The Fallen Star A Little House fanfic

  

Almanzo finds something he never expected to see again.  In fact, he had even forgotten that he made it in the first place.  And he is determined to finish it up.  Story complete in one chapter. 

The Fallen Star

Almanzo was at his worktable in the barn, finishing up what he started long ago.  Well, it actually felt like a long time ago with everything he had gone through, but he knew things could only get better from here. 

The two of them had come through so much that it was a miracle he found this “fallen star” as he called it.  It was funny that he hadn’t remembered that he had even started it, not until he found it buried in something he had made out of cigar boxes no less. 

It was what he called a keepsake box, something that he had first made for his sister, Eliza Jane.  Almanzo had seen the cigar boxes that Mr. Oleson was throwing away and took them off his hands.  The wood lent itself to this kind of thing.  Basically, it was a small box, maybe four inches high and about four inches across, just enough to fit six drawers in it.   Sis fell in love with it and she had asked for more so she could give them out as presents.

He also made them for the women he dated, but they weren’t the least bit happy with them.  They didn’t need keepsake boxes, most of the girls he knew told them.  In fact, some of the women that Eliza had given them to weren’t very happy with them either.

In any case, the keepsake box was gone at this point and all he found was the star, well, what had begun as a star. 

Almanzo turned it over and over in his hand and remembered.  It brought him back to the first time he worked on it, the first time he fell in love with his wife Laura, the night of the church social.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“The music stopped, Manly.” Laura told him looking up at him. 

“Did it?” he answered, his eyes locked into hers. “Want to stop?”

She shook her head.  “I don’t ever want to stop.”

“Funny,” he said, staring into her light brown eyes.  “I don’t want to either.”

The two of them kept dancing as the small band broke into “Little Brown Jug.”

“Do you still want to dance?” he leaned over and whispered.

“Want to leave?” she whispered back.

Almanzo nodded his head.  “Where do you want to go?”

Laura smiled and grabbed his hand.  “I’ve got just the place.”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“I didn’t realize this tree had a place to sit,” Almanzo said, joining Laura by the tree.  “They added more chairs on the porch at Nellie’s, you know.”

Laura smiled at him and shook her head. “It’s too bright over there, Manly and just a bit crowded.”  She sat down and patted the bench next to her.  “Are you going stand there all night?”

Almanzo kept looking at her.  “Got somethin’ in mind?”

Laura looked at him and frowned.  “Of course I do. How about we do some star gazing, Manly?  It’s a bit bright over here too, but we might be able to see a shooting star or something. “

Almanzo kept looking at her as he sat down.  He couldn’t take his eyes off her.  He couldn’t believe how he strange he felt.  It was so different looking at her now, now that she was….

“You should be looking that way, Almanzo Wilder,” she said, pointing in the opposite direction.  She turned toward him and found him still looking in her direction.  “It’s a clear night. You should see every star in the sky.”

He nodded and, with one last look, reluctantly turned his head.  He was surprised at how much he could see.  Laura was right, the sky was clear and bright and beautiful.  He loved looking out at the prairie sky.  He always sat outside on the porch of the Wilder farm and watched the stars.  Tonight, for the first time since he and his sister moved to Walnut Grove, he had no interest in it at all. Again, Almanzo fought to look away from her.

“Look, Manly, there’s goes a shooting star.” 

He nodded his head and pointed.  “There’s another one right behind it.  See it, Beth?  It’s right over…”

He stopped as she came closer.  She nodded.  “Look, Manly,” she said pointing.  “There’s another one.  I’ve never seen so many in one night.”

She turned to face him and found him looking at her.

“All I see is you, Laura Ingalls,” he whispered, looking into her eyes.

And they stayed that way the rest of the evening until…. 

“So that’s where you got off to?”

Laura looked up and Almanzo turned around.  He stood up.

“Mr. Ingalls?”

“We were looking for you two,” Charles said, trying not to smile.  “I hope we didn’t interrupt anything,”

“Just stargazing, Pa,” Laura chimed in.  She stood up.  “Is something wrong?”

“We just wanted to let you know we’re leaving.  It’s getting late, your Ma’s tired and I still have that barn roof to fix.  Albert has some chores in the morning and you, young lady, have some chores to do yourself.”

