For personal use and select distribution only © July 2002 by S.L. Snyder

PROMISE
by S. L. Snyder

Timeline: May 1875.


Michaela woke to the quiet of the house. For a second she thought it was late and everyone up and gone. Then she realized it was barely light out. She turned to see her beloved husband sound asleep at her side. Sully was stretched out on his back, covers kicked off. She smiled to herself…awake before he was…to be able to watch him sleeping…the slow rising and falling of his chest. Starting at his face, her eyes traveled slowly down his body…gazing at this body she loved so much…this body that gave her such pleasure. She blushed as she thought about the night before…how he made her forget everything but him…his body…his love.

She moved her hand down to her abdomen, to feel the baby….growing…pushing it’s way into their lives. She thought of how Sully caressed her…how he loved to touch her abdomen and talk to the baby. From listening to some of her pregnant patients, she knew how special Sully was. Many of her patients said their husbands loved them and wanted the baby, but stayed away from intimacy during the pregnancy. She thought of all the changes since she had met this man. From a virgin in her 30’s to a woman who could never get enough of her husband’s loving…of having borne two children and another on the way…of raising Charlotte’s three…and being a grandmother.

The more she thought about it the more she wanted him now…glad that she didn’t have to pretend she didn’t enjoy their love making…glad that he enjoyed her enthusiasm…that he enjoyed it if she initiated the loving. She decided her desire right now was fueled by the fact she was nude under the covers, and gazing at her husband’s nudity heightened that desire. She reached over, placing her hand on his chest, running her fingers through his chest hairs, caressing his nipples…causing not only his body to react, but hers.

“And what’a ya think you’re doing?”

“Not a thing, my love.”

“If ya continue doing nothin’, then somethin’s gonna happen.”

“Like what?”

“Just continue and you’ll see…..” Michaela smiled as she felt his hand move under the cover to touch her breast. Then he grasped the sheet and pulled it off. She moved her body closer to his as her hand crept down his body. As she reached her goal he pulled her over to lay on his chest. As she caressed him, he put his hands on either side of her face and pulled her lips to meet his. “You’re playin’ with fire now…” he murmured as his body responded to her.

He rolled them over and he gazed down into her eyes. He moved his lips to hers and the kiss was deep and passionate. Then his lips moved down and with his tongue, began caressing her breasts, paying particular attention to her nipples. Her hand tighten around his manhood as her body tried to eliminate the spaces between them. As he moved to enter her, their eyes met again and held as the movements of completion began and intensified.

Sully held Michaela in his arms, feeling the cool breeze from the slightly opened window, as their bodies cooled in the early morning. This was a good time, he thought. The children all still asleep, his wife cuddled in his arms after some wonderful loving…he thought how he loved this woman and how far back to life she had brought him from when he first met her.

“Sully?”

“Hmmm?”

“What are you thinking about?”

“How much I love ya and how far I’ve come cuz of ya.” She chuckled. “What?”

“Before you woke up I was thinking the same thing. How much my life has changed because of you. You’ve given me the courage to do so much.”

“Nah…ya always had the courage, I mean ya came out here, all alone, knowin’ no one. What I did was show ya other paths ta take beside the one you thought of. But it’s together that we bin the best…for each other and others. We got some great kids, and now a granddaughter.”

“Grandpa Byron…I like that.”

“She ain’t ever gonna call me that! Grandpa Sully’s okay.”

Michaela giggled. “Can I call you Grandpa Byron when we’re alone like this?”

He chuckled. “Yeah…s’long as no one else hear’s ya.” He kissed her forehead as he hugged her tighter. “How’s the baby?”

“Just fine. I think sleeping right now, but earlier, when his parents were active, so was he.”

“He?”

“Well…he or she…I don’t want to call the baby it….and I think I’m carrying more like Benje than Katie…”

“Well, since the baby is gonna be Nicholas or Nicola, we could call it Nicky and then not have to worry whether it’s a he or she. Cuz if ya bin saying he and we get a she, she could be confused!”

Michaela grinned and kissed his chest. “Such a wise man I married.”

“Mama! Papa!” came the call down the hallway.

“I think little Miss Katie’s awake. You stay here…I’ll go get her and Benje and bring ‘em in ta join us.”


