CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Michaela sat with her foot propped up on the couch, her arm in a sling, pillows comfortably behind her, and six pairs of eyes watching her.
"My goodness!" she laughingly exclaimed. "One would think I'm going to sprout flowers or something the way you are all staring so intensely at me!"
Sully laughed good-naturedly, standing with his arms crossed on his chest next to Cloud Dancing and watching as the children, including his daughter, vied for places to sit around her on the couch.
"We're just so glad to have you home again, mama," Colleen answered for everyone as Brian nodded and leaned over to lay his head on Michaela's chest.
"I'm glad to be home, sweetheart," Michaela answered softly, stroking Brian's hair gently and looking around at each one with a soft smile, her gaze locking finally with Sully's. "But I was in good hands the whole time," she added with a twinkle.
Sully grinned and answered with a small nod and a twinkle in his own eyes, acknowledging the private message, his mind remembering his hands on her at various times. Watching her, his thoughts wandered back to their welcome home.
He had pulled the horse up to the little group awaiting them, quickly sliding off the mount and scooping Hannah up in his arms as she squealed, "Daddy! I'm so glad you're home!" He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and hugged her tight.
Putting her down, he grinned and acknowledged the rest as they echoed the sentiment, then he turned toward Michaela still on the horse. "Here, let's get you down," he told her softly, "swing your right leg over toward me and I'll lift you down...that's it...now lean forward and put your good arm around my neck...ready?" he asked as she nodded.
Carefully so as not to jostle her, he drew her to him, allowing her body to rest against his as he lowered her the rest of the way to the ground, making sure she balanced on her good foot. She looked up and locked eyes with him. "Thank you, Sully," she whispered.
"You're welcome," he whispered in reply.
The two adults in the welcome group noticed a difference in their relationship immediately. The Reverend looked away uncomfortably, recognizing he now stood no chance with the beautiful Dr. Mike. Cloud Dancing watched the two with an indulgent smile on his lips, instantly realizing that something had transpired between his brother and Dr. Mike. However, knowing Dr. Mike's marital status and his brother's strength of character, the Indian felt certain that they hadn't allowed things to go too far.
One thing was as plain as day...there was love in their eyes.
The Reverend had departed after assuring they were both all right, receiving their heartfelt thanks for being Brian's rescuer. Sully had carried Michaela to her house and they had gotten her settled. Now with her sitting comfortably on the couch, the others began to bombard them with questions.
"What happened out there, Mom?" Matthew asked, perched on the back of the couch near her head.
Michaela glanced up at him with a smile, then at Sully, requesting, "Why don't you tell the first part of the story."
"Well, we were about half way up the mountain when we got the call from you, Matthew, letting us know this little guy here was back safe and sound," Sully began, crouching down and ruffling Brian's hair as he lay in the comfort of his mother's embrace.
"Then my phone immediately went dead," he continued.
"And my phone is still plugged into the charger where I put it yesterday afternoon!" Michaela added with a sheepish grin.
Sully winked at her and continued, "About then we noticed the storm really kicking up and we turned our horses and headed back down the mountain. Not long after that, lightning hit a tree in front of us, causing both of the horses to rear. I managed to hold on, but Michaela's not that experienced yet and she fell," he finished, glancing around at the group.
The children had gasped when he said the last sentence and Michaela took up the story, "I landed on my left side and sprained both my arm and my ankle. Luckily, Sully knew about a cave nearby so he carried me all the way there. We arrived at it just as the rain began, but he got us inside before we got too wet, and even chopped tree limbs to serve as a windbreak. We spent the night safe, warm and dry. All in all, he was a perfect Mountain Man," she added as she gazed into his eyes again. "And saved my life in the process."
"How did he save your life, Dr. Mike?" Hannah asked excitedly, always craving to hear of her father's heroic escapades.
"Well, for one, it would have been terrible to have spent a night out in that wind and rain, but for another...this morning, he saved me from a rattlesnake using nothing but his tomahawk."
"A rattlesnake!" the girls exclaimed at once.
"That's right," Michaela nodded, reaching out her good hand to lay it gently on Sully's arm. Neither realized how familiar they were acting toward each other.
"I was sitting on a rock while he saddled the horses and he saw a rather large rattler on the ground next to me. Before I could blink, he had thrown that tomahawk and killed it! But I must say, he scared me half to death in the process," she added with a soft smack to his arm, to which he chuckled.
"He never misses with the tomahawk!" Hannah exclaimed to them all, beaming at her father in pride. Then turning to Colleen, she added with a grin, "I told you my Daddy'd take good care of your mom."
At this Colleen nodded, then on the spur of the moment, she stood and wrapped her arms around Sully's neck. "Thank you...Sully," she whispered as he moved to return the hug.
"You're welcome...my pleasure," he added, gazing at Michaela through wisps of Colleen's blond hair.
Then Michaela motioned to him with her eyes regarding Brian. Sully nodded and as Colleen stepped back from him, Michaela gently laid her hand on Brian's back.
"Brian, we need to have a talk, young man," she began gently, looking up at Cloud Dancing with a silent request. He immediately offered to give the kids another riding lesson, to which they all agreed, partly knowing their mother wanted alone time with Brian.
When all were gone out the door but Michaela, Brian and Sully, she softly began, "Brian... first I want you to know that I'm so happy you were found safe and sound. I was so worried about you. You had your mama very frightened." He sat up but stayed next to her, swallowing in nervousness, not knowing what sort of punishment he might receive for this - the worst thing he'd ever done.
