She Loves Me Little House fanfiction

To celebrate the renewal of their vows, Charles asks Almanzo to work on a surprise present for Caroline, a heart with their initials on it. Almanzo likes the idea and decides to make one for Laura. A one shot. Story updated and edited for content. Complete story in one chapter

 She Loves Me

Almanzo was whistling as he finished up Charles' surprise for Caroline. His father in law had asked him while they were taking their lunch break.

"There's something I'd like you to do for me, Almanzo," Charles said as he took a bite of his sandwich. "It has to do with your woodworking skills."

Almanzo smiled. "You're not so bad yourself, Charles," he answered.

"Well, it's a small wedding present for my wife," Charles said, smiling at him. "And I want it to be a surprise. Caroline seems to always walk in on me when I'm working on something."

And when Charles told him exactly what he wanted, he smiled and thought he might do one for himself and surprise Laura with the same thing.

Almanzo put down the one he made for Charles and picked up the one he made for Laura. He smiled as he polished it remembering when and why he had carved one the first time.

"She loves me," Almanzo almost yelled it out, but he had to control himself, especially with Eliza Jane close enough to hear it. She would really think he'd gone crazy.

He ran into the woods not too far from the house, took his pen knife out of his pocket and scrawled the initials into the tree. And then, after realizing what he'd done, he tried to cross it out.

And when he realized he couldn't, he smiled and shrugged. For the first time in his life, he was in love and nothing was going to stop it. He wanted to tell everyone, just not this way.

Almanzo never forgave himself for doing it either. A twenty five year old man doesn't go around carving his and his sweetheart's initials in the nearest tree he could find.

What was worse was that he hadn't carved their real names in the tree, either.

The initials M + B with a heart around it, was all he managed before he tried to get rid of it, but it didn't matter. No one would know except the two people involved anyway. And it wasn't all that far from the house.

And then again, why shouldn't he have done it? It was the first time Beth told him she loved him, but what was better was that it was the first time Almanzo had finally admitted he loved her out loud.

He stared at the wooden version of the one he made for Laura. He made two holes on top of the heart and threaded the leather string through, tying it up.

He stared at both of them and smiled. Charles and Caroline were supposed to come over for dinner tomorrow night and they were going to surprise their wives with them. He couldn't wait to see Laura's face when she saw...

"Manly, what are you doing out here? Supper's starting to get…."

He turned at the sound of her voice.

"What are you doing out here?" he said, trying to find something to cover the two of them up before she saw it.

"Almanzo, what's this?" she said, holding the two hearts up. "I know CI + CI are my parent's initials, but who are M + B?"

Manly smiled; he wasn't sure if she was kidding or not.

"You really don't know?" he said, putting his arms around her waist.

"I could guess," she said smiling up at him.

"It's a surprise for tomorrow night," he said swaying her back and forth. "Your Pa asked me to make one for your Ma. I decided to make one for us. It just kinda reminded me of the one that I did last year?"

Laura's eyes went wide. "Did you just say it reminded you of the one that you did last year?"

Almanzo smiled, "Is that what I said?"

"Show it to me, please?"

"Beth,"

"Come on, I showed you the one I carved."

"All right," he said, "just promise me you won't laugh."

Laura smiled, "I promise."

Almanzo reached up for the lantern, grabbed her hand and they walked into the woods. This was the first time he'd been over there since he carved it last year.

He picked the lantern up and shone it on the carving.

Laura stared at it. "What are those squiggly lines on the side of it over there?" she said trying not to smile.

Almanzo sighed. "I tried to cross it out," he said, still looking at it.

"You tried to what?" she said, trying to cover her mouth with her hands, but she couldn't stop herself.

"Beth, you promised," he said, smiling in spite of himself and they both started to laugh and they hugged each other.

"Why would you even think to cross it out, Manly?"

"I didn't want anyone else to see it, especially Eliza Jane," he said, "but then I realized that no one would even know who M and B were except you and me."

She pulled away from him and looked in his eyes. "And I'll bet you thought you were too old to do something like that in the first place, didn't you."

