Continuing on from Nesohto and Nanohto this is the season nine of the Cheyenne Number series., I'd really appreciate it if you let me know what you think, I hope you enjoy the new season
Kate x
Sóohto
A season 9 story
Good Gift
She paused as the pain ripped through her again, a savage beast ripping at the muscles in her back and stomach. The agonising weight that had burdened her for so long pushing down, forcing it's way out of her. She gritted her teeth trying not to scream, trying not to admit that this was causing her pain, trying not to admit that what was about to come would cause her more. Trying to forget that this was happening to her. As if she could. She had ignored the nudges and kicks, bound herself to squish her swelling form into her dress, the thing thrust deep into her organs making it agonising for her, but she had done it. She had managed to get through it without being found out, without anyone realising, and now she just had to reach Colorado Springs. She began moving again, her slow walk transforming into an even slower waddle her body screaming at her to stop but she could not, she just had to get to Colorado Springs, once she got there everything would work out. Of that she was sure.
"Papa?" Katie looked up at her father as he sat eating his breakfast. "When can Vy-let eat proper food?" She glanced towards her mother who was finishing up the second feed of the day with the youngest of the children, "She eating Mama lots."
"Probably when she's a bit bigger," Sully grinned at the little girl. "Watch out Esmee," he skilfully caught the one year olds bowl as she tipped it from her highchair tray.
"Da," Esmee pointed at his plate, "Pa Pa, pes," the toddler gave him a beaming smile.
Katie chuckled, "Eserme wants your bweakfast Papa."
"You want some sausage or eggs?" Sully asked, knowing that he too would prefer his breakfast to the baby's mushy cereal.
Esmee looked thoughtful, Sully smiled, he and Michaela's middle daughter adopting an expression so like her mother's, a little crease forming on her forehead as she thought, the crease in the exact position that Michaela got one when she was concentrating hard.
"Say sosage Eserme," Katie prompted her sister. "You had eggs the ovher day."
"Sos," Esmee obediently repeated her sister and gave her father another beaming smile.
Sully grinned and cut the smallest slice of sausage, enough for the toddler to try. He blew softly on the meat, making sure it was warm enough for Esmee to enjoy but cool enough that she would not be too hot for her. He held the sausage out to her.
"Ta," Esmee smiled and took his offering. She studied it carefully before putting it in her mouth.
Sully smiled as he watched Esmee's face, her expression a mix of uncertainty and curiosity as she chewed thoughtfully on the tiny slice of sausage. "You like?"
"No," Esmee nodded. "Ma Ma," she waved her hand as Michaela walked into kitchen area. "Esee sos,"
Michaela stroked Esmee's hair, using the action to mask her silent inquiry to Sully as to what their little one was talking about.
"Esmee had some of my sausage," Sully grinned cutting another small slice and blowing on it. He chuckled as Esmee bounced eagerly in her highchair evidently wanting another piece. He turned to his left as he felt Katie's hand creeping onto his lap, "You want some too?"
Katie giggled and hit her forehead against his bicep. "Silly Papa I got my own," she pointed at her plate indicating her mashed to smithereens sausage.
"You eatin it or tryin ta paint ya plate with it?" Sully kissed the top of her head.
"Eatin it," Katie told him seriously, she glanced nervously at Michaela. "Eat food not play, right Mama?"
"Right," Michaela smiled, she sat down, setting Violet on her lap so that she could eat her own breakfast the almost 6 month old baby bouncing up and down on her lap as Violet excitedly realised she was part of the family meal.
"Vy-let happy," Katie smiled at her youngest sister.
"She is a happy thing today," Michaela mused, pressing her lips softly against Violet's fine auburn hair.
"She just ate you Mama," Katie grinned, "she likes that," Katie nodded in understanding. "Mama, did I like eatin you?"
Michaela smiled, "She wasn't eating me sweetheart, she was drinking the special food I make for her," she traced her hand over Katie's, "and you did enjoy it, so much so that when I tried you on the infant food that Mr Bray sells you were a poorly little girl."
"Oh dear," Katie giggled, laughing as Esmee pulled a funny face, her little lips making the shape of an O, her face stretched long in surprise.
"I think that might have been a bit hot," Sully apologised to Esmee, "Papa's silly."
Esmee nodded in agreement, before holding her hand out for more, with another equally beaming smile.
Katie's giggle turned into a full blown chuckle, "she stealin your food Papa," the four year old waggled her finger at her sister. "No Esmee, Papa needs his food, so he stay big and strong. Papa very big and strong, isn't he Mama."
Michaela swallowed her mouthful and smiled, she reached her hand across the table to take Sully's hand, their fingers interlocking as their eyes met to hold each other's gaze. "Yes sweetheart, your father is very big and strong," she coughed slightly, forcing herself to look away from her husband, knowing that she could stay staring into his eyes all day, but it would not get anything done. She made herself focus on the table, and on her children's plates, conscious that the day was slipping away from her already.
Sully slowed the wagon as he heard the high pitched squeak, the sound of someone in pain, a sound he had heard only a few times before in his lifetime, the sound of a woman in labour. His eyes trained in on a fallen log that signalled a hidden dip, the very top of a mop of blonde hair over the thick fallen tree. He pointed to Michaela, her demeanour changing in a second, moving from loving wife and mother to physician in an instant, her torso becoming rigid as she moved to place Violet in the travelling basket and take her black silver handled bag.
