"Flash", Michaela buried her face in the horse's mane and inhaled its scent. Flash, an Indian pony and her favourite horse at Sully's, nudged her gently as if to comfort her. It was New Year's , and her day off, and she had gone to the stables early without the children for a little private time. She started grooming the horse while chatting with her about everything that was going on. "I really hope, I'll find the perfect place for us soon." She adjusted the saddle and pulled Flash outside and mounted her. "Let's go girl." Riding Flash across Sully's grounds she felt like a young girl again.
A little later Sully watched her emerging from a small group of trees in a frisky gallop. She was smiling and her ponytail had come undone leaving her long tresses flying in the wind. He remembered the softness of her hair between his fingers, her scent… "Stop it", he told himself shaking his head lightly. "Is this her?" a deep voice sounded next to him, and he looked at his Indian brother Cloud Dancing. "Yes, she is the one I invited to the party tonight." He tried to sound as casual as he could, and the Indian did not say anymore but watched him looking at Michaela dismounting Flash. His brother had only mentioned her yesterday when he and Snowbird arrived, but something in his voice had told the Indian, that this woman was special to his brother. Snowbird had noticed, too.
Michaela was caressing Flash and giving her a treat when Sully entered the stable. "HI", she smiled at him, and he thought it had been a long time since he had seen her so relaxed and happy. "Hi, are you still coming tonight?" She nodded. "Sure. Brian is ecstatic. He said something about Indians coming?" She looked at him with that twinkle in her eye that he liked so much. "Yes, Cloud Dancing and Snowbird have come. They have taught me everything I know about horses, and in fact they are the ones who brought Flash here for me to look after. He touched the horse's mane and their fingers met sending tingles through her hand. "So she belongs to them?" Michaela asked trying to concentrate. He casually ran his thumb over her hand and nodded still looking at Flash. "Will they take her away?" "I don't think so", he looked directly at her, "she is too fiery, and besides I like having her here". Their eyes locked, and Michaela blushed. The air between them grew dense. They started talking at the same time. "Sully…", "Michaela…" They laughed "You first", he gave her hand a squeeze, and she asked herself why she did not pull her hand away from his. "We are friends, remember? Friends talk."
"I am leaving David", her words echoed in his mind that afternoon while he was getting some things ready for the party. She had told him about the divorce, and that she was looking for a new place to stay. Her main concern, though, were the children. " I am telling them today. I just hope they'll be alright with it." She had looked at him with a smile and hope in her eyes. "Now I just need to find the right place for us, hopefully not too far from school and my work". "DAD", Hannah's insisting voice interrupted his thoughts and Snowbird chuckled, "I guess someone is a little absentminded." Sully looked up at his daughter, who looked at him impatiently holding her mobile. "What is it, sweetie?" " I asked if it is okay, if Colleen comes over earlier so we can get ready together?" "Of course…" he nodded, and Hannah rushed off chatting into the phone about what to wear that night.
At Colleen's end of the phone the morning had been chaotic. David had stormed out of the door in a fury after a messenger had brought the divorce papers to the door. That had also been part reason why Michaela had gone out that morning, so she didn't have to face him, when he got them. When she got home he was gone, and she sat the children down around the kitchen table. "I have something to tell you." This was harder than she thought. Even though David did not care much for them, she was about to take away the idea of a family and possibly also part of their financial security. "I am leaving David", she managed to get it out without tearing up…. The children looked at her. "What about us…?" Brian sounded worried, and Colleen grabbed his hand. "I'm sorry, Brian." Michaela smiled. "I should have said we are leaving David". Both Colleen and Brian jumped up and hugged her. Matthew, however, looked at her from across the table. "Matthew?" She asked suddenly feeling a little nervous. "Good", he simply stated. "He doesn't deserve you – or us".
"Wow, Ma. You sure look pretty." Brian exclaimed when she came downstairs after spending the last couple of hours getting ready. Matthew had dropped off Colleen at Sully's before heading off to see his friends. Normally she did not spend that much time on dressing up, but it was New Year's Eve after all, and she wanted to look good. She'd tried on almost all of her dresses before deciding on an emerald green cocktail dress which complimented all the right things about her body. Her hair had been the most time consuming part. She normally braided it or put it in a ponytail when working or riding, but this night she wanted it down. "I wish Rebecca was here to help out", she muttered to herself. Her sister had always loved doing her hair and she was quite talented at it. But in the end Michaela managed to control the stray curls eloquently in a simple but elegant hairdo. She wore a simple makeup and had merely added a pretty golden heart and some earrings given to her by her father to finish her look. "Thank you, Brian. Let's go".
