Michaela fidgeted slightly, gripping the basket in her hands.
"It'll be just fine, Michaela."
Michaela glanced over at Abigail who was smiling encouragingly.
"Hmm…" The two women looked at their companion, who didn't look as convinced. "You know as well me that these women can be down right spiteful." Charlotte looked almost grim.
Michaela swallowed and took a deep breath before nodding that she was ready.
Abigail knocked on the door, which was soon opened revealing Emily Donovan whose home it was. Abigail smiled brightly. "Evenin', Emily. Me and Charlotte brought Michaela with us tonight." Abigail wrapped an arm around Michaela's shoulders, bringing her forward a bit.
Michaela smiled at the young woman.
Emily looked somewhat wary but still returned the smile and let them in. "I think we can find ya a place."
She led the three women into the sitting room where a group of women, most of them married or widowed, were sitting around the beginnings of a quilt. They all looked up when they entered and there were quite a variety of reactions to Michaela's presence.
Emily introduced some of the members Michaela didn't know too well, but she knew a few members already including Maude, who smiled kindly at her; Olive, who nodded to her and kept her face unreadable; and Mrs. Binder, who also gave her a smile. Others were not so welcoming as Maude, Mrs. Binder and Emily; they frowned at the doctor.
Michaela cleared her throat and held out the basket she had been carrying. "I brought some material with me."
Emily accepted it with a smile.
Michaela uneasily took a seat between Abigail and Charlotte.
Throughout the evening the women were outwardly polite and genial, but Michaela could tell that many of them were suspicious if not hostile toward her.
When they left Charlotte released a breath. "Well, that went better than I thought."
Michaela stared at her. "Better than you thought?"
Charlotte gave her a wry smile. "Coulda been worse."
"More of 'em were alright with ya, than we expected," Abigail explained.
Michaela sighed wearily.
Abigail wrapped her arm around Michaela who reciprocated and they rested their heads together. "Give it time. It's a good sign that some of them have started accepted ya; it's gonna get better."
8
"How 'bout Joshua Barns?"
"Oh, he's as timid as a mouse; totally wrong for her. What 'bout Richard Mac?"
"He's smitten with Janelle Cothard. Daniel Handsen?"
"He's 21!"
Abigail and Charlotte looked over at Michaela.
"So?" Abigail asked.
"I'm 33; that's 12 years difference!" Michaela gaped at the pair.
"She has a good point…" Charlotte glanced at Abigail.
The trio was sitting in Charlotte's kitchen; Abigail was removing peas from their pods and Charlotte and Michaela were pealing potatoes. Charlotte and Abigail were discussing possible men for Michaela, with Michaela interrupting often with sounds of protest or comments on the…suitability of the "prospects."
The three sat silently for a while, the first silence in several hours; Michaela sighed in relief that they were finally out of ideas.
"What 'bout the Reverend?"
Michaela groaned rolling her eyes. "No."
"Jake?"
"He hates me!"
They were silent for a while again, but this time Michaela kept her guard up.
"Hank?"
Michaela threw her hands up in the air, crying out in frustration; Charlotte and Abigail burst out laughing.
"No more!" Michaela cried, her voice exasperated, though amusement shone in her eyes. "If it were left up the two of you I would end up seeing every man within a ten mile radius!"
"Oh, not ten," Abigail waved a hand, "just nine."
Michaela rolled her eyes and Charlotte chuckled.
Michaela was putting on an annoyed front, but she was obviously pleased. She enjoyed this easy, friendly banter and the teasing that didn't stem from spite but care and fun, something that had been lacking in her life, particularly in female company.
"We just don't want ya to be lonely." Abigail gave her friend a worried look.
Michaela smiled and reached over to grip her arm. "I'm not lonely. Since I came here I haven't felt lonely. I have never had as good of friends as you." She looked between the two women. "I am very happy, and I owe you two, the children and Sully for that." She reached out and grasped Charlotte's hand. "Thank you."
Abigail placed her own hand over the doctor's; both women returned her smile.
"No need to thank us for bein' you friend, Dr. Mike, it's what friends are for."
Michaela and Abigail both looked at her, slightly confused looks on their faces.
"Don't look at me like that. You may think it don't make sense, but it will."
Both younger women glanced at each other, bemused, before they all got back to work.
8
Ok, I didn't plan really on this chapter; the story just decided that since the last chapter was more or less a commentary on Michaela's relationship with Sully that this one was to show more of her relationship with Charlotte and Abigail. I am getting to the point where I am almost totally letting this story and the characters do as they please; we will just have to see where they take it. I hope you liked it! Please let me know what you liked, didn't like, or what I could have done better!