Chapter 4: The Green-Eyed Monster
Sully had left the twins at the clinic with Michaela while he went out to Josef and Elizabeth's homestead to fetch the older doctor. Myra hadn't left Hank's side, and she had stayed with him when Jake and Robert E. helped take him upstairs to a bed. The bartender hadn't woken up yet, but Michaela was hopeful. He had lost a bit of blood from scratches on his sides and stomach, but Michaela had been able to control it and get the bleeding stopped before he lost too much. Her only worry this time was whether or not his concussion was going to kill him.
Grace had brought lunch over for Michaela and Myra, because she knew that they were more focused on nursing Hank back to health that anything else. But Michaela needed her strength most of all, because she had two new sons to watch after.
Holly hadn't been back to the clinic, so Michaela hoped that Mary's leg was healing properly. She took a mental note to check on Mary as soon as she got time away from the clinic. She hoped that Josef would arrive soon to relieve her from some of her duties at the clinic. Her boys were sleeping for the time being, but she knew it was only a matter of time before one or both of them woke up and demanded her attention.
Michaela had practically converted the kitchen into a nursery for the babies. She had the cradle that Matthew had purchased for them set up back there on the table. The babies were both small enough to fit in it together, so Michaela lucked out in that respect. She knew that once they started to become mobile, however, she wouldn't be able to keep them snug and secure inside of their cradles.
Josef arrived a few minutes later with Sully. Michaela was sitting downstairs at her desk, trying to think of some new way to help Hank. But everything she had tried so far hadn't worked.
"Mike, is everything alright?"
"Hank's still unconscious," Michaela replied, shaking her head. Josef nodded.
"Mike, you should go home."
"I can't leave now."
"I can take care of things here."
"Father, this is my practice, so please don't order me around in my own clinic!" Michaela snapped. Sully and Josef stared at her in shock for a moment. Michaela felt terrible for getting so hostile with her father, but her nerves were shot from the past week of barely any sleep, and she was so worried about Hank that she couldn't concentrate. "I'm sorry, father."
"Don't worry, my dear," Josef replied with a knowing chuckle. "I'm sorry for stepping on your toes."
"It's alright. I've tried everything except surgery, and that would be my last resort. Perhaps you could try something."
"I'm sure you've tried everything I would try, but I will go see if there's anything I can do." Michaela nodded and Josef started up the stairs. Michaela buried her face in her hands and broke down into tears. Her hormones were all out of whack lately, and Sully understood that Michaela was just adjusting to not being pregnant anymore. At least, that's what Josef and Elizabeth had told him every time Michaela had a mood swing. Sully had no idea that women could have mood swings like that after they gave birth.
"Michaela, it's alright," he whispered. He walked over to kneel beside her desk.
"I hate the way I feel right now! I feel on the verge of tears all of the time! I know it's going to pass, but I wish it would pass a little more quickly!" Sully grinned knowingly and pulled Michaela into a hug. "I feel so helpless!"
"Ya didn't look helpless today when you were tryin' to help Hank. You're still a great doctor, Michaela. You're just getting used to being a full-time ma now. Ya got two little ones who need ya as much or even more than your patients do." Michaela nodded and sniffled.
"Sully, I'm sorry if I've been testy with you lately. I just . . ."
"Shh," Sully whispered, shushing her with a kiss. "Ya don't gotta apologize for nothin'."
A moment later, a head poked out of the door. It was Myra.
"Dr. Mike! Come quick! Your pa says Hank is wakin' up!" Michaela glanced at Sully who squeezed her hand reassuringly. She hurried out of the room and followed Myra up the stairs. As soon as they arrived in Hank's room, sure enough, he was starting to move around and moan. Michaela rushed to his side and Josef backed off.
"Hank?" Hank groaned in pain and Myra gently took his hand.
"Hank, it's alright," Myra whispered. "You're gonna be alright." Michaela began to examine Hank's eyes, opening them one at a time. He groaned in pain again.
"Father, I need a small dose of morphine for Hank." Josef nodded and started down the stairs to get the medicine for his daughter's patient. "Hank, you're going to be fine."
"I feel like I got run over," he mumbled.
