Chapter 25

The next morning, Michaela had a little more bounce in her step as she dressed. It was such a beautiful day! The sun was streaming steadily through the slits in the drapery, warming the room and flooding it with light. Michaela could hear the intensity of the wind as it pushed against her window; she couldn't resist opening it and sticking her head out. The harsh wind took her loose hair and made it dance around her head before she retreated inside. Staring at herself in the mirror, Michaela examined the tangled mass that she had just created. It was puffed about her head and mangled, and would take a lot of patients to brush out, but she didn't mind. Today she was going back to the orphanage. She would get to see Gilda and Tiffany and she would get to have lunch at her favorite café, but the best part was that it was going to be just her and her father, just like before.

Almost as if she had too much energy than she could actually contain, Michaela hopped from foot to foot, creating a little jig as she danced to her armoire.

"Mmm hmm hmm," Michaela created her own little song, bouncing her head back and forth as she landed in front of her wardrobe and stared at her dresses. What did she want to wear today? "Mmm hmm hmm."

She eventually settled on a light blue muslin day dress. It was actually one of her newest ones, and she wasn't even sure that she had even worn it before, but if that was fact then there was no time like the present.

It only took Michaela twenty minutes to don her dress and perform the rest of her toiletries (and in actuality most of that was the time it took to brush her hair). Even then, she was downstairs by eight thirty.

Coming down the stairs, Michaela could already smell Martha's pancakes wafting from the kitchen at the back of the house. Could this day get any better?

Michaela didn't really expect to see anyone downstairs when she headed to the dining room. She knew it would still be another five minutes at least before Joseph came down and Marjorie did her own thing in the mornings, so she was rather surprised when she entered the room to find her sister already sitting at the table. Michaela stopped abruptly inside the doorway, knowing Marjorie had yet to notice her presence and unsure if she wanted to be alone in the same room with her sister. However, the longer she stood there and watched Marjorie the more she forgot about all the stress her sister had caused.

Marjorie sat by herself at the set table. Her hands were in her lap and her head bowed over her plate, studying the place setting before her. Tilting her head to one side, she lifted her hand from her lap and traced the edge of the china plate before turning her attention to the silverware. She ran her hand up and down the smooth length of the knife before lifting it up and standing it straight against the table. She rocked the utensil back and forth against the tablecloth before taking it into her hands and, leaning back in her chair twirled it through her fingers. Her shoulders sagged with a deep sigh and she turned her eyes to the window.

Michaela wasn't entirely sure of what to make of her sister. She always saw her as mean and selfish, but now she just looked lonely. Despite what she really wanted to feel for Marjorie, the blossom of compassion began to bloom in her mind. She knew what it was like to be lonely; she spent all day being lonely yesterday, but then Father had come home and he had made it better. Marjorie didn't have anyone like that. Marjorie wasn't as scary as she thought, in fact she wasn't scary at all, and she was nothing to avoid.

Chewing on the inside of the cheek, Michaela recaptured the bounce in her steps as she entered the dining room. She smiled sincerely at Marjorie's frowning face.

"Good morning!"

Marjorie drew back at her sister's excitement. What was going on? They had spent the past four weeks avoiding one another, why was Michaela being so cheery now? "Good morning…"

"You look nice this morning." Michaela smiled at the puzzled look on Marjorie's face.

"Than…thank you?"

"You're welcome." A silence fell between them, but for once it was a comfortable silence. Michaela was content to unfold her napkin into her lap, while Marjorie searched for something to say.

"I like your dress."

"Thank you. It's new." Michaela smiled brightly. This was the closest thing they had ever had to a conversation; she was so proud of them! Slowly Michaela began to consider what to say next. If Marjorie were feeling lonely being away from her friends what would make her feel better. Instantly Michaela knew what the answer would be, though she tried desperately to push the thought from her mind. Somehow, her desire to see Marjorie actually smile for once won over her spending the day alone with her father.

"Um… I was wondering… um…" Marjorie looked up and stared at her quizzically. What was she trying to say? Michaela steeled herself before continuing. "Father and I are going out to do rounds at The Sacred Heart orphanage today and I was wondering if you'd like to come with us?" Finishing her thought, Michaela folded her hands on top of the table and stared at her sister waiting for an answer, but before it came, Joseph came walking into the room with his newspaper in hand.