Sully had ridden up to Palmer Creek to see Cloud Dancing. They were checking to see how the cabins faired the winter as in a few days they would have guests arriving.

“How is Michaela feeling?”

“Real good. We’re callin’ the baby Nicky right now cuz if it’s a boy it’ll be Nicholas and a girl will be Nicola. Katie is always pattin’ her ma’s tummy and talkin’ to the baby. Four year olds are sure smart. I heard Katie talkin’ to Benje the other day, tellin’ him about the baby.”

“Katie is a smart child. She has the best parts of her mother and father. It is good.”

“Yeah…well….her ma anyway. I want her to be like her ma.”

“You also, Sully. From you, Katie and the other children will know the ways of the wilderness. That is as important as the ways of the town.” Cloud Dancing smiled. “I have seen Katie take an interest in things out here in the same way you did when you first came to us and started learning our ways. I remember watching you study the ways of the creatures…how you could sit still and watch…I have seen Katie do the same…I have seen her sit very still and watch, which most childre of her age could not do. Michaela has learned this from you, but Katie has it born within her, which she gets from her father.”

“I guess…but she spends a lot a time with Brian and he can sit and watch…”

“Which he learned from you. And yes, Brian helps, but at her age, you must accept that she has that part of you. Your guidance will bring it out in her…just as you have helped all your children to learn the feelings of others. When their mother passed on, your older children could have gone the other way…but because of you and Michaela, they have all grown to be very caring. While Matthew was a good sheriff, part of him felt it wrong for him…or he could not have let us go when you helped me from the reservation. It was what he learned from Michaela and you that put him on the path he has now taken.”

“I guess I never thought of it that way,” responded Sully with a smile.

“It is because you seem to think because you did not have the white man’s book learning that you do not know enough. You know many things, my brother. When Michaela was taken by One-Eye, a white man with all the book learning the white man’s world gives would not have been enough to save her as you did. She would not have returned to live the life you have now. And remember, Michaela is very smart and would not have chosen a man to love who was not her equal. There is another way to think of this…that banker’s book learning was equal to Michaela’s…”

“Okay, I get it, Cloud Dancin’. What my children learn and get from me is as important as what they learn and get from Michaela.”

“That is so. Now come and let us get things ready for our guests to whom we will teach the ways of the wilderness.”


Dorothy was preparing her newspaper when Horace brought her a letter. After thanking him, she opened the letter from her daughter. After reading it, she headed over to the hospital to see Michaela. She had to wait while Michaela saw some patient’s and finally she was ushered into Michaela’s office.

“Dorothy? Are you alright?”

“Well…yes….I guess. I just got a letter from my daughter. The one who lives in St Louis. She wants to send her two children to me for the summer. She and her husband are not living together right now and she thinks she wants a divorce. She says he’s been messing around with another woman. She doesn’t want the kids around while them bad things are happenin’.”

“How old are your grandchildren?”

“Jeremiah is 9 and Amiee is 7.”

“Those are good ages. They will have some fun here and it will be good for you to get know them. You’ve only visited them a few times.”

“Yes, but you see, I never told Bernadette about Cloud Dancing.”

“That doesn’t matter. Have the children come here and introduce them to Cloud Dancing. They’ll get to know him. Then you can let Bernadette know about him. The children will have already fallen in love with him.”

Dorothy smiled. “You’re right. But I think I’ll ride up and make sure Cloud Dancin’s okay with it.”

“You just want an excuse to go see him. You know he’ll be okay with it.”

Dorothy laughed. “You’re right!”


Dorothy rode up to Palmer Creek to find Cloud Dancing and Sully at the cabins. She explained the situation to them.

“I will enjoy meeting your grandchildren,” said Cloud Dancing. “If they want, there are many things we can teach them.”

“And I bet Brian would help,” said Sully.

“Thank you…both of you. I’m not sure what they are like. The few times I’ve been with them, I wasn’t sure about them.”

“This will give you a chance to learn. How soon will they be here?”

“Bernadette says school is out the end of May and she would send them right after that.”

“We will welcome them. You should let your daughter know right away so that she can be comfortable that the children will be safe while she is going through this bad time. Perhaps you should go back and ride out with them. They sound very young to be coming by themselves.”

