A Sudden Storm
A Fill in for Days of Sunshine, Days of Shadow, Part 2
Author’s Note:
I often wondered why Laura never questioned what happened to Almanzo and Eliza Jane when she returned to the Wilder farm after visiting with her parents at the little house. I mean, when she left, EJ and Almanzo were still there and when she returned they were both gone and she never questioned or went looking for them. And there was no note telling her where they went. I know I would have been worried sick, but that’s just me. So, after many years of wondering, I finally gave in to my curiosity and wrote my version of this story.
I hope that you enjoy.
A Sudden Storm
Laura ran down the stairs. Her father had mentioned that Ed Smith would be putting up hay today and she had passed it along to Almanzo three days ago. She had never gotten an answer from him one way or another. Pa had mentioned it again last night and he offered to come by, pick him up and drive him over to there.
It would be fun for Almanzo, Pa reminded her. Cutting hay and drying it took time; Ed would need all the help he could get. Ed knew that Almanzo had limited movement and he promised Charles to make it worth his while if he came.
Laura walked across the parlor to the bedroom where Almanzo had been sleeping since his stroke. Eliza Jane was in there as usual. She had started showing up all hours of the day and night and sometimes, on the weekends. She had no timetable, she told them one night. It was always private and he never confided in her anymore, not like he used to. Their conversations were always loud, especially if and when Almanzo disagreed with her, which had been very often lately. Sometimes, their conversations were so loud that their voices traveled upstairs straight into the room Laura slept in.
She didn’t get to hear exactly what the two of them were arguing about this time. The only thing she heard was Ed Smith’s name. Eliza kept repeating there was no reason for him for him to go; there was nothing he could do. Besides, he should keep his focus on selling the house. After all, they were moving to Minneapolis with her.
Laura backed off. She ran back upstairs, scooped up Rose and ran down the stairs again. She headed off to the visit her parents and to tell her Pa that Almanzo wouldn’t be joining them today.
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Almanzo was hurting inside. No matter what he told her last night, he missed her a lot. He wanted her by his side, forever, through thick and thin, until death parted them. He couldn’t bear the empty space next to him. Eliza’s continued presence was starting to get to him. He wanted Beth and he wanted Eliza gone. His sister was only causing more friction between him and Beth. He was sorry he told her that her husband didn’t exist anymore. He didn’t mean what he said and he didn’t know what came over him. He wanted to apologize, he wanted to hold her in his arms and tell her it was all a mistake, that he loved her and he….
“Almanzo?”
He looked up and, instead of his sister; he was looking into the eyes of his father in law. Albert and James stood on either side of him ready and waiting for any order that Charles might give.
“Charles? Is there a reason why you’re here?”
“Laura mentioned that you didn’t want to join us today.”
Almanzo frowned. “Beth?”
“She’s with Caroline, Almanzo, having a cup of tea,” Charles said. “She should be back soon. We told her that we’d stop by to see if you wanted to come with us to Ed’s this morning. He invited you to come out special. He knows what happened, Almanzo. He just thought that you might…”
“Charles,” Eliza interrupted, “I don’t think it’s a good idea to move Almanzo around. I think he’ll just be getting in the way…”
“Sis,” Almanzo said, angry now. “I think that I’ll take Charles up on his offer. There’s really nothing for you to do there. Charles is right. If you want you could stay here and wait, but I’m not sure what time we’ll get back. It depends on the weather, Eliza. It looks like it’s gonna storm any minute. We have to get as much hay off the ground as we possibly can before it rains.”
He tried to smile, but Eliza Jane wasn’t having any of it. “If that’s what you want, Almanzo,” she said, looking at Charles and then her brother for acknowledgement.
“It is,” Almanzo told her, looking into her eyes. “I’m sure Charles and the boys can manage.”
“And what will you do, Almanzo? What about the house?”
“Ed knows what’s happened, Eliza, he knows exactly what I can and can’t do” he said, “Charles says he invited me out special.” Almanzo looked up at her. “And as far as the house is concerned, I need to think on it more. Right now, the only thing I want to do is enjoy myself for once. Please go back to the hotel room okay?”
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The wheelchair was loaded on first and then Charles and Albert managed to get Almanzo aboard the rig and settled into the chair. The ride was a bit bumpy, Almanzo wasn’t sure how it was going to feel, this was the first time he had gone anywhere since the stroke. It was strange not to be the one driving.
By the time they got there, it was raining. Most of hay was moved into the barn to dry earlier that morning. Much of the work was taken care of and every one of the helpers had gone home. There was nothing else to do but wait.
Almanzo, Charles and the boys were invited inside for coffee, fresh milk and some homemade doughnuts. They sat in the kitchen waiting for the rain to let up when they heard the wind blowing up.
