Chapter 5: A Family for Annie?

"Daniel Josef Sully! Get back here!" Michaela exclaimed, her mood swings running at full speed on this very busy Monday morning. The boys had celebrated their first birthday just days ago, had worn out their new toys, and had practically stained up all of their new clothes with mud. Now that they were mastering the art of running, they were quickly transforming from sweet, innocent little babies into two terrible toddlers. To make matters worse, Michaela was having a difficult time keeping up with them considering the fact that she was six months pregnant. Her temper was short on this morning, and though she hated losing her cool, she was definitely on the edge.

Daniel was running about the upstairs without a trace of clothing on. Michaela had been trying to give him a bath, but he wasn't cooperating in the least. Sully had already captured Connor and was washing him at the moment. Unfortunately, Colleen and Brian were at school, and Annie was out in the henhouse collecting eggs to make herself useful.

"Sully!" Michaela yelled, having had about enough of chasing after her son while being six months pregnant. "Your son is not minding his mother!" Sully walked out of the washroom with a naked, soaking wet baby on his hip. He looked a bit confused.

"Why is it that when they're bein' bad, their mine, and when their bein' good, they're yours?" Michaela narrowed her eyes a little.

"Because you're the one that did this to me," the moody doctor replied, pointing to her enlarged belly. Sully knew this was irrational thinking, but he had told Michaela before that it was okay because she was pregnant. She used her current back aches and swollen ankles against him every time she had an angry mood swing. He knew she loved him though. Pregnant women were just unpredictable.

Michaela stood at the stair way to block Daniel from trying to run down the stairs. She knew he'd end up hurting himself. Daniel came running out of Colleen's room, and Sully took the opportunity to bend down and scoop him up.

"Are you bein' bad for mama?" Sully asked. Daniel furiously shook his head.

"No!"

"Daniel, it isn't polite to lie." Daniel grinned at his mother and held his arms out to her. Michaela sighed, not being able to resist the adorable charms of her one year old son. She took him into her arms and he wrapped his arms around her neck, kissing her on the cheek. "Yes, he's definitely your boy, Sully. He's always giving me a kiss when he's in trouble." Sully laughed and took Daniel back into the washroom to get him and his brother cleaned up.

Michaela slowly but surely made her way down the stairs, knowing she was late for work at the clinic. Sully had volunteered to watch the boys today, and he was going to take them to the reservation as soon as he dropped Michaela off at the clinic.

When she arrived downstairs, Annie was just walking in with a basket full of eggs.

"Are these enough?" the girl asked.

"Yes! Thank you. I'm sure Loren will pay top dollar for those. Those are the nicest eggs they've produced so far this month." Annie smiled and put the basket on the table. She was about to start up the stairs, but before she took a step, she turned to Michaela.

"Dr. Mike?"

"Hmm?"

"I've seen you makin' that quilt for the new baby, and I was wonderin' if maybe I could make one for mine."

"Of course!" Michaela replied with a big grin. "If you'll ride into town with us this morning, we'll go to the mercantile and get the supplies."

"Really?" Annie asked eagerly. Michaela nodded.

"Sure."

"I'll finish getting' ready." Annie started up the stairs, and Michaela pulled her medical bag onto the table and opened it, making sure she had everything. By the time she was finished taking stock, Sully was bringing the twins downstairs.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

"Yes. We need to wait on Annie. She's finishing getting ready. I don't think it matters that I'm going to be an hour late now."

"Folks in town will understand." Michaela nodded and swallowed the lump in her throat. "What is it?" Michaela blinked back the tears and shook her head. "C'mon. Tell me." She sighed heavily.

"I never expected this."

"Expected what?"

"I was always preparing myself to be a doctor first and foremost. I never thought about how much my life would change once I settled down, got married, and had children. Now that it's all happened, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed."

"All of the sudden?"

"I know it's silly."

"It's not silly," Sully replied, putting the boys down and walking over to hug his wife. "You're pregnant." Michaela chuckled a little.

