CHAPTER 29 - – SHOWERS AND TRENCHES

Finally, the day of Michaela's baby shower arrived.

By 11am, the ladies (and girls) were glad to leave for awhile, to get away from the dust and the continuous clatter and grinding noise of the 'Ditch Witch', as Sully and Matthew dug the trench from the road to the house to bury the electric lines underground. He had waited weeks for the ground to sufficiently dry so that he could begin the project, wanting to have it finished well before the baby arrived.

Rebecca volunteered to be chauffeur for the day, driving the Escalade to the church, with Elizabeth, Louise, the girls, and Michaela onboard – Michaela having reached that stage where she was no longer comfortable behind the wheel of a vehicle.

As the guest of honor arrived at the church and entered, she jokingly dubbed herself the "Princess of Whales," as she laboriously descended the basement stairs. Several friends from church immediately assailed her, ushering her into the festivities with happy grins while Myra merrily slipped necklaces made of ribbon with several diaper pins hanging from them, around the necks of Rebecca, Elizabeth, and Louise.

"Oh, the 'Never Say Baby' game! I won this at a baby shower once," Louise happily responded.

"Never say baby? How can we not say the word 'baby' at a 'baby shower'?" Elizabeth groused, albeit with a smile as she inclined her head for Myra to slip on a necklace.

"Well, that's just it, see – Dr. Mike is the only one allowed to say the word BABY while the shower is goin' on. Anybody else says it, if another person calls her on it - they get to take one pin from her necklace. The lady with the most pins at the end gets a prize."

Grinning as she moved on into the large space, Michaela's mouth dropped open in pleased surprise as she took in the adorable decorations, the atmosphere one of fun and sweet pleasure. Grace and Dorothy had outdone themselves - balloons, banners, ribbons, and other decorations festooned the large space in a Noah's Ark theme of bright yellow, green, pink, and blue. There were colorful tubs with stuffed animals, plates, napkins, cups, and party favors all with baby animals and ark themes. One couldn't help but smile at the happy sight.

Grace had once again crafted the cake, and it was amazing, as usual. The bottom layer resembled the 'ocean' with waves and shark fins, while the ark layer rose from the 'water', and cute baby animals poked their heads out from the 'ship.'

Michaela made her way slowly around the large space, greeting friends, including Ellen Miller, Anna Sheehan, Mrs. Anderson, the widow Flanders, Ingrid, and Carmen, the sweet little silver haired lady who was like a grandmother to everyone.

"Oh, I wish Teresa were here to share this with me," Michaela murmured to Dorothy, as she took a sip of punch from a cup Grace had pressed in her hand. Michaela and Teresa had spent much time together over the months, comparing pregnancy 'woes', both so glad they had a friend that they saw on a regular basis going through the same things at the same time.

"Ahh, don't worry, Dr. Mike. I've got Teresa's shower all planned for the week they get back," Grace assured the gentle-hearted doctor.

"I'm sure she and Jake are havin' a nice visit with her family in New Mexico," Dorothy assured the guest of honor. "Besides, she told me she didn't want to take any of the limelight from you today. She wanted this to be your special time," she added with a twinkle.

After several minutes, Colleen and Hannah appeared at Michaela's side and took hold of her hands, leading her over to a comfortable chair, each of the girls fussing over her, as Hannah informed her surprised mother that they had chosen to be her 'liaisons' for the day.

"We don't want you to have to lift a finger, we're gonna see to your every need," Colleen gushed, the girls practically tripping over each other in their zeal to do a good job.

As they helped her to sit, Hannah dragged a cushioned ottoman over, both girls helping Michaela lift her feet and prop them comfortably.

"Do you want somethin' to drink, Mom? Water? More punch?" Colleen asked eagerly.

"Do you need a pillow for your back?" Hannah offered.

"Are you too hot? Or too cold? I can get you a blanket..." Colleen added.

Before Michaela could answer, Hannah chimed in, "Do you want something to snack on? I don't think there's any pickles, but we've got cake, and lots of little sandwiches, and chips, and nuts, and mint things, and candies..."

Michaela's head was reeling by this time, and smiling gently, she grasped the girls' hands, saying, "I think I'll just have some more punch for now."

