LHOTP - The Reunion Story (You decide what happens)

Toby wrote:

I noticed a minor thing. Isaiah acted like he was hearing about the rebuilt Walnut Grove for the first time when Charles told him. Then a little while later, Isaiah said that Carl wrote him a few weeks back and was hoping to convince his Ma to move back to Walnut Grove.

Misti turns around, plants her fists on her hips and GLARES at Toby..."Leave it up to you..." :Hahaha:

I was debating whether to say anything since I've been enjoying the story. It's not a big deal considering this is fan fiction and the writers of the tv series have done much worse with things like that. I know it's a group effort and Cheryl was trying to incorporate charles ingalls' idea of Mr. Edwards and Grace possibly getting back together. I can't believe I opened my big mouth and spoiled the mood of this thread.

Toby wrote:

bethandmanly wrote:

Thanks Misti. I'm glad you're enjoying it. I just hope I can keep it all straight. LOL!

I noticed a minor thing. Isaiah acted like he was hearing about the rebuilt Walnut Grove for the first time when Charles told him. Then a little while later, Isaiah said that Carl wrote him a few weeks back and was hoping to convince his Ma to move back to Walnut Grove.

Darn, I hate when that happens.

Now you know I'm pulling your leg, Toby! Don't be mad at me! Heck, if season 9 can be re-wrote from episode to episode, you can add your 2¢!

Toby wrote:

I was debating whether to say anything since I've been enjoying the story. It's not a big deal considering this is fan fiction and the writers of the tv series have done much worse with things like that. I know it's a group effort and Cheryl was trying to incorporate charles ingalls' idea of Mr. Edwards and Grace possibly getting back together. I can't believe I opened my big mouth and spoiled the mood of this thread.

No worries. It's going to happen because at this point I don't think anyone goes back to check and see what happened before adding new stuff. Sometimes I have to so I can keep the kids straight. I actually drew a map--which I keep in my desk--for how I decribed the new Walnut Grove so that I could remember where I put everything.

Made a quick fix. Isaiah now admits to knowing the town was being rebuilt, but didn't know anyone there so he had no plans to be moving there. Phew! That was easier than I thought.

Misti wrote:

Now you know I'm pulling your leg, Toby! Don't be mad at me! Heck, if season 9 can be re-wrote from episode to episode, you can add your 2¢!

Don't worry, I'm not mad.

bethandmanly wrote:

Made a quick fix. Isaiah now admits to knowing the town was being rebuilt, but didn't know anyone there so he had no plans to be moving there. Phew! That was easier than I thought.

That sounds good. I think the only other option was taking out the part about Grace and the letter and letting her and Carl show up in Walnut Grove unexpectedly in a later chapter. That would have wiped out an entire post of your writing, so I think the way you did it was the perfect fix.

I tried taking out the part about Grace and the letter, but it did complicate things too much.

Isaiah paced the platform at the train station. Dressed in his Sunday best, he raked his fingers through the scruffy beard, a beard that had once been more brown than gray. He wandered over to the ticketmaster's window and removed his hat. Licking his fingers, he tried to control the unruly mass of curls. His scowl reflected back at him and he jumped when the sound of a whistle from the approaching train pierced the air. Straightening his tie one last time, he strolled to the end of the platform where he thought they would exit.

Moments seemed to pass like hours as he waited for the train to stop and for passengers to file out. Isaiah saw her through the window, though he was certain she did not see him. Dressed smartly in a burgundy dress with matching hat she looked lovely. The deep color of her hat the perfect contrast against her greyish blonde hair. The young man behind her had a mane of pin-straight blonde hair that went in every direction, making him look like a scarecrow. A pretty young woman preceeded them. Isaiah saw her round face as she descended the stairs. No longer the child he once knew, she was tall and slender. Her emerald dress complimented the pink of her pouty lips and her cheeks were like porcelain. Her sleek dark hair was pulled into a bun that rested against the white lace decorating the edge of the dress' high collar, and the way her matching hat with pink and white flowers completed her look made Isaiah think she had just stepped out of a portrait.

"Pa!" screamed Carl as he raced past Alicia and Grace to embrace his father. "I can't believe it's really you." Carl pulled Isaiah closer and held him for a few moments.

"It's good to see you too son. How was yur trip?" Isaiah turned his hat around in his hands. Anything to keep from glancing over at Grace and Alicia, who stood firmly planted where Carl had run past them.

A smile curled the corners of Carl's lips. "It was a long journey, but we made it. I'm just so glad to see you." Carl hugged his father again, then grabbed his elbow and tried to prod him toward his mother and sister. Carl glanced at the two women and whispered, "You have to face them sooner or later."

Isaiah sighed. I prefer later. He nodded and then continued toward the women a step behind Carl.

"Grace...uh...it's nice to see you again. Yur lookin' mighty fine."

