Lazy Autumn Day
LHOP inspired fan
fiction by Cheryl C. Malandrinos
Disclaimer:
I do not own the Little House on the Prairie television series, book series, or
any of the characters.
Author’s
note: This story assumes the farmhouse was not destroyed by a tornado as
happened in the episode, “Days of Sunshine, Days of Shadow.”
Laura peered
out the front window of the white farmhouse she shared with Almanzo.
Harvesttime was her favorite time of the year, especially when the wheat had
grown so well.
Almanzo’s
new reaper had made quick work of harvesting the wheat, which she had helped
him bundle into sheaths before they stacked the golden sheaths into stooks so
the grain heads would dry. Tomorrow, their friends would arrive with the
thresher to get the grain bagged and the extra straw baled to sell in Mankato.
A farmer’s life rarely left time for relaxation. As a farmer’s wife and mother
to Rose, many of Laura’s days seemed endless.
She felt
Almanzo’s hands clasp her shoulders. “Just look at it, Beth. The Lord blessed
us this year.”
Laura
sighed. Just last year, a hailstorm had wiped out their entire wheat crop a few
days before harvest. Almanzo had mortgaged the house without telling her, so
when the crop was destroyed and Almanzo was struck ill with diphtheria, they
almost lost everything. She wouldn’t allow herself to feel happy about this
crop until it was threshed and bagged.
“It will be
good to have some money in the bank,” she said, afraid to speak her fears
aloud.
Luckily,
those fears remained unfounded. The wheat was threshed, the grain bagged, and
the extra straw baled. Their barn ended up filled with fresh straw for bedding,
and with what Almanzo sold, he bought supplies at the Mercantile to last them
through the winter. He paid ahead on their bank note, so that even if they
missed a month, their home would be secure. He also put some money in their
savings. It felt good knowing they paid their bill at the Mercantile in cash.
That left nothing for Mrs. Oleson to hold over her head.
Laura sat in
her chair, rocking Rose as she slept. She would tuck her into bed in a few
moments, but she always enjoyed watching her sleep. Almanzo sat in his chair on
the other side of the fireplace, sipping a cup of tea.
“We’ve
worked hard these last few days, Beth. How about tomorrow, we go on a picnic?”
She raised
his eyebrows at him. “Tomorrow is baking and cleaning day, Manly, just like
every Saturday.” She shook her head. “You know I’ll be busy.”
“The house
looks beautiful. I’m sure no one will notice if you miss a day.” He slid out of
his chair and knelt at her feet. “You’ve worked so hard since Rose was born. A
little extra rest will do you good.”
“I’m not the
one who suffered through diphtheria and a stroke.”
“No, but you
took care of everything while I recovered.” He kissed Rose’s head and helped
Laura to her feet. “The canning is done and we have enough supplies for winter.
We have some leftover biscuits and ham, maybe a couple of slices of that pie
you made the other day, and a bit of tea. We’ll take Rosie Posie for a ride and
put a blanket out on the grass down by the lake. What do you say?”
A crooked
smile crept across his face, and Laura knew she couldn’t resist it. “Oh, Manly,
you’re impossible.”
He pecked
her cheek. “Anything for my girls.”
The next
morning, bright sunshine filtered through the windows. What a great day for a
picnic. Dressed in her brown skirt and a cream-colored blouse with brown
edging, Laura piled food into a basket. She wrapped up Rose in her blankets and
tucked her into a larger basket.
“All set,
Beth?”
She nodded.
“We’re ready to go!”
Barnum and
Skip pulled the wagon down the road, their hooves tossing up dirt as they clip-clopped
along. Laura felt a breeze across her face. It rustled the leaves and sent some
of them floating to the ground in a bounty of yellow, red, and orange. She
sighed and leaned into Almanzo’s shoulder. If only every day could be like
this.
Once they
reached the lake, Almanzo yanked the horses to a stop and pushed the brake
lever. He took Rose and her basket and placed them on the grass before
extending his hand to help Laura out of the wagon. She grabbed the basket of
food out of the wagon box and the blanket and made quick work of setting up
their picnic, while Almanzo led the horses to the shore for a drink.
He sauntered
over to her and plunked down on the blanket, crossing his legs. They ate and
talked, enjoying their lazy day together. They walked along the water’s edge
until Rose fell asleep. Laura placed her into the basket and pulled her
blankets closer.
Sitting on
the blanket with his legs extended, Almanzo leaned back on his arms. He patted
his leg and Laura laid her head down.
“I’m so glad
you convinced me to do this, Manly.” She gazed up into his blue eyes. “I didn’t
realize how exhausting this last year has been.”
He smiled. “I
asked Albert to stop by and tend to the animals, so we don’t have to rush
home.”
It seemed
like her husband had thought of everything. Laura closed her eyes and let her
mind drift through the many memories of their relationship: meeting each other,
giving each other their nicknames, the day he finally admitted he had feelings
for her, their wedding day, and so many other moments she cherished. How did
I get so lucky?
“I’m sorry
last year was so hard on you,” he said. “I spent all that time thinking of me
and didn’t consider what you were going through.”
Laura sat up
and cupped his head in her hands. “I can only imagine what it was like for you.”
She kissed him.
Almanzo
pulled her close. “We probably won’t spend a lazy day like this again for a
while, so let’s not spend it thinking about unhappy memories. Let’s just enjoy
being a family.”
As Laura
snuggled deeper into his arms, she thanked God for all He had given her.
Almanzo had recovered from the diphtheria and stroke, Rose brought both of them
tremendous joy, and she loved being a farmer’s wife more than she ever thought
possible. Though she missed teaching, the occasional tutoring job helped fill
that gap. She didn’t know what the future would bring, but she was certain they
could face anything together.
Copyright
Cheryl C. Malandrinos – All Rights Reserved.