"I'll get it!" they both responded, hurrying over to the refreshment table.

OOOOOOOO

Sully switched the noisy, rattling machine off so they could take a short break as he saw his youngest heading toward them with three cold cans of soft drink.

"Whew! This is too much like work!" Matthew jokingly griped, standing straight and wiping his face with a bandanna, the day having turned quite balmy.

Sully laughed and nodded as he wiped the sweat from his own face. "Yeah, but just imagine doin' all this diggin' by hand."

"If we were doin' it like that, I think I'd run away from home and come back after you were done," the teenager quipped with his trademark 'Elvis' grin.

Sully chuckled as he reached out for one of the ice-cold cans, lowering himself down near a bound stack of high-density polyethylene pipes, which they would later use as conduit for the new wiring.

"Thanks, Brian."

"Thanks, little brother," Matthew added as he reached for a can.

"It's okay," Brian returned, flopping down at his father's side.

"How long does the trench gotta be again?" Matthew asked as he rolled the cold soda can against his forehead.

"Three hundred, twenty-five feet from the pole at the road to the side of the house," Sully answered, leaning his head forward and massaging his neck with one hand to ease a tension ache caused by gripping the machine's handles tightly to keep it in line as it rattled and jerked it's way along. Matthew was helping by watching out for roots, rocks, and other obstructions as the machine's curved blade methodically turned the soil, and occasionally guiding the machine himself to give Sully a break.

"Then we gotta put about a two inch layer of gravel in the bottom of the trench, pull the new wire through the PVC pipe and glue the sections together, have the power company hook it all up...then we back fill the trench, and we're done," he recited the steps out loud, ticking them off on the fingers of one hand, although they had discussed the process before.

He had decided to run the underground line in the empty land on the opposite side of the driveway from the clinic, to the right of the trees, instead of putting it directly under where the overhead wires were now. This way they would avoid having to destroy the driveway in the process, and be well away from the roots of the large trees.

"How long you figure it'll take to get it all done?" Matthew asked as he popped his can open.

"Hopefully just a few days, if the power company does their part on time."

Glancing at the expression of slight dismay on his son's face, he smiled gently, adding, "We're savin' a good chunk of money doin' this ourselves, Matthew. Always remember, if there's a way to save money and still do somethin' right, do it. And don't be afraid to try doin' somethin' just 'cause you ain't done it before," he murmured, meeting eyes with his son. Matthew nodded thoughtfully. "I checked with a couple of contractors and they all wanted thousands of dollars to put this line in the ground. It's only gonna cost me a couple hundred cause we're doin' it ourselves."

"You sure you know everything about it, though?" Matthew asked, intimidated by the scope of the project.

"Yep. I did my homework," Sully grinned. "Besides, they'll send out an inspector to make sure everything's the way it should be, before we close up the trench."

"How come we're doin' this?" Brian asked innocently, gazing up at his father, as always, feeling pure 'hero' worship, believing his father knew everything about everything.

"Cause I got real tired of the electric goin' out every time we have a big storm. And I'm doin' it now because I wanna have it all done before the baby gets here," Sully returned after taking a long pull of his soft drink.

"Baby," Brian muttered under his breath. This reminded him of the festivities he had been barred from, and he spoke up reflexively, "How come we didn't get to go to that party Mom and the girls are at?"

Matthew chuckled and met his father's amused eyes. "Cause it's just for girls, Brian. It's all about baby stuff. Nothin' but a bunch of cacklin' women goin', Oh, isn't this adorable!" he added in a silly, falsetto voice.

"Hey now, don't be disrespectful about your mom," Sully fussed at Matthew gently as the young man snickered and nodded.

Turning his attention back to his younger son, Sully went on, "Brian, those kinda parties are somethin' females enjoy...kinda like a bunch 'a guys gettin' together to watch sports."

Matthew laughed and nodded again.

"But...Mom and the girls watch baseball with us..." Brian pointed out, feeling decidedly left out of everything lately regarding the impending new addition to the family. Even with his brother and father, he'd been told he was 'too young' to run the fascinating machine, but of course, Matthew gets to do everything...

"True...but that's a little different."

