First Date
© Copyright 2004
The morning was cold and crisp, with a beautiful blue sky. Scattered through the blue sky were patches of fluffy white clouds. The bright morning sunlight shone through the windows. Michaela stirred, not wanting to move from her warm bed and pleasant dream. Rays of sunlight threatened to wake her with their bright light. Sully's tender kiss had awoken sexual desires within her that she hadn't felt since David, this time they were much stronger.
Michaela's dream was suddenly interrupted by the rooster's crow, signaling the beginning of a new day. Reluctantly Michaela brought her hands to her eyes and rubbed the sleep out of them. As much as she didn't want to, it was time to get up. There were chores to do and patients to see. Dreaming her whole day away wasn't going to work.
While Michaela dressed, the children appeared still clad in night clothes and sleepy eyed.
"Good Morning."
"Good Morning, Ma."
"Good Morning, Dr. Mike."
"I had a wonderful time last night." Michaela's memories from last night were still fresh in her mind.
"I'm glad you had a good time," said Matthew who had just come in from the barn.
"Me too," added Brian. He still secretly wished that Sully and Dr. Mike would get married, but he'd learned his lesson about speaking his mind on the subject.
"What do you say we get some breakfast going?"
"I'm starved," said Brian.
"I'll go get eggs and milk," Colleen volunteered before disappearing out the backdoor of the homestead.
Michaela all during breakfast was in a daze, her eyes wandering around the room. Michaela didn't notice the children giving her funny looks. Being more than friends with Sully excited and frightened Michaela. She wasn't ready to move forward, but yet she wanted more.
"Ma, whats ya thinking about?" asked Brian, breaking the silence and bringing Michaela out of her daze. Michaela snapped back to attention trying not to betray her thoughts.
"I was thinking about all the work I have waiting for me at the clinic," Michaela replied, keeping the real truth to herself. Brian seemed satisfied with her response, Colleen and Matthew sensed there was something more.
Sully went to his lean-to last night after the festivities were over, wanted to be alone. Sully stared over at his crumpled suit; remembering the previous night's events. He hoped Michaela enjoyed the kiss as much as he did and deep down he wanted to court Michaela. But Sully had been uneasy about moving forward, the kiss had been a big step for him. Feelings began to stir inside of Sully the day that he had first laid eyes on Michaela, Sully hadn't felt that way about a woman since before Abigail died and found himself slowly opening his closed heart to Michaela. Sully thought he might go into town later to visit Michaela.
The wagon rolled along the dusty road toward town, carrying in it Michaela and the children. Michaela's anticipation made her heart beat faster as they approached the outskirts of town. She wanted to gaze again at her sign, but more than that, she hoped to catch a glimpse of Sully. They passed the telegraph office and Hank's Saloon before Matthew pulled the wagon to a stop in front of the clinic. Townsfolk walked from building to building, going about their daily business. People were coming in and out of Loren's general store, buying goods to load into their awaiting wagons. Horse stamped their feet and snorted in protest, being tied to hitching posts waiting their owners return.
Brian, Colleen and Michaela climbed down from the wagon. Brian and Colleen headed for the general store. Michaela glanced up at her sign before going inside the clinic to begin her work. Matthew took the wagon and headed to Widow James place. He'd taken a job there mending her fences.
Inside the clinic, Michaela was greeted by the papers she had been working on the day before and the examining table that needed clean sheets. Michaela set her medical bag down on the stack of papers, removed her coat and went to find clean sheets in the closet upstairs. Just as Michaela was heading upstairs, there was a knock on the door.
"Come in." The door opened and Hank entered, cradling his left hand.
"Broke a bottle and the glass cut me."
"Let me take a look."
Michaela walked over to Hank to examine the cut on his hand. The cut was deep and would need to be stitched up. Michaela walked over to her medicine cabinet, opened it and found the disinfectant solution and a piece of cotton. Hank walked over to the examining table and let Michaela clean his hand. Hank winced in pain from the sting of the solution on his open wound. Michaela found a needle and thread to sew it shut and then wrapped a gauze bandage over his hand.
"There you are, all done."
"Much obliged how much I owe ya?"
"Two dollars."
Hank used his free hand to rummage for two dollars in his pockets, produced the money, gave it to Michaela and walked out of the clinic. Michaela took the opportunity when Hank left to go upstairs and get clean sheets. On her way back down she heard the familiar jingle from the clinic door and the faint sound of footsteps. Michaela wondered who it could be and when she entered the room to see who the mystery person was, her heart leapt into her throat.
"Mornin', Michaela."
"Good Morning, Sully," Michaela answered, her heart pounding in her chest. She was thrilled to see him again, but found herself near speechless in his presence.