Grace glared at Carl and her pursed lips displayed her dissatisfaction. "Hello Isaiah. You look well." Grace turned toward her son. "Did you know he was going to be here?" Carl's averted eyes gave Grace her answer. "How dare you bring me here like this. Did you think this would be some kind of happy reunion?" Grace's nostrils flared as she looked from Isaiah to Carl and then back again. "I can't believe you would do such a thing considering the way he left us."

Isaiah's eyes shrunk to mere slits. "I didn't leave you. Ya tossed me out. You gave up on me not the other way around."

Grace stepped closer and for a moment Carl thought she would strike Isaiah. "You were a drunk! A no good lousy drunk!" she spat. "You ruined our lives and you took away whatever love I had for you." Tears formed in Grace's eyes. "I had to take care of our two children all by myself because you were too drunk to be any kind of father to them." Grace pointed a finger into his chest. "I'm not sorry that I wanted a better life for them than watching you stumble through the house knocking things down." The tears flowed down Grace's cheeks splattering onto her dress.

Isaiah's head hung down and he knew Grace only spoke the truth. Will she ever be able to see that I've changed? Isaiah reached for her arm and Grace snatched it away as if she had been burned by a hot stove. "I'm not that man no more Grace. I gave up the booze when I knew I lost you and the kids. I came back here and with Charles and Laura and Almanzo I found that man, the man you loved. I would do anythin' to make it up to ya. Anythin'." Isaiah blinked back the tears that swam in his eyes.

Grace lifted her nose in the air. "It's a little late for that, don't you think."

She grabbed Alicia by the arm and Grace stomped towards the boarding house, pulling Alicia behind her. Carl shook his head and whispered, I"m sorry," as he ran to catch up with his mother and sister.

Isaiah shook his head. It was a mistake to come here. I shoulda known she could never forgive me. He watched as the three of them entered the boarding house without turning around. As much as Grace's words bothered him, it hurt him more that Alicia had never said hello. Actually, she had never even lifted her eyes in his direction. He was sure that he had lost her forever.

*

At the other end of the platform another reunion was just just getting started. "Oh Nellie! I'm so glad you're finally here," cried Harriet. "I couldn't sleep at all last night." Harriet hugged her daughter tightly and beamed with joy at Nels who was shaking Percival's hand.

"It's good to see you again Percival," said Nels. "I'm so sorry to hear about your mother. She was a wonderful woman."

Percival nodded. "Thanks Nels. It's been tough dealing with the loss, but Nellie thinks by coming here that it will all be better," he said bitterly.

"Oh my love, it will be. You wait and see," Nellie said with a smile that attempted to hide her fears.

Benjamin and Jennifer chatted with their Uncle Willie and Aunt Rachel who had joined Grandmother and Grandfather Oleson on the trip back to Walnut Grove. They had never met their Aunt Rachel, but she seemed very nice. Their Aunt Nancy seemed to dislike them. She stood with her arms crossed over her chest, a mean scowl covering her face.

"Does she always look like that?" Benjamin whispered to Uncle Willie.

"Pretty much," he nodded.

Harriet swatted at the two boys. "No more whispering. It's impolite." Harriet grasped Jennifer's hand and stomped off toward the hotel. "Willie! Nels!" she screached. "Take the bags." Nellie shrugged as she watched her mother waddle off with her daughter in tow.

to be continued...

Excellent addition to the story. You captured Grace perfectly and reminded me that it wouldn't break my heart if they didn't get back together. I never liked the way that Grace just tossed him out. It seems like Laura was the only one who cared enough to help Isaiah after everybody else gave up on him. Charles also turned his back on Isaiah, but at least he realized he was wrong and apologized and made up with him. Maybe I'm being too hard on Grace since it seems like Isaiah either turned to alcohol or became suicidal when tragic things happened, but it just never sat well with me that she tossed him out and married another guy. Just my 2 cents. Don't let anything I say influence where you are going with the story. A reunion between Isaiah and Grace could still be good if Grace changes her attitude.

Toby wrote:

Excellent addition to the story. You captured Grace perfectly and reminded me that it wouldn't break my heart if they didn't get back together. I never liked the way that Grace just tossed him out. It seems like Laura was the only one who cared enough to help Isaiah after everybody else gave up on him. Charles also turned his back on Isaiah, but at least he realized he was wrong and apologized and made up with him. Maybe I'm being too hard on Grace since it seems like Isaiah either turned to alcohol or became suicidal when tragic things happened, but it just never sat well with me that she tossed him out and married another guy. Just my 2 cents. Don't let anything I say influence where you are going with the story. A reunion between Isaiah and Grace could still be good if Grace changes her attitude.

I agree with you 100% Toby. It just didn't seem like something Grace would do; but then again, the writers had to get rid of his family somehow. :haha: I'm not sure how they could have done it otherwise, but it not only bothered me that she tossed Isaiah out, but that she hooked up with another guy too. I mean, that makes 3 marriages for her and I just don't see that happening back then. If she had stayed single and raised Carl and Alicia by herself, I would have understood it better. I still wouldn't have liked it, but at least she wouldn't have moved on and not allowed Isaiah to redeem himself.

