Michaela and Sully finished cleaning up the dishes. Michaela walked back to the broken plate on the floor and kneeled down, but before she moved any further, Sully kneeled down in front of her. "I'll get it." He reached for her hand and caressed the top. A little smile crossed both their lips. "Why don't you go on up and check on Brian and Colleen? I'll finish up here." She smiled and spoke softly. "I won't be long, but they're used to having me near, and this is the first night they will be sleeping in separate rooms, I just want to make sure they are okay." Sully caressed her hand again, "It's going to take a little while for me to finish here and lock everything up anyway. Take your time," he smirked a little, "after all, I'm sleeping with you now, remember?" They both laughed again.
Michaela had been surprised by Brian's words when he casually and enthusiastically proclaimed that Sully would be "sleeping with ma now." She blushed slightly and stood up. Letting her gaze stay focused on him, she slowly backed away and turned, walking up the steps to the children's room. Sully watched her and then started cleaning up the broken glass on the floor, luckily, it was large pieces of glass, easy to pick up,and he quickly finished cleaning up the mess. He made his way outside to check the barn and the horses. Wolf had made himself comfortable in the barn tonight, already asleep, he lifted his head when Sully entered. Sully laughed, "How do you like your new home?" He laughed a little more, gave Wolf a pat on the head and the dog settled back down.
Sully gave the horses some water and made sure they were good, then he moved to the barn door. The fur pelts that Dorothy had asked about earlier that day were on a shelf near the front of the barn. Sully stopped and looked at them. It was strange living in a house again, and not doing exactly as he wanted to do. He would have put those pelts safely inside the house like when he lived at the old homestead, but he realized that Michaela had wanted them out here. It was a small concession for him to make. Throughout the day he had conceded a few times but it really didn't matter to him too much. He walked up to the front door, the light was shining through the glass on the door. Their disagreement about who should pay for such a door was just another time that she had gained a small concession. He had to admit, the firelight in the glass was charming. He opened the door and walked in.
Now that everyone had gone home this room felt larger than it did when all their friends were helping them. He appreciated it, but earlier that day, it had started to get to him, the crowded room and everyone moving about. He had opened the window to let some fresh air in, but later found it closed again. Living outside for so long, he was still adjusting to all this. It was worth it though. He had never been so happy and he was a real part of a family again. He walked over to the fireplace to put some wood on the fire. Bending over to stack the wood in the fire, he bumped a small round object, and it started swaying. Sully already knew when he bumped into it that it was the gift from Snowbird, a blessing for their family, to give them many happy years. He stood up and grabbed the bottom of the small ring, holding it between his fingers as he stared at it.
It was strange being so happy when his Cheyenne brother was now alone. He felt guilty, earlier that day Jake had asked him about his honeymoon, and he remained respectful to Michaela by indicating his happiness but staying private. All of the men had collectively asked while they were outside, and respectfully, everyone knew that Sully considered his marriage to be good and happy. Everyone knew, except for Cloud Dancing, and that hurt Sully very much. He wanted to share his happiness, he wanted to talk, he wanted to see the man that had brought him back to life, encouraging the love and feelings Sully had for Michaela before he had really known for himself. It didn't seem right considering Cloud Dancing was now the one in distress. Sully couldn't bring back the happiness that had been taken so violently, but he could offer Cloud Dancing the one thing that had been constantly and consistently offered to him in his disparity. He could offer him his friendship.
Michaela sat upstairs in her new bedroom, their new bedroom. It was so beautiful, she was beyond happy. She had talked to Colleen and Brian for a good while. They were excited about their new rooms but they were also happy to have Sully as their new father. After Brian had pointed out the obvious downstairs, she explained to them the new rules of the house, explaining that everyone had their own room now, and that it was to be respected no matter who it was. The proper way to visit other rooms was to knock and wait for an answer, she made it clear. She had told them goodnight and returned to her own place.
Sitting in her chair, in front of her mirror, she was brushing her hair, making it nice and smooth for when Sully would join her. Her mind wandered to a private conversation she had shared with Dorothy that day. While they were taking a break from moving into the house, Michaela and Dorothy had taken a walk around the property. They had found a private place to talk as they sat on a large fallen tree and found confidence in each other. Dorothy had talked with Michaela quite a bit before the wedding and now she wanted to reassure that things had indeed gone well. They talked for an hour, and Michaela relayed her feelings about her first time being with Sully, and how patient he had been with her. Dorothy could see in Michaela's eyes and her body language that Sully had most definitely found the trust that Michaela so hesitantly gave to few people.
The matters of her heart we're fragile beneath a bold exterior and for that reason, her deep feelings were not shared frivolously. She held them very close and it often took some heartfelt trust to get her to open up. Dorothy could be that friend and it seemed to be that, besides the things Michaela shared with Sully, Dorothy was her closest confidant. "He loves me Dorothy, most ardently." She was beaming with happiness, "The way he touches me, I've never seen a man be so understanding, so connected." She talked about his gentleness, about her struggles to trust someone so much, to be so intimately aware of a soul and how it could free her from her own inhibition. Dorothy had, in fact, noticed that Michaela was so much more free with her feelings despite being very private, and when she talked about being with a man, it was now from a place of beauty instead of fear.
