***********
There was a signboard on the door: "Dr. Harold Cheaseholm, M.D."
Hank watched through the window to the nurse, who was sitting at the bureau. He noticed the small heat of keys in a wooden box.
Soon, she stood up and walked somewhere. A few seconds after the next one came and took her place. She was young but not good-looking.
The flower-woman, walking across the street, appeared at the right time. Hank bought a small nosegay and entered the clinic.
"Excuse me, lady, " he said, wearing on his face "The Best Seductive Smile Of Hank Lawson", "I'm looking for my nephew…He came to visit his father, and I promised his Ma I'd take him home… He's about 14…."
"I don't know," she answered, "Perhaps, Marie…she was there before me…"
While she asked Marie, Hank had enough time to find Michaela's name in the list. Within a second, the key from her room was already in his pocket…
"She didn't notice him," the nurse said.
"Such a nasty guy!" Hank exclaimed, "I think he's strolling somewhere instead of being here…But I promised his Ma…What if I try to look for him, however?"
The girl hesitated, and Hank gifted her again with one of his smiles:
"I almost forgot…this is for you…" he gave her the nosegay.
She reddened: "For me?"
"Sure…I've noticed you through the window. You know, you're the prettiest girl here….What is your name?"
"Loreena…" she answered, lowering her eyes.
"Such a beautiful name! As beautiful as you are…"
From round the corner of the corridor he turned back. Loreena still admired her nosegay, and he unlocked Michaela's room door…
Michaela was standing near the window. She didn't move when Hank entered the room.
He touched her shoulder: "Michaela…"
She turned to him with a start: "Hank! What are you doin' here? Something wrong with Matthew or Brian?"
"No, I need to talk with you about Sully."
She tears flowed from her eyes: "Please… I can't….please….they buried him without me…"
"Don't cry, Michaela…You were right…"
Her brows raised: "What…What do you mean?!! Tell me!!!" she raised her voice…
"Hush, Michaela, you don't want me to be taken away, do you? Sully's alive, and he's here, in Boston….He was going to take you from here, talk with this doctor…but there's a problem…"
"What's wrong with him?" Michaela asked worriedly.
"He has a headache and fever…When he was goin' here, he just collapsed. Zach is with him…I think he needs your help." Hank answered, "Are you ready to run away from here?"
"Sure, I am!"
"So, wear this," he gave her the pack. "You'll be my nephew."
"Sure," she said, "Turn away."
"I was going to talk with this Doc myself," Hank told her, but I doubt that he would even listen to me…Anyway, we'd spend a lot of time…."
"You're right," Michaela answered, "I'll settle this later…Now I need to help Sully, as soon as I can…Done, I'm ready."
Hank observed her: "Fine.. You already had such an experience, remember? You were there…"
"Bill Cooper," Michaela said…
"Sure, I've found him! Thank you," Hank smiled to Loreena, "Billy, go outside and wait …Don't even think about running away from me!"
He flirted with Loreena some minutes more. He had enough time to place the key back into the box.
Than Hank tipped his hat and walked away…Wisely, he introduced himself as Mr. Horace Bing…
Michaela was definitely happy. Sully's condition was still serious, of course. But HE WAS ALIVE! She was able to give him some medicine for the pain and fever, or some Cheyenne herbal tea…She could place a cool compress around his hot forehead, and caress his hand, and whisper endearing words into his ear…She could hear his heartbeat and feel the pulse on his wrist. It was a miracle, but he was alive, and the rest was up to her…
"Did he awaken?" she asked Zach.
"Yes. But he had an awful headache, so I gave him some medicine from your bag…I took it from the clinic just in case, sorry, I opened it without your permission…"
"Don't worry…but what medicine did you give him?"
"This one," Zach showed her a small pack
"The Willow Bark Tea", Michaela read, "Reduces fever and pain. Brew the contents of the pack with one pitcher of boiling water. Take a cup every 3-4 hours. You did right, Zach! Hank, you can be proud of your son."
"Sure, I am!" Hank unexpectedly said. "He 's a bright fella.."
Zach looked at him in wide-eyed astonishment – for the last few days he was more and more surprised with his father's strange and unusual behavior. But he still didn't dare to think that Sully was right, and Hank really did love him.
Michaela opened her bag again: "Zach, did you see my stethoscope somewhere in the clinic?"