Dorothy smiled at her husband. “Yes, I’ll do that. I’ll go back to town now and send a telegram to Bernadette.” She kissed him and headed back for now.

Sully looked at Cloud Dancing and smiled. “Now I ain’t the only new grandpa!”

Cloud Dancing returned the smile. “It will be a new experience. But I don’t know if they will know I am married to their grandmother. It may take awhile…if ever.”

“You’ll make it work, my brother. Hey, forgot to mention…Saturday is Katie’s birthday party. It will be in the meadow. You’ll come, won’t ya?”

“I will not miss it.”


Saturday dawned a beautiful spring day. Katie came dashing down the stairs ahead of her father and little brother. She ran into the kitchen to find her mother and big brother fixing breakfast. “Mama! It’s party day today, huh?”

As Brian laughed, Michaela smiled at Katie. “Yes, dear. And what kind of a party?”

“For me! For my birfday. I gonna be four.”

“Yes you are. You’re a big girl,” said her mother.

“Yep…that’s what I say ta Benje.” Sully came into the kitchen carrying Benje and sat him in his highchair. “Mama? We have party for Benje birfday?”

“We already did, Katie. Do you remember when the family was here a few weeks ago and we had cake after dinner? And Benje had some presents to open?”

Katie thought about it, screwing up her face in heavy thought. “I help him open presents, huh?”

“Yeah ya did, Kates. And ya did a good job of it.”

A beaming Katie turned to her father. “Will I get presents?”

“I dunno. We’ll have ta see?”

“But my party’s in town, huh?”

“Yes,” responded her mother.

“How come Benje’s wasn’t?”

“Benje is very young and at this age birthday parties don’t mean as much. But you’re getting older and will enjoy having a party.”

“Eli and Isy be there? And Anty Grace and Uncle Robert?”

“Yes, of course. And Cloud Dancing, Dorothy and all your other friends.”

“We go now?”

“Not yet, Kates. It’s early. We’re gonna have the party after lunch. We got to do things around here first.”

“’Kay. Me help!”

After chores and lunch, the family headed into town, picking up Matthew, Amanda and Charlotte on the way. Colleen, Grace and Dorothy had set up the party in the meadow. When the family pulled into town, Katie couldn’t wait to get down and run around to look at everything. As they pulled up to the church, Brian jumped down and lifted Katie down.

“I’ll stick with her, ma,” he said as Katie started off, followed closely by her brother.

Sully helped Michaela down from the wagon and then lifted Benje out of the back. Joined by Matthew and his family, they headed over to the tables and chairs.

Colleen came up to them. “Ma, we fixed ya a chair over here. We set up special chairs for all the pregnant ladies.” She led Michaela to the chair. “Pa, we put you beside ma and a high chair for Benje. We put Katie and the other little kids on the blankets over there so they can have fun and be messy if they want. Andrew, Matthew and I will watch them. So you can just enjoy the party.”

Colleen had arranged everything. Katie received a number of presents and had a wonderful time opening them. Michaela and Sully watched on with pleasure.

“Is it hard to believe your daughter is four?” asked Dorothy. She and Cloud Dancing had joined Michaela and Sully at the table.

Sully smiled. “She sure is gettin’ big. An’ she’s so smart.”

Michaela looked at her husband and friends. “What I can’t believe is that not only is my daughter four, but I’m on my way to a third biological child…a sixth child. And that I’m a grandmother!” She exclaimed, looking down at Charlotte who lay in her grandmother’s arms.

“She is very beautiful, Michaela. Charlotte is very lucky to have such young grandparents,” said Cloud Dancing.

“And you, Cloud Dancing, are you ready to meet Bernadette’s children?” asked Michaela.

“I am ready. It will be interesting,” he replied, smiling at Dorothy.

“And what’s gonna be interesting?” asked Loren as he joined the group.

Dorothy looked at Loren. “Jeremiah and Aimee are coming to visit.”

“Bernadette’s kids? How come?”

“Bernadette and William are having problems. The children are coming to spend the summer with me.”

“That’s good. Children don’t need ta see the bad things ‘ween their folks. You gonna take them up ta the woods, Cloud Dancing?”

“I hope to.”