"Good morning girls." Joseph took the time to smile at both girls before pulling his chair out from the head of the table and sitting down. "I must say that you wear that dress nicely Marjorie. I don't believe I've seen that one yet." He considered the older girl on his right and nodded to her. His tone held not a trace of frustration or anger having built up over the weeks. It was important for him to allow Marjorie to start over every day with a clean slate. He refused to let his anger flare unless it was provoked. After complimenting Marjorie, he turned toward Michaela and shot her a quick wink, sending a chill of flattery through her body.

"Father I was just telling Marjorie about our plans for the day." Michaela's words as well as the way in which it was said both surprised Joseph. "I told her that she could go with us if she wanted."

"Michaela's right. You're welcome to come if you want." Joseph did his best not to smile with pride. He wasn't sure what had happened before he had arrived, but he knew whatever it was it has rather important for Michaela to willingly give up her day alone with him and the children at the orphanage. He watched as Marjorie shifted her gaze from him to Michaela and back again. There was no hostility in her eyes, but confusion. She bit at her lip nervously and her hands fidgeted in her lap as she tried to decide what to do. Michaela had certainly thrown her off by her act of kindness and now Marjorie was left second-guessing everything.

"Umm… I think I'd prefer to stay here today." Finally making her decision, Marjorie focused her eyes in on the orange juice she had been sipping. Suddenly, as if remembering her manners, her eyes darted up and she mumbled, "thank you though."

The words seemed to suck all of the air out of Michaela. She wasn't sure if she'd heard them correctly or not. Did Marjorie just thank her? Speechless, Michaela turned to her father who met her gaze with an intrigued stare. Good work, he seemed to say. Michaela felt her lips curl bravely into a smile. Marjorie had actually thanked her for something she'd done.

As the three sat in silence, staring at one another, Marjorie became defensive. "What? It's not like I want to spend my afternoon with a bunch of sick brats." Her brows lowered once again into a scowl, but it didn't matter. She'd said thank you and she couldn't take it back now.

Joseph, amused at Marjorie's discomfort cleared his throat and reached for the paper. "Well, let's see what's happening in the world today."

"And the little fairies, with their glistening wings flew away to their home land leaving nothing behind but the soft smell of honeysuckles behind. 'Will we ever see them again,' Ella wondered out loud, sad to see her friends go. 'I don't know, but one thing is certain. We'll never forget them.' Taking his sister by the arm Peter turned them toward the warm little cottage to their new family happy to finally be home. They all lived happily ever after." Michaela shut the book she had been reading and looked around her.

She was sitting on the edge of one of the infirmary beds with children gathered around her. Some were well enough to sit on the floor at her feet and others were lying on the other beds. They were all small children, under the age of six and seemed to look at the pretty girl reading to them with a mutual sense of awe.

"Do you think they ever saw the fairies again, Miss Michaela?" Miss Michaela. The sound of those words together gave her a thrill. Everyone in her world was much older than she was and looked down at her as the cute little Michaela, but to these children she was the big kid. She was the one that could read to them and tell them stories. She could make up fun games and fix their toys.

"I don't know. What do you think?"

The little boy in the bed she sat on coughed and struggled to smile. "I think they had to. They were friends after all. Wouldn't Peter and Ella go out into the woods where the fairies lived?" All the children nodded in response.

"Well then that's settled. It was about Christmas time when Peter and Ella decided to visit the fairies once more. So setting out into the woods they took gingerbread and hot chocolate as presents for their friends."

"And the fairies had made them a new pair of mittens in return!" A cheeky little girl finished the tale that Michaela had begun to weave and brought it quickly to a close.

"That's right!" Michaela giggled.

A hand on Michaela's shoulder pulled her from her thoughts.

"Hi." Michaela smiled as Gilda slide onto the bed next to her.

"Hi. I'd been waiting for you to come. Ms. Level said you had to finish helping with the laundry."

"Yes, we're all done now. Would you like to see Jacob and Tiffany? They've gotten so much bigger since you saw them last." Michaela scooted herself to the edge of the bed.

"It'd like that a lot," and then "story time is over. I will see you all soon." The children, although disappointed didn't make any efforts to beg for her presence, but instead smiled and waved. One little boy gave Michaela a little hug when made her feel special indeed.

