For all those that fear as they read it, I am not doing what you think I am doing and it will work out in the end.
From the Jaws
He stretched as the still warm sun kissed his bare arms. The late September Saturday was balmy and beautiful, in no way showing that fall and winter were just around the corner. Sully grinned at his wife, watching as she played the never changing game she had with Katie over what the little girl would eat. He chuckled, no amount of dressing up the food as special because they were having a picnic, Katie only ate two things without protest and that was candy and cake. He looked down at Esmee, his toddler, happily munching on her carefully cut pieces of food, eagerly moving from one piece to the next, enjoying all the new textures and flavours that growing up brought her.
"Enjoyin that Na'he?" Sully asked her as he leant in to wipe her hands so she didn't get too sticky.
Esmee gave him a beaming smile showing him her teeth and her half chewed piece of gammon.
"You're a messy pup," Sully chuckled. "Worse than Fidget," he pointed at the puppy who was laying on the grass a little way away chewing happily on a bone. Ben and his puppy had spent the last two Saturday afternoon's with them so that Loren could get on in the store and Ben could be kept busy so that he didn't have time to miss the Reverend too much. "He likes that bone, huh big man?" Sully grinned at the little boy who was quietly toying with his food.
"Yeah," Ben's face creased into a smile. "He likes the stuff in the middle." Ben looked curiously at Sully, his green eyes darting between him and Katie. "Why don't she eat?"
Sully shrugged, "If I knew that I'd be a rich man." Sully squeezed Ben's shoulder. "You don't need to worry about Katie, she gets her energy by the bucket load."
"I guess," Ben shrugged out of Sully's gentle grip. "Just it ain't right. I spent a lotta my life being hungry." He stopped as Katie's eyes swivelled onto him, the little girl evidently hearing every word that had been spoken between her father and Ben. "I'm..." Ben started to apologise, knowing from her serious expression that he had upset her.
"No Benny," Katie held up her hand, slowly she reached out to take the plate from Michaela. "Mama I not eat the beans coz I don't like em, but I eat everything else."
Michaela stared open mouthed at her daughter. It had been such a long time since Katie had eaten a meal without protest or without playing with the contents of her plate, she felt mildly shocked, though of course the fact remained that Katie had yet to consume her plateful of food but from the determined look on the little girls face it actually looked as though Katie was going to make a concerted effort to eat the full plate.
"Well I..." Michaela began, she jumped at the sound of the horses in the paddock suddenly made, the animals crying out in fear. "Sully?" she glanced at her husband.
"I'll go check on them, maybe something got in with them," Sully gave her a reassuring smile as he rose from the blanket.
"Why the horsies making silly noises?" Katie asked curiously as she chewed carefully on a piece of meat.
"I'm not certain sweetheart," Michaela smiled at her little one, she glanced down at Violet on her lap the little baby blissfully unaware of all that was going on, just content to be outside and with her sisters sat nearby her where she had access to them. Michaela opened her mouth to encourage Katie to try some of the corn bread when she felt it, the horrible tight feeling she got when something was about to happen to someone she loved. She turned to look at Sully, her eyes widening as she watched in slow motion as Flash kicked her hind legs out. The horse's hooves made contact with the fence that at very second Sully was climbing over. Time moved to an almost stop as Michaela watched the fence buckle and roll, not enough to snap but enough to dislodge Sully and cause him to slip and fall to the ground with a heavy thud.
"Sully!" Michaela jumped to her feet, she took one step towards him before remembering that she was holding Violet. "Katie sweetheart, will you hold your Violet please?"
"You gonna help Papa." Katie nodded reaching to hold her sister.
With her hands free Michaela rushed down to her husband's worryingly still form. "Sully!" she dropped to her knees beside him, his face was creased in pain, and he was obviously trying to keep himself in control and not cry out. "Sully!" she repeated touching his shoulder.
"I'm alright," Sully grimaced, "just knocked the air out of me."
"Does anything hurt?" Michaela slipped from concerned wife to doctor.
"Nah," Sully shook his head. "Just where I hit the ground it ain't to bad." He glanced sideways through the fence at the still agitated animals, Flash the most agitated of all, twisting and turning in circles, butting her chest against the fence posts as if she was trying to break out. "Dunno what's got into Flash, she's..." Sully stopped as Michaela's hair whipped into him, her head turning at breakneck speed, "Caela?" but in that instant he knew to, knew what Michaela was feeling, that the sensation she got every time he got hurt had not gone even though she knew he was fine. That the sensation was not for him, the sensation was for their children and that was what Flash was trying to tell them, that the children were in danger.
"Og," Esmee gleefully pointed towards the tree line.
"Silly Es," Katie giggled. "Fidget down there," pointing in the direction of Ben's faithful puppy.
"Og," Esmee asserted, the toddler hauled herself to her feet and scurried towards the edge of the blanket.
"Esmee NO!" Ben called seeing what Esmee thought was a dog, recognising that the sandy brown creature was a coyote.
Esmee stopped and turned around, her lower lip stuck out at her displeasure of being told off.
"Esmee come back here," Ben ordered quietly, holding his arms out to the toddler. But Esmee did not move fast enough, the animal moving with a fluid motion, leaping out of the trees, clearing the distance between the tree line and the blanket in one leap.
Esmee turned slightly, attracted by the noise of the animal, her piece of gammon hanging limply from her hand. Her blue eyes widened in fear and she gave a soft scream, as the animal landed on top of her.
