A Family Is Born

By Maritza Franklin

August 19, 2009

Disclaimer: These characters were created by Beth Sullivan for the Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman TV series.

Michaela and Sully swirled and delighted in a loving embrace under a bright sun kissed warm day. The breeze danced andscurried about them caressing their hair and skin, particularly Sully who wore no shirt, as he basked in the sun. Mother Nature pleased with her master piece she has created in him as well in the woman at his side, the beauty she perfected just for him—and she wore white, so pure as their love, happiness overflowing. The azure sky only heightening the crystal blueness in his gaze to her, while the vast sea green waves swept and fluttered underneath them, complimenting her two toned emerald and hazel orbs, and they held on for all eternity. The leaves frolicking and waving to the few scattered clouds lazily gliding by, while the fluttering swooping creatures graced the sky chirping and singing their love songs. There, two hawks were spotted about to mate for life high up above them. The heavens and all it's glory were engulfing the impassioned couple. No words were needed, just simple caresses—sentiment fully read as they grazed the other's face, tracing their every curves, their eyes, their noses, and their cheeks till they hesitantly settled on their swollen lips waiting in anticipation—their oral cave about to overheat, if nothing was done about it, thus inch by inch the enthralling couple came closer and closer mesmerized.

Suddenly, the heaven above released itself, quenching them of their blazing desires.

"Feel any better," Michaela heard as she struggled out of her reverie. What just happened?

"Dr. Mike, I asked if you're feeling any better. The man possessing that incredible rumbling voice, waited tentatively with such delight for her outbursts he knew was sure to come along with possibly getting back at him.

She finally snapped out of it, feeling herself soaked to the bone than suddenly seeing the empty bucket in his hand, "Sully!" she screamed. "What has gotten into you? How dare you?" and snatched it out of his grasp, only to watch him run off. "I'll get you for this, Sully! So help me if I finally get my hands on you!" Though she normally wasn't a vengeful person, certainly this was warranted for her do something about it, seeing the friskiness in her dear friend as he fled.

Sully only laughed, as he watched Michaela scoop up water from the creek, sweet revenge written beautifully all over her face and went frantically in search of him. He hadn't laughed this much since being a child, before his world turned upside down. It felt good, and he owed it to Michaela, his secret heart song.

"Come here you coward." Then she heard his laughter and made a bee line straight to it. "You are not going to get away with this, Mister! She huffed and puffed; stomping and rushing all the way—steam leaving a trail behind.

"Get him Ma!" shouted an animated Brian up on top of the barn's roof helping his brother repaired so some repairs. Matthew grabbed hold of his little brother's arm concerned he might fall off the roof in his excitement. He looked to where he saw a drenched Michaela just scooping up water, and then towards Sully laughing behind the drying sheets hung on the clothes line and began to laugh himself; realizing Sully was the cause of her fuming gait, and he hurried with his brother down the latter to delight in their playfulness.

"She's coming your way Sully. You better run!" warned Matthew aiding his mentor of Michaela's wrath, while Brian continued to root for his adoptive mother.

Colleen had heard the commotion and ran out the homestead still carrying the dead chicken in her hand she was plucking for dinner. She watched in horror her Ma advancing towards her dried sheets hanging on the clothesline with a full bucket in hand, Sully just on the other side of it, containing his giggles. Colleen dropped the chicken and shouted, "No Ma, you'll get my sheets all wet again!"

Too late, the sheets got soaked as Michaela ran around it emptying the bucket, only to find Sully gone; she grunted, only making her all the more determined to find that silly man. She heard his laughter again, this time coming from the creek and ran towards it, aiming to get him good, her smile spreading wildly at the satisfaction she was about to indulge in.

Sully hid behind a low boulder by the creek, waiting eagerly for the woman he finally realized he loved more than life itself. Actually, he's loved her from the very moment they first laid eye on each other, so intensely at Bray's Mercantile almost a year ago. He just wouldn't admit it until now. Only, how does he tell her? He couldn't help watching her beauty moments earlier, coming upon her to have dinner with the family he longed to be a part of, just standing their staring out in the open as though she was in a trance, a playful smile gracing her face begging him to kiss her. He was tempted to kiss her alright and just spill his guts, but his feelings were overwhelming him, his body reacting on overdrive and he just had to do something about it before he embarrassed himself with her and went to cool off in the creek, where he changed his mind finding the bucket waiting and inviting him to be a little impish.

It was a hot day, but not enough to cause the wantonness in her gaze, recalling her walking barefooted on the grass, her hair dancing wildly in the breeze, delighting in this gorgeous day. It amazed him how his senses always came alive just thinking of her and he had the feeling he was filling her daydream just then. Could she possibly be having the same longing feelings for him? How he longed for them to stop dancing around and finally admit them. He continued waiting hunched by the creek, not giving her the satisfaction of drenching him after his stunt and stifling his mirth for being so mischievous to the woman he held dearly in his heart all his days. Seeing the water splashing her out of her trance just about undid him, but he felt so happy and carefree that he just couldn't help himself in finally being free to love her wholeheartedly, that hopefully someday she will wear his ring, singling the end of his mourning and if she will forgive him of drenching her today.

