Thank you so much for all of the reviews, people who favorite my stories and even you lurkers! You guys are what keep me writing (no this is not blackmail!) If people did not want to read my stories then there would be no reason for me to post them and they would just stay in my own mind. So thank you for letting me share them with you!

This chapter is dedicated to kruemi: Thank you for the encouragement to "just show them who the writer is!" ;) It was the jumpstart I needed!

88888888

Chapter 26: Make Room

Just over a month after Michaela returned from the reservation things had settled down once again. She and Cloud Dancing had worked out a schedule for when she would go out to tend her patients in the tribe; so far Sully had no idea that she was out there at all. The reports about her friend that Snow Bird and Cloud Dancing gave her offered a small measure of comfort. Knowing that he was well and slowly beginning to show signs of healing from Abby's death.

She sat behind her small desk in her room at the boarding house. She was writing up a short quiz on the skeleton for Colleen once the girl got out of school. Her young assistant was very bright and always eager to learn more; she had become determined to go to college and then medical school. Michaela could see that Charlotte was a little worried about financing her daughter's ambitions but so very proud of her hard work both in school and working with the doctor.

A jingle in the corner caused her to turn. Hanna was lying on her back in the play pen, cooing and shaking the rattle Robert E had given her. She babbled nonsense before sticking the rattle in her mouth and teething on it. Michaela thought her Goddaughter might be cutting her first tooth since the baby had been fussier than normal and gumming objects more, including grabbing the finger of someone holding her and using that.

The doctor leaned down and rubbed the littler girl's tummy, making the child smile and coo happily.

Feet pounded up the stairs and right up to the doctor's door. Michaela shot up from her seat to stare at the door anxiously as it opened.

Myra was breathless as she burst into the room, looking almost terrified.

The doctor felt her heart clench in worry. "Myra, what is it? Is someone hurt?"

The petite woman attempted to catch her breath. "No, I'm sorry for worryin' ya Dr. Mike."

Relief crashed over the older woman like a wave. "What is it?" she asked more calmly.

Tears welled in Myra's eyes. "Oh, Dr. Mike!" She held out a telegram to her friend.

Michaela accepted the paper and began reading it; her eyebrows shot up. "Your aunt wants to send your siblings here?"

Myra nodded, near sobbing. "Oh, Dr. Mike!" she repeated in her distress. "What am I gonna do? I ain't got no where for them to live but Aunt Millie says that she cain't take them any more. Says since I've got a job that pays enough to give money to them it's time for them to live with me!"

Michaela moved over to her friend and pulled her into a hug. "Shh… It's going to be fine, Myra." She stepped back, holding her friend's face between her hands. "Here is what we will do. For the time being let's plan for them to live on the homestead with us."

The younger woman's eyes went wide. "But Dr. Mike! There's six of 'em! You don't have room!"

The taller woman shook her head. "Don't worry, Myra. We'll make it work. Now," she looked her friend directly in the eyes, "take a deep breath." She coaxed the other woman into breathing with her. After a couple Myra was substantially calmer and breathing normally. "Why don't you go back to Horace's and send a telegram to your aunt to tell us the date when your brother's and sisters will be coming, and that we will be there to meet them."

Taking another deep breath Myra nodded. "Alright Dr. Mike."

Michaela squeezed her friend's hands in hers. "We will make this work, Myra," she promised.

88888888

"So what were you thinkin', Dr. Mike?" Robert E had readily accepted when she had asked for his help to make space for the children coming.

She took a deep, thoughtful breath. "I'm not sure."

"Well," he began, "I'd say that the easiest'd be to make another small cabin on the land, but it'd probably be less expensive to just expand on yer's and maybe the barn."

Michaela's expression was wistful. "I wish I could give Myra and her family their own space, but with money as tight as it is the expansion is probably best." She bit her lip. "I hope that Sully won't mind when he comes back."

"Nah," he waved her comment off. "You know Sully. He'd do the same; even build it himself."

She smiled at him sadly.

He looked at her, concerned. "How ya doin' Dr. Mike?"

She shook her head. "I'm fine."

He reached over and gave her arm a supportive squeeze. "He'll be back before we know it."

She nodded. "When can you come out?" she asked, trying to get away from the painful topic.

He pushed his cap back on his head. "Well, since they're comin' in next week I figure the sooner we start the better; I'll come by tonight to at least get some measurements done. It still mightn't be done by the time they get here."

She smiled at him gratefully. "That would be wonderful. Thank you, Robert E." She glanced across the street; then looked back at him. "It looks like my patient is here for his appointment. I had best go."

"See ya later, Dr. Mike."

She nodded. She passed Dorothy on her way out of the smithy; they greeted each other.

The redheaded woman watched her friend head over to the boarding house. "Is Michaela alright?" she asked the blacksmith.

He nodded. "Yeah, she and Myra just found out that Myra's aunt is sendin' her brothers and sisters to live with her. She asked me to help make room for them at the homestead."

She frowned. "That'll take a while with just you."

He nodded, both of them watching as the doctor greeted her patient on the porch and then led him inside.

Dorothy got a thoughtful look on her face. "Maybe not so alone…"

88888888

Ooooooohhhhhhh! What does Dorothy have up her sleeve? ]:) So I had been planning on Myra's siblings entering the picture for a long time; I figured that I would be a ways down the line, but…SURPRISE! ;P Anywho. Thank you so much for reading! I hope that you enjoyed it! Oh! And if anyone remembers if it was mentioned how many brothers and sisters Myra had could you let me know? Because I just guessed. :P