"Yes, it was lying on the table. But I don't know exactly how to use it, and didn't take it…"
Michaela hesitated: "I need it, it's necessary...My father's stethoscope is at my mother's home…but I can't be seen there, Dr. Cheaseholm has already informed her I got out of his clinic…"
"So I need to run risks," Hank offered, "I hope your mother is a strong woman…"
"Thank you, Hank!" Michaela exclaimed. Just a few days ago she couldn't even imagine that Hank would help her and Sully so much…and that she would owe him Sully's life.
Sully saw Michaela in this prison cell again and still couldn't reach her…But as he opened his eyes, he saw the real Michaela, leaning toward him and smiling He reached up his hand: "Michaela.. Is it really you? You were ..somewhere …like in a jail." he still felt disoriented
"It's me, and I'm here," she gently stroked his hair, then touched his forehead: "Your fever is gone now, thanks to Zach. He gave you willow bark tea…How are you feeling?"
"Better," he answered, "Now that you're here."
Michaela unbuttoned his shirt. His wound looked bad, and she cleaned it and then stitched it again.
"Well," she said, as she finished this painful procedure, "now I'll give you more tea and this," she poured something from a small bottle.
"What is it?" Sully asked
"Just something to ease your pain and help you to rest."
Suddenly she noticed fear in his eyes: "I can't…I must stay awake."
"Why?" she wondered, "You need plenty of rest in your condition."
"I don't want it to happen again." he finally confessed
Michaela tenderly kissed him: "Don't worry. Your pupils are normal, and if you even had a concussion, it's almost passed. So don't even think about it. I won't let it happen again."
Sully nodded. He still looked frightened, but he was so exhausted from the pain, that now, when it eased somewhat, he couldn't help closing his eyes…Within a few minutes, he drifted off to sleep.
Michaela carefully put his bandaged hand on her lap, and removed the bloodstained bandage…He moaned a little in his sleep, but didn't open his eyes.
She was terrified, seeing his hands, scratched all over, and shivered, as she imagined such incredible efforts he made to escape from the grave…What if nobody had heard him?
"I can't think about this anymore !" she told herself angrily, "or I'd really lose my mind. Sully is here, with me, and I need to help him – that's what I must think about!" "Could I see Mrs. Quinn?" Hank asked the butler, "Please…" he added then.
"Yes, sir," Harrison said, opening the door.
Mrs. Quinn looked very nervous, she tried to hide it, however. Certainly, she was already informed about Michaela's disappearance "Good morning, Hank," she told him with a question in her eyes…
"Michaela asked me…" he began, and her polite smile immediately faded "Where is she?!" Mrs. Quinn asked, "Where is Michaela?!!"
"She sent me here…" Hank said
"I hope you're aware that she needs to be returned back to the clinic. .that would be better for her."
"Mrs. Quinn, she's not insane…I'll explain it to you later…she asked me to bring her stethoscope and something else, here's the list…"
"You must explain it all to me right now, not "later", " she said firmly. "I have the right to know where my daughter is, haven't I?"
"Sure, you have…but I'm afraid it's gonna be hard to believe…"
She pointed to the chair: "Sit down and tell me!"
"Well…" Hank took a deep breath, "Michaela was right, and Sully is alive…He arrived here, in Boston, to take her back home, but he's very sick, and needs Michaela's treatment…"
"Wait a minute.." she shook her head, "when I was in Colorado Springs, all the townsfolk told me, he's dead, and were going to bury him…"
"We buried him," Hank said, "but he got out of there…"
"From where?!" she asked with horror in her eyes
"From the grave," Hank said, "I'll be damned if I understand what had happened – but he revived somehow…I know, it sounds crazy, but that's truth…Michaela needs a stethoscope, and sent me here…"
Mrs. Quinn stood up: "Well.. I'll go with you. Harrison, please bring Josef's stethoscope and ask Fiona to prepare the items from this list…and take my shawl as well…"
"But Mrs. Quinn," Hank tried to object, "It's not a very nice place…"
"I don't care," she said firmly, "I'm not afraid of it, especially after I've visited ' a cave' few years ago…."
"How is he?" Hank said, entering the room
"Better. His fever is gone, and he's resting now…Did you get the stethoscope?"
"Yes, and all the items you asked for…Even more – your mother is here…"
The next moment, Mrs. Quinn appeared: "Morning, Michaela," she said, "you know, my dear, your husband surprises me every time I go visit you…I'm glad that he's alive…of course, I am…but could you explain to me, after all, what's the matter? What happened to him? Why didn't you explain this when we were in Colorado Springs?"
"I tried," Michaela reminded her, "but neither you, nor Dr. Cheaseholm would listen to me…There was a medical journal in my clinic, Andrew sent me from London a few months before, with an article about lethargy."
