True to my word- here is the next chapter! Thanks for the four WONDERFUL reviews! I took each one to heart. Thanks you Maria, chrissie, MrsRLS, and Guest. I appreciate it!
Michaela is now 6 months- 22 weeks
Today was the day. There was no pushing Michaela out of bed today, even if she didn't get any sleep anyway. She swiftly got on her feet and walked downstairs to make breakfast, nervous as ever.
Sully instantly knew she was gone and went after her after getting dressed and a couple of minutes after that. He saw her fretting and making eggs.
"'Chaela, take it easy. We know ya are worrying. Sit down for a while. We can take care of it."
Michaela shook her head. "I'm fine Sully. Anyway, there is no 'we' right now. The children aren't up this early."
"Ya shouldn't be either. Did you get any sleep last night?" Sully countered.
Michaela didn't respond and turned back to breakfast.
Sully shook his head and went to his wife. He wrapped his arms around her and whispered in her ear. "Michaela. Please calm down. Ya can't fool me. At least get dressed.
She reluctantly sighed and walked over and up the stairs, not knowing what to feel; excited or dread.
The children woke up when they smelled bacon, a treat for them. He put the bacon on a plate near the eggs, but no later did he hear Michaela upstairs weep. He gave the children an apologetic look for leaving them, then dashed up the stairs.
"Michaela! Are ya okay?"
She didn't even look up.
"Michaela..." He said softly.
Instinctively, he got behind her and rubbed her back. "Let it out, let it all out."
After about 10 minutes, her crying started to die down. Sully got up from behind her and went in front of her. He tilted her head up and kissed her, saying all that needed to be said.
He then left her to wash up.
When she came down 10 minutes later, you couldn't even tell she cried at all. Nobody ever could, not even if you got up close! Sully then looked at the rest of his wife. She was wearing a new dress that flared out after the chest. It was a solid print, a light teal.
"Do I look alright?"
"Ya look good Ma!" Brian chirped
"Real pretty Ma." Matthew commented.
"Ya look great Ma! I love that dress." Colleen added.
Sully was speechless and Michaela knew it. She had no clue that she could still make him speechless as a huge pregnant lady.
"I'm glad you like it kids. And I'm glad you like it too, Sully."
He nodded, trying to find words to describe his wife.
"Beautiful." He blurted.
She smiled at him graciously.
"Well are we ready ta go?" Sully asked.
He saw three nods and a blank expression from his wife.
The Sully family headed out the door, all wondering what would happen next.
"Still no paved roads..." Elizabeth's shrill voice could be heard miles away.
Michaela held her jacket tight, not wanting her stomach to give away the huge secret.
"Lizzie..." A male voiced warned.
It could only be Josef Quinn.
Elizabeth and Josef stepped off the train and instantly saw their daughter.
"Mike!" Josef exclaimed! He wrapped his youngest daughter in a hug.
"Father! Oh Father. Father, I've missed you so much!" Michaela whispered in his ear.
The hug was awkward, due to Michaela's belly, but it all worked.
"Michaela! How are you? You're just the picture of health!" Elizabeth asked after hugging her daughter.
"Thank you Mother. And I'm fine, just a little tired."
"As to be expected. Now, may we please take this somewhere else where we can get away from this fall breeze?"
The Quinn's and Sully's all piled into the wagons (Josef had his own.)
Matthew drove one and Sully had the other. Sully led them to the Salenger (now the Quinn) homestead.
Josef and Elizabeth looked around the exterior then went inside with the Sullys' behind them.
"This is perfect, Sully!" Elizabeth said.
Sully was shocked, he didn't expect Elizabeth to be positive about this.
"Yes Sully, it is very nice." Josef added.
Elizabeth and Josef sat down at the table joining their family, wanting to talk with them.
Michaela was still clutching her tan jacket tightly at her middle, and the children didn't know how to feel.
"Well." Josef said, clapping his hands together. "How have you all been?"
Brian was the first to speak.
"Great, Grandpa!"
Josef chuckled. "And you two?" He asked, looking at Colleen and Matthew.