On their way out of the infirmary, Michaela caught her father's eye as he rose from one bedside to move to another. Lifting her hand in a slight wave, she received a little nod before Joseph returned to his work.

"Jacob is going to be so excited to see you." Gilda exclaimed as they walked down the hallway. "He's been talking about you."

"He has?"

"Yes, he calls you his ball buddy Oh and Tiffany's crawling now!"

"Really?" Gilda nodded. She was so proud of her little sister, and it was nice to have someone else who was just as excited in her accomplishments as well. Their mama would have been excited too. Gilda shook her head. She wouldn't think about that. Pa would be here soon and then they'd get to go home again.

"Hi!" The little cry bounded around the corner and hit Michaela full on, wrapping two arms around her waist. Jacob smiled up at her with gapped teeth.

"Hi!" Michaela answered back, matching his enthusiasm. He was a lot friendlier than he was the last time she'd seen him. Pulling from the embrace, Jacob held his hand out to Michaela.

"Come play wif me." Michaela relinquished her hand into his and he took Gilda's with the other before pulling them the rest of the way down the hallway.

They entered a room filled with many children ranging in age from four to seven. As if an announcement had been made, each child stopped with the games that they were playing and turned to look at the new girl, wondering if she was here to stay. Surely she wasn't. Ms. Level would have been with her instead of Gilda and Jacob. Still, the room quieted and Michaela was left to meet the curious eyes.

"Everyone this is my friend Michaela." Gilda said proudly, threading her arms through Mike's. "Her Papa is Dr. Quinn." Some of the children smiled softly, other, shyer children, drew back to the walls.

Grasping for something to do, anything, Michaela keyed in on Tiffany standing in a playpen in the corner of the room.

"Is this Tiffany?" She gasped, causing Gilda to beam. "You've gotten so big!" Mike reached down to pick up the little one who was sitting up and watching the older girl move toward her. Instinctively she felt for Tiffany's forehead, pressing against the smooth skin. She had no fever and her color had returned nicely. What's more is that her breathing had returned to normal. "You're so cute." Michaela tickled the baby's tummy, releasing squeals of happiness.

A gentle tug on Michaela's skirt turned her around as a little girl with flaming red hair looked up at her. "Ma'am, would you play with us?" Exchanging a look with Gilda, who merely smiled, Michaela knelt next to the child.

"I think that's a wonderful idea. What would we all like to play?" She turned and place Tiffany back in the pen.

"Let's play hide 'n' seek." An older boy stood up from his blocks.

"Or house." A girl cuddling a baby whispered sheepishly.

"Or duck, duck, goothe!" Michaela's eyes lit up as she heard the last suggestion.

"I think duck, duck, goose would work. What do you think, Gilda?"

"Perfect." Rounding everyone into a circle, Michaela was the last to land with an expressive flop.

"Who starts?"

An hour later, when Joseph was finished in the infirmary, he went in search of his daughter. He found her and Gilda sitting amidst several contently sleeping children, thoroughly exhausted from their earlier escapades. Mike and Gilda were talking quietly to one another, over a play tea set. Each of them held a baby doll in their lap.

"Father," Michaela looked up to see him standing in the doorway watching them. "I didn't realize that you were finished."

"Are you getting ready for lunch?"

"Yes sir." She turned to Gilda. "As good as our make believe cucumber sandwiches are. I'm thinking something a little more… real is in order." Gilda smiled at her joke.

Michaela made her way to her father; he in turn looked at her quizzically. "What's this?" He tugged on a lock of hair that now rested on Michaela's shoulders.

"Oh," she struggled to pull everything back into place. "We were playing duck, duck, goose and it got a little out of hand."

"She basically got tackled." Gilda interjected making Joseph laugh about her bluntness.

"Well I believe I came just in time, didn't I."

"Bye Gilda. I hope I get to come back and see you soon."

"Me too."

"We'll just have to make sure that that happens." Joseph watched as the two girls embraced before Michaela came back to him.

She took his hand, wrapping her fingers around his ring finger and pinkie as they descended the stairs together. Joseph knew that her quietness was a sign of her contentedness. She quietly observed the rooms as they passed the staircase and the windows in the entryway. When they reached the door and stepped back into the bustling city of Boston once more, she turned to him, winking in the sunlight.

