Rosie Posie’s First Christmas
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.
This story uses Rose Wilder’s actual birthdate of December 5th, instead of the summer months, which is when she appears to be born in the show. It also assumes that Almanzo’s stroke featured on the show never happened and that their house wasn’t destroyed by a tornado. In real life, Almanzo suffered from complications of diphtheria when Rose was a toddler, which he struggled with the rest of his life.
Laura and Almanzo sat in their rocking chairs on either side of the fireplace. Rose lay in her cradle between them. After only a couple of weeks, the little girl had gained weight, and her red cheeks were now a rosy pink.
The new parents were as nervous as any two new parents could be, worrying they were doing everything wrong. But Laura had to admit that it seemed like Rose had always been with them. They couldn’t imagine life without their precious baby.
A Christmas tree strung with popcorn and cranberries sat in front of the window in the parlor that looked out over the yard. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve, and the Wilders discussed the possibility of going into town for Christmas service. Reverend Alden was in Walnut Grove this year, and Laura hadn’t left the house since Rose was born.
“Beth,” said Almanzo, calling her by the nickname he christened her with soon after they met, “Are you sure it’s safe to take Rose out so soon?”
Laura smiled. “The fresh air will do us both some good.”
“What if she catches a cold?”
“We will bundle her up in her sweater set and wrap her in blankets.”
Almanzo’s face tightened. “I don’t know.”
“How about we wait until tomorrow to decide?”
Laura leaned over and scooped Rose out of her cradle so that she could nurse her before going to bed. She existed in a perpetual state of exhaustion because Rose would wake up several times a night to be fed or changed. But despite that tired feeling, Laura’s heart swelled with love every time she laid eyes on her.
A crooked smile lifted the corner of Almanzo’s lips. “I guess it was lucky your ma had two babies after you were born. Taking care of our little one must come natural to you.”
“Actually,” said Laura, “she had three babies after me.” She pursed her lips. She realized she had never told Manly about the brother who died not long after he was born.
Almanzo’s face clouded over in confusion. Laura didn’t answer right away. Unsure if she had the mental energy to talk about Freddie right now, she sat back in her rocking chair and lifted Rose onto her shoulder.
“A few months after we had settled in Walnut Grove, Ma got pregnant. We were all so excited about a new baby coming, especially Pa.”
Laura swallowed the lump in her throat. “They named him Charles Frederick Ingalls.” She shook her head to shoo away the bad memories. “I thought he was the son Pa always wanted.” Tears stung her eyes as she recalled Pa’s joy over the birth of Freddie.
“Ma and Pa fawned over everything Freddie did.” Laura laughed. “Just like we fawn over every new thing Rose does.”
Manly’s blue eyes twinkled. She knew he was thrilled to have a baby in the house. Sometimes, she wondered why she put it off for so long. Nothing fulfilled her as much as being a mother, even her teaching.
The pain of her actions all those years ago suddenly gnawed at her. Laura hadn’t thought much about those days and weeks after Freddie’s passing in a long time. It seemed every day was filled with a mountain of never-ending chores that didn’t leave a person with much time to let their thoughts ramble. Not that she forgot about her little brother. At night, when the house was quiet and still, she wondered who he would have grown up to be. Would he have been a doctor like her adopted brother Albert planned to become? Maybe he would have run a general store like Mr. and Mrs. Oleson. Perhaps he would have been a farmer like Pa and Almanzo.
“What happened to him?” Almanzo’s question broke into her thoughts.
“A few weeks after Freddie was born, Pa and Ma called Doctor Baker out to the house. The baby wasn’t gaining weight, and he was getting weaker by the day. He didn’t know what to do, so they took Freddie to Mankato to see if the doctors there could help him.” Laura sniffled back the tears. “Only Ma and Pa came back home.”
Almanzo got out of his chair and kneeled by the side of Laura’s rocker. Taking her hand in his, he kissed the top of her hand. “I’m so sorry, Beth. That must have been so hard on all of you.”