"Stay with the girls," Michaela requested as she climbed from the wagon, conscious that Katie had already stood up to see why they had stopped. Quickly she rushed across the dirt road, her plaid skirt streaming behind her as she moved with haste. As she neared the tree she slowed, forcing herself to approach carefully, the woman would no doubt be incredibly emotional as she went through the experience of giving birth. Michaela hid her concern for the woman with a comforting smile. As she stepped round the side of the tree she could take in the woman properly. She frowned, the woman was more of a girl, certainly no older than twenty, her face was beet red as she strained against her contraction, her blonde hair was plastered against her damp forehead, her eyes screwed shut as she weathered the pain. Michaela didn't recognise the woman, evidently the young woman not one of her patients but that in itself was puzzling especially as there was no sign of a horse or a vehicle.
"You're alright," Michaela spoke softly. "Just breathe."
The young woman's eye's jerked open in surprise; the pale blue irises ringed by bloodshot whites, making them stand out even more. "It's coming," she whimpered.
"My name is Dr Michaela Quinn," Michaela introduced herself, "what is your name?" she frowned as the girl studiously ignored her question. With a soft sigh, Michaela studied the woman her concern rising as she took in the very small looking bump at the girl's middle. "How far apart are your contractions?"
"I don't know," the young woman mumbled, whimpering as she felt the threat of a new wave of pain.
"Have you seen a doctor during your pregnancy?" Michaela asked gently, her frown deepening as the girl shook her head in answer. "Do you know when you had your last monthly?"
"November," the girl whimpered as the pain gripped her, Michaela offered her hand, breathing a sigh of relief that the baby was not premature.
Patiently Michaela waited until the pain had appeared to pass. "I'm going to check you," Michaela told her softly. "See how far along you are, see if we can get you to town, or if baby wants to make its entrance here," she smiled reassuringly, "this will be a little uncomfortable I'm afraid." Michaela kept her smile steady, knowing that as the woman had not seen a doctor during her pregnancy it was highly unlikely that she had ever been examined before. She performed the examination swiftly and gave a sigh of relief. "We have time, you're just a little passed half way," she assured the young woman. "We can get to town, and you onto a bed, which is much more comfortable let me assure you," Michaela rose slightly from her crouched position. "I'm going to get my husband to come and help you into our wagon. Then we'll get you to town, we'll be there in ten minutes."
She looked up as the wagon pulled to a halt outside the clinic, sensing that Sully had been pushing the horse harder than usual, Klara moved to the door to meet Michaela, rather then simply continuing on with her chores as she usually did.
"Oh Klara,"
Klara looked up at the sound of Michaela's call, her employer calling to her before she even had a chance to fully open the door.
"Can you watch the children for me?" Michaela asked as she climbed down from the wagon "I need to get um..." she paused and glanced at the young woman in the back of the wagon. "I need to get her upstairs and settled in."
"Of course," Klara moved towards the wagon with her arms outstretched, Katie already standing up with the intent look of jumping out of the buckboard.
"Thank you," Michaela seemed to give a sigh of relief, "I'm not sure how long her labour will last but we may have to work a bit in relay, if that is alright with you?"
"Of course," Klara repeated, lifting Katie from the wagon she settled the little girl onto her hip "Whatever you need me to do," she rested her hand on Michaela's wrist, forcing the lady doctor to pause for a moment and take a breath, "I'm here to help you."
Michaela smiled. "Thank you," she winced slightly as the young woman in the wagon gave a whimper of pain. "Breathe," Michaela ordered moving to the back of the wagon to tend to the young woman. "Just breathe," she comfortingly rubbed the young woman's ankle keeping her connected to the world around her and preventing her from being overwhelmed by the pain. When the contraction passed Michaela nodded to Sully, asking him silently to help her with the young woman.
Klara settled Katie on the bench, as the little girl's parents set about unloading the young woman from the bed of the wagon.
"She's havin a baby," Katie told Klara, her voice filled with knowing confidence. "It really hurts so she gonna be yellin lots. Though it's a good ting."
"It's good that she's hurting?" Klara checked what Katie was trying to say.
"No, dat she having a baby," Katie giggled. "Mama was really smiley when she had Esmee," the little girl waved at her sister. "Esmee had Papa's sosage today."
"You did huh?" Klara rose from the bench, now that Michaela and Sully had taken the young woman through the other entrance to the clinic, approaching the wagon to get Esmee and Violet. "Did you like the sausage?" she asked as she unhooked the strap that kept Esmee in her little travel chair and lifted her out the wagon. "Did you like it?" she repeated as she lifted Violet's basket out the back of the wagon.
"Ike," Esmee nodded with a smile. "Mama, Papa ohn," she raised her arms.
"No," Klara bounced Michaela and Sully's middle daughter slightly. "They're looking after the lady, you're going to stay with me a little while."
"And me," Katie jumped to her feet.
"And you," Klara smiled at the little girl. "Come on, in we go," she guided Katie towards the door of the clinic. "Oh Mrs Brown," she noted the first patient of the day arriving. "Dr Mike is dealing with a lady in labour at the minute, so there's a little bit of a wait I'm afraid."
Michaela nodded in thanks to Sully as he quietly slipped from the room, the young woman was weathering another contraction and Michaela took note of the time. It appeared that the young woman's contractions were coming every three minutes. "Let's get you more comfortable," Michaela crooned softly to the visibly distressed woman, she turned to the cabinet and quickly sought out a gown from within its cupboards. As she turned back to the bed she could tell that the young woman was tiring. The young woman had probably been walking for a while as Michaela was certain she knew all the pregnant ladies in and around Colorado Springs as it was the type of news that the resident gossips thrived on. The sight of a woman ripening with child whether she had lived in the town for two weeks, two months or two years always travelled round like wildfire. Michaela approached the bed and settled beside the young woman. "Let me help you," Michaela spoke softly and calmly, trying to keep her patient calm. "Are you ready to tell me your name?" Michaela asked hopefully, knowing that it would be easier to help and comfort the young woman with a name. At the woman's hesitance Michaela softly touched her arm. "Whatever you tell me is between you and me, I can't tell anyone anything if you don't want me to."