"But you need to know that what you did was very wrong," she went on softly. "You know I've told you many times you're not to leave the property by yourself, much less walk along that busy road. Also," she continued, gently touching his chin with a finger to prompt him to look at her, "if something was bothering you that much, you know you can always come to me and tell me...don't you?"
Brian shook his head, his chin quivering slightly.
Now she locked eyes with Sully and he lowered himself to the floor, reaching out and lifting Brian to sit on his lap. "Brian...you were coming to find me...weren't you?" he asked the boy, carefully keeping his voice soft. Brian's eyes began to fill and he nodded slowly, looking up at his hero, the man whom he held in such awe – his young mind full of Sully's marvelous escapades.
Sully glanced at Michaela, choosing his words carefully. "Son, I'm flattered that you enjoy being with me. I want you to know I enjoy being with you, too. And I want to apologize that I didn't see things clear yesterday morning. I could have taken you with me. I didn't because I thought you might get bored when I was havin' a meeting with some other men."
He paused, looking into Brian's eyes. "But...you know now that what you did was wrong...hmm? You need to always obey your mother and the rules. That's the most important thing a man can do. Did you know that?" Brian stared at him in awe and a little bit of fear. Gently tapping his finger on Brian's chest Sully continued softly, "Always try to do what's right. You do that...then everything will always work out fine."
Suddenly, Brian threw himself into Sully's arms; tears of relief and hero worship streaming down his face. "I love you...Sully," he whispered as Sully's arms tightened around him. Sully's eyes met Michaela's, both tearing up, as he whispered back to the precious little boy, "I love you too, son. I love you, too."
OOOOOO
That night the tight knit little group, minus Cloud Dancing who had made other plans with another friend, sat around the living room of the clinic, watching a television program about the Old West on the History Channel.
Colleen and Hannah lay together on the floor facing the TV, sharing a bowl of popcorn, while Matthew reclined in one of the chairs. Sully sat at the end of the couch with his feet propped up on a footstool, Michaela stretched out and leaning against him comfortably, her arm and foot elevated, sharing a second bowl of popcorn. Brian hovered near Michaela and Sully, still immensely relieved to have gotten off with just a reprimand after the terrible thing he'd done, plus still in awe of his hero telling him he loved him.
Suddenly there was a knock at the clinic's front door.
"I wonder who that could be," Michaela stated. "Matthew, would you go see who it is please?" she asked.
"Yes ma'am," Matthew responded, making his way to the door.
"Oh, I do hope it's not a patient," she added, glancing up at Sully.
A few seconds later, they all heard Matthew exclaim, "What do YOU want?"
Before anyone could react, a man appeared at the connecting doorway, having barged right in after pushing past Matthew.
Michaela's eyes widened in surprise, as she breathed questioningly, "...David?"
She felt Sully stiffen at the name, but she didn't move from her position.
"What do you want, David?" she asked, keeping her voice steady.
David looked scathingly around the room. "So this is what you're calling home now, is it?"
Michaela ignored the insult. "How did you know where we are?"
He moved his eyes to hers, momentarily glancing at Sully as if he was of no consequence in the scheme of things. "I realized you had something of mine, I'm sure by accident, and Rebecca was kind enough to let me know your address, since I was going to be in Denver for a medical conference. I drove down here to retrieve it."
"Retrieve what?"
"My mother's diamond broach, you always kept it in your jewelry box. I have a buyer for it and I need it back."
"I thought I gave that back to you," Michaela began, glancing at Matthew, the young man fuming at the rude intrusion of his former "father." "Matthew, would you please go up to Colleen's room and bring my jewelry box down for me?"
Matthew reluctantly obeyed, narrowing his eyes at David as he passed.
While they waited, David glanced at Sully again, contemptuously remarking, "I see you've already paired up with a local, Michaela. Already bedding down with him too, it appears. Like the slut you are," he added with a sneer.
Before she could reply or even blink, Sully was on his feet and crossed the room in three strides, grabbing David by the front of his shirt and shoving him up against the doorway.
"Sully!" Michaela screeched in alarm, the children scrambling over near her as pandemonium disturbed their quiet evening.
Sully pressed David into the doorway as the man tried to fight him off, their faces nose to nose. "You'll not be talking to her that way in my presence – or in front of the kids," Sully ground out through clenched teeth.
"Take your hands off me!" David shouted, attempting to loosen Sully's grip.
"Not till you apologize to her!" Sully shouted back.
"I'll do no such thing, I have a right to my opin..." he stopped abruptly, Sully's arm at his windpipe suddenly cutting off his air.
"I said apologize to her, now!" Sully barked, and then lowered his voice to a whisper, "or I'll make you wish you had."
Knowing he was bested by the other man, after several moments of resistance David ground out through his teeth, "I'm SORRY... Michaela."
Sully maintained his hold for several more seconds, glaring into David's eyes, silently giving him a message man to man. David couldn't help but understand.
As Matthew came back into the room, Sully abruptly let go of David with a contemptuous shove. Matthew crossed to his mother, handing her the box and eyeing the men with awe and satisfaction, having witnessed Sully do to David what he himself had dreamed of on many occasions.
Michaela opened the box with shaking hands, searching to no avail. "It isn't here, David. I told you, I gave it back to you."
David started to comment, but thought better of it seeing Sully's furious scowl.
Michaela, for the first time feeling confident in the face of David's intimidation, looked him square in the eye and said, "There is nothing here that belongs to you, David. Leave my home now, you are not welcome here."
At David's hesitation, Sully shoved him all the way to the door. "You heard her. GET OUT!" he barked.
A few seconds later, they heard a door slam. Then a car roared to a start and tires were heard squealing past the house on the road back to Denver.