Chapter 11: Something to be Thankful For

Thanksgiving was here, and Michaela was trying to help Grace at the café. The only thing was that Grace didn't want Michaela's help. She didn't want her touching any of the food, because she knew that although the doctor was brilliant, she couldn't cook worth her salt. So, Michaela was helping Myra and Dorothy by peeling potatoes. Colleen was helping Grace with the turkey, and Charlotte was sitting at her seat at the table. The tablecloths were beautiful, and the fall air was cool and crisp. It was a beautiful day, and Michaela was sure that her first Thanksgiving in Colorado Springs was going to be a very happy one.

Sully walked up behind Michaela as she was peeling potatoes, and he kissed the nape of her neck. Michaela blushed wildly.

"Sully!" she exclaimed in a whisper as the ladies looked over at them and grinned knowingly. Sully's fingers played with the dainty chain as it rested against Michaela's beautiful, soft neck.

"What?" he asked innocently. "Can't a man show a woman how much he loves her in public?"

"Well . . ." Michaela began. But, she was lost for words when he captured her mouth with his own. She surrendered to his touch and kissed him back with enthusiasm.

"Ahem." Michaela and Sully looked up to see Elizabeth walking toward them.

"Mother?"

"Evenin', Mrs. Quinn. You're lookin' very nice today." Sully kissed Elizabeth's glove hand.

"Why thank you, Mr. Sully," Elizabeth replied with a smile. Josef pulled out a chair for her to sit down in. Dinner wasn't supposed to start for another hour, but people tended to gather early to talk and catch up on the gossip as of late.

A gust of wind blew several golden, orange, and brown leaves from the trees, covering the tables in a colorful display for the holiday.

Sully walked away to talk with Robert E. Michaela tried to get back to peeling the potatoes, but she couldn't seem to concentrate.

"Michaela, why don't you take a break?" Dorothy asked.

"Why would I need to take a break?"

"You've got other things on your mind. You're engaged, and you should be spending today with the man you love."

"Go on, Dr. Mike," Myra said with a smile. "We can take care of things here."

"Are you sure?"

"Go on!" Dorothy encouraged. Michaela decided to spend some time alone with Sully, so she put down her pail of potatoes and set the knife down. She cleaned off her hands and walked over to where Sully was now standing alone. Robert E. had gone over to help his new wife take food over to place on the table.

"Did I tell ya how beautiful you look today?" Sully asked, taking Michaela's hand in his.

"No, you haven't," Michaela replied. Sully leaned in and kissed her cheek.

"You do look beautiful."

"Sully? Can we go for a walk?"

"What about dinner?"

"We have awhile. Please?"

"Come on," Sully replied. He and Michaela walked side-by-side, hand-in-hand toward the meadow. The flowers were all gone for the fall and winter, but Michaela couldn't wait to see them in full bloom once spring arrived.

"Sully, I have something to tell you."

"Hmm?" he asked, listening happily, loving the fact that he was alone with her.

"I've been having dreams lately."

"What kind of dreams?" he asked.

"Well, I've been dreaming of our first child."

"Really?" he asked, turning to face her. They joined both of their hands and stood face to face as if they were at the altar becoming husband and wife. Sully pulled Michaela to him and wrapped his arms around her waist. Her hands rested on his arms and she looked up into his eyes. "Was it a boy or a girl?"

"In most of my dreams we have a daughter and she looks just like me."

"I'd love that," Sully said with a proud smile.

"I've had one dream in which we had a son," she replied. "He had your eyes, and he looked so much like you."

"I'd like that too, but I think I'd like to have a little girl first so I could look into her eyes and see her ma everyday."

"What if she has your eyes?"

"Well as long as she's got your smile, I'll be thrilled. Our children are going to be beautiful."

"And I'm sure that between the two of us, they'll have plenty of hair," Michaela joked. They laughed together and Michaela sighed heavily. "Sully, what do you want to name our firstborn daughter?"

"Well, I'd like to have my mother's name somewhere in there."
"What was her name?"

"Katherine."

"Katherine," Michaela pondered thoughtfully. "And I'd like to have my mother's name in there too." After a few moments she smiled. "Katherine Elizabeth Charlotte Sully."

"That's quite a mouthful, but it's a beautiful name." Michaela smiled and sighed a hopeful kind of sigh.

"And our firstborn son?"

"Well, I never knew my father, so I don't want my son to be named after him. I would like to have your father's name in his."

"Father wouldn't want his first name to be Josef. He doesn't even like his name," Michaela said with a chuckle.

"Well, we'll think of that when the time comes. But I've got a feelin' that when we do have children, the first one will be a girl." Michaela kissed Sully softly and got a gleam in her eye.

"I have a surprise for you."

"A surprise?" Sully asked. "Please tell me you didn't cook anything." Michaela swatted him on the arm playfully.

"Oh you!" She shook her head. "No, but I am paying you back for the night you blindfolded me." She pulled a blindfold out of her coat pocket and tied it around his head so it covered his eyes. He groaned and Michaela took his hand and led him into the woods.

