Birthday Wishes

Chapter 4: Confessions & Celebrations

As Michaela rode home alone after her afternoon in town, she contemplated her birthday thus far. It had been uneventful, to say the least. Then again, that was to be expected, since she'd intentionally avoided telling anyone in Colorado Springs that this was the day that she'd first entered the world, thirty-five years ago. The last thing she needed was to give the townsfolk another reason to gossip about her unmarried status; if they knew that this was actually her 35th birthday, she'd never be able to shake the "old maid" label. She found the term humiliating as well as hurtful, but she would never let them see how much it upset her. So instead, she'd lashed out in anger, unable to hold her tongue earlier when she'd noticed Horace and Myra glancing furtively at her while whispering to each other, and overheard Loren snickering with one of his customers about the idea of courting her. She'd scolded them for their behavior, making a bit of a scene as she'd demanded that they stop discussing her love life. She blushed at the memory, thanking her lucky stars that Jake had chosen that moment to emerge from his drunken binge and interrupt her tirade.

She picked up speed as she got closer the homestead, anxious now to see the children. They were always the perfect antidote for her feelings of loneliness. As she approached the front door, she could hear the kids speaking animatedly amongst themselves, although she couldn't quite make out what they were saying. When she entered the room, their conversation abruptly ceased, and she got the distinct impression that they were hiding something. She also found it odd that Colleen hadn't gotten started on dinner yet. Before Michaela could ponder these uncharacteristic happenings too much, Brian began insisting that there was something in the barn that she needed to see. But he wouldn't say what this mysterious "thing" in the barn was. She wondered why Matthew hadn't gone to investigate, since he usually slept in the barn and would certainly have noticed if something was amiss. But Brian was so persistent that she finally relented and headed outside. Finding nothing out of order, she quickly returned to the house, shaking her head at the kids' strange conduct.

No sooner had she entered the house than the children jubilantly yelled "Happy Birthday!" and jumped apart to reveal a beautiful birthday cake decorated with lit candles. Michaela was so touched that a lump formed in her throat, almost making it impossible for her to blow out the candles. As she did so, the kids tried to guess what she'd wished for. Brian, with his usual innocent insight, assumed that she'd wished for Sully to marry her so they could be a family. If only he knew how close he was to the truth! As she'd lain in bed earlier that morning reflecting on her birthday, she'd finally acknowledged what her subconscious had been trying to tell her for months now: She didn't just want any appropriate man to share her life with; she wanted Sully. She'd never been drawn to anyone else the way she was to him, and deep down, she knew he felt the same way. She didn't know how he would eventually find his way to her, but she was certain that it would happen if they were truly meant to be together.

She hugged her three precious children tightly, realizing that she could never truly be alone surrounded by their love. They'd just settled down to cut the cake and eat it on the fine china that the children had painstakingly repaired, when they heard the sound of thundering hooves frantically galloping up to the homestead. It was Horace, who said that she was needed in town for a medical emergency. Without a second thought, Dr. Mike grabbed her medical bag, and she and the children headed to the Clinic.

Well, the kids and the townspeople had really had her fooled, hadn't they? As it turned out, there was actually no "emergency" requiring her attention in town. Instead, when Michaela frenetically pulled the wagon up in front of the Clinic, the townsfolk appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, and shouted "Surprise!" She nearly fainted in shock. So this was what all of the secretiveness and whispering had been about! And she'd been naively thinking that people were gossiping about her courting habits! She graciously thanked them all and smiled a little sheepishly, acknowledging that she'd made a bit of a fool out of herself with her assumptions.

As she stood on the Clinic steps to give a short speech of thanks for the new sign gifted to her by the town, she couldn't help but scan the crowd for signs of Sully. She was touched by the thoughtfulness of her children and the townspeople, and pleased to feel like she'd finally been accepted as a member of the community. But there was still something missing: Sully, her best friend; the man with whom she wanted to spend this and all of her future birthdays. Her heart sank a little when she didn't spot him amongst the group of well-wishers, but she quickly put on a brave face, reminding herself that she had a lot to be thankful for.