“I’ll take her home, Mr. Ingalls,” Almanzo said, reaching out for Laura’s hand.  “My sister and I have some chores to do ourselves. Didn’t realize how late it was.”

Charles patted Almanzo on the back.  “Just don’t keep my daughter out too much longer, Almanzo,” he said, looking at him.  “You know you’re welcome anytime, don’t you, son?” He smiled and put his hand out.

Almanzo took Charles’ hand in his own.  “Yes sir,” he said, smiling back at him. 

Charles nodded.  He gave Laura a last look before he turned and walked across the street to Nellie’s.

“Come on,” Almanzo whispered.  “Let’s go see about my sister.  She probably wants to leave too.  I did come with her you know.”

Laura nodded.  They both looked at each other and smiled.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 Almanzo couldn’t sleep, too many thoughts of Laura Ingalls roaming around his head.  He needed to think this thing out.  He couldn’t keep his eyes of her.  He couldn’t stop thinking about her.  She made another comment tonight that took him by surprise.  When he asked what she wanted to do instead of dance.  And what did she answer? 

Stargazing, that’s what she said, stargazing.

But that’s what Laura Ingalls was, a star, a star in the heavens. And she was his star, except that Laura had fallen and landed at his doorstep. She was special.  She was his and his alone and he wasn’t going to lose her. He knew what he had to do as he ran into the barn to his worktable.  He found some wood and started to whittle away at it.   He worked at it until he got tired.  He got three of the five points done when he wrapped it up and put in one of his leftover keepsake boxes. 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Well, the star was finished.  It took him a week but he finally got it painted, polished and perfect. Now that her family had moved and he had learned to walk, he fell in love with her all over again.  He needed to cheer her up and this was only thing he could think to give her.   After all, Laura Ingalls was a star, a star in the heavens. And she was his star, except that Laura had fallen and landed at his doorstep. She was special.  She was his and his alone and he wasn’t going to lose her.  Not ever.  

This time though, there were two stars.  There was one for Laura and one for Rose; the two special women in his life. He scooped up the stars, put them in his pocket and walked out of the barn. He opened the door and there was his wife and daughter waiting for him.  He ran over to them and wrapped them both in his arms.  A little later, he would surprise them. And after they put Rose to sleep, he and Laura would go stargazing like they did while they were courting. 

And right now that was the only thing on his mind. 

She's Having My Baby Part 2 A Little House fanfic

There is a storm outside and it is keeping Almanzo awake. But that isn't the only reason that he can't sleep.  The story is complete in one chapter.  

 

She’s Having My Baby Part 2

1889

As usual, Almanzo couldn’t sleep, but this time it was the storm that woke him. The lightning was fierce as the thunder moved away; it lit up the entire room.  And it was just enough to scare to Rose who had started to cry outside in the large common room.  He was about to go out there to check on her until he heard Jenny pick her up from the cradle and took Rose into her room to calm her down.

Almanzo turned from the window to look at Laura for any reaction to the storm.  The sound of her light snoring put Almanzo at ease.  He shook his head and smiled.  Nothing could wake her, especially now that she was pregnant again.  And she could have the baby anytime, according to Doc Baker.  He hoped it was a girl as all three of them had settled on the name Elizabeth.  They wouldn’t be prepared if it was a boy. 

Almanzo kept his eyes on Laura as he walked over to his side of the bed.  He was so worried about her and the baby this time.  He didn’t want anything going wrong, nothing at all.  He loved her and he couldn’t bear to see hurt or frightened.  She had had enough things that had gone wrong, she didn’t need anymore. 

Manly lay down on the bed next to her.  He propped himself up on his elbow and watched her as she slept, still snoring lightly.   He stroked her hair and traced everything on her face, her lips being the last thing he touched.

She was his Beth, his beautiful Beth.   And that’s what she would always be.   

She was so beautiful, Almanzo thought, as he kept staring at her.  He loved everything about her, he wouldn’t change a thing.   There was no age difference anymore, not to him.  She made him feel so much younger and he loved it.  Beth made him feel as if he could do anything as long as she was by his side.

Where would he be without her?  How could he make it without her next to him?  What would he do if something happened to her and the baby?  What if…  He shook his head to clear it.  There was no what if, ands or buts.   He was sure everything would be fine.     And if it wasn’t, they would get through this together.  Marriage was a partnership; it was a compromise.

