A Sister's Advice: LHOP inspired Fan Fiction by Cheryl C. Malandrinos

 

A Sister’s Advice

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.

 

            Almanzo’s packed belongings sat at the edge of his bed. One bag and one knapsack to carry with him to his new life in Sleepy Eye. He would stop by Laura’s house this morning before school to talk to her.

            Eliza Jane had been quiet at supper last night. They grew up together. They had never lived apart. When she left home to accept the teaching position in Walnut Grove, he offered to go with her. As hard as it was to leave his parents all alone in Spring Valley, as the second oldest son, he had a responsibility to make sure she stayed safe. Royal married years ago, and with Perley Day’s whereabouts unknown, Almanzo filled his wagon with household items and provisions, and made the drive to his new home with Eliza Jane.

            Part of him struggled with his need for independence versus his need to care for his sister, but seeing Mr. Ingalls in town every day and sitting across the aisle from him at church on Sunday mornings, pretending he agreed with Mr. Ingalls’s decision that Laura and he must wait two years to marry, pushed him forward. He made plans for Ned Turner to help with the farm while he was away, so at least Eliza Jane wouldn’t have to worry about managing all the chores by herself.

            Almanzo’s boots thudded on the stairs as he marched down to the kitchen for breakfast. He doubted his sister would allow him to go without a lecture, but he had made up his mind. He wanted a future with Laura, and her overprotective father stood in the way of their happiness.

            “Good morning, Sis.” He caught how she glanced out of the corner of her eye at him as she stirred scrambled eggs in a cast iron pan.

            Eliza Jane poured him a cup of coffee and handed it to him. “Good morning, Mannie. Sleep well.”

            What is she up to? He knew his sister well enough to know that the temporary shock of last night’s announcement had worn off. She would have plenty to say.

            He shrugged. “Not really, but I have a lot on my mind.”

            “I’m sure you do.” Eliza Jane slid a plate of ham and eggs in front of his seat at the table and sat down at her seat opposite him. She looked over the rim of her glasses. “Are you still planning on leaving this morning?”

            He nodded. “Yes. I’ll head over to Laura’s place after I drop you off in town. Shouldn’t take her long to pack up. Then we’ll head out to Sleepy Eye.” He shoveled a large forkful of food into his mouth, which he washed down with a swig of coffee.

            Eliza Jane crossed her arms and leaned them on the table’s edge. “What makes you think Laura will go with you?”

            Almanzo stopped his fork mid-air, his mouth remaining open. “What do you mean?”

            “She has a lot to consider, you know.” Eliza Jane slid her mostly full plate aside. “Without warning you’re going to ask her to pick up her life and move to Sleepy Eye? What about her teaching? What about her family?”

            His sister’s lecture quickly got annoying. Beth would go with him. Hadn’t she been in love with him forever? Didn’t she immediately say yes when he asked her to marry him?

            “Sis, we are only moving to Sleepy Eye, not Boston.” One corner of his mouth lifted, creating a crooked smile. “We can come visit once we get settled.”

            Eliza Jane pursed her lips as he spoke. She stood straighter in her seat, like she did when she made a point to a student. “Mannie, you know I want what’s best for you. I always have.” She lowered her gaze and smiled. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciated you coming with me to Walnut Grove when I accepted this job. I’m sure a single young man had other things in mind for his life, but you chose to live here.”

            She reached across the table and clutched his hand. “While I am thankful, I never would have asked you to pick up everything and move here with me.” Eliza Jane shook her head. “You’re not giving Laura any choice. She loves you, and if she wants to be with you, she must leave the place she has called home for years and leave behind her family. Are you sure you want to ask that of her?”

            Almanzo pushed his seat back and stood. The heat of his anger rose to create a ring of sweat around his shirt collar. “You don’t understand, Sis. How am I supposed to face Mr. Ingalls every day and pretend that we agree when we don’t? How is Beth supposed to feel about me as a husband if I can’t stand up and fight for what we want?”

            He stormed off to the kitchen and dropped his plate and cup in the sink. When he turned around, his red-headed sister stood in the kitchen doorway. Tall and slender, her eyeglasses made her appear older than she was. The red, black, and white plaid dress she often wore to school didn’t help. Growing up in Malone, she used to be so fashionable.

            Maybe if she ever had a beau, she would know what it’s like to be in love and to want to spend your life with a person so much it almost hurts to spend days apart. Painfully shy, Eliza Jane felt most comfortable around her students.

            “Almanzo, all I am saying is that if you fight for what you want, you should be sure Laura wants the same thing. This could go horribly wrong, and I don’t want to see you hurt.”

            Almanzo’s shoulders drooped. How could he stay angry with the sister he had looked up to all his life? He strolled over and hugged her. “It will work out, Eliza Jane.”

