Chapter Five
Lydia and Albert's stagecoach rolled into Colorado Springs late that afternoon, and the sun was already starting to fall into the Western sky. Dr. Monroe had fallen asleep on the ride, but when horses came to an abrupt halt, he woke and looked at his surroundings with a scoff. The door opened, and a man reached out for Lydia's hand. She accepted it and smiled gratefully. Dr. Monroe and Albert quickly followed, and the crotchety old doctor stalked off toward the saloon, forgetting about his luggage.
"Welcome to Colorado Springs," the man who'd helped Lydia out said. "Name's Jake Slicker, Ma'am."
"Lydia Johnson. This is my husband Albert." She slipped her arm through Albert's, and he smiled at her.
"Wait a minute," an older gentleman said, slipping past Jake.
"Dr. Mike wired and said she was comin' with the two of ya. Where is she? Where's Sully?" Lydia and Albert eyed each other for a moment.
"Mr. Bray, right?" Albert remembered. Loren shook his head. "Mr. Bray, I'm sure you received our telegram about the accident?"
"Yeah. So? What's that got to do with…"
"Well, we couldn't put so much on paper, but Sully was terribly injured. He had surgery, but he might not make it." Loren looked down as several crowd members murmured words of shock.
"What about Dr. Mike?"
"She's fine. She'll be along in a week or so to settle the contract with the bank. She asked me to take care of everything until they arrive," Albert explained. "First things first. Could you point us in the direction of the clinic? My wife and I would like to take our belongings there."
"Ya can't go in there 'til the lady doc signs the contract," Jake piped up. "It's against the law."
"Leave 'em alone, Jake," Loren grumbled. "The lady's expectin'. She needs a place to stay, and I say we don't give 'em nothin' to fret about."
"Thank you, Mr. Bray," Albert said with a nod. He took Lydia's hand and one of their cases. A few young men gathered the rest of their belongings and carried them over to the clinic. A young black woman hurried over to them as they started after the young men.
"Name's Grace! My husband Robert E.'s the blacksmith here in town, and I run the café nearby. If either of ya need anything, just let me know."
"Well, thank you Grace," Lydia said with a bright smile. "That's very kind of you." She rubbed her swollen belly sheepishly. "I am a little hungry. Are you, Albert?" He nodded.
"I could go for a hot meal."
"Well, come on over. Lots of folks have been askin' 'bout the lady doctor and her friends. Ya gotta give us all the details 'fore she gets here, so we'll know what to expect." Lydia giggled and shook her head.
"Michaela's nothing to be afraid of. She's a kind, compassionate, good-hearted woman. Your town is lucky to be getting such a wonderful physician. She's saved my life before, so I can tell you from experience that your town will be in good hands."
"Well, it's your town now too, folks, so make yourselves at home."
I lit a lantern that night as we sat upon the floor of the living room. Michaela grinned as she pulled a brush out of her pack. She began to run it through her hair, and I watched her, my eyes focused on her form that sparkled in the dancing light of the flame.
"It's getting late," she breathed as the crickets began to sing outside. They sounded so loud that they could've been an orchestra playing for us and only us. I smiled across the lantern at her, and my hand reached out to brush against her cheek. She closed her eyes, a smile curling at her lips.
"I hadn't noticed," I replied with a chuckle. "Think they missed us in town?"
"Maybe," she whispered, "but it's nice being out here alone. It's peaceful." I nodded my head, and Michaela stretched out her neck a little. I watched her, and she was almost cat-like as she shuddered and stretched some more. I half expected her to crawl across the floor and pounce, but I knew my Michaela, and I knew she was much too conservative to do that…at the moment. Though, she had her moments. In the heat of things, Michaela could surely surprise me, and I certainly never objected to any of those surprises.
"C'mere. Lean against me," I said with a smile. I took her hand and pulled her into my lap. Her legs rested against mine, and her back rested against my chest. My hands began to rub her arms and her shoulders, and soon, her head lolled against my shoulder as I massaged her.