"That was really fun. Thank you for bringing me back."

Marjorie had retreated to her room not long after breakfast. She was still rather shaken and perplexed from the conversation this morning. What had happened? Michaela came in cheerful and peppy, dishing out compliments and she couldn't do anything but sit there. "You look nice this morning." Why had such a compliment even mattered to her? She scolded herself for being soft and even considering the offer Michaela had given her. It was just a moment of loneliness, of missing Sarah and Benjamin and Christopher that made her give in, thankfully the arrogant presence of her father corrected her and set her back on the right path. She wouldn't let that happen again.

Sitting in her room, Marjorie could hear the ring of the front door and felt excitement grip her breath as she struggled to her feet. Who on earth was that? Surely most of her father's colleagues knew that he'd be working this morning. Could it have been one of Michaela's friends? The thought alone destroyed all traces of eagerness that she may have had, but despite her displeasure over meeting one of Michaela's friends, her curiosity, as well as loneliness got the best of her, and she stepped out of her room to see who it was.

She came around the corner just in time to see Martha talking to a tall young man with dark colored hair and secretive smile. He was listening to what Martha was telling him intently. As soon as Marjorie saw the handsome young man the excitement magically reappeared and she continued down the stairs. Stopping about halfway, she cleared her throat drawing the mysterious boy and Martha's eyes to her. She flushed under the gaze.

"Hello." She greeted, pulling her shoulders back and clasping her hands behind her.

Robert Hathwell felt his heart beat a little faster in his chest. Who was this and why had he never met her before? Gripping his hat tightly in front of him, he made a timid step into the foyer.

"Hello. I… I'm Robert Hathwell. My little sister, Miriam, is a good friend of Michaela's."

"Oh, I'm Marjorie, Michaela's older sister." She continued down the stairs until she was standing before him. "Is there anything I can help you with?" She asked, effectively pushing Martha out of the conversation. Martha, none too proud about the fact obliged to open the door a little wider.

"Oh well, I had just stopped by. Dr. Quinn told me that he would let me borrow a book on the Roman Empire. I didn't realize he wouldn't be home. I can come back later."

Marjorie hastily shook her head. "Oh no, please stay. I'm sure we can find it in the library." She turned to lead the way into the library stopping once to turn back to Robert. "Would you like some tea?" Rising a brow in Martha's direction, she sent the older woman off the kitchen grumbling under her breath.

Forty-five minutes later used teacups and half-eaten scones littered the tea tray. Marjorie sat on the edge of her seat giggling.

"Oh that's priceless! Michaela with paint smeared across her dress!" Robert shared in her laughter.

"Well I can assure you that I got my comeuppance as well."

"Oh dear, what happened?"

"Oh not much… a little chocolate cake in my shoes."

"Oh that must have been awful." Marjorie cooed, sticking her lower lip out. Robert laughed again under the display of compassion.

"I deserved it. Trust me."

"Oh well I'll take your word for it."A subtle smile stretched across Marjorie's face as she stared at the boy in front of her. She had had such a wonderful time this afternoon once he showed up. They had managed to find the book he was looking for and then enjoy their tea. She had enjoyed listening to some of his stories about his friends and school. Even the ones about her sister had been entertaining and had made her forget her frustration from that morning. Now, she watched as he glanced at the clock before rising.

"I suppose I should be leaving now. Tell your father I said thank you." He rose from his seat and considered her with a slight bow. "Oh and Miss Marjorie, I was wondering how much longer you'd be in Boston."

"Not much longer I suppose. Summer will be over shortly and I'll be going back to Hartford."

"That's a shame. Do you think your father would mind if I stopped by one evening." Marjorie's smile brightened.

"I'll make sure that you have an invitation to dinner one night."

"All right then."

Marjorie watched him take his coat and hat before showing him to the door.

"I'm glad you stopped by. It was nice to have someone to talk to this afternoon." Marjorie forgot herself for a moment as she leaned against the door. Her heart fluttered as she watched Robert stop on the steps. He turned back to her a crooked smile twinkling in his eyes.

"Well I'll make sure to stop by again." He nodded to her, a final, heart stopping motion sending loose locks falling into his eyes before turning around and disappearing down the street.

There's chapter 25. Hope you enjoyed it!