The Letter

I was laughing when I got the letter.  Adam had made some joke, I can’t recall it now, but it was funny at the time.  With his usual perfect timing, Hoss arrived with the supplies and the mail just as lunch got served.  After passing Pa his letters, he waved another like bait.

“This one’s for you, Little Joe.  All the way from Salt Lake.”  That soft, silly smile of his spread over his face.  “I reckon we can guess who it’s from.”

I was out of my seat and heading upstairs before I’d even excused myself.  This was the first letter since Melissa left on her trip.  I intended to read it alone—no curious family peering over my shoulder.  With the snow melting, she would be coming home.  That was the last time I really felt happy.

My thumb rubbed the splotched ink where her tears had wet it.  I couldn’t think past the last time I’d seen her.  She was crying then, too …

When I got down on one knee, tears were the last thing I expected.  Was this a disaster?  But then she smiled.  “Oh, Little Joe.  I’m so happy.”

My stomach settled, and I grinned.  “ I haven’t asked yet.”

Soft laughter rippled through the air, but she schooled her pretty face and cast down her eyes.  “I’m ready.”

I took her hand.  “Melissa Veronica Williams, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

“Yes!” she cried, flinging her arms around me.

We kissed, laughed, and kissed again.  Holding her in my arms, I asked.  “When shall we announce it?  Tomorrow?”

“Oh, I forgot.  You know that Ma and I have been invited to visit my aunt in Salt Lake City?  Well, we’re going to spend the winter and Christmas there.  We’re leaving in a few days.  We’ve got so much to organize and pack.  There won’t be time for an engagement party.”

On the verge of blurting out who cared about an engagement party, I caught the dejection in her eyes and paused.  Melissa really wanted that party.  “I guess we can wait ‘til you get back to announce our engagement.”

“And by then we’ll have the ring for me to show off.”

I chuckled and kissed her on the nose.  “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

She swatted me playfully.  I loved the way those big brown eyes lit up when she laughed.  “You know me too well.”

“I darn well should.”

The first time I’d seen Melissa, she was knee-high to a grasshopper.  No more than a bug myself, we’d been friends ever since.  I told her everything.  No one understood me quite like she did, and after Amy… well, I’d told Melissa things I couldn’t tell anyone else, even Pa and my brothers. 

I don’t know when things started to change, when she became more than a friend.  Worried she wouldn’t see me in the same way, I held back.   Instead, I crept up on her until she had no doubt what my intentions were, and I saw the warm light in my eyes reflected in hers.

But my timing was off, and I’d spent a long, lonely winter without her, looking forward to starting our future when she got back.  The paper in my hand ended all those hopes. 

The tap on the door drew my gaze away from those scrawled words.  I’d forgotten all about lunch, and now someone had come to find out why.

Pa took one look and came over to wrap one arm around me.  “What’s happened, son?  Is it Melissa?”

“She’s fine, Pa.”  I swallowed and said the words out loud.  “She’s married.”

“What?”

“She met a man who works with her uncle.  It was love at first sight.”

“Joe… I’m so sorry.”

“That’s what she said.”

Pa left me alone, and five minutes later rode out.  He didn’t get back until Hop Sing was putting supper on the table.  I knew where he’d been.  To see Melissa’s Pa.  What did he think that would change?  From the look on his face, nothing.

Hoss and Adam came to the table, nudging each other and glancing at Pa and me.  Of course, they’d have to know.  My insides twisted.  But not now!

Adam raised his eyebrows and, with his cool mocking tone, asked, “So, is anyone going to tell us what’s going on, or do we have to guess?”

That did it.  I threw my napkin down, stood, and glared at Pa.  “Since you know so much, I’ll let you tell them.”

Dumb move, Joe.  It meant I didn’t know what Pa was gonna say.  After pacing my room for a few minutes, I couldn’t take the not knowing and snuck out to slip along the hall to listen.

“I can’t believe she’d do that to him.  A sweet little thing like that.” 

Typical Hoss to think the best.  But he was wasting his good nature on Melissa.  Adam had the right idea.  “Just because you think every girl’s got a heart of gold doesn’t mean it’s true.”

“I know that.”

Pa stepped in.  “Let’s just try to figure out how we deal with this.  We don’t want Little Joe to feel their relationship meant nothing.”

