Chapter 14

Next day she was off duty and they spent a quiet day lounging in the cool house. Talking and generally getting to know each other.

Sully was to be picked up the following day to return to the station and they wanted to be sure they would continue with their friendship. They were on the lounge he shifted aware that she needed to learn about his past.

"Mike I need to tell ya' somthin'." Sully said looking into her eyes for reassurance seeing her nod he commenced telling her of his worst nightmare.

When he was younger a girl Abigail Bray who was a few years his junior caught his eye. She flounced in front of him whenever he was in town always there serving him at her father's general store. Her flirting and attention made him feel good, wanted and needed. They had started to go steady and he was surprised at how forward she was eventually she seduced him one night when he had had a little too much to drink.

He knew they had been together as they were naked the next morning although he remembered nothing and she did not seem to care telling him only two week later she was pregnant also informing her Dad the owner of the general store. Sully was forced into a quickie shot gun wedding as he wanted to be there for his child. He had always wanted a family. But on their wedding night she informed him she had lost the child and he had doubts whether there had been a child or not. She continued flirting with other guys and he even wondered if the child was really his. Anyway eventually she fell pregnant and once again he had his doubts about being it's father but once again his own sad childhood arose like a phoenix from the flames and he was determined this child would be loved.

Eventually Abbey went into labour and died along with the most perfect little girl he had ever seen tears causing down his cheeks as he recalled seeing her and holding her. He had named her Hannah. He had not wanted the nurses to take her from him he admitted. He felt guilty but Abbey's father compounded the guilt by also blaming him. Michaela could only listen her heart going out to him with so much compassion. Holding him close as he let go and cried out his grief something he had denied himself from doing since the tragedy happened.

Hence he had had a hard time recovering from losing his dream of a family. Briefly he told of the tragedy of his childhood as well. All his family died his father had died of a heart attack, his older brother had been killed in a road accident and his mother over dosed on prescription drugs. The guilt he felt then that it was his fault compounded with his wife and baby.

This opened up an opportunity for her to tell of her heartache as well. As they were telling each other their pasts and after he recovered somewhat she told him about the struggle against her family especially her mother other that her supportive father and his ultimate death and the failed engagement with David...the pause became suppressive turning and sharing the pain Sully drew her into an embrace and began kissing her.

Soon they were laying on the lounge and the kiss became all consuming and the pent up passion they had flared into a need to be loved unconditionally. Sully went to move on top of her but groaning he rolled the other way onto the floor, "I'm sorry," he kept repeating.

Puzzled Michaela was kneeling beside him both trying to calm their racing hearts and breathing. "Sully?" it was a question as she gently pushed his hair back so she could look into his face.

"I don' want to be caught in that situation agin'," he confessed, "but it was hard to know whether it was a dream again or real."

Concerned she answered, "Sully I am not Abigail and I would never do that to you, we'll take it ever so slowly." Then she giggled, "Mine were pretty hot as well." Seeing his questioning look she concluded blushing wildly, "dreams."

Growling in the back of his throat he said. "thanks." pulling her down onto him, "now were where we?" kissing her softly preventing himself from getting lost again.

...

Jackie came to pick Sully up and he was grinning when he saw who he was staying with. The beat up *ute looked like it had seen better days and Sully rolled his eyes.

Turning to Michaela "I don't know if ya' have seen, the changes that have come over me in these last few days, but let me tell ya' I know that I love ya' and I will be thinking about ya' all the time. It is something that I cannot explain but it is there." He admitted.

"I know," she said, "and I love you too but I'm not ready yet." Uncontrollable blushing as she snuggled into his embrace.

"I'll wait for ya' forever." Kissing her he reluctantly let her go and went to the passenger's side and opened the door but before getting in he ran back and kissed her again. They were to see each other in a couple of weeks when they both could get some time off work.

With a smile his last words were, "sweet dreams." Michaela instantly blushed.

"So that's what a siren of the sea looks like huh?" Jackie asked as they began the long dusty drive back to the station. "She don' look like she'd kill ya' Boss." He concluded smiling broadly.

