Hello to all my fanfiction readers! I really do appreciate all the support that you have all given me. I would like to make it clear that I have not been able to update my What if? Because I have been so focused on this idea that I had; this particular idea came from me watching 'Doctors Lady' season one episode: disc 5 and 'A far away cry' season eight: disc 6. Now we all know doctor baker never marries. What if? He had married and there was no Charles, Laura, Mary, Carrie, baby grace or Albert. So in this story Caroline never married nor met Charles Ingalls, she did however meet and marry Doctor Baker. So this is a twist I know! I have had this idea for a very long time, and now at 1:43am I have decided that I need to put all this on 'paper' so to speak and share it with you all…..So if you would all please join me on this crazy ride of a story beginning somewhere in season 6…..
Caroline Baker's POV:
Honestly! I do believe that every time I dare set foot in that store I leave all fired up and mad! A few months ago that wouldn't had been a problem, I would had just gone home and made Hiram's favorite apple pie. Not this time, no I need to calm down before I get to his office. Hiram told me last week when I came home and he was there earlier than usual that my being so upset may be hormones but it was most certainly not good for the baby. Yes I am pregnant, 7 months now actually so now I don't walk home or walk to town. When I need to go to town Hiram stops at the house when he's done with his rounds and takes me back into town. When I'm done I just go to his office and wait awhile. He'll be with a patient or at his desk doing paperwork waiting for his last few scheduled appointments for the day to arrive. Lately while I wait I go upstairs to our old room from when we first moved here 6 years ago and wait. Than when school gets out our daughter Taylor finds her way to me to tell me all about her day, first though she must announce to whomever may be in the office that she's there, usually by yelling 'hello' to her father. Then she'll run up the stairs and find me. As I near closer to the office next to the post office I actually began to wonder and hope that this baby will be a girl too.
"Hiram? Are you here?" I ask as I walk into the office. I looked around and saw nobody, he must be out. Just as I sat down he walked through the door.
"Caroline, your back earlier than I thought you'd be. I was just at the post office and there was a letter for you; from your ma." He said as he sifted through the letters to find the one he was looking for and handed it to me.
"Thank you. Anything else that's important?" I ask
"No, not today. Caroline? How was the Olson's today?" he asked as he looked me over. Searching with his carful doctor eyes for any sign of me over stressing myself for whatever reason.
"Normal, and Hiram I'm just fine. Honestly I am. Harriet Olson just needs to learn to shut her mouth and she has been in need of that lesson for a very long time." I said. "How much do you have left to do today?" I asked while he's doing something in the exam room.
"Oh, I have a few more patients coming in today and some paperwork to go over. I was going to take that home tonight so you and Taylor will probably only be here for about an hour. I thought that would be better than keeping you to her forever while I tried to get through my dreaded paperwork." He said with a smile.
"That is a good idea I suppose, Taylor will have homework that I could probably help her get through before we head home tonight." Then I remembered that it was Friday. "Hiram? Do you have to come to the office tomorrow, I mean it is Friday today?" I asked, for a moment he looked deep in thought as he tried to decide what he was going to do.
"I'm not sure I may come in for a while, depending on who calls tonight and tomorrow." He said then turned sharply with a worried look on his face. "Why? Are you alright, is something wrong?" he said and moved quickly towards me.
"No, I'm quite fine really it was just simple curiosity is all, sometimes you go in than others you don't, that was all." I said with a smile trying my hardest not to laugh at the look on my husband's face. One would honestly think after already having one child would be easier, however that is far from true. I think my problems worse because I married a doctor, who knows what to look for and can get on my nerves at times, usually depending on my moods. "Is the door unlocked because I saw Taylor this afternoon out in the school yard when I was leaving the Olson's. I told her to come straight her after school as usual." I said as my husband turned from his work in the exam room to look at the door, as if to double check himself to be sure before he answered my question.
