CHAPTER 10 – Their First Day Home
The morning sun beamed softly in the window, illuminating the magnificent headboard and the two peacefully sleeping people lying comfortably spooned together at its base.
Sully slowly opened his eyes and looked around, realizing they had slept late. Smiling sleepily at the woman snuggled in the curve of his embrace, her head nestled on his outstretched arm; he leaned closer and pressed a kiss to her hair. She stirred slightly.
"Sun's up," he murmured.
"Mmmm," she replied drowsily.
"Been up for a while."
Michaela drew in a languidly comfortable breath, releasing it with a sigh. "It's so nice and peaceful here," she murmured, lovingly caressing her husband's bare arm and shoulder. He held her as she snuggled closer, kissing her temple and cheek. They both wanted to stretch their time together a little longer before they had to start their day.
"Our first morning of our new life together in this marvelous house," Michaela murmured, glancing around at their surroundings. Turning toward him, she gazed shyly into his eyes as he smiled into hers. "I hope the rest of our lives are as perfectly beautiful as this moment."
"The rest of our lives...will be what we make of 'em," he murmured assuredly, knowing he could make no promises that nothing bad would ever happen. "But whatever happens, we'll face it together, side by side, hand in hand...heart to heart...just like we've done practically since the day we met."
Michaela smiled lovingly, leaning in to softly kiss his lips. "I love you Byron Sully..."
"And I love you, Michaela Sully," he answered as she snuggled in for a hug. After a few minutes, he pulled back and began to press kisses to her cheek and then her mouth as her hand began to grip and caress his shoulder, passion kindled. His hand began to find its way down her smooth, bare skin, gently squeezing and caressing, readying her for some morning loving. He gently nudged her thighs apart with his knee and she acquiesced, moving to position herself for him, nothing on either of their minds but the pleasure they were about to give each other.
Just then a knock sounded loudly at their door, jarring them out of their sensual mood as they scrambled for the sheets, fully expecting the door to burst open.
"Dad? Mom? Are we going to church? It's already nine o'clock," Hannah's voice informed them.
"Oh my goodness! I forgot it was Sunday!" Michaela gasped. Throwing back the sheet, she disentangled herself from her husband and swung her legs to the side of the bed.
"Thank you, sweetheart! Yes, we're going," she called through the door, glancing back over her shoulder as Sully playfully plunged face first into her pillow, growling softly in a display of husbandly frustration at being interrupted at such a moment.
Grinning mischievously at him, Michaela called out, "Hannah, would you pour everyone some cereal for breakfast, please? We'll be right down."
"Sure Mom...love you," the little girl added, basking in the pure joy of actually having a mom to say that to.
"I love you too, Hannah," Michaela immediately responded toward the closed door with a grin of pure happiness.
As the parents heard the receding footsteps of their daughter, Michaela turned once again to her husband, watching him roll over to his back and give her a 'come hither' look.
"C'mere." He growled, reaching out to try and grasp her hand and pull her back as she laughingly eluded him.
"Ah Ah, Byron Frederick, we don't have time for that right now," she admonished as she skirted the foot of the bed and opened a drawer in the new lingerie chest her friends had so helpfully readied for her. "We have to get dressed, you need to shave, and feed the animals...the kids need..."
"You tellin' me no?" Sully asked, teasingly sticking his bottom lip out in his best 'little boy' pout, as he watched her gathering her clothes.
She turned back to him and his expression stopped her in her tracks as the vision of their little boy rose again in her mind's eye. She took a breath, forcing herself to stand firm. That was hard to do, however, since her husband was so totally adorable and completely alluring. She gazed at him in pure love. Her eyes caressed his sleep-tousled hair and his tanned, virile chest revealed above the sheet, which only just covered his bare hips. His sensual animal attraction contrasted beguilingly with his playfully childish expression.
"Not exactly..." she responded to his question while forcing herself to reach for her other pieces of lingerie in preparation of dressing. Glancing back at him, she grinned impishly. "Just...taking a rain check," she added, watching as he heaved a monumental sigh.
"Our first mornin' back and you're turnin' me down..." he accused in playful hurt, shaking his head forlornly. "I guess Jake was right...the honeymoon's over."
"Oh Sully..." she whispered, wanting more than anything to jump back in bed with him and spend the entire day making love.
Hearing the longing in that whisper, he held one hand out toward her, eyes begging. "One kiss?"
She chuckled softly. "That, my irresistible husband, would be like trying to eat just one potato chip."
