They awoke on Christmas morning to a blanket of white. The snowstorm during the night had dropped several inches on the ground, much to Brian's delight, and it was still gently falling as they finished breakfast.
"You said it was too warm for snow," he accused Matthew, who only shrugged and pulled his scarf tighter. Colleen stood at the stove warming curling tongs as they prepared for the Christmas morning church service.
"Maybe Santa made it happen." Grabbing the broom, Matthew went out to sweep the steps clear and see to the animals in the barn.
"Do you think so, Ma?" Brian raced the new pieces of his toy train around the table as Michaela sat and let Colleen set her hair.
"It could be." She shared a smile with Colleen, who dropped the first ringlet from between the tongs and reached for the second section of Michaela's hair. "Thank you for doing this."
"Your hair looks so pretty when it's all curled up. Besides, it's a special occasion." She continued to work on Michaela's hair until it hung down her back in tight spirals. She was just finishing when Sully opened the door.
"Merry Christmas!" Brian called, running at him for a hug. Sully caught the boy around the waist and hugged him tight.
"I thought you'd like a ride in to church. It's a little deep for the wagon." He pushed the door open further and they could see a beautiful sleigh just outside.
"A sleigh? Really?" Brian dashed outside in delight.
"Yup. Robert E let me borrow it to fetch ya for church. Now go get bundled up."
Brian scampered off to find his mittens while Colleen let the last of Michaela's hair fall and set the tongs on the side of the stove to cool. "I'm gonna go finish getting ready," she said, leaving them alone. Michaela tried to not blush as Sully watched her gather her hair together and tie it up so that the curls bunched together at the back of her neck, pinning on a hat that matched her dress.
"You've got your Boston hair," Sully said. She caught his expression in the mirror and couldn't quite read his smile.
"My what?"
"Your fancy Boston hair. You do it all up like that, curly and such. Makes me think of you in Boston."
Frowning, Michaela turned. "You don't like it?"
"I didn't say that." Sully turned to her and kissed her sweetly. "It reminds me that there're two sides of ya, and I love both of them: the proper city lady and the frontier doctor."
"Well, I'm not the only one with a split personality. You look just as handsome in that suit as you do in your normal clothing."
He kissed her again until Brian interrupted, jangling the sleigh bells to hurry them along.
**
They stayed in town celebrating until the sun started to set, casting the snow-covered fields in shades of blue. The children reluctantly said goodbye to their friends by the giant Christmas tree, and Matthew departed to spend Christmas Night dinner with Ingrid and her family.
Sully lit the lanterns on the sleigh before they left town, and the bells rang out through the crisp air. Michaela tucked the blanket higher around her lap, trying to keep out the chill. Sully reached for her gloved hand, propping one foot up on the front of the wagon as they rode.
"You think you kids can put somethin' together for dinner?" he asked, glancing back over his shoulder. "I wanna borrow your ma for a while."
Colleen's grinned back at him. "I think we can manage."
Michaela, never one to like having things arranged for her, began to protest, but Sully's look kept her quiet. She was learning to let him plan these little surprises. He took such joy in them, much as the spontaneity infuriated her.
When they reached the homestead, Colleen and Brian jumped down and ran through the knee-high snow to the porch. Brian turned and waved as Sully slapped the reins and started the sleigh on its way again.
When they reached the road, Sully turned away from the town and continued out to the open fields. In the distance the mountains were dark shapes against an indigo sky. He let the horses walk freely until they came to a stop under a cluster of oak trees, providing some shelter from the wind.
"I have somethin' for ya," Sully said, pulling a small box from his jacket pocket. He held it patiently while Michaela removed her gloves so she could open it. Her first thought was that it was a ring, and her heart leapt. However, the box was too large, and rectangular rather than square. Trying not to be disappointed, she lifted the lid. A simple gold broach lay inside, nestled on a piece of faded red velvet. It was shaped like a Christmas bow, with a heart in the center. It was an old piece, tarnished at the edges, but it glimmered in the faint lamplight.
"It's beautiful," she said, lifting it out. She held it to her neck so he could see how she'd look wearing it.
"It was my ma's," Sully said quietly, pinning it to her dress just below the collar. "She loved Christmastime. That's why I could never quite let go of the holiday, even when livin' with the Cheyenne."
Touched, Michaela reached up and stroked the delicate gold bow. "You've kept it all these years?"
"Well, it was small, and it was the only thing I had left of her." Looking down at his hands, sensing the unspoken meaning behind her questions, he added "Abigail didn't really like old things. Her mother kept tryin' to give her heirlooms but she wanted new things of her own. I never even thought of givin' it to her."
"Well, I'll treasure it," Michaela promised, lifting his chin so she could meet his eye. It wasn't as fine as much of her jewelry, but the significance more than made up for that.
Sully cupped her cheek, warming her skin with his rough hands. "I know ya will." There was trust there, that he would give to her something with so much value. She also felt the connection to his past and the family he rarely spoke of.
"Would you tell me about her?" Michaela asked. "You said she loved Christmas."
Sully paused before speaking, and for a moment she was afraid that he would be angry at her for prying. "She would get all of these pine garlands and hang 'em over the doors and windows. Whole house smelled like 'em. And she'd sing while she was bakin'. She loved Hark the Herald Angels Sing best. She had a pretty voice."
Michaela smiled. "That was my father's favorite hymn. I can still hear him singing it in the Children's Ward on Christmas Eve."
Sully shifted on the bench, adjusting as the horses pranced in place. "I always missed her most at Christmas after she died. I'd go into the forests and smell the pines, rememberin' her."
"Will you think of her when I wear this?" Michaela touched the pin again.
Sully placed his hand over hers, sliding them down together to her heart. "When I look at ya, I can't think of anyone but you."