"Yes it is unlocked and if you would like you may go upstairs and lie down. I promise to send Taylor up when she gets here. "He said as I began to stand agreeing with what he had said.
"I think that would be a very good idea." I said as I stood to walk upstairs.
"Caroline? Are you sure nothing happened today at the store?" Hiram asked for what seemed to be the hundredth time this afternoon.
"No, nothing happened out of the usual. Why?" I said with the calmest voice I had though I knew for a fact that I could kill Harriet Olsen right at this moment!
"Well, you know how I am. I worry about you Taylor and the baby every day and all day" he said as I smiled and turned to continue upstairs to bed where I so very much wanted to be. "Why don't you take the letter from your mother and read what she has to say this time while you rest? Hmm?" he asked
"OH! I forgot about that already, but yes that is a good idea." I said just as the next patient for the day knocked softly and then came in through the door. I smiled at the little old lady who had just walked in as did the same to me and headed for the stairs with my ma's letter in hand.
The letter from my mother was really the same as most her letters. Saying she misses me and complains that, that husband of yours just had to pack you away from us for his practice. Of course there's always talk of how she would love to have a telephone in the house at her disposal so she could talk with Taylor and I on a regular bases. Though that's just not possible because pa' s just to practical for such a thing. she asked how my pregnancy was coming along and that she wanted and immediate wire when the child was born. Specifically she wants to know if it's a girl, boy, weight/ounce and of course its name. There were questions about how Taylor was doing in school as well as with friends. Mother also never failed to ask how the drama with Mrs. Olsen and the school board was. I think that may actually be the best part of my letters. Though some may be better depending on what I've said about the children and such. Oh and of course she remembers to mention how the practice was going out here. Considering Hiram did in-fact take her eldest daughter and soon to be grandchildren away from her.
Not much longer after I had begun my return letter to drop at the post on our way home that I hear the door downstairs slam. Along with a shriek as I just shake my head at our daughter. As I continue to listen to my daughter, husband and a patient downstairs I laugh.
"Taylor, we do not slam doors. Especially not here at the office" I heard Hiram say to her. Though I know it's only because there's a patient around; then with softest heart melting voice.
"But, daddy Henry Jenkins was chasing us girls down the street with a SNAKE!" At that I heard the laugh of my husband and two others. Someone must be waiting. I can just picture the face my sweet little Taylor must be giving them. This must be included in my letter to mother. The next thing I knew the door opened and Taylor sulked in.
"Hello my darling. That was quite the announcement downstairs." I said smiling
"Well it was a snake and, snakes are gross. Then I thought they threw at me and I just got soooo scared mama! What if it bit me, and I turned into a snake too! Could daddy even fix that? I don't think they make that medicine…" said Taylor exasperatedly.
"Well sweetheart they are gross yes and no Henry shouldn't have chased you girls with a snake; that was mean. I'm sure I wouldn't have bitten you and I know for a fact that you wouldn't have turned into a snake from it. But if you did your lucky to have such a smart daddy whom I'm sure could have fixed you so that in a few days you would be back to our normal Taylor." She seemed much more relived to know that daddy, could in-fact fix anything that ever happened to her. "Taylor, sweetie do yo0u think you might have been bit? If you do you should go and tell daddy so he can look at it.
"There's this, but I think it's from playing at recesses. Should I still show daddy?" she asked with concern and showing me her scratch. Which was actually some sort of a bite, I personally couldn't tell. I've learned with my darling tom-boy that it could be anything. I suppose there are pluses to being married to a doctor after all.
"I think you should go down stairs and see what your fathers up to. If he's at his desk ask him to look at it. If no, wait for him in his chair and then ask him. But, don't interrupt if when he's with a patient. Okay?" She looked at me assuming it really was something very bad. But she nodded anyway. Turned and made her way downstairs. Oh yes, mother would love this. Thus I continued my letter.
Shall I continue? Thanks for reading peeps (:
