A/N: This story is based on the television show only- it has nothing to do
with the real Laura Ingalls Wilder or her real family. It is based on
fictional charecters created for the show.
Sorry for the extremely long delay but this (for some odd reason) was a
really hard chapter for me to write. Next one might take awhile but please
review! :-)
Disclaimer: Don't own LHOTP!
Walking down the familiar path towards home, I couldn't help feeling a sense of dread. The last time I had spoken with Ma, we had both ended up angry and that, of course, hadn't solved anything. Pa did not agree with my plans any more than Ma did- and at the moment I did not feel up to the daunting task of facing disapproval from the both of them. For a moment I was tempted to go back to Sylvia but I pushed the thought out of my mind.
"You have to go home," I told myself. "You have to face them sometime."
I hated being at odds with Ma, and Pa especially; I knew how hard it had been for them to take me in when they already had so many children of their own. But I didn't know what else to do. I couldn't leave Sylvia, not after all I had promised her and I didn't want to risk the chance of her being taken away by her father. It would be horrible for the both of us- wouldn't it?
"Of course it would," I snapped at myself. I couldn't let little moments of self-doubt alter my plans. I knew it was going to be hard, but I could handle it. I knew I could.
Half-expecting to see Carrie at the water pump, I put my hand up as if to wave, but realized too late she would be in school. The thought of school brought the unwanted faces of my "friends" to my mind. I was still rattled at the thought that they hadn't even asked me if the rumors were true. Of course I hadn't said anything to put a stop to them but still I knew even if I had, they would've just believed whatever they wanted.
Reaching the house, I knocked on the door apprehensively. It was an odd feeling- feeling like a stranger to my own home. I heard footsteps inside the house, hurrying towards the door.
"Albert!" Ma exclaimed partly in surprise, partly in joy.
She gave me a hug, and again I started to feel horrible about our fight. But I did not feel bad enough to back down.
Pa came out from the bedroom and gave me a warm smile.
"You're home!" He said, clapping his hand on my back.
"Not for long," I replied, preparing myself for a barrage of questions.
Ma and Pa shared a look with each other, but the question Ma asked me was not one I was expecting.
"Would you like some breakfast Albert?" Ma asked still smiling, but somehow it now seemed a bit strained.
Filled with surprise I could only nod. Pa smiled at me and seated himself at the table.
"Sit!" he said, putting his hand on one of the chairs. I approached the table cautiously. What was going on? Sitting down at the table I watched Ma place the food down in front of us. After Pa said grace we silently began eating the food.
"Laura and Almanzo are coming for dinner," Ma cheerily announced.
"Really? That's nice." Pa said equally cheerful.
I watched both of them chatting back and forth looking completely normal in every way. But I knew that their cheerful conversation was just an act, and it was making me mad. I pushed back my chair and stood up.
"What do you want from me?" I asked them angrily.
They looked at me in shock.
"Don't speak to us in that tone, Albert!" Pa ordered.
"Then stop acting like this!" I said. I knew I was being extremely rude and acting out-of-line but I couldn't seem to stop myself.
"Albert," Pa said with his brows furrowed. "Yesterday your Ma and I had decided that we were going to try to be understanding about this. situation. So tell us- how would you like us to act? Do you want us to yell? To tell you that you're making the biggest mistake of your life? That you're ruining everything for some girl?"
I had stayed silent and calm throughout Pa's entire rampage, but his last comment touched a nerve. "Some girl?" I asked through gritted teeth. "Sylvia is not just some girl! And so what if I'm making a mistake? It's my life and it's my mistake to make!"
Ma reached out to touch my hand.
"Albert, we know you that you're in love with Sylvia, but you have to think! You're not even sixteen years old, how do you plan to support a family?"
I withdrew my hand from her grasp.
"I have a plan," I said trying to get them to understand. "We'd stay at Sylvia's house until the baby is born and I'll get job- there will be plenty of things I can do. And-"
"And what about school? What about your dream of being a doctor? And what happens after the baby is born Albert?" Pa cut in angrily.
"When things get easier-"
This time it was Ma who cut me off. "Things will never get easier Albert! Don't you see? If you get married now that's it! That's the end! You'll never be able to go back and do the things that you wanted to do. It's not something that will go away- Sylvia and the baby will always depend on you!"
"I know they will! And I'm ready to accept that! But things will be different for me. I can still become a doctor! I know I can! I just need you to support me in this." I said pleadingly.
Pa and Ma shared another look. This time it was one of sadness.
"If you're going to refuse to listen to us, then I'm afraid we cannot support you,"
Pa said gruffly. "I'm sorry Albert, but we can't help you make this mistake."
"You're refusing to help me?" I said incredulously. I had known it would be difficult to make them understand, but I had never expected this. Not from Pa and Ma who had helped us all through so many other situations.
"Yes," Ma said her voice steely. But I could see her eyes were shining with unshed tears.
"Fine," I snapped. "I'll do it on my own!"