"About what?"
"Lethargic slumber," Michaela explained, "the brain structure still has not been studied much, and we don't know exactly what caused this, perhaps a severe concussion, or skull trauma…The slumber is so deep, that the heartbeat, pulse and breath become very slow, and sometimes it's impossible to hear it, even with a stethoscope…Anyway, some of the patients awaken without any consequences a few days, or even weeks later…It's a very uncommon occurrence though…I was going to show this article to Dr. Cheaseholm, but he …that was an dishonorable act …"
"I'm sorry, Michaela," Mrs. Quinn said, "I'm so sorry…I was worried about you and Katie…."
Michaela took a deep breath…She didn't want to blame her mother more…Sully was alive – this was the most important thing now… "I know," she said aloud, "How is Katie?"
"She's fine," Mrs. Quinn smiled, "she just misses you and Sully. We all tried to draw her away from this subject…. there are so many new things for her here in Boston…"
"I miss her too.. very much. Can't wait to see her!"
Mrs. Quinn observed the room with great disgust: "Oh, my God! So much dirt, and this smell of burning fat from the kitchen…and I've seen …some insects here on the wall.."
"The bed-bugs?" Hank asked, "Yes! This is not the Grand Hotel…My purse still is lying on the table in Colorado Springs, so we could let ourselves even the apartments like this…"
"We'll find a better place, as soon as Sully gets stronger…" Michaela promised.
"What are you talking about?!" Mrs. Quinn was outraged, "Sully is my son-in-law, so he must be moved from this slum to my apartments as soon as possible…"
She smiled at Hank : "You're invited as well…Thank you for all your help….Who is this handsome young gentleman who opened the door for us?"
"This is my son, Zach," Hank said proudly
"Never knew you had a son!" Mrs. Quinn wondered
"I wasn't aware of it for a very long time," Hank muttered…
"We'll move tomorrow, thank you," Michaela said. "And I need to give my apologies to Dr. Cheaseholm."
"Don't worry," Mrs. Quinn answered, "I'll settle this…I'm going to visit him right now, the carriage is waiting…"
When she left the room, Hank followed her: "Excuse me, Mrs. Quinn," he said, "this Doctor …do you know him well?"
"Sure…he was Josef's student…"
"Well..I have a little request…there was a nurse, Loreena…could you tell him not to fire her, it was not her fault, just mine."
Mrs. Quinn looked at him attentively: "I'll tell him," she said finally…
"May I come in?" Mrs. Quinn knocked on the door Several days passed since Michaela and the others moved to her apartments…
"Sure ," Sully answered from inside,
"Good evening, Sully," Mrs. Quinn entered the room, "How are you feeling?"
"Much better…I'm sorry for troubling you."
"No need to apologize," she said, "however I could hardly say that it could happen to anyone… Where is Michaela?"
"She decided to go for a walk with Katie…"
Mrs. Quinn closed the door more tightly: "Just want to tell you something….You know, I was never one to flatter...We – you and me – are quite different, and sometimes we don't understand each other…At first I was disturbed that Michaela was going to marry a man outside of her circle….I've thought, that's just her stubbornness, that she wants to prove something…to marry to spite me, because I was against her decision to go West…"
She smiled and added: "I was wrong…Michaela is lucky…I think she's the luckiest of all my daughters…I've never seen them as happy as she is. Thank you..."
"That's 'me', who is the lucky one," Sully answered, "I've wanted to say this to you for a long time…Thank you for Michaela."
She put her hand on his shoulder: "I'm glad I finally told you this…Good night, Sully…" Before he could answer, she stood up and left…
"Soon, he heard the small steps, and Katie rushed into the room. She jumped on Sully's bed and put her hands around his neck:
"Pa, we were at the park! I rode the pony and fed the swans! I want you to go with us, as soon you're better…"
"Katie, be careful!" Michaela stopped her, "Don't jump there, you could hurt your Pa .Get down from there, and now!"
"Let her stay," Sully asked, "she'll be careful."
"Excellent!" Michaela said sarcastically, "when I tell her "no", you immediately say "yes". Such a good method of pedagogic…What are you smiling at?"
"I think I'm already all right if you're starting to argue with me,"
"Yes," Michaela said, smiling also.
Katie decided to turn their attention to herself, and reported: "Zach drew my portrait!" she showed them a sheet of paper,
rolled in a tube. Grandma said, 'that's great!' She bought him a set of paints and asked him to paint a portrait of Aunt Marjorie, from a picture…He told me 'don't move' while he was drawing me!"