Ben froze, watching the animal wrap it's jaws round Esmee, the toddler floppy in its mouth. Katie's scream made him move and he reached and grabbed a nearby stick. He ran at the animal his stick raised. Ben stumbled as Fidget rushed under his legs, his faithful dog, leaping at the coyote scratching at the animal's scruff, trying to get it to let go of the child. Ben launched himself at the coyote, his stick coming down hard on the animal's back. "LET," he struck the animal again, "GO." He beat the animal again, feeling like the moment was stretching into eternity. Ben gave a yell as he was thrust to one side, pushed to the ground by Sully as he ran to save his daughter.
Sully raised his arm and brought his hand down hard. The blade of the knife slicing clean into animal's neck, severing it's spinal cord, killing it in an instant. Sully collapsed to the floor, his hand moving forward, fumbling to try and pry the dead creature off his daughter. He could barely see, his eyes filled with tears, all he knew that Esmee wasn't moving and his hands were stained with blood, Esmee's blood, his baby's blood. He could hear Katie crying behind him, hear Michaela's footsteps as she too ran across the yard. He had never run so fast in his life, but he feared his speed had not been enough, he had not been quick enough to save his little girl.
"SULLY!" Michaela dropped to her knees beside him, she joined her husband, her fingers forcing apart the dead animal's jaws. A whimper reached her ears, a tiny squeak from Esmee, a tiny beautiful noise, which indicated her little girl was not dead, that she was still with them. She gasped as Sully lifted Esmee free from the animal, the toddler's yellow dress quickly staining red as Esmee's blood flowed rapidly from the savage bite mark on her left hip. Michaela gulped, she wanted to scream and cry but she couldn't, she would not let herself. Michaela forced the fact that this baby was her baby to the back of her mind, letting her medical knowledge flood into the forefront. Her knowledge and training telling her that she needed to control the bleeding until she could operate. She shook her head, knowing that she could not do that, that she could not cut Esmee open, but James could. "Sully get the wagon," Michaela ordered as she pulled Esmee in close, trying to give the toddler comfort, knowing that the silence was a bad thing, that her baby was in shock, which was just as dangerous as the blood that was trickling from the wounds or the injury itself.
The sound of a carriage racing towards the Chateau made James look up, carriages did not race to and from the Chateau. The Chateau was a quiet gentile beacon of tranquillity in the savage beautiful landscape it resided in. At least that was what the literature stated. James glanced at his pocket watch, noting the closeness of the hour hand to one o'clock. He rolled his eyes, it was probably a delivery trying to be made before the hour, Preston having been rather scrupulous and written into contracts that if goods were not delivered by 1pm on the date they would be due to delivered he would only pay 50 percent of the value. He moved up the steps moving towards his office doorway, it was a quiet week this week, the clientele of the Chateau of a more robust nature and not in need of his services, but he had promised Preston that while Preston was away delivering the Reverend to New York that he would keep an eye on the hotel and make sure that everything ran accordingly.
"JAMES!"
He turned as he heard Sully's desperate call; his eyes focusing in on the driveway just in time to see Sully turn the wagon dangerously to pull alongside the hotel, the wagon almost jack knifing and tipping over with the speed of the motion. James watched as Michaela stood up shakingly from the back of the wagon, a tiny blanket wrapped figure in her arms, the blankets stained crimson.
"What happened?" James asked as he sprinted down the stairs nearly colliding with Sully as he jumped from the wagon.
"Coyote mauled Esmee," Sully whispered the shock evident on his face.
James reached up to take the child from Michaela. "Michaela please give her to me," he could see her hesitance see her not wanting to hand her daughter over for fear of what may happen, every ounce of medical ability gone from her, Michaela was in this instant Esmee's mother only. "Mrs Sully, please let me take your daughter." The use of her married name seemed to reach Michaela, seemed to slice through the shock that was slowly turning her logical brain off. James smiled weakly as she lowered the toddler into his arms. Esmee's white and pained face was peeking out through the blanket looking for all the world like she was already gone but he could feel the faint movement in the child's chest. "Don't worry, I'll take good care of her," James whispered as he swung on his foot and raced to his treatment room to begin saving the poor child's life.
Sully blinked as the sun sank lowered obscuring the world from him with blinding orange light, hiding the people in the court yard his world retracting to just him and his wife. Somebody who worked at the Chateau had ridden into town at some point and spread the news. Now it seemed that everyone was stood milling around the courtyard of the Chateau waiting for news on their daughter. He wanted to go check on Katie and Violet but Grace and Cynthia had spirited them away to the rose garden, away from the hubbub and he couldn't leave Michaela, not with her in the state she was in. She was barely functioning just staring into space, her fingers clasping Esmee's bear which Brian had gone to fetch, the sixteen year old knowing that Esmee would want it when she woke up. Sully blinked away the tears that threatened to spill down his cheeks at the memory of the young man's voice cracking as he had tried to stay positive when he had handed the bear over. The positivity hadn't lasted long and Brian had rushed away not wanting to upset his Ma, tears rolling down his cheeks. Rosie was comforting him now, the young woman recovered enough from her own ordeal a few months ago to offer Brian the love and support he needed. Love and support that right this second Sully or Michaela could not offer him. Sully took a deep breath, the last time he had been this concerned for Esmee was at the Chateau as well, in that first hour after her birth waiting for James to give her the all clear after her dramatic entry to the world. A shadow fell across them and he looked up, half expecting to see Jake or Horace offering to get them a drink, but it wasn't, the length of the shadow playing tricks on his mind. James smiled weakly at him, tiredness written on his face, the story of a man who had fought a battle, but Sully could tell if that battle had been won.