“That’ll be nice.” Loren’s comment caused eyebrows to raise and he caught the gestures. “Yeah… well, a man can change. I ain’t seen Dorothy so happy as she is with Cloud Dancing. An’ if you decided ta ever get married, well I’d stand up for ya with the others in town. Ain’t no reason for ya not to be happy.”

Dorothy smiled and patted Loren’s hand. “You would really accept a marriage?”

“Yeah…why not? I learned that from Marjorie. She didn’t wanna get married and I did. She said it wasn’t a marriage that made folk love each other and that age or religion or any thing like that mattered. I thought about it a lot over the years since losing her and I figure she was right.”

“It is good to have a friend like you, Loren,” said Cloud Dancing.

Dorothy glanced at Cloud Dancing who nodded. She glanced around and saw that only those who already knew were within hearing distance. “Loren, I wish we’d known earlier how you felt. We have kept this a secret and prefer that it remain so. We would have invited you if we had known…we were married…in October out at Michaela and Sully’s.”

Loren glanced at Dorothy, then Cloud Dancing and the rest of the family, taking in what he had just heard. He knew it was the truth from the looks he saw. He digested it, then smiled and held out his hand to Cloud Dancing. Cloud Dancing took it and they shook. Then Loren took Dorothy’s hand and kissed it. “Congratulations to you both. I really am glad for ya and I promise I’ll keep it a secret. I know I ain’t always been good keeping secrets, but I will keep this one.”

“Thank you, Loren,” said Dorothy.

The party lasted most of the afternoon. It had been an excuse for many of the townspeople and folks from nearby farms and homesteads to get together for awhile. Finally, near suppertime, Sully and Matthew gathered their families together, saying good night to Colleen, Andrew and the others, headed for home. Sully dropped Matthew, Amanda and Charlotte off at their homestead and then went home. Sully and Brian fixed a light quick dinner for the exhausted family. Benje fell asleep while eating and Katie was yawning in between bites.

Sully took Katie upstairs and Brian was close behind with Benje. Brian put the sleeping Benje to bed and Sully got his daughter ready for bed. As he was pulling up her covers, Katie said, “Thank you, papa…and mama too. I had a happy time today. It was a good birfday. And I got lots o’ nice things.”

“I’m glad my Katiedid. Sleep well.” He kissed Katie on the forehead and she was asleep before he left the room.

Sully went downstairs to find Brian doing dishes and Michaela sitting at the kitchen table. “Here, son, let me help.”

“It’s okay, pa, I’m almost done. But I don’t think ma has the energy to go into the living room, let alone upstairs.”

“Michaela?”

Michaela smiled. “I am tired, but I don’t think I’m ready to go to bed yet. But Brian’s right, I don’t have the energy to get up and go into the living room.”

“Here,” Sully said, putting out his hands and pulling her to her feet. He guided her into the living room and settled her into a wingback chair. He sat on the floor in front of her, took off her shoes and stockings and started massaging her feet.

“Oh…that feels so good….” She murmured as she settled into the chair. She watched her husband’s face as he concentrated on working on her feet.

Brian came into the living room and sat down in the other wingback chair. “I finished the dishes. I’m tired too and think I’m gonna go up and read for awhile.”

“Thanks for doing the dishes, Brian. And thank you for watching Katie today.”

“Hey, it was fun, ma. Me and Sarah had a good time.”

Brian headed up the stairs as Sully continued massaging Michaela’s feet. “Ya feelin’ okay?”

“Yes, my love. Just tired. But it was a good day.”

“Sure was. Kates said she had a ‘happy’ time today.”

“Good. I’m just exhausted, Sully. Can we go to bed early?”

“Sure.” Sully stood up and helped Michaela stand up. Then he picked her up in his arms.

“Sully…”

“Shhh. Ain’t nothing and you’re too tired. And Nicky’s tired, too.”

Sully carried her up the stairs, helped her get ready for bed and tucked her in. He lay with her until she fell asleep, which was just minutes. Then he went down to close up the house and turn down the lamps. As he went upstairs again, Brian was at the top of the stairs. “Is ma okay?”

“She’s fine, Brian. Just tired. She’s already asleep.”

“Okay. Just makin’ sure.”

