Chapter 3

Almanzo walked around the outside of the house he and Pa built before going inside. He couldn't sleep just too many thoughts in his head. He was actually glad that Jenny and Jeb had given them their old room back and that Jeb had added on a larger bedroom. So while Laura was sound asleep in their old room, Rose shared Jenny's old room with two year old Royal.

Too many memories. The one that flooded back was of their wedding night. Rose had asked about it so often that he kept replaying it in his mind.

The Regulator on the wall chimed nine o'clock, which brought everyone back to reality.

"Well," Adam said, "It's a little too late to head for Walnut Grove and we've got the extra rooms and extra beds."

He clapped Almanzo on the back. "We've got one specially set up for the newlyweds, just in case." He felt Almanzo tense up and laughed. "Don't worry, it's a double bed. We do have them for guests you know."

Almanzo looked at Laura as he closed the door. He had waited a long time for this night and now the two of them stood there staring at each other, not one of them moving a muscle.

Laura smiled as she reached up to caress her newly married husband's cheek. "We'd best get some sleep if we have to get going first thing in the morning. We've still got a farm to run, you know."

Manly laughed and nodded his head. He put his arms around her and pulled her close. "Just you and me together, Beth," he whispered into her ear, "forever."

He kissed her lightly at first, then, encouraged by his new wife, pressed harder.

"Beth," he breathed as they came up for air. "My Beth."

Almanzo pulled the shirt over his head, exposing his bare chest. It suddenly seemed very warm and he was feeling a little lightheaded. He kissed her again and they tumbled onto the bed, Almanzo fumbling with the buttons on her beautiful grey suit.

"Here," she said, as she slid the jacket off, then pulled off the skirt while Manly struggled with his own trousers. With a little smile, Laura helped him pull them off and they both stared at one another. She reached up behind her pulling out the pins that held her hair in place. Her reddish-brown hair tumbled loosely over her shoulders.

Almanzo watched, dumbstruck, a little smile on his face. His eyes took everything in, not missing a thing. He never felt this way before and he knew he would never feel this way about anyone else again.

"Oh Beth," he whispered, shaking his head, blue eyes staring into her brown ones. "You're beautiful."

"So are you, Manly," she said.

Almanzo smiled and drew closer, taking his wife in his arms. "I've waited for this a long time," he breathed in her ear, kissing her hard. He rolled her over and found himself on top of her, kissing her neck, her shoulders and finally her face. He shivered as she pulled him closer, their desires and feelings for each other meshed into one.

He smiled remembering. It was almost the same thing when they moved back in here, after Laura recovered, with his help of course.

Almanzo was walking better, using the cane that Pa had made for him. He was still walking slowly, but he was walking. Laura had been right all along and he should have listened to her, not to Eliza Jane. After dinner with the folks at their new house, Eliza Jane had gone back to Minneapolis without them.

He showed her around, the rooms with the furniture that he and Pa made by hand. He walked into their new bedroom.

"Do you like it?" he asked her.

"Oh Manly," she said, putting her arms around him. "It's beautiful, like you."

Almanzo glowed. He pulled her closer and kissed her passionately on the lips. They crashed onto the bed and that was the last thing he remembered.

"Manly," Almanzo turned and smiled at his wife. "Can't sleep?"

"Too many memories," he whispered, pulling her close. "I can't get our wedding night out of my mind. Rose has been beggin' me to tell her about it."

Laura smiled. "Well, there are just some things that aren't any of her business. She'll find out when she gets married and I have no doubt she will."

"You make everything so simple, Beth. You have confidence for the two of us. You were always so strong."

"No," she admitted, "not always. Not while Eliza Jane was here after your stroke."

"You always said I'd walk again if I tried," Almanzo said. "Between you and your Pa." He lost the smile. "I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it and I wanted you to be happy again. I couldn't watch you going on like that, day after day. That wasn't my Beth; it wasn't the woman that I married. I asked Eliza to go home, but she was adamant. She was selling the house whether there was one or not. I needed my wife back, not my sister. And in order to get her back, I realized that I had to make a few changes."

"So you started doing Doc Baker's exercises behind my back and made Pa and Ma not say anything."

Almanzo smiled. "The look on your face was worth all the hard work. I couldn't believe Eliza's reaction, though. I always looked up to her. I always thought she was right about things."

Laura shook her head. "That's just the reason I can't believe I let you and that woman talk me into letting her take Rose down South. I can never forgive myself for saying yes."

Almanzo smiled. "Rose practically begged you to say yes. Come on, Beth. She's excited. How often does a girl of fifteen get to go away and stay with an adoring aunt? It will be good for her, you wait and see."

Laura laughed. "I have that feeling too, Manly. She's going to be rich and famous someday. We'll see the world through her eyes."

Manly was still smiling, his arms still around her shoulders. He swayed her back and forth, his eyes never leaving her face. "I believe you, Beth." He suddenly became serious. "You warm enough? It's a little chilly out here."

Laura laughed. "I'm fine, Manly, really. Don't worry about me so much. Now tomorrow, Pa and Ma want to take us into town. We can show Rose around and Albert wants us to have supper with him. He wants to introduce us…."

Almanzo smiled. "I heard about the new nurse. That's all Rose kept talkin' about. Her Uncle Albert's new nurse, Sarah Woodson." He frowned. "How old do you think Albert is?"

"Got to be at least two years younger than me, thirty-three."

Almanzo nodded. "Do you think that it's serious?"

"Serious? Manly, I was seventeen when I married you."

"And I was twenty seven. I guess he's allowed."

Laura smiled. "Well now, I'm glad Albert's got your approval, especially when he didn't mention anything about a relationship."

Almanzo laughed and kissed her lightly on the lips. "We'll see tomorrow." He yawned. "Well, I guess I'm ready for bed. Come on, Beth, let's go inside. We've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow."

"Are you ready to see what's left? That should bring back many more memories that you don't want to remember."

Almanzo looked at her. "With you by my side, Beth, I can make it though anything." He kissed her and smiled. "I love you, Beth, and I always will."

"I love you too, Manly," she said.

And with their arms around each other, they headed for the front door, Almanzo opening it to let Laura inside. They went to their room as quietly as possible and Manly closed the bedroom door behind them.