Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
Dead of Winter-1880
Chapter Two: Chilly Reunion
Michaela opened the wooden door to find Sully in a rocking chair curled up to the gorgeous fire with Evie snuggled up to his chest., both fast asleep and oblivious to her arrival. Enjoying the peacefulness in the subdue picture she let them be for a moment and went to find her middle daughter.
"Katie!" she called into the house, but found no answer. "Katherine Sully!" she tried again and almost immediately in response to her full name being used was the sound of footsteps bouncing of the floorboards.
"Sorry, ma. I was trying to clean my room like you asked." the tall young curly blond spoke hugging her mother hello.
Mike smiled in response. "Can you start dinner, honey, while I wake your pa?"
"Already done. I'll set the table." Katie replied leaping to the table and kitchen. Michaela smiled to herself, Katie was being unusually helpful, she must want something, paints or brushes perhaps. The 12 year old youth, painted wonderful paintings and had an eye for creating magnificent landscapes that she saw on her many expeditions with Cloud Dancing and her father. This artistic talent, Dr. Mike had no idea where she got it from. Smiling again to herself, Mike tenderly pried the slumbering Evie from Sully and wrapped her in her arms. "Mama" the three year old cooed then falling back into sleep.
"Michaela." Sully mumbled awaken and then kissing his wife hello.
"We have to talk." Mike replied. "I'll put Evie to bed first."
The husband nodded questionably and groggily. This little one was not very much like her mother or father, named Eve Josefine, the latter name for her grandfather, was quiet and calm, very patient and reminded Mike a little of her sister Rebecca. She liked dolls and fancy things, and seemed to show the Bostonian side of Michaela. The complete opposite of Katie whom was stubborn, wild and a bit of a tomboy though already a beauty with her blond curls, however she rather get dirty with horses then worry about boys or how a "proper" lady should act as Elizabeth Quinn would say.
"Katie, we're going to Denver to see your brother." Mike replied over dinner a half hour later after speaking with Sully.
"Can I come?"
"Not this time, Kates." Sully stated tenderly.
"Can I say home and watch Evie by myself ?" Katie said hopefully, wishing for responsibility.
"I don't think so." Mike and Sully said looking at each other. "Your only twelve."
"But Brian-"
"-Grace will watch you and Eve until Colleen and Andrew arrive on Friday." Michaela continued as Katie nodded in defeat. Michaela then began clearing plates, stopping to stroke Katie's long hair. "I'm sorry Kates, when you're older."
***
The way to Denver was long, but made easier by trains. She worried about the girls and wondered how long she could leave the clinic closed. When her mother passed away, Michaela, realizing that Colorado Springs didn't need a hospital just yet, only enlarged it a bit and gave the rest of the money to Colleen and Andrew for their new free clinic in Boston. Still, she was troubled most about Matthew, what exactly had happened? Was he alright? She hoped her questions would be answered as she and Sully found Denver's jail quickly.
"We're lookin' for the sheriff. Jeremiah Davis sent us from Colorado Springs." Sully stated greeting the man with a handshake.
"You're lookin' at him, name's Dan Clark. How can I help ya?" the young but plumb man replied.
"Our son, Matthew Cooper was brought here on murder charges." Michaela spoke up.
"Ma'am," Sheriff Clark said tipping his hat. "If you're lookin' for me to release him I can't."
"We just want to see him, talk to him, find out what happened."
"Mr. and Mrs. Cooper-"
"-Name's Sully, this is my wife Dr. Quinn." Sully spoke correcting him.
"Well, Mr. Sully, the judge is not gettin' here until the first of December with Thanksgiving being so close and all. Even then it'll be interrupted by Christmas. Your son is going to be here awhile. He's urged me to send any of his family home and I agree with him."
"What about the right to a speedy trial?" Mike questioned further.
"As you know, Matthew's a lawyer, he knows the law and is willing to wait for the judge. "
"Can we at least see him?"
"No, ma'am, he's not seeing anyone. I don't know exactly what happened, but I found Matthew a smart, good man and I respect his wishes. Please, find yourself a hotel and stay until he sees you or go home like he asks to the rest of your family and enjoy Thanksgiving. He'll be here when you get back. Maybe then he'll be more apt to visitors."
Sully and Michaela turned and thanked the man, feeling as defeated as their daughter had felt the night before as they walked off in search of Madelyn Thatcher, Matthew's fiancée. The small home on the outskirts of the city seemed welcoming with its flowers still in bloom and the door painted green. Mike and Sully had meet Maddie once before, when Matthew enounced they were engaged. She was funny and kind, with fiery red hair and a charming personality, which Michaela liked instantly, and the fact that her son looked happier then he had in far to many years.
However, when Sully knocked on the door it was not Maddie which whom answered the door but her mother, speaking a horrific truth.
Maddie was dead.
Snow was on the ground when the pair returned home. Usually the beauty of the white snow sparkling on the ground made Dr. Mike think of Christmas and family now it seem tainted, even by the joyous arrival of her elder children Colleen and Brian. Still the air felt cold and stifling.
The bitter, devious winter had arrived.
* * *
More to come!
