Country Boy, City Girl [LHotP Fan Fiction]

Chapter Three:

Sunday came and Esther couldn't wait for church to end. Laura had said she would love to come over for supper. The church was actually the school-house with the reverend's potium on top of the teacher's desk. Esther and Almanzo had gone to church together, but it was so full that Almanzo let Esther sit with Laura and Albert, her adopted brother, while he stood in the back. Willie was in the seats across from Esther, to her left, with his parents. From the corner of her eye, Esther studied Mrs. Oleson. She was a sturdy, prideful looking woman, Esther could tell because she had a good judgment of character. But who was she to make assumptions before meeting her first?

When church ended, Esther and Laura went to sit on the steps of Oleson Mercantile while they waite for Almanzo to get the wagon out of the crowd of buggies, cutters and other wagons.

"Hiya Laura," said Willie as he joined them on the steps. "Hi Esther, everything alright?"

"Just fine, Willie," Laura replied, tucking her hair into her bonnet. "We're just waiting for Almanzo. How about you?"

"If I said 'just fine', I'd be lying. Ma and Pa are leaving for the train station in Sleepy Eye to pick up Nellie, and I've gotta stay here. It'll just be another one of those boring days."

Esther exchanged a brief glance with Laura. They were both thinking the same thought.

"You think he'd mind?" Esther asked; Almanzo was coming out of the crowd with his wagon.

"I don't see why you can't ask," Laura replied, standing up. "Willie, would your parents mind if you came along with us for the day?"

Willie first looked at the store behind him, then at Almanzo, who was still trying to get out of the crowd.

"Please?" Esther asked, smiling encouragingly.

"I don't want to intrude," he said, standing up.

"You don't want to intrude on what?" asked Almanzo, stopping the horses and getting down.

"Can Willie come along?" Esther asked while petting Lady's nose. "His parents are leaving for the train station and he'll be awful lonesome."

Almanzo stood in front of her with his arms crossed and his shoulders sqaured. He towered over her like a giant.

"You're the one who made today's plans," he said, as if to remind her, and turned to Laura. "Room for one more, Beth?"

Beth was Almanzo's nickname for Laura, since her middle name was Elizabeth.

"Come one, Willie," said Laura, motioning for him to come.

Esther smiled and went to get in the back of the wagon. Willie got in after her, Almanzo helped Laura up into the wagon-seat.

"Do you like The Adventures of Tom Sawyer?" Esther asked Willie when Almanzo started the horses.

"I cannot say I do," he replied apologetically. "I've never heard of Tom Sawyer."

"Never heard of- Willie, you have much to learn. When we get to the house, I'm going to lend you the book so that you may read it."

When they got to the house, Almanzo got out to help Laura down. Willie jumped out in a jiffy and offered Esther a hand. As independent as she was, she knew to never turn down the manners of a gentleman, even if they weren't technically 'men' yet.

"You three go inside," said Almanzo as he starte to unhitch the horses. "I'll put Prince and Lady in the barn."

Esther nodded and lead the way.

"Make yourselves at home," she said as she took off her sunbonnet. "I'll go and get some refreshments."

She left the room, Willie and Laura sat in the chairs. As crazy as it seemed to Willie, he suddenly felt extremely shy. Laura noticed Willie fidgeting with a small metal disc on a string.

"You're not used to being all the way out here, huh, Willie?" she asked, taking off her bonnet.

"I went camping with you and your family," he replied, putting the string in his pocket. I just haven't been this far away from town since the last day we went fishing."

"You remember going camping?"

Willie was skeptical. "I had poison ivy for almost two weeks. Ma never lets me forget that it was my fault for picking those leaves in the first place." He sighed and then chuckled. "But it was worth it to see Nellie all covered in that paste."

Laura laughed with him as both Esther and Almanzo entere the room from opposite doors.

"Lemonade," Esther said, setting a tray on the table in the middle of the room. "And fresh oatmeal-raisin cookies."

Laura stood up and helped pass out the cups and plates of cookies.

"Beth," said Almanzo when they were finished. "Would you like to take a walk, outside?"

Laura looked at Esther, who nodded encouragingly.

"I'd love to, Manly," she replied, putting her bonnet back on.

Esther smiled as she watche them walk out the door. She wasn't exactly interfering, but her plan was working.

"So," she said, sitting across from Willie. "Willie, do you even like reading?"

"Not really," he replied slowly yet apologetically. "Maybe one day I will, but-"

"Hold on," she got up and left the room, returning with a book in her hands. "You will enjoy this book. Believe me, I know a reader when I see one. You can give it back to me on Tuesday after school."

Esther handed to book to Willie. He looked at it for while.

"Is there aplace you like going?" she went on, offering him another cookie. "Some place we could go to hang out?" The question just came out, she hadn't planned to ask him anything like this.

"There's the creek," Willie replied quickly. "And there's also the river, and the lake...."

"Well then, if you show me how to get there, we can meet each other there after school. Depending on the days you can."

Willie nodded "We wouldn't want anyone thinking the wrong things," he said, drinking the last of his lemonade.

Esther smiled in agreement as she ate a cookie. She was starting to feel just as shy as Willie was feeling.....But why?

Esther stared off out the door and saw Laura and Almanzo walking by the barn. They were holding hands and walking so close to each other that their arms were touching. Esther smiled, if Almanzo married Laura she would feel overjoyed. Considering the fact that Almanzo was her favorite cousin of all the Wilder family.

But would Almanzo marry her soon? Time would tell, but Esther didn't want to wait.