"Seems like all anybody cares about around here is the baby. It's all anybody talks about anymore..." Brian complained with a bit of a whine, stopping just short of saying he felt like he had already been shoved to the wayside.

Sully smiled understandingly and reached out to ruffle Brian's soft blond hair. "Aw, son...just try ta be patient a little longer. A coupla' weeks and your baby brother or sister'll be here and then things'll get back to normal. Well, after a while," he added with a grin, thinking about 2am feedings and changing messy diapers in the middle of the night, or pacing back and forth trying to calm a fussy baby.

"Does that mean Mom'll go back to bein' my mom again?" Brian asked hopefully.

Sully exchanged glances with Matthew, the younger responding with a slight shrug to indicate he wasn't sure what prompted that question.

"Mom's still your mom, Brian...what'dya mean?" Sully asked gently.

Brian looked down, a little ashamed that he had voiced his thoughts. Shrugging and leaning forward, picking at a blade of grass, he murmured, "I dunno...seems like she don't think about me much anymore...she can't even see me when I'm standin' right in front of her, cause her belly's in the way...and...when I try to talk to her, something always happens, like the baby kicks her or somethin'..."

Knowing his softhearted wife would be crushed if she were hearing this conversation, Sully quickly replied, "Brian...your mom loves you – very much – and she always will. Even if she had ten babies after this one, she'll always love you." Reaching for the boy, he effortlessly moved him over onto his lap.

"It's true she's had to cut back on stuff she usually does, like she hasn't really been doin' much doctorin' lately, or much house work...and she's been takin' lots of naps, even when everybody's home...but that don't mean her feeling's have changed about any of us."

Then seeing something else in the boy's eyes, he added gently, "Brian, you got no reason to feel like the baby's gonna take your place in the family – or in your mom's heart. That just ain't so," he declared with quiet firmness. "Your mom's the most lovin', carin' person I've ever met. She's got a heart as big as all outdoors. Just...try a little harder if you need her attention right now. Be patient if she gets distracted...her attention'll come back to you. Okay?" he added just above a whisper.

"Yeah Brian...it's the same with all of us right now," Matthew added helpfully, having fallen victim to Michaela's 'distractions' himself more than once.

Brian hesitated, mulling this over in his mind. Then, another worry surfaced and he shyly looked into his father's eyes.

"Dad?"

Sully raised his eyebrows in response. "Hm?"

"Mom's belly...it's getttin' bigger every day...it's not gonna...pop like a balloon...is it?"

Matthew and Sully burst out chuckling as Sully wrapped his small son in his arms for a bear hug.

"No, son. She's not gonna pop..." he assured, thinking, though at times she says she feels like she will...

OOOOOOOO

"Alright, what's your guess, Ellen?" Dorothy queried as she held the ball of yarn out to the grinning woman.

"I'm gonna be the one to get it right, you mark my words," she chuckled, reeling off a good amount of yarn to equal her guess as to how many inches it would take to go all the way around the largest part of Michaela's stomach.

Dorothy chuckled as she cut the yarn where Ellen indicated. "We'll see."

After several more ladies had their guesses, the girls helped Michaela to stand and assisted Dorothy in gauging her girth with a measuring tape. "Looks like...forty two...and a half."

"Good heavens!" Michaela sputtered, realizing she had grown two full inches in less than a week from her last checkup.

"Dr. Mike, what was your waist before you got pregnant?" Mrs. Anderson called over, the other ladies dying to know and remembering their own jealous thoughts about the lady doctor's tiny waist.

Michaela glanced at her friend with a self-deprecating grin, fighting off a blush as she admitted, "Twenty four," blanching at the realization that she had gained eighteen inches already, and she still had three weeks to go.

"Well, you'll probably get back to that size six not long after you have the baby, don't you worry," Dorothy soothed, heading toward the woman on the end to compare her guess against the tape. After checking all the guesses, sure enough, Ellen's was the closest.

As the other ladies laughed and chattered, she just shrugged with a grin.

"I've got a knack for guessing those," she quipped as she happily accepted the prize, a lovely decorative flag for the yard, complete with holder.

