She's Gone
Almanzo sat up. He heard the clock downstairs strike two in the morning and knew that he hadn't slept one bit. He always wondered how Laura did it. She could fall asleep anytime or anywhere.
But this time it was different. For the first time, their daughter, Rose, wasn't home. It was the first night without her for both of them since she was born sixteen years ago. She had gone down to Crowley, Louisiana to finish her last year in high school. And she was going to live with Laura's mortal enemy, none other than her Aunt EJ, also known as Eliza Jane Wilder.
At first, Almanzo and Laura disagreed with each other. It was Eliza Jane who brought it up, especially after learning that the Mansfield high school stopped after the junior year. One night, Eliza brought up the idea that Rose should go down to Crowley with her to finish her studies there. She had plenty of room for Rose to stay with her. Manly was willing, after all, Rosey would only be gone temporarily and then she would return to Rocky Ridge. It was Laura who resisted. Like Almanzo, she wanted her to finish her schooling. It was where she was staying and who she was with that annoyed her.
Rose begged and pleaded to go. She wanted a change, something exciting. So when the day was done, Almanzo talked to Laura about it all.
And so she reluctantly said yes. The first reason that Laura objected was Eliza's lack of understanding regarding her feelings. Eliza Jane knew all along that the three of them made the long trip from Missouri to Walnut Grove to see Laura's parents. She also knew that her father had just passed away of a heart attack in June. It was no wonder that Beth felt the way she did about Eliza and it wasn't that long ago. He shook his head as he remembered.
It was now Sunday morning, June 14. Manly was sitting on the bed, holding Eliza Jane's letter in his hands.
"We're gonna have to go back, Beth," he said, holding up the letter. "My sister's comin' a month early."
Eliza said clearly in her letter that she was coming a month early, depriving Beth of comforting her family, especially her mother, at the time of her father's death. Eliza showed up in the middle of July, a month and a half early. He had planned to talk to her when she arrived, but that….
"Manly?"
Almanzo's eyes widened. She wasn't asleep at all.
"Beth, I thought that you were…"
"No," she said, turning to face him and it was then he noticed that she had been crying. He reached out and pulled her close, his eyes welling up with tears.
"I know, Beth, I know," he whispered in her ear. "I miss her too."
"I keep thinking about her," Laura said, clinging to him.
Almanzo smiled. "It's hard to let go, isn't it?"
"You still think we did the right thing?"
Manly nodded, still holding on to her. "She was so anxious to go, Beth," he said, stroking her hair. "There wasn't anything else to do. I'm sure she'll be fine."
"I wish I had your confidence," she said,
"What confidence, Beth," he said, releasing her. "I've been frettin' up a storm for months about this. Rosey is the only child we have. She'll always be my little girl no matter how old she is." He brushed her tears away with his thumb. "She knows that we love her, Laura, she told me as much. Everyone comments on how well behaved she is."
"So I guess you agree with her that we spoiled Rose rotten," Laura said.
"Come on, Laura,"" Almanzo grinned. "I was never so proud of her that afternoon when she finally told Sis off."
Laura smiled, remembering. "Yep, how Ma had told her back in Walnut Grove what a well behaved grown up daughter she was and complimented us on bringing her up."
Almanzo shook his head. "She's got a mind of her own, Beth, but I wouldn't say that we spoiled her rotten. I believe that we treated her as much as any parent would treat their children. We might have been a little overprotective, being our only child and all, but I don't believe we've done anything wrong."
He sat up and stared at her, touching her cheek.
"You and Eliza Jane never got along and I've had my moments with her. Rose finds her fascinating, don't ask me why. She has taken to calling her EJ like all her old friends used to. She wants to know everything she can about her. She may not like everything she finds out, but she has to learn for herself. All we can do now is to wait and see what happens."
Laura shook her head. "I always let your sister get the better of me," she answered. "No matter what I do isn't good enough. I guess I don't take care of her little brother well enough."
Almanzo smiled. "I told you a long time ago to watch out for her," he said, never taking his eyes off her. "She always has to have her own way ever since we were kids. Besides, you take care of me just fine, Beth. I have no complaints." He kissed her, hard, and he pulled her down on the bed.
"I love you, Beth," he whispered, looking into her eyes.
Laura smiled. "I love you too, Manly." She brought her face up to his and there were no more words between them.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Manly," Laura called, "Come over here quickly or you'll miss it."
Almanzo smiled as he slid his robe over his nightshirt. He knew she was out on the back porch watching the sunrise, her favorite time of day. When they first got married and lived in Walnut Grove, they often greeted the dawn together before the morning chores, their arms around one another. So many years ago, he thought, shaking his head, when they were young and had their whole lives ahead of them with so much to look forward to.
There was nothing different now, was there? Almanzo still loved her, heck, he couldn't live without her. There was only one time in his life that he left Beth and he never attempted it again.
And he ran over to where she was.
He sneaked up behind her and put his arms around waist. She brought her hands up to meet his and they watched the sunrise together as they had done years earlier.
"Beth," he whispered in her ear, "My Beth."
He turned her around and the two of them smiled at each other.
"Manly," she whispered as she jumped into his arms.
This story is not in any episode. It is a sequel to my fanfic Remembering the Past. In real life, Rose did go to live with Eliza Jane when she moved to Crowley, LA to finish her schooling.
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