Fred had thought it was very cute that young, 13 year old Mary Ingalls had a crush on him, so...he started to play along...He'd smile at her, stand a little too close to her at times, and talk to her and got to know her well. They developed a very sweet friendship...but soon, Fred found himself falling a little for Mary...just as she had for him... They were going later down to the lake to have a little picnic together...Now, they were walking though town together...arm in arm, talking and laughing and enjoying being with each other. Folks...well,...mainly...Mrs. Oleson would talk about them being together. She could see them from the mercantile window...
"Nels!...Have you ever seen such a thing!"
"What thing, Harriet?" He asked in a weak tone, looking up at the ceiling.
"That...That Fred Lay...and the Ingalls girl!" She said, looking though the window at them. Fred had his arm around Mary's waist and was smiling down at her...
"What's the problem with them, Harriett?...They seem like a cute young couple..."
"But a young man...making advances to a little girl like Mary Ingalls!...Scandelous!"
"Harriett...Mary isn't a little girl anymore...She's a young woman..."
"He is 7 years older than she!...I think he should find someone more his age!"
"And does the rest of the world go by what you think?"
"Hmpf!...Nels..." Mrs. Oleson said, glaring at him. "Well,...if the rest of the world would...they'd be a lot wiser."
"No, they'd be alot more foolish...I of all people should know." Nels muttered.
Fred and Mary were walking down the gravel road to the lake. He was carrying the picnic basket, with a blanket tucked under his arm, and his free hand held Mary's gently.
"Ma made fried chicken again...She knew how much you enjoyed it..." Mary smiled up at Fred...
"And what what else do we have to go with our feast, Miss Ingalls?" He said, trying to peek in the basket he was carrying.
"Hey! No peeking!" Mary laughed, reaching up and covering his eyes with her hand.
"Alright!...I'll be a good little boy!...For once!" He laughed, and Mary giggled as well.
"You're good, Fred...You're very sweet...and...and respectful...I...I'm very proud to know you." Mary smiled.
Fred stopped in the middle of the road and looked Mary in the eyes. "I think that deserves a kiss, Mary Ingalls." Mary became excited, though a tad bit afraid, as Fred leaned forward...and he planted a soft kiss on her cheek. All Mary could do was gaze up at him.
"And I'm proud to know you too, Mary..." He smiled.
They had picked out a nice grassy spot and Fred spread out the blanket. Fred layed down and made himself comfortable, with one knee up, and his hands under his head. Mary sat down on the blanket next to him, her arms supporting her...
"You'll be in for a treat later, Fred!...I made the dessert." Mary smiled.
"Any clues?" Fred smiled up at her...
"Nope!" She laughed.
"Well, shuckie darn!" Fred laughed. "You're no fun!"
Mary giggled and set out the fried chicken, deviled eggs, and jars of homemade lemonade. The two enjoyed their little feast, talking and laughing...and at one point of the convesation, it got quiet.
"Mary?" Fred questioned, he could tell she was thinking about something.
"Ummm...It...It bothers me a little,...that... that you..." Mary began.
"That I what, Mary?" He asked, puzzled.
She sighed..."That you don't go to church...I mean, why don't you?"
"Mary,...I told you before. I have my reasons..."
"I guess it just seems strange to me...since I've always gone to church..."
Fred knodded slightly.
"You know I won't force you,...but I would like you to come...Just once."
Fred remained silent for a few minutes.
"Oh...I guess that's enough of that conversation...Ready for dessert, Fred?" Mary smiled.
"Sure..." He smiled.
The couple enjoyed a large slice of chocolate cake together.
"Mhmm..." Fred smiled as he finished the last bite. "My compliments..."
Mary blushed. "So it was good?...Not too sweet?...How about the chocolate icing?"
"Mary, it was all wondeful..." He smiled. "I'd like to do this again."
"So would I." She smiled at him.
Months had passed, and there was a church social in Walnut Grove...A Fourth of July dance...Fred had agreed to attend one service at the Walnut Grove church and had been attending regularly ever since. He liked it that Rev. Alden was calmer than the one he had been under as a child...so Fred began to feel at ease with going to church again...Fred had taken Mary to the social and they danced awhile until Christi Loyalton approached them.
"Mind if I cut in?" She sweetly asked.
"If its alright with Mary..." Fred said, looking in her blue eyes.
"Of course..."
Fred and Christi started dancing while Mary went off to get a glass of cool lemonade and later talked with a boy her age.
"So why are you so interested in that Ingalls girl?...You wouldn't be happier with someone your own age?" Christi asked Fred.
"Mary?..." Fred smiled at saying her name..."Well...She's a pretty girl... and I like pretty girls...Can't blame me...Can you?" He smiled.
"Don't you think she's a little young for you?"
"I don't think so...We're only 7 years apart...So were my parents..."
Christi laughed..."Yeah...but you're not your parents, Fred."
"Oh, I know that...But it would be a cute similarity...And I guess I'm just attracted to younger women..."
"Not a woman your age...Like me." She stated. "...And are you saying you're going to marry that young girl, Fred Lay?..."
"Well, I don't know...You never know what the future holds..." Fred said, smiling...and then there was a slight silence..."Wh-why such an interst in this, Christi?...Unless actually...you're interested in...me..." He said quietly and looked at her...
Christi smiled shyly up at him..."When...when we met on the stagecoach that day...I thought we connected so well...I just thought..."
Fred spoke up..."I don't know if I'm the guy for you, Christi...And even though we may start courting,...I really don't know if I'm the right guy for Mary, to tell the truth...but like I said, you never know what the future holds..."
As Christi was about to say something, a young man approached them and asked to dance with her...she allowed him to cut in and Fred walked off to find Mary...
"Mary..." Fred smiled and grabbed her hands and kissed her cheek...
"How was dancing with Christi?" She asked...
"Alright...Not as fun as dancing with you though..."
Mary smiled up at him...and Fred ushered her outside. It was a warmer night in July and the silver stars were twinkling in the black, velvety night sky...Fred and Mary sat down on a bench...their hands on the bench next to each other...They gazed up at the night sky for awhile...both of them silent...
"So...did you take me outside just so we could look at the sky?" Mary laughed and looked over at him. She saw that Fred was quiet,...so she stopped laughing.
"Ummmm...No...I wanted to tell you something..."
Mary smiled. "Which is?"
"Ummmmmm...I...I uh...asked your Pa...last week...for permission to...to court you, Mary..." He looked up nervously at her.
Mary looked at him,...almost shocked. "Well...what did he say?"
"He said it was alright with him...Do you want to?"
"Yes..." Mary smiled.
"What?" Fred turned his head and smiled at her...
"Yes...Yes, I want to court you, Fred."
"I...um...made you something..." He pulled something with a pink ribbon out of his pocket... "Turn around..." He smiled...
While still sitting on the bench, Mary turned her back to him and he put something around her neck. Mary sat there, looking at it...It had her initials on it, M.A.I.
"Its an arrowhead...I chipped it myself...I know its not really romantic, but...I thought the pink ribbon would class it up a little bit...Pink meaning romance, love and friendship...and pink's a girl's color." Fred smiled.
"Its beautiful...and it is romantic..." She said, looking up at him..."Because you made it for me."
Fred placed his hand on her knee, gently...and leaning forward and closing his eyes,...he kissed her.
"I'm sorry..." He said, when he saw that Mary was staring at him.
"Don't be sorry...I liked it." She smiled..."Besides...You are courting me now...Aren't you?"
Fred smiled and leaned forward and planted another sweet kiss on her lips.
