I rather think that Mitch will take Tim into his house”, answered Adam.
“Don’t let aunt Emily hear that our son is married to a man. She is really hopeless old-fashioned”, said Sally.
Adam said smiling, “When Mitch hears that he just tells it.”
Sally knew that too.
Mitch went to sit with Tim on the porch.
“Tim, I was with your mother when she died. Just before that she said that I was your father. I have promised her to take good care of you”, Mitch said seriously.
Tim looked at him amazed.
Then he said, “That’s why we never came here.”
“If you want it I take you to our house here in San Francisco. After the funerals we go home in Virginia City. I live there with Matt. he is my husband since February 14, 2013”, told Mitch.
“So now I have 3 fathers of whom you are the real one, haven’t I?”, asked Tim.
Mitch nodded and got to hear, “I stay with you.”
The young Cartwright took Tim into his arms and said, “My stepmother is a sweet grandma though and my father a sweet and funny grandpa. And I know for sure that my grandpa will be thrilled with you as well.”
He got his GSM and showed Tim pictures of his family.
Quite soon Mitch too got introduced to Emily. But he too didn’t get her approval.
Emily saw the wedding ring of Mitch and asked, “Has your wife stayed at home?”
“My husband has stayed at home to run our Bed & Breakfast”, answered the young Cartwright.
Emily pulled a dirty face when she heard that Mitch was married to a man.
The rest of the day went by quietly. Also the double funeral of David and Claire went by quiet. Mitch had taken care of Tim who had it very difficult.
Home again Emily let clearly show that she didn’t want and would take the boy into her home. Tim was outside because he wanted to be alone.
“Who of you are going to bring that child to the orphanage?”, asked Emily.
Mitch said, “Tim goes with me because he is my son.”
Emily looked at him and said, “No, the boy goes to the orphanage. And as soon as possible.”
Adam asked, “And why is he going to the orphanage of you?”
“I’m not going to look after a child. He’s not related to me but a half orphan. He is in an orphanage better off than with 2 men who married to each other”, answered Emily.
Tim heard the words of Emily because he came into the living room.
“I don’t go to an orphanage”, said the boy.
Mitch asked him, “Tim, would you like to live with me and Matt?”
“Yes”, Tim said spontaneous.
“No Way!”, spoke Emily.
Then Sally interfered with it and she said, “David and Claire have officially arranged that Adam and I would look after their son if something would happen to them. So now Tim belongs to us. We don’t mind that Tim goes to live with Mitch.”
“Good Riddance”, said Emily.
Not much later the Cartwrights had left with Tim.
Adam had gotten a text from the local garage who had repaired the car of Mitch and went to get it. He had discovered all along that Mitch was already very crazy about Tim and the other way around. The eldest Cartwright boy was convinced that his son and son-in-law would take very good care of Tim. The boys were raised that way.
Sally and Mitch helped Tim with packing.
“Where do you live?”, asked Tim.
“We have a big ranch near Virginia City. Mitch and Matt live not far away from there. There are other children to play with”, answered Sally.
“And also room to be able to play baseball in a real stadium”, said Mitch.
“Mitch, may I ride with you?”, asked Tim.
“Of course. My pa is getting my car from the garage. As soon as he is here we go away”, answered Mitch.
The boy nodded.
Not much later the Cartwrights left their home in San Francisco. Tim thought the car of Mitch great because he ran straight to it.
Adam said to Mitch, “Now you definitely have stolen his heart.”
“I must teach him how to play baseball”, said Mitch.
“Good luck with it. You and Matt will need it”, said Adam.
They loaded the luggage in and got in. Tim crawled on the back seat with his father. Mitch took the boy along to his houses.
Mitch drove into the garage in and said to his son, “Tim, we are home.”
“You live here?”, asked the boy.
“Yes. We have a Bed & Breakfast and live there too. Just come on”, said Mitch.
They got out and grabbed the luggage. Here after they walked to the front door.
“Just press the bell”, said Mitch.
Tim pressed and heard the music of the fairytale The Red Shoes.
“Nice music”, said Tim.
Matthew Walker, the husband of Mitch and co-owner of the B&B answered and saw his other half standing. They smiled at each other.
“Matt, this is our son Tim Baxton. Tim, this is your 3rd father Matthew Cartwright. But you also may call him Matt”, said Mitch.