“Thanks, son,” said Sully, patting him on the shoulder. Brian went back to bed and Sully joined Michaela.


Michaela decided to take a break and go see Sully. She knew he was at his office, drawing up some plans that Colin wanted for expansion of the resort. As she started climbing the stairs, she knew she it would take some time to reach the top and that soon she wouldn’t be able to go to his office any more until the baby was born. She went half way and had to rest. Finally she reached the landing and stood for a minute. Then she went into the hall way to the office door. She smiled, as she always did at this point, to see the sign saying it was the office of Sully and Brian. Just as she put her hand out for the doorknob, the door opened and there was her husband.

“Thought I heard the breathing of a pregnant lady.”

“Did you really hear me?”

“Yep. Come on in.” Sully closed and locked the door behind Michaela. “Come here and see the plans I did for Colin. And I did some for our place.” He guided Michaela over to the desk, sat down and pulled her down into his lap. He put the resort plans in front of her and explained what she was looking at.

“Ten more quest rooms?”

“Yep. Colin has had to turn down some quests cuz he ain’t had the room. This should help and he may need even more than this. Colorado Springs sure is changin’. Colin says lots of these guests wanna see the west…the forests… He thinks quite a few will be signing up to have us take ‘em places and maybe stay the night at Palmer Creek.”

“This is very exciting, Sully. Does Brian know?”

“Yep. He wants to get Sarah involved when she ain’t working for Colin. I asked him what but he said he had to think on it. I’m waitin’ ta see what he says, but I know Sarah’s a good cook and maybe she’d like to do some of the cookin’ when we’re up at Palmer Creek.”

“That sounds good.”

“Now look at these,” he said as he pulled over the plans for the homestead. ‘We’re gonna build out from the livin’ room. Make a bigger livin’ and dinin’ room. That’ll give us two more bedrooms upstairs. I thought Brian might like ta have one of the new bedrooms as it’ll be bigger.”

“I love the plans. When will you start?”

“Probably in a few weeks. I’d like to have ‘em done before the baby comes.”

Michaela turned and put her hands on the sides of his face, moving her lips to his. “Thank, dearest, for all your thoughts for our family,” she murmured as her lips met his.

As the kiss ended and Michaela started to pull back, Sully moved up and captured her lips for another kiss. Then he moved his lips to her ear and started humming. Michaela smiled as she listened to their waltz. The humming continued as he moved his hand up to cup her breast. “And pray tell, Mr. Sully, what is going on?”

“Well, Mrs. Sully, I figger it’s time to see how well this office replaces the clinic….” His hand moved over to the buttons on her blouse and started undoing them as he began humming again.

“Sully,” she whispered, “the door…Brian….”

“Already locked…and Brian’s in school….”

He finished her blouse and pulled it out of her skirt. He moved it off her shoulders and tossed it on the floor. He smiled at seeing her nipples standing erect against her camisole, a reaction to his earlier caressing. He moved close and nuzzled her breasts through the camisole while moving his hand to the skirt buttons and releasing them. Michaela had her hands entwined in his hair as his hands moved up to the straps of the camisole and pulled it down, freeing her breasts to his lips. He moved his hands to the sides of her breasts, his fingers covering her nipples, as he buried his head in the valley between them and her hands moved down to clutch his shoulders.

“Sully…” came Michaela’s hoarse whisper, “Sully…”

He knew what she wanted. He set her on her feet and stood up with her. His fingers had done their work on her skirt and it fell to the floor. Michaela’s hands when to his shirt and quickly opened it up, placing her lips against his bare chest as her hands urged it off his shoulders and he shrugged out of it. Her hands moved to his breeches and undid those buttons with the same speed, pushing them off his hips and releasing his arousal. Their lips came together as he moved them over to the closet. He left her for a minute as he got a blanket out of the closet and spread it on the floor. He helped Michaela to the floor and lay down beside her and began the kissing again. He rolled to his back and pulled her over on top of him to avoid any pressure on the baby.

Michaela maneuvered over her husband and soon they were joined as one. They felt the pleasure with each other as their bodies moved together. Their enjoyment increased as they gazed into each others eyes and in their minds, joined together, they heard their waltz and continued until the music ended.