Turning around on my heel I left the house I had for so long called my home. I'll be fin alone, I thought as I walked away from the little house and the two people standing in the doorway whom I had called Ma and Pa for so many years.
I don't need them.
Right?
Disclaimer: Don't own LHOTP!
Walking down the familiar path towards home, I couldn't help feeling a sense of dread. The last time I had spoken with Ma, we had both ended up angry and that, of course, hadn't solved anything. Pa did not agree with my plans any more than Ma did- and at the moment I did not feel up to the daunting task of facing disapproval from the both of them. For a moment I was tempted to go back to Sylvia but I pushed the thought out of my mind.
"You have to go home," I told myself. "You have to face them sometime."
I hated being at odds with Ma, and Pa especially; I knew how hard it had been for them to take me in when they already had so many children of their own. But I didn't know what else to do. I couldn't leave Sylvia, not after all I had promised her and I didn't want to risk the chance of her being taken away by her father. It would be horrible for the both of us- wouldn't it?
"Of course it would," I snapped at myself. I couldn't let little moments of self-doubt alter my plans. I knew it was going to be hard, but I could handle it. I knew I could.
Half-expecting to see Carrie at the water pump, I put my hand up as if to wave, but realized too late she would be in school. The thought of school brought the unwanted faces of my "friends" to my mind. I was still rattled at the thought that they hadn't even asked me if the rumors were true. Of course I hadn't said anything to put a stop to them but still I knew even if I had, they would've just believed whatever they wanted.
Reaching the house, I knocked on the door apprehensively. It was an odd feeling- feeling like a stranger to my own home. I heard footsteps inside the house, hurrying towards the door.
"Albert!" Ma exclaimed partly in surprise, partly in joy.
She gave me a hug, and again I started to feel horrible about our fight. But I did not feel bad enough to back down.
Pa came out from the bedroom and gave me a warm smile.
"You're home!" He said, clapping his hand on my back.
"Not for long," I replied, preparing myself for a barrage of questions.
Ma and Pa shared a look with each other, but the question Ma asked me was not one I was expecting.
"Would you like some breakfast Albert?" Ma asked still smiling, but somehow it now seemed a bit strained.
Filled with surprise I could only nod. Pa smiled at me and seated himself at the table.
"Sit!" he said, putting his hand on one of the chairs. I approached the table cautiously. What was going on? Sitting down at the table I watched Ma place the food down in front of us. After Pa said grace we silently began eating the food.
"Laura and Almanzo are coming for dinner," Ma cheerily announced.
"Really? That's nice." Pa said equally cheerful.
I watched both of them chatting back and forth looking completely normal in every way. But I knew that their cheerful conversation was just an act, and it was making me mad. I pushed back my chair and stood up.
"What do you want from me?" I asked them angrily.
They looked at me in shock.
"Don't speak to us in that tone, Albert!" Pa ordered.
"Then stop acting like this!" I said. I knew I was being extremely rude and acting out-of-line but I couldn't seem to stop myself.
"Albert," Pa said with his brows furrowed. "Yesterday your Ma and I had decided that we were going to try to be understanding about this. situation. So tell us- how would you like us to act? Do you want us to yell? To tell you that you're making the biggest mistake of your life? That you're ruining everything for some girl?"
I had stayed silent and calm throughout Pa's entire rampage, but his last comment touched a nerve. "Some girl?" I asked through gritted teeth. "Sylvia is not just some girl! And so what if I'm making a mistake? It's my life and it's my mistake to make!"
Ma reached out to touch my hand.
"Albert, we know you that you're in love with Sylvia, but you have to think! You're not even sixteen years old, how do you plan to support a family?"
I withdrew my hand from her grasp.
"I have a plan," I said trying to get them to understand. "We'd stay at Sylvia's house until the baby is born and I'll get job- there will be plenty of things I can do. And-"
"And what about school? What about your dream of being a doctor? And what happens after the baby is born Albert?" Pa cut in angrily.
"When things get easier-"
This time it was Ma who cut me off. "Things will never get easier Albert! Don't you see? If you get married now that's it! That's the end! You'll never be able to go back and do the things that you wanted to do. It's not something that will go away- Sylvia and the baby will always depend on you!"
"I know they will! And I'm ready to accept that! But things will be different for me. I can still become a doctor! I know I can! I just need you to support me in this." I said pleadingly.
Pa and Ma shared another look. This time it was one of sadness.
"If you're going to refuse to listen to us, then I'm afraid we cannot support you,"
Pa said gruffly. "I'm sorry Albert, but we can't help you make this mistake."
"You're refusing to help me?" I said incredulously. I had known it would be difficult to make them understand, but I had never expected this. Not from Pa and Ma who had helped us all through so many other situations.
"Yes," Ma said her voice steely. But I could see her eyes were shining with unshed tears.
"Fine," I snapped. "I'll do it on my own!"
Turning around on my heel I left the house I had for so long called my home. I'll be fin alone, I thought as I walked away from the little house and the two people standing in the doorway whom I had called Ma and Pa for so many years.
I don't need them.
Right?