Okay, I know that I already have one story that I am working on, but the inspiration for this one came all by itself, uninvited! :D This story is set long before Dr. Mike came in Colorado and is based on the lines from the series (you'll see what I mean) and it is something that I wanted to write for quite some time! So, I hope that you can deal with both of my stories, LOL!
I wanna thank to Natalie for being my beta reader for this story, girl, you're an angel! Also, thanks to Linda for talking me into posting this story when I wasn't sure should I do it before I finish "Walking On the Wire". :D
Mum's Little Knight In Shining Armour
"You did WHAT?!," Charlotte Cooper couldn't believe what she'd just heard. Throwing her hands up in the air, she yelled: "Ethan, we have three children to take care off and you just went out and sold our farm?!"
"Charlotte…," Ethan Cooper closed his eyes, a breath of pure frustration leaving his lips.
"You could have at least asked me before you sold everything we had!," Charlotte was desperate.
"I didn't because I knew that you would have been against it…," Ethan tried to speak again.
"DAMN RIGHT I WOULD BE AGAINST IT!," yelled Charlotte. The next moment, she tried to take a few deep breaths to calm herself down. The children were in the other room, she didn't want them to get upset. "Now what?," she asked "What are we going to do now you've sold our home?," tears had filled her eyes by now.
"Don't you worry, I will give you even more than we've had, more than you've ever imagined to own," Ethan was smiling widely. "The kids will go to the best schools and you won't have to work another day in your life, Charlotte."
Charlotte watched her husband's face, not understanding a thing he was saying. They had a farm in Topeka, took them four years to get that thing going and just when they did, he decided to sell everything and now he stood here, promising her castles and fairytales…
"Have you completely lost your mind?," she whispered "How are we going to get so much money?!"
Ethan looked deeply into his wife's eyes and gave her a hug.
"We're gonna go mining for gold," he proudly stated.
Charlotte's eyes went wide open and it felt like all the blood had drained from her face.
"Ethan, are you crazy?!," she tried to keep her voice down, but it was getting harder and harder. "Brian is practically still a baby, Colleen is so sensitive and Matthew will have to leave all his friends and what about his school?! You are turning their lives upside down out of greed?!"
"I KNEW YOU WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND!! I AM THE HEAD OF THIS HOUSE AND IF I SAY THAT WE GO, WE WILL GO!!!!," with that, Ethan stormed out the house, leaving Charlotte totally shocked behind.
She felt as if her legs were going to betray her. Tears started to roll down her cheeks and she pressed her mouth to stop her sobs. Her heart broke as she heard Brian's soft cries and Colleen's voice as she tried to comfort her little brother. Charlotte ran toward the kitchen and closed the doors. That was when she broke down in tears so hard that she didn't even notice the doors of the kitchen slowly opening.
"Ma?"
Charlotte flinched and quickly wiped her tears away.
"Yes, Matthew?,"she swallowed her sobs, trying to sound calm. She didn't want to upset her son.
In the next moment, Matthew was right beside his Mum and without a word, he gave her a strong hug.
Charlotte pressed her lips tightly together, figthing back the tears. Her oldest son must have heard Ethan yelling at her. As always, Matthew was very quiet, but he showed her with his coming in the kitchen and his long, strong hug that he is there for her. And that was all that Charlotte needed right now.
"Don't cry, Mum. You have me. I'll watch over you," as she heard that quiet promise coming from her 14 – year old son, Charlotte hugged him back and kissed his hair, her tears now rolling down her cheeks freely.