"I just always expected that being a doctor would be my top priority, but this morning obviously proves otherwise."

"You're still a good doctor, Michaela," he assured her, rubbing her back ever-so-softly. "You're a great ma and an amazin' wife. I wouldn't want ya to change for all the money in the world."

"You really mean that?" Michaela asked, tears beginning to fall, but this time because of the sweet words her husband had just spoken to her.

"'Course I do," he replied, caressing her cheek. Annie came walking down the stairs.

"I'm ready to go."

Michaela and Annie walked into the mercantile to be greeted by Olive and Dorothy. Michaela instinctively looked around to find Loren, but he was nowhere in sight.

"Mornin' Dr. Mike, Annie," Olive said with an acknowledging nod.

"Good morning. Where's Loren?"

"Loren's lyin' upstairs," Dorothy spoke up. "He's not feelin' so good this mornin'."

"I'll go take a look at him."

"I think that'd be a good idea," Olive said with a nod. "What can I do for you ladies?"

"Annie's looking for some nice yarn to make a quilt for her baby with." She knew that Olive and Dorothy both felt sorry for the girl, and she hoped that other public opinions wouldn't get in the way of things.

"Well, come into the back. I think we've got just the thing," Dorothy replied with a smile. Michaela let out a sigh of relief, and started up the stairs to see Loren. She knocked on his bedroom door.

"Olive?"

"No, it's Dr. Mike. May I come in?"

"Oh," Loren grumbled. "Come on in." Michaela walked into Loren's room to find him lying in bed with his hand on his side.

"Olive and Dorothy told me you're not feeling well."

"I'm fine. It's just a stomach ache," he insisted.

"Do you mind if I figure that out for myself?"

"Well, you might as well get it over with. There's no stoppin' ya." Michaela smiled a bit, and began to press lightly where Loren's hands had been. She immediately knew what it was. "Ah ha."

"What is it?"

"It's your gallbladder. I believe it's become enlarged, probably due to gallstones."

"Gallstones? That ain't good, is it?"

"It will require surgery."

"And if I don't let you cut me open?"

"Well, it's possible that this could subside, but the recommended treatment is to remove the stones. If it doesn't subside, there's a risk for peritonitis which could lead to death." Loren's face turned as white as a ghost, and he swallowed hard.

"I don't like the sound of that."

"Of course not. But, it is your decision, ultimately." Michaela knew that Loren would grumble about it for a little while, but he was too afraid of dying, which he had the right to be, to let himself suffer through the pain of having gallstones.

"Oh, alright."

"I'll have Jake and Hank come help you over to the clinic," Michaela replied. "Just lie back and try not to think about it." Loren nodded meekly, and Michaela descended the stairs into the main part of the mercantile. Olive and Dorothy were just wrapping up the yarn for Annie.

"How's he doin', Michaela?" Dorothy wondered.

"I'm afraid Loren has gallstones. He's going to need surgery."

"Oh Lord," Olive whispered under her breath. "He's gonna be alright?"

"It's a very common procedure. You shouldn't worry. I need to have Hank and Jake take him to the clinic."

"I'll go get 'em," Dorothy offered. She rushed off while Olive handed Annie the package of yarn.

"That's five cents."

"Just put it on my account, Olive," Michaela suggested, putting her hand on Annie's back. Olive nodded, and Annie walked out with Michaela.

"What's goin' on?"

"Well, I have to perform surgery on Mr. Bray, so I'll need you to wait on me."

"Out here?" Annie asked, looking around, worried of what some townsfolk might thing of having a pregnant young girl running around.

"It'll be fine. If you'd like, you can wait in the side room. Something inside of Annie clicked, and she realized that she couldn't hide herself from the world every time she became frightened.

"I'll be alright," she whispered softly, not sure if Michaela could even hear her.

"Well, come sit on the bench outside of the clinic at least. You should rest." Annie nodded.

"The baby's kickin' a lot today." Michaela gave her a smile.

"That's a wonderful sign, sweetheart." Annie followed Michaela to the clinic, and Michaela went inside to wait for Jake and Hank to bring Loren for his operation.