When he kissed her, it was with more love than she'd ever felt before. His breathe was fire on her cheek as his tongue danced at her lips. She responded, hesitantly, still unsure at this new level of intimacy. When she didn't shy away, his other hand came up to hold her head, fingers tangling in the now wind-blown curls. She parted her lips and felt him enter, teasing her to new heights.
Drawing back, Sully pulled the blankets higher, tucking them over their shoulders. "Is this alright?" he asked, holding her again, one hand curled around her neck.
"Yes," she answered, nervously hoping he would kiss her again. He fulfilled the wish quickly, his mouth almost magical as it twisted against hers, making her feel things she'd never imagined. She was on the precipice of fear but he walked the line carefully, drawing back only when she was gasping for air.
Slowly, his hands slipped lower, until they grasped her around the waist and pulled her even closer to him. Her leg slid over his easily, and she was practically sitting in his lap when he asked "and this?"
She didn't even think before answering, "Yes." His grip was firm at his waist, where his hands had been many times before as he helped her up and down from horses and wagons, but there was something intently possessive about his hold then. When he kissed her again, his hands tightened, fingers massaging the muscles of her back until she was positively burning from wanting him. His mouth slipped lower, trailing kisses along her neck, burying his nose in her hair. "You smell so good."
"It's just some of Colleen's verbena. Sully," she began, but his mouth closed over her earlobe and any words that would have come disappeared into a low moan of pleasure. He'd never done that before, and though it shocked her, the flames inside burned even brighter. What a surprise, she thought, that hidden spot of sensitivity.
When his mouth returned to hers, the kisses settled into softly familiar caresses. She smiled against his lips, and he drew back to watch her, eyes dark with desire.
Slowly, she felt his hand sliding upward from her waist, grazing the bottom of her rib cage. She couldn't help but shiver as he paused there, waiting for her permission to go further. She nodded slightly, hesitant to cross that line but not wanting the evening to end with him disappointed in her yet again.
With light fingertips, he traced the curve of her breast. She felt unexpected tingles of delight run to her core as he let his palm rest there, thumb rubbing gentle circles as she acclimated to this new touch. Unable to see what was happening under the blanket, she relied solely on touch as Sully explored. When he grasped her more firmly, she gasped at the sensation. He took the opportunity to seize her mouth in a kiss and allow his other hand to touch as well.
How long they stayed there, she did not know. Her jaw began to ache from the long kisses, and when she finally drew away, Sully's hands fell back to her waist. Her head was spinning from the excitement, the anticipation that it brought. They'd danced at the brink of impropriety, and though she knew it was wrong, she couldn't wait until spring when they were married and didn't have to worry about such things. She imagined him touching her without the barrier of clothes and bit her lip at the very idea.
"We should probably get home," she finally said, embarrassed by her thoughts and feeling the heat that had consumed her all rush to her face. "The children will have dinner ready by now."
Sully gazed at her for a moment longer, then simply wrapped an arm around her shoulders and turned back to the horses, picking up the reins. With a slap, they were on their way, gliding over the newly-fallen snow back to the homestead.
Sleigh bells jangled sweetly in the night air, and it seemed to Michaela that she was in the middle of a Christmas carol. "I truly love the brooch," Michaela said, still moved beyond measure. "I'm honored that you'd give it to me."
"I can't think of any one else I'd want to have it." Sully hugged her closer against his side as they approached her home.
"I have your gift inside. I'm afraid it's not as special as this," she said.
Sully pulled the sleigh to a stop and hopped out, helping her down. "It don't matter what you got me. All you gotta do is promise to love me forever."
"I do. I will." He kissed her quickly then climbed back into the sleigh. "I've gotta get this back to Robert E, but I'll be back soon. Save me some dinner?"
Pulling her coat tight to keep out the cold, Michaela answered "We'll wait for you."
Inside, she pulled Sully's gift from its hiding place beneath her bed and fluffed the bright red bow on the new canteen. It was merely a practical thing, but she hoped he'd like it. Brian was setting the table and Colleen was finishing up dinner, but she stopped to admire the adornment Sully had given her.
Michaela unpinned her hat, letting her hair fall free in loose curls down her back. Gathering what we left of them together, she formed a quick braid, thinking about Sully as she transformed back to her everyday hairstyle. She stared in the mirror at the brooch on her collar and wondered whether Sully's mother would have approved of her as a daughter-in-law. She was sure her father would have loved Sully. He'd always said he would like any suitor who respected her mind as much as her manners.
When he retuned, she watched in delight as Sully tested out the new canteen, pleased that she had remembered his was leaking. When the kids were in bed, they sat on a blanket by the fire, watching the candles on the tree die down.
"I'm looking forward to next Christmas, when I won't have to leave." Sully held her closely, and her mind wandered to how different things would be next year.
"Do you think Robert E will let us use the sleigh again next year?" Boldly she smiled, thinking of how the ride might go after they were married. Then another thought came to her- she could be pregnant at Christmas time next year. The idea was absolutely shocking and yet gave her such hope and happiness she felt the smile on her face widen extraordinarily.
"If it snows," Sully answered. Reluctantly, he rose to go. He kissed her again, and tugged on her braid. "You got your Colorado hair back."
Tugging her shawl tight around her shoulders, she smiled at him. "I think it suits me better these days. It's fun to dress up sometimes, but I've become a pioneer at heart."
"I love ya, either way," he promised, gaze lingering before leaving. She watched him head into the barn where he would spend the night with Matthew, out of the storm. When the door closed, she undressed, gently placing the brooch with her very best Boston jewelry in the trunk. Carefully she extinguished the candles on the tree and blew out the lamps.
It was family that was on her mind as she drifted off to sleep- those who were now gone, those who remained, and in her heart of hearts, those who would come someday soon.