The young woman smiled briefly, relief washing over her tired features, "Anne."
"Anne," Michaela repeated. "You can call me Michaela, or Dr Mike. Anne I'd like for you to get dressed in this gown and then I'm going to check how you are progressing like I did before, alright?"
Anne nodded and tried to sit forward, Michaela helped her the rest of the way to upright and left the gown on the mattress. "I'll get you a glass of water," Michaela rose to give Anne some privacy. Michaela busied herself with the glass of water and checking her medical bag for her equipment as she heard Anne change. It was slow progress as Anne weathered two minute long contractions while she was changing but Michaela waited until Anne indicated she was ready for her to turn around. Instantly Michaela could see the difference in the young woman's abdomen, the round swell bigger then when she had first examined her by the side of the road. Her eyes trailed down to the pile of clothes, a long strip of bandage set on top. Anne had bound herself to make herself appear small, to try to conceal her pregnancy. Michaela forced herself to smile and approached the bed. "Anne, does anyone know you are pregnant?"
"The father," Anne whispered.
Michaela quickly glanced at Anne's hand, noting the absence of a wedding ring the girl's predicament fitted into place "You're safe here, I promise."
"He wanted it," Anne whispered, she inhaled as another pain gripped her, "can't," she managed to gasp as she fought the pain.
"I understand," Michaela held Anne's hand, letting the young woman squeeze hers tightly. When the contraction was over she released Anne's hand. "I'm going to check you now, your contractions are getting closer together and longer, it's a good sign, it means baby is making its move. You're going to be a mother very soon," Michaela forced herself to smile, in reality not sure what was to happen to the young woman and her illegitimate child.
"Push, push, push, push," Michaela coached as Anne strained with the effort. "I can see the head." Michaela looked up at Klara who was wiping Anne's brow. "Would you assist me?" Klara joined her at the foot of the bed. "Anne at the next contraction I want you to push really hard for me, Ok?" she comfortingly rubbed Anne's leg. "The baby's head is right there."
Anne gave a whimper as the next contraction started.
"Push," Michaela ordered, smiling as Anne forced her chin into her chest, pushing with all her might. Michaela smile widened, the baby beginning to push into the world.
"Dr Mike," Klara whispered as she watched the baby emerge, shocked by the appearance of the baby.
"It's alright Klara," Michaela shushed her quickly. "Push Anne, push, one more big push and the baby will be here."
Without a word Anne forced herself to push, the baby girl slipping from between her trembling legs into Michaela's waiting arms. "And it's a beautiful girl," Michaela declared happily as she clamped the cord. She held the tiny squirming baby out to its mother; Anne's face a picture of happiness as she reached to take her daughter. "Congratulations," Michaela smiled.
"Dr Mike," Klara whispered again, the young nurse barely able to hide her surprise.
"Yes Klara I know," Michaela gave her nurse a pointed look while trying to maintain a level of happiness and professionalism. She took a soft sigh, trying to hide her sadness as she watched the mother and child interact, the young mother clearly of Nordic descent, her baby a healthy mewling African American child. The child in Colorado territory, a product of a disallowed, illegal relationship; a child that was not meant to exist.
It was 1 o'clock before Michaela finally managed to usher the last patient of the morning, handling the delivery of Anne's baby taking up much of her time and pushed all her scheduled patients back and while they were all happy to wait, it meant she lost her teaching hour with Klara and more importantly a chance to speak with her nurse. Leaning against the clinic door she watched Klara for a few moments as Klara collected Violet from the small fenced area of the clinic that Sully had set up now the baby was sitting up on her own. The fact that Anne's baby had been born black had clearly unsettled the young woman, her help throughout the morning, only what was required and not the normally intuitive help that Klara usually offered.
"Would you like to talk about what has happened?" Michaela asked her gently moving away from the door.
Klara looked up at her. "Don't you want to go see Sully and the girls?"
Michaela nodded. "Of course I do," she smiled at the thought of going to the meadow where Sully was working on the new classroom for the schoolhouse, "but I want to make sure that you are alright," she held her hands out to take Violet. "You seem very out of sorts."
"I guess, I'm nervous," Klara admitted. "Isn't illegal to have a baby like that."
Michaela sighed, "Though I know it is illegal for white and black people to marry each other, my knowledge of anti miscegenation legislation is not robust enough to offer an answer. I would hope that the baby is not illegal," she hugged Violet.
"What will happen to them?" Klara asked glancing up at the ceiling, in the vague direction of the room where Anne was staying, her baby crying loudly.
"I'm not certain," Michaela shrugged. "Whatever happens we shall not be held accountable if you are…"
"Oh I don't care about that, I just. I mean, what will happen to Anne? Will she get to keep the baby? Will she get arrested?" Klara interrupted, she leant against the examination table. "I just don't like the idea of the baby being taken away from Anne, like I was from Signe," she sighed her eyes darting up to the ceiling once more. "Do you think they are alright? the baby has been crying for a while now."
Michaela pursed her lips, Klara had changed the subject because she was uncomfortable and now she had done so it made it very difficult for Michaela to train the subject back onto her nurse's concerns. "I should check on her before I go for lunch."
"I'll watch Violet," Klara told her.