The arguments were part of life.  Yes, they argued, yes, they had their moments, but they always made up, they always got back together.  He was surprised that neither of them could stay angry that long at each other.  He loved her too much.  He needed her too much. 

The thunder started again and another bolt of lightning lit up their small bedroom. 

 He thought of everything they had gone through up to this point.  He thought of his illness, diphtheria for a start.  The hailstorm came later and that ruined his crops.  And his carelessness caused his stroke.

And the tornado came and wiped out the house and his health along with it.  It took away his strength and his confidence in himself.  And it took away his will to live and his dreams of the future.  And it almost wiped out their marriage.  There was no husband anymore; the man she married was gone.  In his place was a cripple, a useless hunk of flesh that she’d have to take care of for the rest of her life.  He didn’t want that, he didn’t want any of that.  That wasn’t who he was.  And he sunk deeper into depression.

And then Laura got hit by some flying object, a piece of wood from the house, perhaps.  No one really knew.  And Laura lost consciousness.  She lay outside throughout the storm, the black cat guarding her, making sure that she was safe.  At least that’s where they found her when Charles and the boys stopped by the house to see how everything was holding up.    

And when Almanzo heard Doc Baker tell Charles and Caroline that she would be alright, he wasn’t sure how he felt.  Could he change?  Could he become the husband that she needed?    As much as he hated to admit it, she had stuck by him, nursed him, and helped him when he needed her.  And through all that, she bore their child, a little girl that they named Rose.   

And now Beth needed him and he had to prove he could be there for her, just as she had been for him.  Almanzo, with Charles’ help, forced himself to walk as part of a surprise for Laura.  When Almanzo was well enough, the two started to build a house as the second part of that surprise.  Almanzo made up his mind, they would stay in Walnut Grove; there was no moving to Minneapolis with Eliza Jane for him. 

It hurt Eliza Jane in the end, but what mattered the most to him was how Laura felt. He loved Eliza Jane but he had his wife and his daughter to think of first.  He never regretted that decision. 

“Beth,” he whispered, looking down at her.  He shook his head and smiled, “My Beth.”

Almanzo reached out with both his arms and wrapped them around her waist, being careful not to disturb the baby.    He stretched himself out, moved closer to her and tightened his grip.  

“Stay with me forever, Laura, I need you here beside me. I’ll always be there for you, I promise.”  He brushed his lips over her ear.  “I love you, Beth, I’ll always love you.”

Almanzo put his head down next to her and fell asleep knowing that the chores would be a little late this morning. All that mattered to him was that he’d wake up next to his Beth and that was all he cared about.   

And when they awoke, Almanzo and Laura would find that the storm had passed and the only light that filled their room would be the warm sunlight of an early June morning.        

 

The Little Matchmaker Part 2 A Little House fanfic

 

 The Little Matchmaker Part 2

Almanzo and Laura have another argument, but it doesn't last very long thanks to a little matchmaker. Story complete in one chapter.

The Little Matchmaker Part 2

“Beth, how many times do I have to tell you that there is nothing between Thea and me,” Almanzo said, staring at her. 

Laura frowned.  She was standing at the sink washing off the dishes.  As soon as she finished, she handed Manly one to dry. 

“I’ve been hearing all kinds of things, Almanzo,” she said, washing off another dish as Manly put one in the cabinet. “And every time I need you for something, you’re upstairs with her.”

“Yes, it’s true, we’re always talking,” Almanzo answered, as he accepted another dish.  “I can’t lie, Laura, sometimes we get to talking too much, but it’s always about you and what you’d like and what you want and how much money I want to spend and….”

Laura stopped handing him dishes and turned around to look at him; a frown still on her face.   “So you’re telling me that you neglect me and your daughter because of some piece of jewelry she wants to sell you?”

“How many times a day does Coop visit with you?  I swear, Beth, I’m beginning to think he likes you a bit too much.  I don’t complain every time he shows you another belt buckle or a decorative horseshoe do I?”

 “Oh, Manly,” Laura said, turning back to the dishes.  “Now that’s ridiculous, Cooper is a…

“Married?  Yes and so is Thea.  And I’ll remind you in case you’ve forgotten.  They are married to each other.  And they are very much in love.”