Little did she know that Sully was, in fact, there the entire time. But he kept himself carefully hidden in the shadows, wanting to surprise her later; preferably, in a more discreet setting. He smiled proudly as he watched her making a thank-you speech in front of the Clinic that she'd fought so hard to establish. As the crowd began to disperse and drift towards Grace's Café for the celebratory feast, he silently willed Michaela to stay behind. He wanted to give her his present in private, away from the prying eyes of the town members. As though she sensed his silent plea, she told the children to go on ahead to the party. Finally alone with her thoughts, she stood back and happily examined her new Clinic sign, and considered all that it represented. She was so deep in thought that she didn't hear Sully's quiet approach.

"Nice sign," said his familiar voice, as he emerged from the darkness. He was wearing a formal suit that fit his fine form to a "T," and he looked freshly scrubbed and clean-shaven.

"Sully?!" she exclaimed, wondering if her eyes were deceiving her.

"What, can't a man get dressed up for a special occasion?" he jokingly retorted. Despite his lighthearted tone, he was sure that she'd see his heart pounding nervously in his chest.

Michaela had never been one much for fairy tales as a child, since she'd always preferred to read adventure stories and, of course, her father's medical books. But she imagined that "Prince Charming" must have looked a lot like Sully as he stood before her now. Would it be proper to pay him a compliment? She was suddenly tired of always censoring herself in the interest of propriety. Surely, a bit of subtle praise would be completely harmless.

With a coy smile, she intoned admiringly, "You're looking very ... handsome."

"Thank you." His blue eyes sparkled in the moonlight, a hint of playfulness visible in their depths. He pulled her present out from behind his back, and gave it to her.

"It's beautiful." Her voice sounded slightly husky with emotion. "Did you make this?"

Sully was tongue-tied as he felt himself drowning in Dr. Mike's enchanting mismatched eyes, and could only manage a slight nod in response to her question. With considerable effort, he succeeded in finding his voice, and continued, somewhat haltingly, "It's for your doctorin' ... there's a place for your instruments, and ... and your pills and things."

"Thank you, Sully," she whispered. After a moment's hesitation, her emotions prevailed over logical thought, and she leaned in and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. As she did so, she couldn't help but notice how heavenly he smelled; a combination of his unique, masculine essence, the clean scent of soap, and some kind of intoxicating cologne.

Michaela wished that she could stay this close to him forever, but to linger any longer would be improper. And so, with great reluctance, she began to pull away.

When Michaela kissed his cheek, Sully felt as though he'd been hit by a lightning bolt. Though the kiss was undoubtedly a chaste one, the feel of her soft lips against his skin made tingles run up and down his spine. His hands twitched with the need to touch her, and he fought the urge to reach out and pull her closer. All too soon, he felt her start to draw back, and his heart screamed in protest. Before he lost his nerve, he turned his face to hers, so that their lips hovered a mere hair's breadth away from each other. He paused for a split second, giving her a last chance to turn back, to break the spell. But all he saw in her eyes was pure, unadulterated feminine longing. She wanted him to kiss her as much as he did, and he was tired of denying them both what they so desperately desired. Driven by the instincts that he'd tried in vain to suppress for too long, he captured her lips with his.

When Sully's lips touched hers for the first time, Michaela was overcome with an inexplicable feeling of completeness, like her entire life had somehow been leading up to this moment. Though she'd kissed David several times in the past during their engagement, none of those kisses had been as all-consuming as the all-too-brief contact between her lips and Sully's.

For his part, Sully was similarly overwhelmed by the kiss between himself and Dr. Mike. Male-female affection was nothing new to him, since he'd previously been married, but when he touched his lips to hers, it was like he was kissing a woman for the first time. He'd never in his life felt anything as wonderful as her lips, which were soft and sweet, and tasted faintly of cake frosting. The sensation would burn itself into his memory for the rest of his days. Right then, he intuitively knew that this would not be the last kiss he would share with the lady doctor.