"Nar maybe your right," Sully conceded smiling at the memories of the past few days.

They travelled the long kilometres to their destination while Jackie filled Sully in on the goings on at the station. How the rookies had left and now there was a new batch of learners. That the jillaroo had felt badly that Sully had been hurt.

Sully said that it was good in one way as he would possibly never met the doctor the whole time he was there. Like a piece of divine intervention. Jackie nodded in agreement.

...

Michaela found the house extremely quiet after Sully had left she stood watching till she could not see the dust cloud from the receding ute any longer. Sighing she went in doors and picked up her medical journal but could not concentrate. She was distracted by what they had shared they were alike and unalike both in an amazing way. She was delirious at finally having a friend, not only that a good friend something she had not had for such a long time.

Feeling suddenly hungry she went to the fridge and peeked in registering surprise she found a note from Sully suggesting she look in the freezer where she found a few meals ready to be hearted. The note said...

"Hi there my sweet,

Saw how you looked after yourself.

So have made sure for at least a small time you don't need to worry.

Love

Sully."

Smiling nobody she could think of treated her so well other than her late father, sitting she put her hand near her heart clenching the small post note from Sully. He had made sure they were easy for her to heat up and just eat, just as he had while he was staying there.

They spoke each night on the phone Sully laying in his swag watching the moon and stars sliding across the endless black sky, using a satellite phone. She was curled up on the couch they had shared the few days that they had been together. Their friendship seemed so natural just as if they had known each other for years instead of the short time. Both found out so much about each other but it was on a totally different level that amazed them like they felt each other, knew what the other was going to say even before it was uttered.

...

They had arranged to meet and go to Newman for a date. Sully had picked her up from the airport as she had a lift from the RFDS aircraft as it was passing Newman going to an Aboriginal mission further on. Newman was holding a Rodeo and Camp drafting for the weekend which was a part of a long standing tradition in outback rural Australian sports. Sully had heard of it and wanted to watch the mustering of cattle also the cowboys hanging onto the backs of wildly bucking bulls for dear life, at the Rodeo. He thought that Michaela would be interested in the skill of the Barrel Races and lassoing of the animals.

They had just arrived in the centre of town and alighted from the ute. When there was a yell and a young blonde woman ran across the road and launched herself at Sully jumping on him her arms around his neck and her legs wrapped around his waist the young woman was kissing him he turned his face and she planted it on his cheek. Michaela watched from the other side trying unsuccessfully to contain her astonishment that was slowly rising to jealousy.

Sully placed the young woman on her feet and moved around to stand beside Michaela worried by what he saw on her face.

The woman was not put off though and came after him, "come and join us Sully," she said trying to grab his arm and drag him with her.

"Catherine I'd like you to meet Michaela." He couldn't continue though as it was if she did not hear or care that he was with someone else.

Grabbing his arm she began hauling him across the road, "Everyone look whose here." She was saying.

Sully shook her loose and turned around to see what Michaela was doing. Ignoring him she leant into the car to retrieve her bag. Her mind was running amok with jealousy thinking "of cause he knew others as she did through her job." But for some reason this really hurt as the girl seemed over friendly and knew him really well for her to greet him in that way. Suddenly beside her she heard his voice ask.

"Ya' all right?" she did not look up afraid that the pretty young woman with blonde hair would be standing beside him or worse still he would see her insecurities written on her face. She wanted to hide that from him she was a strong woman and she didn't want to worry him.

"Of cause just getting my purse and hat." She managed to say without giving away her turbulent emotions.

Sully knew that she wasn't but did not know what to do to reassure her as he felt she should trust him. Not understanding she would think their relationship was young and hadn't David's head been turned by another woman.

Stepping forward when she stood he shut the door and tried to take her hand but she moved it out of his reach when she felt it brush near hers. Now he was worried she was shy but she had seemed to get over that until now.

"Michaela she is the one who I saved when I got hurt I have not seen her since." He tried to explain, this only added to her anxiety.

Sully tried again to take her hand finally she reluctantly gave it to him.

*ute... Utility. Knonw in the US as a truck

I thank all those reading the story and especially the comments thanks.