Today's Battles Are Tomorrow's Triumphs: The Jacob Noah "Jake" Ingalls Story

Cruel Summer: Caroline's Version

(V.O.: Laura) ""Winter and spring came and went and now summer is fast upon us," Pa said. That meant it was time for Pa to go on his annual fishing trip with Mr. Edwards, Mr. Garvey, Mr. Oleson, and Mr. Simms at Fort Ridgely over in Fairfax." The day of the trip had finally come, but Charles was having second thoughts about leaving Caroline. Caroline was halfway through her pregnancy and that alone made Charles feel worse about going on this trip because if something were to happen to Caroline while he was gone and he wasn't there for her, he'd never forgive himself. "Are you sure you want me to go," said Charles, "maybe I should just stay home with you and our girls." Caroline replied, "Nonsense. You've been looking forward to this trip since you came back from last year's trip. Now, you just go on to Fort Ridgely and have yourself a wonderful time with Isaiah, Jonathan, Nels, and Adam." Charles said, "What about you, the baby, and the girls?" "Don't you worry about us. We'll be just fine. Grace, Alice, and Eva will be here if we need them," Caroline replied. Charles and Caroline kissed. Charles said, "You make sure you get plenty of rest while I'm gone." "You just make sure you make it back safely, then I'll be able to rest," Caroline gushed. Charles, Caroline, and the girls then hugged before he rode off to town to meet the others.

Once Mrs. Edwards, Mrs. Garvey, and Mrs. Simms saw their husbands off, they bounded into the wagon, and headed over to the Ingalls'. "Hi, Mrs. Edwards. Hi, Mrs. Garvey. Hi, Mrs. Simms," said Hannah as she was finishing up feeding the animals. "Hello, Hannah," the ladies replied in unison. Mrs. Garvey asked, "Is your ma inside?" Hannah answered, "Yes'm, she's in the kitchen." Mrs. Edwards, Mrs. Garvey, and Mrs. Simms walked into the house and approached Caroline in the kitchen. "Good morning, Ladies," Caroline greeted. "Mornin', Caroline," replied Mrs. Edwards. Mrs. Simms asked, "How are you feeling this morning? How are you and the baby holding up?" Caroline replied, "The baby and I are holding up just fine, but as for how I'm feeling this morning— I'd be feeling much better if it weren't for this debilitating headache and these dizzy spells that keep coming and going." "Do you want me to get Dr. Baker," inquired Mrs. Edwards. "No, no. I'll be fine, Grace. Thank you though," said Caroline. Mrs. Edwards flashed a half smile back at Caroline. Baby Grace awoke from her slumber and cried, "Mama." "Mama's coming, Darling," Caroline called out. As Caroline lifted Baby Grace out of her crib, she fainted. Upon hearing the thud of Caroline's body against the ground, Mrs. Edwards, Mrs. Garvey, and Mrs. Simms rushed to her aid.

"Caroline? Caroline, wake up. Please wake up," Mrs. Garvey pleaded. Hannah, Mary, Laura, and Carrie dashed into the room. "What happened," questioned Carrie. Mrs. Edwards replied, "Baby Grace was crying and calling out for your ma. When she went to get her out of her crib, we heard a loud thud and crying coming from her room, and when we walked in to see what had happened...we found your ma unconscious on the ground." Laura ran to town to get Dr. Baker. As they (Laura and Dr. Baker) entered the room, Caroline slowly started to come to. "What happened," inquired a confused Caroline. Mary replied, "You fainted." "So I went and got Dr. Baker," Laura added. Dr. Baker said, "Let's get you up off of this hard floor and onto the bed, so I can do a thorough examination on you and the baby." Caroline nodded. As Hannah helped Dr. Baker get Caroline up on the bed, she noticed some spotting (blood) on Caroline's apron, skirt, and on the floor. "Ma, you... you're bleeding," said a concerned Mary. Caroline cried, "Dr. Baker, you've got to stop the bleeding. I can't lose this baby. Charles will hate me if I do." With that being said, Dr. Baker began his secondary examination on Caroline and the baby. "Dr. Baker, is everything alright? I... is... is the baby alright," questioned Caroline, who now had tears welling up in her deep ocean-blue eyes.