"Caela," Sully whispered softly, nudging his wife back into consciousness. "Caela, James is here, he's going to tell us about Esmee."
James smiled as he knelt down in front of Michaela, gently he took his colleague's hand, he brought his eyes to her, locking his eyes with hers. "She's Ok Michaela, she's gonna be Ok."
Sully nodded at the other doctor in thanks, there would be a time for words of thanks and medical speak, but now was not it, now was a time to enjoy the blessing they had been giving that their daughter was to be alright, that their daughter would live.
She watched every rise and fall of Esmee's chest with nervousness, despite the operation being a success she could not bring herself to believe that Esmee was alright. In the grand scheme of thing Esmee had been lucky, the animal had bitten her in such a way that her worst injuries were bony injuries, a broken tibia just beneath the neck of the bone, the bone snapped by the animal's powerful jaws and what James had described as tiny compression fractures on her pelvis. James had described Esmee as lucky, the animal's teeth had nicked her major artery in such a way that is oozed blood rather poured and it had been the oozing that kept Esmee alive long enough for James to operate and repair the vessel. Michaela took a shuddering breath, she wanted to lift her little girl into her arms but she couldn't she had to let James' incisions a chance to start healing. It took all her effort to try not to cry the sight of her little girl lying on the bed, a hip spica cast covering her from above her navel to below her knees, was too much, as was the paleness of Esmee's normally rosy cheeks. Michaela turned her face away from her daughter subtly wiping her cheeks. She wished Sully was here but he had gone to help Brian put Katie to bed as their other little girl was definitely traumatised by what had happened, by what she had seen.
Her head turned back to face the bed a fraction of a second before Esmee gave a little wail. The child's face crumpling as she woke up to her pain. The wail turned into tears and Michaela leaned forward to comfort her stricken little girl. As she touched Esmee's chest her daughter's blue eyes jumped open.
"Mama," Esmee whimpered, her little arms raised up her hands flexing, letting Michaela know she wanted her, "Mama."
Michaela shifted her hand to brush Esmee's unruly hair from her face. "Hello sweetheart."
"Mama," Esmee whispered plaintively.
"Mama can't pick you up sweetheart," Michaela told her daughter her heart breaking as she saw all the pain and confusion on her little girl's beautiful face, wanting to give her daughter what she needed but knowing she couldn't.
"Mama," Esmee whimpered again, her tears increasing.
Michaela brushed the salty liquid from Esmee's face. "You have a poorly leg, Mama can't pick you up." Michaela coughed trying to force back the sobs that were threatening to burst forth from her. She glanced at the size of the bed, her little girl so tiny in it. "Would you like Mama to get into bed with you?"
"Mama," Esmee repeated flexing her hands.
Slowly Michaela rose from her seat and walked round the bed, with the utmost care she climbed onto the mattress, every move calculated so that she did not cause her baby anymore pain. As quickly as she dared Michaela lay against her little one, wrapping her arm around Esmee. The toddler calmed, Michaela could tell by her little whimpers that she was still in pain, but Esmee for now seemed comforted by her mother's arm around her.
Sully had never driven a wagon so slowly in all his life, even when he had brought Michaela home after the forest fire when she had been injured he had not travelled this slowly. But Michaela was a strong and resilient and didn't like to make a fuss, Esmee was still a baby and when she was in pain she cried. The sound of his little girl whimpering and crying out in pain every time the wagon hit a rut or a bump in the road was like torture. And worse still there was nothing that could calm her, nothing that could take away her pain, and every noise Michaela made to comfort their daughter made Esmee's cries to Sully more painful, just the thought that they could not take away Esmee's pain the worst in the world. Gently Sully brought the wagon to a halt, in the three days since the attack he and Michaela had not slept, every waking moment spent either tending to their other children or standing vigil over Esmee. The tiredness, anguish and worry were evident on Michaela's face, the worried crease in her forehead since the attack permanent. Sully moved to the back of the wagon and assisted Michaela in shuffling forward, at the point where Esmee was cradled between them and Michaela's legs were hanging towards the ground Sully leaned in to kiss his wife. She smiled, an expression of relief washing over her beautiful face. "Good ta be home," Sully whispered as he lifted his lips from hers.
"Yes it is," Michaela whispered back at him. "Good to have you home too," she smiled down at the toddler in their arms. Esmee half smiled obviously pleased to be centre of attention but still in pain.
"I got her," Sully lifted Esmee from Michaela, with the weight of her cast she was heavier, and more awkward, not easy to just carry, every move having to be calculated so that he didn't hurt her. "Let's go see Katie and Violet."
"Kaee Eyet," Esmee nodded seriously. "Ov."
"You're sisters love you too," Sully assured the little one in his arms.
Together they moved up the steep steps of the homestead. Michaela entered first, "Oh."
Sully followed his eyebrows raised as he listened to the happy surprise in Michaela's enchanting voice. He grinned as he entered; every surface of the living room covered in welcome home banners and around the dining room table which was covered in a tasty spread was a small contingent of their friends
"MAMA!" Katie yelled rushing across the living room to greet Michaela. "We havin a party coz Esmee home," she grinned at her father and her little sister who had turned her head to look down at Katie. "ESMEE!" Katie called happily. "We having a party coz you home." Suddenly she frowned "Miss Gwace I forgetted what to say."
"Welcome home," Grace prompted the excited little girl.
"WELCOME HOME!" Katie shouted up at her sister. "Grampy Loren bwought you presents."
"Katie," Michaela chastised her daughter. "Don't call Mr Bray grumpy."
