The Decision
LHOP inspired fan fiction by Cheryl C. Malandrinos
Word count: 2991
Disclaimer: I do not own the Little House on the Prairie television series, book series, or any of the characters.
Note: This story takes place in the first year of Almanzo and Laura's marriage. Almanzo's parents who live in Spring Valley, MN visited Walnut Grove for Thanksgiving. They asked the young couple to leave their home in Walnut Grove and move to Spring Valley to be closer to them.
Once it was safe to travel again, Almanzo's parents drove back to Spring Valley. Things had remained tense after Laura and Father Wilder's disagreement, but a compromise was reached the evening before the older Wilders left. Almanzo and Laura would travel to Spring Valley for Christmas. If they liked what they saw, they would consider moving to Spring Valley permanently.
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Laura and Almanzo stood in front of the Ingalls farm on the morning of their departure.
"I made you some biscuits," Caroline said to Laura and handed her a package wrapped in brown paper.
"Thanks Ma," Laura replied. She reached over to hug Caroline.
"I wanna thank you for lookin after the place while we're gone," Almanzo said to Charles.
"Don't think anything of it." Charles hesitated. "You'll write us when you've made a decision."
"Yes sir."
Charles nodded, shook Almanzo's hand, and then turned his attention to Laura.
"I'm gonna miss you Half-pint," he said, blinking back tears.
"I'll miss you too Pa."
"You'll keep an open mind, won't you?"
"Yes sir," Laura said as she embraced her father. Both of them were crying now, wondering if Laura and Almanzo would really return to Walnut Grove.
After another round of hugs, Laura and Almanzo got up on their wagon and waved good-bye. As they reached the top of the hill, Laura looked back. The Ingalls farm stood all alone. The only visible signs of life were the puffs of smoke floating out of the chimney. She tried to imagine what life would be like if she never saw the little house on the prairie again.
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Laura and Almanzo were lucky to have good weather on their side. While it was bitter cold, not a single storm delayed the young travelers. They arrived in Spring Valley the day before Christmas Eve. When they got to his parent's farm, they were surprised to find Eliza Jane there.
"Golly gee Sis, it's good to see ya!" Almanzo said as he hugged his sister.
"You look well Mannie." She hugged Laura who was standing next to Almanzo. "How are you Laura? Not up to starting any more family feuds, I hope."
"I'm fine," Laura said curtly.
"How was your trip?" Mother Wilder asked, trying to change the subject.
"Just fine Mother," Almanzo answered.
"Good. Well let's get you settled and then we can sit down to dinner. Eliza, will you show Almanzo and Laura up to their room?"
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Once they were alone upstairs, Laura mimicked Eliza Jane's words. "Not up to starting any more family feuds, I hope," she said in anger, her face now almost as red as her hair.
Manly watched as Laura began to throw her clothes in the dresser. "Beth you know how Eliza Jane is. She's always buttin in where she don't belong."
"Well I'm not looking forward to spending Christmas with a bunch of people that hate me." She continued to stomp around the room as she put things away.
"What about Mother? She likes you…and Roy thinks you're swell."
Laura ignored his comments. "Why would I want to live here if they treat me like that?"
"Now Beth, you promised your pa you would keep an open mind." Almanzo stepped in front of her and gently grabbed her by the shoulders. "Try to think about what this could mean for us…a bigger farm with no mortgage, and puttin money away in the bank."
"Money isn't everything Almanzo."
"I know, but it don't hurt to have some instead of strugglin all the time."
Almanzo flashed her a crooked little smile and pulled her into an embrace. While she stood there in his arms, she thought about what he said.
Laura looked up at him. "I can only promise to keep an open mind about the place, not the people in it."
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The temperature on Christmas Eve registered at 10 below zero. Almanzo and Royal had chopped trees yesterday afternoon to make sure they would have enough firewood for the next few days. But while the roaring fireplace and cook stove kept the house warm, the atmosphere remained chilly.
Eliza Jane, Mother Wilder, and Laura were hard at work finishing up the baking and mending the table linens. Laura sat in a rocking chair sewing together a rip in Mother Wilder's favorite tablecloth.
Mother Wilder came into the front room to see how Laura was doing. "How's it coming along?"
"Just fine Mother Wilder. I don't think you'll even be able to notice it tomorrow."
"Good. I can't wait for the both of you to meet the members of our church tonight Laura. We have so many wonderful, God fearin folks here."
"We have a lot in Walnut Grove too," Laura snapped in return.
"I didn't mean to imply anything dear. It's just if you were to settle here, these people would be your neighbors."
"I'm sorry Mother Wilder. I shouldn't have spoken to you like that. I guess I just miss my family. Please forgive me."
"Don't be silly. There's nothing to forgive. I know what it's like to be so far away from your family." Angeline walked back into the kitchen leaving Laura alone again.
