It didn't take long for Nels, and Hiram, to learn that Kate was coming back to Walnut Grove. Miraculously, Harriet managed to convince her niece to come back with her on the next train out of Chicago, according to the letter Nels received on December 1st. However, Kate was reluctant at first, not wanting to leave the children behind, or cause them any more distress by a sudden upheaval. Harriet, of course, thought that was nonsense. Of course the children should come and visit their Auntie Harriet and Uncle Nels (not great aunt; Harriet did not need reminding about how old she is. Or rather, she wanted to keep up the facade of pretending to be younger than she actually was). But where else would the children stay, for goodness sake! The country air would do them good. No matter what Kate said, Harriet would have none of it. Privately, Hiram felt grateful towards Harriet. Though he would never let her know that. He didn't want to give Harriet Oleson the satisfaction, nor did he want her to know that he still had feelings for her niece. Hiram didn't want to set that powder keg on fire again.
But once Hiram found out from Nels that Katie was coming back to Walnut Grove within the next week, he found that his dark mood lifted quite drastically. He could feel a spring in his step whenever he walked, the cold air no longer bothered him. And his heart fluttered almost every time he went into the mercantile. Get a hold of yourself, man! You're acting like a foolish school boy. Besides, she's now a widow. That wouldn't be right.
Still, he couldn't help but feel elated that his Katie was coming back to him. I thought I told you to stop that, you old goat. She's not yours anymore.
But she was. And you let her go. Despite Hiram's jovial mood, he felt that he had an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other. The angel advocated for logic and reason, insisting that Hiram had done the right thing and that keeping Kate would have been selfish. However, the demon that resided on his other shoulder was taunting him. Constantly reminding him that it was his fault that Kate was gone. It was fault that he lost out on a chance for happiness.
Of course, Hiram was able to move on, eventually. His passion for medicine and caring for the folks of Walnut Grove was the main purpose of his life. And it didn't take long for Hiram to find that spark that reignited his passion. Soon, the good doctor was back delivering the future of Walnut Grove; working tirelessly to prevent the utter chaos that would follow if the outbreaks of typhus, anthrax, and rocky mountain fever hadn't been contained in time. There was so much Hiram could take pride in. Though, if he had to pick a certain aspect of his work, Hiram would say that the friendships he built over the years was what he was most proud of.
While he was nothing more than a simple country doctor who got paid mostly in bushel crops and livestock, Hiram felt that the richness of friendship was it's own reward. Yes, he considered himself lucky to have the friends that he had. Nels Oleson, Charles Ingalls, Reverend Alden, Isaiah Edwards, Jonathan Garvey, Almanzo Wilder, and countless others. But there was no greater friend than Lars Hanson.
Out of everyone in Walnut Grove, Hiram knew Lars the longest. The town elder, who passed away peacefully only months after folks started to return and build the town up again, was Hiram's closest friend. And there wasn't a day that went by where the good doctor didn't miss the stubborn mill owner. It brought a smile to Hiram's face when he recalled all the good times he shared with Lars. Whether it was playing pinochle or squabbling over whose pocket watch had the correct time or any other little matter, Hiram could always count on Lars to be there. Even though the old goat could be quite stubborn.
Years ago, a man known as Mr. O'Hara came through Walnut Grove with his band of circus animals. And supposedly a remedy that cured almost every ailment. Now Hiram rarely got angry, much less angry at his friends. But this O'Hara, he was creating a dangerous precedent. Now it was one thing for Lars to refuse Hiram to treat his headaches. Despite the doc's insistence that Lars' headaches were a symptom of his body saying that something was wrong (looking back now, Hiram questioned whether this was foreshadowing Lars' stroke), the old mill owner continued to argue that "a headache was a headache!"