"I not," Katie told her indignantly. "I called him Grampy, like Gamma, I want one," she folded her arms. "Both my proper ones are in heaven. And I... need one," she looked back at Loren and inclined her head. "I call you Grampy?"
Loren beamed at the little girl's request, his face brightening, his wrinkled skin stretching up into smooth smile. "Ahh, I'd really like that," he looked at Michaela. "But only if it's alright with ya Ma and ya Pa."
"Fine by me," Sully grinned and moved into the living room so he could sit down and rest Esmee in a more comfortable position for her.
"Yay," Katie grinned and skipped across to Loren. "You my Grampy now," she hugged him tightly around the legs. "Now I can hug you always."
"Hug me always," Loren grinned. "Ain't you done that before?"
"No," Katie shook her head seriously. "I not hug you coz it's a secret you nice now I got scuse," she grinned. "Let's give Eserme her presents," Katie skipped over to her sister and kissed her tenderly on forehead, "Love you."
"Ov ou," Esmee repeated back.
"I gotted you a present," Katie told Esmee tenderly. "Grampy letted me have it for you," Katie presented Esmee with a rag doll. "I putted a bandage of her leg so she be like you," Katie pointed at the paper bandage she had made for the doll. "I peased you home Esmee," she whispered softly to her sister. "I missed you."
Michaela blinked away her tears as she watched the tender scene in front of her, she knew that if she had been the one holding her little girl that she would not have been as stoic as Sully appeared to be though she knew her husband was probably internally melting like butter in the sun with the scene in front of him.
"Hey Dr Mike," Grace approached with an outstretched arm and Violet. "How are you doing?" she gave Michaela her youngest daughter.
"Pleased she's home," Michaela cuddled Violet close to her. The last few days she had been forced to express and the baby bottle fed, and she felt the almost aching need to feed her daughter properly. The act of feeding her baby gave her such a wonderful sense of calm and accomplishment, and after the events of the last few days she needed that feeling again. Seeing her daughter injured so horrifically just made her want to wrap her in cotton wool, wrap them all in cotton wool and lock them away to protect them.
"She's gonna be alright now," Grace whispered to Michaela, seeing her friends apprehension. "She's back safe and sound at home."
"Yes," Michaela frowned slightly, Grace's words of comfort not ringing true, because home was where Esmee had been hurt, the place where her children were supposed to be the safest in the world was where her daughter had been so terribly injured. Fresh tears prickled her eyes and she raised her youngest daughter to her mouth, using the action of blowing a raspberry on Violet's tummy as a smoke screen to hide them. She tried to smile at the sound of Violet's peculiar little chortle but she couldn't the horrible truth washing over her that her beautiful wonderful family home was not safe.
Katie gently rolled the ball to Esmee, her aim went wide, normally this was not a problem and Esmee would have scampered after the ball, but from her prone position and anchored down by the plaster cast and pain there was no way Esmee could get it. "Sorry Es," Katie apologised as Esmee stuck out her bottle lip. She ran and got the ball and handed it to her sister.
Esmee stared at the offending play item, "NO!" she yelled and threw it away angrily. In the week since the accident Esmee had improved enough to sit propped at a 75 degree angle before she got too much pain in her pelvis and thigh. As such she was able to play but the toddler's patience was thin and her normally sweet demeanour had been worn down by her pain. Now in accompaniment to her pain was her frustration, frustration at being stuck where she was placed as she had gotten used to running around as she pleased.
Katie sat beside her sister and patted her hand, "I know," she smiled at Esmee. "Let's play wishing."
Esmee raised her eyebrows, her intrigue wiping away her annoyance at the ball.
"You gotta say what you wish," Katie explained the rules. "I'll go first ta show ya," she looked thoughtful. "I wish Esmee's leg gets better quick."
Esmee nodded ruefully, "No ow," she shook her head. "No ow," she repeated.
"Yep No more hurt for Esmee," Katie decided. "Your turn to wish."
"boy," Esmee stated.
Katie tipped her head at her sister. "That your wish? You gotta say I wish."
"I," Esmee imitated her sister. "ith, boy."
"You wish boy?" Katie repeated she frowned confused at her sister's wish "You mean Brian or Benny?"
"No," Esmee pointed at Katie and then herself. "Boy."
"You want to be a boy," Katie looked at her sister alarmed.
"No," Esmee giggled and shook her head. "Mama."
"OH!" Katie elongated the sound as she understood what her sister meant. "You want a brover."
Esmee nodded and gave a small smile, "over," she imitated her sister with a nod.
"I wish for that too," Katie nodded. "But we not get one."
"No?" Esmee's lip trembled.
"No," Katie sighed. "Mama not supposed to have more babies, Violet her last one," she smiled at her sister and stroked Esmee's curly hair, "but we still got Brian, and Mattew and Benny, they be our brothers," she kissed Esmee. "I like having you and Violet I wouldn't want you to be boys."
Esmee giggled, "ey ah boy," she tried to move and gave a yelp.
Immediately Michaela rounded the around the fireplace from the kitchen where she had been making lunch.
"Mama, Esmee tried to move." Katie told her nervous looking mother the problem as Esmee started to cry.
"Oh my darling," Michaela lowered herself to the floor and softly stroked Esmee comfortingly on the forehead. "I think it's time for some more medicine and some food."
"You gonna turn her over again?" Katie asked curiously. "Coz we can't play then."
"I'm sorry sweetheart," Michaela reached and touched her other daughter's cheek. "We have to turn Esmee over so she can heal properly and so her skin doesn't get poorly."
"She don't like it," Katie asserted.