Laura had to admit she liked Mother Wilder. Royal was fun to be around too. But Eliza Jane and Father Wilder made up for all the niceness shown to her by the other members of the family. She hadn't met Almanzo's other two sisters, Laura and Alice. They were spending Christmas with their own families. She was jealous. Laura wished she would be sitting inside the Walnut Grove Church this evening, listening to Mrs. Foster sing Silent Night.
She didn't even hear Almanzo come up behind her. He placed his large, cold hand on her shoulder. She jumped. "You looked like you were a million miles away."
"No only about two hundred. Your mother was talking about going to church tonight and it made me think of Walnut Grove."
Manly knelt down alongside the rocking chair. "I know you're missin your folks."
Laura nodded and wiped away a stray tear. "And I know it was hard for you comin here after what happened with Father. But ya came anyway, and I love you for it," Almanzo said. "After Christmas, I want ya to come along with me to check out Spring Valley. This is our decision, not mine…and if you say no, we won't move here. I just hope you keep an open mind."
Laura smiled. "I gave my word and I'll keep it." She reached over and hugged him hard. With but a few words Manly had calmed her fears. Even if Father Wilder didn't think she was a proper wife, Almanzo did…and that mattered more than anything in the world.
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Christmas morning was sunny and cold. Snowflakes had fallen overnight, giving the outside world a wonderful winter sparkle. The men did the chores while the women settled into the kitchen to dress and cook the turkey Father Wilder had shot the day before.
The family laughed and talked about Christmases past as they exchanged gifts. Laura looked around at all the smiling faces and a twinge of sadness tugged at her heart. This was the first time she wasn't with her family on Christmas Day. It was still hard to accept her new responsibilities as Almanzo's wife. There were times - not many – she wished she could have stayed a little girl forever.
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The rest of the day seemed to fly by. There was dinner, chores, music, and then the reading of Christ's birth from the old family Bible. Laura was relieved when it was finally time to say goodnight.
She knelt down beside the bed and asked God to help her keep her promise. The next morning Laura would join Almanzo on his drive around Spring Valley. Then he was going to take her to the far end of Father Wilder's land, where Almanzo would build the new farm if they decided to move there.
Laura stood up and crawled underneath the covers. She could hear Almanzo talking with his parents about the town. Her thoughts turned to Caroline. She knew her mother never had the itchy foot that her pa did. Pa always wanted to move farther west, free from the constraints of town life. Yet with few complaints Ma had followed Pa wherever he went, trusting he knew what was best for the family. Laura hopped out of bed and knelt down again. She asked God to help her be more willing to follow Almanzo wherever he wanted to go…even if that meant leaving Walnut Grove and her family behind.
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With a hot brick at their feet and hot potatoes in their pockets, Laura and Almanzo set out to see Spring Valley. Main Street was a flurry of activity. The mercantile and hotel were already bustling with customers.
"I didn't know they had a saloon," Beth said as they drove by.
"Father said it's pretty quiet until night time."
"I hated the saloon when we lived in Winoka."
"Well this one won't be as bad as the one there," Almanzo replied, trying to reassure her. When she didn't seem convinced he changed the subject. "Just look at the size of that Mercantile. It must be twice the size of Oleson's."
"The prices are probably double too," Beth quipped.
Almanzo pointed, "There's the livery and over there is where I would buy seed from Mr. O'Connor. I met him the other day when I went to town with Father. He would be a fair man to do business with."
"That's good to know," Laura said trying not to sound too negative.
"There's a schoolhouse a little ways up the road, not far from the church."
"Towns look so different during the day. When we came to church the other night, Spring Valley could just as well have been Walnut Grove. But now, they don't look anything alike," she said with trepidation.
"Aw Beth, it is like Walnut Grove…only bigger."
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Almanzo stopped the horses at the end of the Wilder property. Laura had never been out that far. The prairie seemed to go on forever.
"It's beautiful," said Laura.
Almanzo chuckled. "I thought you might like it. Father would separate sixty acres for us. We could live with them until the house is built, or we could spend the winter in Walnut Grove and come back in the spring."
"You've thought a lot about this."
"Haven't you?"
"No," admitted Laura. "I thought I would find something so terrible that I would be forced to say no immediately. But the worse I've come across is the saloon."
"Let's ride out a little farther and I'll show you where I thought the house should go."
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The next day Laura still hadn't decided if she wanted to move to Spring Valley. She finally rode out to the end of the Wilder farm to think in private. Almanzo came back from town a short time later looking for her.
"She borrowed one of the horses and went out to look at your land," Mother Wilder explained.
"Did she say that?"
"Yes," Mother Wilder said with a smile.
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Manly found Laura standing in the exact spot he had showed her yesterday.
"What are ya doin way out here?" he asked.
"Thinking…and admiring the view."
"What do ya say Beth?"
"I don't want to leave Walnut Grove Manly…but if you think moving here will be better for us then I'll give it a try."
"Really?"
Laura nodded. " Just promise me if it doesn't work out, we'll move back to Walnut Grove."
Almanzo scooped her up and hugged her hard. "I promise."