Carl slowly closed the door behind him. He had hoped to run into Laura on his way into the boarding house so that he had a reason not to come up to their room, but no such luck. Grace dropped her bag onto the table and glared at him. Here it comes.

One hand planted on her hip, Grace wagged a finger in the air. "If I had known what you were up to, I never would have come here. How could you do something so sneaky?"

"Ma." Carl shook his head, his pleading eyes searching to grasp onto any soft spot his mother had for her youngest son. "It wasn't like that. I wrote to Pa and I told him that I was hoping to convince you to come here with me for a visit. I didn't know he was here until the day before we left and by then you were so excited that I didn't want to spoil the trip for you."

Grace's eyes rolled. "And you don't think the trip is spoiled now?" She sighed. "I don't want to be where he is. I'm going to freshen up and then go back to the train station and buy a ticket on the next train heading back home."

Carl raced across the room and gripped both of her arms. He glanced behind her to where Alicia stood, his face pleading for help. All he got was one of Alicia's smart looks that said, "You got yourself into this one." Alicia wandered over to the wash basin and poured water from the pitcher into it. Carl couldn't help notice the smirk etched on her face.

"Please Ma, give him a chance." Grace began her protest, but Carl cut her off right away. "I'm not saying you have to go out to supper with him. He just wants a chance to say he's sorry for what happened." Again she sighed. "Ma, I love you; but I love Pa too. It took me a long time to forgive him for all that he did after John died." Carl paced the room as he thought of his older brother. A brother he never got to say goodbye to. "But then I came to realize that drinking is how he grieved the loss of John. You cried yourself to sleep for months after John died. Do you remember that?" Grace's hand went up to her throat and she nodded, but said nothing. "When Pa was drunk he couldn't feel the pain of losing John. He couldn't have loved John more than if he was his real father." Carl raked his fingers through his hair. "When I was young I used to be jealous of how close they were. I was real happy when John decided to go off to college. I figured maybe Pa would love me as much as he did John. If I had only known that his going off to college would mean that I would lose him..." The lump in Carl's throat prevented him from going any further.

Grace immediately softened and brought her arms around Carl to pull him close. The tears trickled down her cheeks and she reached out to Alicia who also could not stop the tears from flowing. They held each other close, wondering if any of them could ever get over losing John.

*

Caroline and Grace had gone back to the library with Mrs. Simms, leaving Laura and Mary to wander back to the boarding house.

"Can you believe that Mrs. Loftus?" chuckled Laura. "I swear it was just like being eight years old again and peering over the counter at Oleson's Mercantile hoping to meet with Mrs. Oleson's approval."

"Well, she certainly thinks a lot of herself, if that's what you mean." Mary stopped at the stairs to the boarding house and turned Laura toward her. "Where did the time go?" she asked as she cupped Laura's face in her hands. "And when did my little sister become such a beautiful woman?"

"You've always been the beautiful one in our family," said Laura. "I used to be so jealous of you when we were growing up." The heat of embarrassment turned Laura's cheeks scarlet. "You were--and still are--always so good."

Mary chuckled. "Not always, but I certainly didn't have your knack for getting into trouble." The women climbed the two short stairs and headed inside. "But, you sure did have a lot more fun growing up than I did, so I was just as jealous of you."

Laura shook her head. "I guess we're never satisfied, are we?"

"No."

"Laura! Mary!" a voice called from the stairway leading up to the second floor of the boarding house.

"Carl!" screamed Laura. The two embraced and a wide smile revealed all of Laura's teeth. "I can't believe you're finally here!"

to be continued...

Here's a synopsis of what has happened in the story so far:

Characters' ages:

Albert Ingalls 21
Sarah Ingalls 6
Molly Ingalls 1
Michelle Ingalls is 4 months pregnant when she and Albert arrive in WG
Rose Wilder 7
James Cooper 18
Cassandra Cooper 17
Grace Ingalls 10
Carrie Ingalls 16
Jenny Wilder 18 (she's taking the teacher's exam too, so I am assuming she's a year older than Cassandra because she would have lost some time while recovering from drowning in "Marvin's Garden" and she seems older in the show)
Susan Kendall 4
Benjamin and Jennifer Dalton 8 or 9 depending upon how much older they are than Rose
Nancy Oleson 17 or 18
Adam Simms Jr. 10
Willie Olseon Jr. 3 (there is no stated age so I made one up)


The Ingallses and the Wilders are living in Burr Oak, IA when they discover that Walnut Grove is being rebuilt. They consider moving back there, but there are a lot of things to consider: can the men find work, will the children be happy, and the possiblity that James Cooper will be getting married soon.

Doc Baker returns to Walnut Grove and when the Town Council expresses concern over his age, he thinks about asking Albert Ingalls to join him in practice. Albert is thrilled at the prospect of doctoring in WG and heads home to ask Michelle what she thinks.

