Laura anxiously sat on the stage. She was excited to be finally returning home. She wanted to see her brother and sisters and of course her ma and pa. She knew that it would be hard to see Almanzo. She hadn't seen him since the day she left for Radner nearly 4 months ago. Laura and Almanzo had broken up and she thought for sure that he would come after her. She got sick of waiting for him and decided to get him out of her heart and her life. He was trying to sell the farm so he could move to Sleepy eye. Plus, he had rekindled his romance with Brenda Sue Longworth, "my only love." Laura was jealous because she knew that Almanzo could do better than her. She was also hiding a huge secret that she didn't want anyone to know about.

Laura got so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't realize that she was in Walnut Grove already. She saw her family waiting outside of Nellie's for her. She jumped off the stage and gave all of them a huge hug. Her pa looked so proud.

"Half-pint, I've missed you so much. The house hasn't been the same without you."

Laura had missed her pa the most. She was daddy's little girl after all. "Oh, Pa I've missed you too."

"I'm just proud of you Laura. So is your father of course." Said ma. She had tears in her eyes for Laura seemed so grown up."

"Laura, I missed you and your funny stories. Albert's not nearly as good at storytelling as you or fishing."

"Carrie, I am too! You're just too little to understand. Anyways, hi Ms. Ingalls!"

"Thanks, Albert I guess. Grace you look so cute in your little dress."

"Thank you wara." Said the little three year old.

"Well, I propose that your Pa take us home before we stand around here all day. We have a very important meal waiting for you."

"Alright ma. That's a good idea and besides, I'm tired from the long ride home."

Pa had the whole team ready in front of Nellie's. Albert helped take Laura's bag and they all piled in the wagon. It was all so familiar to her. She realized how much she missed her small town of Walnut Grove. Radner was near Winoka. Winoka was a large bustling city with lots of hotels, stores, and saloons. Radner was the school that Laura taught at so she had to go into Winoka quite a bit.

Pa pulled up to their little house. Laura had missed the farm and the days of simplicity. The children all ran into the house. Pa took Laura's bag into the shed that her grandfather had lived in for a while. Ma went to get Laura's special dinner ready.