So the next week, the Gruber's and the Lay's made it to the next state to Minnesota. The stagecoach dropped the Gruber's off in Sleepy Eye…and the Lay's rode the stagecoach in to the little town of Walnut Grove.

"It'll be good to see the Ingalls' again…and Mary and Laura." Fred smiled.

"I'm excited to meet them, honey. I think any friend of yours is a friend of mine…"

"You know, this is the first time for me to meet their husbands?...They've grown up! I just can't believe it! I remember Laura as this little eleven year old girl!...Gosh, it's hard to believe!"

"Well, it's going to be exciting for the both of us…" Frances smiled, trying to get her youngest to quiet down, as she was fussy. "Yes Helen…I know, sweetheart. You don't like this bumpy ride, do you?" She said, snuggling her daughter, giving her light kisses to try to calm her down. "It's okay, baby girl….You're all right…." Frances saw Freddy squirming in his seat as well. You could tell the little guy was excited and could not stay still long enough! "Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to bring the children….."

"They'll be fine! They just need to get used to it…..Besides, we'll see my sister…we'll have a good time."

"How do you expect a 23 month old and a 7 month old to get used to this?" Frances looked at him.

"I didn't mean it that way, honey…."

"I know…." She chuckled a little. "Just this stagecoach ride has Helen so cranky…and both of us." She laughed a little.

"I know…Freddy seems to enjoy the ride though!" He laughed, seeing his son bouncing up and down in his seat. There was a grin on his little face and his brown eyes were sparkling!

Frances chuckled a little. "Just as long as he stays seated…..if all possible, that is." She laughed.

The stagecoach finally made it to Walnut Grove. Fred hopped down and grabbed Freddy and set him on the ground beside him, surprisingly, he stayed put.

"Here, let me take the baby…" He said, grabbing his daughter, and lent a hand to help his wife down.

"I'll get our bags…." Frances said, going to the back of the stagecoach….the man grabbed two small carpet bags and handed them to her.

"Can ya handle 'em, ma'am?" He asked.

"Yes sir…Thank you." She smiled at him and returned to her family.

"Here, let's swap!" Fred chuckled, and he took the two bags and Frances held baby Helen on one hip, and grabbed hold of Freddy's little hand.

"Looks like this place has a nice restaurant…" Fred smiled. "Nellie's Restaurant & Hotel….Well, I'll be!"

"What Fred?"

"Oh….Nellie….one of the girls I knew here….Well, this is her restaurant, we'll see her inside….C'mon, let's go get something to eat!"

"Are you sure we have the money to spend like that?"

"Yes, I'm sure!...Got a good paycheck, Friday….Besides, I'm starving!"

"Well, okay!" Frances laughed. "C'mon Freddy….Up we go!' She said, picking him up and balancing him on her other hip. "My word, you're getting big!" Frances chuckled.

"Can ya handle them both?"

"Yes, I can…." She said, following her husband. Frances glanced at the window, "Why, on the window it says Caroline's! I thought this was Nellie's!" She laughed.

"Must be a co-ownership…" He laughed, walking inside.

"Well, Fred Lay! Look at you!...You haven't changed a bit!"

"Hello Mr. Oleson!" Fred smiled, shaking his hand.

"Call me Nels!...And who is this precious young lady?" He smiled.

Frances set Freddy down on the floor and he held onto her skirt. She shook Mr. Oleson's hand. "I'm Fred's wife, Frances….our son Freddy, and this is our daughter Helen…"

"Well how wonderful….I swear, you've grown up, Fred! Now, you're a family man!" He smiled. "Pardon me, catching up with an old friend causes me to forget my job!" He laughed. "Might I interest you in a room?"

Fred looked at his wife…"Well, we wouldn't be putting my sister out, huh? What do you think?"

"I think that's fine, whatever you want to do, honey."

"All right, I'll show you the room…." Nels said, walking upstairs with Fred.

"And might I ask why on the building it says "Nellie's"….but on the window, it says, "Caroline's"…it's been driving us berserk since we got here!" Fred laughed.

"Well Fred, my wife wanted this restaurant for Nellie…it's a long story but, we hired Mrs. Ingalls as a cook…..Nellie and her husband and their twins moved to New York….and the Ingalls' moved to Iowa. So we've had to rehire…and haven't had time to change the signs…..and well, I think the wife still considers it Nellie's…."

"Where in Iowa do the Ingalls live?" Fred asked.

"Burr Oak…."

