CHAPTER 37 – COUNTING THEIR BLESSINGS
"Is Jared Miller coming over today?" Hannah asked as she helped her mother set the table the next morning.
"Yes, he is," Michaela answered a trifle distractedly as she stirred the oatmeal at the stove.
"Great. Just great," the young girl grumbled under her breath.
Michaela chuckled and reached over to caress the back of her daughter's hair. Hannah looked up at her beautiful mother, loving the way the morning sun streaming in from the side window made her copper brown hair seem to glow with vitality. And her eyes – the green eye especially – seemed to be sparkling in the sunlight. Hannah had always thought Dr. Mike, now 'Mom' was beautiful, but today she seemed even more so...maybe cause she's been gone all week and I missed her so much...
"Don't worry about it, sweetheart. I have a feeling young Mr. Miller learned his lesson. He knows he was very fortunate – he could have been killed when that machine fell back on him."
Then gazing down into the familiar blue orbs, so like her father's, Michaela added, "How are you this morning, hmm?"
The girl knew instantly what her mother meant and smiled shyly. "Fine," she said softly, spontaneously wrapping her arms around Michaela for a mother/daughter hug. "I love you, Mama," she murmured.
"I love you, too, sweetheart," Michaela whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of her head as she held her daughter tight. Just then, the other members of the Sully household came filtering down the stairs for breakfast, effectively ending Hannah and Michaela's one on one time.
Thirty minutes later, their breakfast finished and the kids upstairs going about weekend chores, the couple sat together idly talking about the day, chores to be done, and which movie the six of them would watch together for family movie night.
"By the way...you never did tell me why that guy dropped the suit against William," Sully prompted, taking a sip of his coffee.
Michaela smiled and reached for his hand, entwining her fingers with his. "You ready for this? He told his attorney that he had accrued quite a few gambling debts and thought the fraudulent suit would be a quick and easy way to make money to pay them..."
"Yeah?" Sully prompted, watching his wife's eyes sparkle with enjoyment.
"But the bomb threat at the court caused him to think...and he went home and turned on the television – and it landed on a channel airing a Billy Graham crusade..." she grinned as she paused.
"And the preachin' got to him?" Sully asked with knowing a grin.
Michaela nodded. "He told his attorney it was as if Mr. Graham were preaching right to him and he felt so guilty, he reached for the phone and called to cancel the suit. And the crusade had been recorded thirty years ago!" she added with a twinkle.
"Just goes to show...you never know what God can and will use to speak to a person," Sully laughed, shaking his head in amazement.
Just then someone knocked on the front door.
Sully rose from the table and peered through the glass. "It's Jared and Ellen," he confirmed as he opened the door and stepped back to allow them room to enter.
"Come on in," he offered, watching as they both hesitantly moved inside, Jared using his crutches to navigate. Sully shut the door as the woman and teen let their eyes roam the large beautiful room... the warm walls... the stone fireplaces... the comfortable furniture...the clean, peaceful, homey atmosphere exuding everywhere.
Wolf trotted over to sniff and wag 'hello' to the visitors his master had just invited in, hoping for a new friend with which to play. Ellen shied away a bit from the large animal, but Jared reached down and smiled at him, obligingly scratching the malamute behind his ears.
"Won't you have a seat?" Michaela offered, pulling out a kitchen chair for Jared as Sully pulled one out for the mother. They quickly acquiesced.
"Would you like some coffee?" Sully offered Ellen and she shyly accepted. When he handed her the cup, she looked up at him and then looked around at the beautiful homestead.
"It's been a long time since I was in here...I think I was only about nine or ten...it looks different..." she offered, taking a sip from her cup.
"Yeah, I did some remodeling a couple years ago," Sully explained, standing with his arms crossed over his chest. "You probably remember there used to be a partition between the kitchen and living area, plus drywall and carpet. I took all that out and brought it back to its original design."
"And it was a mess in here for weeks!" Hannah interjected, having descended the stairs to retrieve a dust rag from the laundry area. She giggled as her father teasingly glared and made a funny face at her.