"Dorothy, you said 'baby'!" Myra realized with a squeal, jumping up and scooting over to Dorothy with a big silly grin, holding out her hand while the disgruntled, but chuckling host grudgingly removed a pin from the ribbon around her neck. Myra giggled as she scurried back to her seat, fastening the pin onto her rapidly filling necklace.

"You beat me to that one, but I'll beat you next time!" Louise playfully challenged, winking at the younger woman as Myra chuckled.

"Alright, now that the games are over...how about opening your gifts, Michaela?" Dorothy asked with a grin, the girls both giving tiny squeals of delight as they hopped up from their places on the floor on either side of Michaela's chair.

For the next little while, Michaela opened gift after wonderful gift, including diapers of all sizes, blankets, pacifiers, booties, clothing, stuffed animals, and even gifts for the older children in the family.

Several ladies inadvertently lost pins to the ever-vigilant Louise as they passed each gift around, so easily forgetting to avoid using the dreaded word. It was all in good fun, however, and always served to provide a rousing laugh from the whole group as the latest victim relinquished a pin.

Finally, the girls brought their mother the last gift on the table – a large box wrapped in elegant paper. Colleen opened the card, grinning as she informed her mother, "It's from Grandma."

Michaela flashed a look at her mother, wondering what ostentatious offering Elizabeth had come up with, as the girls helped her to unwrap the box and take off the lid. Moving aside the tissue paper, she took out a large, white, hand-knitted baby blanket.

Having never seen her mother knit in her life, Michaela glanced back at her, murmuring, "Did you make this, Mother?"

"Yes, I did," she replied with a touch of pride. "It was no trouble, really."

Michaela, touched at the loving gesture, met Rebecca's eyes as the older sister rolled hers and shook her head.

"Thank you, Mother..." Michaela murmured, caressing the soft creation and bringing it to her cheek to cuddle as she made a mental note to ask her sister about it later.

"With the cold Colorado nights, you'll need to keep your baby warm. You can bundle her in that blanket, and tell her it's from her grandmother."

"Her?" Rebecca teased, flashing grins at her mother and sister.

"The baby's gonna be a boy. I can tell the way she's carryin'," Dorothy insisted.

"Nah, it's gonna be a girl," Grace chimed in with surety.

"I agree," Louise added with a grin.

"I'd say a boy. I can sense it – and I'm never wrong about these things," Mrs. Anderson contributed.

"A girl. Trust me," Elizabeth stated with finality.

Rebecca had been watching her sister's face, noticing she was growing increasingly uneasy. "What would you like it to be, Michaela?"

Forcing herself to smile as she fought off remnants of previously conquered fears, she murmured, "I...just want the baby to be healthy."

The women all nodded their agreement. Elizabeth, however, noted the uncertainty in her daughter's eyes. Unaware of Michaela's recent bout with fear and paranoia, she nonetheless sensed her apprehension, murmuring with assurance, "It will be, Michaela. After all...women have been having babies since the beginning of time."

Michaela held her mother's gaze for several beats, willing herself to believe what everyone seemed to constantly be telling her.

Think only good things...good things...good things, Sully's beloved voice whispered in her mind.

Nodding, she drew in a relaxing breath, whispering, "I'm sure you're right."

Then, glancing at the concerned faces around her, she cleared her throat and determinedly shook off the unwanted angst, adding, "I don't know about anyone else...but I can't wait another moment to try a piece of that cake."

The momentary tension broken, everyone began to chatter as Grace rose with a grin to begin slicing into her latest creation, when Louise piped up, "Elizabeth and Dorothy – you each owe me one diaper pin!"

The rest of the ladies reacted with resounding chuckles as they began to gather near the refreshment table.

OOOOOOOOO

Sometime later, Rebecca drove down the homestead's driveway, the Escalade filled to the brim with shower gifts as well as passengers. Michaela, wedged into the passenger seat, waved at her husband and son as they passed, surprised and pleased to see they had finished the trench to within one hundred fifty feet of the house, when they had only just started when the ladies left for the church.

Sully waved back and reached to switch off the machine, wiping his face with his bandanna, he and the boys making their way to the vehicle as Rebecca pulled it up in front of the house.

"Do you want me to pull this in the garage?" she asked her sister after a thought.

