Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. All original characters and plot are the property of the author. No copyright infringement is intended.
I had to put this as it's own chapter, sorry it's short! The rest will go up in chapter 13 and I'll post at the same time.
The two main roads in the town of Walnut Grove started at a point where the white church sat in Old Town, and made a 'V' shape. Main Street, as it had defaulted to be named, ran in front of the Mill, by Post Office and clear down to the train station. The other road, Oleson Boulevard, was one of the busiest streets in town. It ran along Oleson's Mercantile, the bank and the 'Feed and Seed' going ran straight down to the mainly traveled road to Mankato and Sleepy Eye. Both streets were bisected by four cross streets; 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th respectively. The little river that powered the Mill was also bridged by both main roads as it cut its way through the Minnesota prairie.
Large wagons full of quarry stone rumbled by on Oleson Street on it's way to different building sites.
"I can't wait until the set the street with cobblestones; it'll cut down on the dirt and dust around here." Nancy observed as she and Carrie kept to the board walk on Oleson Boulevard in New Town.
"Do you really think they'd do that here?" Wondered Carrie doubtfully.
Both women dressed in their best town dresses as they strolled, stopping to look into the windows of shops.
"Of course!" Nancy exclaimed pausing in front of one of her favorite millinery shops. "If they don't, there will be nothing to do but to move to Minneapolis!"
Carrie smiled faintly at her friend's cheek. They were definitely the unlikely pair but now it made all the sense in the world to her.
In Iowa, Albert had let her follow him around. It had made her feel special and the two of them formed a strong bond. But when he had taken up with a street gang there, she had been left to herself mostly. Yes there was James and Cassandra but they were all in a new place trying to fit in. They all were teased at first but it never seemed to ease on Carrie. A group of girls bullied her relentlessly because she was quiet and read a lot. They would joke that she was invisible and pretend she was not there. Run into her and talk over her during recess. At a town picnic, she was riding her father's horse and one girl jumped from the bushes and spooked it. She was thrown and hurt her ankle. It wasn't until two hours later that anyone noticed she was gone. So she studied and read about other places. Amazing places full of people where you'd never feel lonely. She'd imagine she could escape there someday.
When Carrie's family had moved back to Walnut Grove, Carrie had just graduated and so had little way of getting to know anyone again. Everyone remembered Albert, Cassandra and James. She always felt as though when they saw her, she was the 'Oh yes, and her' Ingalls.
She had felt lost back in Walnut Grove with Albert off in Chicago. But on the other hand she had been excited to think that, perhaps with Albert away, she would finally receive her turn with her father and mother's attention. But as when she was younger, it seemed she was overlooked again and the focus went to her adopted brother and sister. Cassandra and James were so close, and they were so outgoing. In Carrie's eyes, the attention had been more in their direction than hers or even Grace's over the past few years. Whether or not it was because her parents felt that the adopted children needed more interaction she wasn't sure. Once her father had said that 'the squeaky wheel gets the grease' and she figured she just didn't squeak much.
Even with Nancy's impertinent attitude, she was the first person in a long time to hear Carrie and express some opinion on topics important to her. Nancy also had so many dresses, some that had never been worn and she would pass them on to Carrie who was the same size and height exactly. It wasn't so much that Carrie wanted the dresses, although they were beautiful, but she liked the attention she would get when wearing them. Something she felt she had been deprived of. It seemed to her that Nancy liked to feel like she was needed by somebody and giving her the clothes and such fulfilled this for her.
And so there they were, reflected in the broad store window together.
"I'm getting it." Nancy declared and began to rummage through her purse.
"You just bought a hat last week." Laughed Carrie in teasing and not criticism.
"But this one will go with my auburn mink stole when it gets here in time for Christmas." The blond girl rationalized and began to go into the shop.
Another gloved hand reached for the door at the same time and Nancy looked up to see Rachel Garvey looking back at her cooly.
"Oh hello Nancy." Rachel's freckled nose wrinkled as she smiled.
Nancy didn't bother to return a pretended smile. "Rachel."
The two of them had never really gotten along, although Nancy rarely got along with anyone. It was almost her only way of being a supportive sister to Willie after he and Rachel had ended the relationship. After Rachel had ended the relationship.
When she and Willie were engaged, Rachel had overheard a vicious rant from Harriet who was avidly opposed to the union. Rachel had ran in tears to Willie who was managing the restaurant telling him she wanted to call off the wedding. He had already decided against going to college and to stay in Walnut Grove to start their life together. Willie demanded to know why she had changed her mind and she told him what his mother had said. That she was ruining his chance to be happy and accomplish his goal to be a doctor. Trying to reassure her, he started to go confront his mother but Rachel stopped him. Telling him she had decided he must go to school and she would wait for him. Willie saw that he could not reason with her and so, finally he took an entrance exam and did so well that he was accepted into university in Chicago Illinois. Albert Ingalls was also accepted at that time and on a full scholarship. Willie's mother and father were paying his way. Then it happened, at the beginning of his second year, Rachel's letters and phone calls became less frequent and then stopped all together. He came home for Christmas that year to find she had met an old friend, Andrew Garvey, who had come to Walnut Grove to be the town's Sheriff. There was a confrontation between the two men and Rachel stepped in, stating she wanted to be with Andy. Willie got right back on the stage that day and didn't come back home until the end of his education. Rachel and Andrew were married shortly after.
All this explained Carrie's similar enmity for Rachel Garvey, but Carrie's was much quieter and deeper. Of course she was glad he had never married Rachel but she knew the hurt it had caused him and for that it was unforgivable. But she was not as open about her opinions and stood back with a simple frown aimed at the girl.
Rachel grabbed the door handle and pulled it open, "Are you girls looking for hats for the dance too?"
Nancy snorted, "No one wears a hat to a dance. You should try to keep up on these things Rachel. Not that you don't try I suppose." She glanced over the dress Rachel wore with revulsion.
Rachel's face turned spiteful and her lips pressed into a thin line.
"I suppose you wouldn't know what to wear to a dance seeing as you've never been asked to one have you?" Mrs. Garvey purred the sour words.
"We do have escorts actually Rachel." Lied Nancy.
Carrie looked at Nancy in surprise but quickly nodded to back her up.
A dainty little laugh escaped Rachel's lips, "Who?"
"I'm going with Albert and Carrie's going with my brother." Nancy drilled the last two words in hard.
Rachel's face wavered for a moment but then she recovered, "Really. I'll believe it when I see it."
The girl had changed since their school years. Rachel had moved in right before Carrie's family had moved out. She even sat next to her in school for a while. She remembered Rachel being shy and sweet, sharing berries from her mother's garden with Carrie during class. Now she was a different person, one that Carrie had no desire to share anything with.
"We have nothing to prove to you." Carrie finally spoke calmly and started into the store. Rachel was still holding the door.
Rachel looked from Carrie to Nancy then said, "There's a reason why people look at you as you pass Nancy and it's not your eccentric fashion sense. They're laughing and there can only be one town clown." And with that Rachel spun about and huffed off down the boardwalk, two little dogs in tow.
Notes: Rachel insisted Willie continue his studies which is different than in the actual series. Obviously Albert went to school as well but in this story they went to Chicago instead of the university in Minnesota.
This gives a little insight to why Carrie is the way she is here.
