Chapter 11

The new year was in full swing and class was back in session. Laura had returned to teach the Walnut Grove School, and Mort and Eliza Jane had settled in with their own students.

Harv had returned to Minneapolis a few days after the new year had started. Now he tried to concentrate on living his life while he waited for word from Eliza Jane. But the longer he waited the more concerned he became that the answer wouldn't be the one he wanted. When January ended and there was still no letter from her, Harv traveled by wagon to St. Louis. It was four o'clock on the afternoon of his arrival so he found a room and decided to visit Eliza Jane the next morning.

He walked up the cement steps to the impressive looking private school where Eliza Jane and Mort taught.

"May I help you Sir?" asked a young woman who had seen him enter.

"I'm lookin for Eliza Jane Wilder."

"She's with a class right now, but it should be over in about twenty minutes if you would like to come back."

"Thanks. I will."

Harv left the school and walked down the street to the General Store. He scanned the shelves for an appropriate gift, finally settling on a small bottle of perfume. He paid the owner and then made his way back to the school. The bell rang as he stepped inside. Students filed out of the rooms and mingled into the hallway.

He saw them coming down the hall. Eliza Jane was laughing while Mort rambled on. She spied Harv first and stopped. Mort looked in his direction, then at Eliza Jane who was too stunned to move. He walked down to greet Harv.

Extending his right hand he said, "Good to see you Harv. How are you?"

"Fair to middlin." He didn't want to be bothered with making small talk. "I'm here to see Eliza Jane."

She approached them slowly and stood beside Mort. "Well, Mort and I were just heading down to the cafeteria for lunch," she replied anxiously, "maybe after school is out for the day."

"But he's come all this way," said Mort.

She sighed. "Why don't you join us for lunch Harv?"

"I'd rather speak to ya alone, but by the way you're actin I already know the answer to my question." He shook Mort's hand and turned to leave.

Eliza Jane grabbed his arm. "Please don't go like this." She resigned herself to dealing with the difficult conversation now. "Let's go into my classroom where it's more private."

They glanced at Mort. "Don't mind me," he said, "I'm off to lunch. I'll save you a seat Eliza Jane."

The children at the Walnut Grove School were huddled around the stove while they ate lunch. It had been a frigid winter so far and it seemed that spring was a long way off. As they chatted, Laura joined them with her lunch pail.

"Mrs. Wilder..."

"Yes, Willie?"

"Do you think Miss Wilder will come back to Walnut Grove again?"

"I don't really know. Almanzo asked her to pay us a visit this summer but I'm not sure she will. It all depends on what she's doing over the break."

"No, I meant like to teach school." Afraid he had hurt Laura's feelings he added, "Not that I don't like havin you as a teacher."

Laura smiled. "I know Willie. I don't think she'll have much of a chance to come back for that. She has her own teaching job in St. Louis." Laura's eyes lit up when the idea came to her. "Does anyone else wish to see Miss Wilder again?" she asked.

The entire class raised their hands.

"She just celebrated a birthday on January first. What do you say we send her some belated birthday wishes to let her know we are thinking about her. I'm sure she would love it."

"Yeah," the children said, nodding their heads.

"Well then, we'll get started on it right after lunch."

Eliza Jane motioned for Harv to sit down at one of the desks. She turned the desk next to his around so that she could face him.

"Oh, before I forget..." Harv dug the gift out of his pocket. "This is for you."

"That is so sweet of you. Thank you Harv." She paused to collect her thoughts. "I'm sorry I haven't written, I just didn't know what to say."

Now certain she had chosen Mortimer Carstairs he looked down at the desktop. He guessed he deserved it after all he had put her through. "I hope you and Mort are happy together."

Eliza Jane smiled. "I didn't choose Mort."

Confused, he stared at her for a moment. "But when I didn't hear from ya I figured…" He was unable to continue.

She reached for his hand. "I can't choose one of you over the other. I care for both of you too much."

Harv couldn't believe what he was hearing. He didn't even understand what he was hearing. After all the fuss and bother of the past few months he couldn't fathom she would still be unsure.

"I told Mort yesterday and I tried to write you several times but nothing I put down on paper made sense."

"I don't get it. I thought ya loved me."

"Oh Harv, I do love you, but after all the soul searching I've done the past month I found that being on my own isn't that bad. I have the freedom to do things Laura can only dream about. I'm not tied down to a husband and a family. I can come and go as I please, only being responsible for myself. If I want to pack up and move I can, without having to worry about selling the farm." Harv chuckled. "What's so funny?" she asked.

"Nothin, ya just sound like I did."

"Strange isn't it; we seem to have switched places."

"Looks like." Harv's curiosity forced him to ask her another burning question. "What does Mort havta say about all this?"

