Sometime in the Morning, Sometime in the Evening

A fill in between Christmas They Never Forgot and Times are Changing

Morning

Mid-January, 1887

The holiday season had come and gone and with it came a new year with filled with love and hope and a new beginning for Laura and Almanzo. The little house that Almanzo built as a surprise for Laura was finally finished and the Wilders were all moved in. Charles was staying at the little house, removing the last of his family's belongings before the Carter family moved in.

The hotel job in Burr Oak was cut when the Steadman's decided they wouldn't need their help after all. However, there was a job waiting for Charles at Janes and Sons, which was a fancy clothing store for men. Also waiting for them was a beautifully furnished townhouse ground floor apartment which had plenty of room for everyone.

Back at the Wilder's new residence, Almanzo couldn't sleep. Thoughts of everything that had happened and what they had been through were roaming around his head as he stared at his wife who was still sound asleep. He smiled as he reached out to touch her face, stroking her hair, caressing her cheek and tracing her lips, just as he had done on their wedding night when their love was still new.

He had already been outside and done all the farm chores he had to do. All he had to do now was to wake her and, as usual, he just couldn't bring himself to do it.

He was going to start working at the Feed and Seed part time three times a week and at the mill part time, two times a week, until he got his strength back. Laura decided to stop teaching full time and do tutoring after school for anyone who needed help. She would raise the baby and help Almanzo work the farm.

The events of last year had strengthened their love for one another. His desire to walk again and build a house for Laura only continued that love. She had been there for him, now he needed to be there for her.

It had been Charles' idea to keep Rose with him until Saturday morning when he would leave to join his family in Burr Oak, Iowa. He didn't know when he would see her granddaughter again and so the two of them agreed that he would take care of her.

And they would be alone until Saturday. And he was going to make the most of it this weekend.

"Manly?"

"Right here, Beth,"

"Did you get the eggs, did you…"

He smiled, kissed her and pulled back. "Everything's done, Beth. Now all I have to do is whip up that scrambled egg breakfast I've been promising to make for you. All you have to do is get dressed and meet me at the table."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Where and when did you learn to make all that, Manly. It was delicious."

Almanzo smiled. "Your ma showed me, she even let me make them a few times without telling anyone. Sometimes you just have to take the bull by the horns and do what you gotta do."

He stood up from his seat at the table and walked to where she was sitting. He bent down next to her.

"You remember London's circus? Some clown gave me a kiss that day, right on the lips. You didn't even write that down in your Remembrance Book. I always wondered who could have given me that wonderful kiss and didn't own up to it."

"You knew, didn't you?"

"That it was you under all that clown makeup? Yes, I did. I had no idea at first until you said hi to your ma and she called out your name. I think the entire circus heard."

"You didn't seem to mind it," Laura said, "You were sitting there watching Christie's dress unravel and laughed like everyone else. You didn't even go after her."

Almanzo smiled. "She didn't look too thrilled to be there with me anyway. Besides, I heard she was seeing someone else. It was never serious between Christie and me. What did Albert call her dinner that made everyone laugh?

Laura smiled. "Miss Snooty-Pants," she answered. She looked at him. "You know when you came to see me after the show; I thought that you were going to…"

"What? Scold you? Get angry at you? Tell you that you were actin' like a little kid? Look Beth, I knew that it was part of the act and the fact that you had the courage to get out there and do it in the first place just made me love you even more."

"Kissing you wasn't part of the act," Laura confessed, "that was me, all me."

Älmanzo smiled and pulled her close. He kissed her, long and hard, then pulled back and waited for her reaction.

"That wasn't part of the act either, Beth. That was me, all me."

Laura smiled, leaned in and kissed him.

Almanzo pulled back. He was smiling.

"Beth," he whispered and was about to kiss her again when the knock came.

"Almanzo, Laura, you two decent?"

Almanzo stood and helped Laura up.

"Door's open, Isaiah," Almanzo said, putting his arm around Laura's shoulders. "Come on in. There are some leftover scrambled eggs that I made for breakfast. You're welcome to try some. Beth tells me that they're delicious."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Gotta hand it to you, Almanzo boy," Mr. Edwards said, "Those scrambled eggs are somethin' else."