Laura looked at him.  “You don’t sound too happy about it.  You sound a little disappointed to me.”

Almanzo frowned.  “Beth,” he sighed, shaking his head.  He threw down the dish towel and walked out, just as three and half year old Rose wandered in.

“Papa?”

But Almanzo wasn’t listening; he walked right past his daughter as if she didn’t exist.  She waited and watched as he walked out the door, and then, with a look toward her mother in the kitchen, followed him outside.

“Papa?” Rose called, running after him, “Papa, stop.”

And Almanzo turned and with a smile bent down to her height.  He caught her as she ran into his arms. 

“You know, Rosey, you shouldn’t be running in the middle of the street like that, you have to be very careful.”

“I wanted to be with you, Papa,” she said, looking in his eyes.  “I wanted to cheer you up.  I heard you and Mama Beth yelling at each other again.”

“Yeah,” Almanzo, said, rubbing her cheek and stroking her hair.  “I made a mountain out of a molehill, didn’t I?  I shouldn’t get mad at your Mama, but sometimes I do.  Nothing to fret over Rosey Posey, we all get angry sometimes.”

“Yes, but you and Mama get angry at each other too much.  Don’t you love her?”

Almanzo stared at his daughter.  Out of the mouths of babes, he thought as he stood up.  “Of course I love your Mama.”

“You don’t act like it,” Rose said.

Almanzo looked at his daughter.  “Come on,” he said, as he extended his hand.  “Come take a walk with me.”

“Are you going to see that lady, Mrs. Highsmith?  Mama Beth says that she thinks…”

Almanzo looked at his daughter.  She was a smart one.  

“I don’t love Mrs. Highsmith, Rosey.  I love your mother; I’ll always love your mother.  And you can tell her I told you that.”

He was talking to her as if she were older.  He was forgetting how old she really was, just like he kept forgetting Beth’s age.

“Manly,” a voice called after him.  He turned to find Laura staring at him. 

“Beth,” he whispered, looking into her eyes, “My Beth.”

And he dropped Rose’s hand and ran into her arms in the middle of the street. 

He kissed her and forgot everything else.

They parted and he stared into her eyes.  “I can’t stay angry at you anymore,” he smiled. 

“I don’t want you to be angry,” she said, as the two of them drew closer together.  They were about to kiss again when a small voice called….

“Papa,”

Almanzo released Laura and looked downward. 

“Rose?”

“Over here, Papa.”

Laura and Almanzo turned to find Rose in the middle of the street, Cooper Highsmith holding her hand.

“She just ran out to say hello, right Rose?”

“I’m so sorry, Coop.” Laura said, Almanzo’s arms resting lightly on her shoulders.  He was still looking into her brown eyes as she was looking into his blue ones.  It’s just that we were a bit….“

“I’ll take her back,” Coop said, “Thea has a surprise for her.  And you two have a surprise in the barn back there.”

But the two of them weren’t really paying attention, they were more interested each other. 

“Come on, Rose,” Cooper said, looking at Laura and Almanzo.  They couldn’t take their eyes off each other and they had forgotten that they were still in the middle of the street.  “We’ll see them soon.  Let me take you to the barn in back of the boardinghouse. You’ve been there before, right?”

“Are we going to see Mrs. Highsmith?”

Cooper smiled and looked into her eyes.  “You are a smart little lady, Rose,” he whispered, bending down to kiss her forehead.  He looked into her eyes, stood up and took her hand again.  “Come on; let’s leave your Mama and Papa alone for now.”

XXXXXXXXXX

“These are beautiful,” Laura said, going through the baby dresses that Thea had discovered.

“I saw them and thought of you and Mannie,” she said.

“It looks like Rose loves them too,” Cooper said, as Rose grabbed a pretty pastel blue dress with lots of lace and handed it to Almanzo. 

“Rose,” Laura said, frowning, but Almanzo just took the dress and took hold of his daughter’s hand. 

“Come on, Rosey, let’s go try this on.”

“And the furniture is lovely,” Laura said.  “We really could use them in Rose’s new bedroom.   Manly was going to build some of it, but with this…”

“It was all there,” Thea smiled, looking at her. “All we thought of was you and Mannie.  Use it well.”