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Laura sent a letter to her folks telling them of their decision. They would leave Spring Valley next week, spend the winter in Walnut Grove, sell the farm, and then move to Spring Valley after the thaw.
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Almanzo and Laura stopped by the Ingalls farm on their way home. Caroline and Charles were thrilled to see them. They all went inside and talked about the young couple's trip to Spring Valley and their future plans. As Laura sat at the kitchen table she thought how comfortable it felt being in Walnut Grove. She wondered if she would ever be that comfortable in Spring Valley.
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The winter dragged on. Almanzo and Laura were busy trying to find buyers for the farm and belongings they wouldn't have the space to take with them.
One day in February, Laura took sick. She was dizzy, weak and nauseous. She took to bed and hoped it would pass. But the next day she woke up feeling the same. Laura tried to get up and make Manly breakfast, but the mere thought of food made her sick.
After three days of being in bed, Manly went to get Doctor Baker. "I don't understand Doc," Almanzo said as they walked up the stairs to Laura and Almanzo's bedroom. "She doesn't have a fever or anythin, but she can't stand up without gettin dizzy and she can't look at or smell food."
Doctor Baker smiled. "Well I'll examine her, but I don't think you have anything to worry about Almanzo."
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After Doc Baker left, Almanzo went to check on Laura. She was smiling when he entered the room.
"I have some news for you," Laura said.
Almanzo came to sit down beside her. "What is it?"
"We're going to have a baby!"
"A baby?" he exclaimed. He hugged her hard. "A baby…I just can't believe it. Oh Beth, I love you!" Almanzo stood up from the bed and began pacing. "I have to write my parents and tell um. They're gonna be so excited."
"Manly, having a baby is a big change…bigger even than moving."
"Oh I know. They haven't had a baby around the house in a long time."
"No, I mean I was thinking we could push off moving to Spring Valley…at least until after the baby is born."
"Why?"
"I've known Doc Baker almost my whole life. I don't want some stranger delivering our baby. I know he'll make sure everything goes all right. Do you understand?"
"But what about all our plans?"
"I don't think we have to change our plans, just delay them a little. After the baby comes, we can think about moving to Spring Valley again."
Almanzo became angry. "You were plannin this all along weren't ya? You just pretended to want to move to Spring Valley and figured once we got back here you could change my mind."
"Manly, that's ridiculous. I didn't know I would get pregnant."
"If it wasn't the baby, it woulda been somethin else!"
"How can you say that? I thought you knew me better than to think I would deceive you like that!"
Almanzo shook his head and walked out of the room. Laura was sad to think their child would be brought into such an unhappy place.
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Almanzo hitched up the wagon and went out to clear his mind. He soon found himself in front of the Ingalls farm. Almanzo caught sight of Charles walking out to the barn. Charles waved and waited for Almanzo to stop the horses.
"Almanzo, I'm surprised to see you out here today. How's Laura feeling?
"Fine. She's going to have a baby," Almanzo said softly.
"That's great news! I can't wait until Caroline comes back from town. She'll be thrilled." Charles looked at Almanzo. "You don't seem to be too happy about it."
"I am. It's just…Beth says she wants to push off movin until after the baby comes."
Charles had Almanzo put the horses in the barn and the two men went in to talk. Almanzo told him about the rest of his conversation with Laura.
"You don't really think Laura would go back on her word, do you?"
"Not really," Almanzo admitted. "It's just everythin was all set for the move; Mr. Oleson was gonna take my harrow and plow and Mr. Anderson had someone interested in the farm…"
"I know it's disappointing, but what could happen if you waited another year? Your family and the land would still be there."
"I suppose."
"Listen Almanzo, you know I'm partial to the two of you staying here. But even if you don't wait until after the baby is born, you should probably wait until Laura feels better, which could take a few months."
"You're right. I guess I should go swallow my pride and talk to Laura."
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Almanzo found Laura in the kitchen when he got home. "Why are you out of bed?" he asked.
"I can't stay there forever. We have work to do if we're going to move in April."
Almanzo smiled at her. How could he ever have doubted her? He walked over and pulled her into an embrace. He stepped back and looked at her. "I'm sorry for what I said. I know you would never deceive me like that." He lowered his head. "I was just excited about movin and I was disappointed when you said we should push it off."
"It's all right. We can still move. I'm sure the doctor in Spring Valley will take good care of me."
"No, I'll write my parents and tell them we won't move…at least until after the baby is born. You should be where you feel most comfortable. And I think your parents would like to see their grandchild."
"Are you sure Manly? I could manage."
"I'm sure you could too. But I told ya the decision was ours, not mine. And you want to wait, so we'll wait." He bent down and kissed her. "I love ya."
"I love you too," Laura said with a smile and snuggled into his arms.
Everything was right with her world again. Laura and Almanzo could spend another year in Walnut Grove before moving to Spring Valley, and in that year they would welcome the first addition to their family. Life was full of promise. She felt the two of them could do anything, as long as they stuck together.