In New York, Mary is feeling lonely when Adam is tied up with a big name court case. Nellie Dalton pays a surprise visit and the women talk about the new WG. Nellie tells Mary that her parents now own a general store in Sleepy Eye and that Willie and Rachel, along with their son, Willie Jr. live there too.

Hester Sue and Joe Kagan finally got married, Nellie tells Mary. Hester Sue got her teaching certificate and now runs the Sleepy Eye blind school and Joe and Jonathan Garvey are partners of the biggest freight company in southern Minnesota. Houston Lamb has unfortunately died.

While talking with Caroline on the phone, Mary breaks down over her separation from her family and Caroline suggests she and Susan take a trip to Burr Oak. Adam admits that he is nervous about Mary and Susan being in New York while he is trying his case and Mary brings up her mother's suggestion. Adam agrees, and they decide to meet up in Walnut Grove once everything is settled with the trial. They could all use a vacation and seeing Walnut Grove again would be nice.

Back in Burr Oak, Almanzo and Charles consider moving to Walnut Grove. They decide being happily back in WG is worth the risk. Laura gets busy packing and Albert and Michelle are excited about the prospects of being home again.

At the Oleson's General Store in Sleepy Eye, Nels finds out that Jonathan Garvey has been making deliveries to the new Walnut Grove. Moments later, Harriet races in and tells Nels they need a vacation. They will leave Nancy and Willie to the run the store while they pay a visit to WG, much to Nancy's dismay. But when Nellie calls to tell them that Edna Cohen has passed away and she wants to bring the family to Sleepy Eye for a visit, Harriet decides to close the store and bring her entire family together in WG for a reunion.

Back in Burr Oak, Almanzo receives a letter from Mr. Edwards that says he is heading to Burr Oak, so the Ingallses and the Wilders delay their trip home to wait for his arrival. Mary and Susan arrive in Burr Oak and enjoy a happy reunion. Moments later, Mr. Edwards pops in and Charles and Almanzo share their plans with him over supper. Isaiah decides to join them in Walnut Grove. His son, Carl had hoped to convince his mother to pay the new WG a visit, so Isaiah hopes this will give him a chance to apologize for his past behavior.

Leaving James behind in Burr Oak, so that he can get married and then come to WG afterwards, the Ingalles, the Wilders, Mr. Edwards, and Mary and Susan say goodbye to Burr Oak. They arrive in Walnut Grove and are greeted by Doc Baker, who is thrilled to have young Albert joining him. The new WG is host to two school houses, a hotel and a boarding house, a saloon, three stores, a post office, library, the old bank that Sprague had built, a livery, the train station and the telegraph office. Laura learns that Sprague donated money for books for the new WG schools and the library and its books in her honor. There are also plans to build a Methodist church on the outskirts of town.

In New York, Nellie tries to convince Percival that visiting Walnut Grove is just what he needs to improve his mood. The loss of his mother and the bickering between him and his sisters has left him feeling angry and bitter. Harriet anxiously awaits their arrival.

In Walnut Grove, Laura expresses concerns to Almanzo about her father's age and all the work he might be doing. James has the same feelings back in Burr Oak as he tries to convince his new wife, Sarah, that they must follow his family to WG. Sarah would rather stay in Burr Oak with her family, but she agrees to go under one condition: if they haven't been successful in a year of living in WG, they will return to Burr Oak.

Laura, Mary, and Caroline talk about how hard it will be to get used to the new Walnut Grove. They enter the library with Grace and find Mrs. Eva Simms working there. She and her husband Adam have moved back along with their son, Adam Jr. The women talk about some of the things that have happened since they saw one another last and Mrs. Simms decides to take them on a tour of the town.

Isaiah nervously awaits the arrival of Carl, Alicia, and Grace at the train station. Carl and Isaiah share a lovely reunion, but it is marred by Grace's anger in Carl not telling her that Isaiah is in Walnut Grove too. Once at the boarding house, Grace decides she will return home immediately, but words from Carl and memories of John Jr. help soften her heart a bit.

Nellie, Percival, and the twins arrive in Walnut Grove. While Caroline and Eva Simms go back to the library, Laura and Mary head back to the boarding house. A familiar voice calls their names and Laura comes face to face with her old friend, Carl.

To be continued...

Michelle made her way down the busy street towards the general store. She needed to pick up a few things for supper that evening. She peered to her right cautiously before stepping across the street; Walnut Grove was busier than she'd remembered. But despite that, it still felt like home. There was something about the town - the community - that just felt right, no matter how many new developments there were. The sense of comaraderie that stemmed from these people was something Michelle knew she had rarely ever encountered in the city.

She was so deep in thought that even after her careful observation, she bumped into a man right in front of the store steps. "Oh, excuse me!" she said, startled.

The man tipped his hat. "Beg your pardon, ma'am." He continued walking as Nels came out of the store and greeted Michelle. "Afternoon, Michelle. How are you and baby Ingalls doing?" he asked with a smile.

Neither of them noticed the man turn back around. "Ingalls?" he said, just as Michelle replied, "We're both doing well."