He smiled and put his arms around her waist. "Do you always read minds?"

"You're never too old to do anything, Manly. Remember that," she said, looking at him smiling. "And I love you."

"And I love you too, Beth," he told her, putting his arm around her shoulders. "Just remember to be surprised tomorrow night."

"I'll remember," she said, putting her arm around his waist. "Let's go, supper's ready and it's getting dark."

Almanzo picked up the lantern and smiled as they walked arm in arm toward the barn.

 

Initials Little House on the Prairie fanfiction

While clearing up the wood from the ruins of the first Wilder farm, Charles finds the remains of a carving that Almanzo left on a tree on the property. He fixes it up and surprises Almanzo and Laura with it. He also presents them with a cutting of a certain plant. A one shot. Story complete in one chapter

 Initials

Almanzo, Charles, Albert and James were out by the ruins of the Wilder farm, collecting as much firewood as they could. There was only one reason on Almanzo’s mind as they all sorted through all that loose wood. He was hoping to find the initials M + B that he had carved in a tree last year when Beth had told him that she loved him.

“Beth, I don’t want anyone to find that tree,” he told her during breakfast the next morning. “You know how embarrassing it would be for anyone except you or me to find those initials?”

Laura frowned. “Well,” she said, staring at him, “if you didn’t want anyone else to find them, why the heck did you carve them in the first place.”

Almanzo turned to look at her. He stood up and put his arms around her shoulders and swayed her back and forth. “I fell in love for the first time in my life, you loved me back and I was so happy. For heaven’s sake, Beth, it was just somethin’ I had to do. It was a spur of the moment thing. I never even thought about it until I stepped back to look at it.”

“And then you tried to cross it out,” Laura said, shaking her head. “If you thought it was such a dumb idea, why did you even bother?”

“Why does anyone do these things, Laura? Why did you do it? You and Albert were supposed to be fishing. Did you want him to find out that you carved our initials in that tree? Did you tell him about what you did? I mean, hey, that was the day we first….”

His voice trailed off. He stared at her, a slow smile starting at the corners of his mouth. “That was the day that we first met, wasn’t it?”

Almanzo looked in her eyes, waiting for an answer, which, by the way, never came.

“You can’t tell me, can you?”

“It was just something I had to do,” Laura said. “And yes, it was the day we first met. I was so happy and excited that I..”

Almanzo’s smile got wider. He looked at her and nodded his head. “Same answer as mine, right?”

She nodded. “Same answer,” she told him, smiling at him.

 The two of them stared at each other.

“Are you sure that the storm knocked it down?” she asked, changing the subject.

Almanzo nodded. “It was the tallest tree on the property,” he said, kissing her lightly before he sat down again. “It was the one nearest the barn.”

“It could have splintered into bits and pieces, Manly,”

He looked at her and shook his head. “I hadn’t even thought about that,” he said, his mouth full of eggs and toast. “Maybe I should have.”

He handed her the empty plate. “Do you have any more of these? Beth, these scrambled eggs are the best you’ve ever made. What’s in ‘em anyway?”

Laura grabbed his plate, picked up the frying pan and filled it with what little was left. She placed the plate on the table and looked at him with a smile. “Where do you put it all, Manly. This is your third helping. That’s it, the frying pan is empty. ”

“I know where you can get more eggs.”

“MANLY!”

They both laughed, hugging and kissing each other.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“Well,” Charles Ingalls said as he looked first at his wife and then at the block of wood in front of them, “What do you think?”

“Charles, you know what those initials stand for?”

“Of course I do, Caroline. Almanzo showed them to us the night after we came back from Wisconsin. I asked him to make me that heart with our initials inside.”

Caroline nodded. “And he made one for himself and Laura.”

“You’re going to do what you said you were?”

Charles nodded. “It won’t take long. All I have to do is shape up the block of wood and put it in the frame to give them. “He looked down at the initials inside the heart. “He told me the M + B looked the same, except for those lines over on the right side.”

“Charles? I have a question.”

“Go ahead,” he said, picking up the wood.