            The clock chimed seven times. “I best get Barnum and Skip hitched up. Can’t have the teacher being late for school.”

            Almanzo plunked his hat on his head and marched out to the barn. As he hitched up his Morgans, he thought more on what his sister said. Could she be right? Would Laura choose her pa over me? He shook those thoughts from his mind. Laura loved him and he loved her. His plan would work out fine.

          

Copyright Cheryl C. Malandrinos - All Rights Reserved.

A Reflection on Friendship: LHOP inspired fan fiction by Cheryl C. Malandrinos

A Reflection on Friendship

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.

Almanzo couldn't get her out of his mind. It confused him. Wasn't she just a child? Wasn't she only a young girl who had a crush on him that she would surely outgrow — once she matured?

Perhaps he had been tired when he ran to her, excited his horse Barnum had not been crippled by the reckless behavior of his younger brother, Perley Day. And yet, she felt so right nestled up against his body; her tiny frame fitting perfectly in his embrace. The impetuous kisses he placed on the top of her head signified more than mere friendship. He remembered her hair; long and flowing, reddish-brown, sparkling in the morning sun. It was still beautiful after a night without sleep.

"Hey Almanzo, ya gonna stop daydreaming and get my order?"

"What?" Almanzo felt the heat of a blush on his cheeks. "Sorry, Mr. Morgan. I'll start loadin' ya up right away."

He waved goodbye to Mr. Morgan when he was done and looked at the next order on the list. His gaze spotted Laura walking over the bridge with her siblings on the way to school. She strolled over to the platform at the Feed and Seed.

"Hi, Manly," she said with a huge smile on her face.

"Howdy, Beth." He purposely kept his tone polite, but not too friendly.

"How's Barnum doing?"

"He's fine."

She squinted her eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, why do you ask?"

Laura shrugged. "I don't know, it's just you're acting kind of strange."

"Got a lot on my mind."

Just then, the school bell rang. "Gotta go. See ya, Manly."

Laura ran off towards the schoolhouse. His stare lingered after her, following her up the school steps and ending at the open door long after she had disappeared inside. She had run from the barn to the house that morning when they found out Barnum would recover. She declared she would prepare breakfast and dashed into the little house on Plum Creek. Maybe she was just happy that Barnum was okay, or perhaps she was excited to share her table with Almanzo. She had seemed young to him then; much younger than she had during the night when she carried pots of coffee out to her pa and him while they tended to Barnum's injured leg.

She was just a school girl, after all, while he was a man with a job and a farm to run. They shared a special connection from the time they met, he couldn't deny that. But he had never seen her as anything more than a young friend — until now. And still his mind played tricks on him. There were moments when she seemed like a child, playing baseball and shooting marbles in the schoolyard. Then there were other times when even as his junior she had taught him a lesson in life.

Almanzo turned his back to the schoolhouse and shuffled into the office of the Feed and Seed. He hung the clipboard on the nail sticking out of the wall. He tried to clear his mind of the thoughts floating around his head. This was nonsense. Laura was just a friend, plain and simple. They would never be anything more.

Copyright Cheryl C. Malandrinos - All Rights Reserved.

An Unspoken Understanding: LHOP inspired fan fiction by Cheryl C. Malandrinos

An Unspoken Understanding

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: I've used some of the dialogue from the episode Wilder and Wilder for this story.

Almanzo glanced at Laura as she smiled and then carried the empty coffee pot back to the house.

"That sure is one grown up young lady ya got there," said Almanzo, sitting down on a bale of hay.

"Not so grown up," replied Charles. He sipped the hot liquid from his cup before continuing. "You know, I like what you did today—forfeiting the arm wrestling competition to save your horse."

Almanzo shrugged. "Well, you were gonna take me anyway."

"Probably…but I still like what you did."

"Thank you, Sir."

Charles's face reminded Almanzo of their earlier conversation and Charles's request to not be called, "Sir." But the wariness slowly disappeared from his eyes. "You're welcome, Son."

Almanzo spotted the smirk Charles tried to hide behind his coffee cup. He somehow knew he was there on approval.

He never understood why Charles was suspicious of his friendship with Laura. She liked horses, he liked horses. She knew about farming, he knew about farming. What was the big mystery? But after their first misunderstanding, which landed Almanzo in a heap on the floor with a bloody lip, he certainly wasn't about to get Charles angry again.

"Something on your mind?" asked Charles.

"I was just thinkin' about how easily Laura handled Barnum. I was tryin' to break him in for days, but within seconds she had him trotting."

"She's always had a way with animals. When she was younger, she had her own horse. She took care of Bunny just as well as I could have. Laura loved that animal."

"What happened to Bunny?"

"Laura was racing her out in a field one day and Bunny got caught up in a barbed wire fence. I had to put her down."