But it was entirely different with Mrs. Oleson. While Hiram found the woman extremely difficult at times, he didn't believe that the woman deserved to die because of her ignorance. She came close to dying, and if Hiram waited only a few hours more, she would have. Harriet Oleson was many things, too many things Hiram could list. But she had her nicer qualities, even though they were hard to find. Harriet was also Kate's aunt, and if he let her die...The thought was unbearable. Hiram already dealt with the guilt over losing little Freddie Ingalls and Stanley Novak. If Harriet died, Hiram couldn't imagine facing Kate ever again. The thought of her having any sort of antipathy towards him was enough to reopen the old wound.
That was all that Hiram could think about following her departure. Did she hate him? Did she regret coming to Walnut Grove? Regret falling in love with him? This was all nonsense, of course. Katie wanted to keep the ring he made her and kissed him one last time before fleeing into Oleson's Mercantile. But all of those questions, and more, still burned in the back of his mind. Even after Nels shook some sense into him, Hiram still laid awake at night, his mind racing.
Sure, Nels was the one who helped him out of his initial grief, but it was Lars that kept Hiram going. He could remember the first time he started playing pinochle with Lars on a regular basis again.
*Flashback*
It was another warm July evening in Walnut Grove. The sound of thunder could be heard in the distance as a flickering light could be seen from a window near the post office. Inside, Doc Baker and Lars Hanson were sitting around the table in Doc's waiting room playing pinochle. For the first time in ages, the mill owner and town elder was back in the good doctor's office playing his favorite card game. He had missed unwinding from a long day at the mill with a good card game. Of course, he still went over to the Feed & Seed and played with Mr. Dorfler and other men of the town. But it wasn't the same without the doctor.
When his friend shut himself away following the departure of Mrs. Oleson's niece, Lars became worried. Hiram practically became a ghost that first month. He declined invitations to supper. He rarely went about town, going as far as refusing to attend Sunday services. Eventually, the whole town became concerned when the doc only started to treat patients out of necessity. Otherwise, Hiram's office would be mysteriously empty.
Lars had nothing against Harriet Oleson's niece. She was a very charming young lady with a bright future ahead of her. She got along with most of the town, especially the Ingalls children. More importantly, she seemed to be the complete opposite of her aunt. A complete breath of fresh air. At least she was, for Doc Baker, who took to the girl very quickly. It wasn't long before the good doctor began to court the sophisticated young lady from Chicago. Now Lars had no problem with his good friend courting the young lady. It was only a passing fancy. The girl wasn't expected to stay in Walnut Grove long. And once she left, Doc Baker would forget about the whole thing.
But Lars was wrong. Hiram continued to court the young lady, perhaps with more intensity than before. Lars was happy for them, of course, but he had his doubts. Doubts that were much more clear to the mill owner than they were to the smitten doctor. "Do you know what you are doing to yourself? Hiram admitted that what he was doing was selfish, and that there was a good chance for things to end badly. But Hiram couldn't be persuaded to change his mind. Lars began to see less and less of the doc, and the courtship turned into an engagement.
Again, Lars felt happy for them. But his doubts turned into worry. And it just wasn't the doctor he was worried about. Just how well would this young lady adapt to living in Walnut Grove? Not only was she born and bred in a big city, but she came from a wealthy family as well. But really troubled Lars was the age difference. This young lady had the world at her feet. And the doc...Well, who is to say how long he has left in Walnut Grove before a new doctor had to be called up to care for the folks of the town? What would happen to Kate once Hiram started to slow down? Instead of being a wife and a mother, she'd be a caretaker, spending so much time focusing on Hiram that she wouldn't be able to raise the children.
Lars was sincere when he told Charles that he wished the relationship could last forever. But he was a realist, he had to be, living on homesteading land. He knew from the beginning that the relationship wouldn't last. There was a reason he quit sparking 15 years ago. And yet, he couldn't help but feel for his best friend. According to Hiram, Kate was the only serious relationship he had. He claimed he had to fight women off back east, but Lars didn't believe him. He suspected that Hiram was always too busy with his work to actually settle down in his younger years. So it wasn't surprising that Hiram felt the way he did. But after hearing that Nels had managed to bring Hiram back to his old self somewhat, Lars had to see it for himself. So, he reached out to the doc and asked if he wanted to get together and play a game of pinochle. Much to his surprise, Hiram agreed.