It was mid-afternoon and Michaela was visiting Matthew. She left to head to the hospital when she changed her course and headed to the store as she saw Colleen and Amanda standing on the porch. She was in the middle of the street, heard a loud noise behind her and as she tuned to see what it was, she heard Colleen and Amanda yell her name. Then she saw an out of control wagon bearing down on her. Bill Lowe was sitting on the wagon bench but had lost the reins. Michaela knew she could not get out of the way of the wagon. She had a rush of thoughts about her unborn baby, Sully and her other children. She had time to put her hands over abdomen and then the horses knocked into her, throwing her back where her head bounced off the wagon and she landed unconscious on the ground.

Later, Colleen would remember that everything seemed to be in slow motion. It seemed like forever for the accident to occur and her mother to be laying on the ground. “Ma!” she screamed as she ran toward Michaela, with Amanda at her side. They reached her seconds before Hank, who had rushed from the sheriff’s office and Matthew who had come from his office. Loren came right behind. Colleen was torn between being a daughter and being a medical student. Amanda knelt on the other side of Michaela, ready to help Colleen. Colleen looked up at Loren. “Please, go to the hospital, get someone…” Loren headed for the hospital while Colleen began to assess her mother’s condition. At times her tears blurred her vision. “Matthew, find pa…”

Matthew knew Sully was out at the resort with Colin. As he turned to find a horse, Robert E came up with one and handed the reins to Matthew. Matthew headed toward the resort at a full gallop.

Dr. Hampton arrived from the hospital with Loren. He knelt besides Michaela. “Colleen? Mr. Bray told me what happened. Has Dr. Mike been unconscious the whole time?”

“Yes.”

“We need to move her to the hospital. Hank,” said Dr. Hampton, looking up, “Please go to the hospital and ask Mrs. Wilson to show you where the stretcher is and then please bring it here.” As Hank took off for the hospital, Dr. Hampton turned back to Colleen. “We need to straighten her out, making sure not to move her head and neck very much.”

They straighten Michaela’s body out and when Hank came back with the stretcher, and with help from Hank, Jake, Loren and Robert E, they moved her on to the stretcher and then carried her to the hospital. The runaway horses had stopped at the bridge and Bill Lowe had brought the team and wagon back to tie to the rail at the saloon. He followed them to the hospital. Dr. Hampton took her into one of the exam rooms, followed by Colleen and Nurse O’Grady.

Josie had gone to school and told Brian about the accident. He came running into the hospital. “Where’s ma?”

Loren came up to him. “She’s in the exam room. Dr. Hampton’s checking her out. Colleen and Miss O’Grady are with her.”

“Miss Josie said she wasn’t awake.”

“No, Brian, she ain’t. You can’t do nothing. Come sit here.” Loren led him over to one of the waiting room benches where Amanda was sitting. Brian sat next to her and Amanda took his hand as Loren sat on the other side of him.

About 10 minutes later, Sully, Matthew and Andrew came running in. Hank quickly got in front of Sully. “Wait til the doctor finishes, Sully. There ain’t nothing you can do. Let him do his job.”

Before Sully could respond, Andrew said, “Sully, I’ll go in. I’ll come out as soon as I know anything.”

“Pa?” Sully turned to see Brian standing there, tears in his eyes. He enveloped his son within his arms. Brian put his arms around his father’s waist and held tight. Matthew had gone to join Amanda and Sully guided Brian over to sit with them. Soon Clara and McKay joined the family.

The time passed slowly, seeming like hours, but in fact it was barely over half an hour when Andrew came out. Sully immediately went to his son-in-law. “Sully, she’s still unconscious. We can’t find any broken bones, but she took quite a blow to the head. And before you ask, the baby is moving and seems to be okay. We don’t think she’s bleeding internally, but can’t be sure for awhile. Right now, we just need to monitor her. We’re moving her to one of the recovery rooms.”

“I wanna see her.”

“Yes, of course…you can help us move her in a few minutes. And you can stay with her as long as you want.”

Sully nodded and clutched Andrew’s hand. As Andrew returned to the exam room, Sully turned to go back to sit with the family until they let him be with Michaela.

“Sully,” said McKay, “Clara and me will take care of Katie and Benje.”