"It's beautiful, Sully. It's so...peaceful here..." Ellen complimented, but then as if realizing she was comparing their home to hers in more ways than one, she quickly looked down and blushed.
"Thanks," he responded as he looked around at his home. Glancing back at her, he noticed her heightened color and glanced over at his wife. Michaela gave him a small smile, and then deciding to allow Ellen time to regroup, she turned to Jared.
"Jared, how is your recovery coming along?"
"Fine, ma'am," the boy immediately responded. "My ribs don't hurt anymore...and my leg is much better. I can put some weight on it and it don't start aching till the end of the day now."
Michaela nodded in pleased satisfaction. "That's good."
"We did just what you said, Dr. S...I mean... Michaela," Ellen interjected with a smile toward her friendly and gentle doctor/neighbor.
"Well, you did just fine. I couldn't be more pleased with his rate of recovery," Michaela complimented the quiet woman, in truth wondering how the poor thing managed to do anything, living under such constant strain with a man like Harvey Miller.
Just then, Colleen came down the stairs dragging the family's mesh clothes hampers, followed by Brian bringing up the rear with sheets from everyone's beds, which he had dumped onto one top sheet and used it as a makeshift sled to transport the load. Half way down, however, he lost his grip and everything ended up in a pile at the bottom.
"Brian!" Colleen groused, glancing back over her shoulder.
The little boy giggled and jumped in the middle of the pile as if it were leaves. Sully and Michaela both chuckled and shook their heads at his antics as Sully called, "Here, I'll help ya with that, son," and headed over to help the boy get the bedding into the laundry area. He tickled Brian and picked him up, too, slinging the child over his shoulder amid delighted squeals.
Watching from across the room were two very surprised 'guests'. Jared sat in awe of the exchange, picturing the explosive outburst that would have occurred in his own home if a similar thing had been done. Ellen, too, sat thinking about the difference between her own husband and Sully. This is how a man should treat his children...why have I put up with Harv's unjustified anger all this time...and his unjustified hatred of this kind man and his family?
Michaela stood silently observing the two, astutely knowing what each one was thinking and feeling. The thought occurred to her that this time of interaction between their family and the Miller's might possibly prove to be constructive, and even healing, and she shut her eyes and said a quick prayer that God would bring it about.
"So, what do you want me to do today, Mrs. Sully? I mean...Dr. Quinn-Sully," the boy added quickly.
Michaela smiled and reached out to pat his arm. "Dr. Quinn-Sully is quite a mouthful. Why don't you call me Dr. Mike?"
The boy smiled and nodded, glancing at his mother.
"I think Sully has some things lined up for you to do with he and Matthew," Michaela answered his question; Sully overhearing as he came back into the kitchen.
"Yeah, that's right. Some things I been meanin' to do, just haven't had the time. Sortin' through some stuff. Perfect for you to do sittin' down," he added with a friendly smile toward the young man. Jared nodded, a trifle uncertainly, in truth a little awed that Mr. Sully wasn't raging angry about him 'borrowing' their ATV.
At that moment, Matthew came down the stairs and joined the others in the kitchen.
"Did you finish cleaning your room?" Michaela asked, pouring her now cold coffee out in the sink.
"Yeah...my half. Brian's still working on his," he added with a chuckle, which was echoed by the parents, each of them picturing Brian's messy half of the room.
"What time should I come back for Jared?" Ellen asked as she rose from her chair and reached for her purse, feeling awkward that she had interrupted the family's Saturday routine.
"How's four hours sound?" Sully offered.
"Fine, but...that doesn't seem like enough time to get much done..." the woman hesitantly pointed out.
"Aw well, we can stretch it out longer later, after his leg heals."
She smiled shyly at him and then at Michaela, reaching to put an arm around her son. "Thank you...both of you...for this. I know after what he did...you had every right to sue..."
