08x18 - Days of Sunshine, Days of Shadow: Part 2

[bunniefuu]

What's wrong?

One of you go up,
unhitch the horse,

And bring him down here.

I'll do it.

What's the matter?

Help me to the house.

What is it?
Pneumonia?

Diphtheria. It's
highly contagious.

Diphtheria?
Where would he
pick that up?

Who can say?

There's a mild epidemic
going around.

If almanzo were
weakened by a cold,

He'd be particularly
vulnerable.

[Tapping on roof]

My god!

Manly, what is it?

Hailstorm.

My crops are going
to be destroyed.

What are
you doing?

That wheat is our
whole future. I've
got to save it.

Manly, you can't
go out there!

Manly, you
can't save it!

I have to!

No, please,
don't do this!

Leave me alone!

Manly, stop!

Please!

Almanzo!

Manly!

Please,
oh, god.

Laura: manly!

He's coming
around.

I can't...

Feel...

My arm.

Almanzo:
I can't feel my leg.

Doc baker,
what is it?

What?

His left side
is paralyzed.

Suffered a stroke.

He'll be fine.
We'll help you in
any ways we can.

At least your house
is free and clear.

That's what
I thought.

Without even
telling me,

Almanzo mortgaged
it for $500.

Well, the bank'll
just have to wait,
that's all.

It won't.

Mr. Anderson was
by yesterday.

Pa, we're going
to lose the house.

Charles: oh, now, easy.

[Sobbing]

All right, they
need about 3 months

To get back
on their feet.

If the loan
could be paid
up to date

And paid 3 months
in advance,

How much would
that take?

Close to $100.

[Sighs]
all right.

What would it
take for the bank
to loan me that?

A lien on
your property,

But I would not
advise it, charles.

Times are hard.

You could be placing
your entire family
in jeopardy.

Well, part of my
family already is.

I'm not going
to let my kids
lose that house.

What happened?

He had
a little fall.

Manly...

All right,
try it again.

-No.
-Come on.

Doc baker: come on,
it's the only way.

Help me back
into the bed.

That's not going
to do you any good.

Nothing's
going to do
me any good!

How long is it going
to take for everyone

To realize that
I am a cr*pple,

And that's how
I'm going to be
the rest of my life.

Almanzo: now help me
back into the bed.

And you don't know what
it's like for me to watch
my husband just give up!

I think you want
to be a cr*pple.

Beth, you know
that I have tried.

Oh, yes, just long
enough to give up.

Doc baker gave you exercises,
and you won't even do them!

They don't work.
Can't you
understand that?

No, I don't!

I don't understand
anything about
you anymore!

[Gasps]

Oh, my god.

Laura,
what is it?

Get me inside.

Beth?

What's the
matter, beth?

Papa...

Meet rose wilder.

Isn't she
beautiful?

It's a good thing
it's a girl.

A father can't very well
play ball with a son
when he's a cr*pple.

I'm glad
you're back,
laura.

Almanzo and
I were just
discussing

Your moving
to minneapolis
with me.

It seems you've
discussed it with
the entire town.

When were you
going to let me
in on the plan?

Laura--

Don't you think
I ought to have
any say in this?

Of course--

Well, then I say
we stay here!

Manly,
talk to me.

Tell me
what's wrong.
Don't shut me out.

I'm a cr*pple.
You want to lie
next to a cr*pple?

I want to lie
next to my husband.

He doesn't
exist anymore.

Almanzo: beth?

Maybe things
will be better...

In the city.

Maybe.

Looks like
it might rain.

I hope not.

It sure makes
it tough putting
up the hay.

How long do you
think you'll be?

The better part
of the day.

-Morning.
-Half-pint.

How's my beautiful
granddaughter
this morning, huh?

She's fine,
grandpa.

Eliza jane's over
showing the house.

I thought I'd come
by and tell you

That almanzo's
not going to
join you today.

Did you tell
him ed invited
him out special?

I think he'd
have a good
time there.

I told him.

You tried.

I'll see you
for supper.

Okay.

Bye-bye,
darling.

Look out,
bandit.