Dorothy respected Sully even more now, and she had found great comfort that Michaela had been treated with so much love and respect. She knew that her friend had found something very special. After they talked, Michaela thanked her for helping her trust that everything would be fine. The two women embraced each other and started back to the house. They found the men outside taking a break and drinking water. Robert E and Sully had just finished putting the bed together upstairs. Sully had also made the bed as well, it looked just like it had when they saw it the first time on the train.
Now she sat beside that bed, and it was proving to elicit some very intimate moments from her memory. She imagined his hands gently caressing her body and it aroused her already. Reaching across her vanity, she took the small glass stopper from her perfume bottle and placed it behind her ear, then she moved to the other side and ran it down her neck and between her breasts. She dabbed a small amount on her wrist and rubbed them together. Replacing the stopper, she picked up her brush again, but she would not be using it anymore tonight. She heard the latch on the door click and she slowly lowered the brush back to the table as she watched him in the mirror with great intensity entering the room. She waited with anticipation to feel his hands upon her body.
He didn't disappoint her as he leaned down running his hands over her and he kissed her neck. Her perfume was so desirable, he breathed in deeply. "Hmmm," Sully sighed. Michaela reached back over her head and put her hand in his hair. He continued kissing her as he moved his hands over her. Sully had built a beautiful house but the wooden floor in the house naturally swelled and contracted with the temperature, so when the floor made a popping noise, it startled her and she pulled away and stood up. As soon as she did so, she realized what the sound was and she regretted spoiling the moment. She turned around and looked at Sully, "I'm sorry, I thought it might be one of the children." He smiled a little, she had dropped the plate and now she had pulled away from him. There was a fear now of being in the house with the children while they made love.
He couldn't blame her, most couples didn't return from their honeymoon worrying about having children in the house. He walked to her. "Hey,hey, hey, relax, I understand." Moving to her he softly kissed her lips and moved back. He took her chair from the vanity and walked to the door, propping it under the knob. Then he turned and looked straight into her eyes. She blushed a little and moved towards him. Smiling a little from his actions, she softly kissed his lips. He started to unbutton her blouse, and the knock came softly on the door. "Ma, I can't sleep, can I have some warm milk?" At least she knew she hadn't overreacted now. She laughed a little as she buttoned her blouse and kissed him on the cheek. "I'll be right back." Sully stepped to the door and moved the chair. Michaela tried to contain her smile as she walked over and opened the door.
Going down the steps she put her hand on Brian's back and rubbed over it, then she led him to a chair at the table. "Sit here Brian, it will just be a few minutes." She went to the kitchen and warmed some milk for him. Then she brought it to the table and sat down with him. She smiled as he happily took a sip of his milk. She never imagined herself a mother but she did find great joy and love in taking care of her children. She spoke softly,"Do you like your new room Brian?" He took another sip of his milk. "It feels different being in separate rooms now, but I like it very much, I guess that's why I couldn't sleep, I was too excited about the new house."
She smiled, it was a beautiful house, and Sully had done a beautiful job building it. When she occasionally watched him work, she took great pleasure in seeing him so focused and using his body to build a place for them all. She had to admit that the few times she had watched him work without a shirt on had been very stimulating, but she often avoided any contact with his eyes, always pretending she was busy with something else like a book or a craft. She thought about him upstairs waiting. "Ma," she regained herself to the present conversation, "I did forget that Sully was staying, but I'm glad he is with us now, and I, I love him." Michaela smiled and a tear came to the edge of her eyelid but never fully materialized. "He loves you too Brian, so much. When we go back upstairs, you should tell him." Brian smiled, "Yeah." As Brian finished his milk, Michaela looked around the house, she had done her best to make their home warm and inviting, but she realized now that she hadn't exactly been fair to him today, sending his things to the barn. It was an adjustment having another adult around the house, it wasn't as simple as telling the children where they had their own space. Her eyes found the one thing in the room that reminded her of him. The small round gift from Snowbird still hung on the mantle.
Brian finished his milk and thanked his mother, he got up and took the cup to the kitchen. When he returned she was waiting for him at the stairs. Leaning over, she kissed him on his forehead and put her hand in on his back as they climbed the stairs. When they reached the bedroom, Michaela opened the door and peeked inside, Sully was sitting on the bed waiting for her to return. She softly said, "You have a visitor." She looked back and Brian walked under her arm against the door and stopped. He walked around the bed to where Sully was, and stood in front of him. "I wanted to say thank you for my new room, I like it very much." He looked at Sully and then he moved close and put his arms around him and he said, "I love you." Sully put his arms around Brian, "I love you too Brian." Brian pulled away and went back to the door, he hugged Michaela and said, "Goodnight Ma, love you too." She smiled, "Goodnight Brian, love you." With that, Brian went back to his room.
Michaela closed the door, she was sure they would now be left alone for the rest of the night. She looked over at Sully and she could tell that he was surprised by what had just happened. He knew that the children loved him, but having it so openly expressed had caught him off guard. She moved around the bed and stood in the same spot that Brian had just left. Smiling, she reached to his face and caressed his hair behind his ear. "You're a wonderful father already Sully." He smiled, so much was changing in his life. He stood up and hugged her close. They slowly parted and he reached for her chin to lift her lips to his.