My Little Buckaroo

By lykkirykki

Ben sat in the rocking chair with an open book in hand. Although he wasn’t doing much reading. His real focus was on the ill boy laying in bed. 

Joe’s feverish face scrunched up when a cough overtook him. Ben dropped his book and went over to the ailing boy. He bent down on one knee to run his hand through his son’s curly hair. 

Joe murmured something unintelligible as his Pa gently hushed him. “Easy son, easy.” Ben said softly when Joe coughed again and groaned. 

Ben sighed in relief when the coughing fit finally calmed down. At least now Joe could at least breathe or wheeze easier to be more accurate. 

The wheezing was what scared Ben the most to be honest. His boys had all caught the flu before and besides aching joints and grouchiness it never got this bad. 

“Only you, only you Joseph would be the one to catch the flu at the beginning of May.” Pa chuckled grimly. 

His son answered with another warble that Ben quickly hushed, running his fingers through the boy’s hair again. “Hush now, Pa’s here. There isn’t anything to worry about Little Joe.” Ben murmured.

Joe scrunched his face up again and murmured something. Except this time Ben could understand him. “Pa..pa..” 

Ben smiled gently and rested his hand on his son’s cheek. “That’s right, son. Papa’s here.”

 Joe seemed to calm down at the assurance. He sighed and nuzzled into his Pa’s hand. 

Satisfied that his boy had calmed, Ben got up with a grunt. “Not only are you boys giving me gray hair, you’re also making my joints ache.” He sighed with a chuckle. He picked up the book and sat down in the rocking chair again. 

Joe lay still for a few minutes. But sadly, not for long. He realized in his half aware state his Pa was gone. And that he was all alone. 

Ben had finally settled into reading his book when he heard Joe whimper something again. He looked up to see his son thrashing slightly on the bed. 

“Easy, Joseph. Easy, I’m right here.” Pa said softly, taking his boy by the hand. “There, see? Papa’s here, Joseph. Hushabye, son, hushabye.” 

Little Joe thankfully calmed down again. Ben sighed in relief and scooted his rocking chair closer. 

“Pa?” The sound of his eldest son dragged Ben’s attention from his youngest. “Yes, Adam?” He asked.

“Hoss and I just wanted to make sure everything was alright.” Adam answered, “Is Joe doing any worse?” 

“About the same.” Ben answered, “Thankfully he hasn’t gotten any worse.” He gently ran his fingers through Joe’s sweat soaked hair again.

“I’ll be taking the next watch once it’s your time to rest.” Adam said, “Hoss is already asleep.” He added with a chuckle.

Ben nodded with a smile. “Right, thank you Adam. And I’m certain Hoss is thankful you didn’t wake him up.” He chuckled. 

Joe coughed with a groan. He tossed his head once again and warbled “Pa..Pa.. Where.. Are.. You? Where..?” 

Ben gently hushed his ailing son and rested a hand on the boy’s forehead. “Right here, son. Right here.” He murmured. 

As he sat there in silence a song kept appearing in Ben’s mind. It was a lullaby. One he learned when Hoss was a little tyke. He even used to sing it to Joe when he was a toddler. 

Soon enough, he found himself humming it. Even in his ill state Joe seemed to recognize it. He calmed even more with a wheezy sigh. Ben smiled, running his hand through Joe’s hair and started to sing. 

Close your sleepy eyes 

My little Buckaroo

While the light of the Western Skies

Is shinin’ down on you

Don’t you know it’s time for bed

Another day is through 

So go to sleep

My little Buckaroo

Don’t you realize

My little Buckaroo

That it was from a little acorn

That the Oak tree grew

And remember that your Dad 

Was once a kid like you 

So go to sleep my little Buckaroo

Soon you’re gonna ride the range

Like all grown up cowboys do

Now it’s time you were

Roundin’ up a dream 

A dream or two

So go to sleep my little Buckaroo

Ben’s deep baritone seemed to fill the entire house with healing energy. Or at least the room where it was needed most.

Little did Ben know, Adam had appeared with two cups of coffee. One for him and the other for his Pa.

“It’s been years since you’ve last sung that song, Pa.” Adam mused, handing his Pa his cup of coffee. 

“It certainly has. I just needed the perfect time to sing it. Right now seemed the right time.” Ben said with a gentle smile at his youngest.

“I definitely agree. Heck, I think he even looks healthier than before. If not calmer at least.” Adam commented, taking a sip of his coffee. 

Ben couldn’t agree more. The pinched expression on Joe’s face seemed to have melted away. He looked as if he were in a deeper healing sleep now.

“Thank the Lord…” Ben murmured, resting a hand on his youngest boy’s forehead. The fever from earlier seemed to have gone down as well. 

“He looks like he’s takin’ a turn for the better.” Ben said with relief. Adam couldn’t help but nod in agreement. 

“Yes, he does. He even looks better from the last time I came in here.” Ben’s eldest said. 

“Thank goodness it wasn’t typhoid or malaria. The medicine wouldn’t be able to get here in time.” Ben said, resting his hand on Joe’s cheek again.

“I still don’t know how he managed to catch the flu in the beginning of May of all times.” Ben couldn’t help but agree with Adam and nodded. 

“Well I always said you boys were a hassle and always got into trouble one way or another.” Ben chuckled. 

Adam chuckled with a nod. “Thank the Lord we have you to watch over us.” 

Ben nodded with a smile. “And you boys to watch over each other. I can’t always be there to keep watch.”

Adam rested a hand on his Pa’s shoulder. “Like how it’s my turn to watch over Little Joe? It’s about time you take a rest, Pa.” 

Ben sighed and gave a nod. “Yes, I think it’s about that time. I don’t think my old joints can sit in this old chair for much longer.” And with that, he got up with a grunt.

But before walking out of the room, he bent down one last time and gently kiss Joe on the forehead and murmured “Goodnight son.” 

The End