[Laughing]

You make sure
my granddaughter

Doesn't get caught
in the rain, now.

I will, pa.

Charles: come on!
Albert: bye, ma.

-Bye!
-Bye!

Got to
go, ma.

Oh, stay for
a cup of tea.

All right,
one cup.

All right.

[Chattering and giggling]

As you can see,
this house has

A sturdy
construction and
is quite commodious.

And hard to
keep warm in
the winter.

Yes, hard
to keep warm.

Not really.
Follow me.

Eliza jane:
another added feature

Is that there's so much
room for expansion.

As your family grows--

Woman: we got plenty
of family already.

Man: more than enough.

Eliza jane:
well, I hope you can make
a decision right away.

We do have other
interested buyers.

Woman: we'll be in touch.

Man: yes, we'll
be in touch.

I think they
were very
interested.

Almanzo?

Take me out
to ed smith's.

What?

They're putting
up hay at ed's.

You're going to take
me out there or not?

Almanzo, be reasonable.
There's nothing for you
to do there.

I can watch.

That's about all
I'm good for anymore,

But at least
I can do that.

I'll go hitch
up the team.

[Cat meows]

All right, you
can come in.

[Meowing]

Since you've
been hanging
around so much,

We might as well
give you a name.

How about...

Hungry?

It sure suits you.

[Rose fussing]

What's the matter?

You hungry, too?

Hmm?

Well, mama's going to
fix that right away.

Yeah.

Yeah.

[Cat meowing]

[Distant rumble]

What on earth?

Oh, no.

Cat?

[Yowling]

Not up there!

[Rose crying]

Cat!

[Glass breaking]

I have to get the cat.
I'll be right back.

Don't worry,
you'll be safe here.

Cat!

Cat!

[Cat yowls]

How is she?

She's sleeping again.

She's still suffering
a bit from shock.

She doesn't remember
much of what happened.

But she's going
to be fine.

She asked
about the house.

I didn't know
what to tell her.

I think it's
best we not
say anything

About the house
until she's
feeling stronger.

Yeah, I think
you're right.

Is there any chance
of rebuilding?

Rebuilding?

The house is gone.
It's firewood.

Well, she's going to
be sleeping a lot in
the next couple of days.

Encourage her to eat
when she's awake.

We will.

I'm sorry things
are so dark right
now, almanzo.

Thanks for
coming out,
doc.

I'll check back
in a couple of days.

Let me know if you
need me before then.

We will.

I'm going out
for some fresh air.

Why does this all have
to be happening to them?

It just seems
so unfair.

I know.

Laura:
almanzo? Almanzo!

[Laura panting]

It's all right,
darling, we're
right here.

Just lie back.

Pa, I was
so frightened.

I dreamt something
happened to the baby.

Hey, shh.

My granddaughter's
sleeping right at
the foot of the bed.

Something hit me.

Half the barn.

You had us
scared to death.

You're a very tough
little lady, you know?

The house.

Did the tornado
hit the house?

No, no, just broke a few
windows, that's all.

It's going
to be fine.

[Sighs]

Thank god.

Charles: now what you've
got to do is get some rest.

Get your strength back.

Everything's all right.

Everything's all right.

All right...

Oh, good, I'm
glad I caught you
before you left.

I just wanted
to know how laura
was getting along.

Much better,
thank you.

She actually sat
up for a few hours
yesterday afternoon.

It must be very
crowded there
for you.

Well, you
could say that.

Almanzo and charles
have had to bunk
in the barn.

Of course, they're
glad to do it.

Well, it'll be much
better when laura's
well enough to move.

I won't mind getting
out of that tiny
hotel room myself.

It's going to be
a lot harder selling
that property

Without the house,
I'm afraid.

You mean
you're still
planning to sell?

Of course.

We can't very well
go to minneapolis
until we do.

Well, that's true.

Oh, almanzo asked me
to tell you to stop by
sometime tomorrow.

He wants to
talk to you.

There, you see?

I'm sure he
wants to talk
about the move.

Well, I'd
better get to
my lesson plans.

I'll see
you tomorrow.

Good morning.