Michaela grinned her half smile, chuckling softly. "No...as of yet, Sully hasn't had time to make room in the garage for the Escalade. Thus, it has stayed out in the weather all winter," she added with a touch of sass.

Rebecca chuckled and turned off the motor. The girls hopped out, Colleen reaching to open Michaela's door as Hannah began gathering items to take inside.

Sully arrived at Michaela's door then, reaching a somewhat grimy hand toward her, then both hands, to help her out. Seeing his none-too-clean hands, she grimaced, but allowed him to assist her.

He chuckled at the look on her face. "Sorry sweetheart. Been workin' hard."

"So I see," she returned, then brightened as she looked over at the progress he had made. "And so quickly. You're moving right along."

"Yep," he agreed, flashing his dimpled grin. "Haven't had too much trouble, only a few roots and rocks to slow us down. Otherwise, that thing cuts through soil like butter."

Elizabeth joined them, striving to control her expression as she gazed at her quite filthy son-in-law. "I must say, Sully...you certainly are a hard worker."

"Thanks," he grinned, resisting the urge to tease her with an offer of a hug.

"Lemme help get this stuff inside..." he began, only to have Michaela quickly interrupt.

"No! Um...that's quite all right. Brian, would you help us carry in the gifts the baby and I received today?" she asked, not relishing the thought of any of the delicate baby things being touched by Sully's grimy hands.

"Sure Mom," the little boy immediately replied, beaming that his mother suddenly needed his help, and for once preferred it to his dad or Matthew. Skipping to the back of the vehicle, he immediately began lifting items out.

Feigning insult, Sully stuck his lip out in a perfect imitation of a sad Brian. "Okay...since you don't want my help...I'll just go back to work," he pouted, his pout changing to a small grin when Michaela stretched up and gave him a sweet kiss – on his lips, the only clean area of his face, whispering, "There will be more of that later...after you take a shower."

"Yes ma'am," he whispered back, blue eyes twinkling as he turned and headed back to resume his work, Matthew chuckling and shaking his head at his parents' antics as he joined his father.

OOOOOOOOO

An hour later, the girls occupied Rebecca, Elizabeth, and Louise with a performance of their worship dance in the living room of the homestead, after which Elizabeth went in search of her youngest.

Knowing Michaela had taken a walk down to her clinic to do some 'paperwork,' her mother followed, letting herself quietly in the kitchen door and pausing at the door from the living quarters into the clinic area, smiling softly as she silently watched her daughter stare at the computer screen, deep in thought.

Michaela glanced up and discovered her mother in the doorway.

"Mother...is anything wrong?" she asked, automatically assuming she was needed for something specific.

Elizabeth shook her head, wandering into the large one room office, idly fingering objects as she passed – so many things that she neither knew their names nor what they were used for, despite having been married to a physician for decades. She had always harbored the tiniest bit of jealousy that her youngest daughter had shared something with her husband that she, herself, could not. But, that didn't keep her from being extremely proud of her beautiful, accomplished daughter.

Arriving at the back of the desk, Elizabeth studied for a moment what appeared to be a list of items.

"Are you busy?" she asked softly.

"Actually, I was just making a list of the things we need to pack...to be ready for the delivery," Michaela answered, unconsciously wording it as if she were talking about another woman giving birth, not herself.

Elizabeth nodded, studying Michaela's expression and reading the touch of anxiety lurking just under the surface, though her physician daughter was trying valiantly to hide her unease.

Michaela drew in a breath, let it out with a sigh, and unable to think of any other needed items, hit 'save' and 'print', and closed the document out.

Scrambling for something she could say to help alleviate her daughter's apprehension, Elizabeth murmured, "It's not easy...the last month," turning toward the window that overlooked Hanover, and crossing her arms as she stared out at the empty road, though seeing something else entirely as her memory went back in time.

"The waiting...the worrying..."

Michaela turned to regard her mother, pleased that the matriarch of the Quinn family seemed to be once again about to share her private thoughts, as she had on the phone a week before.

"You wonder what kind of mother you'll be. You wonder what the delivery will be like...and you try not to think about things going wrong...but yet you still do," Elizabeth admitted softly, allowing her daughter to see underneath her tough exterior.

