"Ma." Brain said to Michaela.



"Yes. Brian" Michaela looked up from the book she was reading.



"I want to show you something." Brian said.



He handed Michaela a leather bond book. "For the past twelve years I have kept this book writting letters to my mama. I want you to read 'em. But you must promsie never to show 'em or tell anyone; not even Matthew, Colleen; Sully or Katie about them."



Michaela looked at Brian and promsied.



After Brian went to bed Michaela opened to the first page:



September 10, 1861



Mama! Mama! Why did you leave me! Who will love me now!!



October 12, 1861



Mama!



Me and Matthew and Collen are setting in with Dr. Mike. Matthew doesn't trust Dr. Mike. Me I trust her. Colleen is starting too.



I miss you really much Mama. Please come back.



Brain



November 24, 1861



Thanksgiving day is here. Nobody is happy. Dr. Mike tries hard to make it a happy day. Matthew just glares at her for her attempts.



Brain



December 15, 1861



Mama;



How would you feel if I called Dr. Mike Ma? Would you be upset if I did? I don't want you hurt for anything in the world.



I'll think about it. I'll wait for your sign.



Brain



December 25, 1861



I asked Dr. Mike if she won't mind my calling her Ma. She thought for a minute; than a smile came to her lips and she said she would love that. I knew that was your sign.



Colleen looked happy; so I know she will call Dr. Mike Ma also. Matthew looked realived; but he didn't say anything.



Guess what Sully gave me a puppy and I named him Pup.



Your loving son; Brain.



Micheala smiled at the memory of Brain asking if he could call her "Ma." She remembers feeling upset at first thinking Charottle would be upset; but she felt at peace in her heart and she knew that Charottle won't mind. In fact it would make her most happy knowing her children were well looked after and they loved another woman as much as they loved her. Charottle can rest easy on that account. Her children are well taken care.



"Yes my darling children are well taken care of; Micheala. I knew that you would take care of them for me; that is why I picked you to fisten raising my babys." Charoltte's spirit said.



"Charolett! I haven't heard from you for years." Michaela told the spirt.



Smiling softly Charolett replied "Michaela I knew you had everything taken care of. You did everything that I would. I decided it was time to visit when I saw that Brian gave you his letters to me to you to read." Pointing a finger to the page she said "Now no more talking ... contiune to read." She disappered.





April 10, 1862



Mama;



I have been real sixk. I am better now. But now Ma is sick. I hope Ma doesn't join her. I need her. Please don't take her to join you.



Your son;



Brian



April 12, 1862



Mama;



Ma is getting better. Thank you for not taking her with you.



Sully told me a lot of people were sick with the same. He said it was an epidemic.



Sully told me he took Ma to Cloud Dancing and he made Ma all better.



Brain



Micheal frowned in the rememberence of the influenza epidemic of '62. She rememberes working twenty~four hours a day of tying to get people better. She remembered the fear when Matthew and Colleen brought the then six year old Brain to the clinic with influenza. {but the clinic was still the broading house then}. She remembers with happines when Colleen told her she wanted to be doctor.



April 16, 1862



Mama:



I have a grandmother. Ma's mother Elizabeth Quinn came after recieving an urgent letter from Matthew after Ma got so sick.



She is rick and a little tihgt. But I love her!!



Brian



Michaela smiled at Brian's first desp. Of her mother. But she felt at peace with Brian's exclaiming that he loved her already. She knew that Brian always let his heart go full all people. Good and bad. Michaela knows that Brain gets deeply hurt when a person goes bad; but he never gives up on them.



"My son. My beautiful loving son. His heart will always be open to love everyone. " Charlotte spirit said lovely.



Micheala turned her head to face Charolett's spirit in the chair beside her. "Yes his heart is huge. Oh Charolett; only if you could have been here for the children's childhood."



"I was here." Charolett's spirit said. "Contiune to read." She said and then disapperared.



April 20, 1862



Mama:



Our home is not a boarding house no more! Now it's Ma's new clinic.



Now we have a store, clinic, saloon, church. Now I wonder when we will have a schoolhouse.



Brian.



Michaela closed the book and carrying it up to her and Sully's bedroom. She put it in her hope chest under heavy blankets. She looked up and seeing Sully eyeing her carefully. She looked deep into his eyes and he read that the book was of no concern of his and he should never speak of it. Sully's eyes asked Why not? Michaela's eyes answered Brian! Oh! Ok. I promise I won't ever menation the book. Sully's eyes anwsered back.





The next evening Michaela brought the book downstairs to her chair and sat down. She opened it to the entry where she left off the night before.





May 6, 1862



Mama;



We finally have a school house. Mr. Bray gave us the supplies to start building it. Then I went blind.



Back up. Sully and me went walking in the woods. I saw an eagle. I climed a tree. I jumped out the tree thinking I could fly like the eagle. I didn't. I just feel and knocked myself out. Ma said I had a concussion. I rested a little. I was fine. Then my hat felt to tight. While I was talking to Mr. Bray I went blind. Ma said I had a lump inside my head. She put me to sleep and cut into me and took away the lump. I awoke and decided I wanted to see the schoolhouse. Ma found me and I said 'look ma. The schoolhouse!' She knelt down and put her head nect to my badges and said 'Yes, Brian. The schoolhouse.'



Love Brian



Michaela glanced up from the entry. Brian. Oh Brian. How frighen I was when Sully rushed you into the clinic saying you jumped out of a tree and hurt your head. How very frighten I was when I realized I had to operate on you. She looked over the fireplace mantle where a sketch of Charottle was. Oh Charottlet that moment I wished despatley that you had not died or that you had never made me promise to care for Brain, Matthew and Colleen. Charotte at that moment I wished I never knew Brain. Forgive me Charottle. I do and always will love him; Colleen and Mastthew. But at times during the life and death situation I have to feel that. I felt that way when my own sweet Katie need the same head operation two years ago.



"Michaela! I don't blame you for those feelings. I was watching when all of that happened. I knew what you were going through. But I knew you could handle it." Charottle's spirit said from behind Michaela.



Michaela spun around "No Charoltte! That is not a good feeling. I wish I was not a doctor. That I never had the desire to become one."



"No Michaela. You are a doctor; a good doctor; one of the best. You must never wish that. If you were not a doctor my sweet Brain, Matthew and Colleen would be dead." Charottle's spirit said forcefully. Pointing to the book lying in Michaela's chair "Contiune". Charottle's spirit disapperared.



TOO BE CONTIUNED......