“Hello Tim. Welcome to our B&B”, said Matthew.
“Hello Matt”, Tim said a bit shy.
They went inside where the little boy relaxed a bit. He got introduced with Dan and Laura Walker (The parents van Matthew and parents –in-law of Mitch).
In the living room Tim saw the showcases and especially the one of the Efteling had his attention. Matthew and Mitch saw that and got an idea.
“Shall we take him there summer next year?”, asked Mitch.
“That is alright”, said Matthew.
“Just go because we will look after Chip and the B&B”, said Dan.
Chip was the husky of the B&B and he was already gone to Tim to introduce himself. Mitch and Matthew went to them for the security.
“Tim, meet our dog Chip. Chip, this is Tim”, said Mitch.
The 2 were good friends right away.
“Have you been there?”, Tim asked pointing at the Efteling collection.
“Yes, we were there with Christmas 2012. Matt proposed to me and we celebrated my birthday that day. Tim, we make this deal: you do your best at school this school year and we go with you there in the summer”, said Mitch.
“Okay. My birthday is on July 12”, said Tim.
“How old are you now?”, asked Matthew.
“I am 5”, said the boy.
Tim was clearly tired because he fell asleep on the settee. Dan lifted him up and carried him to a bedroom. Matthew came with the luggage where after he put Tim in bed. After that they went back downstairs where to the Laura and Mitch were. He had told his mother-in-law already about how his so-called grandma of Tim was opposite him.
“The the boy is here really much better off”, said Laura.
“My parents think so too. I want that Tim gets some rest and gets to used to us. After that he can get to know the others and the other way around”, reacted Mitch.
“Then that happens. Matt will agree with you”, said Laura.
She told what had happened during the absence of Mitch.
“So we are totally full? Then I have to go away more often”, Mitch said teasing.
“We are really full and you stay here for the time being, young man. Matt has missed you very much and Chip took”, reacted his mother-in-law.
“Soon we go make a long walk with Chip”, said Mitch.
Dan and Matthew came into the living room and went to sit by Laura and Mitch.
“Tim lies in the room with the front window. So next to our bedroom”, said Matthew.
“So now that is his room”, answered Mitch.
Chip came into the living room with the leash in his beak.
“I believe that someone wants to walk”, said Dan.
“I know that for sure. Matt, are you coming?”, asked Mitch.
Of course his husband went along.
Once outside they let the dog walk loose so that he could run. Mitch told everything what had happened in San Francisco.
Just when he had heard everything Matthew asked, “So you are the father of Tim, aren’t you?”
“Yes, I am that. I have promised Claire on her death bed to look good after him. And I will do that. With or without you”, answered his husband.
“We look after Tim well. I don’t want and can’t be without you anymore. And you neither without me”, reacted Matthew.
Mitch nodded.
When Adam and Sally came home the little Cartwrights were already sleeping.
Ben (the owner of the Ponderosa ranch and Adams father) said, “Adam, I thought that you would have a little boy with you. Don’t say that you have forgotten him.”
“We haven’t done that but he is with Mitch. It turns out that Tim, so the little boy is called, is my grandson. In other words: Mitch is the father of Tim. You will meet him though but I think that Tim needs some rest”, answered Adam.
The rancher had to let get this news through to him for a second. But that also went for his 2 youngest sons Hoss and Joe + their wives Betsy and Paula. Sally told everything what had happened in San Francisco.
When Tim woke up the next morning he found Chip next to his bed.
“Morning Chip”, said the boy.
The husky gave his new friend a big lick. Then Mitch came in.
“Morning Tim. Slept well?”, he asked.
“Morning daddy. I have slept great”, answered Tim.
“I will bathe you and after that we have breakfast”, said Mitch.
Tim got up and walked along to the bath room. Chip followed them.
During breakfast Tim asked, “Daddy, when do I meet your family?”
Mitch answered, “Later on we walk Chip and then we go at the same time to the big ranch house.”
“Then I shall warn your uncle Hoss in advance”, Dan said teasing.
“Why?”, Tim asked curious.
“Uncle Hoss is a big bear but then disguised as a man. But you surely can play games with him”, answered Matthew.
Tim said, “I love playing games.”
They ate on before the guests came to have breakfast. Matthew showed Tim the garden, the baseball field and the miniature golf course.