"Don't joke like that!" Myra exclaimed. Hank chuckled and groaned when his laughter caused his ribs to ache. "See, that jokin' 'round ain't doin' nothin' but harm."
"At least he's still got his sense of humor," Michaela said flatly. She looked at Myra and they both grinned at one another.
"Somethin' hurts."
"You have a concussion and some broken ribs. I'm going to give you a small dose of morphine, so that won't put you to sleep, but you'll hurt a lot less."
"Good," Hank replied gratefully. "Thanks for patchin' me up, doc."
"What you did was very brave. You ran out to save that little girl, and I'm sure her mother is very grateful."
"I did what I had to do," he said with a shrug.
"Well, I'm sure that Holly will be in to thank you later." Josef returned with the syringe, and a few minutes later, Hank was floating on a cloud.
"Thanks doc," he said with a grin on his face. Michaela laughed.
"You're welcome, I'm sure," she replied. She shook her head and looked at Myra. "I'm going to head home. Father, can you look over things here? I need to take the boys home. They've had a busy day." Josef nodded.
"I'll see you later, Mike." Michaela kissed her father's cheek and left the room. Once she was downstairs, she saw Sully walking around with Daniel in his arms. Daniel was fussing.
"Is he okay?"
"He's fine," Sully replied with a smile. "He just wanted some attention, but I think he wants your attention." Sully handed the boy to his mother, and he stopped crying a few moments later. Sully shrugged and shook his head. "Guess I was right."
"You're learning to read our boys well, Sully," Michaela laughed. She stood on her tiptoes and gave him a kiss on the nose. "Are you ready to go home?"
"You're finished here?"
"Yes. Father's going to take care of Hank for a little while."
"Okay, let's swing by your ma and pa's house and pick up the kids." Michaela nodded, and Sully walked into the other room to get the other baby. Once they were ready to go, they piled into the wagon and started off toward the Quinn homestead.
The trip back to the Sully homestead was a quiet one. It was getting late, and everyone was rather tired. Matthew and Colleen were sitting in the back of the wagon holding one of their baby brothers. Brian had asked to hold one, but considering the fact that he was just nine years old and riding in a wagon, Michaela was worried. She promised he could hold one of the babies once they were home and he was sitting in one of the chairs.
Brian had been very quiet after that, and Michaela felt bad. She was just looking out for her little ones, and she was trying to teach Brian that people have to be extra careful with babies.
Once they arrived at the homestead, Michaela and Sully got out of the wagon. Colleen and Matthew handed the babies over to them and got out themselves. Brian was already up to the door, letting Wolf and Pup out. He went inside ahead of Michaela and Sully, who looked at each other knowingly.
Brian sat down on the floor beside the table with one of his toy trains. He began to play quietly, so Michaela and Sully decided to let him be for a while. They put the twins down in their cradles, which were downstairs for the time being.
"Ma? There's a town dance comin' up, and I was wonderin' if you'd let me go with Ingrid," Matthew hoped. Michaela smiled. She loved seeing how Matthew doted on Ingrid. It was obvious that they were in love, and that worried her sometimes, because she knew that people tended to marry early. She wanted Matthew to get an education, but sometimes it seemed as if he'd rather spend time with Ingrid than with his schoolwork.
"I don't see why that would be a problem," Michaela said with a shrug. "I'm sure the whole family will be going."
"I don't have a date," Colleen replied shortly.
"Well, there's still plenty of time."
"I don't wanna go," Colleen replied.
"Of course you do," Michaela replied with a smile.
"No, I don't!"
"She's just mad 'cause a boy she likes at school already asked her friend Becky."
"Shut up!" Colleen exclaimed.
"Colleen! Do not use those words in this house." Colleen swallowed hard.
"Sorry ma," she whispered. "I just don't wanna go."
"If that's how you feel about it, you can stay with Brian at your grandparents' house until the dance is over."
"I want to go!" Brian exclaimed.
"Brian, the dance is for grown ups."
"I'm sure Connor and Daniel will get to go."
"Well, yes," Michaela began, "but because they need to be with me." Brian sighed heavily. "But that is, if a certain someone asks me." She grinned and Colleen laughed. Sully smiled at Michaela and walked over to her. He knelt down at her side.
