"So...We are the only family that that young boy still had on this earth..." Caroline stated solemnly. Charles, Mary, Laura and Carrie were all around the table for supper that evening, with Fred as their guest.
"Yes, ma'am..." Fred said. "He said his Ma and Pa both died of typhoid...which was why he joined the army..."
"Why did the boy have to join the amy?...I said he could've stayed with us!" Charles said, in an angry tone.
"Charles, calm down..." Caroline said, trying to soothe him.
"I am calm!"
"Ummm...Mr. Ingalls...Paul wanted you to know that it was nothing against y'all...He was just a stubborn kid who wanted to be out on his own...Told me that himself..."
Spunky Laura, who was sitting next to Fred, changed the subject..."Do you play baseball, Fred?"
"Why sure! I used to...when I was about your age..." Fred said, biting into a slice of Caroline's homemade bread.
"Wanna play tommorrow?" Laura asked, with her eyes lighting up.
"Why sure! I'd love to!" Fred chuckled.
"Make sure you girls finish your chores first..." Caroline told them.
"Yes Ma." Mary said, and Laura echoed.
"What do you like to do, Mary?" Fred questioned kindly.
"She likes books..." Laura blurted out...
"Laura, eat your supper..."
"Yes Pa..." Laura said, shoving a forkful of meat and potatoes into her mouth.
"So do you like reading books?...Writing? Poetry?" Fred began to carry on a conversation with 13 year old Mary.
"Yes sir...and well, I guess I just like school in general..." Mary smiled. "I'd want to be a teacher someday..."
"I think you'll make a great one someday...Just keep at it..." Fred said, winking at her...To which Mary's face lit up... "By the way, you don't need to call me sir...unless you want to, I guess..."
Mary studied his face. "How old are you Fred?...You look like you're about 16 or 17 ..."
Fred laughed, and it made his gray-blue eyes sparkle. "That's what alot of folks say...but I'm 20, Mary..."
"You look quite young for your age..."
"Why is that?" Laura asked.
"Well, Laura I guess it just runs in my family...My older brother Leonard looks younger than his age..."
"How old is he?" She asked him.
"He's 22, Laura..." Fred smiled.
"Do you have any sisters?"
"Yes. One. Her name is Barbara..."
"Where does she live?" Mary asked.
"My older brother and sister both live in Germany..."
"So you're the baby of the family! So's Carrie." Larura said.
"I see that." Fred said, smiling at little Carrie. Who was staring at him.
"So how come you live in America and your brother and sister live in Germany?" Laura asked curiously.
"Laura, you didn't need to ask him that..."
"Its alright, Mary." Fred laughed... "Well, Laura...much like your third cousin, I was a stubborn little boy and wanted to be out on my own..."
"Didn't you miss your Ma and Pa?"
"They passed away...My Pa when I was a year old and my Ma when I was three."
"I don't know...what I would do...without Ma...and Pa..." Carrie spoke up.
"Well, I still miss them Carrie. Like any son would..." Fred smiled at her.
Mary looked as if she were about to say something, but she closed her mouth...
"What Mary?" Fred asked...
"Oh...I was just wondering...If your Ma passed on when you were three, who took care of you?"
"Well, I was adopted by an older couple and they...took care of me...I rather not talk about that though, if you don't mind...but let's just say I left home at age 15..."
After supper, after Mary and Laura had cleared the table, Charles brought out his fiddle and started to play a few songs. Later, Laura suggested he play, "Arkansas Traveler." So he did, and everyone clapped along to the music, and Fred even lifted Mary out of her chair, and holding hands, they moved their feet along to the music. Mary's face was lit up, as was Fred's..."Can you keep up, Fred?" She questioned.
"You betch'a!"
"Faster Pa!" Mary laughed. And Charles picked up on the speed...and Fred and Mary danced faster. Charles later, got even faster, until Fred couldn't dance any faster!
With a smile on his face, he pulled Mary into a quick hug. "My...aren't you a good dancer! You beat me!" Fred laughed and smiled down at Mary. Mary beamed up at him.
Charles, as he did most nights, played on his fiddle, "In the Sweet By and By..." Fred leaned his elbows on the table and just listened to him play...Afterward, Mary and Laura said goodnight and went up to their loft and got ready for bed.
Mary was sitting on their bed, and was brushing out her long, blond hair, with a giddy smile on her face.
"Why are you so quiet?"
"I am?...Oh. I didn't notice..." Mary said, still smiling.
"Sisters..." Laura muttered, rolling her eyes, and after saying their prayers, they got into bed.
Mary lay awake for awhile, thinking about Fred..."Laura..." She whispered..."Laura...Are you awake?"
"No...I'm in a deep deep sleep. Of course I'm awake! If I weren't, I wouldn't be talking to you right now!"
Mary ignored Laura's annoyed attitude. "What do you think of Fred?"
"He's nice." Laura said.
"Well, I know he's nice...but don't you think he's handsome?" Mary smiled.
"Mary...I'm 11...He's 20...Why would I think he's handsome?"
Mary sighed happily. "I think he is... With his blond hair...Gray-blue eyes...That smile of his..."
"He's too old.." Laura said.
"No...Not really...He 's 20, I'm 13..That's only 7 years! When I'm 20, he'd be 27...It wouldn't be that much of a difference...When we got married..."
"Who says you're marrying Fred, Mary?"
"I meant IF..." Mary said sharply.
"That's a pretty big IF!"
"Says you..": Mary said...
"Mary..."
"Yes Laura?" She whispered.
"Go to sleep!"
"Okay." Mary sighed.
Laura turned over on her side. "Mary..." She whispered.
"Yes Laura." Mary whispered back...
"You like Fred, don't you." Laura smiled.
Mary laughed, "What gave you the first clue?...Now lets get to sleep! You were the one who just said to!"
"Goodnight, Mary." Laura said, turning back over on her side.
Mary smiled, and closed her eyes..."Goodnight.."
Mary opened her eyes again. "So you really don't think he's handsome?"
"Mary!...Go to sleep!"
"Goodnight Laura." Mary smiled and closed her eyes again, and both girls soon drifted off to sleep.