“Maybe he should.  After all, she felt that way.”  I could almost see the shocked expression on Pa’s face, which filled the silence before Adam continued, “Look at the facts.  She’s out of Joe’s sight for five minutes and falls for the first man who comes along.  That doesn’t sound like a deep, abiding love.”

“I can’t speak for what was in Melissa’s heart, but I know what was in your brother’s.”

“Pa.  The hopeless romantic.”

“Now, just a—”

“All I’m saying is it’s time the kid toughened up and started being less exclusive in his attentions.  Spare us those black moods every time his heart gets trampled on.”

The next day, Adam slapped me on the back, grimaced, and said, “Tough luck, Kid.  But better this than to have married the girl.” 

Hoss took me to Virginia City, bought me as many beers as I could hold, then took me home and put me to bed.

Sometimes, Big Brother had the right idea.

***

Chapter 2

Three weeks after the letter arrived, Mrs. Williams came calling.  I heard her out with my fingers pressed into my knees.

“I’m sorry, Little Joe, for how things turned out.  Melissa truly loved you.  But when she met Samuel, everything changed.  She did struggle with her feelings, I promise you.

“She told me.”

Mrs. Williams sighed.  “You see, he was new and exciting, and you were someone she’d known her whole life.”

“I get it.”

“Well, I’m not so sure you do, and I don’t blame you for that.  If you can find it in your heart, try not to be too angry with her.  She really didn’t want to hurt you.”

Well, heck, that made it all better! 

Adam had a point.  A young, good-looking fella like me should be sowing a few wild oats.  Why tie myself down?

The heat followed me into the house.  I shut the front door, and Pa looked up from his chair.  “Whew!  Sure is hot out there.”  Coiling my gun belt, I made for the stairs, needing to wash off the dust that caked me before lunch.

“Joe.  Can we talk?” 

“Sure, Pa.  What is it?”

“Come sit down.”

Perched on the edge of the seat, I mentally ran through my chores.  What had I forgotten?   

“I’ve heard you’ve asked Carrie-Ann to the dance?”

My back stiffened.  “That’s right.”

“Not, Susan?”

“No.  I took her to the last dance.”

“I had the impression she was expecting you to ask her again.”

“I can’t help what she thinks.”

“I see.  And what about the other young ladies you’ve escorted in the last two months?”

“What about them?  They were just a bit of fun.”

“Just a bit of fun.  Well, it just shows how a father can be wrong.  Here was I thinking you were growing up.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Exactly what you think it did.”

“You saying I’m acting like a kid?”

“Aren’t you?”

“I’m just being less exclusive in my attentions.”

Recognition settled hard in Pa’s eyes.  “Are you?  Or are you just trying to punish others for something another did?”

My throat tightened, strangling a denial that would be a lie. 

Pa’s voice softened.  “I understand how you feel, after what happened.  I’m just asking you to think about whether you’re being fair to those young women.”

Shame burned its way through me, scorching my anger.  Those girls were convenient and easy to use.  I bit my lip.  Had I even enjoyed a single minute?  “I’m an idiot.”

I didn’t deserve the fingers that wrapped around my forearm or the warm look in Pa’s eyes.  “No.  You’re just young.”

“Thanks!  I think.”  I blew out a breath.  “What do I do?”

“That, I’ll let you decide.”

Spending my last three dollars on a trip to La Petite Confiserie, I left with six neat boxes of Bonbons tied with pretty ribbons.  They ought to help smooth things over.

The cold shoulders and even dodging the box of bonbons thrown in my face were better than the slap Susan gave me.  That girl had a heck of a right. 

My last call was to Carrie-Ann.  The ride out to her Pa’s place took me an hour.  Hopefully, I wouldn’t be kicked off the property before at least getting a drink.

Carrie-Ann had heard me out in silence as I explained why taking her to the dance wasn’t a good idea.  Gulping the glass of lemonade, the swing seat beneath me rocked back and forth.  She turned the glass in her hands.  Would I get a face full of lemonade?  I wouldn’t blame her.

Instead, Carrie-Ann gave me a soft smile.  “I understand.  How about we make a deal?  We go to the dance, but just as friends and have fun.  How about that?”

Putting out my hand, I grinned.  “It’s a deal.”

I wasn’t angry at Melissa anymore, and although my chest still ached when her face drifted into my thoughts, time would ease my pain.  In the meantime, maybe a little fun wasn’t such a bad idea. 

~ The End ~
Jan 2026