“I was always wondering why you let Mary get married at sixteen and you told Laura to wait until she was eighteen?”

Charles looked at his wife. “Caroline, Mary and Laura are two different people. “

“Tell me something I don’t know, Charles. Go on and tell me that Mary acts older than Laura does. Tell me that John Jr wasn’t ten years older than Mary and Laura was too young for Almanzo, even though she told you that she loved him and was sure that they would marry. Tell me that you were more comfortable with John Jr. than you were with Almanzo. Tell me that Almanzo grew on you because you two spend so much time….”

“Alright,” Charles said, looking at Caroline. “That’s enough, you win.” He smiled and wrapped his arms around Caroline’s waist. He pulled her close and kissed her. “I was wrong about the two of them.”

Caroline smiled. “Which two are we talking about?”

“You know darn well who and their initials are M + B.” Charles put his arm around his wife’s shoulders. “By the way, what the heck do you mean that Almanzo grew on me?"

“CHARLES,” she scolded as they headed toward the bedroom.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

“Beth?”

“I’m right next to you, Manly. I just put Rose to sleep.”

He picked up what he was making for Charles and Caroline.

“Do you think they would like this? It’s just a few tokens to remember us by.”

Laura took the four round wooden pieces in her hands and examined them. There was one for each one of them. Almanzo, Laura, Rose and the last one contained all three names together.

She smiled. “Manly, they’re beautiful,” she said, handing them back. “Are you going to put some leather ties….”

Almanzo smiled and picked them up to show her. “Are you talkin’ about these?”

Laura laughed and ran into his arms. “I guess you’re the mind reader now.”

“No,” Manly answered as he wrapped his arms around her. “That honor belongs to you. I only do it once in a while.”

He released her and they both smiled at one another. “Come on, it’s gettin’ late,” he told her, putting his arm across her shoulder. “It’s time for bed.”

And the two of them walked toward their own little house; arm in arm.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

“When are you leaving?” Almanzo asked, looking at Charles. They were standing outside on the small outside porch, staring out at the prairie grass waving lazily in the wind.

“As soon as the two of you are settled in,” Charles said, lighting his pipe. He looked up at the clear, starry sky. “I promised you and Half Pint. I also want to make sure the Carters have everything they need. Caroline knows and agrees with me. Albert is old enough and fully capable to handle any situation. I’m not worried. They will leave next week and I’ll meet them there once everything is done here. I figure around the middle of January or later. We’ll be alright, Almanzo.”

“Well, you write and let us know. Beth and I will miss you all of you. You’ve been a big help to both of us. I owe you and Caroline my life. I never properly thanked you for taking us in and caring for us when we needed you the most. ”

“You’re part of our family, “Charles and smiled. “I would never leave any part of family out in the cold.”

“I’ve been wrong about you, Almanzo,” he continued. “I should have realized that when you asked my permission to marry Laura. You’re smart and the hardest working young man I’ve ever known. And you’re true to your word. I know now that you’ll take care of my daughter and keep her happy.”

Almanzo smiled. “I love your daughter, Charles and I would do anything for her. I want you to know that. And I also want you to know that I was wrong about you. I should have known you had our best interests at heart, especially Laura’s. I am really grateful for everything you’ve done for us.”

The two looked at one another and smiled.

Almanzo let some time pass before he turned to Charles. “You know, it’s really funny that you came up with the same idea that I had?”

Charles frowned. “What idea was that?”

Almanzo looked surprised. “The round wooden pieces with our names and initials on it. The ones you can use for anything?”

Charles smiled and nodded.

“Anyway,” Almanzo continued. I really wanted to thank you for finding our initials, Pa, and thanks for putting them in that frame. It means so much to me that you were the one to find them. I already have a spot on the wall all ready. I was wondering if someone found them. I was a little embarrassed by carving them in the first place.”

Charles smiled and clapped him on the back. “Never be ashamed of anything you do, son. Never regret it, either. You did what you did. You make a mistake, if it was a mistake, and you learn. Just keep going on, Almanzo. You’re not perfect.”