And here they were, two old friends back to their old habits. It's been almost 2 months since Katie left Walnut Grove, and Dr. Hiram Baker appeared to be back to his old self. But Lars Hanson knew that something was still off about the good doctor. He had a hunch it was about Mrs. Oleson's niece, but he wasn't sure if he should bring the subject up again. And yet, Lars wanted to be sure. "What...Are you feeling alright?"
"Never better." Yet Hiram kept his eyes on his cards. Whenever he did that, Lars knew that there was something bothering the doctor. Feeling hesitant, Lars debated whether bringing up the subject at all was a good idea. But taking a deep breath, he decided it was better to get it over with.
"No, no. There is something bothering you, I can tell." Lars' eyes flickered down to Hiram's cards, noticing that the hand that held them clenched slightly. Yet, the doctor said nothing. "It's about that girl, isn't it?" Hiram remained silent as he felt his bottom lip quiver slightly. Not wanting to reveal anything that he was feeling, Hiram studied his hand carefully, before putting down the cards he wanted to play. Lars continued to study his friend as they continued to play.
As the game progressed Lars began to have the upperhand. But the old miller could tell that even now, the doctor didn't have the mind for pinochle. It wasn't long before Hiram declared out, throwing his cards down on the table before rubbing his face.
Leaning over the table, Lars reached out and patted Hiram on the shoulder. "Look...I'm not going to...I'm not going to tell you I told you so. There isn't anyone else in this town that wanted it to work out more than me, but…" Lars could feel himself start to sweat a bit, whether it were from the summer heat or not, he would never know. Now Hiram was looking at Lars, which made the latter even more nervous. The thunder was beginning to grow louder, just like the silence between the two men. "But you have to think of it this way...What kind of life could she have here? Outside of the Ingalls, who else would she know? What is there for her to do? Raised in a big city like that…"
Before Lars could continue, Hiram stood up from his chair and walked over to his desk, leaning against it. The sight reminded Lars of a similar scene that played out before him a few months back, when Hiram declared that he's never felt more alive. Lars gently laid his cards down on the table before walking over to Hiram. Placing a hand on his friend's shoulder, Lars continued. "Look...I know how much you loved her. And I really wished it could have worked out. But maybe it was for the best-" Before Lars could finish, Hiram, who was now crying, threw his arms around the former's neck, burying his head into Lars' shoulder. Caught off guard, the older man could only pat the other on the back.
"I miss her, Lars." Despite hardly saying a word all evening, Hiram's voice sounded hoarse. "Why? Why did I let her go?"
"There, there. Everything is going to be alright." Lars continued to pat his friend on the back, feeling uncomfortable. On one hand, his heart went out to Hiram. On the other hand, Lars wasn't one for emotions. He believed that was a woman's foolishness. But the sight of his friend in so much pain… "It was for the best." But the doctor remained inconsolable. While it was clear that Hiram knew what Lars had said was true, there would always be a part of him that would question the decision he made, and whether or not he was justified. There would always be a part of him that questioned the advice he was given by his friends. And in that moment, Lars began to question if he even believed what he said himself.
*End Flashback*
That night still burned vividly in the back of Hiram's mind. Even now, as he sat inside the restaurant, eating his lunch. Well, more like pecking at his lunch like a quarrelsome chicken. Kate and the children would arrive any day now, and Hiram became less excited and more anxious by the day. A million questions ran through the doc's mind. Was she hoping to see him? Would she even be interested in seeing him, talking to him? Did he want to see her? More than anything. But would he have the courage to go see her? Could he trust himself to be around her with the feelings he still had? So many questions. How he wished Lars was still around. Would his advice be any different, now that the situation was different and Hiram was feeling such strong regret?