Morning, eliza.

Is almanzo
inside?

Yes.

I wanted
to come out a
little earlier,

But my alarm
clock didn't
ring.

If you'd like us to wait,
we can drive you into town.

No, thank you,
I'll be fine. Albert?

Eliza jane: if I'm
a little late, would you
take over as class monitor?

Sure, I will.

Thank you. I'll
see you all later.

Hello, it's me!

Laura, almanzo.

Good morning,
eliza jane.

Caroline said
you wanted to
speak to me.

Uh, yeah, maybe we can
go down by the lake.

Eliza jane: certainly.

You're welcome
to talk here,
if grace is--

It's private.

Private?

Between eliza
jane and me.

Then, by all means,
go down to the lake!

[Door shuts]

Private!

I'm sorry, I
thought about it,

And I just don't
see any other way.

No, I don't want to
leave without you.

There's no reason why
we can't go ahead with
our original plan.

Eliza jane, no one's
going to buy the property
without the house.

You can't know
that for sure.

Open your eyes!

We have no money
to move and no
house to sell.

But laura and rose can
stay with her ma and pa
until laura's better.

And then what?

I don't know,
eliza jane.

I can't see
past that point.

All I know is
you've got to go on
with your own life.

Almanzo, you've
always been a
part of my life.

I've always taken
care of you since
you were a boy.

I don't want anyone
to take care of me.

Not you, not laura.

Nobody.

You have
no choice.

Yes, I do.

I can die.

Almanzo...

You don't mean that.

Almanzo: I pray
for it every night.

If there's a god
in heaven, he'll
let me die.

Please, go away,
eliza jane.

Go home.

It's amazing how much
better tea tastes

When you're
out of bed.

In fact, everything's
better when you're
up and around,

You know
what I mean?

Grace...

You know
what they're
talking about?

Leaving...

Moving to the city.

And it's private,
as though it has
nothing to do with me.

Well, it has
something to
do with me.

It has a lot
to do with me.

And I'm not going to
let them decide what
happens to my life.

I'm not leaving.

I love my home, and
I love my school,

And I'm not
going to go.

Grace, you want
to go for a walk?

I just had
a wonderful idea.

I'm going to start
cleaning my house.

It'll just take me
a minute to get changed.

Laura: we're going to clear
out all the broken glass,

And we're going to
sweep the place up.

Must be a mess.

And when everyone
gets back,

I'm going to tell them
that I'm going to make
that farm work,

Even if I have to
do it all by myself.

No, sir, I'm not
going to give up.

Everyone has
problems once
and again.

You can't let
that stop you.

Grace, I can't
wait to be back in
my own house again.

It can't be.

It was just...

Some broken windows.

Pa said...

No.

No!

No!

No!

No!

[Screaming]

Look, maybe
we were wrong.

Maybe we should have
told you about it,
but we were worried.

We weren't sure
how you were
going to take it.

So you
lied to me.

We didn't think
it was a lie,
half-pint.

We just felt we
were doing the best
thing for you.

Everything's gone.

Everything.

I've lost it all.

How can you
say that?

You're still
here, and rose.

You saved our
little girl's life!

And I saved a cat.
Don't forget
about the cat!

Where did this
come from?

I found it.

It's a miracle
it wasn't broken.

So, we have...

A baby...

And a cat...

And a plate.

And no home.

No home!

Hey, I was
starting to
worry about you.

Been gone for
a few hours.

I don't know what
I thought I was
going to find here.

Laura's right.

It's hopeless.

Come on, I'll take
you home, okay?

Wait a minute.

What?

Look at that.

Almanzo: look at that plant.

I can't believe it.

Well, it's just
a geranium.

It's a stupid
geranium.

I watered it
and tended it

And splinted it
when it was broken.

It just kept trying
to die on me.

Now look at it--
a tornado hits it,

And it's growing up
through the ruins
of the house.

You know why,
charles?

It's because I
overtended it.

Almanzo: all it needed
was some time to be
alone to help itself.

Just like me.

Almanzo: as long as
laura and eliza jane
kept doing things for me,

I didn't see any
reason to change.