“I just never thought I could ever do something like that.” Almanzo told him. “You know, it’s funny how Beth always quotes your words of wisdom. I guess now I have something to remember and share.”

Charles grabbed him and pulled him close. They stood that way for a moment, both of them with tears falling down their cheeks.

“Hey, you two,” Laura called out. “Dessert and coffee are on the table.”

“Those homemade doughnuts are delicious, Charles,” Almanzo said, as they parted. “We finished out the entire batch of them and Beth made plenty. You’ve got to try them before I finish out this batch all by myself.”

Charles nodded his head. “And with that appetite of yours, I wouldn’t doubt it,”

Almanzo smiled. “You’re right, that’s the reason I mentioned it. I wouldn’t be surprised if you had more than one yourself.”
“I’m sure you’re right. You know, the two of you two really fixed the place up beautifully,” Charles told Almanzo as he opened up the door for him.

“Oh, and we brought one more thing for both of you to take care of.”

“What’s that?” Almanzo asked.

“A cutting from a geranium,” Charles said as Almanzo’s eyes went wide.

“I don’t believe you did that?” he answered as Charles smiled and then closed the door quietly behind him.

 

 

Boys Will Be Boys Fill in for The Nephews Little House on the Prairie

Boys Will Be Boys

Á fill in for The Nephews

Author’s Note:  Story starts immediately after Almanzo’s trip to the outhouse where the boys have just set the rat trap to go off.  It ends right before the arrival of Royal and Millie.

“Beth, those boys are starting to get to me,” Almanzo said, as he walked back into the bedroom they shared.

“Quiet, Manly, they’re right next door.  They might hear you.”

“Right now, I don’t care if they hear me or not,” Almanzo glared at her.  “Between the honey filled slippers, the treehouse, the fake drowning and now the outhouse, I’ve had it. “

“Among other things,” Laura sighed, shaking her head. She looked up at him and frowned.  “What happened down there?”

“This.” Almanzo told her, holding up the rat trap.  “The stupid thing snapped on the back of my robe when I tried to sit down. It scared the heck outta me.”

Laura tried not to laugh and covered her mouth with her hands.    

“You think this is funny?” Almanzo said, raising his voice.   He put the rat trap on his night table, thought better of it and pushed it under the bed, away from everything so he wouldn’t step on it.  He’d deal with it in the morning.

“No, Manly, I don’t.  Someone could have gotten hurt.”

“Yeah,” he said, shaking his head.  “Me.” He sat down on the bed.  “Laura, you’re a teacher.  Besides puttin’ someone in the corner, how do you discipline those kids? ” Almanzo looked up at her.  “There’s gotta be somethin’ we can do.”

“You’re right, Manly, I just never thought of it that way,” she said. “Hmmm,” she said, looking at him.  Her eyes brightened and a smile played on her lips.

“What?”  Almanzo asked, looking at her curiously.

 “I think I’ve finally come up with a solution to our problem.”

Almanzo stared at her. “You’ve got somethin’ in mind?”

“I sure do,” she whispered, sitting next to him on the bed and pulling him close.  “But it will involve the entire family.  What time are you and Pa leaving tomorrow for Sleepy Eye?”

 XXXXXXXXX

“Okay, boys” Almanzo said, as everybody sat down to breakfast.  “Aunt Laura and I have a busy day today.”

“So we’ll be here by ourselves again?”

Almanzo smiled and shook his head.  “I’m afraid not, Myron.  You see, we’re going our separate ways.  I have some deliveries to make with my partner, Mr.  Ingalls, Laura’s father.  We’ll probably be back here before supper.”

“What about Aunt Laura?  What’s she going to do?” Rupert asked

 “Aunt Laura has the day off from school today.  She’s going to be working around the farm today, helping with the chores and watching her baby sister, Grace.  Bandit, the Ingalls family dog will be here too. Mrs. Ingalls, Laura’s mother will be working and her brother Albert and younger sister, Carrie will be in school.”