After Sully had returned from the homestead from the reservation, he knew he had a couple of hours before he needed to go into to town to pick up Michaela. Annie wasn't home either, so Sully decided that he would put the boys down for a nap so he could go downstairs to prepare lunch for his family.

The kids would be getting out of school about the same time as their mother got off work, and seeing as Colleen wasn't too comfortable with driving the Cooper wagon yet, it was being stored in the barn until she was ready. Michaela and Sully enjoyed having the kids ride home with them, because they always had some kind of story to share about their day, whether it was a good one or a bad one. It was always interesting to hear about either way.

"Papa," Daniel whined as Sully put him down in his bed.

"Sorry son, but you gotta get some sleep. You've been cranky all day." Daniel pouted, but Connor didn't put up much of a fuss and went right to sleep once he was put down in his own bed. Daniel was adamant about not going to sleep, and he stood in his bed, his eyes wide and sad. How could Sully resist? "Oh, come on. Give your pa a break now. Daniel held his arms out to his father. "Do you want a story?" Daniel nodded vigorously.

Michaela usually told her sons stories of valiant princes and knights, but left out the bloody parts. He always told old Indian tales, but he figured he'd try Michaela's method. He cleared his throat.

"Once there was a," he paused, thinking of what to say next. "Once there was a beautiful princess named Michaela."
"Mama!" Daniel squealed, clapping his hands together. Sully laughed.

"That's right, son." He sat down next to his son's bed and pulled him into his lap. "Princess Michaela lived in a place far, far away. It was called Boston. Her pa loved her more than anything in the world, and so did her ma, but she was very protective of her. Michaela kept herself locked in her room all day and night for many years, studyin' to be a doctor. One day, a brave knight came with his friend Cloud Dancin', and ended up rescuin' the young princess from her life of studyin'. She was already a good doctor, but she was needed in another land called Colorado Springs. Do ya know what that knight's name was?" Daniel thought about it for a moment.

"Papa!" he exclaimed. Sully chuckled.

"That's right. His name was Sully. The brave knight named Sully brought Michaela back to Colorado Springs where she helped many people. They married a few months later, and on a very special day, Michaela's birthday, they found out they were going to have a baby."

"Baby," Daniel cooed, yawning and leaning his head upon his father's chest. Sully gently rocked his son back and forth.

"Thanks to Princess Michaela's medical skills, she found out she was havin' two babies. She and her new husband Sully were so happy, and Sully made two beds for his two new children. They kept it a secret from everyone, and when the two arrivals came, Michaela and Sully found out they had two sons. They named 'em Connor and Daniel."

"Me," Daniel yawned with a tired smile on his face.

"That's right," Sully whispered. His voice became softer and softer as Daniel started to doze off. "And the boys grew and grew to be happy little boys. Soon, they'll have two new sisters. Their ma thinks it's only one, but their pa has a feelin' that there'll be two babies blessin' the family by Christmas." He smiled, proud of putting his own anecdote in there. Daniel had nodded off to sleep, so Sully kissed the top of his head and placed him in his bed.

When Sully retreated downstairs, he saw Wolf standing at the door, waiting to be let out. Pup came barreling out of the back of the house, wanting the same thing. Sully let them out, and went to stand on the front porch. It was getting pretty chilly, and he wondered if the boys were warm enough.

As he was turning around to go check on them, it hit him that he was so much different but so very much the same as he used to be. He used to have to fend for himself, and take care of those he cared about, like the Cheyenne or Charlotte and the children when they were struggling. Now he was a married man with a growing family to care for, and he still found time to put everyone before himself. He didn't mind, because he would rather die than watch his family suffer. They meant the world to him, and he had lost so much already. He didn't want to lose anyone else, though it was inevitable.

He walked back inside, and was going to add a few pieces of firewood to the flames. As he was standing up after doing so, he found one of Michaela's knitting needles on the floor. He bent down and placed it back in her basket of materials. The quilt she was making for their newborn baby was nearly finished, and it would be waiting in the cradle long before the arrival.