"Caroline, what you're experiencing is uterine bleeding. Now, Girls, I need you four to go into town and bring back some ice and also some belladonna from my office. The belladonna is in the tall medicine cabinet on the bottom shelf." Hannah, Mary, Laura, and Carrie nodded and scurried off to town faster than anyone could say Jack Robinson. Once the girls reached town, Mary and Laura went and got the ice while Hannah and Carrie grabbed the belladonna from Dr. Baker's office. "Here you go, Dr. Baker," said the girls as they made a mad dash into their ma's room. "Thank you, Girls," Dr. Baker replied, "Now, if you'd all step out while I administer the belladonna and the ice, then you can all come back in." They nodded. "Grace, will you stay with me," asked Caroline. Grace replied, taking hold of Caroline's hand, "Of course I will." Caroline weakly smiled. Meanwhile, over at Fort Ridgely, Jonathan, Mr. Edwards, Adam, and Nels noticed that Charles wasn't acting like his usual self. "Charles, are you alright? You look as if you're a million miles away," said Jonathan. Charles replied, "I'm sorry, Jonathan. I just can't stop thinking about Caroline and the baby." Nels said, "Maybe we should just go on back to Walnut Grove." "No. Caroline told me to have a wonderful time with you guys and to not worry about her, and that's what I'm going to do," said Charles.

Back at the little house on the prairie on the banks of Plum Creek, Dr. Baker successfully got the bleeding under control and allowed Mrs. Garvey, Mrs. Simms, and the girls to come back into the room. "How are you feeling, Ma," asked Laura, taking hold of Caroline's hand. Caroline replied, caressing Laura's hand, "I'm alright, Dear." "Now, Caroline, I want you to stay in bed for several days to make sure the bleeding doesn't start up again," Dr. Baker ordered. Caroline replied, "But who's gonna look after Baby Grace, the house, and the farm?" Mrs. Garvey said, "Don't you worry, Caroline. Grace, Eva, and I will look after Baby Grace, the house, and the farm." "And you, too," Mrs. Simms added. Caroline said, "Oh, I can't possibly ask you to do that. What about your own children and your own homes?" "Caroline, please. We want to do this for you and besides, between your older girls and our children, we can get things done," Mrs. Edwards said reassuringly. Caroline nodded and said, "Thank you— thank you all." Mrs. Edwards, Mrs. Garvey, and Mrs. Simms smiled. Dr. Baker grabbed his hat and medical bag as he stepped out to go back to town. "Thank you, Dr. Baker— for everything," Caroline called out after him. "You're very welcome, Caroline. Take care now," Dr. Baker replied. "You gave us all quite a scare, Ma," said Hannah. Caroline said, "I'm so sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for," said Hannah. "Hannah's right, Ma," said Mary. Mrs. Garvey said, "Everything's gonna be alright, Caroline because you know what they say— today's battles are tomorrow's triumphs." Caroline smiled and embraced her friends and her girls. Later that night at Fort Ridgely, Charles' peaceful slumber was interrupted by a frightening dream. "Congratulations, Charles. You have a son," said Dr. Baker. Charles replied, "How is he? Is he alright?" "He's doing just fine," answered Dr. Baker. "And Caroline— is she alright," Charles inquired. Dr. Baker said, "I'm sorry, Charles, but Caroline lost a lot of blood during the delivery, and she... she didn't make it." "Noooo. Caroliiiine," Charles screamed out. "Charles. Charles, wake up. You're having a nightmare," said Mr. Simms. "Caroline," Charles yelped as he jolted up. Mr. Simms said, "Are you alright?" "Yeah. I'm glad it was just a nightmare because in reality, I don't think I could go on living knowing that Caroline died having our child," Charles replied. Isaiah, Jonathan, Nels, and Adam were at a loss for words. Back home, Caroline's peaceful slumber, too, was interrupted by a frightening dream. "Why don't I hear the baby crying? Dr. Baker is everything alright," questioned a sobbing Caroline. Dr. Baker replied, "I'm very sorry, Caroline— your son's gone. Again, I'm very sorry."

"Oh, Charles. No, not our baby— not our son. Noooo," Caroline gut-wrenchingly cried out. Carrie jumped out of bed and ran to her mother's side. "Ma. Ma, wake up. Wake up, Ma," she said, gently shaking Caroline. "Oh, Carrie," Caroline cried, wrapping Carrie in her embrace. Carrie said, "You were having a nightmare and I had gotten worried about you. Are you okay?" "I... I... I'm fine. It was just a nightmare. You can go on back to bed now, Darling. I'm alright," Caroline replied, stroking Carrie's cheek and hair. Carrie asked, "May I sleep with you tonight, Ma?" Caroline nodded and Carrie climbed into bed beside Caroline. "Good night, Ma. I love you," Carrie gushed, placing a kiss upon Caroline's cheek. "Good night, Carrie. I love you more," Caroline replied, placing a kiss upon Carrie's cheek. Caroline turned the light out, and soon, both she and Carrie were sound asleep. "Mary," Laura whispered. "Yes, Laura," Mary answered in a whisper. Laura said, "I've never seen Ma so scared in my whole life." Mary replied, "Neither have I, but she is the strongest person I know, so she will overcome this obstacle. Both Ma and the baby will be just fine— you just wait and see." Laura smiled and said, "You're right. Good night, Mary." "Good night, Laura," Mary said with a smile, reaching over to turn out the light. Soon, both Mary and Laura, too, were sound asleep.