Laura brought in pancakes, scrambled eggs, toast, coffee and milk.  Almanzo stood up and took some of the dishes and placed them on the table.  “

Myron looked at Rupert.  “It looks like everyone’s going to work today.”  He looked at Laura.  “What are we going to do?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that, boys,” Laura smiled.  “Remember your Uncle Manzo’s trip to the outhouse?  Do you remember what you put in there?”

“Did we put something in the outhouse, Rupert?” Myron said, looking at him.

“I don’t know, I can’t remember,”

“I remember very well, boys” Almanzo said, picking up the rat trap.  “Let’s just say it made me snap to?”

“Alright, that’s enough, all of you.”  Laura said. She turned to Rupert and Myron.  “As for you two, if you’re looking for something to do, well, I have something that will keep you busy all day.  And we’re going to start right now.”

“Hey,” Myron said, looking at her.  “What about breakfast?”

Laura paid no attention. 

“You will watch us eat until we’re done.  Right now, you’ll sit at the other end of the table and you’ll write.”

She pulled out the tablets and pencils and placed them in front of the boys. 

Rupert and Myron looked at each other.

“What are supposed to write about, Aunt Laura?” Myron said, looking up at her with a smile.

“THIS.”  Laura said, plunking a piece of paper down on the table between them.

“ALL TRAPS ARE DANGEROUS”, the paper read in big red letters.  “THEY ARE NOT TOYS”

Rupert and Myron looked at each other, first at Almanzo, then at Laura. 

 “Come on, Aunt Laura, it was only a joke,” they said in unison.

“No one thought it was funny, boys.” Laura said, looking at the two of them.  “Now you listen to me.  You will write that sentence over and over for the rest of the afternoon.  And then, when you run out of paper, I will have more for you.  Now tomorrow, you’ll get another writing assignment to work on.  You’ll keep writing until your parents get here, you got that?”

She sneaked a peak at Almanzo who was eating up a storm.  He wasn’t even paying attention.

“And who’ll make us?” Rupert asked.

“Don’t you two worry about that, boys,” Laura answered. 

“Hey darlin’” She heard the front door open and Bandit ran in followed by Albert and Pa, who was holding baby Grace.  

“I hope we’re not late,” Charles said, kissing and hugging Laura.  He turned to Almanzo who stood up to shake his hand.  “Hey, Almanzo, I hope you left me some.”

“There’s plenty, Pa.”  Laura said, directing them where to sit.  “Where are Ma and Carrie?”

“She dropped Carrie off at school and went to Nellie’s,” Charles told her. “She’ll have breakfast there.  She and Carrie will be back after school to help you out.”

Laura nodded and turned back to the boys. 

“Now you two get started.  I want to see some work out of you before you get anything to eat.”

And she disappeared into the kitchen.  Manly took one look at the boys, picked up his plate from the table and joined her outside.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

“We don’t have to do this,” Myron said, looking at his brother.

“We won’t get anything to eat if we don’t,” Rupert said, looking back. 

And then they heard laughter, which just made the boys angrier.

“What now?” Rupert asked.

“Follow me,” Myron told him.

Bandit had been watching them and decided to tag along, barking at them all the way out the door, attracting attention.    No matter how many times they tried to shoo him away, Bandit kept following them.  The intention was to get to the barn, but the boys had only gotten halfway when they turned around and gave up. Looking upset and discouraged, they walked all the way back to the house with Bandit nipping at their heels.

 XXXXXXXXXXX

Almanzo was smiling from ear to ear when she walked outside.

“Do you think I was too hard on them?” Laura asked, as Almanzo took her in his arms.

Almanzo shook his head, pulled her close and kissed her. “You’re somethin’else, Beth,” he said.   

“What was that all about?” Albert and Charles joined them outside. 

“This.” Almanzo said, breaking apart from Laura.  He held up the rat trap and told them what had happened last night.

“I hope they didn’t use that on you, too.” Charles asked, trying not to laugh.

Almanzo shook his head.  “They sure did, Charles, but it got my robe instead.”

“You don’t know how lucky you are,” Charles said, shaking his head.  “Those kids…”

Albert laughed and they all joined in.

You’d better get going, Pa,” Albert said.  “I already told Ma and Carrie I’ll be staying with Laura to help out.”   