"The same thing he said on the stage ride home from Walnut Grove — he wants me to be happy."

"I want that too."

"I know." Eliza Jane stood up. "Now let's go join Mort, okay?"

She extended her hand out to him. He glanced at it and then up into her face. She was smiling. Harv smiled back, grasped her hand, and they walked out of the room.

Late in the evening Laura sat at the kitchen table looking at the card the school children had made for Eliza Jane. She pulled a piece of paper out and began to draft a letter to go with it.

Dear Eliza Jane,

I hope you had a safe trip home to St. Louis and that you are enjoying being back at school. The children of Walnut Grove made a card to let you know they miss you and are thinking of you. They hope you will return one day to teach here.

It has been quite a while since I heard from you and I didn't know if that was good or bad. I hope you were finally able to make a decision between Harv and Mort. Please remember that Almanzo and I will support whatever decision you make.

This winter has been a cold one, but thankfully no blizzards since Christmas Eve. We look forward to spring and a new planting season to help us put some money in the bank.

All of us are well. Rose is growing quickly. She has changed so much just in the month since you've been gone.

I hope you are well too. Please give my regards to Mort.

Love,

Laura

One afternoon after school was dismissed Laura walked over to the Mercantile to meet Almanzo and Rose so they could ride home together. When Mrs. Foster saw her she ran out of the post office, waving an envelope.

"Laura! Laura!" she screamed as she ran. "It's that letter from St. Louis you've been waiting for," she explained when she reached her. "I hope it's good news."

"I hope so too. Thanks Mrs. Foster."

Laura dashed into the Mercantile. She jaunted over to her husband and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Howdy Beth." She waved the envelope at him. "Whatcha got there?"

"A letter from Eliza Jane."

"Gotta go Nels," he said to Mr. Oleson. "Family business."

"Goodbye Almanzo. Goodbye Laura."

"See you later Mr. Oleson," replied Laura.

Laura climbed onto the wagon and then grabbed Rose from Almanzo. He jumped on top of the wagon seat and chirruped the horses into a trot so they could get home and read Eliza Jane's letter.

All snuggled around the fireplace, Almanzo and Laura in their chairs and Rose in her cradle, Laura slid open the envelope. She pulled out the paper inside, unfolded it and began to read.

Dear Laura and Almanzo,

I received your note and the birthday card last week. Please let the children know I miss them all too. I don't know if I'll ever get a chance to teach again in Walnut Grove, but I promise I will come back this summer for a visit before Mort and I travel back to Wisconsin so we can visit with his parents. I'll probably bring Mort with me so that we can leave for Wisconsin from there.

Laura looked up at him. "She must have chosen Mort."

Almanzo nodded. "What else does it say?"

When I come back from Wisconsin I promised Harv I would visit him in Minneapolis for a couple of weeks before school is back in session.

"What?" a confused Almanzo said.

Laura reread the sentence. "That's what it says." She went back to the letter.

I took your advice Laura. I could never choose between Harv and Mort, they are both too special to me. You were right; you should never get married just because you're afraid of being alone. And the funny thing is being alone doesn't scare me as much as it used to. In fact, I really won't be alone considering my travel plans this summer. And next Christmas Harv, Mort, and I are all planning a return trip to Walnut Grove…if you'll have us of course.

I can't thank the both of you enough for all you've done. I could never have made it through this difficult time without you.

Love,

Eliza Jane

"Well don't that beat all," said Almanzo.

"Yes it does," replied Laura with a smile.

Almanzo slinked out of his chair and knelt beside Laura. "Ya know, it might be nice if Eliza Jane did come back to Walnut Grove to teach. Then I could have ya all to myself." He gave her a crooked little smile.

"What about Rose?" she said pointing down at the sleeping baby.

"Rosie Posie won't take up too much of your time."

"Are you trying to say you miss me Mister Wilder?" she asked with eyes full of longing.

"Ya bet I do, Mrs. Wilder."

He leaned in to place a gentle kiss on her pink lips and the passion rose inside them. He picked her up off the rocking chair and carried her into the downstairs bedroom. Placing her on the bed he was still amazed that this was his life now — Laura, Rose, a productive farm and loved ones only a wagon ride away. What else could a man ask for?

Remembering the promise Laura had made to her pa about sharing her life stories with the world he looked at her with concern. "Beth, when ya sit down to write those stories about your life, you're not going to include any of this are ya?"

She sat up on the bed. "Almanzo Wilder what do you think I am?"

"Just checkin." They both laughed.

As he brought his face in closer to hers he could feel her warm, sweet breath on his cheek. He swallowed hard, his breathing quick and short. His blue eyes gazed into her brown ones, and they lost themselves in the passion and the promises of their life together.