"Who's at the door, Hannah?" Sully emerged from the kitchen wearing his favourite jeans and a shirt. "It's … Dr Mike?" Hannah had never seen Michaela dressed up like that before, because she usually wore something more practical when at the stables. "Hello, Hannah", Michaela smiled: "You sure look pretty". "Thank you…" Hannah wasn't sure how to react, because with her mother absent she was not used to receiving compliments from any others than her father. "I better go check on Colleen," she finally mumbled before rushing off. Brian had already disappeared into the other room to cuddle Sully's Wolf, and Sully and Michaela was left alone in the hallway. "Welcome", he reached out and helped her hang her coat. His fingers brushed against her bare shoulders, and he could smell her perfume. "Thank you, Sully." There wasn't much room in the hall, and his aftershave made her senses reel when he leaned closer to hang the coat. Sully was also having trouble. With her so close he could almost feel her breath on his neck, and it was difficult for him not to imagine what it would be like to bury his face against the soft spot between her neck and shoulder. "Come inside. I want you to meet Cloud Dancing and Snowbird." He got himself together, and gently guided her into the family room placing his hand at her lower back.
Michaela liked both Cloud Dancing and Snowbird straight away, and soon she was engaged in deep conversation with Cloud Dancing about alternative medication and healing methods. "I'll be happy to take you on a field trip someday", Cloud Dancing said as he led her to the dinner table. Michaela nodded and smiled at him "I'd like that very much". Snowbird raised an eyebrow at her husband and looked at Sully "she should come with us this summer – for the camp". Michaela looked at her host quizzingly, and he explained that he and Cloud Dancing had planned a camp for a group of teens in the Summer. They were to live in tipis and ride horses for two weeks. "One of our friends has some land near the lake and the forest, and he has agreed to let us camp there. In fact it is old Cheyenne land. We want to give them an experience of living close Mother Nature, and we'll go exploring on the horses", Cloud Dancing added to Sully's explanation. "It wouldn't be such a bad idea with a doctor in camp", Sully mused. "I don't know…." Michaela was hesitant. "So much is going on right now, and I don't even know where we'll be living in the Summer…". Luckily the children did not hear the last part of the were in Hannah's room listening to music. Sully sat for a moment thinking. "You know, I've got the guesthouse down by the creek. You could move in there. I never use it anyway." Michaela didn't answer. She had seen the house many times when riding Flash. It was situated on the other side of a small group of trees by a small creek, and it was private enough being tucked away from the stables. "It needs a thorough cleaning, and a bit of maintenance, but I'd be happy to let you have it. If you want to…" Their eyes met, and she swallowed hard. His gaze was intense and inquireing at the same time. She wanted to say yes, but that meant they would see much more of each other. Sully took her hesitation as indecisiveness "I could show it to you now, it's only a short ride in my truck".
It was a short ride –only a couple of minutes, and when they got there the house was bathed in moonlight. Sully got the keys out and let them in. "Let me just turn on the light. He disappeared into the kitchen, and soon the lights were on. Michaela looked around. The house had a suitable size and enough rooms for her and the children, but she still didn't say much feeling a little overwhelmed. As they got out of the house and headed for the car she turned and looked at it again. It was perfect. Not only was it private but close to the children's school and her work. She turned and looked a Sully who had been observing her. "I…", she started, but he interrupted touching her shoulder. Even through the fabric of the coat his touch made her shiver. He ran his fingers down her arm and grasped her hand. " I know you are thinking it is too much, and too quick….." He rubbed her hand gently with his thumb. "You're hands are cold", he simply stated. She looked down at her hand in his. "You'd be doing med a favour if you took it. Besides Hannah would love to have Colleen as her neighbor, and…" He could not resist any longer and pulled her close in a warm embrace, and she let him. "I really want to help, you know. You shouldn't do this on your own", his words was more like a whisper into her hair, but she heard. She closed her eyes savouring the moment. He smelled good, his aftershave and that special musky scent of his –why hadn't she noticed before? They had hugged many times. "There's no need to be stubborn, Michaela. It's just me wanting to help." "It's an old habit" She blushed and was silently thankful that he could not see her face clearly in the moonlight. She felt him smiling on her hair, before he gently tipped her chin, so he could see her face. His thumb caressed her skin "Give it up, it's ok to let others help you." She sighed allowing herself to get a little lost in his eyes before muttering out: "OK, I'll think about it. I need to talk to the children first." "That's all I ask" He gave her a quick squeeze and said: "Let's get back to the others".