She nodded. “It was. And then I made it worse for Ma and Pa by running away a few weeks later.”
Almanzo seemed uneager to interrupt her story with his questions, so she continued. “I blamed myself for Freddie’s death. They had asked Mary and me to pray that he would get better, but I was too jealous of all the time they were spending with him. I thought they didn’t care about me, and I refused to pray for Freddie.” That lump returned to her throat, and she struggled to swallow it down. “I was sure I had killed my little brother.”
She sighed. “Pa and Mr. Edwards searched for me for a long time.”
Almanzo wrinkled his forehead. “Mr. Edwards?”
Laura laughed as a vision of Mr. Edwards in his plaid shirt and brown hat filled her thoughts. “We first met Mr. Edwards when we lived in Kansas. He and Pa became best friends. We lost track of him after settling in Walnut Grove, but one day Pa saw him in Mankato and brought him home to see all of us. He stayed in town for a few years until he moved to California.”
Rose squirmed in Laura’s arms. “I think your daughter is hungry. I’m going to head upstairs. Give me little bit and then you can join us.”
After she nursed Rose and changed her diaper, Laura swaddled the baby and placed her in the cradle beside the bed. She slipped into her nightgown and unrolled her hair. By the time Almanzo opened the bedroom door, she sat on the edge of the bed brushing out her long tresses.
Manly held out his hand. “I can do that for you.” She passed over the brush, and Almanzo sat next to her on the bed. “So, where did you run away to?”
“The mountains.” Laura smiled at the memory. “Reverend Alden had told me that God listens to those who are closer to him. So, I thought he meant closer as in distance, not as in a deeper relationship with God.” She shrugged. “How much closer can you get to God from down here than a mountain?”
Almanzo chuckled. “Charles must have been thrilled when he found you.”
Laura’s heart squeezed as she recalled their happy reunion. “We talked it out, hugged, and cried. Let me tell you, I was never so happy to see my own bed again after that outing.” She lifted a hand to her mouth to cover her yawn.
“You can turn down the lamp.” He stood and pulled his shirt off. “I can get undressed in the dark.” He kissed her cheek. “Goodnight, sweetheart.” Right before the flame went out, he said, “Oh, how did your Pa find you?”
“I’m sure Jonathan had something to do with that.”
“Jonathan Garvey?” he said as she slipped under the covers next to her.
She shook her head. “No, my personal guardian angel.”
Almanzo lifted his eyebrows as his eyes widened. “What?”
She yawned again. “I need to sleep while Rose is napping. I’m sure she will be up in a couple of hours. We can talk again in the morning.” She kissed him, rolled over, and closed her eyes.
After nursing Rose for the second time that night, Laura found herself somewhere between tired and already thinking about all she had to do. She tucked Rose into the crook of her arm and let the baby snooze while she thought about the pies she would bake to bring to her parents’ house tomorrow, the new sweater for Rose she needed to finish, and the soup she would make to go with the bread she baked yesterday so they would have a nice lunch.
Almanzo turned over, opening one eye to glance at Laura and Rose. He groaned.
“I’m sorry if I woke you,” she said.
“You didn’t. I just wasn’t ready to open my eyes yet.” He sat up. “We both have a busy day.”
Even though the sun wouldn’t be up for a couple of hours, Laura knew a farmer’s day always started early.
“If you would like to hold your daughter,” she said, “I can get dressed so you can have breakfast before starting your chores.”
“Gladly.”
Though the baby didn’t wake when Laura placed her in Almanzo’s arms, he still spoke to her. “Good morning, little Rosie Posie.”
Laura looked upon them as she dressed. What is it about fathers and nicknames, she thought.
“Are you going to tell me about this guardian angel of yours?” asked Almanzo.