Sully shook his head to interrupt her. "Nah, don't worry about it Ellen. I've always believed neighbors shouldn't go around suin' each other." Then he added with a wink, "Besides, this way, everybody benefits. And you never know – Jared may even want to take up ranchin' one day because of the time he spends here with us."
"Yeah, Jared. After your leg heals, I'll let ya ride Shadow if you want," Matthew offered with his half grin. "There's nothing like ridin' on the back of a horse in a full out gallop, huh, Dad?" he added, exchanging knowing grins with his father.
The young man looked from one to another of the adults in the room, and then at Matthew, puzzlement clearly written on his face. "I...I don't understand why you all are being so nice to me...especially you," he added meeting eyes with his contemporary. "I've been nothin' but bad to ya...and yet..."
Matthew exchanged another glance with his father, who nodded as if to say the explanation was up to him. The young man cleared his throat and met Jared's eyes.
"Well...I was angry, at first, but I figure you got hurt pretty bad for...borrowin' the Kawi...and...I guess I figured, since you're gonna be around here a lot for awhile...it'd be more fun to be friends than enemies...
Jared chuckled softly and glanced at his mother self-consciously, then back at the other teen.
"You're alright, Sul...Matthew. You're alright."
After a short, uncomfortable silence, Ellen gathered her purse and jacket and leaned over to brush a quick kiss to her son's cheek.
"Well, I'll see you later, son. You be good help, now."
Sully hastened to open the door for her and bid her goodbye as she made her exit. Then turned back to the others.
"Ok, why don't we go on out to the barn and I'll show ya around," he instructed the boy, his eyes signaling to Matthew that he should come, too. Crossing to Michaela, he leaned in and gave her a soft, loving kiss, their eyes drifting shut in pleasure at the contact. Then he pulled back and smiled softly into her eyes. "See ya later," he murmured softly, adding in a whisper, "I love ya."
"I love you, too," she whispered back with a soft smile. Then a little louder, she instructed in a teasing tone, "Don't work him too hard this first day."
Sully chuckled softly and leaned in for one more, quick smack to her lips. "I won't."
When Sully turned to go to the door, he caught a fleeting glimpse of something in Jared's eyes as the boy had stood watching their exchange. However, the moment only lasted briefly, and the men soon filed out the door, Wolf trotting happily in their midst, but out of the way of Jared's crutches.
Michaela watched them go with a smile, as the door shut gently behind her son. Feeling her smile evaporate as she drew in a sharp breath, she turned toward the sink to begin her chores.
OOOOOOOOOOO
An hour later, Jared looked up from the boxes of discarded tackle he was sorting and watched for a moment as Matthew and Sully brushed down two of the horses.
Pausing thoughtfully, he watched as father and son talked amiably, joking with each other and conversing easily together. As he watched, he realized he couldn't remember one time in his life when he had done anything side by side with his father, much less enjoyed being with him.
He thought then about his home life... his father came home every night from a job he hated, grouched at his wife and kids for whatever crossed his mind, grabbed a beer from the refrigerator and plopped down in his recliner to watch television. Harvey Miller never talked with his wife or children; he never played games with them or acted like he even wanted them around. Jared thought about the fact that when he and his sisters heard their father's car pull up to their trailer, they stopped whatever they were doing and retreated to their rooms to stay out of his way.
And the way Sully and his wife were with each other...he couldn't remember ever seeing his own mother and father smiling and kissing, whispering I love you's to each other – or looking like they were very much in love. He fleetingly wondered if they had ever been.
Remembering the inside of the Sully's beautiful homestead, he gazed around now at the inside of their barn, and it seemed like they lived in a different universe from him – everything was neatly in its place, ropes and various strips of leather hung on the walls, saddles and blankets neatly placed alongside buckets and bags of things which he had no clue about, neat stacks of hay, and tools hanging on pegs in neat rows.
Across the tops of the doors, he noticed dozens of old license plates tacked there, and he wondered for a moment about them.
Sully glanced over at the boy and noticed the objects of his interest. "Old license places...from as far back as 1913," he supplied with a grin. "Somebody started the tradition and everybody along the family line just kept it up."