Sully had to admit that his wife was probably right. She was the doctor after all. She had only hear one heartbeat. He would love whatever they were blessed with, but he did have the strong suspicion that they would have a daughter before the year was through. Her name would be Katie, and she was going to definitely be the center of attention once she arrived. Having a daughter was wonderful, as Sully had learned through Colleen, but raising one from birth was going to be a new experience for him. He hadn't gotten much time with Hanna when she was born, but he had gotten to hold her in his arms, and once, just once, she had wrapped her little fist around his finger so tight that he didn't think she'd ever let go.

A knock came to the door, and Sully wondered who would be coming around at this time of the day. When he opened the door, Cloud Dancing greeted him with a smile.

"Cloud Dancin'?"

"Sully," Cloud Dancing replied.

"What's goin' on? Is it Snow Bird?"

"No. Nothing like that. The spirits told me your family has been put through much stress." Sully nodded a little.

"Yeah," he replied with a nod. "With Annie and everything . . ."

"Annie is the young mother?"

"Yeah," Sully replied, stepping back so Cloud Dancing could come back inside.

"I may be able to help you."

"Help? How?"

"You told me that Annie was rescued by Cheyenne?"

"I guess they were Cheyenne," Sully replied. "She said they're all dead now."

"Not all of them," Cloud Dancing replied quietly.

"What?"

"A young boy about Annie's age was traveling with the men who rescued her. He was found three days ago living on his own. His mother is from our village."

"What's his name?"

"Silent Eagle. He does not speak, even when there is danger."

"Maybe if I tell Annie about him, she'll remember him. Why are ya tellin' me this?"

"When Annie was rescued by those Cheyenne men, she and Silent Eagle rode the same horse for two days. They became friends, and when they departed, they made a blood bond. Silent Eagle still has the scar on the palm of his hand."

"What's this got to do with helpin' us?"

"Silent Eagle's mother also knew Annie's family. She says that once she sees the identical scar on Annie's hand, she will tell you where to find Annie's family."

"Her family's dead."

"She has an aunt living near here who is willing to take her in."

"Why didn't she answer to all of the notices we put out?"

"She is afraid that the men who hurt Annie will come find her if she makes herself known."

"Why didn't she just take her in the first place?"

"The woman had suffered through the loss of her husband and three children over the winter, and was in no condition to take care of a young girl. She is willing now." Sully sighed, not knowing if Annie would be better off at this home, or with someone she actually knew and could relate to.

"I'll tell Michaela about it. I just ain't sure what good this is gonna do for Annie. She's safe here."

"That should be up to Annie."

Annie was waiting in the back of the wagon with Brian, Colleen, and the twins. Sully walked into the clinic to pick up his wife, and he found her folding linens at the exam table.

"C'mon. It's time to go home." Michaela looked at the old clock on the wall."

"I suppose you're right," she replied, walking over to put the linens back in the cabinet." Sully closed the door, and Michaela looked at him curiously. "Sully?"

"We gotta talk." Michaela wondered if she'd done something to upset Sully, and as she thought about it, nothing came to mind except for the mood swings that she barely had any control over.

"What about?" she wondered, walking over to take her coat off of the rack in the corner. Sully walked over to help her put it on, and when she turned to do up the buttons, Sully cleared his throat.

"Cloud Dancin' came by the homestead today."

"Is Early Sun alright? Is it Snow Bird?" Michaela immediately asked, concerned for her friends.

"No, they're fine," he replied. "But he says that Annie's got a blood brother with the Cheyenne."

"What?"

"Not literally, but through a bond they made together. When Annie was rescued by Indians, she shared a packhorse with a young Indian named Silent Eagle. They became friends and made a pact by making a cut on their hands and bonding themselves together through blood." Michaela crossed her arms, waiting for Sully to continue. "Silent Eagle's ma's knows Annie's aunt, and says that if we take Annie to the reservation to prove she has the same scar as Silent Eagle, she'll tell us where Annie's kin is."