"That's close to where we live!...We live in Dubuque." He said, placing his bags down in the room. "Thank you, Nels."

"You're welcome."

Frances and the children had taken a seat at one of the tables. Freddy had a hard time staying quiet. Some thought he was cute….others didn't.

"Freddy, quiet…We're inside now."

"Lady, tell your kid to be quiet!" An older man across the room hollered.

"Yes sir…I just did. I'm sorry he bothered you."

Fred came downstairs and joined his little family at the table.

"I'll get Hester Sue to take your order….she must be in the kitchen…." Nels said, rushing into the kitchen.

"Did he say Esther Sue?" Fred asked, with a puzzled look on his face.

"No…I think he said Hester Sue, honey."

"Who's that?"

"Well, how should I know?..." She laughed at him. "You're the one who lived in Walnut Grove!...Looks like we're going to find out." Frances smiled, seeing a black woman come over to their table.

"Well, hey y'all!…..What'll it be?" Hester Sue stood there, holding a little pad of paper.

"I'll have…two steak sandwiches with fried potatoes. And some coffee….with milk and sugar, please."

"All right…" Hester Sue smiled and turned to Frances. "And for you and the little ones?"

"Oh, the children and I can share…..just a bowl of stew, please."

"Will that be with one spoon or two?"

"Two please…" Frances chuckled.

Hester Sue smiled. "I'll be right back…."

"Lady's got a hundred dollar smile." Fred said, as they saw her walk into the kitchen.

"She does….Seems very nice." Frances smiled.

"Been wonderful to meet you!" Hester Sue exclaimed when she returned with Fred's coffee. "Mary's told me some about you, Fred."

"Oh, you know Mary?" Fred smiled. "Besides knowing the Ingalls of course…"

"Yes….Well, I taught with Mary and Adam at their blind school."

"Oh, in Burton?"

"Yes, we were in Iowa for a while….and here in Walnut Grove….and we spent some time in Sleepy Eye…and then the state took over the school….Mary and Adam went on to New York, and well,…I came back here…." Hester Sue smiled.

"Hester Sue!...Hester Sue! Will you…Will you come in and get these orders?" They heard a women's shrill voice holler.

"I'll be right back, folks…"

"Mrs. Oleson?" Fred asked.

"Mhmm…." Hester Sue smirked.

"Thought so….Sounded like her." He chuckled.

"Don't ya wish ya couldn't hear sometimes?" Hester Sue joked. Fred laughed as she went back into the kitchen. Frances just sat there, not knowing the little joke.

"What's wrong with Mrs. Oleson?" She asked in a whisper.

"Trust me….if you meet her, you'll understand."

"Well, okay…." Frances laughed a little.

Hester Sue came back with their orders and set them down on the table in front of them.

"Thanks Hester Sue….by the way, it's been great to meet you."

"The same to you…."

"So I hear the Ingalls' moved to Burr Oak, Iowa, did they?" Fred said.

"Yes. They did….Last year."

"Laura's still here though, isn't she?"

"Yes, Laura and Almanzo still live in Walnut Grove. They have a daughter, Rose….about your boy's age. And I must say your children are so darlin'!"

"Thank you…." Frances smiled.

"Could ya give us directions to my sister's place…and the Wilder's? We'd like to visit with them." Fred smiled.

"Well, sure!" She said, quickly writing them down on a piece of paper. "It's a little house…can't miss it! And Barbara's place is near the Garvey's old farm….a cute little home."

"Thank you, Hester Sue…." Fred said.

"Again, it's been wonderful to finally meet you." Frances smiled.

"You too, sweetie." Hester Sue said.

"Hester Suuuuue!" They heard Harriett wail from the kitchen. "Excuse me…I have a feeling I'm desperately needed in the kitchen…." Hester Sue walked back to the kitchen…again. "It's all right, Mrs. Oleson! I'm a comin'!"

Frances and Fred started to laugh quietly at their table. "Guess the woman can't cook so well…" He laughed.

"What a shame….." Frances chuckled.

"Let's just hope Mrs. Oleson didn't prepare our food." He chuckled .

"Fred John, I can't believe you!" She laughed. "Well, let's pray and eat, I think I can say for all of us when I say, I'm starving!" Frances smiled, and grabbed her husband's hand, who prayed, and they all enjoyed their little meal.

"Well, where do you want to go first? Wilder's or to my sister's place?"

"Wilder's…." She smiled, and she grabbed Freddy's hand, with the baby on her hip, and they set out.