"They worth money?" the boy asked, gazing at the various colors and sizes of the plates.
"Maybe a little," Sully conceded, glancing at his son with a grin. "But they're worth more ta me in sentimental value. Somethin' that belonged to my ancestors..."
Jared shook his head. "I don't know nothin' about my ancestors...never thought about it," he added thoughtfully, going back to sorting with a shrug of his shoulders.
Sully and Matthew glanced at each other again over the backs of the horses.
"Well, sometimes knowin' how they thought or what they believed about things kind of keeps things in perspective. And it's kind of fun knowin' how they lived, too," he added, thinking of all the things he knew about the first Sully.
"I guess. I'm done with this box...what next?"
OOOOOOOOOOO
Michaela smiled at her friend's image on the computer screen, thinking it had been too long since their last conversation. She hadn't realized until that moment how much she had missed conversing with her friend.
"Haho Michaela. It has been a long time since we had time to talk," Snowbird greeted her friend.
"Yes it has! Where does the time go these days?" Michaela replied with a soft smile.
"I know what you mean. The older I get, the faster it seems to fly. How is Sully?"
"Oh, he's fine now," Michaela replied, knowing her friend was referring to his migraine episode. "We're both thanking God for William's remedy and Matthew's detective work," she added sincerely.
"It was a bad one?" Snowbird asked, her husband having filled her in on details of his brother being in terrible pain and 'lost' for several hours.
"Oh Snowbird, it was terrible. It must have been a combination of lack of sleep and stress, and it hit him so suddenly – while he was driving! Thank God he wasn't on the highway."
"Yes, indeed. And I'll bet he is thanking God his wife is a doctor," Snowbird quipped with a grin.
Then looking closer at her friend's expression, she asked, "Michaela...are you okay?"
Michaela smiled at her Indian friend's innate perception. "Oh, I'm fine, just tired I guess...I didn't sleep very well this week either," she added shyly.
Snowbird nodded thoughtfully, watching Michaela shift uncomfortably on her chair. "Is that all?"
"I guess I'm feeling a little down..." Michaela hedged.
"Ahh," the other woman replied softly. "You got your monthly...?"
"No, but I think I may have a urinary tract infection...I woke up with symptoms of one this morning."
Snowbird nodded again and pursed her lips thoughtfully. "I have had those...they are certainly no fun...you should see your doctor..."
"Yes, I will," Michaela agreed. "I was thinking of making an appointment with Dr. Bernard anyway...to discuss...options..." she added meeting her friend's eyes for a moment before glancing toward the closed bedroom door.
"Already Michaela? I did not think you two had given up..."
"Oh, we haven't...but...I was talking to a friend the other day who...has the same problem as I and she had to resort to insemination..."
"Really...is that expensive?" the Indian woman wondered, thinking that might possibly help her own situation.
"I really don't know...I'm hoping not."
"Will you let me know...?" Snowbird asked softly and Michaela met her eyes again, feeling a trifle guilty that she felt so impatient to conceive, knowing how long her precious friends had been waiting.
"I will, Snowbird," she answered softly.
The ladies smiled at each other in total understanding, then the conversation went on to other current happenings in each of their lives.
OOOOOOOOOOO
"This sure is good, Dr. Mike," Jared complimented, taking another large bite of his plate of nachos.
"Thank you, Jared," Michaela replied with a smile, meeting Sully's eyes with a grin as he gave her a proud wink.
"It tastes different than I've had before..." the boy observed, pausing to take a drink of his iced tea.
"Oh, that's because I use a recipe given to me by Snowbird, our Cheyenne friend," she answered, taking a tiny bite of her own lunch.
"Hmm, that's funny. My dad always says Indians are good for nothin'," the boy responded matter-of-factly, taking another bite.
As this had been the third statement the young man had made during lunch that grated on Hannah's nerves, it was the absolute last straw. She slammed her hand down on the table next to her plate, beyond aggravated, and everyone at the table jumped in surprise.