“Ask if uncle Hoss comes here for a game of miniature golf”, Matthew advised his son.
Tim nodded smiling.
On the way to the ranch house Mitch told Tim everything about his family.
“How must I address your grandpa?”, asked Tim.
Mitch thought for a moment and answered then, “Just call him granddaddy. He will like that.”
Tim nodded and threw a tennis ball away for Chip. Mitch stood amazed watching how well his son could throw already.
When they had come near the big ranch house Mitch saw his big uncle Hoss busy. The young Cartwright got a sneaky idea.
He whispered to his son, “Throw the ball to that big bear.”
Tim threw with a nice pitch the tennis ball away. The ball ended up with a big speed on the head of Hoss whereby he fell on the ground.
“Nice pitch, son”, Mitch said smiling.
“I agree too”, reacted Tim.
Chip rand to Hoss toe and licked him.
Hoss saw the husky and the ball and said, “This must be a trick of your master again.”
He began to play rough with the dog. Then Mitch and Tim came nearer. They looked laughing at each other.
Then Mitch said, “Grandpa won’t pay you for this.”
Hoss stopped with playing rough, looked at his nephew and answered, “You did probably throw that ball to my head, didn’t you. Thanks a lot.”
“Daddy didn’t do that at all. I threw that ball”, Tim said yet before Mitch could say something.
Now Hoss looked from Mitch to Tim and back.
“So this is that big bear which Matt was talking about?”, asked Tim.
Hoss knew enough, got up and answered, “Yes, I am that big bear where your father was talking about. Just call me uncle Hoss.”
“This is my son Tim. I may assume that my parents have told you everything”, Mitch said.
Hoss nodded. They walked to another part of the yard where the other children were.
The brother of Mitch, Benji, saw Tim and asked on behalf of his sisters Lisa and Rose, “Who are you?”
“He is my son so your nephew. Like we are that of uncle Hoss and uncle Joe”, answered Mitch.
The children introduced each other and it didn’t take long before Tim played with them. Of course Chip joined them. Mitch went inside.
“Are you alone?”, asked Adam.
“No, the meaning was that I introduced Tim to you but now he plays outside with the other Smurfs. Chip is with them”, answered his oldest son.
Mitch always called his little brother, sisters and cousins Smurfs because they were much younger than he was.
“I thought that Tim would get some rest before he would come here”, said Ben.
“He asked self this morning when he would meet my family. I think that he will be here a lot of time with Chip. The B&B is totally full. So I don’t stay here too long”, was the answer of his grandson.
Mitch left quite soon. Hoss promised to take Tim and Chip home.
Tim knew quite soon that Hoss was easy to talk round.
So he asked during lunch, “Uncle Hoss, shall we play miniature golf later this afternoon?”
“That is good. But then we take the other children along as well”, said Hoss.
This plan fell good with everyone.
Later on the Cartwrights were at the their miniature golf course. Quite soon they were playing. Hoss didn’t it too heavy with the game rules. He distracted his opponents and out then the ball into the hole. Unfortunately he got caught red-handed by his niece Rose and great nephew Tim.
“Uncle Hoss, you are cheating. You may not put the ball into it but hit it into it”, said Tim.
“Well, tonight he may do the dishes here and at home. By hand”, reacted Rose.
The children laughed. Benji and Lisa heard this too and the daughters of Hoss, Inger and Petra. Benji even sent a text to Hop Sing to say this.
The children had the biggest fun. Especially when they came to the last hole.
“Daddy, this is specially for you”, said Inger.
Hoss saw that it was a carrot cake and knew that his 2 oldest nephews done this on purpose.
The score was totally humiliating for Hoss because Tim had written down his hits form the scoring board which hang by the hole and turned the numbers around. So Hoss had lost big from the younger Cartwrights.
Hoss kept his word and did the dishes at the B&B. But also later at the ranch.
At a certain moment he said to Mitch and Matthew, “Tim kept the score for me. But he turns the numbers around too. Just like you do, Mitchy.”
The couple looked at each other and Mitch said, “Then we let him test on word blindness.”
“Your father has the address where he has tested you. I will ask if he mails it”, promised Hoss.
Mitch nodded.
By this day Tim knew for sure that he was taken in loving full into a family which was very close. But also at the B&B the boy was a big asset.