Almanzo's heart squeezed. "That's tough. I still remember the first colt my father gave me. It's somethin' special when you're caring for your first animal." Almanzo knelt down next to Barnum and patted his injured leg. Picking up the ladle, he doused the wrap with cold water. He exhaled deeply. How much longer before they knew if the cold packs would work?

"Where did you grow up, Almanzo?"

"Upstate New York. There was my older brother Royal, my sisters—Laura, Eliza Jane, and Alice, and then me. Perley Day came along after a while." Almanzo slurped down the last few drops of cool coffee. "Mother and Father were strict, but fair. When Eliza Jane and I struck out on our own, Father let us borrow against our share of the estate."

"Why did you settle out here?"

"That was Eliza Jane's choice. Our folks live in Spring Valley now. I figure she wanted to be far enough away to have her freedom, but close enough to get home quick if things didn't work out. Course it helped that you were lookin' for a teacher. She replied right away when she saw the ad."

"And she was the best choice too—pleasant, well-qualified. It's plain to see the children like her."

"Children have always flocked to Eliza. She knows how to handle them, I guess."

A sliver of light brightened the doorway of the house. It widened and out stepped a tiny figure in a white dress. Beth with more coffee. The fire from the lantern reflected off the reddish tint of her hair, making it glow in the cool, dark night. Laura snuck a handful of carrots under Barnum's nose.

"There you go, boy." She patted Barnum and he whinnied. "How is he?"

"No change," said Almanzo.

Charles planted a firm hand on Almanzo's shoulder. "Give the cold packs time to work. It will probably be dawn before we know for sure."

Almanzo nodded and held his empty cup out to Laura. "Thanks, Beth. That's just what I needed."

"Are you sure I can't get you something to eat?"

"Naw, I can't eat while I watch Barnum hurtin."

"Pa?"

"No thanks, Half-pint. Just keep the coffee hot and bring it out every hour or so. It's going to be a long night."

"Alright, Pa."

Almanzo watched Laura walk away, trying to figure out how he missed all the changes in her. He felt the heat of Charles's steady glare and knelt down to tend to Barnum.

"Tell me about Perley Day," said Charles.

"Not much worth tellin'." Almanzo drizzled cold water over Barnum's swollen joint. "He never liked rules. He always had to do everything his own way. So, one day he packed up and left. The coward took off while we were sleepin'. All Mother found was a note." Almanzo felt the angry heat rising in his chest. "It broke her heart."

"How does he survive?"

"Cheating, lying, gambling...whatever gets him by. He shows up when he runs outta money. I figure that's why he came here."

"I can't believe I ever thought he would be suitable for Laura."

Almanzo guffawed, garnering a frown from Charles. "Perley Day wouldn't be good for any young woman, and especially not for someone like Laura."

A familiar look of suspicion lingered in Charles's overprotective eyes. Almanzo scrambled to explain. "I don't mean anythin' by it, Mr. Ingalls. It's just, Beth…a…Laura and I are friends. I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to her, and believe me, everythin' about Perley Day is bad." Almanzo chuckled. "Though I sure would like to see what would happen if Laura unleashed that fiery temper on him. Perley Day wouldn't know what hit him."

Charles laughed too. "Laura certainly has a temper."

"I wonder where she gets it from," joked Almanzo.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, the last time ya got angry at me, my jaw hurt for at least a week." He rubbed his chin, hoping he could lighten the mood.

Scarlet tinged Charles's brown cheeks. "I seem to remember you being ready to teach Bart Slater a lesson when he hassled your sister."

"Yeah, but…" The two men laughed at themselves. "Okay, we both have a temper." Almanzo had lost the wrestling match, he couldn't lose twice in one day to the same man. "But yours is worse," he whispered just loud enough for Charles to hear.

Charles shook his head. "Why don't you try to get some sleep. I'll wake you in a couple hours.

"Ya sure?"

"Yeah. Laura will be out with more coffee soon enough."

The night continued on that way—each man taking a turn tending to Barnum while the other caught a few winks. Laura kept their coffee cups full into the wee hours of the morning.

A little after dawn, Almanzo heard his name and opened his tired eyes.

"Take a look," said Charles. Almanzo crawled over to Barnum and felt his leg. "I say with a bit of rest, he'll be just fine," said Charles.

"How's Barnum?" asked Laura entering the barn with Caroline.

Almanzo jumped up and embraced her. "We did it, Beth. We did it." Laura giggled.

"How's breakfast sound?" asked Caroline.

"Sounds great," replied Almanzo.

"Can I do it, Ma?" asked Laura. "I'm going to do it all." Laura raced away towards the house.

Almanzo screamed after her. "Make plenty, I'm starved,"

"You can go wash up in the kitchen," said Charles.