With a faint nod Michaela left the examination room. Klara was evidently more deeply affected by the birth then Michaela had first realised, and rather unkindly Michaela had put Klara's feelings down to her view of a white woman having a black baby and not on what would happen to the baby. It was something that Michaela was fortunate enough to never have to experience herself, though she had seen it to some extent with the Cooper children when she had taken them in and also with Ben, the concern for other children such as themselves. Evidently the orphans, abandoned and stolen children of the world no matter how loved they were all knew the signs and feared what would happen to another child like them. Michaela frowned as she reached the top of the stairs, the baby was screaming rather loudly and from the sound of things Anne was making no attempt at quieting her and there was absolutely no way she could be ignoring the screams, which were quickly reaching fever pitched, as the infant cried out in what to Michaela's trained ear sounded like hunger. Michaela's blood froze in her veins the horrible thought that the birth had not been as straightforward as it first appeared, that something had been wrong with Anne. She quickened her pace almost running down the corridor to the recovery room. Pushing open the door, she feared the worse, hoping beyond hope that she wasn't about to find a dying or deceased new mother on the other side of the door. She stumbled as she entered, the emptiness of the room surprising her, only the baby laying flailing in the middle of the bed. Michaela moved forward and lifted the baby into her arms, wrapping the blanket tighter around her. As if to make sure she was not going mad, Michaela stared round the room, as if Anne would suddenly appear out of the woodwork. She frowned, Anne's clothes were gone from the cabinet, the clean gown Michaela had help her change into after the delivery neatly folded in their place. Michaela soothingly stroked the baby's back, trying to quiet the newborn, tenderly she brought the baby to her shoulder, her lips instinctively pressing against the baby's head, just as she would with her own children.
With the baby in her arms Michaela made her way out the recovery room and down the stairs, she could hear voices in the examination room and she quickened her pace once more, hoping that she was mistaken and Anne had just ventured out the clinic to get some fresh air or use the town privies.
"Grace," Michaela whispered trying not to sound disappointed when she saw her friend.
"Hey," Grace smiled her. "Misses Olsen said ya wanted some soup for the new mama," her eyes moved from Michaela's pensive expression to the crying baby. "Everything alright Dr Mike?"
"Uh No," Michaela sighed. "It seems Anne has gone missing."
"She's not upstairs?" Klara whispered shocked. "How did she get out without us hearing her?"
"Probably on the outside stairs." Michaela frowned, the one thing she hated about the clinic, the stairs to the balcony. She shook her head, "I should have checked her more frequently."
Klara glanced at the clock, "She was there 40 minutes ago, the next train leaves in fifteen minutes, she could still be at the station," the nurse reasoned. "Do you want me to check?"
"Would you? Please," Michaela nodded, "Grace would you fetch Sully and..."
"How bout I look after the children," Grace took charge. "I'll take Violet and the little new one here over the cafe and then you get Sully to bring the other two over and I'll watch them while you look for her," she took the baby from Michaela. "Well, I guess it will be easy to spot your Mama little one," she cooed to the newborn. "Ain't too many black mama's around here."
"Her Mor's not black," Klara muttered as she moved to Grace to give her Violet. "That's part of the problem."
"Dr Mike?" Grace raised her eyebrows.
Michaela swallowed feeling ill at ease to be breaking confidentiality but knowing that the news would get out anyway, especially if she arranged for a search party for the new mother and everyone saw the baby with Grace, "The mother is Caucasian."
"So ya saying she's just vanished and left the kid," Jake repeated what Michaela had just told him, "she in danger?"
"She could be," Michaela rubbed her elbow nervously. "She appeared fine but lack of proper hygiene could lead to puerperal fever and the fact that she is so recently postpartum she should be monitored, especially as a first time mother."
"You think she was?" Jake paused unable to say the word. "You think the father forced her?"
"I don't believe so," Michaela sighed. "Anne said he knew."
"So maybe she don't want to be found," Jake pointed out. "She knows she's broken the law and she don't want to suffer the consequences."
"Jake," Michaela sighed. "She has just had a baby, that is a very confusing time even when you are happily married, a young woman in her circumstances we can't be sure what she is thinking." She glanced up at Sully who until this moment had sat silent in the corner of the room while the council decided what to do about the missing girl. He gave her a comforting smile, the slight upturn of his lips enough to force her on. "She must be fairly local, from Soda Springs or a local ranch, Anne wouldn't have been able to walk that far during labour and she came here for a reason."
"Because she didn't want the baby," Hank pointed out. "Anne ain't probably even her name."
"Hank, I think she does want the baby," Michaela smiled weakly as she remembered the woman's expression of pure joy when she had seen her daughter for the first time. "I would imagine of more likely that she can't look after it. She bound herself to hide her pregnancy."
"Bound?" Robert E looked at her curiously.
"She used a bandage wound tightly around her stomach to make herself as small as possible." Michaela shuddered, the thought of being bound one that made her feel ill, the memories of her own pregnancy's still fresh in her mind, how she hated that her clothes where tight on her or the baby squishing her organs, the idea of making that feeling worse not even worth thinking about.
"Dr Mike," Loren rose from his seat. "I feel for the girl, I really do but I agree with Jake and Hank, she probably doesn't want to be found. But," he raised his finger to stop Michaela from protesting, "it can't hurt to take a look for her."
"I agree," Robert E nodded.
"Old man's right," Hank nodded. "Can't hurt. What you think Jake?"
"I say we look for her, but no heroics," the Mayor glanced over at Sully, he turned slightly addressing the silent man, "don't go over and above, this 'Anne' probably don't wanna be found, but if we do find her we bring her back. Let Michaela look after her. We won't arrest her though," he rubbed his forehead thoughtfully. "Like Dr Mike said, she's fragile. That suit?" he asked Michaela softly.