Dead of Winter-1880
Chapter Two: Chilly Reunion
Michaela opened the wooden door to find Sully in a rocking chair curled up to the gorgeous fire with Evie snuggled up to his chest., both fast asleep and oblivious to her arrival. Enjoying the peacefulness in the subdue picture she let them be for a moment and went to find her middle daughter.
"Katie!" she called into the house, but found no answer. "Katherine Sully!" she tried again and almost immediately in response to her full name being used was the sound of footsteps bouncing of the floorboards.
"Sorry, ma. I was trying to clean my room like you asked." the tall young curly blond spoke hugging her mother hello.
Mike smiled in response. "Can you start dinner, honey, while I wake your pa?"
"Already done. I'll set the table." Katie replied leaping to the table and kitchen. Michaela smiled to herself, Katie was being unusually helpful, she must want something, paints or brushes perhaps. The 12 year old youth, painted wonderful paintings and had an eye for creating magnificent landscapes that she saw on her many expeditions with Cloud Dancing and her father. This artistic talent, Dr. Mike had no idea where she got it from. Smiling again to herself, Mike tenderly pried the slumbering Evie from Sully and wrapped her in her arms. "Mama" the three year old cooed then falling back into sleep.
"Michaela." Sully mumbled awaken and then kissing his wife hello.
"We have to talk." Mike replied. "I'll put Evie to bed first."
The husband nodded questionably and groggily. This little one was not very much like her mother or father, named Eve Josefine, the latter name for her grandfather, was quiet and calm, very patient and reminded Mike a little of her sister Rebecca. She liked dolls and fancy things, and seemed to show the Bostonian side of Michaela. The complete opposite of Katie whom was stubborn, wild and a bit of a tomboy though already a beauty with her blond curls, however she rather get dirty with horses then worry about boys or how a "proper" lady should act as Elizabeth Quinn would say.
"Katie, we're going to Denver to see your brother." Mike replied over dinner a half hour later after speaking with Sully.
"Can I come?"
"Not this time, Kates." Sully stated tenderly.
"Can I say home and watch Evie by myself ?" Katie said hopefully, wishing for responsibility.
"I don't think so." Mike and Sully said looking at each other. "Your only twelve."
"But Brian-"
"-Grace will watch you and Eve until Colleen and Andrew arrive on Friday." Michaela continued as Katie nodded in defeat. Michaela then began clearing plates, stopping to stroke Katie's long hair. "I'm sorry Kates, when you're older."
***
The way to Denver was long, but made easier by trains. She worried about the girls and wondered how long she could leave the clinic closed. When her mother passed away, Michaela, realizing that Colorado Springs didn't need a hospital just yet, only enlarged it a bit and gave the rest of the money to Colleen and Andrew for their new free clinic in Boston. Still, she was troubled most about Matthew, what exactly had happened? Was he alright? She hoped her questions would be answered as she and Sully found Denver's jail quickly.
"We're lookin' for the sheriff. Jeremiah Davis sent us from Colorado Springs." Sully stated greeting the man with a handshake.
"You're lookin' at him, name's Dan Clark. How can I help ya?" the young but plumb man replied.
"Our son, Matthew Cooper was brought here on murder charges." Michaela spoke up.
"Ma'am," Sheriff Clark said tipping his hat. "If you're lookin' for me to release him I can't."
"We just want to see him, talk to him, find out what happened."
"Mr. and Mrs. Cooper-"
"-Name's Sully, this is my wife Dr. Quinn." Sully spoke correcting him.
"Well, Mr. Sully, the judge is not gettin' here until the first of December with Thanksgiving being so close and all. Even then it'll be interrupted by Christmas. Your son is going to be here awhile. He's urged me to send any of his family home and I agree with him."
"What about the right to a speedy trial?" Mike questioned further.
"As you know, Matthew's a lawyer, he knows the law and is willing to wait for the judge. "
"Can we at least see him?"
"No, ma'am, he's not seeing anyone. I don't know exactly what happened, but I found Matthew a smart, good man and I respect his wishes. Please, find yourself a hotel and stay until he sees you or go home like he asks to the rest of your family and enjoy Thanksgiving. He'll be here when you get back. Maybe then he'll be more apt to visitors."
Sully and Michaela turned and thanked the man, feeling as defeated as their daughter had felt the night before as they walked off in search of Madelyn Thatcher, Matthew's fiancée. The small home on the outskirts of the city seemed welcoming with its flowers still in bloom and the door painted green. Mike and Sully had meet Maddie once before, when Matthew enounced they were engaged. She was funny and kind, with fiery red hair and a charming personality, which Michaela liked instantly, and the fact that her son looked happier then he had in far to many years.
However, when Sully knocked on the door it was not Maddie which whom answered the door but her mother, speaking a horrific truth.
Maddie was dead.
Snow was on the ground when the pair returned home. Usually the beauty of the white snow sparkling on the ground made Dr. Mike think of Christmas and family now it seem tainted, even by the joyous arrival of her elder children Colleen and Brian. Still the air felt cold and stifling.
The bitter, devious winter had arrived.
* * *
More to come!