It wasn't until Hiram felt a hand on his shoulder did he finally break free from his intrusive thoughts. Looking up, he saw Hester-Sue looking down at him, worry in her eyes. "What's the matter, doc? You hardly touched your food. Now don't tell me there's something wrong with my cooking, now." Hester-Sue smiled ruefully down at the doc, who managed a small laugh.
"No, no. Your cooking is fine, as always Hester-Sue." Hiram's smile faltered as the intrusive thoughts slowly creeped back to the forefront of his mind. Not wanting Hester-Sue to pick up on this, Hiram went back to pecking at his food. But nothing escapes Hester-Sue, who knew that something was bothering the doc from the moment he walked into the restaurant. And she had a sneaking suspicion of what it was. Word spread fast that Harriet's niece was coming back to town, with two children in tow. Hester-Sue heard all about the pretty young thing from Chicago, and how she captured Dr. Baker's heart. Laura, who became ecstatic after learning that Miss. Thorvald (now Mrs. Kennedy) was coming back to town, told Hester-Sue everything. From Katie's near fall out of the stage, to playing in the yard with her and Mary. Katie was one of the nicest people she'd ever met.
Laura told Hester-Sue how Katie fell off her horse near the little house, conveniently on the same day the doc was invited to stay for supper. Now Laura didn't remember much of that night, except that Mary noticed that Doc Baker was staring at Katie the whole time, almost as if he were hypnotized. Laura didn't pay any mind to it at the time, since she was so young, but as the relationship progressed, she began to put the pieces together. Soon, everyone knew that Doc Baker was sweet on Katie. But he never once made a move. Slightly embarrassed, Laura confided in Hester-Sue that she was probably the main catalyst that helped move the relationship forward. If Laura had a remembrance book, she would write in it how she brazenly asked the doc if he was going to marry Kate when they stopped by for a visit. But she told Hester-Sue she wasn't sorry she did it, for Dr. Baker wouldn't have gotten up the courage to ask her himself. Of course, Laura had a little help from Kate, or so she was told.
But all the while she was talking to Hester-Sue, Laura's mood became downcast as she described how the relationship quickly fell apart. Laura confessed that she felt that it was partially her fault that the two separated. She recalled that she asked Dr. Baker how many children he and Katie would have. She even went as far to say that she was looking forward to grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Laura lamented to Hester-Sue that Dr. Baker ended the engagement, and Katie went back to Chicago. She never told anyone this, but Laura felt a large amount of guilt over the relationship. "But honey, how could you have known? Maybe they just weren't meant to be." Somehow, after all of these years, Laura didn't believe that. Unlike most of the folks in Walnut Grove, she never forgot about Miss. Thorvald, and how much she meant to Dr. Baker. There were times following her departure that she wanted to ask Dr. Baker about her, but she thought better of it. Still, there was an inkling inside her that told Laura that this wasn't going to be an ordinary visit.
"Now don't you go lyin' to me now. I can always tell when something is troubling folks. And right now, there is something bothering you." Hiram looked at Hester-Sue for a moment before returning to his plate, his face slightly burning.
"Just got a lot on my mind, that's all."
"Oh? It wouldn't happen to be that pretty young lady from Chicago I've heard so much about?" Hiram looked up to see Hester-Sue smile ruefully at him, before getting flustered. He wanted to say something to her, but he couldn't find the words. He should've known by now that news of Katie's arrival made its way around town. Harriet Oleson wasn't even in Walnut Grove, and yet the news spread like a damn wildfire.
Before Hiram could respond, Hester-Sue drifted off to another table. Feeling embarrassed, Hiram kept his gaze on his plate, determined to leave as quickly as he could. He knew that Nels would tell some people. He just didn't know how fast the word would spread.