"Hello, is this the Wilder place?" Fred asked a young girl who was outside, reading a little book.

"Sure is! I'm Jenny, their niece." She smiled.

"Well, hello there, Jenny!" Fred turned to his wife. "Boy, ain't she a cutie! Doesn't she remind you of someone?"

Frances thought a moment. "Mary Jane….She reminds me of Mary Jane! How cute."

"That's what I was thinking…." Fred smiled. "Well, Jenny….how old are you?"

"I'm 12, sir."

"Same age too! Boy, blows your mind a little!" He laughed. "Well, Jenny, I'm an old friend of your Aunt Laura's….Fred Lay, she should remember me."

"Okay, I'll go get her!" Jenny said, and ran inside.

"Same energy as Mary Jane too!" Frances chuckled, watching her run in. Jenny returned with her aunt, who was holding Rose. Almanzo followed behind them.

"Fred….Is that really you?" Laura grinned.

"Last time I checked it was!" Fred joked.

"You still have the same sense of humor, Fred." She laughed. "Can't believe how you're grown up!" Laura smiled. "You with a cute little family."

"Thanks. You too, Laura!...And here I remember this little girl!" He smiled.

"Well, come inside and we can get reacquainted!"

"And meet some new people…." Frances smiled. They all went into the Wilder's home.

"I can't get over this!" Laura laughed. "You're almost like a miniature me, Frances!" She said, after meeting her. Laura was about 5'4…when Frances was tiny, barely 5 foot tall!

"Okay, enough about my height!" Frances laughed, hands on her hips.

"They both have auburn hair and brown eyes." Almanzo stated.

"And that same feisty temperament!" Fred laughed.

"Who knew you'd go for a woman kind of like me, Fred….It was Mary that you liked!" She laughed.

Freddy sat down on the floor next to Rose. They played for a while.

"Freddy! We don't shove people!" Frances exclaimed, as she saw her son shove little Rose. "That is naughty, Fred George!" She went over gave him a light swat on his behind.

"Oh Frances, no need to get uptight…" Almanzo said.

"I saw Rose hit him first." Jenny spoke up, who was holding 7 month old Helen.

"That may be so…but I am not raising my son to be that way."

"Frances…see me outside for a moment." Fred said. "Excuse us, please."

"Certainly…" Laura said. Fred took his wife by the hand and they went outside.

"Don't you think that was a little uncalled for?" Fred asked.

"What?"

"What you did just a minute ago!" He snapped.

"I was disciplining our son." She stated. "How is THAT uncalled for?"

"What about never spanking in anger?...And why did you do it in front of everyone?" He raised his voice a little.

"I did not spank in anger! And he did something that called for correction immediately, I think!...And if you dislike it so much, then why don't you take over correcting him?"

"Frances….this is not the time…or the place to be talking about this."

"I agree….so let's drop it for right now." She said, calming down, and they went back inside together.

….

George, Melania and Mary Jane arrived at the orphanage in Sleepy Eye. A kind-looking older lady in a gray dress and a white apron and day cap came into the room.

"Hello, I'm Miss Mason….I teach the orphanage's school…along with other things I do here….You're looking to adopt a child, correct?"

"Yes…" George Jr. replied. "A certain couple of boys….."

Miss Mason smiled. "Don't they all…um, I didn't catch your names…."

"George Gruber Jr., my wife Melania and our daughter Mary Jane."

"What my husband is trying to say is…we're trying to find my two sons….we think they're here. It's a long story, but George wants to adopt the boys."

"I see…." She said solemnly. "The boy's names?"

"Paul and James Loney….."

"Oh Paul!...Yes, he's here! I'll go get him." The lady went out of the room to the boy's part of the building…..and soon returned with a tall, dark haired, dark-eyed, tanned skinned 14 year old boy.

"The boy's half-Indian…" George Jr. whispered.

Melania looked up at him. "I told you what I was…" She whispered. "I was with a couple Indian men….I don't know who his father is…." Melania confessed. "I'm sorry…I know this isn't the time to be saying all this…."

"You're right…It isn't." George Jr. whispered. "Go reunite with your boy…"He smiled, and gave her a kiss on the lips. She turned to go do so, and George Jr. gently grabbed her arm. "You know Lana,….it doesn't matter to me. The boys will be like my own…I'm serious." Melania smiled at him after hearing him say that, and walked over to her son Paul, and Miss Mason.

"Paul's a delightful boy….on the quiet side, but he opens up sometimes, enough to talk…he's a sweet young man. You should be proud of him." Miss Mason smiled.