"I don't supposed she likes any of this. Do you my darling?" Michaela softly kissed Esmee. "I'll read to you after lunch," she tried to soften the blow.
"Me and Vy-let too?" Katie requested glancing towards her other sister who was asleep in the playpen.
"Yes," Michaela smiled. "I will read to you and Violet also."
"Yay," Katie smiled. "How long till Esmee better?"
"The cast has to stay on for another seven weeks," Michaela smiled sadly, knowing that Esmee would miss out on so much stuck still by the weight of her cast.
"That's a long time," Katie sighed. "I better come up with more games she can play."
"So we figured we name one kid Satan, one Idiot and then sacrifice another to Odin," Hank quipped.
"Yes that's a good…" Michaela paused. "I beg your pardon?" Michaela looked up from measuring Sadie's abdomen with surprise.
"Didn't think you were really with us," Hank smiled at her kindly. "I appreciate you coming in to check on Sadie…"
"I'm doing my job Hank, I work here every day Monday – Friday 9.30-4.30 and Saturday 10-12," Michaela bristled slightly, more out of anger for herself acting so unprofessionally.
"Michaela," Hank smiled at her. "That's what you normally do. Normally ya kid ain't just been attacked by some animal," he moved round the table to help Sadie sit up. He pulled his wife into a sitting position. "You got any more patients coming?"
"Yes," Michaela answered softly. She had taken the previous week off to care for Esmee, but with her daughter leg mending in the cast there was nothing she could really do except offer comfort and Sully was just as capable of doing that. She had thought returning to work would help her, would take away the constant need for her to be watching and listening out for Esmee in anguish, give her a chance to relax, but she couldn't she so desperately wanted to be back at home and she had only been at the clinic for half an hour.
"Michaela, folks understand, they all know what happened," Hank pointed out.
"No one came and asked for an appointment at all," Sadie pointed out. "They all respected that you are a Mama first and a Doctor second, no one expects you to be here."
"I have a…" Michaela started to protest, the usual it was her duty to be here, but the words died on her tongue, they sounded so hollow, so wrong. Her duty was to her children, to make sure they were safe, and while she knew they were safe with Sully, Knowing wasn't the same as seeing and watching. "You're coming along nicely," Michaela changed the subject.
"Dr Mike," Sadie took Michaela's hand into her's. "You're a good doctor but you're no good to me like this. Not that I need you to be coz I feel fine," she added for Hank's benefit. "Cloud Dancing has been coming at sitting with me and bringing me teas that help with the aches and pains but that won't hurt them," she rubbed her belly, "Grace is making sure I'm fed, Cynthia is making some stuff to fit me, we can wait a while. No one's going anywhere," she patted her stomach "Except this one" she pointed at the top of her stomach. "This one seems to want to kick outta me."
"Some babies will be more active then others," Michaela smiled. "But they are progressing well."
"You're not going to tell me what I measured are you?" Sadie shook her head "I'm fine with the visual, I don't need the actual number."
"Not if you don't want to know," Michaela smiled, knowing that she to if she was 25 weeks pregnant would want not to know she measure the same size a singleton pregnancy at two weeks past term.
"So we're agreed Sade is good," Hank smiled, he patted his wife on her bump. "So now Dr Mike, you go home look after your baby. Curly mop needs you more."
Michaela pushed open the door to the homestead. The tears which she could hear through the wood ten times worse now she was inside. "What happened?" she asked rushing to her husband as he rocked from side to side, trying to comfort Esmee.
"Caela?" he looked surprised but sounded relieved.
"I couldn't stay, I needed to be here." Michaela answered his question before he got a chance to ask it. "So what happened?"
"Nothing really, she's just real frustrated," Sully sighed. "You wanna sit and I'll give her to you."
Michaela sank into the chair immediately; she had found it best that she hold Esmee when she was sat down, because she was less likely to hurt her daughter. With the cast so heavy and her daughter so rigid it was just simpler and she felt much more secure when she was holding Esmee on her lap.
"Here," Sully lowered their stricken daughter onto Michaela's lap. "I think she's getting bored."
"Are you bored?" Michaela asked Esmee softly.
"No ike," Esmee muttered hitting her cast with her fist then yelping in pain.
"You don't like it," Michaela stroked Esmee's cheek. "I know sweetheart, but it's making your leg better."
"No ike," Esmee repeated, her bottom lip sticking out.
"Mama has an idea," Michaela whispered softly to her daughter. "Papa would you get the colouring pencils."
"The colouring pencils?" Sully looked at her curiously, he did as she asked collecting Brian's old colouring pencils and bringing them over to the armchair.
"Thank you," Michaela smiled up at him. "Now," she turned her attention back to Esmee. "I think we should make it pretty, do you think that would make you like it?"
Esmee tipped her head in curiosity; she watched as Michaela selected a blue pencil from the box and placed the tip on the plaster cast. Her little lips formed into an O as she watched her mother trace the shape of a cloud near the top of the cast and colour around it. Esmee gave a squeal of delight and clapped her hands.
Sully chuckled, he kissed his daughter's forehead. "You got a clever Mama huh?" he grinned at his wife, "Look's like you gotta a lotta drawing ta do."
"It does," Michaela smiled.
"You mind if I go ta town, I need ta see Robert E," He looked hopefully at Michaela.
Michaela smiled up at his hang dog expression of hopefulness, "Of course."
"Thanks," Sully grinned at her. "Violet's takin a nap, she'll be up soon. I might be a while, He was gonna make something for me but I may as well help him out and then pick Katie up."
"What are you making?" Michaela asked curiously as she drew a red kite on the cast.