"Would you join me for lunch today?" Sully asked his eyes not leaving Michaela. Michaela thought she might melt right into a puddle at the tenderness of his voice.
"I would like that," Michaela replied trying hard to make the words come out. Thoughts of being alone with Sully really made her heart race.
"I'll see you for lunch," said Sully staring at Michaela hugging the white sheets to her chest, before leaving the clinic. Once outside, Sully couldn't believe what he had just done, being so bold to ask a woman out to lunch. Something was happening to him and it scared him at times. Sully hadn't had love in years, and now the spirits were telling him it was right under his nose.
Sully walked over towards Grace's Café, walking in between the telegraph office and the clinic, his wolf at his heels. Grace was busy preparing lunch as Sully approached.
"Morning Grace." Grace was absorbed in her cooking and she didn't hear Sully approach and when he did speak, she nearly jumped a foot in the air.
"Hello Sully, what can I do for ya?" Grace asked once she had recovered. Sully pondered for a few moments of how to say what he wanted, nervous about making his feelings for Michaela known and asking for help on a simple date. He was also coming back into a world that he had been out of for awhile.
"I….was…um…wondering, if you could do me a small favor." Sully did his best to get his question out and found himself stumbling over words.
"And what would that be?" Grace inquired giving Sully a look of curiosity. Sully wasn't one to ask for favors lightly. Sully noticed Grace wondering what he wanted. Using carefully chosen words, he told Grace his plan and her part.
"Oh my, that is so sweet of you to do that for Dr. Mike," said Grace with a smile.
"I'll be back later." Sully said before turning to leave the café, wolf following him as he walked towards the meadow, heading for the woods. He was a bundle of nerves now and wanted everything to go perfectly.
As the lunch hour approached, Michaela grew more nervous and excited. Michaela's anticipation at Sully's arrival sent her heart fluttering. Michaela had been helping Colleen roll bandages. Her thoughts occupied on Sully. Twice Colleen had checked to make sure she was ok.
"Dr. Mike? Are you feeling alright?"
"What? Oh. I'm fine, Colleen,"
"You look as if you were somewhere else."
Michaela started to say that she was somewhere else, thinking of Sully. Before Michaela could tell Colleen what was really going on, Sully came through the clinic door.
"Ready for lunch?", Sully asked beaming inside.
"Yes, yes I am." Michaela answered smiling back at Sully. Michaela forgot all about the bandage she was folding. It had fallen to the floor, unraveling in the process.
Sully and Michaela left the clinic holding hands. The townsfolk immediately stared at their own doctor and the rugged mountain man. Some made cat calls, others stared wide-eyed in wonderment. Sully and Michaela didn't hear the cat calls, nor did they see the stares. Sully lead Michaela over to the café.
Sully gave Grace a smile of approval when he saw the nicely set table he'd asked her to make. Michaela's heart skipped a beat when she laid eyes on what Sully had done. The table was covered in a Wedgwood blue cloth. In the center was a small vase of daises and a white candle.
"Sully", Michaela breathed. "It's so beautiful."
"Not as beautiful as the woman I'm with," Sully said as he tenderly kissed Michaela's hand.
By now all of Grace's lunch customers had their eyes on Michaela and Sully. Grace turned to see Michaela's face blush a deep red when Sully kissed her hand.
Sully doing his best to be a gentleman pulled Michaela's chair out for her and pushed her chair in once she was seated. Sully then went to his own chair and sat down. Grace as if on cue, came over with their lunch seeing that they were seated. Grace set a plate of chicken with gravy, biscuits, and beans in front of Sully and Michaela. Grace came back a minute later with two glasses of lemonade.
"Enjoy your meal," Grace said with a smile.
"Thank you Grace," said Sully before Grace went back to her cooking.
Michaela was left speechless and could only smile her approval.
"You're awful pretty when you blush," Sully said staring deep into Michaela's eyes watching her face turn crimson. Michaela smiled back at Sully.
"Thank you for this, it's so lovely," Michaela said looking into Sully's eyes.
"You're welcome," Sully replied, his eyes not leaving her for a moment.
Sully took Michaela back to the clinic at the conclusion of their date. Sully took Michaela into his arms as they stood outside the clinic door. Sully didn't want to let her go, and found himself enjoying the feeling of her being in his arms. Michaela pulled away from his embrace after a long minute, and stared into his eyes. Sully couldn't resist and placed a tender kiss on her awaiting lips.
"Thank you for joining me for lunch," Sully said when their lips parted.
"Your welcome, thank you for asking me to lunch," Michaela replied. Sully smiled at her once more before letting her go inside the clinic. Michaela stood and watched Sully depart from her sight, thinking that the day could not have been more perfect or lovelier.
by seb, Feb, 6, 2004