Melania had tears in her eyes. "Oh, I am….very proud of him. I'm glad to know that about him." She smiled. "Look at you…So handsome, Paul!"

Paul wrapped his arms around his mother…he was about 5"9, a few inches taller than she. "Ma….you're prettier than the picture of you I have!" There were tears in his dark eyes. "I always knew you were beautiful. Now I can put the real face….with the picture."

Melania put her hands on his tanned face. "I love you….my boy."

"I love you too, Ma…."

"Look at you…you're so tall!" Melania chuckled. "So very handsome!" She said, wiping tears from her eyes. "Come over here….I want you to meet someone…Two someone's." Melania smiled.

"This is my husband, George. We've been married for about four months now…..He wants to adopt you and your brother James."

Paul nodded and smiled a little at George Jr.

"This is our daughter, Mary Jane…your younger sister."

"Hello Paul…." Mary Jane said softly.

"Don't you wanna hug your big brother?" He smiled a little, extending his arms, and pulling her into a hug.

"Paul….you've probably figured out…..that…I've done some things in my life that I'm not proud of. I'm sorry."

"Yes Ma." He said quietly. "But there's no need to apologize….we all do things we're not proud of. We all make mistakes."

Miss Mason came over to them. "I'm sure you would like to know about your youngest…."

"Yes….Where is James?"

"He is at the Toledo Reform School in Tama County, Iowa." Miss Mason said. "They sent him a week or so ago….we haven't had time to update our records lately."

"Toledo Reform School….That's a school for children with bad behavior…." George Jr. stated.

"Yes, I'll explain about that…..but I must say first, James is a wonderful little boy…He really is. He'll cheer you up and make you laugh till your sides ache!...And sometimes until you get a little tired of him!" She chuckled a little. "He really is a remarkable boy….Very interesting!" She laughed. " He gets very energetic at times and is a little loud…His schoolwork is quite a problem for him. It's harder for him to learn things….and memorize things, spell certain words, than the other students. Doctors don't know what it is, but, he has trouble reading and writing, almost like he mixes up the letters and is confused by them….I've tried to work with him as much as I could, but with that and his energetic behavior and such….Mr. Case decided to send him to the reform school."

"All right…." Melania said. She wasn't quite sure of what to say!

"Two more things….in school, it's almost like his mind is in, another world…I assume he daydreams. And if he does, he does it quite frequently….also, you will never see him sitting in a chair." She chuckled. "He's always standing up, leaning over his desk, no matter what the project is, he just has a hard time sitting down…."

"Okay….thank you for that information, Miss Mason."

"You're welcome….Would you like to start ironing out the details for adopting Paul?"

"Yes…." George Jr. nodded.

They went into Mr. Case's office and started to work on the papers for George to adopt Paul….Hours later, they ended up walking out of that office, with Paul no longer having the name of Paul Loney…..He was Paul Gruber now.

"I'm assuming you're wanting to adopt James as well, correct?" Mr. Case asked. George Jr. nodded.

"I must warn you, you're in for quite a struggle…a challenge…with that young boy! I've tried….but I just couldn't deal with him! Didn't have enough patience….he's not a bad kid, it's just…."

"We understand, Mr. Case…." Melania said.

"Most of the other teachers think he is!" Mr. Case chuckled a little, but it didn't seem all that funny to them. "Umm…well…uh, just when you are able to bring James back here, we can work on the adoption papers."

"Yes sir, Mr. Case." George Jr. said, and he and Melania shook the man's hand. "Thank you."

A/N: The characters Mr. Case and Miss Mason are from two different LHOTP episodes, and of course, they're the people who run the Sleepy Eye Orphanage.

I put a lot of myself into James' character. Lol….In school, it was just hard for me to learn things, like the other kids….it was hard for me to memorize things. I did the best I possibly could, but school was just hard. I would get frustrated so much that I would think about something other than schoolwork (mainly, writing fan fiction!). And so I day dreamed…quite often. Lol. There were also times where I would get caught drawing something….or writing something for my fan fiction! Oops!….Then with my personality, I can be very hyper sometimes…and I've been loud and gotten a little carried away. Lol…..Also, in kindergarten, you would never find me sitting down! Lol. I don't know what it was, but I would always be standing up, leaning over my desk while I did my work! Lol. I just couldn't sit down!

I was telling my uncle about James' character, and he gave me the idea to have him be, a little dyslexic. So thanks to him for giving me that idea!