“He’s right,” Almanzo said.  He turned to Laura “We’ll see you all later, right around supper.”

XXXXXXXXXXX

 “So, boys,” Laura said, as she walked back into the house.  “I see you tried to get to the barn this morning?”   

Myron and Rupert looked at one another.

“Well, since that dog was following us, we decided to play with him, Aunt Laura.” Myron said, “He just wouldn’t leave us alone,”

“His name’s Bandit,” Albert said, chiming in. “He’s the family dog, but he’s really mine.  I am the only one he listens to.”

“Why do you call him Bandit?” Rupert asked.

Albert looked at Laura and smiled.  She had her arms folded across her chest.   “Well, since you wanted to know.  We named him that because of the black coloring around his eyes, but that’s only half the reason.”

Myron and Rupert looked at each other.   “So what’s the other half?” Myron asked.

Albert looked at Laura again.  “Well, I’m not sure I should even tell you.”

Laura was frowning out him.  “Go ahead Albert, tell them.  I always love it when you tell that story.

“Bandit is very dangerous,” Albert continued. “You see, he’s part wolf and you never know when he’s going to attack.  You have to be careful.  You were just lucky that he….”

“Uh, Albert,” Laura said, “’that’s enough.  We have to let the two of them see for themselves.” She turned to Rupert and Myron.    

 “Almanzo and my father should be here soon.  I have a special dessert that I made just for the two of you.  If you continue to be good boys and finish your writing assignment, maybe you might even get some of it. Does that sound good to you?”

Rupert and Myron smiled and nodded. 

“Good,” she said.  “See you boys in half an hour, okay?  Oh, and I meant to tell you that I locked the barn door and I’m the only one who has the key. “

XXXXXXXXXXXX

 “How did it go tonight, Manly?”

“Seems pretty quiet, Beth. I haven’t heard a thing.”   Manly handed the bowl of popcorn he made to Laura who placed it on the bed between them. 

Laura nodded and smiled.  “Kind of surprised me too, Manly.  You’d think that the two of them would be dreaming up some type of revenge for what I did today.”

“I wonder if you finally got to them,” Manly asked her as he took a handful of popcorn.

“I think we’ll have to wait and see, Almanzo.”  

You know somethin’, darlin’?”  He wrapped her up in his arms. “I’m so proud of you. “

“And they actually listened for once,” she whispered, between kisses.  “I told you I was a good teacher.”

When they pulled apart, he had a big smile on his face. “I never doubted it for a second, Laura,” he said, pulling her down on the bed with him. 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 Rupert and Myron were waiting to hear something, anything from the room next door, but they heard nothing, not a thing.  No yelling, no crying, nothing at all.

“Do we still have to do that essay contest tomorrow?” Rupert asked

“Just until Ma and Pa get here,” Myron said, looking at his brother. 

“Have you thought of a way out it?”

Myron looked at him and shook his head.  They both put their hands against up against their cheeks and leaned their elbows against the windowsill. 

It was then that they heard giggles and laughter coming from next door.  The laughing and giggling got louder and then it quieted down again.  Myron and Rupert didn’t hear anything the rest of the night. 

 XXXXXXXX

The next day, Laura and Almanzo were ready for them.

“Alright, boys,” Almanzo said, watching them as they sat down at the small parlor table.  He crossed his arms against his chest. “You two know what to do until your parents get here.”

Myron and Rupert looked at each other and sighed.   They looked at Almanzo and then at Laura.  “Yep, we do.” 

“Then let’s get started,” Laura said, looking up at Almanzo who was already looking back at her with a smile. 

It was going to be a good day.

 

A Sudden Peace Little House fanfiction

A Sudden Peace

Thank you for being my Beth

For without her there is no Manly

And without them, there is no Rose

We love you and need you always

Sitting at the table in their new two room house, Almanzo smiled as he read his note for the third time. The poem was fine, but Beth wasn’t.  No, she just couldn’t get over the shock and sadness that the storm left behind.  It seemed that one minute she was happy and the next she was miserable.