"Yes, I believe that would be sufficient," Michaela accepted the terms. She turned back to Sully, knowing already by his body language that he would be in the search party. He held out his hand and Michaela took it eagerly, letting him pull her in to rest against his chest and encircle his arms around her. She sighed before inhaling deeply, the musky earthy scent of her husband filling her nostrils, making her feel safe and warm and loved after a stressful and eventful morning.
Sully guided her chin up towards his, his head lowering so he could kiss her softly on the lips. "You gonna be Ok with the girls?" lovingly he brushed a stray strand of hair from her eyes. "How about the baby?"
"The baby is with Grace, between Grace, Klara and myself we can figure something out." She glanced downwards at her breasts. "I should probably express some milk for her. I know it's not colostrum but Breast milk is certainly preferable in an infant so young to the prepared infant food." Michaela looped her arms around his back holding him tight to her. "I hope you find her."
"I hope so too," Sully whispered into her coppery hair. He kissed her once more and slowly let her go. "You gonna come Robert E?" Sully asked noting the tension in the blacksmith's shoulders.
"No," Robert E shook his head. "I was gonna stick around, keep an eye on Grace, you know how she gets around babies," he sighed wistfully. "I hope you find the mother, I really do."
She kept in pace with her friend, Robert E deep in thought as they strode from the church to the clinic where Grace was watching the children. Michaela was puzzled by Robert E reluctance to offer help with the search, the blacksmith usually one of the first to offer help in a crises. Before she got a chance to ask him the question as to what was concerning him, Robert E spoke.
"How dark is she?"
"Dark?" Michaela frowned not following what Robert E was asking.
"It's better if she's dark," Robert E whispered, his eyes trained on the floor, his eyes unblinking, "Won't get no trouble if she's dark. When they're a light mix, the kids would get it from both sides. White and the black. Ain't either see," he shrugged.
Michaela inclined her head in understanding. "She is lighter then Freddie was at birth," Michaela could not offer any more than that, as she was certain the baby's skin tone would change as she matured just as Caucasian infants eyes changed colour during the first few months of their lives.
"If she don't come back, the girl," Robert E muttered. "We're gonna have ta send her ta the orphanage in Denver, poor things gonna grow up there."
"Anne might come back," Michaela whispered hopefully, "or we might find someone to adopt her."
Robert E paused, and looked at her strangely. "Not us Dr Mike," he shook his head. "I feel for her I really do but me, Grace and Freddie got enough prejudice of our own to deal with. It's hard enough being coloured."
"The baby is coloured," Michaela pointed out.
"It ain't the same Dr Mike," Robert E swallowed. "It's hard to explain, but it ain't the same."
Michaela pressed her lips together, completely uncertain of what to say, there was many things that she did not understand about Robert E's time as a slave and although she had witnessed the prejudice and abuse the Grace and Robert E had suffered at the hand of some of the townsfolk, she had not had to experience what they had. Being a female doctor was difficult and she had faced closed doors and prejudice from the profession but her struggle was nothing compared to what her friends had faced as slaves. "Something will work out," she whispered eventually. She pushed open the door to the clinic, her examination room a different world as Katie, Esmee, and Freddie played loudly while Klara tried to referee with Violet on her hip. "Where's Grace?" Michaela asked.
Klara eyes flashed nervously over Robert E, "She's feeding the baby."
"Oh," Michaela smiled, realising that her friend had probably had the same idea as her and as Grace still nursed her son in the evenings, had gone to express some milk. "Well, we'll share the burden," her eyes flicked over Klara's worried face. Slowly she turned to look at Robert E, her friend angrier then she had ever seen. "Robert E?"
"Feed how?"
"I don't know, she just said, feed," Klara bit her lip. "She's upstairs in recovery room one."
Michaela frowned as Robert E strode forward, yanking the internal door open and stamping through it. She followed, raising her hand to keep Katie at bay as her little girl rushed to her see her. "Mama will see you in a little while sweetheart" Michaela called as she rushed for the stairs.
"Well what did you expect me to be doing!"
Michaela smiled slightly as she ran up the stairs, Grace's annoyed tone relieving her somewhat. Quickly she made her way into the room. Grace sat on the bed, with a milk filled dish on the cabinet, her finger in the newborn's mouth, the little girl sucking happily on her finger.
"Honestly Robert E you are mulish sometimes," Grace rolled her eyes and skilfully took a spoonful of milk and trickled it down her finger. "I wish I could nurse her, it would be a lot easier then this," she caught Michaela's eye. "No bottle, and Loren was at your council meeting so I had to make do, it would have been easier to run across the street." Grace smiled down at the baby, "Little one is lucky she came when she did, Freddie is almost weaned, I'm starting to dry up."
"We can take it in turns," Michaela walked forward trying not to look at a rapidly cooling, decidedly shamefaced, Robert E. "I always have more than Violet can take," she too smiled down at the baby. "I was going to suggest that we stay here tonight, in case Sully brings Anne back."
"I was gonna suggest that me and Robert E take the baby," Grace interjected, "she belongs with us Dr Mike, and you'll have your hands full with your own."
"If you are sure?" Michaela raised her eyebrows and looked towards Robert E who was scowling once more, evidently not pleased with his wife's single handled decision about their family.
"Yes Dr Mike," Grace eyeballed her husband. "I'm sure."
Sully lowered himself to the ground. "See ya later," he nodded to Hank as the bar owner tethered his horse against the side of the Phoenix. The search had been a failure, there was no sign of Anne anywhere. With ample possible avenues for the young woman to escape Sully knew that there was no way they could check them all and their window for finding her had slipped passed them. Anne did not want to be found. The August night was cooling, the town beginning to go to sleep. He was impressed by Hank, the bar owner keeping his bar closed, losing a day's pay to look for a girl he had no connection to but then the long haired bar keep seemed to be softening slightly, his approaching fatherhood making him seem to care more about the kids of the town. Sully's eyes were drawn to one of the recovery rooms, instantly knowing that would be the room his family were in.