He thought about his most recent appointment with Laura, who was about four months along with her second child. After the unexpected death of their infant son, Laura and Almanzo talked about having another baby. After all, Rosie was getting older, and they thought it would be nice to have a friend to play with. Someone other than Jenny, someone her age. But nothing came of it. Now Rose was almost four, and Almanzo thought it was high time he and Laura tried again. And this time, they were successful. The new addition to the Wilder family was expected to make his or her debut in late spring of 1892.
The appointment went well, nothing for Laura to be concerned about. "Everything seems fine, Laura. The baby is coming along just as expected. In another four or five months, you and Almanzo can expect a healthy baby boy or girl."
"Really? Oh, I can't wait to tell Manly! He'll be so excited. He's been so worried ever since we found out I was expecting. You know, I think he's still upset about what happened to our son."
"That's to be expected, Laura. From my experience, most parents will still grieve for their children years later. It's a natural process."
"Oh, I know. There are still some moments where I think about him all the time. But Manly's just worried about it happening again. And how I would react if it did happen again." An awkward silence fell between the pair, both recalling the immediate aftermath of the death of Baby Wilder. "I still feel bad about what happened. I wish I could go back and take away what I said."
Smiling gently at Laura, Hiram walked over to her and placed both of his hands on her shoulders. "I know, Laura. I know. But it was like you said. You were hurt, and needed something to take your anger out on. Unfortunately, that happened to be me, but all the same. Anger is a natural emotion that most parents feel when they lose a child. So you shouldn't beat yourself over it. It's not healthy for the baby." The two smiled at each other before Laura picked up the courage to ask about the news she just heard. She hoped it was true.
"I heard Miss. Thorvald is coming back to town. Mr. Oleson told me." Another awkward silence fell between them as Hiram looked at Laura for a moment before exiting the exam room. Laura followed him, wanting to get to the bottom of the barrel.
"It's Mrs. Kennedy now, Laura. And yes, I've heard that too."
"You must be excited. I remember how stuck you were on her." Hiram looked up to see Laura look at him with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. This wasn't good. He didn't want Laura getting the wrong idea, despite his feelings.
"Now don't get the wrong idea, young lady. She just lost her husband in an accident. Both her and her two children haven't been feeling well and Mrs. Oleson invited them for Christmas to raise their spirits. Whatever happened between me and Katie-I mean, Miss. Thorvald-Mrs. Kennedy, was years ago. Whatever my feelings are... were-" Laura smiled gently before placing a hand on Hiram's shoulder.
"I know. I was just teasing. I'm just excited to see her again. Mr. Oleson told me she had two children. Twins, just like Nellie and Willie! Oh, I have to go home and write Mary! Thanks, doc!" Giving Hiram a quick hug, Laura turned to walk out the door. But before she left, she turned to give the doc a sly smile. "You know, Mrs. Baker sounds a whole lot better to me." Before Hiram could say anything, Laura vanished from his sight, no doubt going home to tell Almanzo.
Hiram stood at the spot where Laura once stood, his mind racing and palms twitching. Walking over to the door, Hiram leaned against the frame, staring at the running creek coming from the mill. Becoming less aware of his surroundings, the intrusive thoughts Hiram kept in the recesses of his mind came bubbling back up to the surface. The angel and devil came back out to play, and Hiram could feel himself twitch at the thought of another man having Kate. But he quickly rid himself of those thoughts. "Still a little spitfire, that one is," he muttered before going back into his office.
Needless to say, after that encounter Hiram tried to avoid walking in public. Almost everywhere he went, he could feel people staring at him, even though they tried to hide it. They were naturally curious, he supposed. No one ever thought that this simple country doctor, who was so passionate about his work, would ever find a special lady. Some folks who weren't around back then couldn't believe that Hiram actually did find someone. And Harriet Oleson's niece, of all people. Which just added to their doubt. And when they heard that this supposed niece was coming back, the town began to buzz. Needless to say, Hiram felt uneasy. He wasn't used to all of this attention, nor did he seek it out. He was used to people talking about him, of course. But this was different. This was about his personal life, something he felt that the public didn't need to know about. He didn't want to deal with any old wounds openly. The only thing that made Hiram feel better was that Harriet wasn't the one starting rumors.