"Michaela Sully, would you be my date to the dance?"
"I'll have to think about it," Michaela joked. She winked at him and giggled, kissing his lips softly. Colleen sighed dreamily. She couldn't wait until a man swept her off of her feet the way Sully did with Michaela every day. Sully pulled Michaela up into his arms and began to sweep her around the living room as if it were a dance floor. The children laughed except for Brian, who went back to playing with his train.
After a few minutes, Michaela and Sully collapsed into a chair. Michaela sat on Sully's lap and they laughed happily.
"We'd better quiet down or else the twins might wake up," Michaela warned. She couldn't help but chuckle again as Sully held her close. He couldn't resist, and his fingers moved to tickle her sides. Michaela let out a surprised squeal and burst out into laughter as Sully began to tickle her. Matthew and Colleen couldn't resist, and they joined their father in tickling Michaela a moment later.
Sure enough, the twins started to cry, and the fun was broken up for a moment. Michaela and Sully both picked their boys up. Colleen hurried over to help out. As soon as Michaela and Sully were seated, Michaela noticed Brian still playing alone by the table.
"Brian? Would you like to hold one of the babies now?"
"Maybe later," he replied flatly, not looking up.
"But, earlier you wanted to hold one of the babies in the wagon," Colleen pointed out.
"I don't wanna hold 'em anymore!" Brian shouted.
"Brian!" Sully reprimanded.
"Leave me alone! Everyone just leave me alone! Nobody cares about me, so just go back to playin' with the babies! They're you're favorites now anyway!" Brian screamed. Michaela had had enough.
"Stop it! You need to stop acting the age of your little brothers, because you are growing up! I will not tolerate this kind of behavior from you!" Michaela yelled. Brian looked at his mother with surprise, but that quickly turned to anger. He began stomping up the stairs. The room grew silent except for the twins, and everyone looked at one another. Michaela broke down into tears. It had happened again. She had lost her temper due to her frazzled nerves.
"I'll go talk to him," Sully offered.
"Let me do it," Matthew spoke up. "I know how to deal with him. I was the only child until Colleen showed up, so I know all about being jealous."
"I suppose you're right," Michaela replied, sniffling. "I was the youngest so I was never really jealous of attention, and Sully, you were an only child." Sully nodded.
"Go on, son," Sully said in agreement. Matthew hurried up the stairs and to his brother's room.
"Are you okay, ma?" Colleen asked. Michaela let out another sob and nodded.
"I shouldn't have snapped at him like that."
"I'm sure he'll understand someday," Sully replied. "It's alright, Michaela. Don't worry." Michaela could only hope that her young son could understand.
Matthew knocked on Brian's bedroom door.
"Go away," Brian snapped.
"I ain't goin' away. I'm comin' in, so get used to it." Matthew walked in and shut the door. Brian had thrown himself onto his bed.
"Leave me alone!"
"I know you're jealous." Brian sat up and turned to his brother with tears in his eyes.
"I ain't jealous!"
"'Course you are."
"No I ain't!" Matthew sighed with exhaustion and sat down on his little brother's bed. He looked at him and put a hand on his shoulder. Brian shrugged it away. "Talk to me."
"What do you care?"
"I do care. I'm your big brother."
"Everybody loves the babies."
"Of course we do. They're a part of the family. You love 'em too."
"Yeah. I do, but I don't like 'em. I love 'em 'cause I have to."
"Ya don't mean that," Matthew said quietly. "You're just jealous now, is all." Brian jumped up off of the bed and ran down the stairs. He ran to the front door.
"Brian?" Michaela asked as she and Sully put the twins down in their cradles after having calmed them. Matthew rushed down the stairs.
"Where are ya goin'?" Colleen wondered.
"I'm sick of livin' here!" he cried. "I wish the babies had never been born! I hate bein' a big brother, and I wish things was the way they used to be!" Hearing those words from her son's mouth made Michaela break down into tears again. Brian, feeling guilty that he had made his mother cry, ran out of the house, and Matthew rushed after him as Michaela collapsed in Sully's arms. Sully sat with her as she sobbed into his shoulder, her hormones getting the better of her.