"Good Grandpa. We've missed you." Colleen said.
"Yeah, we've been pretty good."
Josef noticed something a bit off, but didn't want to say anything. "And how often has your mother had to patch you up in the past couple of months?"
The children looked at each other knowingly, the adults couldn't help but laugh.
"Well?" Josef pushed.
"I got my arm cut up and a splinter the other day. And Colleen go' her arm hurt a while back." Brian explained.
Josef couldn't help but smile at what the young boy said, and his poor grammar. He is so innocent.
"I hope most has gone smoothly, has it not?" Elizabeth asked.
Michaela nodded, but not mentally there.
Josef took in his daughter now. She didn't seem comfortable, and she was still clutching her coat.
Sully noticed Josef staring at Michaela so he took action. "Kids, why don't ya go play outside. I put a tire swing on a tree out front."
There was no telling those kids twice. They all sprinted out of there, shutting the door loudly as they left.
Without the kids, the tension was almost palpable in the room.
"Mike, are you cold? You've been clutching your jacket tightly. Are you feeling alright?" Josef asked, very concerned.
"I'm fine Father." Michaela whispered, back in reality.
"Michaela?" Her mother asked.
Michaela looked at Sully and he nodded, urging her to tell them.
"Well, um, I'll be right back!"
Michaela grabbed her and her father's medical bag and brought them back. She opened both of them up, grabbing out the stethoscopes. She handed one to her father and one to her mother, silently telling them to put them on. Once they did, Michaela slowly unclenched her jacket and she heard her parents gasp.
"Michaela you can't be 6 months! Why.." Elizabeth shrieked.
Michaela held her hand up, telling her to stop talking. She put both stethoscopes on her stomach and put each of them in different spots, where the babies where.
"I hear a heartbeat!" Elizabeth exclaimed.
"So do I..." Josef said.
They both looked up at her daughter, taking the stethoscopes off and putting them in their respectable bags, both knowing what she was going to say next.
"Mother, Father, Sully and I are having twins."
The silence only lasted a moment, but felt like eternity, just like with the children, but more anxiety.
"Twins?!" Josef exclaimed.
Michaela nodded.
"Congratulations!" Josef exclaimed, patting Sully on the back.
"Michaela, are you really having twins?" Elizabeth asked.
Michaela nodded once more.
Elizabeth's welled up with tears. "Congratulations Sweetheart."
Michaela was shocked for a moment, her parents rarely ever used pet names on her, besides her father calling her Mike.
"Do you really mean that?" Michaela asked her mother.
Genuinely Elizabeth replied, "Oh yes I do. It's just that not everyday I hear I'm going to be a grandparent of twins!"
Michaela could feel the weight being lifted off of her shoulders. She let out an audible sigh of relief that she's been holding for months.
Josef then transferred into doctor mode, finally letting everything sink in.
He grabbed his stethoscope out and put it on Michaela's stomach, listening hard to each heartbeat. Then, he wanted to listen to Michaela's heartbeat.
"Mike, take a deep breath for me."
"Father, I'm fine really. I..." She insisted, but was cut off by her father.
"Mike.." Her father warned.
She rolled her eyes, but obeyed him.
A couple moments later, Josef seemed satisfied and set the stethoscope down.
"Everything sounds good." He reported.
"Michaela, how long have you known?" Elizabeth asked.
She sheepishly looked down, not wanting to admit anything. Sully comfortingly rubbed her back.
"Michaela?" Elizabeth repeated.
"I've known since my 3 month check-up."
Elizabeth nodded in satisfaction.
"Who is your doctor and when can I speak to him?" Josef asked.
"My doctor is Dr. Bernard from Denver. You can speak to him next week when he comes. He wanted to speak to you as well."
Michaela yawned, finally letting the past events hit her.
"Mike, why don't you rest for a while?" Josef suggested.
"I'm fine Father, really." She insisted again.
This time, everyone glared at her.
"Okay fine. I'll go." She caved in.
Michaela cast a longingly look at Sully, and he understood.