"She sat still whole thirty minutes, or even more…" Michaela said, "I couldn't believe it!"
"That's a real feat for her," Sully noticed, smiling.
"Mr. Lawson taught me to ride a pony, and called me "Miss Sully"!" Katie added. "He's much better than he was at home…"
"Sure, he is," Michaela agreed, "I've never could imagine that Hank would behave as "a gentleman". He was so polite, so…" "Just stop praising him," Sully laughed, "or I'll start to get jealous…."
"You don't need to…" Michaela said, "You're the special one…" Her smile suddenly faded:
"Michaela, what's wrong?" Sully asked
"Nothing," she squeezed his hand, "Just…no, nothing."
"I'm here, Michaela." he soothed her "…I'm here, with you, don't worry…"
She tried to smile again, stealthily wiping her eyes.
"Katie," she said, "It's your bedtime… Tell your Pa goodnight, and let's go!"
Katie climbed onto Sully's bed again: "Poppy, I want you to tell me a story before I go to sleep…"
"I'll tell you one," Michaela offered, "Your Pa still needs some rest…"
"What about tomorrow?" Sully asked, looking at Katie's disappointed face.
"Sure!" she kissed his cheek, "Goodnight, Pa!"
"I'll be back very soon," Michaela promised, leaving with Katie. "I'll wait," Sully answered.
A few minutes after they left somebody else knocked on the door. This time it was Hank.
"I don't want to disturb you," he began
"No, you're not." Sully said, "come in…"
"Michaela told me you're better…" "Yes I think I'm already all right…Thank you for taking Katie to the park…"
"You're welcome…"
They paused. Hank lit up his cigar, then blew it out…
"Sully," he finally said, "I was going to tell you…thank you for Zach…I owe you his life…"
"You would do the same for Brian, I'm sure," Sully answered…
"I was thinking that he was safe and satisfied there in that boarding school – and that's all I needed to do for him." Hank continued, "I didn't want to see him, because he reminded me of his mother…I was going to propose to her, but at the last moment I didn't find the courage to change my life…and I stepped back." He grinned bitterly, "I'm a coward, Sully. Just a damned coward…"
"You're not," Sully objected, "You have enough courage to change your relationship with Zach…"
Sully felt puzzled a little. Truly said, he didn't anticipate such a confession from Hank Lawson, who had confronted him many times before.
"When I saw this man, aiming his rifle at Zach's back…damn, he was going to kill my son…Clarice's son. After this I thought, that I don't care about what all those fellas would say…I don't want to be a coward anymore."
"You'll be a good father for Zach," Sully said, "He loves you, I know."
"He's the only person who really loves me…I believe Clarice would be glad to see us together…"
"Sure, she would," Sully agreed.
Hank suddenly stopped, looking at Sully suspiciously: "Just tell me why I'm turning out my soul to you here? Perhaps, it's some kind of Injun magic?"
"No, you just needed someone to listen to you…and I'm the only one here, instead of your friends Jake and Loren…"
"Loren!" Hank said sarcastically, "I might as well publish this in the GAZETTE…you, at least, can keep a secret…"
He paused again, then finally muttered: "Well…one more thing…You know, I was wrong, when I wanted to get money for your head…Those damned…those Indians almost wrecked my hotel, so I was mad at you…I thought, that it was "you", who gave them the dynamite….anyway, I was wrong…" He turned off and left,
Michaela returned ten minutes later. "So strange," she wondered, "Do I smell tobacco in here?"
"Hank was here, we were chatting a little…"
"He's changed so much," Michaela said, "If someone had told me, I never would have believed it…Did you do this?"
"No, it was him…I've told you before, that he's different from what we tried to picture him…"
"I'm so happy for Zach!"
"So am I…Is Katie asleep?"
"Yes, I told you a story about my childhood"
"Do you know what I'm thinking about?" she sat down and began to brush her hair.
"What?"
"About this room…This was my room, when I was a girl…my books are still here on the shelf…My father gave me a lot of books. When I was 12, I liked Charles Dickens' stories, and collected all his books…except one…I gave it away…It sounds like a Christmas tale – but it's the truth."
"I trust you," Sully said with a smile… "Who was this lucky guy?"
"I gave it to some street kid as a keepsake…well…it was a kind of very short romance, I think…."
Sully sat up with a start, his face turned white
"Are you all right?!" Michaela looked at him with great concern, "Is it your headache again?"