Now laura needs me.

I got to prove to her
that I can be there.

She's going to be awful
happy to hear that, son.

I don't want her
to know anything
about this just yet.

I got a lot of work
ahead of me if I'm
going to walk again.

Let's make sure I
can do it before we
get her hopes up.

I want to build
her a house

And be walking through
that front door
when she sees it.

That's a pretty
tall order.

Will you help me?

You just tell me what
you need. I'll be there.

Thank you.

Looks sturdy
enough.

Let's give
it a try.

Give you a hand
with this leg.

All right.

Uhh!

That's it.

Charles: that's one.
Almanzo: okay.

That's it.

[Panting]

Charles: keep going.

Halfway there.

Almost there.

How was it?

Again.

Again.

Oh, hiya, doc.

Afternoon, charles.

That nerve tonic
I ordered for
laura come in.

Oh, thank you
very much.

That ought to
get her back
on her feet.

I sure hope so.

You know, seems
like she just doesn't
want to get better.

Well, she's been
through a heck
of a lot lately.

Give her some time.

How's almanzo?

Well, I tell you, doc,
I've never seen anybody
work as hard as he has.

The exercises you gave him,
he does them day and night.

That's good news.

He's doing so well, I'm
making him this little
graduation present.

Well, that ought
to get him out
of his wheelchair.

I think he's
practically
out of it now.

Well, let me know
how that tonic works.

I sure will.
Thanks a lot, doc.

All right.

That didn't
seem too tough.

I think it's
time to let go
of the boards.

I don't know.

Come on, I made you
this cane. Use it.

Maybe you're right.

Just take it slow.

Charles: that's it.

Take it
easy now.

That's it.

Almanzo,
you're
walking!

It's a little
surprise we've been
working on for laura.

And I think I'm about
ready to start working on the
second part of that surprise.

I promised almanzo
I'd help him build
a new house.

You're not leaving
walnut grove?

Not if I can help it.

Ha!

Have you talked to
laura about this?

Almanzo: no, no,
only doc baker
knows and now you.

I'll have to ask you not
to say anything to laura,
at least for a while,

Until I know
if everything's
going to work out.

Well, all right.

I won't say
anything...

But I can't promise
to keep the smile
off my face.

Hello, mrs. Foster.

Oh, eliza jane.
I was just coming
to get you.

A letter arrived
from minneapolis.

Ooh!

Mrs. Foster: it's
good news, I hope.

It is! It's a job
for almanzo at last!

-Oh, thank you!
-Bye.

Caroline, finally!

The news we've
been waiting for.

There is a job
for almanzo
in minneapolis.

Listen to this.

He'll be selling
farm implements
and materials,

Testing new
equipment,

And writing up the latest
in agricultural findings.

It's perfect. I must
tell him right away.

I thought I'd walk
home with you.

Oh, well, he's
not at home.

What do you mean?
Where is he?

Uh, he--he's
with charles.

Caroline,
what's going on?

Where are they?

They're working.

Eliza jane...

Almanzo is
rebuilding.

What?

Eliza jane!

[Groans]

Unh!

Hey, hey,
you all right?

Yeah, my legs,
they just gave out.

Come on, let's get
you in the chair.

I guess you're pushing
yourself a little too
hard. You need some rest.

How do you feel?

Well, to tell
you the truth,
I feel great.

I mean, I know
I've got a long
way to go,

But I've never
felt better in
my whole life.

[Chuckles]

You know...

There was a time
not too long
ago that...

I wanted to die.

But now I want
to live more than
I ever did before.

Almanzo: I don't
want to waste a day.

Not ever.

Life means more
to me now than it
ever did before.

Does that make
any sense to you?

Makes a lot
of sense.

You're not taking it
for granted anymore.

Oh, no.

What's going
on here?

What are
you doing?

Fixing up
a place for my
family to live.

Why? We're moving
to minneapolis.

You can't build
a house here.

Eliza jane--

Look, this came today.

It's a job, almanzo,
a proper job.

Eliza jane: one you can
handle from your wheelchair.

Now you don't have to worry
about the silly farm anymore.