His hand still reaching toward her, he wiggled his fingers, eyes twinkling as he whispered, "Please?"
How could she resist? Pulled in by the irresistible force of their attraction, she found herself moving toward him, taking his hand and perching herself next to him on the bed. "Just one..." she murmured, leaning over and touching her lips to his. But of course, the kiss immediately deepened and within moments he reached up and grasped her waist, pulling her across him and effortlessly flipping her to her back, her long silky hair tempestuously splayed on the pillow and sheets.
Gasping, she gazed up into his eyes as he settled himself between her legs. "You said one kiss."
Slowly grinning, hovering above her, he wiggled his eyebrows rakishly and whispered, "I lied," before leaning down for a thorough kiss.
All thoughts of the day or the time faded away and a jolt of desire shot through her as he slipped his hand between them, gently checking to make sure she was still ready. Breaking their kiss, she tilted her head back and gripped his shoulders, gasping in pleasure as he joined their bodies for a quick but extremely satisfying session of morning love.
OOOOOOOOO
A little while later, Sully slipped an arm around his wife as they stood together during opening prayer at church.
Feeling the warmth of her husband's embrace, Michaela had to fight against images of their recent time together. Feeling herself begin to blush, she deliberately concentrated on the words of the prayer. Thankfully the music began quickly and she could immerse herself in the songs, truthfully singing the words in heartfelt gratitude to God for her wonderful new life with Sully and the children. She smiled at her husband with a teasing grin several times, noticing he kept his voice barely audible as the praise songs rang forth in the little church.
Glancing to her left, Michaela couldn't help but smile at the row of children singing joyfully, as they had unconsciously arranged themselves in age order, beginning with Brian next to her, then Hannah, Colleen and Matthew on the end. Turning her head, she glanced past Sully and caught Snowbird's eye as she stood on the far side of her husband on Sully's right. Michaela smiled at her friend and the Indian woman smiled back, marveling again at what a perfect mate Michaela was for her husband's beloved brother.
When the music ended and the congregation took a seat, the Reverend began the announcements of upcoming events, including the annual Fourth of July picnic and dance.
Over the excited murmurs of the crowd, he informed them, "I am very excited to announce that we have a change of venue this year, as Sully and Michaela have invited everyone over to their place to celebrate with them the regaining of Sully's ancestral land – the bulk of our beloved 'Sully's Junction'," he added with a grin. "Added to that, there will be even more fun this year with horseback rides, hayrides, and possibly even a hot air balloon ride added to the mix," the Reverend explained, relating details he and Sully had discussed before the service. People all over the sanctuary gasped in excitement. "Let's all give Sully and Michaela a handclap for this," he finished as the congregation erupted in applause, people close to them turning and 'high-fiving' Sully or giving him thumbs up as they were genuinely happy for him and his windfall.
"That's three weeks from today and there's much work to be done before then, so everyone who can volunteer some time to help get things ready, please see me or Sully after service." As the Reverend moved on with other announcements, the family glanced at each other, biting their lips or chuckling, each one a little shy over having been the objects of attention.
Sully squeezed Michaela's hand and their eyes met for a moment as he whispered, "It oughtta be fun...just hope we can get everything ready in time."
"Well...I'm sure we'll have plenty of help," she responded, grinning as she caught sight of a nick near his lip. Unable to resist teasing him a little, she whispered, "You cut yourself shaving?"
He grinned and chuckled softly, winking as he whispered back, "I was in a hurry."
"That's what you get for telling a lie..." she quipped mischievously, shushing him with a soft chuckle before he could whisper a retort as Reverend Johnson opened his Bible to begin the sermon.
OOOOOOOOO
Cloud Dancing laughed out loud at Sully's description of Tom Drexler dropping straight to the floor like a stone after being hit on the forehead with the toy tomahawk. The others joined in with him as they sat around the dining room table, having just finished a very filling lunch quickly prepared by Michaela and Snowbird, with the girls lending a helping hand.
"Mama...was you scared?" Brian asked wide-eyed, as this was the first time the children had heard the story. The thought of his mother being hurt or killed terrified the young boy and he valiantly fought off tears of worry.
Michaela instantly recognized his feelings, she had anticipated as much, and held out a hand to him. He quickly left his seat and came around the table and into her embrace. She lovingly pressed her lips to his hair, meeting Sully's eyes over the top of his head as she explained.
"I was petrified at first, I'll admit. But I shut my eyes and willed Sully to hear me call to him in my mind...to feel my fear – and he did," she added with a wispy smile, hugging Brian closer as she gazed gratefully into Sully's eyes. "The moment Sully kicked the door open, I knew he would save me, I just wasn't sure how...but then he stared straight into my eyes and said just one word and I had complete confidence in his plan and his skill."
"What word, Mama?" Hannah asked, totally intrigued with the telling of yet another of her beloved father's heroic exploits.
Michaela glanced at each person at the table; all eyes trained on her, and then returned her gaze to her adoring husband as he sat silently watching her, allowing her to tell the story while remembering his fear and rage as the other man held his wife at knifepoint.
Smiling in remembrance of the original incident, she murmured with a raised eyebrow, "Rattlesnake."
The table burst out in laughter as one, as each knew the original story quite well...except for a few choice and very private details known only to the participants.
"Daddy, will you teach me to throw my tomahawk as good as you?" Brian asked his hero father when the laughter died down, adoration shining in his eyes.
Sully grinned lovingly and reached over to ruffle Brian's hair. "Sure, son. Matter of fact, Matthew, Cloud Dancing and I will teach you. How's that?"
Brian grinned happily, but a little shyly as every eye was on him, hiding his face in his father's side as Sully and Michaela shook their heads and exchanged grins.
OOOOOOOOO
A few hours later, Michaela and Snowbird stood together in the kitchen loading the dishwasher and laughing over something Wolf had done during the three weeks they were gone.
"And he tossed and turned so much that he fell right off the porch?" Michaela asked, laughter bubbling from both women. "That must have been some dream!" she added, both ladies shaking their heads as they looked over at the object of their fun, who seemed to understand and gave them a cool gaze.
As their laughter calmed down a little, Michaela took another dish from her friend and sighed.
"Oh Snowbird, I wish you didn't have to go back home so soon...we've hardly had any time to visit."
"Well...I have to go back to my job in the gift shop at the reservation sometime. But I must say, it has been a nice three week vacation for me!" she added with a grin.
"I want to thank you – and of course Cloud Dancing – for staying here taking care of the homestead and the clinic, especially that extra unexpected week. We could relax and have fun knowing everything was in such good hands. I haven't asked you – besides Wolf's antics, how did everything go?"
"Oh fine. There were even some 'walk up' customers for Sully and Cloud Dancing was able to take them out riding. Everything worked out very well. Having the clinic's living quarters all to ourselves was almost like a little second honeymoon for us," she added with a twinkle.
"Ooo lala, tell me more," Michaela murmured, leaning forward in mid action of loading a plate in the dishwasher.
"Well, let's just say, I think that romantic wedding and reception of yours really inspired my husband. We had many candlelight dinners together and...many...enjoyable nights while you were away." The women grinned hugely at each other, their own 'enjoyable nights' images filling their minds. Suddenly, a thought came to Michaela and she tentatively asked, "Snowbird...how many years have you two been married?"
"We are in our tenth year."
"And you haven't..." Michaela stopped herself, not wanting to take a chance on hurting her friend's feelings. Snowbird, however, anticipated the question.
"No children yet...except for two miscarriages. But I am hopeful that it will happen someday soon." Winking at her friend, she added, "Perhaps very soon."
Michaela's eyes searched for and found her husband, in the living room laughing with Cloud Dancing. She didn't realize she had stopped all action until her friend touched her arm. "Michaela? What are you thinking so hard about?" Snowbird asked softly. "Do you think perhaps...?"
Michaela's eyes met the other woman's and she softly whispered, "Well...I'm two days late...but I don't want to jinx it."
The wise Indian woman nodded her understanding, having had many instances of "perhaps" herself over the years that failed to come to fruition.
Reaching out for Michaela's hand, she smiled softly. "Just relax. Do not try to make it happen. God knows when the right time will be." At Michaela's look, she added, "Even for Cloud Dancing and I...I know there will be a right time."
Reaching over to hug her friend, Michaela whispered, "Oh Snowbird...I wish you didn't have to go home."
OOOOOOOOO
That night, after the children had gone to bed and Michaela had taken her shower and washed her hair, she sat at her vanity brushing it to speed its drying as Sully came upstairs, having made sure the doors were secure and everyone was in bed. He'd spent more time in the barn with Cloud Dancing than he had intended, but there had been much to catch up on regarding the horses and the general running of the ranch.