Almanzo had never seen her like this.  And he wasn’t the only one. 

In the months that he and Beth lived in the little house, Almanzo had grown close to both Charles and Caroline.  They had come to treat him as the son they never had.  He had learned everything from cooking to specialized woodworking.  The three of them would sit by the fire at night talking about Laura’s condition.  They had tried everything and nothing seemed to make her well. 

It was decided that Almanzo would take up the challenge to get her well.

“It’s up to you, son.  You and the baby are all she has left.”

And he knew that they were right.

He had no idea where Beth was this morning.  When he woke up, she was gone, which was unusual for her.  He was the one who had trouble sleeping, not Laura.  And so he grabbed the poem and went to look for her.

The smell of fresh baked pastry hit him as he walked into the main room of the house.  Sure enough, there they were sitting on a plate for all to see, homemade doughnuts.  He smiled, took one and sat down.  He placed the poem on the table and pushed it to the side so it wouldn’t get all sticky and messy.    He waited for a while, hoping that she would come into the room, but she hadn’t.  She must be outside, he thought, as he stood up and headed for the front door, a second doughnut in his hand. 

These are great, Manly thought as he opened up the door.  These were so much better than the ones at Ed’s. 

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Laura had a great morning.   She baked up a storm while Manly was still asleep.   She wanted to surprise him with something that she never baked before, homemade doughnuts.  Almanzo , Charles and the boys hadn’t stopped raving about them since they had returned from Ed Smith’s.  Once she finished, she placed them on the table for Almanzo to try and enjoy    She had missed the sunrise this morning and she was late with her chores.   After feeding the chickens, she had to feed the livestock.   

 And so, she headed to the barn.      .

 XXXXXXXXXXXX

“Beth?”

He had no idea where she was. 

“Beth?” he called again and again, there was no answer.  He was starting to get panicky.  Where could she have gone? Maybe she’s in the barn?  Maybe she went for walk?

 She could’ve gone back inside, he told himself.  Maybe he should check?   What the heck? He wanted another doughnut anyway.

As Almanzo headed for the front door, he felt inside his pants pocket looking for the poem that he was sure he put inside.

But his fingers found nothing.  What could he have possibly done with that paper?  Where could he have   put it?

Did he leave it by the table?  Did he leave it ON the table?

Almanzo walked a bit quicker and then he started to run and didn’t stop until he was inside.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Laura put the chicken feed back into the storage space in the small kitchen. .  When she stepped out again, she checked the table.  The plate of doughnuts she left on the table was almost empty.  There was only one left.

Laura smiled.  Almanzo was awake and already he had eaten two of them.  She walked back into the kitchen and brought out three more and placed it on the plate. She was about to walk away when she noticed something on the edge of the table. It looked like a piece of paper and sure enough, it was. It was a poem and it was in Manly's handwriting. She read it through and she smiled.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

“BETH?”

She was in here and he knew it because the plate was filled with doughnuts again.  Almanzo was right; there it was, on the table.   He picked it up, read it again and began to fold up in up when he realized that he didn’t have to.  Beth already left him with an answer.

There would be no Beth without her Manly

And without Manly there wouldn’t be a little prairie Rose

And without those two, there wouldn’t be a Mama Beth

Thank you both for making my life complete.

“Beth,” he whispered, shaking his head, a shy smile playing on his lips, “My Beth.”

She was here, she was here somewhere.   It was too late for sunrise and he knew she had fed the chickens. He walked over to the ruins of the house, but she wasn’t there either.  All it did was bring back memories of the day they returned from Ed Smith’s to find the house in ruins and Beth lying unconscious…    

“BETH?”

He felt a hand on his shoulder, a light touch that made him jump. He turned around and there she was a bucket of water in her hand.

“Manly?  I’m right here.  I just came out to…”

She never finished the sentence. 

“Oh, Beth,” he breathed, hugging her tightly. “I didn’t know where you were or if anything happened or….”

He looked down at the wooden bucket or what used to be wooden bucket.  It hit the hard ground with such force that it broke apart, spilling water all over the place.

