The Hazle eyed monster (chapter 2)

Michaela watched with undisguised interest at Sully's reaction to the visitor. His face lit up with genuine pleasure and he walked around the table as Marina stood up to greet him.

"Byron, it is so wonderful to see you again."

"Marina, I had no idea that you had come home."

"Well I think you of all people can understand how hard it was for me to come back here, to a place where we had all been so happy."

Her little face crumbled and she put her hand up to cover her eyes. Sully reached over and grasped her arm. His response was the only encouragement that she needed to fling herself in his arms and begin to weep noisily.

Sully embraced her and whispered soothingly in her hair. He glanced over her head at Michaela who still sat at the table, trying to come to grips with what was happening. The puzzled look on her face reminded Sully that she had no clue as to what was going on.

"Dr Mike, Marina was Abigail's best friend. She was the maid of honour at our wedding."

"Best friend!" sniffled Marina. "We were practically sisters" She glanced slyly up at Sully "And in fact if it wasn't for you, we would have been."

Michaela again looked at Sully for enlightenment.

"Abigail used to court Marina's brother Martin."

The penny dropped.

"You're Martin Anderson's sister? Loren mentioned him once." Michaela was not sure if this was good news or bad news.

"We were all heartbroken that Abigail never married him, although I can hardly blame her. The worst part is though that I saw Sully first and she stole him from right under my nose."

Sully laughed heartily.

Despite the fact that Marina seemed quite calm now, she made no attempt to move away from Sully and when he stepped back to turn towards Michaela, she suddenly began to shake.

"It's just so strange to be here again. I only just heard that you had come back here too. It must have been so difficult for you Sully, walking around the town, being in this home. I can understand why you left after she died."

"It was a very hard time."

"When I realized that you had left, I knew I couldn't stay either. Papa arranged for me to attend a finishing school in Chicago, which is where I have been for the last two years."

"I haven't seen your Pa for a while either."

"Oh, he is just busy on the ranch and the mine."

Michaela took another sip of her tea which had sat untouched on the table during the interchange. It was bitterly cold and unpalatable and she had to refrain herself from spitting it straight out again.

Sully gave Marina's arm another squeeze and then went to sit down at the table.

"Sully, can I get you a drink?"

"No, I'm fine thanks Dr Mike."

Marina sniggered. They both turned to look at her.

"I'm sorry but it seems such a strange name to call a lady."

"Everyone around here calls her that. It's who she is."

"Actually Marina, I take it as a sign of respect that people acknowledge my position. Even the Cheyenne call me a Medicine Woman."

Sully and Michaela shared a smile at the memory.

Marina carefully noted the lingering look they gave each other and she did not like it, not one little bit. She attempted to control the direction in which the conversation was going.

"I recall that you mentioned you had a family Dr Mike. How does your husband feel about you working?"

"I'm not married."

"Oh, are you a widow?"

"No, I've never been married."

"But the children…." Marina's voice trailed off as if to emphasize that Michaela's lifestyle was beyond understanding.

"The children were Charlotte Coopers. You remember her. She died of a snake bite and Dr Mike took the kids in. You would have seen them around, Matthew, Colleen and Brian" Sully explained.

"You took on three children who were not your own, a young, single woman like yourself. You really must be a very interesting person."

"I have come to love the children just as much as if they were my own and while it was not something that I had foreseen, I cannot imagine my life without them." Michaela could hear her own voice harden as she defended her children.

"They're great kids and Dr Mike is doing a good job raising them."

"Well, I couldn't do it without all your help Sully." They smiled at each other again causing a small groan of frustration to rise in Marina's throat

"Byron has always had such a soft spot for kids. That's how you probably thought of me when we first met. I was only 17."

"So you and Sully met only a few years ago?" Michaela felt there was no harm reminding everyone that this girl did seem very young.

"Well, how kind of you to think that I am still so young. We met four years ago but it was almost as if fate had decreed it. My Papa had always run our property himself but then when they discovered a mine on the outcrop we needed someone to come and help us with it and that's when Byron arrived."

Michaela reached up and rubbed her forehead. The saccharine tone of Marina's voice was giving her a headache. Crumbling plaster fell off her face and onto the table and into Marina's teacup which had also remained untouched. Marina was too busy gazing at Sully to notice that her drink now had lumps of plaster floating in it.

Michaela was tempted to say nothing although she knew that would be wrong, but just as she opened her mouth to tell Marina that she shouldn't drink it. Marina, with her eyes still firmly fixed on Sully, brought the cup to her mouth and took a surprisingly large gulp. She looked startled as the lumps seemed to make their way down her throat. She began to cough and gag.