Michaela's eyes flickered, realizing how hard her mother was trying, striving to be 'understanding' and 'helpful', without being overbearing – and she was comforted by the realization that her mother knew exactly what she was feeling. Michaela smiled, but remained silent, allowing her to continue.

Drawing in a breath, Elizabeth let it out in a sigh. "On one hand, you can't wait to have it over...but on the other, you can't help but feel you're about to lose something very special..."

She turned then, seeing her daughter watching her, tears welling in the beautiful mismatched eyes. Elizabeth drew near again, reaching out to lay a gentle hand on Michaela's firm, round belly.

"For nearly nine months you've carried this life inside you, safe and warm. And soon that will all change." Smiling encouragingly, she added, "These feelings are normal, Michaela. And...so is the joy you will feel when your child finally arrives."

Michaela drew in a breath with a sniffle, trying hard to hold on to her composure as she looked up into her mother's eyes. Elizabeth reached for one of her daughter's hands, adding sincerely, "There was no greater moment in my life, than the moment I gave birth to you."

Tears spilled over as Michaela shut her eyes, going into her mother's arms for a long, close hug, holding on tight as she allowed her emotions to overflow.

Elizabeth, now teary-eyed herself, held on just as tight, and rocked her daughter in her arms as they shared their most heart-felt and honest moment ever.

For Michaela, this was the mother she had always wanted...kind, caring, understanding... not the sometimes harsh and critical Boston Powerhouse...

For Elizabeth, a myriad of emotions assailed her, feelings of elation at becoming a grandmother again...feelings of getting 'older', as her youngest daughter was about to give birth herself...feelings of joy at finally being able to connect with the precious human being she had brought into the world thirty four years before...

Suddenly, their special moment was shattered by the back door banging open, and Brian's voice squealing, "Mama! Come quick! Dad's hurt!"

Meeting her mother's eyes, her heart in her throat, Michaela jumped up from her chair, recklessly making her way around the desk as she struggled to get to her husband, images of blood and carnage flashing in her mind, as she knew he had still been running the auger when she had passed him on her way to the clinic not thirty minutes before.

"Michaela! Slow down! You must be careful!" her mother fussed, hurrying to keep up with her surprisingly rapidly moving daughter.

Nearly out of breath when she reached the back door, Michaela looked past Brian as he held it open. Narrowing her eyes into a squint, she could just make out her husband on his knees behind the machine.

"Dear God!" she whispered, making her way out the door and moving as fast as she possibly could, her bloated body struggling forward in an imitation of running. Both hands tried to cushion her stomach from bouncing, and she silently begged God to spare Sully's life, as she rushed towards her injured soul mate.

"Michaela! Please be careful!" Elizabeth entreated a pace or two behind.

Matthew, on his knees next to his father, looked over as he saw his mother coming toward them at breakneck speed. Expelling his breath in aggravation, he jumped up and ran to intercept her.

"Mom, slow down – he's all right," he called when he was within earshot. Then raising his voice even louder, he yelled, "Brian! What'd you DO that for? We told you not to go for Mom!"

The little boy slowed his pace behind his scurrying mother as he realized Matthew was right...and hoping he would not be the cause of a mishap. He hadn't pictured his mother would try to run to his father, his only thought had been that he could be the bearer of news, since he knew his father wasn't truly injured.

"What happened?" Michaela gasped as she reached her oldest son, grasping his forearms to steady herself, her legs threatening to give way, her gaze fixed on her husband as he turned toward her, still on his knees, a hand pressed to his chest.

"He's okay," Matthew quickly assured. "The machine was goin' along at a good pace when it hit a rock and kicked back, just as Dad leaned over the handle. It knocked the wind out of him is all."

Not totally convinced her husband was uninjured, she murmured, "I must get to him," as she took off again, nearly stumbling over loose dirt, gravel, and construction paraphernalia. Matthew and Elizabeth each kept a tight grip on her arms to prevent her from falling. They both knew they couldn't stop her from making sure that her husband was indeed all right. The best thing they could do was protect her from herself.

When she reached him, Sully had risen to his feet, a hand still pressing against his chest as he fought for breath, watching her with worried eyes.