“Don’t worry, Sully,” said Matthew, “we’ll take care of whatever we need to.”

Sully nodded to the family. Then Andrew came out to get him. Sully went in to Michaela. He went to the head of the bed and put his hand on her forehead. “I’m here, Michaela,” he whispered as he leaned over and kissed her. “I’ll always be here.” He looked at Andrew. “I’ll carry her to the other room.”

“You can help, but we want to move her on the stretcher she’s on and then slide her into the bed. We want to keep her head still and not jar her body too much.”

Sully nodded. He went to take the stretcher handles at her head and Andrew took the foot. Dr. Hampton led the way with Colleen walking along side. As they left the exam room, Brian and Matthew were right outside, wanting to see their ma. Sully and Andrew stopped by them for a moment and then moved on to a patient room. They put the stretcher next to the bed. Colleen and Dr. Hampton moved her over onto the bed. Andrew took the stretcher and put it outside the room. Colleen straighten out the hospital gown her mother wore and pulled up the covers.

Dr. Hampton turned to Sully. “I will be around for awhile and Dr. Maxwell will be here this evening. One of the nurses will be here and I imagine Colleen and Andrew will be around. One of us will be in frequently to check on Dr. Mike. If you need anything, just call and we will hear you.”

“Thanks,” replied Sully, holding out his hand to shake the doctor’s. Then he pulled up a chair to the bed and sat down. He picked up Michaela’s hand, kissed it and enfolded her hand in his. It was obvious he was where he planned to stay until Michaela was well enough to go home as he knew the little ones were taken care of and the older ones would not be far away.

Townsfolk drifted in out to see how Michaela was. McKay rode up to Palmer Creek to tell Cloud Dancing. Dorothy was also there. They rode back into town with McKay to wait at the hospital with the family. As the day wore on, it was decided that Clara and Amanda would stay at Colleen and Andrew’s with Katie, Benje and Charlotte.

Grace brought dinner in. She took some into Sully, who shook his head no. “Sully, you have to eat and you can eat in here. If you don’t eat and end up sick, ya ain’t gonna be able to help Dr. Mike get better. So now you just eat, here?” He looked up at Grace with a face that just about broke her heart. “Sully, Dr. Mike’s a real strong lady. She’s gonna be just fine! Just give her time ta heal. Now I ain’t leaving this room til I see ya eat.”

Sully sat motionless for a few minutes, then realizing Grace wasn’t going to leave and admitting to himself that she was right about eating, he managed to eat the food she brought. He got it down but he did not taste a thing. When he was through, Grace patted him on the back, took the tray and left. She made sure the rest of the family ate. “Like I just told Sully, if ya don’t eat and get sick, ya ain’t helping Dr. Mike. Now he ate, so the rest of ya should.”

Sully ran his hand over Michaela’s forehead, brushing back some wisps of hair. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. Then he changed hands and put his now free hand on her abdomen to feel the baby. The baby moved under it’s father’s hand, which was a great comfort to the father. He kept his hand there for awhile at he gazed at his wife’s face. He could not lose her…not now…not when things were so good for them.

“Michaela, my love, hear me. I love you so much. And our kids love ya. They need their ma. I ain’t whole without ya. We got lots of things left to do. And Nicky…” He rubbed her abdomen. “Come on, Nicky, keep your ma here…” He bent over and kissed her lips. “Michaela, think of all our adventures…we ain’t done havin’ ‘em yet. We talked ‘bout going back to the Yellowstone….mebbe taking the kids…ya gotta see Colleen become a doctor…you know we’re gonna have more grandkids and they’re gonna need their grandma….and what about this ‘n,” he said, rubbing her abdomen again. “Nicky’s gonna need ya. Ya got too much ta live for….”

Andrew and Colleen came in to check on Michaela. As Andrew checked her out, Sully watched him. “There’s no change, Sully.”

“Okay. That means she ain’t getting’ worse.”

“Pa? If you want to rest, I can stay with ma.”

“Thanks, Colleen, but I ain’t leaving til she opens her eyes. I want me to be the first thing she sees…to know I ain’t gonna be any where else when she ain’t feelin’ right.”

Andrew and Colleen went out to tell the family. “Is that bad?” asked Matthew.

