Chapter 29
Elizabeth was about to tell Michaela of her decision when all of a sudden Michaela's phone began making a racket. Looking at the incoming caller she picked up the phone ignoring her mother who huffed audibly.
Just listening Michaela picked up Sully's phone from where it had been left and grabbed her uniform shirt and was making her way to the door when she turned and said she didn't know when she would be back. Her mother just stood gaping at the door.
"Well!" She gasped.
Looking around the sparsely furnished house she wondered what she could do, knowing that she had no skills in housekeeping nor cooking and wondered what Michaela did, knowing she had grown up without them too.
Elizabeth then had an idea that would at least take up a bit of time she went to the guest room and began packing.
Much later she had finished the task and was seated on the lounge contemplating what else she could do to fill in time when all of a sudden her tummy grumbled. This alerted her to her next problem she needed to eat but what?
As if there was an answer to her dilemma there was a knock on the front door and Elizabeth moved to open it only to discover Mrs Cooper standing there.
Charlotte painfully aware of Michaela's lack of housekeeping and cooking skills had been told by Matthew that Mike had been called out. Knowing her mother she decided that she also would not know these basic knacks either.
"Humm Mrs Quinn I was hoping you would join us with dinner?" She invited.
Elizabeth just stood there with her mouth open stunned by the hospitality of strangers. Her Boston circle of friends would be unwilling to become involved in such matters. A smile graced her tired old face as she replied.
"Why thank you I would be most grateful."
So Elizabeth was taken to Charlotte's home and sat awhile while Charlotte and Brian prepared a meal. Brian as usual was chatting and began explaining how he had taught Doctor Mike to cook. When his mother said loudly. "Brian." He knew this was an indication to stop, when he looked at his mother's scowling face.
"No please go on I know so little of Michaela's life and I find it interesting." Elizabeth begged.
So for the next few hours she heard about her daughter's life here. Colleen came at one point and added what an asset she was in the hospital and her kindness to the patients. Matthew and his girlfriend also came and contributed to the story. Elizabeth was stunned to hear about the plane crash. She had not been informed as to why her daughter had a broken arm.
Matthew informed her that Sully had been beside himself till they had been located. "Must really love ya daughter." He concluded.
Again Elizabeth looked at the gathering of Michaela's friends and marvelled at how little she really knew her daughter. Apart from Josef, Rebecca was the only one who had believed in her. Now here she was on the ends of the earth discovering this fact too.
All of a sudden Elizabeth was confronted with her own misguided beliefs that Michaela should be like her sisters and accepted her place in their society. Instead Michaela had rebelled and followed her father whom she idealized. What hit Elizabeth even more was she suddenly became aware she had been jealous of her younger daughter, that she felt that she had lost Josef the minute the child was born. Michaela had inherited his mother's mismatched eyes and Elizabeth had developed this feeling for the baby and had rejected her. On the outside nobody knew as she performed as a mother but she lacked the love she had shown her other daughters. Josef and Rebecca who had become the mother must have suspected what she now realized. It struck her like a ton of bricks as she suddenly saw what Josef saw all those years ago that they did indeed have a uniquely talented daughter one who cared for others on a scale that made her fit into any place she chose to live.
Brian could contain himself no longer he had heard that Mrs. Quinn had come to take Doctor Mike back to Boston and so he piped up.
"Ya not taking her back are ya?" Brian again received not only a stern look from his mother but a playful clip from Matthew as well.
"Well are ya?" He wanted to know.
"No young man I am not." Elizabeth informed him she is a big girl and knows her own mind. I will be leaving in a few days." She informed the inquisitive boy.
Brian sighed relieved that his friend would be staying and only said. "Good." He replied smiling at the older woman.
Finally after a quite pleasant time Elizabeth was taken back after being informed that Michaela would be back quite late as their accident patient was being taken directly to the major spinal unit in the city.
...