Sully sprang to his feet.

"Marina, what is it? What's the matter?"

"Something in my throat" She gasped.

"I think that some of the chinking plaster may have accidently gotten into your cup. If you relax it will just process through your body normally. I'll fetch you some water to help you wash it away."

Michaela walked over to the bucket where they kept fresh water and poured a glass for her. Out of the corner of her eye she could see that Marina's breathing was returning to normal but as Sully walked around the table towards her and bent over to see if she was alright, that suddenly her breathing became erratic and forced.

Marina reached out and grabbed the front of Sully's shirt. "Byron, I can't seem to breathe properly. I think I may be poisoned." She glared at Michaela over his head.

"Shhhh, Sully knelt down in front of her and took her hand gently. Listen to what Dr Mike told you. Have you got that water Dr Mike?"

She walked back over to the table and placed the water in front of Marina. "Take some slow sips Marina. Trust me, you will be fine."

Marina reached for the glass with a shaking hand "Sully, can you help me? I can't seem to grasp the glass."

Sully grabbed the drink and held it gently up to her lips so that she could slowly drink. He was only inches away from Marina's face and she made no attempt to move away.

When Michaela saw the contented look on Marina's face she felt such a surge of outrage that she gasped audibly. Sully turned instantly to look at her.

"Dr Mike, are you alright."

Michaela was sorely tempted to say no and see if Sully would rush to her side but she was faintly worried that she would not get the same response that Marina had and rather than risk that sort of humiliation she grimaced.

"I'm fine Sully, just worried about my patient after all."

After Marina had taken a few sips, Sully stood up. "Well if you are both alright I better get back and finish this chinking. Are you ready for some more Dr Mike" The look he gave Michaela was not lost on Marina.

"Absolutely Sully. I think we made an amazing team." Michaela could not miss the chance to show Marina that although they might have had history, she and Sully had a future. Although exactly what that future entailed, Michaela could not have described for the life of her.

Sully was holding the door open and Michaela joyfully followed him out, glad to be free of the constraint of being polite to someone who she totally disliked.

They had just reached the front porch when the sound of Marina's voice reached them.

"Gosh is it that late. And I am still feeling a little dizzy. I just don't know if I will be able to drive the buggy home on my own."

Sully looked up concerned. "Do you want me to drive you back to town Marina?"

"Oh no Sully, I am sure I will be fine. Just look at how busy you are, fixing up this old place. Clearly Dr Mike really needs your help. If I am not back in a couple of hours I am sure Papa would send out a search party."

Michaela rolled her eyes as Marina walked out of the house and holding onto the porch rail, seemed to stumble down the stairs.

On cue, Sully rushed forward to grab her. "Marina, I can take you to town. Dr Mike will understand."

"Well if you are sure that I am not being too much trouble." She allowed Sully to lead her over to the wagon and help her in. Michaela watched to see if Sully's hand would linger at her waist unnecessarily and then had to mentally chide herself about why she cared so much.

With a sigh she picked up the bucket and made to continue working on the house. She didn't need Sully's help. She could manage perfectly well now that she knew what she was doing.

"Dr Mike, you should come along too. That way you can call into the clinic and get a ride home with Matthew and the children after school."

"Don't you think I should stay and complete this?"

"I thought you said earlier that you needed to go to the clinic?"

"I did, but it can wait till another time. I will leave you two to catch up."

"It's no trouble Dr Mike."

"But Byron, this buggy is really only made for two. And as Dr Mike said, she doesn't really need to come in"

"We can squish up. I know that you wouldn't mind Marina?"

Marina gritted her teeth and Michaela ignored the little voice in her head that was telling her to behave like a lady.

"Well if you are sure you don't mind Marina? That would be a great help."

"Not at all." Marina replied in a sweet little voice. Michaela looked over at Sully to ascertain whether or not it was only her ears that were hearing the venom in her tone but he seemed totally oblivious. As Abigail's best friend, he clearly thought the world of her and Michaela feared that Sully would not have believed her if she had told him that she suspected that charming Marina was back to claim Sully as her own.

Sully came over and went to help Michaela to climb up next to Marina, who shifted right over so that when Sully finally clambered up, she was practically sitting on his lap.

He looked at Marina in surprise but as she made no move to slide along the seat he picked up the reigns and clucked at the horses, who made off at a sedate pace. Marina however seemed to think that they were practically bolting and she grabbed onto Sully's arm as if fearing that she was about to be thrown from the carriage.

Michaela groaned under her breath. This was going to be the longest ride to town she had ever had.