I'll never forget the day that I realized that Pa was finally well again. He had a smile on his face that was brighter than the sun when he came home from work that night. He'd been working all day at two different jobs; the first one at the Walnut Grove Feed and Seed for Mr. O'Neil and the second, his regular job at the Mill for Mr. Hansen.

He had started the job at the Feed and Seed as a way of bargaining, but after he got hurt on our family picnic and wasn't able to finish the job he'd promised Mr. O'Neil, the whole town pitched in to help; even Mary and I.

Ma wanted him to stop working for Mr. O'Neil; especially after the way he'd treated Pa; by taking our oxen without permission. But Pa would have none of it. He said he felt bad that he wasn't able to finish the job and had told Mr. O'Neil that he would continue to work for him as long as he was needed. Mr. O'Neil was reluctant at first, but finally agreed on one condition; that he pay Pa in cold hard cash just like Mr. Hansen did at the mill.

Anyway, like I was saying before, when Pa came home that night, he had a smile on his face that was brighter than the sun. The moment he walked through the door and saw Ma standing in the kitchen, he scooped her up into his arms, making her (as well as Mary, Carrie and I) laugh.

"Charles, what on earth?"

"Can't I say hello to my beautiful wife?"

Ma's cheeks were pinker than I'd ever seen them. They were the color of cotton candy, but she didn't seem to notice; especially when Pa kissed her. She glanced at Mary, Carrie and I and we looked away, pretending that we hadn't seen. But of course, we had. I couldn't help but grin at the way they were carrying on.

"Well, yes, of course you can say hello, Charles, but-."

Pa just laughed. "Aw, they're used to it, aren't you girls?"

Mary and I nodded obediently. "Yes, sir."

When he finally put Ma down (after giving her one last kiss) she smiled at him. "You're looking much better, Charles."

"I feel better." He said. "A lot better. In fact, I've never felt better. But there is one thing."

Ma's face carried a look of worry. I'd seen it before. And I had to admit that my stomach did a little flip flop.

"Charles, what is it? What's wrong?"

"Well I need your help. All of you."

Mary and I looked at each other and then at Ma. We knew that she was thinking the same thing. What could Pa possibly need our help with? We couldn't imagine what it could be.

Once again I began to fear the worst. What if Pa's ribs were still broken and he needed us to work for him at the mill again? We would do it without question of course, because we always did whatever we could to help out the family. Besides, I have to admit that Mary and I were pretty good at lifting those sacks of grain at the Seed and Feed. But it still worried me.

"All right Charles, of course we'll help you." Ma said. "But I don't understand-."

Pa grinned from ear to ear. "Girls, Caroline… we're going to have a party!"