Nels barely heard her as his gaze came to rest on the fellow a few feet away from them. "Andrew?" he asked, a bit uncertainly. It had been years since he had seen the boy, and he had been a child then. But the unmistakeable grin on the boy's face answered his question. "Hi, Mr. Oleson."

"Andrew Garvey!" Nels exclaimed, stepping forward to shake his hand rnthusiastically. "What a surprise it is to see you back here!"

"Most everyone's been through here, from what Pa's told me," Andrew said. "I was working with him getting some of the orders ready and decided to take one in myself. Mostly, I just wanted a visit." He looked towards Michelle then, who was standing shyly behind Nels.

"Oh," Nels said. "Michelle Ingalls, this is Andy Garvey. He's an old friend of Albert's - of all of ours." He stepped aside as Michelle came forward to shake his hand. "This is Michelle. Albert's wife," he said.

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you," Andrew said with another smile. "Albert sure is a lucky guy."

Michelle flushed. "Thank you. He's spoken of you often."

"He mentioned you in his letters, and your daughter but he didn't say you were expecting again." He shrugged. "It's hard to find time to write, I know," he said wistfully, wishing he and Albert had kept up writing to each other regularly, as they had as children.

"Well, this will be our third child," Michelle explained. "But Albert's back at our place, if you'd like to walk along with me to see him. I just need to pick up a few things first."

"Sure, that would be great," Andy said.

"Good to have you back," Nels said then, as he followed them both into the store.

When Michelle and Andy walked inside, they spotted Laura and Mary talking to a young man around Andy's age. He was slender with straight blonde hair and his twinkling eyes made him appear to be hatching some sort of plot.

"Oh, hi Michelle--" Laura gasped. It couldn't be. "Andy? Andy Garvey, is that you?"

His plump cheeks dimpled when he smiled and he reached his arms out to his old friend. "Laura, it's great to see you again."

When she stepped back from their embrace Andy stared at her. He seemed confused, as if he wasn't quite sure it was really her.

"What is it?"

Andy shook his head. "I just never imagined you would turn out so beautiful."

Scarlet heat tinged Laura's cheeks. "Thank you, I think."

They chuckled, the awkwardness suddenly gone. Laura took his hand and brought him over to Mary and Carl.

"Andrew Garvey, this is Carl Sanderson Edwards. Carl, this is Andy."

The men shook hands and Mary tried to stifle a chuckle.

"What's so funny?" asked Laura.

Mary twirled the string of her bag around her finger. "Oh, I don't know, maybe it's the fact that both of your partners in crime are in the same room and meeting each other for the first time."

Though Mary didn't know it, both young men stared at her with puzzled looks on their faces, as Laura burst into laughter. Their eyes now fixed on the younger Ingalls sister, they had to wait for Laura to calm down so she could explain.

"It's kind of like this, when Carl lived in Walnut Grove we had several adventures. Like the time we thought Mr. Oleson had killed Mrs. Oleson."

Now Carl was howling and Andy's eyes widened in amazement.

"What?" said Andrew.

Carl could barely breathe he was laughing so hard and Laura was laughing right along with him.

Mary jumped in. "Mr. Oleson had bought a manequin to display clothes in the store. One night, he chopped off it's head with a sword, not knowing that Laura and Carl were spying on him. Nellie and Willie convinced them that he had killed his wife. Mrs. Oleson was away visiting her sister and poor Laura and Carl were so afraid of Mr. Oleson that they didn't even want to go near the store." By this time Mary was grinning from ear to ear.

"But we got Nellie and Willie back, didn't we Laura?" Carl managed before breaking down into fits of laughter again.

Laura held her stomach and tried breathing deeply to control her laughter. "We sure did."

"What did you do?" asked Andy.

"We convinced Nellie and Willie to go down into their root cellar and tossed the head of the manequin down the stairs." Laura slapped Carl's arm. "I swear, you could hear their screams in Sleepy Eye."

Laura dabbed at the corners of her eyes to dry away the tears. "Oh, I hand't thought about that in years." Laura reached for Andy hand. "But we had our share of adventures too, didn't we Andy?"

"We sure did. We started a detective agency to figure out who was stealing stuff around town." He shook his head.

Laura crossed her arms across her chest. "And no one appreciated our efforts either."

"I know, we were so mistreated. You would think someone would have been happy to have the culprit caught."

They smiled at each other.

"Well, just don't go bringing any baby wolves home again," said Mary. "I never want to deal with that again.

"No kidding," they said together.

Carl shrugged. "Baby wolves?"

"We found this--"

"Andy!" Albert's voice exclaimed from the top of the stairs.

He raced down to greet his old friend. They embraced, the many years and miles apart not able to diminish their bond. They had been through a lot together as boys and it was a great testament to their friendship that they had made a point to stay in touch with each other. Through the challenges of adolescence and tragedy, their friendship had only grown stronger, and it felt good to be in the same room again.