"Jared Miller! Why do you have to be such a jerk all the time?" she burst out. "Cloud Dancing and Snowbird are awesome. Cloud Dancing is my dad's best friend and like a brother to him – he's even saved his life lots of times. They're both nice and smart and got lots of talents and you got no right sayin' somethin' like that..."
"Hannah," Sully gently reprimanded.
The girl closed her mouth with a pout and met her father's eyes. He inclined his head toward her with his 'father' expression and she knew exactly what he wanted. She lowered her eyes to her plate and huffed out a big sigh, and then looked over at the boy she had just chewed out. "I'm sorry for yellin'," she murmured.
The rest of the occupants of the table sat still for several moments, Jared blinking in semi-shock at the young girl's outburst. "I didn't mean nothin'..." he offered lamely.
Michaela reached over and laid a comforting hand on the boy's arm. "We know you didn't, Jared. It's just that you don't know any Indians personally. But around here...well, Cloud Dancing and Snowbird are very dear to our hearts...they're part of our family..."
"I'm sorry," he murmured, chancing a glance at Sully, half expecting him to explode any minute in rage that he had insulted his best friend. But Sully was smiling in agreement to what his wife had just said. Jared marveled again at the difference between this family and his own.
In truth, the boy didn't have many friends and had never really been invited over to other people's houses for dinner or socializing, so to be in a home full of love, peace, and happiness seemed almost strange to him. Strange...but not undesirable.
"It's alright, son. Go ahead and finish your lunch," Sully instructed the boy gently, meeting his eyes with a friendly smile, then holding his wife's eyes in silent communication.
Slowly, the conversation returned to other topics and the rest of their lunch passed in enjoyable harmony. Then right on time as they were finishing up, a knock announced the arrival of the boy's mother. Amid compliments of how much help the boy had been that day, the two left with the arrangement that Jared would come back again the next Saturday for a full day of work.
OOOOOOOOOOO
That night as Sully undressed for bed, Michaela sat at her vanity, in her gown, deep in thought about events of the day - her conversation with Snowbird and various conversations throughout the day, not the least of which being with the children about the infamous Jared Miller.
"I feel sorry for him," she murmured, speaking her thoughts out loud as she ran her brush idly through her hair.
"Who?" Sully asked in response, unbuckling his belt and pulling it out of his jeans.
"Jared."
Sully nodded. He had figured as much. "Yeah...me too."
"That boy comes from such an unhappy home...it's a wonder he has any social skills at all," she observed softly.
"Yeah...with a jerk like Harv Miller for a dad," Sully agreed, drawing his shirt off over his head and tossing it into the hamper.
"I think Jared actually takes more after his mother; that deep down, he's actually a nice boy...he just hasn't had anyone to emulate except his father..."
"Right. I don't know what we can do about it, though."
"Perhaps just being around us will do him a world of good – seeing us interacting as a family and as a couple. I think it has already made an impression on him, just from what I've observed."
"Yeah?" Sully asked softly as he came up behind her, gently taking the brush from her hand and assuming one of his favorite chores.
"Yes..." she answered softly, her eyes closing in pleasure the moment her husband's hands began their ministrations. She leaned her head back with a sigh as his hand followed the strokes of the brush. He grinned down at her when he saw her reaction, this wonderful woman he had married who always saw the best in people - his sweet, gentle, peacemaking wife. Oh how he loved her!
After several minutes, he finished his chore and put down the brush, taking her hands and drawing her to her feet. Cupping her face gently in his large hands, he leaned in for a soft kiss, immediately pressing in to deepen it. She kissed him back for a few moments, but then pulled back and looked up hesitantly into his eyes.
Confused, his brow furrowed as he murmured, "Chaela? Is somethin' wrong? You ain't actin' like yourself..."
"I'm sorry, Sully. I just...I don't feel well..." she murmured regretfully, toying with the curls on his chest.
"Are you sick?" he asked in concern, touching a hand to her forehead to check her temperature. "You don't feel hot..."