Outside, Matthew caught up to Brian and cornered him in the barn. Brian began to furiously hit the side of the barn with his little fists. Matthew decided to let him go at it for a few seconds before he reached out and pulled him back.
"Let me go!" he screamed.
"You need to calm down, little brother." Brian turned and looked up into his brother's eyes. Brian's face was red from crying and from being angry. "You need to take back what ya just said. You hurt ma's feelin's."
"Ma and pa don't love me anymore."
"What makes ya say that?" Matthew asked, sitting down in a fresh pile of hay. Brian sat down next to them.
"They're always playin' with the babies. They're always holdin' 'em and runnin' to 'em when they cry."
"Babies cry, and they need lots of attention. Ya gotta understand that ma and pa are doin' their best right now. It's just hard to deal with a new baby, so I don't know how they're pullin' it off with two."
"They don't care about me," Brian whispered, shaking his head.
"'Course they care about ya, Brian. You're their son, and they love you so much. You think that them havin' Connor and Daniel had made 'em care less about ya?"
"Yeah," Brian replied. Matthew exhaled sharply. "Come on."
"No. I'm sleepin' out here tonight. The babies cry all night, and we got school tomorrow."
"Alright. I'll tell ma and pa."
"Tell 'em to leave me alone."
"Ya gotta talk to 'em sometime."
"Not now," Brian replied. "I don't feel like it."
"I'll tell 'em, but I'm sure they'll be comin' out here to see ya soon." Brian shrugged.
"Get some sleep. I'll come wake ya in the mornin' before school." Brian nodded, and Matthew stood. "Just remember that ya gotta stop actin' like a baby."
"I ain't a baby!"
"I didn't say you was! I'm sayin' you're sure actin' like one. Ya better knock it off, because ma and pa have enough to deal with. Ya don't gotta go makin' it any harder on 'em." Matthew walked out of the barn angrily while Brain sat, feeling sorry for himself, and at the same time, he felt guilty for making his ma cry.
Inside, Michaela and Sully were upstairs in their room, putting the babies to bed. Michaela had stopped crying, and she was dressing in her nightgown. Sully felt so bad for her, because she was trying her best to be a good mother. She was a wonderful mother, but Brian wasn't making this new transition very easy for her.
"You feelin' better now?" Sully asked. Michaela nodded and sat down on the bed.
"I should go talk to Brian."
"I'll go as soon as Matthew brings him in." Michaela nodded.
"He didn't mean it, you know?"
"I know. I know he's jealous, but I feel terrible for making him feel that way."
"It ain't your fault. The babies just need extra care and attention right now. He's gotta learn that we can't be there every time he wants something. We've got Connor and Daniel who need us to do everything for them. Brian's a growin' boy, so he needs to learn how to take on responsibility for some of his own things now." Michaela nodded.
"I know. I just wish he didn't have to feel like this. He feels like he's losing us, and he lost Charlotte. He celebrated his ninth birthday, and Charlotte wasn't here. Nothing has been easy for him, Sully."
"I know," Sully replied, kissing Michaela's cheek. "Eventually, he's gonna get over the fact that he ain't the baby of the family. He'll start to like bein' a big brother once he realizes that he's gonna get to boss 'em around when he's older." Michaela laughed. "C'mon. Get some sleep. Things will be better in the mornin'."
"You always say that."
"And I'm usually right, ain't I?" Michaela chuckled and decided that she was rather tired. She crawled under the covers and Sully tucked her in. "I love you."
"I love you too." Michaela closed her eyes and Sully left the room to go downstairs and wait for Matthew and Brian to come in.
As he was walking downstairs, he heard the door open and shut. He reached the lower level and saw Matthew hanging his jacket on the coat rack.
"Where's Brian?"
"He wants to sleep in the barn tonight. He's real, jealous."
"I'll go talk to 'em."
"He told me to tell you and ma to leave him alone. But by all means, go talk to him. He's real upset. How's ma doin'?"
"She's better. She's just been through a lot." Matthew nodded in understanding.
"I'm gonna go up to bed," he said quietly. "Did Colleen already go to bed? We got school tomorrow."
"Yeah. She turned down her lamp a few minutes ago."
"Alright. Night, pa."