“No,” replied Andrew. “We don’t know a lot about brain injuries, but there are many cases where the patient is in a coma for a few days. We think it’s because the brain has a bruise that is healing. You have all had bruises…think of how long they take to heal.”

“Is the baby gonna be all right?” asked Brian.

“From what I can tell, yes. The baby’s moving and feels like a baby should at this time in the pregnancy. Michaela’s condition is not harming the baby. As long as the mother’s body is healthy, the baby should be fine.”

Time passed slowly for Sully. As he watched her face, he thought about times they had gone through. He remembered when the dog soldiers took her…remembering how scared he was that they would rape her…how relieved he was when she wasn’t…he thought about the months he spent in hiding from the Army…about her coming to see him at the cave, taking care of him, being with him even though she was breaking the law. Since the day he set eyes on her, falling in the mud, his heart had been full of her. How he had been scared to be alone with her in the woods, like the time they went to the mine, afraid he’d do or say something to show how he felt and drive her away. How one of the happiest days had been the day she came back from Boston and admitted she loved him…not afraid to show him right there in front of the saloon. He thought of all the places they had made love…how more secure she was becoming in being with him, not being afraid to make the first moves…her enthusiasm for loving.

Dr, Maxwell and Andrew came in. Dr. Maxwell examined Michaela. He looked at Andrew, who was standing behind Sully, and shook his head. Sully caught the gesture. Andrew checked her out. “Well?” Asked Sully.

“There’s no change,” Andrew replied.

“Just cuz there ain’t been no change…that ain’t a bad thing, right?”

“No, it’s not. Time is needed and as long as she stays stable like she is, the hope is there. People have been coming in to see how she is…they’ve been saying they are praying for her.”

Sully nodded. “Katie, Benje?”

“They’re over at our place, sleeping. Amanda and Clara are with them.”

Sully nodded again. Then turned his attention back to Michaela. Andrew and Dr. Maxwell checked frequently on Michaela, each time assuring Sully she had not gotten worse.

“Michaela…” Sully murmured softly to his unconscious wife. “Michaela…you have to come back to me…you can’t leave me….Michaela, you promised…..you said if I go, you go and I ain’t goin’!”

In the early morning hours, Andrew came in to find Sully laying next to Michaela, his arms protectively around her. His head pillowed on her hair…his lips touching her face. He quietly checked her out and when he razed his eyes he found Sully looking at him. He smiled. “Her breathing is better…more like sleep than a coma.”

Sully nodded and smiled as Andrew left the room. A while later, Sully felt some movement and opened his eyes to look into the eyes her loved so much.

“Michaela?”

“Sully…where are we?”

“In the hospital. You had an accident. You’re gonna be fine.” He saw her digesting that…then all of a sudden, he could see she remembered.

“The wagon!” she exclaimed. Her hands went to her abdomen. “The baby…”

“Nicky’s fine. You’re gonna be fine…”

Andrew came in as he had heard his mother-in-law’s voice. He came over to the bed. “Michaela?”

“Andrew…Sully said the baby’s okay?”

“Yes…he’s right. You’ve been in a coma. We found no other injuries. I’ve been checking the baby’s heartbeat and everything is fine. I want you to stay here resting for the rest of today and if you’re okay tomorrow, you can go home. But you need to take it easy for at least a week…for your sake and the baby’s.”

“She will…”

Michaela smiled at Sully. “Yes.”

Andrew left to tell the family and word quickly spread through Colorado Springs that Dr. Mike was on the road to recovery. The family came in to see her and give her their love. Finally, Michaela and Sully were alone again.

Sully was back in the chair, holding her hand. She smiled at him. “I heard you, you know. And I will keep my promise…I won’t go without you…”

Sully smiled. Their lips became as one to seal that promise.


ETERNAL LOVE
The moment I saw you I knew,
I could love no other but you.
In life and death and for all eternity,
I ask you now not to leave me.
Please, stay by my side,
Through the long, bumpy ride.
Through the thick and the thin,
Through the sadness and the sin.
To have and to hold you, as my wife,
To wake up to you, every day of my life.
I’ll hold you in my arms,
Hold you close to me.
I’ll tell you I love you,
For all eternity.

By Bob Lavoie

The End

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