"It's a surprise," Sully kissed the toddler and then Michaela. "I'll hopefully finish it today."
"You fink Esmee will like it?" Katie eyed the curious contraption in the back of the wagon with interest.
"I think she will," Sully grinned at his older daughter. "So you didn't tell me how you got on at school?"
"Oh you know," Katie waved her hand dismissively. "We did numbers and letters," she thought hard for a moment. "Oh yeah I got a special mark."
"A special mark?"
"Yeah, if you get all your learnin wright den Miss Wyern gives you special mark and if you get twenty in a semser," Katie frowned, "Semset, semer."
"Semester," Sully offered.
"Semester," Katie repeated with a smile. "You get a treat."
"What kinda treat?" Sully raised his eyebrows, slightly concerned that Michaela would think that what Katie was talking about was tantamount to bribery.
"Somefing for your pencil box. Den if you get 'undred in da year you get a book," Katie smiled, "she called it a thology she readed it to us," she held her finger and thumb up to show that she meant a small amount. "Only little," Katie tipped her head from side to side trying to remember, "pom."
"Anthology of poems," Sully smiled. "So what you get your special mark for?"
"I spelled all my words right" Katie grinned proudly, she looked behind her as the contraption in the back of the wagon rolled to the other side as Sully turned the wagon around a corner. "What is it?"
Sully nudged her playfully, "I gotta tell Esmee first."
"Right," Katie nodded. "Her present."
"Sure is," Sully pulled the wagon to a halt in front of the house. Sully leapt from the wagon and held his arms out for Katie, he grinned as she launched herself at him, her little arms wrapping around his neck. She gave him a beaming smile. "You're a clever girl Twink, I'm real proud of you." Katie thanked him with a kiss on the lips. Sully held his daughter for a few moments more before lowering her to the ground. "You open the door for me please?"
"Sure," Katie bounded up the steps and threw open the front door. "WE'RE HOME!" she announced loudly.
Michaela smiled at her daughter as she ran into the living room, Katie hugged her tightly. "How was your day sweetheart?"
"I got all my words right in spellin," Katie grinned with pride, her brown eyes sought out her sister and she gave a little noise of surprise. "Mama," Katie clapped her hands together. "Esmee's cast is pretty," she ran and examined the pretty drawing on the cast. "It's da meadow," Katie kissed her sister. "Esmee you lucky," Katie straightened out, "How it get there?"
"I drew it." Michaela rose from her chair.
"You really good Mama." Katie praised her mother, "Esmee you so lucky, Mama drewed on you and Papa got you a present."
"A present?" Michaela asked curiously. She looked round as Sully entered the house, negotiating the doorframe with something bulky in his arms, "What's this?"
"Loren's idea," Sully explained setting the contraption on the ground. "Thought Esmee would like it, Me and Robert E made it."
"Oh," Michaela responded, still none the wiser as to what the thing was in front of her. Comprised of two concentric metal circles linked by several thick metal bars, it was obviously the handiwork of the town blacksmith. Beneath the metal bars there were curiously small wheels. Attached the top circle was a series of leather straps and fabric. "What is it for?"
"Figured she gets bored because she can't move about, so," Sully grinned and collected Esmee from the floor. He placed his daughter into the fabric harness evidently a seat and tightened all the straps. "These things," Sully pointed to the wheels, "are furniture castors they just got patented a few months ago." He grinned at his daughter. "You alright Na'he?" the little girl nodded and Sully continued in tightening all the straps. "You wanna check she's in tight?" Sully asked Michaela.
Intrigued by the contraption and worried for her daughter's safety Michaela knelt beside her husband. She checked the straps, when she was certain that her daughter was properly supported and the straps were not compromising the cast in any way she looked at Sully for further explanation.
Sully stood up and gently guided her to stand a few steps away from Esmee. "Esmee come here." Sully lowered himself to his knees and held out his hands. He captured Esmee's reaching one and tugged her gently, pulling his daughter smoothly across the floor. Esmee grinned. "You can walk Na'he," Sully encouraged her. Tentatively Esmee placed her feet on the wooden floor and moved them as best she could. The contraption moved forward. Esmee stopped moving her feet.
"Esmee moved!" Katie grinned bounding across to them, "Papa you so clever."
Esmee clapped her hands and tried moving her feet again, slowly shuffling across to her mother. Michaela smiled down at her daughter, pleased her little girl looked so happy.
"I figured that we could put her in it for short spells and let her have a roam." Sully looked at his wife for approval.
"I think it's a wonderful idea," Michaela smiled. "She's not putting any weight on her leg, and the cast is supported so that it should in no way interfere with her healing," Michaela kissed her husband softly. "Well done Papa."
"Well done Papa." Katie echoed her mother's words.
"el one Papa," Esmee imitated both of them. The toddler clapped her hands again, happy to be upright and able to move, happy to have her freedom again.
Michaela smiled at Esmee and Violet as they lay on the cot at the side of the room. A tree had fallen onto the train rails out of town and Sully had gone to help clear it so the train could run. Both of the children were asleep, snuggled together. With the cast so heavy there was no chance that Esmee could roll out of the bed so it was the first time she had ever placed them on it. With Klara still travelling back from delivering the Reverend to New York and no patients scheduled until 4.30 Michaela was able to get some time to get on with some reading, she looked up at the sound of the faint knock on the internal door."Come in," She smiled as Sadie poked her head round the door. "Hello Sadie,"
"Hi," Sadie smiled back. "I wondered if we could have a chat."
"Are you feeling alright?" Michaela reached for her stethoscope.