"Sully, is that such a good idea?" Michaela wondered.

"That's what I was thinkin'. I don't know much about this aunt, but I know Annie might. She's probably just forgotten so much since all she's been through. We gotta let her decide."

"Yes, but what if this aunt isn't what's right for her?"

"It ain't our choice. Annie's gonna have her own baby to think of soon, so she's gotta make a choice." Michaela swallowed hard. She'd come to think of Annie as a part of the family, and if Annie were to go away, she would be concerned for her safety. She needed to meet this aunt, and make a decision of whether or not she thought Annie should go to live with her. But in the end, it was Annie's decision.

"We'll talk to her about it when we get home," Michaela finally responded with a nod. Sully put his hand on her back, and they left the clinic together.

Colleen and Brian were doing their chores, and Michaela was sitting in a wing-backed chair in front of the fire. Annie was doing the same, and both expectant mothers were working on knitting for their unborn children. Annie wasn't very good at it, but she was picking it up brilliantly.

Sully had been out in the barn, and when he walked in, he shut the door. Michaela looked over at him, knowing it was time to talk to Annie.

"Are the children outside?"

"Yep," Sully replied. "Brian's sweepin' off the porch, and Colleen's gatherin' potatoes out of the root cellar.

"Alright. Annie, we have some news." Annie looked over at Michaela and up at Sully as he walked over to stand behind Michaela's chair.

"What's goin' on?" Annie wondered.

"Do you remember having an aunt living around here?" Michaela wondered. Annie thought for a moment.

"Aunt May," she whispered. Michaela looked up at Sully. She hadn't heard him say what the aunt's name was. Sully gave her a nod.

"Do you remember, Silent Eagle?" Sully asked. Annie's eyes went wide, and she nodded eagerly.

"My Cheyenne brother," she whispered. "You've seen him?"

"Yeah. He lives out on the Indian reservation with his ma. She says she knows where to find your Aunt May." Annie's eyes filled with tears.

"Really?"

"How well do you remember your Aunt May?" Michaela wondered.

"When I was little, my ma and pa would take me to stay for some weekends. She'd let me bake pies and cookies with her. She always gave me a new doll she'd make for me." Michaela breathed a sigh of relief, but felt saddened that it seemed like Annie would be leaving soon.

"It sounds like she loved you very much."
"Yes. I can't believe I forgot her," Annie sighed, a tear coming down her cheek.

"You went through a lot. It ain't your fault," Sully replied gently.

"Annie, do you want to go to live with your Aunt May?" Michaela wondered softly. From what Annie had told her about Aunt May, it sounded as if she was a lovely person. Hopefully she could give Annie the care she needed.

"You have all been so good to me," Annie began. "I think of you as my family, but Aunt May is my family too. My baby needs a good home."

"Well, we want ya to know that you've got a home here if ya wanna stay," Sully let her know, putting his hands supportively on Michaela's shoulders. He knew she was becoming quite fond of having Annie around.

"I want to see Aunt May," Annie replied after a few moments.

"We'll take ya out to the reservation in the mornin', then. I'm sure Silent Eagle will be happy to see ya." Annie smiled a little, and her hand moved to play across her belly.

"You should do what's best for you, Annie," Michaela whispered. "And for your baby."

That night, Michaela sat in her rocking chair, feeling the baby kicking strongly inside of her. Sully was tucking the boys in for the night, and Michaela had already checked in on Brian, Colleen, and Annie. They all seemed to be sleeping peacefully, and Michaela was glad that Annie was finally able to sleep well at night. Those first couple of weeks had been hard on everyone, and though they hadn't known her before, she seemed to be getting back to normal.

Michaela had been giving it some thought, and she knew that she wanted Annie and her child to be safe and happy most of all. Though it was nice having her around, she knew that it might do her some good to be around real family, and remember the past she shared with her family before all of these horrible things happened to her.

She stood up, needing to walk a little to relieve the soreness in her back. She walked over to grab her hairbrush off of the nightstand, and she sat down on the bed. As she ran the brush through her long hair, she wondered if Annie would be happy if she did stay with them. They could provide a warm meal in front of her every evening, a nice bed to sleep in. But then again, her Aunt May could probably do the same.