He stopped just inside their bedroom door and watched her for a few moments. God she's beautiful... Noticing she was deep in thought, he moved slowly and quietly over to stand behind her. As he gently took the brush from her hand, she gasped softly, not having noticed his presence. Their eyes met in the mirror.
"What were ya thinking so hard about?" he asked softly, searching her eyes for a clue as he began to gently pull the brush through the long strands of her hair.
"Nothing...many things," she murmured, then admitted, "I was thinking about Cloud Dancing and Snowbird...not having any children yet."
He drew in a slow breath, tilting his head back a little and then nodding, his lips pressed together as he remembered.
"Yeah...she had two miscarriages the first year they were married," he related, his voice soft with remembered sorrow for his friends. "It was awful for Snowbird, of course, but it tore Cloud Dancin' apart. It was the worst thing I had ever seen him go through...and the first time I ever saw him cry." He paused a moment as images flooded his mind. "She lost the first one right away, and the second happened when she was three months along...and she hemorrhaged pretty bad that time. After the second one, he got real scared that it would happen again or that he might even lose her and he begged her to go on the pill, so she did for awhile." He moved around her, kneeling on the floor as he gazed up at her, not surprised to see tears in her eyes.
"Years passed, then one day, they had a long discussion about it and prayed about it...and she went off the pill. That was several years ago...but they're still waitin'."
"It breaks my heart for them...they would be such good parents," she whispered, sniffling a little and smiling as he nodded agreement.
"Yep – and they will be. It'll happen someday. Like he says...at the right time."
Michaela smiled and reached a hand up to gently caress his cheek. "That's what Snowbird told me, too."
He turned his head and kissed her palm as he gently clasped her hand. Rising to his feet, he resumed brushing her hair as she watched his movements in the reflection of the mirror. He was thinking how much he loved the softness of her hair and how it felt gliding through his fingers.
As she watched him and luxuriated in his ministrations, she was thinking that for the rest of her life she would never tire of the gentleness of her husband's hands. It struck her again how wonderfully blessed she was to have this man's love – such pure, true and total devotion. She silently vowed to never take him for granted.
After a few minutes, he murmured, "There...it's about dry."
She stood and turned toward him, leaning in for a soft sweet kiss of thanks, then untied her robe and laid it across the end of the bed. Turning back around to him, she smiled in pleasure as Sully let out a slow whistle of appreciation. Wearing nothing but the full-length lavender nylon chiffon nightgown Rebecca had given her at her bridal shower, she was absolutely radiant. Although she had taken both gowns on the honeymoon, Sully never saw them...she hadn't worn anything to bed, much to his delight. Now, however, in the soft light from the bedside lamp, the teasingly alluring vision the gown created pleased him immensely.
"Wow," was all he could manage as his eyes greedily caressed her assets temptingly revealed through the shear fabric. He reached out his hands to gently caress creamy smooth bare shoulders, covered only by thin spaghetti straps. "My God, 'Chaela, you are without a doubt the most gorgeous woman I've ever seen. I am one lucky man," he added with a lecherous grin.
"I'm glad you approve," she murmured softly, relishing the look of pure adoration on her husband's face.
"Definitely! I love it."
"That's good...since this is for your eyes only...dahling." She murmured in a perfect "Bond Girl" imitation, a mischievous twinkle lighting her eyes.
"Mmmm it better be," he growled playfully, pulling her into his arms, one hand sliding down her back to caress and cup the smooth skin of her bottom, pressing her against him provocatively. "And even though you look enticin'ly delicious in it...I don't know how long it'll stay on ya," he added with a chuckle. He gave her a long, deep kiss, but pulled back and kissed her forehead.
"I'll be right back...gonna take a quick shower," he whispered in response to her look.
"I'll be waiting," she returned with a sassy grin.
Smiling from ear to ear, he sprinted down the hall for a record-breakingly fast shower as she arrayed herself on the bed in a most invitingly sensual pose to await him in sweet anticipation of yet another night of marital bliss.
He didn't disappoint her.
OOOOOOOOO
The next morning, Michaela hummed contentedly as she went about setting the dining room table for breakfast. Cloud Dancing and Snowbird were due any minute and she had the meal almost ready.
Walking back into the kitchen, she was momentarily saddened as she remembered that Snowbird would leave to go back to the reservation that day. Traveling by Greyhound, her bus would leave at 9:10 pm. Michaela wished she didn't have to go, but she knew her precious friend needed to get back home to her many responsibilities.