"Michaela, please…go on!" He begged "Go on!"
"My father took me to visit his friend in his clinic," Michaela said, a little perplexed, "and he asked me to wait there for him…But he had forgotten about me, and I decided to go for a walk by myself…I put the book in my handbag, and left…Suddenly some rascal stole my bag…I was frightened, and ran away from him…and lost my way…I was furious and frightened, and upset…I didn't notice the carriage rushing towards me. But another street kid saved my life…He helped me to take back my bag, and then showed me the way…. Sully, are you sure you're okay?"
"It was 'The life of David Copperfield,'" Sully said with a strange intonation,
"Yes, " Michaela said, her eyes wide with wonderment, "but how do you…"
"You were dressed in green," he continued "…green dress and brown mantle…."
Michaela turned white also: "How did you know…Oh, my God!" She finally guessed "I was in New York with my father…you told me that you were raised there…But Sully, this is…this is incredible!!!!"
"I kept this book as long as I could," Sully said, "it disappeared when I was sent to the orphanage…I remembered you all this time, and was sorry for not asking your name."
"So was I…When I visited New York the next time, I was going to find you and introduce you to my father…but I couldn't …Sully, New York is a big city…very big…how could it happen that it was you I met there?!?"
"It was fate," Sully said, "I didn't recognize you, when I saw you for the first time in Colorado Springs…But I should have guessed – the young Bostonian lady who enjoyed the company of street kids, could move West by herself…"
She sat on the edge of the bed: "Can't even imagine – what if we'd never met?"
Sully sat up closer to her, embracing her: "It was fate, I told you…We would have met anyway…."
He pulled her closer, and they kissed…
"When are you going to let me out?" Sully asked her between the kisses, "I feel fine…"
"Yes," Michaela answered, "I feel you're much better……I'll think about tomorrow…"
"Sounds good," he said, "we can walk to the park with Katie, and then buy tickets back home…"
"No," she objected, "I don't think you're up to the trip home now…Next week, I think…But, anyway, this discussion can wait until tomorrow."
"Sure," he covered her lips with his, "we have more important matters to discuss now, don't we?"
Next week they finally were going back home. A few more times Michaela suddenly felt a wave of fear, and she approached Sully, touched and kissed him, as if she needed to be sure that he wasn't going anywhere. Several more times Sully woke up from the nightmares, where he was buried alive again, and the gentle and loving hands and lips of Michaela comforted him…They both knew that their fears would pass with time…
"What about visiting Colleen in Philadelphia before going to Colorado Springs?" Michaela offered, "We can take Brian, and return all together…"
"That's a good idea," Sully agreed, "I hope Horace didn't send her a telegram about…about all this."
"He didn't. He doesn't know her new address…Well, we need to buy tickets for tomorrow morning," Michaela said.
Suddenly somebody knocked on the door. It was Hank and Zach, both dressed in their travel suits.
"Just wanted to say goodbye, We're leaving this evening…"
"Oh," Michaela said, "I think all the townsfolk are shocked in Colorado Springs…Please tell them I'll be back very soon"
"They're all right," Hank objected, " Zach and me, we filled in the grave…We didn't need any more swooning, or shocks in town, while there isn't any doctor around….But I'm not going to Colorado Springs…"
"So, where are you going?" Michaela wondered "Denver," Hank answered "To explain why Zach missed school. Let them all admire Daddy Lawson.."
"That's such a good idea, Hank. And when are you coming back?"
"I'm not coming back," Hank suddenly said, and Sully and Michaela both rolled their eyes in wonderment, "I've sold the GOLD NUGGET to Jake again…"
"You…why?" Michaela couldn't believe her ears, "As I remember, you wanted to be the only and one owner…"
"Times have changed," Hank explained calmly, "Zach is a good artist, and Colorado Springs is too small for him…It's wrong for kin to be apart, isn't it? So, I decided to move to Denver, find any business there, to be together like a real family…."
"You are a real family," Sully said, "we all will miss you, but you made the right decision….Good luck, Hank!" He offered his hand to Hank, and then to Zach.
"Sully," Hank suddenly said, "You could someday take Brian and come visit us in Denver. Zach would be glad to see him…I think four men could find something to do there…"
He looked at astonished Michaela with his old devilish grin: "Certainly, there would be a suitable pastime, Michaela….."
"I'm absolutely sure of it!" she said, smiling… And she meant it, sincerely.
P.S. That's my version, why Hank is not in Revolutions, and Jake Slicker is the owner of the GN again!...Anna