"No...I just..." she hesitated, in truth a little embarrassed to tell her husband the details. "I think I may have developed a Urinary Tract infection...at least I have the symptoms of one..."
"Gosh...how...I mean..." he stammered, his mind racing with the wonder if he could have somehow caused it. Michaela smiled at him reassuringly.
"These things happen occasionally. Don't worry..."
"Here...come lay down," Sully began, drawing her toward the bed. "Is there anything I can get ya? Some medicine from the clinic or somethin'?" he asked as he settled her against her pillow.
"No...I don't have on hand the type of antibiotic I would need...but I wanted to talk to you about something," she replied, reaching for his hand as he sat next to her on the bed. "I've been thinking about this a lot and...I want to make an appointment to see Dr. Bernard."
Sully nodded. "Of course. You should get this taken care of right away..."
"Well yes...but I'm talking about..." she hesitated for a moment, meeting his eyes. "I thought we might talk to him about...recommending a doctor to perform...insemination..."
Sully's eyes widened for the briefest moment as realization dawned. She's given up that it'll happen for us without help. She's thinkin' that the only way we'll get a baby is by artificial means. He swallowed, his eyes going back and forth between hers as he thought of the right response, not wanting to upset her or put his foot in his mouth.
"Ok, sweetheart...if that's what you want. Sure. You want me to come?" he asked with a soft smile.
She smiled in return. "Of course! You promised, remember? You said you'd never let me go to see him without you again."
He chuckled and nodded. "That's right...and I meant it."
"Good...I wouldn't have it any other way," she responded softly, lovingly reaching up and caressing his cheek with the backs of her fingers.
"So...I guess tonight's out...?" he teased softly, eyebrows raised in question as he turned his head slightly and kissed her fingers.
She nodded self-consciously. "I'm sorry...I..."
"Hey, I was just teasin'," he chuckled. Getting up, he quickly finished preparations for sleep, then switched off the vanity lamp and climbed into his side of the bed. "C'mere," he said softly, drawing her into his arms, her back to his chest. He drew her up close, gently placing his hand low on her abdomen. "Are ya hurtin'?" he murmured near her ear.
"Just a little," she admitted softly.
"Does this help?" he asked as he gently massaged the area.
"Yes, thank you," she murmured, relaxing back against him, marveling at the many ways this man demonstrated how much he loved and cared for her. He couldn't be a more perfect husband. I'm a blessed woman to have found him...and to have his love.
"Try to relax...and go to sleep," he whispered, pressing a kiss to her temple and nuzzling his face in her hair. "I love you."
"I love you," she returned, snuggling a little deeper in his arms and allowing her body to totally relax. It wasn't long before she slipped into a comfortable sleep.
For Sully, however, it took much longer to relax. He lay there, holding his wife in his arms, thinking about how precious she was to him...how much he needed her love and just her mere presence in his life...and how he would do everything in his power to make her happy – even if that meant submitting himself to fertility treatments – anything. If it ended up costing a lot of money...he'd find a way to pay for it. Just to see her sweet smile would make it all worth it.
Before he slipped into the unconsciousness of sleep, he made a mental note to keep after her and make sure she did indeed schedule an appointment with the doctor on Monday, as the thought of his precious wife having any kind of infection or pain in her body set his teeth on edge.
OOOOOOOOO
Michaela stood at the kitchen counter with a glass of water in her hand. Sully silently moved behind his wife and wrapped his arms around her from the back, gently squeezing her into the curve of his body.
"Hey sweetheart, whatcha doin'?" he murmured against her hair as he watched her take several of what appeared to be herbal capsules.
"Oh, I mentioned my malady to Grace when we talked after church today and she told me about something to take until I can make an appointment with Dr. Bernard."
"Yeah? What's that?" he murmured, thinking it funny that Grace needed to give the doctor medical advice.
"Two herbs called 'Uva Ursi and Manzanita'," she answered, turning in his arms to give him a quick kiss. Chuckling, she added, "She carries a veritable herb store in her purse. She's quite knowledgeable about herbal remedies and says they will help relieve my symptoms."