"Oh Andy, it's great to see you."

"Likewise. I met Michelle on her way to the store and she mentioned you were here." Andy smiled. "I wanted to make sure I had a chance to see you before I leave for home."

"You don't have to go so soon do you?"

"Well, Pa's expecting me to back by the morning. He's got a huge shipment coming in."

Laura clasped Andy hand. "Can't you call him and see if you can delay your trip home for a day?" Her brown eyes were full and pleading, the way he had seen her look at her Pa when she wanted to go down to the fishing hole with him instead of doing her chores.

"I don't know."

"Please Andy." Now Albert was pleading his case.

"Oh, all right. Where's the phone?"

Laura winked at her brother. "Why don't you show Andy where the phone is while I get some tea for everyone?"

"Sounds like a plan," said Albert, walking to the far corner of the house. He slapped Andrew on the back as they walked. "I can't wait to tell you all that's happened since we moved back here."

to be continued...

Yeah, Cheryl! I am so glad to see Andy back!!!!

Misti wrote:

Yeah, Cheryl! I am so glad to see Andy back!!!!

Well, you have to thank Christina for that, but I'll take praise too. :haha:

The train rattled along the tracks. James Cooper sat gazing blankly out the window, his wife Sarah's head resting against his shoulder. How can she sleep with all the jostling about? By tomorrow morning they would be back in Walnut Grove. James was a jumbled mess of excitement and dread. He knew Sarah was only coming along to please him. What if she hates it? But he had to help out his Pa. He had already lost one set of parents and he didn't intend to lose the other.

*

"It's been a long day." Laura wiped her hands off on the dish towel.

Miss Randolph stacked the last pile of plates on the shelf over the stove. "Thanks for helping tonight Laura."

"You're welcome. It's almost like living at home."

The older woman smiled at her. "I'm glad you feel that way. I know it's hard to relax when you're in someone else's house."

Miss Randolph seemed too refined and proper to own a boarding house. She should be back east taking in the theater. Laura often wondered how the fortyish elegant looking woman with the slender waist had ended up moving to Walnut Grove, but it wasn't her business and Miss Randolph did not often speak of her life before moving to Minnesota.

Laura had allowed her imagination to run wild one night and plotted out the woman's whole life as she thought it might have happened. She was the only daughter of a wealthy banker whose mother died in childbirth. As a result of the tragedy, she refused to marry or have children. Her father loved her dearly, spoiling the child to make up for the absence of a mother. Servants waited on her hand and foot, but even with all the spoiling and serving, she had grown up with a kind and generous heart.

Though her father would often donate money to the needy, his daughter took it one step further, bringing beggars into their home so they would not have to survive the harsh New York winter nights on a park bench. With a bath, fresh clothes, and a belly full of food, the beggars would thank God for bringing this young savior into their lives and then move on feeling better about life and perhaps finding a way to turn their lives around.

When of proper age, the young woman was sent away to the finest school for higher education. She learned music, art appreciation, and other noble skills a refined young woman would need in proper society. As her father grew older, she cared for him. Eventually he retired from his banking career and spent many days with the daugther who had been his faithful companion at every social event since she had been old enough to walk. Both dedicated to the other, they lived in quiet elegance, enjoying each other's company and never feeling the need to allow another man or woman into their tiny circle. But when her father died suddenly and unexpectedly, Miss Randolph's world was shattered and she fled from everything she had ever known to a small, but growing town in Minnesota, to put back the pieces of her life.

"Laura?" Miss Randolph shook Laura out of her daydreaming.

The heat of embarrasment turned Laura's cheeks crimson. "Oh, I'm sorry. My mind was wandering. In some ways it's strange being back here. The land looks the same, the sweetheart tree is still standing, they've put back the town sign from when Walnut Grove was originally founded by Mr. Hanson...and yet, it's hard to imagine this is where I spent most of my childhood and even the early years of my marriage."

Miss Randolph leaned against the counter, folding her hands in front of her. "Do you miss Burr Oak?"

Laura shook her head. "Not really. Iowa was never home to me. We went there because we had no choice. The railroad had come and taken over Walnut Grove. They took possession of the land we had worked so hard on and soldiers came and told us the government agreed with what they were doing." Tears swam in Laura's eyes as she remembered the last few weeks in Walnut Grove. "When Almanzo had his stroke, I saw a side to him that I never knew existed. He drew deep into himself and I couldn't break down the walls he created."

Glancing up at the ceiling, Laura's heart ached over those months of pain and suffering she and Almanzo had gone through while he struggled to recover from the stroke that had left him partially paralyzed and from the destruction of their home. "To have our home taken away like that after everything we had been through, Almanzo's illness, a tornado destroying the house, Almanzo learning to walk again and building us a new home...it was like we did it all for nothing."