"Oh Yeah can't complain," Sadie sighed rubbing her back. "I'm just going a bit stir crazy in there and I was in search for some decent conversation. Hank doesn't really offer that."
"Was there something you wanted to talk about?" Michaela indicated for Sadie to join her in the seat beside the desk.
"Anything," Sadie waddled over and sank into the chair gratefully. "Just nothing about babies, I kind of want a baby free," she sighed and looked down, "can't really say zone I would take that up," she smiled wryly. "I would just like a conversation about…I dunno."
"The weather?" Michaela offered with a smile.
"The weather yeah, that will do." Sadie smiled. "Do you think we'll get snow this year?"
"Possibly," Michaela laughed slightly. "I would love for the girls to see snow, Katie so enjoyed it, it was so…" she turned her head at the sound of a racing wagon and screaming. "Excuse me," Michaela stood and hurried to the door. The wagon had pulled to a stop outside in the middle of the street, a blood stained man leaping down from the driver seat, his equally blood stained wife screaming in the back, a horribly still bundle in her arms.
"You doctor?" the man stammered at her in halting English, they were immigrants, a new family to Colorado Springs, one she had never seen before, "En ulv forsøgte eat my son," he transferred between his native tongue and English.
Michaela rushed to the back of the wagon. "Let me see" she held her arms up to take the child. The mother wailed refusing to let the child go.
"Tell her to let me take him," Michaela requested the man.
Hank moved out of the Phoenix, trotting down he stood beside the wagon, making eye contact with the mother, "La Dr Mike ta ham," he spoke in halting Norwegian. "Hun er en god läkaren."
Michaela smiled at the mother as she slowly relinquished her grip on her son. "Hank," Michaela shook her head, the child wrapped in the blanket, was ravaged, his face torn open, his skin cold with death.
"What happened?" Hank asked the father slowly.
"A wolf," the father made out how big it was.
"Gule?" Hank asked his eyes falling on Michaela. "Like this," he pointed at his sandy coloured shirt.
"Yea," The father nodded.
"Hank hissed and threw his cigar to the ground, "I think it was a coyote."
Michaela took a gulping breath, the weight of the dead child increasing as she realised how nearly this could have been Esmee. "Another one."
"I'll get Jake," Hank muttered. "We need to warn folk."
"Michaela?" Sully pushed open the clinic open, he frowned surprised as he took in Sadie sat on the floor with Violet in her arms, Katie playing pattacake with Esmee. "Sadie you alright?"
"Oh I'm fine," Sadie nodded. "Just kind of stuck on the floor."
"You want me to help you up?" Sully took a step forward.
"No it's alright," Sadie flicked her dark hair over her shoulder. "I'll wait for you and Dr Mike to come back."
"Where is Michaela?" Sully asked.
Katie looked up from her game with Esmee, "She speaking wiv Hank and Grampy and Mr Slicker."
"Another kid got attacked," Sadie frowned and reached to stroke Esmee's arm. "He wasn't so lucky."
Sully swallowed. He exhaled slowly and took the few steps forward needed to reach his children. He bent down and kissed them each softly on the forehead, needing to feel their skin against his lips, the sensation enough to calm him. He lingered slightly longer on Esmee, relishing the fact that she was still with them. The toddler raised her hands and cupped his face directing his head to kiss her on the lips, "Hey Na'he," he whispered.
"Papa," Esmee smiled at him, slowly her smile wavered, "ow Papa," she smiled bravely but Sully could tell she was starting to experience pain.
"Papa will get Mama," Sully stroked her cheek.
"I'll look after them," Katie told her father solemnly. "You go see Mama, see getted upset when they bringed the little boy in. She needs a hug. I make sure no animal get Esmee again."
"Go ahead," Sadie urged. "I can watch them. We fine ain't we kids?" she smiled up at him. "They're over at the church."
Sully nodded gratefully, "Thanks."
He slipped out of the clinic and moved across the dusty street, as he reached the bridge across the creek he broke into a run, wanting to clear the distance as quickly as he could so he could take Michaela into his arms. Sully frowned as he slipped into the church, Jake's words hitting him like a tonne of bricks. "You can't cull em," Sully spoke as he rounded the partition and entered the church properly.
"Sully," Michaela ran to him, throwing her arms around him pushing her head against her chest.
Sully swallowed, she was covered in the child's blood, just as she had been stained with Esmee's.
"Oh Sully," Michaela clung to him, obviously trying not the cry, each shuddering breath giving away how much the sight of the deceased child had affected her.
"The girls are safe," Sully reassured her, rubbing her back comfortingly. "You can't cull them Jake" he fixed the mayor with a determined stare.
"I'd thought you'd want this." Jake looked confused. "That kid could have been..."
"But it wasn't," Sully interrupted. "I know I killed the animal that hurt Esmee but we can't cull em." He took a deep breath. "The wildlife around here are still having to get used to what's happened since the fire, prey has changed, hunting grounds have changed. We've come into their territory not the other way around. The animal I killed was bone thin. Coyote's take chances, we were having a picnic we had meat, they could smell it; chances are this family was doing something similar. We gotta warn folk make sure they keep an eye on their kids. Not order a hunting party to go kill the animals."
"Sully's right," Michaela lifted her head from Sully's chest. She moved her body slightly away from her husband, trying to appear strong but her remaining hand wrapped around his waist telling Sully she still needed him. "We should not actively seek to dispose of these animals."
"I guess," Jake scratched his head, clearly puzzled that they didn't want to hunt the animal's after what had happened to Esmee.