"Hey Pa."
Brian's voice called Sully back and he forced himself not to enter the clinic. "Hey son."
"Didn't find her then?" Brian sighed sadly. "That's real sad," he looked across to his father and forced himself to smile. "Ma and the girls are upstairs. Miss Grace is watching the baby. I was gonna go home and take care of the animals."
"Do you want me to help you?" Sully asked slowly.
"If I thought that offer were genuine I'd say yes," Brian grinned. "But I know you'd rather be here with Ma and the little ones."
"You sure?" Sully asked, suddenly wondering if Brian was feeling sidelined again. Since the young man had taken over the gazette they were certainly seeing less of him at the homestead as he left early in the morning and got home late at night.
"Maybe we could go fishing or something," Brian's words echoed his father's concerns. "Just us boys."
"I'd like that," Sully smiled. Brian took a step forward but paused, almost like he wanted to hug Sully. Seeing the Brian's hesitance, Sully smiled. Tenderly Sully reached out and placed his palm against Brian's chest. "You be safe you hear."
"Sure thing Sully," Brian grinned, his teeth shining bright. "I'll see ya tomorrow."
"Come have breakfast with us," Sully ordered.
"Yes Pa," Brian gave a mock salute. "Give the girls an extra hug from me."
Sully watched as his son rode off before he retreated into the dark hallway of the clinic. Brian had grown so much in the last few months, he had become such a kind, caring, intelligent young man, hardworking too and above all Brian was happy doing what he was doing which was all Sully really cared about. A shadow fell across the stairs and he looked up. He grinned. "Hey Twink," he greeted Katie as she stood with her hands on her hips.
"Papa," Katie's beaming smile at odds with her angry looking stance. "You not finded her, the lady?"
"Nope," Sully shook his head.
"And you missed supurrrrr," Katie sighed dramatically.
"You didn't save me any?" Sully ran up the last few steps, scooping her into his arms. "Are you telling me that you, Katherine Elizabeth Sully, ate all the dinner up?"
Katie giggled and playfully struck his chest, "No Papa, Mama save you some and we got peas pie for afters."
"Peas pie?" Sully looked at his daughter uncertain. "You mean little green peas, as a pudding."
"No Papa," Katie giggled. "Peas, orangey yellow," she made a semi circle shape with her fingers.
"You mean peach?"
"Dats what I said," Katie looked at him strangely; she rolled her eyes and then fixed him with a nervous look. "Papa you think Mama'll be upset you not finded the lady?"
"I don't know," Sully told his daughter honestly. He pushed open the door, smiling as he took in Michaela rocking Esmee to sleep, Violet already asleep in the crib in the corner. "Hi," Sully greeted his wife softly.
"Hi," Michaela whispered back. "Esmee's almost asleep."
"I can see," Sully crept into the room. Quickly he sat on the bed, pulling Katie to rest on his knee, smiling as her hand came to play with his red and white beads. "How are you?"
"I'm fine," Michaela told him, she ceased her rocking and leant her head against his shoulder. "You didn't find her then?"
"No," Sully gave a defeated sigh. "We couldn't find any trace of her. I guess she didn't want to be found."
"I don't understand it," Michaela whispered, her hand rising from Esmee's back to stroke Katie's long blonde hair.
"About why she left?" Sully asked her softly.
Michaela nodded, "I understand the reasoning behind it, the fact that she is Caucasian and the baby isn't but I don't understand how she could actually physically leave. I could never leave our children."
Sully kissed Katie's hair. "I know, but it's different for us."
"I know it is." Michaela smiled as she watched Katie's eyes droop. "I don't need an answer either I know there isn't one you or I could offer," she paused. "I love you and our family."
"Ditto," Sully smiled and twisted his head so that he could kiss her, "with all my heart."
"All mine too." Katie mumbled trying to stay awake.
"Yes all yours," Michaela leaned in and kissed the little girl tenderly, "sweet dreams sweetheart," she smiled as she realised that their daughter was asleep. "Let's put them down," she whispered to Sully. Expertly they laid the children down on the bed and placed pillows either side of them to stop them rolling out of the bed.
Sully stepped in behind her, pulling Michaela's form into his. "Ya know that bed is big enough for us as well. We can be the pillows," he pressed his lips into her temple.
"Keeping our babies safe," Michaela finished for him a small smile on her lips, Sully's magic touch making her feel calm after a stressful day's work.
The baby's cry was piercing and he groaned as he felt his wife leave the bed for the third time that night. Robert E had forgotten how demanding newborns were especially as Freddie had been sleeping the whole night through for over a year. He pushed himself out of the bed and made his way to the other bedroom, he knew he at least had to make the effort to stop Grace becoming attached to the baby else she would get hurt like she had before. He paused in the doorway, watching Grace as she expressed milk for the hungry baby girl in the crib.
"You just gonna stand there and watch?" Grace called to him.
Robert E dipped his head once, a half nod. "Grace you know we can't keep the baby."
Grace looked up at him with a slight frown. "Why not? You and I both said you wished we could have more children. You even said maybe we could adopt one," she glanced over at the baby. "Why not her?"
"She ain't..." Robert E frowned. "You know why?"
"You ain't a slave now Robert E, you don't live on a plantation where it is them against us and children like her in the middle." She rose from the chair. "Look at her Robert E, she's all alone."