Laura pounded her fist on the counter making Miss Randolph jump. Her anger surprised even her. "We had already lost so much and it took us a long time to start over. And we did. Almanzo and Pa built a new home for me and Rose, I went back to teaching, we adopted Jenny, and then we moved into the boarding house. Things really began to look up after that. We had our house plus the boarding house, Rose and Jenny were healthy and growing, we thought we might actually be able to put some money away." Laura shook her head and exhaled deeply. "And then they came and took it. All of it. Our house, the boarding house, the land."

She couldn't speak any longer, the emotions welling up inside took over and tears spilled down her cheeks. Miss Randolph rubbed her arms. Laura saw the gentle and kind spirit she knew lurked inside this mysterious woman.

"You poor dear," said Miss Randolph. "It must have been so hard for you."

Laura nodded. She wiped away the tears and wandered over to the pump to fill the tea kettle. "When they told us we had to leave, I felt just like Pa must have when we lived in Kansas."

Laura looked up, wondering if she was boring the woman with her trips down memory lane, but Miss Randolph stood there, her head slightly tilted, seeming to be genuinely interested.

"We left the Big Woods of Wisconsin when I was a girl and took a homestead near Independence, Kansas." As Laura spoke she walked into the pantry to find the tea and Miss Randolph took the cups and serving tray down from the shelf. "Ma helped Pa build the house, it didn't even have a window or doors at first. But it was coming along nicely, and we made a few wonderful friends there."

"Why did you leave?"

"The government was negotiating treaties with the Indians, buying some of their lands and offering smaller tracts elsewhere. When they redrew the lines, our homestead was suddenly in Indian territory. Soliders came and told Pa we had to move."

Laura and Miss Randolph worked for a few moments in silence. When done, the serving tray was ready and Laura held a plate of cookies to bring into the parlor.

Miss Randolph shook her head, as if she couldn't possibly comprehend all that Laura said. "Well, I certainly lived a much easier life than you have Laura. New York never posed that many challenges."

"Almanzo is from New York."

Miss Randholph's eyes widen. "Really? What part?"

Laura never tired of talking about Almanzo's childhood. She thought the stories of a young boy growing up on a farm in New York would make a good book one day. "His father's farm was in upstate New York, Burke to be exact."

"I visited the area as a child. It's lovely...or at least, it was."

The women began walking toward the parlor. Laura stopped in the doorway. "If you don't mind me saying, I find it odd that a woman as refined as you would have left New York to live somewhere like Walnut Grove."

Miss Randolph chuckled. "Well Laura, as you know, sometimes life makes decisions for you and you just have to follow it through and see what happens."

A mysterious answer from an equally mysterious woman. Miss Randolph walked past Laura into the parlor and announced that tea was ready. The group halted their conversation to thank her and Miss Randolph busied herself with serving. Laura placed the plate of cookies on the coffee table and watched Miss Randolph flit about from one guest to the next, playing the perfect hostess. There was more to this woman's story and Laura was determined to find out what it was.


to be continued...

"Andy, I'm so glad that you're able to stay in Walnut Grove for a little longer," said Albert.

"Me too," Andy agreed. "It seems like forever since we've all been together."

"Andrew, Albert, are you two coming?" Cassandra asked. "Ma has just put supper on the table."

"We're coming, little sister," Albert said, smiling.

"I'm not little!" Cassandra exclaimed. "If I was little, would I be studying to become a teacher?"

"No, I guess not," Albert admitted. He gave Cassandra a light pat on the head as he and Andy headed into Charles and Caroline's new home.

"Ma, chicken, and biscuits, and potatoes!" Laura exclaimed. She, Almanzo, Jenny, and Rose had just entered Ma and Pa's house. "Where did you get all this delicious food?"

"The chicken was one of ours, her name was Penelope, and your Pa bought the potatoes and flour for biscuits at the new mercantile," Caroline explained.

"Stop discussing where this food came from, and how it got here, and let's sit down!" said Charles. Everyone began to laugh as they all headed towards the large table.

"It sure does feel great to be in Walnut Grove. Home Again," said Albert. He took Michelle's hand, and they smiled at each other.

"Michelle, have you and Albert decided on a name for that baby you're expecting?" Cassandra asked.

Albert and Michelle looked at each other again, before Albert spoke. "Well, it wasn't very hard to decide that, if this baby is a boy, his name will be Charles Albert Ingalls," he explained.

"Named after me?" Charles said. "Well, I should be honored."

Albert nodded respectfully at his Pa.

"Who is going to say grace?" asked Jenny.

"Not me!" Grace exclaimed, causing everyone to laugh again.

"I have an idea," Mary said. "Since we're all together, Home Again, why don't we go around the table, and we all have to say one thing we're thankful for?"

"Mary, that is an excellent idea!" Caroline said enthusiastically. Everyone immediately agreed.

It took some time, but all the people who were crowded into the Ingalls home happily said the most important thing they were thankful for. Charles, Caroline, Mary, Adam, Susan, Laura, Almanzo, Jenny, Rose, Albert, Michelle, James, Cassandra, Carrie, Grace, Andrew, and many more, all had a chance to speak.

"That was lovely," said Caronline.