"Good" he whispered, smiling and leaning in for a soft kiss. Michaela wrapped her arms around him, nestling the back of her head against his neck, and sighing tiredly. "I hope so...this infection is really beginning to get me down – I feel so tired today...absolutely no energy."
Sully hugged her to him, gently swaying side to side, one hand pressing gently at her waist, the other gently caressing her hair, wishing he could do something to magically make her feel better – bring her back to her normal, wonderful self.
"Hey guys!" Colleen called to them. "Come see me and Hannah's dance we've been practicing!"
The parents stepped back from each other and smiled lovingly, then turned to join the others in the living room. Once settled, Hannah placed her boom box on the coffee table as Colleen explained, "We've been working on this every night and we think we've got it pretty good. Moon Flower's been working with us on the webcam."
"What song are you using – the same one she danced to?" Michaela asked as she made herself comfortable, curled up on the couch, leaning against Sully. He squeezed her to his side and pressed a kiss to her hair.
(If you want to, open a new brower window or tab, go to youtube, and in the top white search bar, paste: watch?v=xtmvwMJCQv4 The song is 'here I am to worship'. This is to give you an idea...but the moves I envisioned were a little different) The dance on the youtube video starts at :20.
"No, we're using 'Here I Am To Worship', Hillsong's version," Hannah answered, switching on the CD player. Both girls quickly got into place in the open area in front of the fireplace and gave each other an encouraging grin, each taking deep breaths as the music began. In perfect sync, they raised their arms, hands pointing upward as if to the sun as the lyrics began, then stepping and bending, gracefully bringing their hands to their eyes and then to their hearts in time with the singer.
Light of the world
You stepped down into darkness.
Opened my eyes, let me see.
Beauty that made this heart adore You
Hope of a life spent with You
As the song went into the chorus, Michaela and Sully simultaneously reached for each other's hands and glanced at each other in amazement. The girls' movements were breathtakingly eloquent, capturing the meaning and essence of the song. As they danced and moved side by side in perfect unison, they held their brothers and parents in breathless awe.
Here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that You're my God
You're altogether lovely
All together worthy,
All together wonderful to me
Totally engulfed in what they were doing, the girls mouthed the words with the singer as the next verse began, acting out the lines in a breathtaking interpretive dance, each move perfectly matched to the lyrics.
King of all days
oh, so highly exalted
Glorious in heaven above
Humbly You came
To the earth You created
All for love's sake became poor
The song once again went into the chorus and Michaela glanced at her sons, both of them totally on board with their sisters, watching every move.
Then the song went into the 'bridge' and Sully could hold out no longer. Watching his beautiful daughters worshipping God with such graceful movements, perfectly executed, brought tears to his eyes and he unconsciously squeezed Michaela's hand. She didn't need to look to know that her husband was just as affected by the beautiful display as she was, and with her free hand she reached up and brushed a tear from her cheek.
I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
The chorus came again and the girls finished their dance, ending on their knees as the music came to an end. For a second, no one moved, each watcher still caught up in the spirit and lyrics of the beautiful song. Then almost simultaneously the four jumped to their feet in applause, stepping over to the girls for hugs of pride and encouragement and shouts of "That was awesome!" "That was beautiful!" "Fantastic!"
"Was it really alright?" Colleen asked, receiving a warm hug from her father.
"It was perfect," he whispered emotively, hugging her to him closely.
"We messed up a couple of times," Hannah supplied, gazing up at her mother as Michaela hugged her.
"Oh my goodness, girls. It was so beautiful...it left me speechless!" Michaela gushed, wiping at her eyes once again.
"I've heard that song through your door so many times, I was gettin' sick of it," Matthew teased, adding, "but all that practice really paid off...you guys were great."
"Gosh, you guys are like those people on America's Got Talent!" Brian gushed, grinning when Sully reached over and ruffled his hair.