"Chaela..." he fussed with a gasp, taking a step toward his nearly exhausted wife. She was paying no mind to herself, however, her concern only for him.

"Sully...let me see," she panted as she reached him, moving his hand and indicating to Matthew to help her remove Sully's tee shirt, damp with perspiration...but thankfully no blood. When they dragged it over his head, she was very relieved to find nothing more than a bruise across his breastbone, albeit already turning dark.

"Is this...the only...point of impact?" she panted, pressing his ribs for signs of breakage.

"Yeah...winded me is all..." he panted in return. "Michaela!" he gasped as she suddenly swayed backward from the exertion and worry. Matthew caught her against his chest as she tried to regain her balance.

"I'm...I'm fine," she stammered, suddenly realizing how much she had taxed her overburdened legs.

"You should sit down," Elizabeth fussed, looking around in exasperation, as there was nothing close by to accommodate.

Just then, Rebecca came out on the homestead's porch, having seen the commotion. "What is happening?" she called to them.

"Rebecca! Bring a chair, quickly please!" Elizabeth called, watching her obedient daughter unquestioningly disappear inside the house and reappear quickly, gripping a kitchen chair, as she made her way out to them. Arriving in moments, she set it down and they each helped lower Michaela onto its surface as she let out a very relieved sigh.

Placing her hand over her mouth, Michaela shook her head, chuckling at her own foolishness as Sully went to his knees at her side.

"It ain't funny...you coulda' hurt yourself," he fussed, his hands cradling her stomach as his eyes scanned her face, watching her slowly catch her breath and regain her strength.

"I...I know...I just..." she stammered, meeting his eyes as she finished the rest of the sentence silently, that being that she would willingly go through anything to make sure he, the love of her life, was unharmed.

"What am I going to do with the two of you?" Elizabeth griped, only half joking.

"The only thing you can do, Mother...just love them," Rebecca answered softly as she watched the two gazing lovingly into each other's eyes.

"Yes...indeed..." Elizabeth responded, stepping close and gently drawing Michaela's head against her side, smiling down into Sully's blue eyes as he raised them to her worriedly.

"Yes, indeed," she said again.

OOOOOOO

Several hours later, the crisis passed, Rebecca and Michaela chatted happily as they worked together, folding and putting away baby things in the new changing table she had received at the shower, temporarily set up in the corner of the master bedroom. Rebecca had busied herself washing the new clothing while Michaela had taken a nap.

Walking to the bed where the items had been deposited, Michaela picked up the white knitted blanket, lovingly smoothing it as she held it against her chest, and admiring the intricate and perfectly formed pattern.

Rebecca turned from fitting a pile of onesies into the drawer of the table and spied the misty look on her sister's face.

"You should've seen her working on that blanket," she murmured, shaking her head and moving to Michaela's side, reaching out a hand to touch the soft object. "Reading books on knitting, practicing over and over until all hours of the night..."

Michaela met her sister's eyes, surprised.

"I thought she said it was no trouble..."

Rebecca grinned and just shook her head, at which both sisters chuckled in soft camaraderie, knowing their mother's penchant for perfection at all costs.

Turning to the bed again, Rebecca picked up a box of bottles and liners. "Are you going to nurse, or bottle feed?"

"Oh, I'm going to nurse as long as I can, though I may supplement now and then as needed. You know how father was such a stickler for mothers breastfeeding their babies...and I feel the same way."

Rebecca nodded with a smile. "I nursed all three of mine, and I never regretted one moment. Matter of fact, I was always a little sad when I had to wean them..."

"Yes..." Michaela sighed, staring straight ahead for a moment as she tried to imagine what it would be like to interact with her baby in such a way...and wondering how it would feel...

Rebecca glanced at her sister's face and correctly read her thoughts. "Don't worry, Michaela. It isn't painful...matter of fact, it's quite pleasant and relaxing...and there's just something special about getting up during the night, and feeding your baby...the house quiet, everyone else asleep except for the two of you – your private 'together' time."

Smiling softly, she continued quietly, "It's the most profound thing I've ever experienced in my life...the deep, gripping bond that I felt with each baby...the way they would lay in my arms and just look up at me, such pure love and trust in their little eyes..." she paused as her own eyes misted. "Such intense feelings sweep over me when I remember that, even to this day...it takes my breath away," she finished softly, meeting her sister's gaze.