"Mrs. Ingalls," Andy said to Caroline, "All of this food looks so delicious. Thank you so much for inviting me to this meal."

"You're as much a family member as the rest of us, Andy Garvey. You are welcome at our home any time," Caroline responded.

"Andy, how long will you be in Walnut Grove?" Almanzo asked.

"Oh, just a day or two more. I have to get back to the city to help my Pa. Though, I really do wish I could stay longer! It's great to be Home Again," Andy explained.

"Your Pa has those hired boys helping him in the city. Stay longer. we're all glad to have you here," encouraged Almanzo.

"Oh, I don't know. I could always call Pa and see what he thinks," Andrew said.

"Do you have a girl waiting back in the city, and that's why you're so anxious to return?" Almanzo teased.

"No, Almanzo, I don't. I was with a girl named Emily not too long ago, but not anymore," Andy explained.

"What a shame," said Almanzo.

"Andy, there's a girl here who would be just perfect for you. Well, she's not here yet, but her family is moving back real, real soon," James said excitedly. "She's pretty, and smart, and very, very kind."

"Oh really? And what's her name?" Andy asked.

"Nancy Oleson!" James exclaimed.

Albert nearly choked on a biscuit when his brother said Nancy Oleson's name. Concerned, Michelle patted him on the back. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"Yes, I'll be fine." Once he recovered, Albert turned to James. "Nancy Oleson?" he practically spat. "Are you absolutely sure she is the right girl for Andy?"

"Well, you never know. It all depends on what Andy thinks of her," James replied mischeviously.

Albert could only shake his head. 'As long as we're together,' he thought, 'everything will be alright. Even if it does have to involve Nancy Oleson.'



TO BE CONTINUED.....

ChristinaAL wrote:

I haven't looked at this thread in such awhile but I'm glad I came to catch up. This story is so much fun to read and contribute to, I love it!

I just found this thread a dew days ago. i don't know how accurate my post was compared to the others, but it was fun to type!

ingallsfan2008 wrote:

ChristinaAL wrote:

I haven't looked at this thread in such awhile but I'm glad I came to catch up. This story is so much fun to read and contribute to, I love it!

I just found this thread a dew days ago. i don't know how accurate my post was compared to the others, but it was fun to type!

This came out good. The only inconsistences are that the Ingalls family is not in their house yet, James hasn't arrived in Walnut Grove, and the Olesons are already there. But you know, if we take James out of the picture and just have the Ingalls family sitting down either at the boarding house or the hotel--I don't remember where they are--and change it to say Andy could meet Nancy in the morning, then it would all work fine.

It's great when other people add to the story.

More chapters please

bethandmanly wrote:

Caroline looked upon her children, a smile curling the corners of her lips.  "Carrie, Cassandra, Grace, if you don't leave soon you'll be late for school."

"Yes Ma," they said in unison.

The girls collected their books and dinner pails and kissed their mother goodbye.  They waved to Laura and Albert and Grace pulled the door shut on her way out.

"Don't they usually come home for dinner?" Albert fumbled with his necktie.  No matter how long he had worn one, he still found ties uncomfortable.  

"Yes, but with Cassandra and Jenny planning to take their teacher's examinations, they usually stay at school during recess to study together.  It's good for Carrie too.  Grace doesn't like to walk home by herself, so she stays with them."  Caroline dried the last plate and placed it on the shelf.  "What time is Jenny arriving tomorrow, Laura?"

"The train should be here around ten."

"I'm surprised you let Jenny go all the way to Minneapolis when she's studying for her teacher's exam."

"Well, Eliza Jane needed someone to help her out while she recovered from her broken arm.  And Jenny was getting so nervous about the exam she just about bit her fingernails right off.  I figured some time away would do her good.  We've missed her."

The timepiece on the mantle chimed nine o'clock.  

"Gotta go," said James buttoning up his suit coat.  "Pa will have a fit if I'm late again."  He pecked Caroline on the cheek and rushed out the door.

Laura sighed.  "When did they all grow up?"

"Before we had a chance to notice," said Caroline.  "We keep expecting James to announce his engagement any day."

"What's the hold up?" asked Albert.

"He's petrified to approach Sarah's father.  I don't know why, Mr. Morris thinks James is a fine suitor for his daughter."  Caroline slid a pin through her hat and grabbed her handbag off the table.  "I wish I could chat longer, but I have to get to the restaurant."

"That's okay Ma," said Albert.  "I have an appointment soon.  We'll walk you out."

Laura, Albert, and Caroline strolled out the front door, each thinking about Walnut Grove and the news they had discovered this morning.  Caroline kissed her children goodbye and wished them a good day.  As she started down the street towards the restaurant she heard Laura call after her.

"You'll let us know what Pa says tonight, won't you?"

Caroline turned towards her children who were already inside Laura's buggy.  An impish smile covered her face.  "Of course."

to be continued...

I hope who ever is doing this go on for ever they are really good bringing this show back hope they do the same with The Waltons.