"Sully, you know I'm going to get you. So you might as well come out and show your face!" She stood now, a hand on her hip, and her bare feet submerged in the cooling water, amused more than actually being annoyed searching for any signs of the man she so desperately wanted to confess her love for, but didn't know how nor when he will finally come around to it. At this rate, if that man doesn't fess up soon enough, she will have to do it herself somehow, before she truly becomes an old maid. She moved further down the creek just at the edge, not wanting to fall in.

At this time, the children made it to the creek to watch the playful banters between the two people they love most in this world, hoping and praying they become as one and finally make them a whole family.

"Ma, he ran down the creek!" warned Brian jumping up and down.

"Sully—Run—she's coming after you!" Matthew as well warned.

"Oh my gosh! Ma is going to get him good. Look at her go," amused Colleen bursting out into fits of giggles along with her siblings. All three quickly climbed the bolder to get a better look at the hilarious scene unfolding before them.

Michaela screamed as she was taken under water. Sully flew up, waiting for her to reemerge. She came up coughing and gasping for air, and then started splashing water at him furiously, but secretly enjoying their carefree moment helping her to de-stress herself from the long day's work. Sully splashed back, but drew closer to her, watching the exuberance in her, making him all the more eager to just grab hold of her, finally kissing her right there and then, and profusely declaring his love for her.

She suddenly stopped splashing, watching him ease closer to her; her heart began to beat erratically, her skin rose instantaneously, and her body reacting in ways so profound just watching his dampened smoldering state—the way his chest heaved, she was certain was begging for her, almost frightening her, yet welcoming and immediately locked eyes with him. Michaela just drank in his moistened handsome face staring right back at her, with such passion and adoration overflowing in his eyes, just dripping and she knew right there and then his true feelings for her.

"I…I don't know how to say this… but…." he hesitated some moments as he felt his own heart pound away taking in her hands in his trembling ones. Still nothing came out of his wet, scrumptious parted lips, where a couple of streams of water caressed over them, except through his piecing eyes and holding of her hands.

"I already know," she whispered raising her own moisten and swollen lips in anticipation, the butterflies in her belly fluttering about, knowing in her heart, what he was about to finally say and do. A hand came up to delicately caress her face before it snaked behind her head, and she swore her heart stopped at that moment.

"Do you?" His words, husky and sodden with such want.

The chills washed over her before she felt herself melting in his hands being drawn in ever so closely.

"Oh my gosh! This is it!" Colleen squealed excitedly, but quietly as she was able to mustered, so as not to interrupt the long awaited moment, and grabbing on to her brothers so overjoyed fearful of losing her balance.

"Go for it, Su…." Brian was cut off saying anything further by Matthew, who looked on pleasantly stunned about to pull his siblings away from the steaming and profound private moment, and they hadn't even kissed.

"No, wait…just a moment more. Please!" Colleen begged, Brian eagerly agreeing.

"Alright, just a moment more," appeased the older sibling—and then it happened, the moment they had all been anticipating. The children witnessed the sealing of their love for one another, and it was so beautifully moving, they new then their family will soon be completed.

They kissed and kissed sweetly at first as they dripped from being submerged, their passion now bursting causing the creek to figuratively steam around them.

"Whoo-hoo! Yes…" The children all hooted before, Matthew grabbed hold of his siblings mouths and hurriedly drew them away from the ardent scene. The couple was too far gone to hear the rooting shouts as they continued on.

"I'm ain't finished watching," fumed Brian trying to escape his brother's grasp.

"They need their privacy, to ensure they become an official couple." Colleen intercepted helping Matthew out."

"But…" Brian was dragged off before he knew what was happening.

The lip locking couple finally broke their searing kiss, catching their breaths.

"Ya feel it too?"

She nodded enthusiastically in his hands. "Yes," was all she managed to verbalize.

Sully overwhelmed with joy, finally drew out desperately, "I love you."

Her eyes glistened, feeling her body quiver, relieved to finally hear the long awaited three little words, "And I love you too."

Another round of their heated kiss, before it relaxed, than breaking apart to only embrace melting into the water joyously, with Michaela's doing of course, finally getting him back and winning more than she ever thought possible with his declaration.

"Finally, they're admitting their feelings." Colleen announced dreamily to her brothers as they headed back to the homestead.

"Took them long enough," followed Matthew awkwardly, but joyfully.

"Does that mean he's going to be our Pa now?" asked Brian wishfully.

"Someday maybe, but first they will either start courtin' or get engaged."

"They practically been courtin' already," Brian piped with. "I say they should marry right away."

"Not up to us," then winking mischievously at his sister, "Maybe you need a little cooling off too, with your eagerness, Little Brother." Colleen agreed, both suddenly giving their chase to Brian who wound up at the creek joining the frolicking spirited couple, and making the older sibling feel embarrassed for intruding in on them. However, they relaxed, seeing how merrily Brian was included in their jovial play, and decided to joined them as well, sealing the start of a genuine whole family. Yes, a new family was born.

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