Michaela woke and before she opened her eyes she ran her hand up the side and onto the pillow that Sully had occupied for the past few weeks. Oh! how she missed his presence and wished they were not that far away from each other. Also pondering if he felt the same way she did. She hadn't for one moment doubted his love for her nor hers for him but right now she wished she could just be in his embrace and love him as they had the very first time. She pulled his pillow over and hugged it inhaling a long slow breath smelling his lingering scent. Reliving the dreams they had shared all those months wondering why they had been haunted by each other.
She did not for one moment regret any of her actions.
Letting out a loud sigh she knew she would still have to deal with her mother and convince her she was happy where she was at this moment. But she settled into the bed telling herself she had a few more moments before she needed to begin the day.
...
Mean while Sully was also having a hard time sharing his quarters with Hank who sounded like a freight train thundering through the room. He thought of the peaceful awakenings he had shared with Michaela and wanted her back in his arms and to make love to her and share himself with her. He threw himself onto his other side and curled the pillow around his head covering his ears but still the thunderous snoring seeped into his brain. Throwing back the light sheet he huffed as he got up and went onto the veranda (porch) and unrolled his swag and climbed into it. As he settled his senses were again on edge he could smell Michaela. Her unmistakeable sent permeated from the roll. He missed her and he wondered how he would survive till he could see her again. He had found her PJ's (Pyjamas) the night before and had stuffed them into his pillow slip.
The smell and thoughts of the woman he loved soon had him settled and falling into the dreams that were no longer a fantasy but a fact. He was amazed that reality and his dreams of the siren from the sea had been so similar and he was sure that she had no regrets as he had none knowing their future together was assured. They loved each other and shared a bond others could only dream about.
Within minutes or so it seemed he was rudely woken by someone kicking the side of his cocoon and yelling for him to get up as there was work to do.
"Wakey, wakey rise and shine, you can't sleep all day there's work to be done." The voice hollered.
Sully groaned he felt he had no sleep peering out to see the black grinning face of Jackie.
"Hey boss ya getting ya friend up to help?" He questioned.
The sun was just tipping the far off horizon with its soft hazy morning hues.
Sully wiped the sleep out of his eyes as he struggled out of the swag his body reluctant to move. "Yeah I'll do that, after I clean up a bit." He answered the retreating frame of his friend.
After he had tidied up he went and tried waking Hank. This was a more difficult task than he expected still tired from his disturbed sleep he thought he would love to use dynamite to blast him out of the bed. But decided Michaela and the others would not appreciate the joke. So he heaved the mattress off the bed onto the floor rolling it so Hank actually rolled onto the floor as well.
"What the ..." Hank spluttered from his rude awakening.
"Time for work." Sully said as he headed for the door. "Breakfast is in the mess you remember were that is okay?" before his guest could recover he had gone.
Hank sat on the remnants of his bed rubbing his eyes in the dim dawn light.
Looking around he couldn't believe he was expected to get up for work now why it was still night for he was used to not retiring till nearly this hour normally and sleeping to well after mid day.
Grumbling he stood and stretched and went to tidy up and a short time later he sauntered into the mess.
Jackie winked at Sully who sat across from him before saying. "Betta hurry ya self breakfast is nearly over, we don't have free loaders here, ya gotta work for ya keep."
Hank 's jaw dropped. "He's kidding right?"
"Nope I said you'd help out, ya will wont ya?" Sully replied trying to keep a straight face, Hanks face was a picture of disbelief.
"Yeah sure." Looking around at the suddenly silent occupants in the hall all waiting to hear his reply.
Then the hum in the mess began again as smiles erupted on the faces of the cow hands knowing the American did not know what he was in for.
Without a signal all the men rose grabbed their hats and gloves and moved towards the door ready for a new day.
Sully stood and waited for Hank to raise his frame from the chair. "What?" Hank asked, "I haven't finished yet."
"Well ya will get up in time tomorra won't ya." Sully said grinning at his groaning friend.
The day was exhausting for the new *rookie first he had to learn to saddle his horse after that they went out to a crush set up to tag and worm the animals. The branding had been done some time before.