Maybe almanzo
doesn't think this
is a silly farm.

He'll be a lot better
off once we get him
to minneapolis.

He doesn't want
to spend the rest of
his life in that chair.

It's not my
doing that he's
in the wheelchair.

Isn't it?

It seems to me
when you were doing
everything for him,

He had no reason
to get out of it.

How dare you?

Almanzo:
he's right, eliza.

I shouldn't have
kept it from you,
I guess.

I am getting better.

I've been walking.

I can't--

That can't be.

I'm standing on
my own two feet.

Almanzo: I don't want you
to take that away from me.

Almanzo.

You've always been
my big sister.

I've listened
to you,

Looked up to you.

Almanzo: I always thought you
knew what was best for me.

I do want what's
best for you!

I know you do.

But you're going
to have to let me

Decide what that
is from now on.

This job--it's what
we've been waiting for.

It's what you've
been waiting for.

I love being a farmer.

That's all I've
ever wanted out of
the whole world.

After we finish
raising this house,

I'll start working
the fields for
next year's crops.

A few weeks ago,
I didn't know what
I was going to do.

Now I do.

After all I've
done for you,

I can't believe
you're going to
throw it all away.

[Sobbing]

Almanzo: eliza jane...

I'm sorry I had to
hurt her like that.

She loves you.
She'll get over it.

I think it's time to
show laura how her
new home's coming.

I don't see why
doc baker can't come
here for my checkup.

Because you're not
his only patient,
that's why.

I just don't feel
up to the trip.

Laura, I'm
only taking
you into town.

You make it sound
like I'm dragging
you off to timbuktu.

Now, you haven't
been out of the
house for weeks.

The air will
do you good.

Come on.

Ma, why are we
taking this road?

Oh, the other
road's all rutted
and bumpy.

I thought this
would be a smoother
ride for you.

But this goes
right past
my house.

Oh, so it does.

Ma, I can't.
I can't bear
to see it again.

Well, close your eyes.

Ma, why are we--

Ma?

You don't have
to look if you
don't want to.

Almanzo:
stay there a minute.

Almanzo.

I know it's small.

We'll all be living
in one room for a while.

I'm used to that.

And you'll have to fetch
the water from the well,

Because there's no pump
in the kitchen like before.

I'm used to that, too.

And we're going
to be downright
poor for a time,

But the farmer's almanac
predicts a good year.

Cool summer,
mild winter.

If the almanac
says it's so,

It's so.

We're right back
where we started,

You might say.

Almanzo:
but the land is ours,

And nobody can take
it away from us.

They'd better not try.

Welcome home, beth.

[Sobbing]

Well, I don't know
about all of you,
but I'm starving.

Think we could
go into your new
house for dinner?

You just make sure
that everybody wipes
their feet off first.

[Laughter]

Mmm, ma,
the fried chicken
is delicious.

There's
plenty.

Hey, don't you be
telling them that.

I just might want
another piece of
chicken, you know?

[Chuckles]

Eliza jane: hello.

I hope I'm
not intruding.

Of course not.

Won't you join us?

No, thank you.

I came here to
say something,

And I'd rather
get it over with.

I guess in the
last few weeks,

I got it in my
head how things
were going to be.

And when they
started going in
another direction...

You'd think I'd
be happy to see
almanzo walking.

Eliza jane: well,
the truth is I didn't
want him to get better.

Eliza jane,
that's not true.

Yes, it is...

Partly.

I realized last night
how much I missed,

Being away from
all of you.

I couldn't wait for you
to come and live with me.

Eliza jane: that's
all I thought about.

Then, when you
said you were going
to stay here, i...

Was terribly
disappointed.

I just wanted you to
know how sorry I was
for the way I acted.

That's all I
have to say.

Laura: eliza jane?

Won't you join
us for supper?

I'd love to,
but i--

No buts about it.

I want you to
sit right here.

We need
an extra plate.

Oh, I brought one.

Eliza jane
can use this.

Some things you just
can't get rid of.

Hey, don't you two start
hugging and kissing.

There's a woman waiting
for a plate right there.