Almanzo nodded and left the barn. He stopped a few feet from the kitchen door. Had he actually hugged Laura? And those kisses he placed on the top of her head without even thinking about Charles watching them—was it just the thrill of knowing Barnum would mend? One hand on the door knob, Almanzo hesitated, a strange uneasiness washing over him. He swallowed away the lump in his throat. A heavy breeze danced through his hair, bringing him out of his uncertain thoughts. This is silly.

Almanzo stepped into the kitchen and smiled at Laura busy at the cook stove. He had never eaten at the Ingallses' home. Beth's conversation and Charles's unspoken acceptance of him would make it a great meal.

Copyright Cheryl C. Malandrinos - All Rights Reserved.

He's Not the Right Man: LHOP inspired fan fiction by Cheryl C. Malandrinos

He's Not the Right Man

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.

Laura shuffled her feet along the dry, rutted road toward school. She stared out in front of her, but she didn't see any of the goings on around town—she was too consumed with her own thoughts. Even the petty argument her brother Albert and sister Carrie were having alongside her could not pull her away from the mix of sadness and disappointment swirling around her head.

She had asked Almanzo to supper last night. But he was too busy. Out of spite, she invited his younger brother Perley Day, who was visiting while figuring out where to travel next.

Perley Day accepted. It was a very nice evening. He talked all about his leaving home at an early age and traveling the country surviving by his wits. Her pa sure seemed to like the younger Wilder boy.

But it was Almanzo that Laura wanted to spend time with.

"Right Laura," Carrie whined, tugging at her sister's sleeve.

Laura yanked her arm away, frustrated over the distraction.

"Right?" Carrie said again, her eyes eager and full of anticipation.

"Yes, you're right," Laura answered curtly.

Albert dug his heels into the ground. "You don't even know what she asked you."

Laura's eyes rested on Albert and then on Carrie. She was too angry to care what they were arguing over. "I don't have time for this. I'm going inside to study." She pounded up the steps to the schoolhouse, her dinner pail swinging violently on one arm and hitting the door as she slammed it shut behind her.

"Oh Laura," said Miss Wilder, "I didn't expect to see you so early. Isn't there a baseball game going on outside?"

Laura felt the heat of embarrassment staining her cheeks. Lifting her nose in the air she flicked her braids back, but seeing the kindness in Miss Wilder's face deflated her anger. "Well…uh…I figured I would study for the history test tomorrow."

"I'm glad to see you being so conscientious"

Miss Wilder turned to the blackboard and continued to write down the assignments. Laura slid onto the bench and opened her book, pretending to find history fascinating. She heard the smooth flow of the chalk along the blackboard as she tried to focus her thoughts away from Almanzo. Her heart raced as Laura heard the click clack of  boots strolling down the aisle.

Miss Wilder slipped into the bench in front of Laura. "So, did you have a nice evening with Perley Day?"

Why did she have to bring that up? "Yes. He told us about the many places he's been."

"He certainly has traveled far for such a young man. Perley Day had fun too. All he did was rave about your mother's cooking…and your fine company, of course." Miss Wilder touched Laura's arm. "I'm glad you finally found someone your own age."

Laura squinted, trying to figure out what her teacher was getting at. "I'm sorry Miss Wilder, but I really don't know what you mean."

Miss Wilder pursed her lips before settling her eyeglasses back on the bridge of her nose. "Well, I'm certain Almanzo doesn't know you have a crush on him."

Laura glared at her teacher, not even believing they were having this conversation. "I don't have a crush on him," she said firmly. It wasn't a lie. She loved Almanzo. It wasn't some childish crush.

Miss Wilder smiled as she leaned in closer. "I didn't mean anything bad by it, Laura. It's just…I know you're awfully fond of Almanzo."

"We're friends, Miss Wilder." Laura hoped the pounding of her heart would not give her secret away. "We like horses and farming and we like talking to each other. That's all there is to it."

Laura closed her book and stood up, not sure she could continue speaking about Almanzo as if she had no feelings for him at all. "Perley Day is nice too, but we don't have a lot to talk about. Actually, he spent most of last night talking to Pa."

"Perhaps, I misunderstood." The clock on Miss Wilder's desk chimed the hour. "Oh, look at the time." She dashed off to ring the school bell.

Laura dropped back in her seat. Her heavy sigh filled the room. Hopefully her words had been enough to keep Miss Wilder from assuming too much. The last thing she needed was Almanzo thinking she had some ridiculous schoolgirl crush on him.

Determined more than ever, Laura sat up tall in her seat. "I'm going to make Almanzo see me as a woman one day," she said out loud. She heard racing footsteps on the stairs outside. "You just wait and see. I'll show all of you."

Copyright Cheryl C. Malandrinos - All Rights Reserved.