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.
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“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.”
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“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.
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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.
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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.
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