The Christmas party was a great success. The barn had been decorated with holly and mistletoe. Matthew had spent most of the afternoon spreading hay across the floor, and the girls had decorated the giant Christmas tree in the middle of the room with apples and other edible decorations. Robert E. and Sully had put up tables for people to sit at, and Grace was serving cookies, confectionary and pie from a stall, and the local choir was singing carols to set the mood.
Michaela sighed and inhaled the scent of Christmas. She had not been sure she would be able to make it, but Colleen had asked almost every day for the past week, and she had promised she would do her best to get home from the hospital in time. Yet, she was a little late – a young boy no older than Brian had been brought in with a severe concussion, and she had to monitor him until someone had relieved her. The she had rushed off in her car across the city to Sully's homestead to join in on the festivities.
When she arrived David came up to her with Brian trailing along. She could tell by his walk that he was in a hurry. "Aren't you staying?"she asked. "No, I have an important appointment at the clinic, and besides… you know how I feel about these things." He looked in Brian's direction and then at her, saying: "Look, I did you the favour of picking him up, didn't I? " "Yes. Thank you", She felt her temper rising, but managed to keep it under control for Brian's sake.
From across the room Matthew observed David and Michaela. He could tell by her tense shoulders and David's facial expression that they were arguing. He sighed and looked at Colleen who was also looking. "I heard him say, he didn't want to pick up Brian for her this morning", she sighed, "why do they always have to argue?" She looked at Matthew who shook his head. " I don't know. But it's getting worse…"
"Ma, can I have some pie?" Brian looked at her, and she smiled. The children always made her forget about David's rude behavior, and their disagreements. So many things had changed since they got married 5 years ago. She had been extremely happy to marry him. He was handsome, a gentleman, ambitious and a talented plastic surgeon. Her mother liked him straight away, and was very much in favour of their wedding. She sighed looking around the barn. There was a time when he would have liked to go to things like this, but not anymore. They rarely did anything together. He had been against them taking the children in, but she had made a promise which she was going to keep. They had had a major argument about it which she would never forget. "I can't let them down. I promised Charlotte on her deathbed." "She'll never know – you should concentrate on our own family…. Or maybe they are just a substitute for what you can't do yourself. If you take them on, don't expect me to be a part of it" he had hissed bringing tears to her eyes. They had been trying for a baby for about 2 years but without success. She had never thought that he could not be a part of the children's lives once they lived with them, but she had been proven wrong so many times. He hardly ever spoke to them, didn't care what they did or who they spent their time with, and he spent most of his time at the clinic –away from home. With Michaela's work at the hospital they didn't see much of each other, and they had stopped sleeping together a long time ago. When they did have sex it was over within seconds, or at least that was how it felt. One night when they had argued about her working at the hospital he had told her how worthless she was as a wife and how she disgusted him. "I might as well have married a barren whore" were his words. Although he had apologized the next day, she could not forget the look in his eyes when he had said it, and she vowed she would never give herself to him again.
"Was that him?" Hannah had joined Colleen and Matthew, and Colleen nodded. "Yeah". Hannah was the only friend whom she had told the truth about how things were at her house. How they had to tiptoe around when he was home, and how Dr Mike was always doing all the work. The children knew she was unhappy, but didn't know what to do about it. In the meantime they tried to stay out of the way, and Colleen and Matthew spent a lot of time helping out at Sully's stables in return for riding lessons. It was a good excuse to get away from home, and they had begun bringing Brian, too, when possible. When Colleen started riding a couple of years ago she had quickly become best friends with Hannah, but this was the first time Hannah had seen David in person. "Hello, Hannah", Dr. Mike smiled handing Colleen and Matthew some money to buy some treats. "Are you okay?", Matthew glanced at her, and she smiled at him. "Don't worry I'm fine, just enjoy yourselves now". The children took off leaving Michaela on her own. It had been a long day. She had worked a double shift to find time to come to the Christmas party and standing there she let the spirit and the atmosphere of take over. "Michaela", Dorothy came over and gave her a hug. "Where are the children?" "Oh, Brian dragged off Colleen to the pie stand, and Matthew…", she quickly scanned the room, "is busy talking to Ingrid." "Is it getting serious between them?" Dorothy looked at the young couple and back at Michaela. "I think he's trying to muster his courage to invite her on a date," Michaela replied. "Oh, to be young and in love again", Dorothy sighed. " I thought I saw David here earlier?" "Yes, he was kind enough to pick up Brian from school and bring him here for me." Dorothy looked at her friend, and knew not to ask any more questions. She knew some of the details of their marriage, and it pained her to see her friend unhappy. "I'll get us some punch", she said and left for the punch stand.