"Yeah, they are, Brian," he complimented. "I'd say they're ready to do this at church. What'dyou think?" he addressed his wife with a proud grin.
"I think so. Have you talked with the Reverend about this yet?" she asked the excited girls.
"Yes ma'am and he said to just let him know when we're ready," Hannah answered, sharing a grin with her sister.
Thrilled at the response, the girls grabbed the CD player and hurried up the steps to work on the few places they still had trouble, although the grins on their faces couldn't be stopped.
Matthew chuckled and grabbed the kitchen phone, turning to let himself out the front door to make a private call as Brian scampered up the steps to his room.
Suddenly alone, the parents looked into each other's eyes with dreamy smiles, their daughters' dance still fresh on the screens of their minds.
Sully led his wife over to sit again on the couch, wrapping his arms securely around her. Sitting in each other's arms, gazing around at their beautiful home, Michaela suddenly began to feel very selfish, even greedy. How could she have such a perfect life, a wonderful home and family, four fantastic kids, a husband who loves and cherishes her...and want more?
After a few minutes, she turned in her husband's arms and looked sheepishly up into his eyes. "Sully...it has occurred to me...that I've been very selfish..."
"Selfish? Michaela...you are the most unselfish person I've ever known!" he immediately returned, gazing at her in concern. "What's got ya thinkin' like that?" he asked lovingly.
She leaned against him, her eyes beginning to fill again with tears as she reached for his hand and brought it up to press a kiss to it and then hug it against her chest as he leaned his head to the side, trying to get her to meet his gaze. She looked around at their surroundings, and then back into his eyes.
"I have all of this...you...the children...I've been worrying so much about what I don't have, that I lost sight of what was right in front of me. Oh Sully, even if we are never able to have our own child, I have the most perfect life any woman could ever imagine. You've already made me the happiest woman in the world..."
He pulled back a little, vivid blue eyes searching green and russet, as he murmured softly, "What're ya sayin'? You changed your mind about us havin' our little boy? The little boy we've both dreamed about, pictured, and hoped, wished, and prayed for...?"
"I'm saying I..." she began, but her eyes shifted to a sight behind Sully's head. "Brian?"
Sully turned to see their youngest standing just behind, a glass of milk in his hand he had silently retrieved from the kitchen, sock footed. He stepped closer and bent to put his glass on the coffee table.
"Are you talkin' about havin' a baby boy...and it's makin' you sad?" he asked his parents, watching as they flashed looks at each other.
"Brian..."
Before Sully could finish, Brian climbed onto his lap and nestled against his father, purely intent on doing something to alleviate his father's sadness.
"I'm your little boy, Daddy...and I love you," he murmured softly.
Tears instantly burned Sully's eyes, and he tipped his head back and pressed his lips together, fighting for control as he brought one hand up to cup the back of Brian's head. He glanced at Michaela, watching her fighting for control of her own emotions at the utterance of their sweet youngest child. How could either of them ask for more?
Sully hugged his son warmly to his chest and sniffed back the tears, whispering, "I love you too, son. I love you, too."
Pulling back with a big grin of accomplishment, Brian climbed off Sully's lap, carefully picked up his glass of milk and went on his way upstairs.
Sully's eyes met his wife's again and he nodded.
"You're right. What you and I have is special...and we've got two boys and two girls...how can we ask for more?" Then bringing a hand up, he softly touched her face with his fingertips, his eyes intense and glowing with love for her. "Just havin' you is enough for me. Just knowin' you're here makes me happy."
"Oh Sully..." Michaela whispered, enraptured by his words and the expression on his face.
Then with a twinkle, he added, "But if it does happen..."
Smiling into his eyes, she shook her head softly, unable to deny him anything. "All right...when we see Dr. Bernard tomorrow, we'll ask him about...things," she conceded with a whisper.
Their eyes drifted shut as their lips touched, both emitting sighs of pure contentment to just be together and in each other's arms.
For a long while, the lovers just sat together on their couch, staring into the gentle flames in their fireplace, counting their blessings.