Hank was given the easy job of closing the heavy gate once a cow had been sent up the shoot into the crush. Others mustered them into the cattle yards and then rounded them up and sent them towards the shoot. Sully was busy rounding up the cattle and every so often looked at his friend who had sweat running down his face, swatting at the pesky flies and swearing profusely. Soon it was morning smoko (morning tea) Hank just sank down where he had been standing not having any energy to move to the wagon serving the scones and tea. He took a long swig of water from his canteen and leant against the worn wooden railing.
Sully came over with a scone, jam and cream and green enamel mug of coffee. As he offered it to his friend he sank down to sit beside him.
Hank took the offering and grinned saying, "Crikey Sully no cold beer?"
"Nope not till we get back to camp and the day's work is done, anyway it will dehydrate ya quicker than what ya got in ya hand."
Chuckling Hank queried. "Do ya do this all the time?"
"Nar this is easy wait till ya out mustering miles from nowhere."
"Ya kidding right?" Hank asked looking at his friend to see if he was *pulling his leg.
"Nope." Sully said seriously. "It is like the old days of the Wild West back home."
Hank looked at Sully and his mind already made up he was not cut out for the country life style. Give him the city and night life any day.
Sully could read his thoughts as Hank had never been one for hard manual labour even in school he had managed to scrap through without any effort the others had to apply. Hank was never into sport either and was satisfied to be watching the cheer leaders than any game they would be playing. So today had set him a task he was unprepared for.
"Come on." Sully said as they rose from the bench to finish the job and get back to the mess before the heat and flies carried them away.
Taking off his battered hat Sully fanned his face his hair wet from the hot weather. He poured some water over his head and took a large gulp of water from the canteen before securing the top. He used his bandanna to wipe the water off his face before tying it around his neck again. He then went over and checked his horse before riding out with the others to round up the next mob of cattle.
Hank groaned as he stood and walked to the gate to be ready for the next cattle coming up the shoot.
He would stay a week and then travel some more here in the west before he headed home to Colorado Springs for the weddings of their school mates. He was sure that he could not drag Sully back while he was totally besotted by the lovely doctor. He had never seen such a gleam in his friend eye and in some ways he envied him.
Watching Sully laying the table for the barbeque his phone to his ear Hank marvelled at the change he was witnessing. Sure the others would not ever begrudge Sully some peace and love in his life after what he had already been through.
Sully had finally managed to contact Michaela on her arrival back at the base as most of evening she had been unavailable.
Relieved he said "Hey ya had another busy day?"
Michaela confirmed this stating she had had to leave her mother the entire day but she seemed fine something that surprised her. Elizabeth was not the type of person who could amuse herself.
Sully chuckled thinking like mother like daughter wondering how Elizabeth had survived the whole day, not giving her opinion to someone.
Michaela had been speaking to the Pilot about the up and coming B&S ball on the flight home and wondered why Sully had not said anything.
Their conversation consisted of reinstating their love for each other until Michaela could stand it no longer and said, "I'd like to go to the dance."
Sully slapped his forehead with all that had been going on he had completely forgotten he was going to ask her before he left. Exasperated he answered, "So!"
She immediately replied. "Well arn't you going to ask me?"
"I just figured we'd be goin' together."
She just wanted to have a little fun as a smile spread over her face. "What made you figure that?"
Sully was getting a little agitated answering. "Cause we're engaged, that means we go to things like this together."
"Still, I would appreciate being asked." She continued.
"All right would ya like to go to the dance with me?" Sully ground out between his teeth.
Playfully Michaela answered. "No"
Stunned Sully took the phone from his ear and looked at it. "Why not?"
"You waited too long."
"Good I'm not good at dancin' anyway." He responded relieved, hearing her giggle he continued suddenly aware she may be playing a game smiling he continued. "Ya said ya didn't want to go?"
Finally she could hold back anymore, "I lied, I do want to go."
*Rookie
A Beginner. A starter. Somebody that just doing or trying something for the first time
I hate being the rookie in todays play
*pull someone's leg
Fig. to kid, fool, or trick someone. You don't mean that. You're just pulling my leg. Don't believe him. He's just pulling your leg.