In the blink of an eye, their kiss was over and Sully stepped back, somewhat shaken. As he struggled to compose himself, he watched Michaela intently, trying to read her expression. They'd clearly crossed a line of sorts with their kiss, and he hoped that things wouldn't be awkward between them now. He valued her friendship above all, so he'd never forgive himself if he'd somehow jeopardized that by rashly giving into his masculine impulses.

He needn't have worried. As she too, tried to bring her racing heart under control, Michaela returned his look with a shy but sincere smile. She sensed that they were beginning a new chapter in their relationship, and she welcomed it. Indeed, it was an unexpectedly fitting turning point to mark her 35th birthday.

Sully glanced towards Grace's Café, and then turned and extended his hand to her. She got the impression that he was preparing to lead her not only to her birthday party, but also into their future together. She unhesitatingly placed her tiny hand in his strong grasp, and they walked in comfortable silence towards the festivities.

As if by some unspoken agreement, Michaela and Sully released each other's hands just before they entered the Café area. They both knew that they weren't quite ready to subject themselves to the curious stares and scrutiny of the nosy townspeople. And besides, they didn't want the impressionable Cooper siblings to prematurely jump to conclusions; especially Brian, who'd made no secret of his wish to have Sully marry his new mother and become his father. But the fledgling couple were apparently so distracted by their recent kiss that they didn't realize that someone else had already seen them holding hands on the way to the party. Grace had stepped around to the back of her restaurant to grab some more plates, and when she spotted her two friends together, she had to practically bite her tongue in order to stifle a shriek of elation. "Finally!" she thought excitedly. It had certainly taken those two long enough to get together! Nonetheless, she knew that they were both intensely private people who would appreciate the opportunity to reveal their relationship in their own time and as they saw fit. So she kept quiet and let them be. She slipped back to the party unnoticed, determined to keep what she'd observed to herself until the lovebirds themselves decided to share it with others.

Despite their most determined attempts at discretion, it was obvious to everyone around them that something had changed between the mountain man and the lady doctor. Although Michaela made a concerted effort to leave Sully's side and mingle amongst the guests, she couldn't stop her eyes from frequently drifting over to him. He looked so handsome that she felt like she had to pinch herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming. Her decidedly less sociable beau was content to spend most of the evening by himself, following her around the Café with his eyes. Ever so often, she would re-join him near the outskirts of the festivities, and they would spend a few minutes chatting quietly, as if they shared a treasured secret between them that no-one else knew.

The townsfolk exchanged knowing, indulgent smiles as they watched the two hopelessly trying to hide their affection. Jake and Loren sidled up to Sully, unable to resist a little good-natured ribbing at the mountain man's expense.

"So that's what this mornin's shopping trip was about, eh?" Loren teased. "I was wonderin' what in tarnation ya needed a suit for, seein' as ya usually run 'round in those buckskins. Nuthin' like a l'il lady to make a man change his wardrobe, huh?" He punctuated his comments with a sly wink.

"Same here," Jake chimed in. "When ya came in first thing this mornin' askin' for a shave, I thought my eyes were playin' tricks on me. Ya hadn't been near my razor in years! But hey, all the better to get close to a certain lady doctor, right?"

Sully regarded the two men with mock innocence. "I have no idea what you two are talkin' about. The kids told me they were throwin' a surprise party for their ma's birthday, so I came dressed for celebratin'."

"Yeah, right!" chorused the barber and shopkeeper. "Do we look like we were born yesterday?" Loren persisted.

"You're not gettin' another word outta me, gentlemen," Sully replied with an amused smirk. Realizing that further probing would be fruitless, Jake and Loren chuckled affably and went on their way.