“Well, I had run away to the mountains. I didn’t even bring a coat. Shows you how prepared I was to spend the nights outdoors. When I finally reached the mountaintop, I prayed, telling God I would wait right there for his answer. At some point, I fell asleep. When I woke the next morning, I was covered with a coat and a there was a man named Jonathan there. For the entire time I stayed on the mountain awaiting God’s answer, he took care of me.”
“I still don’t understand how he helped your Pa find you.”
Rolling up her hair and straightening her skirt, Laura crooked her head at Manly. “I was getting to that. Jonathan carved me a cross with my name on it. One day, while I was washing in the stream that led downriver, the cross slipped off my neck. I was so disappointed when I lost it, but Pa showed it to me when he found me, saying that was how he knew where to go. It had floated miles downstream.”
Laura strolled over to the bed and picked Rose out of Almanzo’s arms so he could dress. By now, the little one had stirred and was ready for a change herself. Laying a blanket out on their bed, she put a fresh diaper on the baby while Almanzo got ready.
Tucking his shirt into his pants, Almanzo asked, “What did your pa say when he met Jonathan?”
A quizzical look adorned her face. “That’s the thing, Jonathan disappeared as soon as Pa found me.” She sat down on the bed. “At first, I was sad that Pa found me. God hadn’t answered my prayers. I asked for him to take me and bring Freddie back to Pa. So, when I saw Pa and Mr. Edwards climbing the mountain, I tried to run. But Jonathan caught me.
“He told me that God had answered my prayers, and that God wanted me to stay with Pa and Freddie to stay with him. When I asked him how he knew what God wanted, he said ‘He told me.’
“I didn’t understand that at first, but I was so happy to see Pa that I ran right to him.” Laura nibbled her bottom lip for a moment. “When I turned around, Jonathan was gone. All that was left was the lean-to we had built to keep us dry. Even the dove we had cared for while I was with him had suddenly disappeared.”
Almanzo didn’t say anything for a few seconds. Laura knew it sounded unreal. She wouldn’t have believed it if she hadn’t lived through it. But she knew it was true, and in all the years she thought about what happened on that mountain, the answer that kept coming back to her was that Jonathan was sent by God to take care of her, an angel of protection who left as soon as his job was done.
Manly caressed the furry down on Rose’s head, as he leaned over and kissed Laura’s cheek. “Sounds like a miracle that you were kept safe all that time and that a tiny wooden cross led Charles to you.”
Laura sighed. “It was.” She stood, knowing they had to get on with their chores. “I best go downstairs and get your breakfast ready, or we won’t make it to Christmas Eve service on time tonight.”
By the time they left to head into town, Beth and Manly’s home smelled of baked pies and fresh evergreen boughs. Snuggled under the blankets, Laura shifted along the wagon seat to get closer to Almanzo. Rose’s pink face was the only visible part of the child. Her new sweater set had a matching hat, and she was nestled in between several of her crib blankets.
Their breath came out as white puffs into the cold air and flurries of snow floated down, quickly disappearing as soon as they touched anything warm. They arrived at church just as the bells finished ringing.
Almanzo and Laura slid onto a bench in front of her siblings, who sat in front of their parents. Their family had grown through the years. Though her older sister, Mary, now lived in New York with her husband, Laura felt blessed to have Ma and Pa, Carrie, Grace, Albert, Cassandra, and James in Walnut Grove with them.
After Reverend Alden concluded their Christmas Eve service with a prayer, the congregation sang, “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,”
Once they were dismissed, everyone crowded around Laura and Rose.
“Such a healthy little girl,” said Doc Baker.
“I’ve never seen such a sweet baby, Laura,” said Mrs. Foster.
Even Mrs. Oleson cooed at the newest resident of Walnut Grove until her son Willie asked, “When do we eat? I’m starving!”
The room filled with laughter by the time Mrs. Oleson said, “Oh, Willie,” with a smile on her face.