"And they taste even better with Beth's pancakes," Almanzo said, smiling, turning to look at his wife.

"So," Laura said, ignoring the compliments, for now anyway. "The Carters are moving in tomorrow."

Mr. Edwards nodded. "You'll be gettin' Rose back bright and early tomorrow mornin'. I'll bring her first thing, Almanzo. I want you to make those eggs again and surprise Charles with 'em."

"What about the pancakes?" Laura asked, "Those are Pa's favorites."

Mr. Edwards shook his head. "I've got a job for you, Half-Pint. You're gonna go over to your old place and convince your pa to come here for breakfast. I'm gonna get the Doc, the Reverend and Nels and we're all gonna hide behind those curtains over there," he pointed to the storage space by the kitchen. "And Almanzo, you're in charge until Laura brings Charles back here, got it? It's gonna be a surprise."

Evening

The two of them were cuddled on the floor in front of the fireplace. They had wrapped themselves up in two covers and a quilt. They were sharing a bowl of popcorn between them.

"This is the first time you'll be away from your parents, isn't it?"

Laura nodded. Tears were welling up in her eyes for the third time that day. "Oh, Manly," she said, rushing into his arms. "I will miss them so much. "

"Believe it or not, I'll miss them too. They've been there for both us when we needed them the most," Almanzo said, holding her tightly. "I know that they'll keep in touch and I'm sure we'll get a visit from them once in a while." He released her. "We can even visit them."

Laura nodded. "Do you think we can do it?"

Almanzo smiled and nodded his head. "Well, it's not like it's in Sleepy Eye, but once we get the money to take a trip, it could be a possibility."

"I'm sure Ma and Pa and the kids will be surprised to see us."

"You know, every time we talk about Sleepy Eye," Almanzo said, looking at her. "All that comes to mind is our wedding night at the Blind School. I can't stop thinking about it lately. I've been thinkin' about Houston, too, and what he's goin' to do now that the Blind School will be closin'up."

"Houston will be fine," Laura answered, cuddling up to her husband.

Almanzo nodded. "You're right. He's got people lookin' out for him. That man had such a way with words."

Laura smiled as she rested her head on his shoulders. "My favorite was feisty."

"All I can hear in my head is Houston calling you a feisty 'dadgum woman.'" Almanzo smiled. "He couldn't get over how young you were and how much older you acted. But I've seen both sides of you, Beth. I knew you were feisty, I knew you were stubborn, but you had confidence and determination for both of us and I admired you for that. You know exactly what you want, you have the courage to go after it and you don't give up until you get it. There is no one in the world like you and that's the woman I fell in love with. You gave me your love; your heart and your soul and that carried me through. You loved everything about me, including my Morgan horses. No other woman I've ever known has taken that kind of an interest in me. There was never anyone else for me, Beth. Never was and never will be. And don't you ever think otherwise."

"What about your sister?"

"What about my sister? She's always been bossy and she's always wanted her own way. I just couldn't believe her reaction this time and I should have known better. All I know is that I didn't want to move into the city. I didn't want a desk job and I didn't want to spend the rest of my life in that wheelchair. I gave in to her like I always have. To tell you the truth, I didn't want to live with my sister; I wanted to live with my wife and my baby girl. And I was going to get the two of you back no matter what it took. For the first time, I finally stood up to her and put her in her place. It surprised me as much as it did her. Eliza Jane will never change, Beth. Just keep that in mind."

"Manly," she whispered, looking at him. "I didn't know…"

"I owe you my life, you and your family. And I just don't know how to repay all of you."

"Just give me your love, Almanzo, now and forever. That's all I ask, nothing more, nothing less."

"Oh, and be ready tomorrow morning," she added.

"You got it, Beth." Almanzo smiled, kissing her on the nose. He swept her into a bear hug and kissed her again, this time on the lips.

They broke apart and Almanzo stared at her. "Do you think that…"

Laura put her arms around him. "The only way to know is if you try, Manly."

She kissed him and pulled him down with her. He went with it.

"Beth," he whispered, "My Beth," as they came together as one.