After everyone had enjoyed a plentiful feast and Dr. Mike had blown out her second set of birthday candles that day, an impromptu band formed and struck up a tune. A few couples tried their hand at dancing, though most of the guests seemed content to simply enjoy the music while they milled around, shooting the breeze and enjoying the delicious Boston cream pie, birthday cake and abundant libations.

The rest of the evening flew by quickly, but to Sully, it seemed as though time had slowed to a crawl. The brief peck that he and Michaela had shared in front of the Clinic had only served to whet his appetite, and he couldn't wait to be alone with her so that they could repeat the experience; several times, if he had his way. Besides, now that they'd moved beyond mere friendship, he felt like he had so much to say to her, but he needed to do it in private, away from the inquisitive eyes and ears of others.

Fortunately for him, the festive gathering soon began to wind down, and several of the revelers started saying their goodbyes and heading for home. He caught sight of Dr. Mike over by the kitchen, chatting with Grace as they cleared away the remnants of the food. When it looked like they were just about done, he sauntered over to them to ask Michaela if she was ready to leave. With her back to him and the surrounding noise drowning out his footsteps, she didn't hear him come up behind her.

"Ready to call it a night?" he asked over her shoulder. She gasped, startled but pleasantly surprised by his nearness; and she blushed wildly when she noticed Grace watching them with a delighted grin on her face.

"Yes, well ... I ... I suppose I am a bit tired. It has been quite a day," Michaela conceded, turning to face him. She and Sully exchanged meaningful glances -- it had indeed been a significant evening for them both, in more ways than one! She called out to the kids, letting them know that it was time to leave. They came running up, their eyes bright despite the late hour. Colleen pleaded for a few more minutes with her friends, and Matthew wanted to spend a bit more time with Ingrid, so he told Dr. Mike to go on ahead, assuring her that he'd bring Colleen safely back to the homestead a little later.

Oblivious to the romantic undercurrent between his ma and Sully, Brian piped up, "Well, I guess that just leaves me. I'll just hop in the back of the wag- Ow!" he exclaimed, as Matthew stomped on his foot. "Whaddya do that for?"

Ignoring Brian's pained protests, Matthew interrupted, "What Brian meant to say is that he an' his friends are just finishin' up a game of tag, so he wants to stay behind with me an' Colleen. Ain't that right, Brian?"

"I do?" the little boy asked, puzzled.

Matthew glared at his little brother, willing him to agree. The youngest Cooper sibling had no idea what was going on, but from the look on Matthew's face, he figured that he'd better play along.

"Oh yeah, that's right. Ma, why don't ya ride home with Sully, and Matthew'll bring us home in a l'il while," Brian proposed.

The kids were acting a bit oddly, but Michaela couldn't see how letting them enjoy another hour or so with their friends could do any harm. "Well, alright. Just promise me that you won't be too late," she admonished.

"We promise," the children answered in unison.

Sully tried hard to hide how pleased he was at this turn of events. He'd finally get to spend some coveted time alone with Dr. Mike, and even sooner than he'd hoped!

As the would-be lovebirds made their way over to the Livery to get their horses, Matthew gave Brian an affectionate little shove.

"Dummy, couldn't ya see that Dr. Mike and Sully wanted to be alone?" the elder brother scolded.

"They did?" came Brian's wide-eyed reply.

"Yep. Was as plain as the nose on your face. Boy, I sure am glad I'm not a kid anymore, if it means bein' that clueless."

"Am not!" Brian argued.

"Whatever you say, l'il brother." With that, Matthew headed back over to join Ingrid, intending to take full advantage of their extra time together.

As Michaela and Sully rode out to the homestead, they bantered companionably, trading "war stories" about past birthdays. It seemed like neither of them had a great track record in that regard! She could barely remember her birthday last year, since it had been the day after her father had passed away. The one thing she did recall was waking up on the morning of February 15, 1867, certain that she would never be able to survive until her next birthday without her beloved father. She'd feared that she would die of a broken heart long before then. Sully hadn't fared much better on his last birthday, December 9th. He'd been off in the woods somewhere checking his traps, alone as usual. He'd already met Dr. Mike and become friends with her, but they hadn't yet begun to spend as much time together as they did now. In fact, he remembered lying in the cave where he'd set up camp on the night of his birthday, thinking that he'd much rather be spending time with the lady doctor than freezing half-to-death deep in the woods. They both shared a laugh as he recounted his less-than-ideal circumstances back then.