"Oh Becca...I can hardly wait to experience that for myself. It seems I've been waiting ten years for the baby to get here," she added, a trifle whiny.

Rebecca chuckled and reached to pat Michaela's firm belly. "Well, little sister, your ten years of being pregnant are just about over."

Then, casting a secretive grin at her sister, Rebecca bent down and reached under the bed, pulling out a large wrapped gift.

"Becca...what's this?" Michaela sputtered as her sister laid the large item on the bed.

"This is from Robert and I...just something for you..." she murmured.

"But...you've already done so much..."

"Go on...open it," her sister nudged, watching as Michaela tore the paper away to reveal a large Tote bag, filled with items.

"It's a 'Mommy-To-Be-Bag'," Rebecca explained as Michaela eagerly opened the carrier and looked inside, finding such things as hair ties, comb & brush, her favorite gum, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, nighttime slippers, cozy socks, a CD compilation of her favorite music, a DVD of her favorite movie, Q-tips, nail file, and a lovely lavender nursing gown, among other things.

As their eyes met again, Rebecca shrugged with a chuckle. "We tried to think of all the essentials to take with you to the hospital...but, well...that was before I knew about you using a 'birthing center'..."

"Oh, no...thank you Becca! I'm sure I'll get much use out of each and every item...it's such a thoughtful gift," Michaela countered sincerely. "Thank you...and thank Robert for me."

"You're welcome, Michaela," her sister murmured sincerely.

"You really are the best big sister in the whole world...do you know that?" Michaela added with a sniffle, reaching to pull her sister into her arms for a long, heartfelt hug.

OOOOOOOO

That night, Sully and Michaela lay snuggled together in bed, Michaela gently massaging the bruise on Sully's chest with one hand as she silently thanked God his mishap had not resulted in a worse injury.

"I'm sorry I scared you today, Chaela...I wish Brian hadn't taken off to go get you..." Sully fussed softly. "Ya had me worried when you came runnin' like that..."

Michaela smiled softly, and then gave a soft chuckle as she pictured herself hurrying down the driveway toward her stricken husband. "If you can call what I did 'running'...I fear I resembled a large overstuffed goose who has forgotten how to fly and can only waddle along on overly large webbed feet..."

Sully chuckled at the picture that produced. "Nah, I wouldn't say you're that bad..." he murmured, leaning his head to press his lips to hers as she tilted her head back to give him access.

"Are your legs hurtin'?" he asked softly, more than a little worried that the dreaded shooting pains would be bad that night because of her unexpected 'marathon' down the driveway.

She smiled lovingly and shook her head. "No, they feel fine. How could they not – with all of the massaging you gave them a few minutes ago?" she teased lovingly.

His expression waxing serious, he held her gaze in the soft moonlight.

"Chaela...you gotta take care of yourself...you shouldn't to gettin' all stressed and scared like that..." he began.

"Don't," she whispered, placing two fingers gently on his lips, which reflexively puckered and kissed the digits. "I couldn't help it...you know when something happens to you, or to one of the children...I lose my common sense for a few minutes until I can make sure everything is all right...or I can catch my breath and allow the physician within me to emerge and figure out what to do," she whispered with a wry grin. "You're my life, Sully," she added softly, her eyes overflowing with love for him. Tilting her head again for his kiss, he willingly obliged.

"I should be telling you to take better care of yourself– so that I won't have to get frightened and take off running," she finished with a touch of 'Michaela zing.'

He chuckled and shook his head slightly; adoring every nuance of this woman he loved.

"I promise. From now until the baby is born, I'll be on my best behavior. Okay?"

"And you always keep your promises, right?" she whispered with a twinkle, their lips millimeters apart.

"Count on it," he whispered back, allowing their lips to connect, each one sighing as the familiar sparks ignited between them.

After a few moments, Sully reluctantly ended the kiss and helped his wife with her nightly ritual of finding a comfortable position within her humongous pillow - making sure that she could disentangle herself easily for her nightly visits to the little room down the hall - before snuggling down for the night and whispering their customary endearments.