That morning after breakfast, Cage and Arrah and the boys set out again, but before leaving, they wanted to say goodbye to the Wilder's and thank them for the friendship and hospitality they showed them.
"I still wish you all could stay." Laura said, hugging Arrah. Both women thought they were going to cry, because they developed a new friendship and didn't want it to end.
"I do too, Laura...But I don't make those decisions,...Cage does."
"...Here, I baked some bread for your trip..." Laura said, handing it over to her.
"Laura...thank you...you didn't need too...We have enough provisions in the wagon."
"I wanted to, Arrah. Keep it,...everything."
Arrah fingered the red-and-white checked cloth Laura used as a cover to keep the bread warm.
"Thank you, Laura Ingalls Wilder...and you know if we never meet again in this world...we'll see each other again in Heaven." Arrah said, hugging her.
Laura smiles.
"Goodbye Drew." Jenny says, hugging him. Both felt something special before they released their hug, but they couldn't quite place what it was. "I'll miss you Jenny." He says, smiling at her.
"Do you want a hug or a handshake, Graham?" Rose asked. 9 year old Graham panicked a little, he never hugged a girl before!
"Uh...handshake." He said, and he and Rose shook hands. Cage shook Almanzo and Laura's hands and said their goodbyes. Arrah lifted Leslie into the back of the wagon. Drew and Graham jumped in the back, too. Cage helped his wife onto the wagon seat, and sat beside her, took the reins, and drove off. "Goodbye, Wilders." Arrah said, waving. They waved back. As the Lay's wagon drove off into the distance, Jenny waved and saw Drew waving back at her. It seemed like they both looked straight into the other's eyes, even though there was a great distance between them.
"Do you like Drew, Jenny?" Rose asked her cousin.
"I think so." She said, still staring in the direction that the wagon took. "I'll never know for sure,...because I'll never see him again." She thought.
"C'mon girls, you have the rest of your chores to do." Almanzo said.
"Yes sir." said Jenny, still looking in the same direction. Laura went inside and she, Rose and Almanzo went back to the barn.