"We'll be right back."
Sully helped Michaela out of her seat and walked her upstairs into a spare bedroom.
"You did it Michaela. I'm proud of you." Sully said once they shut the door.
"Thank you. Do you think they were happy about it?" She asked uncertainly.
"Yeah! They seemed ta be real happy."
She smiled, then yawned again.
"Ya better rest now."
"Love ya Michaela." Sully said, kissing her on the head.
"Love you too." She mumbled, already half-asleep.
Sully smiled and let his wife sleep without the weight in her shoulders.
Michaela woke up just in time for dinner, but she was shoved out of the kitchen by her mother.
"Nuh uh. This is my kitchen, my cooking. You go sit, Michaela."
Michaela sighed and walked outside to sit on the porch, she wanted the fresh air. Soon enough, she was joined by her children.
"Hi Ma!" A high pitched voice said.
"Hi Brian." She said laughing. She then saw her other children appoaching her. "Hi Matthew, hi Colleen."
They all smiled in return.
"Did you umm.. Tell Grandma and Grandpa yet?" Matthew muttered.
"Yes I did. Where have you been?"
"Doin' chores at the house and here." Colleen supplied.
Michaela was impressed, her children have been working for a long time.
"Well, they know now. Why don't you all go visit with them?" She suggested.
Her children nodded and went through the door, going to talk with their grandparents whom they haven't seen in so long.
Michaela let out another audible sigh. She could finally breathe again. They're here and they want to help. She reminded herself. There's nothing to worry about.
Sully then joined her. "What'cha doin'?"
She looked up and saw her ruggedly handesome husband. "Just thinking."
Sully wanted to push further, but he knew she needed to sort out her thoughts.
He sat down beside her. "Your parents seem good."
"Yeah, I just wonder."
Sully took it a step further now. "'Bout what?"
"What it is going to be like with them in a couple of weeks."
"Everything is going to be fine. Don't worry."
Michaela stayed silent so Sully spoke again.
"Are you excited for your doctors appointment next week?"
He could see her eyes light up at the mention of their babies.
"Yes, I hope Father likes Dr. Bernard."
"They're pretty similar men. Both are respectable."
That seemed to soothe Michaela.
Michaela zoned out again, so Sully decided it was time to leave. He kissed her lightly in the head and headed back in the house.
The next couple of days went smoothly, and Elizabeth's attitude and outlook got better, she just needed to settle in.
Michaela still had nightmares, but she told herself that she would be getting over them soon enough.
They started a routine where Michaela's parents would pick the children up from school everyday and take them back to the Quinn homestead where the children would stay for a few hours before coming home. Sometimes Michaela and/or Sully would pick them up, other times Josef would drop them off or stay with them at the house. Every Monday, Wednesday,Friday, and Sunday, they would all eat dinner together and every other Sunday they would have a picnic together. One Sunday the Quinn's would take the children on a picnic after church, then they would all eat a picnic together, then Michaela and Sully would take the children on a picnic together and then they would all eat together. Well, that is what they planned at least, it's only been one Sunday.
Michaela got a pleasant surprise on Tuesday.
There was a knock on the door and when it opened, her father stepped in.
"Oh, Father!" Michaela exclaimed.
"Hi Mike. how are you?"
"Good. I'm not as tired as I've been other days, so I feel like I have a lot more energy."
Josef chuckled, remembering when Elizabeth was like that.
"Is there a reason you stopped by, or is it just a social call?" Michaela asked, chuckling at the end.
Josef chuckled as well. "Both, actually. I wanted to know when Dr. Bernard is coming in this week and how long he was going to stay."
"He's coming on Thursday, and he usually leaves the same day or after a day, but since you are here I think he's staying for 2-3 days."
Josef seemed very satisfied with that answer.
"May I listen to my Grandbabies today?"
Michalea rolled her eyes, but nodded. She soon felt her father's stethoscope on her large stomach.
"Everything's good Mike."
"Thanks Father." She genuinely replied.
"Now, it's been a while since I've been in here, can you show me anything new?" Josef asked.