"Night." Matthew went upstairs and Sully decided to go outside and talk to his young son. As he walked to the barn, the wind picked up as a coyote howled in the distance. Sully opened the door to the barn to see Brian sitting in the dark. He quickly lit a match and lit a lantern to brighten the place up a little. "Brian?"
"Go away," Brian demanded. Sully shook his head.
"I ain't goin' away."
"Why not?"
"'Cause I'm your pa, that's why not."
"What do ya want?"
"First of all, son, I want you to stop' actin' the way you are. You need to know that I'm your pa and ya gotta show me some respect. Ya can't talk to me and order me around the way you are right now."
"Why not? Ya don't care about me."
"What makes ya think that?" Sully asked, taken aback.
"You have the new babies now. Ya don't need me! Matthew's the oldest so ya care 'bout him 'cause he's almost ready to go out on his own. Colleen's the only girl, and she wants to be a doctor like ma. Ya care about her 'cause of those reasons. I ain't the youngest no more, and I'm just a kid. Ya got the new babies, so ya don't need me no more."
"Brian, you are a part of this family. Your ma and I love ya very much, and we don't want to see ya actin' like this. You're bigger than that, son." Brian shrugged. "First thing in the mornin', I want ya to apologize to your ma. You got that?"
"Yes sir," Brian replied quietly.
"Good," Sully replied. "I'm goin' in to bed. Are ya still content on sleepin' out here?" Brian nodded.
"Alright. I want ya to know that we're gonna have to punish ya for how ya spoke to us." Brian sighed heavily. "We're just doin' it 'cause we love ya." Sully left the barn and Brian waited until he heard the door to the house close before he pulled on his coat, snuck out of the barn, and headed away from the homestead.
Holly crept out of her room at the clinic as Mary slept in her bed. She saw Myra in the hall and smiled at her.
"Hey Holly."
"Myra," Holly said with a nod. "Is Hank sleeping?"
"No. I was just going downstairs to get him some water."
"You think he would mind if I came in to talk to him for a few minutes."
"Won't hurt to try," Myra replied, shrugging. She started down the stairs while Holly walked into Hank's room. Hank was sitting up in his bed. His shirt was undone and Holly winced when she saw all of the bandages around his ribs. He looked a little surprised to see her.
"What are you doin' here?" he asked quickly.
"I came to check on you. You saved my little girl today."
"How is she?"
"She's resting," Holly said with a nod. "Mr. Slicker was able to fix her leg up real nice." Hank chuckled briefly.
"What did the doc think 'bout that?"
"She's the one who agreed that he should look at her leg. He did a good job."
"I'm surprised. Michaela don't trust Jake when it comes to medicine. But she shouldn't, either." He laughed and winced when his laughter made his ribs ache. "I remember one time when I got a nasty cut on my hand. Hank sewed it up, but the damn thing broke open every mornin'."
"Well, I suppose it's a good thing that Mary didn't require stitches," Holly replied with a chuckle.
"Why ain't ya more upset?"
"I am upset."
"Ya hide it well. If somebody woulda done to my kid like they tried to do to you and your little girl, I probably woulda killed 'em." Holly swallowed hard and shook her head, tears brimming in her eyes.
"I know this is gonna happen a lot. The choice I made ten years ago is going to affect me and my daughter for the rest of our lives. But, if I had to make that choice over, I'd do it, because Marcus was the most amazing man." She felt herself getting choked up.
"I'm gonna be honest with ya. I thought pretty poorly of ya when I found out you had a kid like Mary, but that ain't what I was thinkin' 'bout when I saw those men comin' toward you and her. I was thinkin' that she was an innocent kid who didn't deserve what was about to happen to her."
"That means a lot to hear that," Holly whispered. "I know we won't be accepted by everyone, but it's nice to know that there are some people who give it a second thought. I love my little girl, and I'd do anything for her. If movin' away is how we'll stay safe, then we'll move away. But we can't keep runnin'." Holly sighed heavily. "I'll let ya get some rest." Hank nodded and Holly left the room. She was so scared about her future, and after what had happened today, she knew that things were going to be very hard. But, she also knew that there were people willing to stand up for her and her daughter, and somehow, she was relived to know that one of those men was Hank.