Chapter 2

"Everything alright?" he asked, releasing her.

"Everything's fine," Laura smiled as Mort walked up the porch steps. "Mort always a way of calming me down." She turned to Mort who was standing between Laura and Almanzo. "Your sister has that same effect on me. The two of you are so much alike."

Mort smiled. "Apple doesn't fall far from the tree," he said, putting his arms on her shoulders. "You alright now?"

Laura nodded and looked up at her husband. "I'm fine, really." She turned to Mort and kissed him on the cheek again. "Thanks for being a great friend."

"Well, I promised your sister I'd help her get everything ready."

And she disappeared inside the house.

Almanzo watched her. He sighed and turned to follow her when Mort's words stopped him.

"Almanzo, you are one lucky man and I'm one, too."

He smiled and turned to find Mort staring at him. "I know that, Mort. I discovered that a long time ago." He hesitated, then frowned. "Do you mean my sister?" he added.

Mort smiled. "That's who I'm talking about. I'll make her happy, just wait and see. We're good for each other and I love her a lot. Oh, and Laura's a great friend too."

Mort smiled and opened the back door and stepped in, holding it open for a smiling Almanzo. He was glad that he waited, but he wanted to speak to Beth later.

xxxx

"Popcorn," Amy said, as she placed a large bowl in the center of the coffee table.

"So how did you two meet?" Laura asked, after relating the story of how she met Almanzo.

"Well," Amy said, looking at Asa, "we actually met in Boston, but…"

"I fell and dislocated my thumb," Asa said, "I was training at Boston University."

"We were both there," Amy said, "but we never saw each other, not until the accident."

"What happened?" Almanzo asked, placing his arm around Laura.

"Well, my classmates and I were at the Frog Pond in Boston Common," Amy continued. "We were ice skating when we heard a cry for help."

"And my classmates were just fooling around on the ice," Asa said, "without skates. I stepped on before anyone else. Amy, always the quick thinker, managed to pop it back in before we found one of the doctors on campus, who managed to splint it." He held up his thumb. I still can't touch my palm with it."

"We got married at my parent's house in Mansfield in 1877, not too far from your farm, Almanzo. Revolutionary War veterans were granted land tracts in New York after 1784. My great, great grandfather sold his and with the money moved out here to build."

"I think we're going to head up to bed," Asa said, standing. He looked at Mort. "I don't know how you and Eliza Jane do it, but I'm just tired."

Almanzo stood. "I think we'll follow you upstairs, Asa."

He looked at his sister and Mort. "See you two in the morning."

"Certainly was an interesting night," Almanzo said, slipping under the bedcovers, cuddling next to his wife.

Laura nodded. "Funny how Asa and Amy met. First in Boston, then here. I had no idea that she was studying to become a nurse or that they went to the same school."

Almanzo nodded. "I didn't realize that you and Mort were so close," he frowned, looking at Laura.

She smiled and shook her head. "This is the first time we've seen each other since 1886."

"You two have written each other for years," Almanzo said, moving closer.

She stared back at him. "You're the one who always reads those letters first, then tells me about them." She frowned. "What are you getting at, Almanzo Wilder, jealous?"

Almanzo smiled. "For a little while, yes," he admitted. "Especially when you two were outside earlier tonight. And that seminar teacher?"

Laura smiled. "Mr. Woestehoff? Don't waste your time, Manly. I told you all about him. He got what was coming to him. Besides, if it wasn't for your sister, none of it would have ever happened."

"What about Mort?"

"What about him? I sat next to him on the train, that's all. He was interested in Eliza Jane the entire time we were out there."

"And what about you, in Walnut Grove all by yourself? Did Brenda Sue Longworth come by? Or Christy Norton? Or…."

Almanzo smiled. "No, but Mrs. Oleson did, looking for you. She had more material for you. I told her you'd gone to Arizona and she just stared at me. When I walked into the mercantile later, Mr. Oleson wanted to know if you really did leave me to go out west. So I told him the truth. Had a good laugh about that one."

"I guess we're even," he said.

"Guess so," Laura answered

They both smiled at each other as the mantle clock downstairs struck twelve.

"Well," Almanzo said, putting his arms around his wife. "I guess it's officially 1894. First time we've ever been up this late."

Laura nodded. "So why don't we start the new year off right, Manly. Let's just forget that we've ever had this discussion?"

Manly nodded. "I agree," he said, kissing her lightly. He pulled her close. "Happy New Year, Beth," he whispered in her ear.

"Happy New Year, Manly," she answered before his lips covered hers.