As they drew closer to their destination, Michaela harked back to the first time Sully had brought her out to the homestead. How clumsy she had felt, especially since that had been her first time actually riding a horse! And her future landlord had done nothing to ease her discomfort. She giggled fetchingly as she teasingly reminded him that he'd left her lying in the dust when she'd fallen off Bear, the horse that she'd been trying to dismount. In light of their new-found closeness, he now felt comfortable confessing the real reason for his appalling lack of chivalry: He simply hadn't trusted himself to touch her again. Apparently, hoisting her onto Bear by her rear-end back at the Livery had left him quite shaken-up, and he'd been afraid of embarrassing himself if he repeated such contact.

"In case ya haven't guessed, I like touching you, ya know," he admitted, with a mischievous wink.

As he predicted, Michaela's face reddened adorably. Of course, in her eyes, it would be unladylike to let him know that she felt the same way about him, but she was secretly flattered that he found her so attractive.

All too soon, it seemed, they reached the front door of the homestead, and Michaela stepped inside. Neither of them was ready for their amazing evening to end, but they ruefully recognized that it had to, sooner or later. The children would be home shortly, and Sully knew that the youngsters would bombard himself and Dr. Mike with a host of overly-personal questions if they found him there when they arrived.

"I guess I should be gettin' on home," he said, with a hint of regret in his voice.

"I suppose you're right," she sighed. "Thanks for seeing me home." Sully noticed that she was staring at his lips, her eyes communicating what she was too timid to request out loud.

In response to her yearning gaze, he planted a tender kiss on Michaela's lips, and then leaned in for a gentle hug goodbye. He breathed in the beguiling, floral scent of her hair, and before he could stop himself, he whispered "I love you" into her delicate ear.

The feel of Sully's warm breath against her ear and the sensual timbre of his voice sent shivers down her spine, and she gasped, taken aback by his affectionate pronouncement. But before she could bring herself to respond in kind, he'd already closed the front door and presumably turned to make his way home.

Michaela's knees threatened to buckle beneath her, and she leaned against the door for support. "I love you too," she said softly, sure that he couldn't hear her. She was astonished to find that she missed him already, even though he'd left only a few moments ago.

On the other side of the door, Sully smiled. As soon as he'd made his feelings known to Michaela, he'd booked a hasty exit, fearing that his passionate declaration would make her uncomfortable, or worse yet, that she might not return his feelings.

Relief washed over him when he heard her whispered reply, indicating that she felt the same way. For a moment, he was tempted to rush back into the homestead and take her in his arms, but then, he thought better of it. As enticing as the idea was, if he did that, she would know that he'd overheard her. It was clear from the low tone of her words that she hadn't intended for them to reach his ears, and she'd probably be mortified if she realized that they had. On second thought, perhaps it would be wiser to wait. Forcing Michaela to acknowledge her love for him now might scare her away, and put them back at square one. Sully would do anything before he risked that. In any event, he could wait as long as it took for her to be ready to admit her emotions to his face.

So he turned from the homestead and began the journey back to his lean-to in the woods, feeling like he was floating on a cloud. His fear and insecurities had been a huge weight on his shoulders, one that the events of this evening had now happily lifted off him. Michaela loved him, and he, her. He didn't know exactly what the future held for them, but he was sure that this stunning, smart, compassionate woman would be an important part of his life for the rest of his days. Of that he was now certain.

As he continued his trip home, he caught a glimpse of a falling star shooting through the clear night sky. With a smile on his face, he couldn't help thinking that more than one wish had already been fulfilled tonight.

THE END