"Sides," Hank rolled his cigar in his hand. "I don't see how we could do it anyhow."
"That's true," Loren nodded. "Coyote's are real sneaky."
"Alright," Jake sighed, "we warn folks, and let people know what to do if they see one of them. I suppose it's all we can do. I'll speak to Brian see if he can print up some warning notices. You two tell anyone who comes into the Phoenix and the store. I'll get Horace to let folks in the station know."
"Sounds like a plan," Loren muttered. "We'll just have to hope it will work."
"Yeah," Jake looked nervously at Michaela. "I just hope we don't get no more attacks."
Sully pulled Michaela as close to him as could without hampering her ability to walk as they strolled across the grass towards the clinic.
"How was the track?" Michaela asked quietly.
"Fine, cleared it real fast, sorry I had to leave you and the girls," he rubbed her side.
"Oh we were fin..." the word died in her throat at the sound of Esmee screaming ripped from the clinic.
Both of them started to run, each of them pushing their way through townsfolk. Hank a step behind them, because Sadie was in the clinic with the screaming child. Sully reached the clinic first; he gripped the corner of the building using it to swing himself around. He stopped just in time to stop himself from colliding with Ben. The little boy was clutching his puppy in his arms, tears rolling down his cheeks. His green eyes widened as he saw Sully.
"I'm real sorry," Ben squeaked.
"Papa," Katie ran to the doorway. "Esmee NEEDS you."
Sully pushed his way past the children to his screaming daughter. "What happened?" he asked Sadie as the pregnant woman tried to comfort the terrified child.
"What happened?" Michaela called as she rushed in a brief flush of relief covering her face as she realised that Esmee had not fallen from the cot and hurt herself.
"Ben came in with his puppy and she just started screaming," Sadie shuffled out of the way as best she could while still holding Violet and negotiating her increased mass and weight.
"She's scared of Fidget." Katie's mouth dropped open in surprise. The little girl pushed between her two parents. "No Esmee, don't be scared, Fidget a good puppy."
"It's alright Katie," Sully pulled Katie away from Esmee. "Let your Mama hug Esmee," he moved to Michaela could tend to the sobbing toddler. "Caela, I'm gonna bring Ben and the dog in."
"What?" Michaela's eyebrows rose.
"She's gotta learn that some dogs are alright, you know how many there are around here," Sully squeezed his wife's shoulder. "I don't want her too frightened to go outside."
Michaela nodded in understanding and turned back to her daughter. She wiped Esmee's red cheeks dry and lifted her daughter's torso up enough so that she could sit beneath her. "It's alright Sweetheart, it's alright," she took her daughter's hands stroking the back of Esmee's little hands soothingly. Esmee calmed, reassured by her mother's gentle touch that she was ok.
Michaela looked up as Sully entered with Ben. Esmee squeaked at the sight of her father holding the dog, her blue eyes widening in fear. "It's alright sweetheart," Michaela continued to stroke Esmee's hands.
"Yeah Esmee," Katie joined in patting Esmee's shoulder. "It's alwight. Lookie," Katie smiled and trotted to her father. Sully sensing what Katie was about to do, lowered himself so that the dog was in her reach. Katie smiled as she tickled Fidget, the puppy's tail wagging at the attention.
Esmee watched her sister and father intently, her blue eyes tear filled as she struggled to come to understand that this dog was good and what had happened to her would not happen again.
"Esmee, Papa is going to come closer now," Michaela spoke to her daughter gently.
Esmee squeaked again, but did not start shrieking as Sully cautiously approached. The toddler and the puppy regarded each other nervously, Esmee evidently fearful, and Fidget nervous about the horrible noise which the child had made before. The dog studied Esmee for a moment and then as if he could tell what the problem was went limp in Sully's arms. Sully smiled and moved in next to the cot. "See Na'he, good dog."
Slowly Michaela extended Esmee's hand out to touch the animal, the toddler looked shocked for a moment before smiling as she remembered how she liked to pet the animal. "See darling," Michaela kissed Esmee softly on the forehead, "good dog."
"Good dog," Sully repeated, he smiled at his daughter. "Do you understand Esmee? There are good dogs and bad dogs, you can pet good dogs."
"Fidget good dog," Katie asserted joining her family in petting the puppy.
"ood og," Esmee imitated what her family was saying.
"Good dog," Michaela smiled at her daughter. "Mama and Papa will tell you if it is a good dog or bad dog."
Sully moved one of his hands to touch Katie, drawing the fearless four year old into the lesson. "From now on unless it is Fidget or Wolf you ask before you pet the dog. We know Fidget and Wolf are good dogs," he touched Katie's nose. "You wait for us or whichever grown up you are with to say you can pet the dog."
"So can know if it's good or bad," Katie nodded in understanding. "What if dog comes to us?"
"Someone will always be watching you sweetheart," Michaela told her. "They will tell you what to do."
"Alright," Katie smiled. "See Esmee," she giggled as she tickled Fidget's tickle spot. "Fidget good."
"ood," Esmee smiled and patted the animal. Slowly she withdrew her hand, but not through fear. Michaela smiled as the toddler reached her hand out to Sadie and Hank who were holding Violet, watching the interaction between the family with interest. "Lo," the toddler smiled at them before looking over at Ben and repeating the gesture. Michaela lifted her free hand and placed it on Sully's shoulder, their eyes meeting, the understanding passing between them of how lucky they both were that their daughter was alright and how they could carry on being a family. Their new level of understanding bringing a heightened sense of their love for each other, the feeling that was natural to them suddenly so obvious because of what they could have lost.