Laura smiled back, ran into her arms and kissed her on the cheek.  “I don’t know how to…”

“You don’t owe us anything, Laura.  The gift of your love and friendship is all that is needed here.”

“Beth, Coop, Thea,” Almanzo called from the little curtained off area that Thea used to store her things in.  “You’ve got to take a look.”

“Ladies, come here,” Cooper said, smiling.  “Laura, your daughter looks beautiful.”

Rose was the first one out followed by Almanzo.  He was beaming as he looked at Laura. 

“She looks like a little princess,” Almanzo said, as he looked at his wife.  “All that lace.”

“I have to admit that color looks really good on her.”

Almanzo smiled and nodded.  “I have to agree.”

“And it fits her well, although some of them need to be taken in.”

“And that should be no trouble for you, Beth.  You can do anything.”

“So,” Thea said, looking at Laura.  “Does this mean that you like it?”

“Of course, they like it,” Mr. Edwards said, as he walked into the Highsmith’s room. “It was partly my idea to get it for them.” He turned to Laura.  “After all, she is my goddaughter and I promised your Pa that I’d watch out for his family.”

“And we appreciate everything you’ve done for us, Isaiah, and all of you.” Almanzo smiled.  And there were hugs and kisses all around until Mr. Edwards made his announcement.

“Mr. Sherwood Montague requests the honor of your presence in the dining room as dinner is being served.  Jenny and Rachel are helping out tonight.  Is everyone ready?”

“Let’s go,” Cooper said, looking at his wife.  “I’m starved.”

XXXXXXXXXXXX

 “I absolutely can’t believe that Mr. Montague made that cold chicken with the weeds and sprinkles….”

They had moved into one of guest bedrooms upstairs; it had reminded them of their small bedroom in the house that Almanzo and Charles built to surprise Laura with.  

“It’s called lemon chicken and it has herbs and aspic and…”

“Tarragon,” Almanzo said, smiling, moving closer to her on the bed.  “You don’t have to remind me.  Mr. Montague was so surprised that two of us knew exactly what his dish was.”

“Uh, Manly,” Laura said, “Guess who told him about it?”

Almanzo’s eyes went wide and his shy smile appeared on his lips.  “And you probably made the potato salad.” He put his arms around her shoulders.  “Go ahead and tell me that I’m wrong.”

Laura smiled and shook her head. “Okay, you’re wrong.  Mr. Montague did all the cooking.  We got to talking about the lemon chicken recipe because it was so hot.  He told me that he wanted to show off his culinary skills.”

“I guess that means he wanted to show us all he could cook,” Almanzo answered, still smiling.  “Well, I got news for him.  No one, no one beats my wife at cooking, no one.”

“That’s all well and good, but if I remember right…”

He kissed her lightly on the lips, pulled back and stared into her eyes.

“There were several times I could question it, though,” he said, trying to keep a straight face.

“MANLY,” Laura said, as Almanzo started to laugh.  It took a few seconds before Laura joined in, and they kissed again.

“Did you like the surprise?”

“You mean you knew all the time?”

“You mean about Rose’s furniture for her new room?   Yes and no, Laura.  I saw Isaiah and Coop maneuvering it into the barn out back, that’s the yes part.  I had no idea it was supposed to be for Rose’s new room.  No one even told me.  Did you know that they all chipped in to buy the set for us, too?”

“And I guess that included Thea Simms Highsmith didn’t it?” Laura shook her head and frowned.  “No, no one told me a thing.  How did you find out?”

Almanzo was trying not to smile.  “Rose repeated exactly what she heard Thea, Cooper and Isaiah talking about.   And that’s when Mrs. Thea Simms Highsmith walked inside to show you and confirmed it.  She’s a smart little thing, Beth.  Sometimes I forget that she’s only three and a half going on four.  It’s amazing how much like her Ma she is.”

 Laura looked into his eyes.  “What’s that supposed to mean, Almanzo?”

His smile only widened.  “Only the good things, darlin’,” he whispered, playing with her long loose auburn hair.  He shook his head.  “Only the good things, that’s all. I love you, Beth, and I always will.”

And Almanzo kissed her again and this time there was no interruption.