"Mama! Mama!" Katie exclaimed as Michaela walked in the front door one afternoon. She laughed.
"Hi Katie." She picked her up. "How was school?"
"Good." Katie smiled. "I like being in Mrs. Morales class."
"I'm glad. Do you need help with your homework?" Katie shook her head.
"I got it done."
"Do you want to go on a picnic with me? Jut us?" Katie's eyes lit up.
"Just me and you Mama?" Michaela nodded. "I wanna go."
"We'll tell your Papi and I'll pack a lunch." Katie sat on the stairs. After a moment or two Michaela walked over and sat with her daughter. "What's wrong Katie?" She rested against her mother.
"I miss Brian." Katie sighed. "Will he ever come back?"
"He'll visit. So will Colleen and Andrew." Katie looked at Michaela.
"Can we go see Matthew?"
"You wanna go see Matthew? I'm sure we can arrange that. Maybe he'll let you stay with him tonight." Sully said walking into the room.
"Really?" Katie asked excitedly.
"Your brother misses Colleen and Brian like you do. They are all the way across the country." Katie sighed. "We'll go see Matthew after supper." Katie smiled. Then she looked over at Michaela. "What about our picnic mama?"
"We'll go another day sweetie." Katie walked up the stairs and Sully walked over to Michaela. "Hi Sully." She said not turning to look at him.
"I thought spending the evening alone would be nice Michaela. We haven't had a chance to talk since we got back from Boston."
"We don't have to talk."
"Your mother died. Colleen and Brian live all the way across the country and you have nothing to talk about?" Michaela walked away from him without looking at him.
"I'd prefer not to talk about it." She whispered.
"But Michaela." Sully pressed her. She turned to look at him. Her eyes were filled with tears.
"Sully, things are too new. We buried mother and I need time to cry alone. My sisters are all in Boston. I can't be with them."
"Did you want to stay in Boston?"
"It's not about that." She turned away from him. "I just need some time to adjust. My children are gone, but so is my mother. We didn't always get along, but I'll miss my mother." Sully nodded. He walked over and wrapped his arms around her, but she shrugged him off. It was hard to see his wife hurting, but there wasn't anything he could do to help her. She'd have to work it out and ask for him when she needs him.
"Sure Pa. I can watch Katie." Matthew said hugging Katie as she giggled.
"Thank you. I don't know what to do about Michaela." Matthew looked up at him.
"Do you remember what happened at Washita?" Matthew questioned.
"Of course I do."
"I asked you if you were going to take care of Ma when she cried and sobbed in the barn. You told me that she had to be alone; she needed to grieve." Sully nodded. "This is her Ma, Sully. She needs that now more than ever. She's losing the only family, and connection she had to Boston, left. It has to be hard. Yes, she created a new life by moving here to Colorado Springs, but her Ma dying signaled the true beginning of her life after Boston.
A/N: Short chapter and corny ending I know. Chapter 2 coming soon.