She didn't want Annie to feel pressured to choose, so she knew she'd have to pretend that it didn't bother her if Annie wanted to live with May. But it was starting to get to her. Annie had a place in her heart now, and she always would.

Sully walked into the room with an exhausted look upon his face.

"They're finally asleep," he said with a smile.

"Good," Michaela replied with a nod.

"Here, let me do that," Sully whispered, walking over to sit behind Michaela on the bed.

"I'm perfectly capable, Sully."

"I know ya are, but I wanna do it." Michaela smiled and bit her bottom lip as Sully began to brush through her long, golden brown locks.

"What do you think will happen tomorrow, Sully?" Michaela wondered, staring into the flames of the fire.

"I think Annie's gonna do what she thinks is best."

"What if she doesn't know?" Michaela wondered, turning to face him.

"What are ya sayin'?"

"Maybe her Aunt May can't care for her the way we can."

"Are you talkin' about adoptin' Annie?" Sully wondered. Michaela sighed, swallowing hard.

"I'm not sure. Maybe I'm just overly emotional."

"You're a carin' person, Michaela."

"I want Annie and her child to have a good life."

"Anything is better than the life she just got out of. But, Michaela, ya gotta let her make the choice. If she decides to stay with us, I suppose it wouldn't be such a bad idea."

"Adoption?"

"Yeah," he replied. "But it ain't like we need to, considerin' that she's havin' her own baby. But she's Colleen's age, and she ain't gonna need all of our attention like she used to. She's getting back into socializin' at least."

"Well, I suppose we'll discuss it more when the time comes," Michaela replied. "But I want to visit her Aunt May. If she decides to stay with her, I want to see for myself the kind of home she'll be living with her baby in."

"I understand," Sully replied. He put Michaela's hairbrush down, and stood up from the bed. Michaela crawled under the covers, and Sully removed his clothes so he could sleep comfortably (something he'd gotten used to now that he didn't have to sleep outside in the cold). When he crawled into bed, Michaela positioned herself comfortably, and rested her head upon her husband's chest. "It'll work out for the best, Michaela."

"I hope you're right." A noise was heard out in the hall a moment later, and Sully sat up.

"I'll see who that is," he whispered. He pulled on his pants after getting out of bed, and opened the bedroom door. Daniel and Connor were both standing out in the hallway. "How did you two get out here?" Michaela sat up in bed as the boys walked into the room.

"I thought you said they were sleeping," she asked with a laugh.

"I thought they were. They're getting pretty good at pretendin'. I didn't even know they knew how to open their doors."

"Perhaps you should build something to keep them from getting to the stairs."

"I'll do it first thing in the mornin'. Gotta keep our boys safe."

"You two need to go back to sleep," Michaela said with a grin on her face.

"No!" Connor said, shaking his head. "Here."

"They want to sleep in here?" Sully asked. He picked both boys up into his arms.

"C'mon. Back to bed you too."

"Here!" Daniel demanded. Michaela giggled as both boys gave their father a kiss upon the cheek. He softened at that.

"Maybe just tonight?" he asked his wife.

"They have you wrapped around their little fingers," she laughed. "Alright. Bring them here." Sully closed the door with his foot and climbed into bed above the covers. He made some room between himself and his wife, and the boys settled down between their parents. They soon fell asleep, but Sully, being uncomfortable sleeping in his clothes, and Michaela, who was being kept awake by the kicking babies lay there staring at one another.

"Just think," Michaela whispered. "Soon, we'll have another one running around."

"I bet she'll be just as sweet as her ma," Sully replied. Michaela's eyes sparkled, and Sully reached over to gently stroke her cheek.

After a little while, Michaela was able to go to sleep, and Sully finally found solace as his own dreams came upon him. Neither of them knew how the next day was going to turn out, but they both knew that Annie would make a decision that would affect the rest of her life and her unborn child's.