Laura was laughing, but Almanzo didn’t think it was so funny.  He was all wet and out a bucket.  An old bucket anyway, but nevertheless. 

“I’m all wet,” he said, smiling suddenly.

“We’re both all wet,” Laura laughed.  “Does this remind you of anything?”

“Besides London’s Circus?” the smile got wider and he started laughing with her.

“Oh, it’s so good to you laughing, Beth?”

“I can’t believe that you walked all this way, Manly.”

Almanzo smiled.  “I even ran.” He looked into her eyes.  “If it weren’t for you and your Pa, I don’t know….”

She didn’t let him finish.  When they broke apart, he stared at her.

“Hey,” he said, looking in her eyes.  “Do we have another bucket?”

She nodded.  “It’s back in the barn, I’ll have to…”

This time he kissed her and when they parted this time, he smiled. “I think we should get out of these wet clothes, don’t you?” 

 XXXXXXXXXXXX

“Did you mean what you wrote?” he asked her.  The two were on their bed; both of them in their robes.  Manly lay on his side; his head propped up under his arm, staring at her with a smile.

Laura turned to look at him.  There were tears in her eyes.

 “Oh, Manly, I’m so confused about everything.”

 Almanzo sat up and the smile disappeared. “Tell me what’s wrong.  We’re all worried about you.  The only way I can help you is if you talk to me. ”

She shook her head.  “You and your sister shut me out.  Everything was private, including those arguments that I kept hearing in my room.  It was just the two of you scheming and planning every single minute of every single day. Do you realize how horrible you made me feel?”

So that’s what this was all about.  She doesn’t trust me, he thought as he looked at her, and I really can’t blame her.

He inched closer to her and dried her tears.  “Come on, Beth.   Let’s sit by the fireplace and talk.  Pa and Ma will bring Rosey back tomorrow night so we have the whole house to ourselves tonight.”

Laura nodded.  Almanzo stood, pulled her off the bed and placed his arm around her shoulders, the both of them walking into the common room.

XXXXXXXXX

“Laura,” Almanzo was saying.  “Eliza and I used to butt heads all the time. That’s how it was in the beginning.  After a while, I did what she wanted just to keep the peace.  The only time I went against her was when I fell in love with you.”

 “What about that meeting the two of you had when we were living at my parent’s house?”

“What meeting are you talking about?”

“When the two of you went down to the lake?”

Almanzo shook his head.  “Doc Baker suggested that we shouldn’t tell you about the house. You had gone through enough.  We all agreed and decided against telling you until you got better.“

“What’s that got to do with anything?”

“I couldn’t talk in front of you, so I made the meeting private.  She knew the house was in ruins, but she still wanted to sell anyway.  We had no money to move, Laura and I told her to forget about the plan and go back home, but she wouldn’t listen. ”

He pulled her close.  

“Beth, I never meant to hurt you.  I lived with my sister so long that I just took her for granted.  She’s my big sister and I always thought that she wanted what was best for me.  I didn’t realize that she only wanted what was best for her.”

When there was no answer, he continued.

 “I’m sorry that I hurt you.  I told you before I didn’t mean what I said about your husband not existing anymore.  I know that’s what is bothering you, isn’t it?   

Laura nodded.  “It all piled on top of me and I guess I just lost it. I’m sorry.”

She rushed into his arms and he put them around her.

“Don’t cry, Beth, please don’t cry.  I love you.  I’ll always love you.”

“And I love you, Manly.  I meant what I wrote under the poem.  You and Rose are my world.”

 Almanzo smiled. “Right now, that’s all I care about.”

 “What about those doughnuts?  You already had three of them.”

Almanzo smiled.  “Beth, I’m sorry, it’s just that they’re delicious.”

Laura brightened.  “I hope everyone feels that way.  We’re having company over tomorrow.”

Almanzo smiled.  “I know, we should really save some, shouldn’t we.”

They both laughed.

 “Let’s go have some coffee and doughnuts, Manly.”

“Sounds good to me,” he told her.  “I’m glad you’re back, Beth.  I love you.”

“And I love you too, Manly.”