"Where are we goin'?"

"You'll find out when we get there, won't you?" Sully decided not to put up a struggle, and he found that Michaela's walk was rather long. But after about twenty minutes of very brisk walking, they arrived at their destination. Michaela took off Sully's blindfold and he blinked and looked around in confusion.

"We're at the lean-to."

"Mhm," she replied with a smile. "Come sit." She and Sully sat down together on one of Sully's blankets. Michaela pulled something out from her medical bag. It was wrapped in a piece of cloth, and Sully was curious.

"I went to the reservation the other day, and Cloud Dancing helped me make this for you." She handed Sully her gift and he unwrapped it. He smiled in appreciate when he saw that she had made him a new beaded necklace with precious beads that Cloud Dancing had supplied her with.

"I don't know what to say," Sully said, putting the necklace on proudly.

"I hope I made it right. I wasn't sure."

"It's perfect. It's beautiful, Michaela. Thank you."

"The beads he helped me pick out stand for love, honor, and courage. You have all of those qualities, and that's why I can't wait to be your wife." Sully kissed Michaela, and when they parted, they gently rubbed noses and smiled at one another.

The wind began to pick up and they realized they should probably start heading back to get ready for Thanksgiving dinner.

They walked back into town, hand-in-hand just as the turkey was being placed in front of the Reverend. Charlotte had saved a seat next to her for Michaela, and a seat next to that for Sully. As soon as the couple was seated, the Reverend stood with the carving tools. Everyone bowed their heads except for Sully.

"God, we thank you for the wonderful feast that Grace has prepared for us. We thank you for the strength this town has had to endure the hardships. We ask you to look over Charlotte Cooper and her children during this trying time, and we ask you to bless the impending union of Sully and Dr. Mike. Please watch over our visiting guests from Boston, Josef and Elizabeth Quinn. We ask you to grant us the strength to continue on for many years to come. Amen."

"Amen," the crowd prayed in unison. The Reverend began to carve the turkey while the rest of the townsfolk passed around the side dishes and rolls. Grace smiled proudly as everyone enjoyed their food and the company of one another.

Michaela helped Brian with the turkey he was trying to cut, while Charlotte watched her children and friend, knowing that this was the first and last time she would every see them together at Thanksgiving.

Elizabeth and Josef were having a good time despite the chilly weather. They were enjoying Grace's cooking, knowing that not even Martha back in Boston could cook that well. They had to admit that Grace's food was the best they'd ever eaten, and over the past few weeks, they had become spoiled on it.

The meal went on and on while everyone got their fill on the meal they all came together for once a year. Michaela didn't noticed the whispers that some people shared as they glanced at Dr. Mike and Sully knowingly. Luckily none of those whispers were bad, but good, speaking quietly about the surprise Michaela was in store for.

By the time the meal was over, the sun was starting to set. Michaela and Sully helped Myra, Grace, Dorothy, and Robert E. clear the tables and clean the dishes while the Brian, Colleen, and Matthew helped Charlotte back over to the clinic. Hank had closed the saloon for the holiday, so he, Jake, and Loren were at the mercantile talking. The rest of the town was continuing on as it usually did. Horace had gone back to manage the telegraph, even though it was a holiday.

Josef and Elizabeth had retired for the evening to get some rest. It had been a long day, and they were both very tired.

When night fell, Sully rode with Michaela back to the homestead. He could see that she was tired, and he needed to get back to building the homestead. It was coming along nicely, and he was sure that it would be finished by the time late December rolled around. He had given in and let Matthew help him build the barn, and they had finished that in three days, and the fences were up. Sully was still working with the homestead, and it would be a good month before it was complete. He was going to be happy with it as long as the snow didn't come until after it was finished. The last three years in a row, snow hadn't arrived until right after Christmas.

"Whoa," Sully commanded the horses as they arrived at the homestead. The horses slowed to a stop and Sully got out of the wagon and helped Michaela out. She went into the barn ahead of him and lit a lantern. She brought it out so he could see to unhitch the horses and take them into the barn. When he was finished, Michaela turned out the lantern and they walked outside to only have the light of the moon to guide them.

"I had a lovely day," Michaela said with a smile, her eyes lighting up in the moonlight.

"Me too," Sully replied. "Thank you for the necklace."

"Thank you for joining me at dinner."

"Happy Thanksgivin'."

"It is," Michaela replied. "This year I have something to be thankful for. I have you."

"Me too," Sully replied with a smile. "I've got you." After a few moments of silence, Sully spoke up again. "I best be getting along. I've got a busy day tomorrow."

"Do you mind if I stop out to see you?"

"Nope. I'd be happy to have a distraction as long as it's as pretty as you." Michaela blushed and Sully kissed her softly. "I love you."

"I love you too," Michaela replied. Sully walked off and she watched until he disappeared into the woods before she turned and retired into the homestead for the rest of the night, looking forward to what the next day would bring.