Before the intrusive thoughts could go any further, Hiram was once again shaken from his reverie by the sound of the restaurant doors opening. Out of the corner of his eye, Hiram saw two children barrel through the door. But he paid no attention, and went back to his plate. Probably just some rowdy youngsters waiting for their parents to hurry up. "Hiram, give that back!" The doc looked up quickly, confused about what he heard. Surely the girl wasn't talking to him. As far as he could recollect, there was no child in Walnut Grove that shared the name with the town doctor.
"It's Joey, and you know it, Laura" Now the two children had all of Doc Baker's attention, his face in deep concentration. Staring at the children more intensely, he saw a young boy that resembled Willie Oleson when he was younger, but with a somewhat chubby face. And his hair looked more well kept. Hair that was a mix of blond and brown. He wore a rather downcast facial expression, with familiar brown eyes and a button nose. He held a doll in his hand, which naturally belonged to the girl. Hiram's gaze shifted to the girl, who had long, honey blonde curls beneath her bonnet. She had piercing blue eyes, but with the facial structure and eyebrow shape like her mother. Unlike her brother, the girl had the same olive complexion as her mother. A contrast to his paler skin. If those were her children, then that means… "Only mother can call me that."
Katie was here! Something in Hiram leapt for joy as his gaze darted towards the entrance to the restaurant. It couldn't be...She couldn't be...But there was the stage, with Nels, Willie, and Rachel standing outside. Hiram stood up, trying to get a better view. In his haste, he almost knocked the chair over. Face burning, Hiram hoped that the children hadn't noticed him. But to his relief, they continued to stare at each other. "I'm telling mother!" The girl marched outside, her brother in tow, with a slight pout on his face. Hiram ignored Hester-Sue's knowing stare as he quickly followed the children outside. Standing on the porch were Willie and Rachel, who were holding their own children. Nels was helping with the luggage, and Hiram could only guess that Harriet was still on the stage with Katie. His Katie.
Straining his neck over Willie and Rachel, Hiram could make out a figure in the stage that was getting ready to exit. "Nels!" The familiar voice of Harriet Oleson called from inside the stage, and Hiram deflated a little. That was probably Harriet he saw. A small sense of fear went through Hiram. Maybe she changed her mind about coming. Maybe she just sent the children. Did she change her mind because of Hiram?
"Coming, dear." To Hiram's surprise, Nels walked to the other side of the stage. If Harriet was on that side, then that meant… Hiram moved past Willie and Rachel, stopping in the middle of the stairs. He saw the door to his side open, and a long black gown could be seen as a gloved hand grabbed the side to help steady herself. Hiram could feel his heart beat faster in his chest as the figure came in full view, with her head still down. Situating herself so she could step off the stage, the woman pulled her gown just slightly so she wouldn't trip on the step. Please be her, Hiram thought desperately.
Just then, the figure looked up. Staring at him were two familiar brown eyes he knew from long ago. Hiram felt his breath stuck in his throat as his own blue eyes devoured Kate's face. She hadn't aged a bit.
Once her eyes focused on the man in black, Kate Kennedy, nee Thorvald, froze mid-step. After all these years, emotions came rushing back to her. Emotions that she tucked away. Memories that always seemed to loom in the back of her mind. Suddenly, she could feel herself fall. Not again! Here she was, making a fool out of herself in front of the man she still loved (though, she wasn't going to tell him that), by falling out of the stage. Again. This time it wasn't the driver's fault. But before she could hit the ground, Kate felt two strong arms grip her sides and steadied her, as her own hands clenched his arms. Regaining their senses, Hiram and Kate stared at each other. Finally together again once more.