“Tornado,” Charles called out as he saw the funnel sweeping across the prairie.
“Beth,” Almanzo whispered, his eyes widening, looking at Charles. “She must be home by now and it looks like it’s headed in our direction.”
“Let’s go,” Charles said, looking at Albert and James. “Get your pitchforks. Hopefully we’re not too late.”
By the time they arrived, the house was in ruins. Almanzo stared hopelessly at what was left. It looked as if the ground had swallowed up the bottom half of the house. The roof and dormer windows leaned drunkenly to the right. Some of the windows were broken, some weren’t. Piles of wood were strewn every which way. Four of five dead trees had fallen and splintered into a mixture of branches, bark and limbs.
“Beth?” Almanzo cried out, hoping to hear her voice, but no one answered. “Beth?”
In the distance, they heard a baby’s cry.
“It’s coming from the root cellar,” Albert said, hopping off the rig. He looked at Almanzo. “She could be in there with Rose.”
“Don’t worry, son,” Charles said, putting his hand on Almanzo’s shoulder. “We’ll find them.”
Charles and James jumped off the rig together and joined Albert on the ground.
It didn’t take too long to find Laura. She was lying unconscious not too far from a fallen tree. In front of her, keeping guard, was a black cat, meowing loudly.
“I see her,” Almanzo said, pointing. His first instinct was to run, scoop her up in his strong arms, place her in the rig and drive straight to Doc Baker, but no matter how hard he tried, his legs wouldn’t cooperate. His feelings were still there, they were still strong within him. He was now the husband who couldn’t even save his wife or his baby girl. And that was not him.
Almanzo couldn’t even look at his wife as Charles placed Laura at his feet. He barely heard his father in law tell him to keep an eye on her. Albert held on to Rose on their way back to the Ingalls place. He suddenly realized that this was where he was going to stay from now on, how long he wasn’t sure of.
Now, as he watched Doc Baker take care of Beth, he became the husband who wouldn’t be able to take care of his own wife. He wasn’t even sure if he was happy when the doctor told them that Beth would be fine, that she would be sleeping most of the time and to encourage her to eat and regain her strength.
“I’m goin’ out for some for some fresh air,” Almanzo told his in laws as he wheeled himself out the door.
He had to do something. He had to stop feeling sorry himself. He had to stop wishing that he was dead or even praying that he would die and that he was a burden to everyone around him. He had to face reality. His Beth and his little Rosey were still alive and they needed him. It was hard with Eliza pulling him one way and Laura pulling him in another.
He didn’t realize how long he sat there, out in the front yard, until Caroline came out looking for him.
“She’s been asking for you, Almanzo,” she told him.
He nodded and looked up. “I’ll be right in.”
Caroline nodded. She saw tears forming in his eyes, but she didn’t say anything. “I’m so sorry, Almanzo. Everything will work itself out, just know that we love the both of you and we will always be there for you.”
It’s not you, Caroline, Almanzo thought, it’s me. I have to change.
But instead of telling her, he smiled. “Ma,” he said, “You and Pa have already done so much for both of us. I can’t thank you enough, for the roof over our heads and for caring enough to give us a place to stay while we recover. Oh, and I want to thank you for taking care of Rosey .“
“You’re part of the family, Almanzo, whether you like it or not. All I ask is that you take care of my daughter and my granddaughter.” Caroline said. “They will need you, Almanzo.”
And I need them, Caroline, he thought, more than you know.
He looked down at his feet and nodded. “I promise you that I will.” He looked up and smiled. “Ma, I’ve been thinking and I need to ask two favors of you. The first is to let you know that if you see Eliza Jane before I do, tell her I need to speak with her. The day after tomorrow will be fine.”
Caroline nodded. “And what’s the second?”
Almanzo smiled. “I want to make breakfast for everyone tomorrow morning,”
Caroline smiled. “You think you’re ready?”
He nodded. “I know I am. Anyway, you can take over anytime you want to.”
The two of them smiled at one another.
“Hey, you two,” Charles called, coming out of the house. “Dinner is ready.”
“Is Laura awake?”
“I’m afraid not, Almanzo, I just looked in on her.”
He nodded. “I just want to sit with her a while, I promise I won’t be long.”
“Go on, son,” Charles told him. “We’ll be in a few minutes.”
He wheeled himself in and went straight to Ma and Pa’s room where Laura lay on the bed asleep. He watched her for a while.
He stroked her hair and touched her cheek. It brought back memories of their wedding night, their first night alone together.
“I love you, Beth,” he bent down to whisper in her ear. “I promised your Ma that I’d be there for you and Rose and I’ll never break that promise. I’ll always love you no matter what comes our way.”
He touched her cheek and kissed her lightly on the lips.
And, with one last look in her direction, he wheeled himself out.
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