Pausing for a moment, she thought about the fact that Snowbird would be away from and missing her husband for the rest of the summer, except if they could manage a visit or two. It was something they did every year because Cloud Dancing always spent his summers helping his brother on the ranch.
The thought of being away from Sully for that long made her feel a sudden queasy dread in the pit of her stomach. She shuddered involuntarily, not wanting to even contemplate such a thing happening – for any reason.
Just then the object of her reverie, having made his way silently down the stairs, quietly slipped his arms around her from behind as she stood at the counter, engulfing her in his embrace as he thoroughly kissed and gently nipped her neck.
She leaned back into him, sighing in pleasure.
"Good morning," she murmured.
"Mornin'," he responded, continuing with his activity. "You cheated me, you know," he commented after a moment, turning her in his arms to meet her eyes.
"Cheated you?"
"Yeah...ya got up before I was awake...I didn't get my 'good mornin' kisses," he grinned down at her and she grinned back.
"Sorry about that...we can't have you going around feeling cheated all day, now can we?"
He shook his head slowly and grinned as she rose up on her toes, entwining her fingers in his hair and pulling his head down to meet her lips for a very satisfying 'good morning' kiss.
When she finally pulled back, he gently rubbed noses with her, playfully grinning as he murmured, "That's better...I don't feel so empty now. My tank needed fillin'."
"Your kiss tank?" she quipped, one eyebrow raised playfully.
"Mmm hmm. And there's only one person who can fill it," he retorted, pressing a smack to her lips.
She chuckled, enjoying their play. "You'd better say that."
"You got no worries there, mé'oo'o. I'm allergic to all other women and you know it."
She chuckled again as he moved in for another thorough kiss.
All too soon, however, they were besieged by interruptions – the children clomping down the stairs and a knock on the door followed immediately by Cloud Dancing and Snowbird strolling in...holding hands.
Sully and Michaela had ended their kiss and stepped away from each other, but noticing their friends' closeness, their eyes met as they grinned.
Snowbird, always quick minded, caught and understood their grins. "What? You think you two are the only couple 'in love' around here?"
"They're newlyweds and you're an old married couple. It ain't the same," Hannah quipped with a teasing grin.
Quick as a flash, Cloud Dancing reached out and scooped his surrogate daughter up, plopped down in a chair and put her over his knee as she giggled and squealed.
"Old couple? I'll show you old. Na'tóvôhéoohe ka'êškóneveéestse!" he growled playfully.
"Daddy! What'd he say?" she squealed.
"He said he's gonna spank ya for talking such nonsense," Sully laughed, purposely crossing his arms on his chest to show he didn't intend to interfere.
Hannah, knowing her Cheyenne father was only teasing, nonetheless played along.
"I'm sorry Cloud Dancing! I'm sorry Snowbird! I take it back! I take it back!" she squawked as she squirmed on his knees.
The Indian laughed in triumph, making a big show of releasing her. Matthew, Colleen and Brian, unsure at first of their Cheyenne friend's seriousness, now laughed along with them. Hannah hugged him, and then wrapped her arms around Snowbird as Michaela wrapped an arm around Sully.
"Well, if you've quite finished spanking my daughter, why don't we all eat breakfast?" she quipped with a playful grin as Snowbird and the girls helped Michaela set the food on the table. Hannah silently glowed with warmth over Michaela calling her 'my daughter'.
The combined family spent the rest of the day in comfortable camaraderie. After a laughter-filled breakfast, they mounted horses for a tour - the first of many - of the newly acquired property. They had to pick their way carefully through various gates, some with rusty locks that had to be hacked off.
So much work needed to be done to clear the land, as each section had been fenced by various means – barbed wire, wood slats, poles, chain link, even chicken wire. Some sections had been cleared of trees and now only contained waist high weeds, while others were like mini-forests. Several sections had remnants of old wood-slat buildings or shacks. Only one was even worth saving, perhaps for a rudimentary shelter in bad weather, the adults decided, each constantly cautioning the children to be careful of unseen predators if they dismounted their horses.
After covering only those sections on the south side of Hanover, all eight people were ready to call it a day, so they made their way back to the homestead for a late lunch and relaxation. Later on, after goodbyes and heartfelt hugs for their beloved friend, Cloud Dancing drove his wife to the bus station for their private goodbye.
The family members one by one retired to their beds in anticipation of tomorrow.
Sully and Michaela had their private time and then lay for an hour together with Sully excitedly relating his plans and dreams for the land...with no way of knowing what lay ahead...