As the crowd dwindled, Laura watched while Reverend Alden tucked his podium away and picked up Bibles so that the room would be ready for school at the beginning of the week.
“You ready to go, Beth?” asked Almanzo.
“In a minute.” Laura strolled up to the front of the room with Rose in her arms. “Reverend Alden?”
The minister of Walnut Grove flashed her the same wide smile she had seen since her family moved into town when she was just a little girl.
“Why, Laura, look at you. You’re beaming. And I bet this blessed little one has something to do with that.”
Laura felt the heat of a blush on her cheeks. “It is definitely a special Christmas this year. I was wondering if you might say a prayer of protection over Rose.”
Reverend Alden raised his eyebrows. Suddenly, this seemed like an odd request. Why should she be worried about something happening to Rose? Hadn’t Doc Baker just said she was a healthy child? But all this talk about her baby brother struck a nerve. She didn’t fear something awful would happen to Rose, but hadn’t Freddie seemed fine the first few weeks after his birth? What had changed? Why did it change? Could something like that occur again?
As if he could sense her concerns, Reverend Alden cupped Rose’s head in one of his hands and offered Laura a reassuring smile before he closed his eyes. “Dear Lord, we ask for your protection over baby Rose Wilder. We ask that she grow up to be healthy and strong, learning to live a righteous life that pleases you. And, Lord, we ask you to bless her parents, Laura and Almanzo, as they tend to her physical and spiritual wellbeing. Guide their decisions and bring them the peace of mind that only you can give. Amen.”
Laura whispered, “Amen,” and immediately felt a sense of comfort and peace wash over her. “Thank you so much, Reverend Alden.”
When Laura was once again seated in the wagon next to Almanzo, cozy underneath the blankets, she leaned her head against his shoulder.
“Are you tired?” asked Manly.
“A bit,” she said.
“Are you okay?”
She silently recited the prayer that Reverend Alden had spoke over Rose. “Yes. It’s just all this talk of Freddie reminded me how precious life is. I feel better knowing that Reverend Alden is praying for Rose.”
Almanzo lifted her chin with one of his gloved hands. “I’m sure your parents will understand if you want to stay home for Christmas.”
Laura shook her head. “It will be good to spend Rose’s first Christmas with our family. But after that, I would prefer to stick around the house until warmer weather arrives. My family can always come to our house to visit. I don’t mind cooking, and Ma is always a big help. And I’m really looking forward to us being a family of three this winter.”
“That sounds just fine by me.” Almanzo flashed her a crooked smile.
By the time Laura had changed Rose’s diaper and Almanzo and she had slipped into their nightclothes, the clock on her dresser read 11:55. No wonder she felt exhausted. Laura crawled under the covers with Almanzo, who cuddled Rose. She would need to nurse her one last time before putting her into her cradle, hopefully to sleep for the rest of the night.
After handing Rose to Laura, Almanzo grabbed his Bible off his nightstand. Laura nursed while he read the Christmas story again. What a blessed miracle, she thought. Christ come to earth; the promise of a Savior fulfilled.
Rose drifted off to sleep as she suckled. Almanzo turned down the lamp, leaving just enough light for Laura to see when it was time to put the baby into her cradle. And that’s when they saw it, a bright star through their bedroom window. How odd, thought Laura. The sky was cloudy earlier. And yet, there it was, one star shining brighter than all the others, reminding Laura of the star that led the Wise Men to find Jesus.
Laura and Almanzo glanced at each other and back to the star. “We are blessed,” she said.
The clock chimed the hour. A new day had begun.
“Merry Christmas, Manly.”
“Merry Christmas, Beth.”
Laura glanced at the sleeping baby in her arms. “Merry Christmas, Rose.”
Almanzo leaned over to kiss one of Rose’s tiny hands. “Merry Christmas, Rosie Posie.”
We are blessed, Laura said again to herself. What a wonderful year this will be!
Copyright Cheryl C. Malandrinos - All Rights Reserved