Michaela nodded enthusiastically and had a grand time showing her father new things about the clinic, and later on discussing cases. It was just like it was 6 years ago.
"Mike, how truly are you feeling? How has your pregnancy been going?"
Michaela glared at her father, but knew it was his doctor talking. It's what he did best.
"Father..." She began.
"Mike, answer the question." Her father urged.
"It's been going pretty well. I've been extra tired, and my morning sickness has been on the bad side, but not the worst." She told her father.
"Any bleeding?" Her father asked.
Michaela blushed, as a doctor, she understood, as a daughter, she was mortified.
"No." She finally whispered.
"Good." Her father replied, knowing that he embarrassed his daughter. "How are the children taking the news?" He asked, changing the topic.
Michaela beamed. "Great! They all loved the news, they loved it as much as they did the baby!"
Josef smiled, practically knowing that his wonderful grandchildren would react that way. Matthew, Colleen, and Brian were his favorite grandchildren, not that he would ever admit it. They weren't snobby or mean. They were happy and were positive. His grandchildren in Boston were snobby and mean, except maybe Rebecca's children. They were getting much better.
"How was Sully?" He asked.
Her face lit up and she beamed again. "Sully was great. Oh Father, it was wonderful! He was so excited and he danced with me. Oh, Father. He is ecstatic about it!"
Josef smiled again, happy that his son-in-law was so much in love with his daughter. Sully was also his favorite son-in-law. He was free and wasn't stuffy and snobby. He loved him like he was his own son.
Josef checked his pocket watch. "I need to go pick up the children. I'll see you later, Mike."
She stood up and kissed her father on his cheek, then sat back down, returning to work.
Like in a blink of an eye, it was that evening after dinner, and Michaela was in bed with Sully.
"I'm so nervous for tomorrow." Michaela admitted to her husband.
Sully turned to face her, stroking her hair, silently telling her to continue.
"What if something's wrong with the babies? What if something isn't right? Sully, what if?" Michaela started to cry into his masculine shoulder.
"Michaela, we can't ask "what if" all our lives. I bet everything is fine. Your father said everything sounded good. Everything will be alright."
Michaela, still weeping, turned to the other side. Sully, in his pajamas, leaped up and grabbed Michaela's stethoscope out of her bag (which was by her side) and brought them back to bed. He helped Michaela sit up and pushed the blankets down to her thighs. He held out her stethoscope in his hand. Michaela gingerly grabbed her stethoscope and put it on, then tried to find her babies heartbeats. A smile smile appeared on her face when she found one, and it grew when she found the other.
"See Michaela, everything is alright."
She let the sound of their heartbeats settle in and then she took them off, knowing she needed sleep.
"I love you Sully."
"And I love ya too."
In the morning, Sully was with Michaela in the clinic, and Josef sat outside. Michaela felt better than she did last night, but she was still nervous.
"Michaela, don't look so nervous. Everything is probably fine." Dr. Bernard said before he started to examine her.
"Just relax." Dr. Bernard advised.
As soon as he finished examining Michaela, he looked up to start talking, not wanting to keep Michaela worrying any longer than he needed to.
"Everything looks wonderful, Michaela. You and the babies are perfectly healthy."
The relief was evident on her face.
Dr. Bernard quickly washed up and headed out the door because he wanted to talk to Dr. Quinn, and he knew Michaela had to get dressed.
When he walked out the door to Dr. Quinn, he told him the babies were fine, and more things about Michaela and the babies. Those two talked for hours about everything and anything from Michaela and the babies to when Dr. Bernard first met Michaela to their own families and lives. They ended up being very close friends.
As Michaela got dressed she couldn't help but feel so happy that everything was alright. The babies were fine, her family was here, and everyone was healthy and happy. If only she could see the future, she would be very worried...
A/N- I hope you all enjoyed this chapter- I know I did. Just a hint- the cliffhanger I left you with won't be in the next chapter, or the chapter after that, it will come in time:) hehe. Well, please review, favorite, and follow- that's what keeps me going. Thanks so much!