Robert E looked up at her his face pained, the words he had used to convince her to take in Anthony four and a half years ago hitting him with force. Grace tenderly placed her hand on his shoulder, "Robert E, she's coloured no way around that and you and I know both know that no white couple will want her. She'll grow up in an orphanage where she'll be second class. I don't want that, I don't think you do either."
"No," Robert E whispered.
Grace gently guided him to stand over the crib; the baby's cries a plaintive mewling now, whimpering cries begging for food. "We were blessed with Freddie; we both know that, a gift from God that we can never have again. Perhaps she is a gift from God too, the baby girl we wanted but never thought we could have."
"I don't want you to get hurt again," Robert E whispered. "You were so upset when they took the Cheyenne baby from you."
"I was," Grace agreed. "I loved him and ya right it really hurt but he didn't belong with us. Anthony did and so does this little one," Grace paused to let her words sink in. "Pick her up."
"What?" Robert E looked at her terrified.
"Pick her up," Grace gently coached her husband. "She needs to know who ya are, needs to feel ya touch."
"But what if the girl or the father comes to get her, I don't think I can lose another child," Robert E's face crumpled. "I ain't just lost Anthony."
"I know," Grace touched his face lightly, "but they won't, that girl came here because she couldn't be a Ma to this little girl, she knew she couldn't keep her. Pick her up Robert E, she won't bite."
Slowly Robert E bent down to lift the newborn from the crib; he frowned as he lifted her up as he had forgotten how squirmy and head heavy a newborn was. He smiled as he settled the baby properly into his arms, the little girl feeling so right, so natural to be placed there. Grace was right, he glanced at his wife and held the baby out. "She's hungry."
Expertly Grace took the baby from him and moved back to the chair. Once she had sat down she looked up at him and held out the spoon inviting him to be a part of the task at hand. "You wanna pour?"
Michaela smiled as she checked the baby over, the little girl thriving already. "All fine," Michaela smiled at Grace. "She's fine."
"That's good," Grace smiled. "Dr Mike what would you say if me and Robert E were to adopt her?"
"I would say she is a very lucky little girl," Michaela handed Grace the baby back. "Are you certain Robert E wants that?"
"We talked it out last night, it's for the best, she'd just be left in an orphanage," Grace sighed, before looking down at the squirming newborn, her face lighting up with the maternal love she was so famous for.
"Yes," Michaela nodded sadly, "but have you thought what might happen if Anne were to come back?"
"Yes," Grace frowned, "and I was wondering if there was maybe something the council could do, make a motion like when you took that girl away from her uncle for abusing her. Some kind of thing that means what we are doing is right and legal or at least official, something that means we have back up in case either of the parents come back in the future."
"I understand," Michaela spoke softly. "I'll speak with Jake, we'll arrange something. You'll get to keep her I'm sure of it."
Jake looked at the couple nervously. "You sure you want to do this?" he stared down at the blank piece of paper in front of him.
"We're sure Jake," Robert E asserted. "We want to do this."
"Alright," Jake rubbed his forehead nervously. "What do I write?" he looked at the three other council members in the room for help. The three men looked blankly at him. "Well?
"Maybe we should wait for Dr Mike," Loren muttered glancing out the window of the barber shop. "She said she'd be over as soon as she finished with Danny Bailey."
"Danny Bailey is the biggest hydrophobiac there is, she'll be ages," Jake griped.
"What's a hydrophobiac?" Hank asked with a smirk as he chewed on his cigar.
Jake gave Hank a withering look. "Ya know someone who thinks their sick when they ain't."
"Hypochondriac," Loren hissed.
"That's what I said," Jake scowled. "So seriously what do I write?"
"Dr Mike's coming," Loren called out with a sigh of relief. "Hey Dr Mike," Loren greeted the only female council member as she rushed into the shop. "Hey Katie girl, how are you?"
"I good," Katie gave him a beaming smile. "I want to see the baby" she moved two steps in Grace's direction and then frowned. she turned back to Loren. "I sorry I bein wude. How you?"
"I'm good," Loren chuckled. "Maybe we can ask ya Ma to come over to the store once we're finished, reckon I might have something you'd like."
"Cake?" Katie asked hopefully.
"No, guess again," Loren ruffled her hair.
Katie chewed on her lip as she thought. "Candy?" she grinned as Loren gave her affirmative nod. "Mama said we goin to da store anys ways," Katie grinned wider. "We havin a picnic with Papa."
"That'll be fun," Hank muttered his voice tinged with sarcasm.
"Yup," Katie told him, Hank's tone lost on her. She stared at Hank thoughtfully, "Misser Lawson ya cigaaas broken, dere's no smoke comin out of it."
"Ain't lit," Hank told her with a smirk.
"So's why's you eatin it?" Katie looked at him thoughtfully for a moment longer, she flapped her hands, bored with her observation and trotted over to Grace. "How's da baby?"
"She's good," Grace tilted the baby to show her.
"Katie," Michaela moved after her little one.
"Oh yeah fisal stuff," Katie put her hand over her mouth indicating to Michaela she would be quiet.
"Right then," Jake pulled the room to order. "Dr Mike we were wondering what to write and thought you might have an idea of the best way to word this to make it sound official."
"Yes," Michaela smiled. "I've been contemplating this the entire morning since Grace first approached me. May I?" she held her hand out for the pen.
"Oh absolutely," Jake handed her the pen and paper trying to hide his relief but failing miserably.
"Thank you," Michaela smiled and began to write, speaking as she wrote to let the others here what she was putting on the page. "We the undersigned Council members of Colorado Springs, do this day Wednesday 12th August 1875 grant a 30 day grace period to the parents of a female infant born Tuesday 11th August 1875 at the Colorado Springs medical clinic in which they may return and resume their parental duties. The afore mentioned infant shall be fostered by Council member Robert E and his wife Grace until the 11th September 1875, on this day the biological parents shall lose all rights to the child and the infant will be eligible for adoption." Michaela glanced over her words. "I think that covers it."
"Sounds good to me," Loren agreed. "We should get Brian to post it in the gazette."
"I agree," Michaela nodded, she glanced at Grace who was watching her nervously. "It's a formality Grace I think we are all in agreement that it is highly unlikely that either of the baby's parents will return for her."
"I'll sign to that," Hank rose from his perch in the barber chair to make his mark. "That kids is as good as yours."
He grinned as he watched Michaela and the girls make their way across the meadow, Katie helping Esmee as the toddler toddled along unsteady on the uneven ground. He placed his saw onto the workbench and rubbed his hands against the seat of his buckskins to remove the dust from his palms. Lifting his white shirt from where he had hung it, he moved towards his family.
"PAPA!" Katie called gleefully.
"Pa Pa," Esmee called, copying her sister, she tried to run to get to him sooner but her feet got tangled up in each other and she went sprawling into the grass.
Sully hastened his pace as he watched Michaela stiffen and Esmee freeze unsure if she was hurt or not. "Hey Twink, hey Na'he," Sully quickly scooped up the toddler bouncing her and averting a mini crises. "Hey," he smiled at his wife, his smile widening as he watched her eyes travel up and down his bare torso. "Hey Bean," he reached his hand to shake Violet's hand, their youngest daughter smiling at him. "What have we got here?" he nodded down at the picnic basket.
"Oh," Michaela shook her head bringing her focus back into the task at hand and away from her husband's bare chest. "We brought a picnic so that we may have lunch together."
"Sounds good," Sully smiled and leaned in to give her a soft kiss. "I reckon I can take a break."
"Excellent," Michaela beamed at him.
"Here let me," Sully quickly took the basket from her before she could protest. "So what we got in here Twink?"
Katie skipped alongside him as he guided them to a shady spot for them to eat in. "We got some cheese and biskits and appawl and some cake and Misser Bray gived me some taffy coz he said you liked it," she smiled happily. "He gave me gum drops," Katie stopped abruptly. "This a good spot Papa?"
"Reckon your right, what do you think Mama?" Sully asked her, knowing her fear about the babies getting too hot in the sun.
"Perfect!"
"Good spot Twink!" Sully praised his four year old. Settling Esmee on the grass beside her sister he quickly unfurled the blanket and made the little area comfortable for his family. "Think we're ready to eat." He told the little girls.
"Yay!" Katie cheered. "Papa why no shirt?"
"I got hot working in the heat," Sully told her as he started to get out the food that Michaela had brought.
"You do look rather," Michaela cleared her throat and looked away slightly embarrassed that she was ogling her husband so openly in public, "warm. You must make sure you don't get burnt," her tone changed to her Doctor voice. "It will be most uncomfortable to sleep if you get burnt."
"I'm never uncomfortable when I'm with you," Sully whispered to her, his face transformed by his cheeky smile.
"Goodness it is warm," Michaela fanned herself hoping to disguise her blush.
Seeing the affect he was having on his wife Sully changed the subject. "How did it go?"
"Oh we drew up a paper giving the biological parents 30 days in which to claim the baby, after that Robert E and Grace will be free to adopt the baby," Michaela smiled. "They are so excited."
"They're good parents," Sully mused. "Good people, they deserve things to go right for them. And I'm sure Freddie will love having someone to play with."
"Grace will certainly love having another one around," Michaela sighed happily. "She's a wonderful mother."
"Second best I know," Sully grinned and leaned in for a kiss.
"I gree," Katie chimed in.
"Ya do?" Sully pulled her onto his lap. "Who's tops then?" he laughed at Katie's incredulous expression.
"Mama," Katie told him shaking her head. "Papa you are silly some times. Mama best Mama in da World!" she shuffled along the blanket and flopped onto Michaela to hug her, "best Mama ever."
Robert E slipped inside the nursery and smiled, his wife looked so at peace sat between the two cots, both the babies sleeping peacefully within the bars. He walked in slowly, quietly, although he knew there was nothing that could wake his son up except the little boy himself, he had yet to find the new baby's tolerance level.
"What ya reading?" he asked quietly as he approached Grace.
"Sadie lent me the baby name book," Grace lowered the book to her lap. "I have a suggestion," she held the book out to him.
"Which one?" Robert E asked scanning his eyes over the page.
"The fifth one down," Grace told him, watching his face for a reaction.
"Eudora!" Robert E spoke the name with surprise. "Why Eudora?"
"Read what it means," Grace prompted, she rose from the chair and moved to stand over the new baby's crib.
"Good gift," Robert E read the meaning. "That's why you want it?"
"It's what she is, the greatest gift of all," Grace moved to him and tenderly took his hand. "Robert E what was your daughter called?" she tightened her grip on his hand, squeezing it reassuringly as he flinched. "Freddie has Anthony's name as his middle name, I would like Eudora to remember her sister."
Robert E stared at her, finally breaking the eye contact when he could hold her stare no longer, his eyes screaming out for moisture. "Amara, her name was Amara."
"Amara," Grace repeated. "Eudora Amara, I think that sounds real lovely."
Robert E smiled softly, "It does, and it's fitting to, she'll kind of have your name as well."
"She will?" Grace guided them back to stand over the crib.
"Yeah," Robert E rested his hand on the side of the crib, his eyes focused on the little girl in it, his new baby girl. He smiled and slipped his other hand around Grace's, squeezing it tenderly "Amara means grace."