"That feels nice," she breathed. I buried my face in her hair for a moment, inhaling the sweet smell of her soaps. Her body trembled against mine, and he hand found my knee, giving it a slight squeeze. Just as our lips found each other's, Michaela pulled away quickly.
"Michaela?" I asked. She stood, her face pale. "Michaela?" She shook her head, put her hand over her mouth and rushed to the door. Before I knew it, she was dropping to her knees in the dirt, emptying the contents of her stomach. I grimaced and hurried to kneel behind her. I lifted her hair out of the way, and I rubbed her back as she continued. "It's all right."
Tears were in her eyes when she looked up at me. I handed her a handkerchief to dry her eyes and wipe her mouth with.
"I think it's safe to say it, Michaela." She nodded.
"I'm pregnant," she breathed. Her pale face flushed with emotion in the moonlight, and I pulled her to me, kissing the top of her head.
"We're gonna have a baby!" I exclaimed, barely containing my joy. I would have picked her up and spun her around, but I'm sure she appreciated that I didn't. I was sure that neither one of us would have wanted for her to get sick again.
I led her inside, and we moved to the floor together. I lay back, and she lay back in my arms. My hand moved to caress her stomach, and she sighed softly. Our child was growing inside of her, and I knew it. I knew she could feel it, and it made me wonder how it felt to feel that. Michaela was amazing for being able to endure growing a life and birthing it nine months later. She was the strongest woman I knew, and I knew that when the time came, she would give all she had to bring a healthy child into the world.
We fell asleep that night just holding one another and thinking about the future. We were going to be parents, and our lives would surely never be the same again.
Dogs were barking, guns were firing, and the rain pounded down upon his sore back as he rushed through the backwoods, searching for an escape but stumbling and falling in his own blindness. His fingernails were broken, his fingers were oozing blood from week-old scabs, and his arms were sore from pulling and pushing and falling multiple times.
Once the sounds of the dogs' barking grew faint, David collapsed against a large oak and caught his breath. His bad eye was completely glazed over, and it was impossible to see from it. His good eye darted about, searching for danger and an escape at the same time. His lungs burned like hot coals, and his entire body shivered in pain. The outside felt cold to him as opposed to the hot, un-ventilated cell he'd been placed in.
He bit back a cough, and he slowly removed the bits of cloth he'd torn from his shirt to use as bandages. The blood and scab tissue stuck to the cloth as he ripped it away, and he bit his lip to stop himself from screaming out loud.
"She needs me," he breathed. He threw the bloody pieces of cloth in one direction to throw off the search party, and he started running in another, his feet aching. He felt as if glass was being shoved into between the cracks in his toes and into his heels. The more it hurt, the harder it was to stop from screaming. One word echoed between his ears as he ran. One word put an extra spring in his step. One word pushed him further through the trees. Michaela. Michaela. Michaela.
Katherine Cooper slept soundly in her swaddling blankets next to her mother's hospital bed. Michaela kept an eye on the baby girl, knowing it was getting close to time for her next feeding. The nurses had been caring for her while Charlotte was in surgery, but now, Charlotte was resting, and it wouldn't be long before she woke. Michaela felt terrible right now, however, because she knew exactly what she had to tell her once she did wake.
Michaela had convinced a few doctors to assist her with the surgery, and seeing as she was no longer a patient, she had taken over as a doctor full-time, and she had led the surgical team. Unfortunately, when the surgery began, they'd discovered that the infection had spread beyond the tissue, and they had had to do an emergency extraction of Charlotte's uterus. Normally, they would have needed permission, but seeing as Charlotte had been unconscious, and Ethan hadn't been anywhere to be found, they had done the life-saving removal by choice. She hoped Charlotte would understand that she did this to save her life, though she wasn't sure if she had.
Katie began to squirm, and Michaela snapped to attention right away. The baby's face was turning red, and she looked as if she was about to start crying. Many of the other women in the ward were sleeping or nursing their own infants. Michaela did the only thing she could think of, and she picked the baby up into her arms.
"There now," she crooned. "There's nothing to cry about." She smiled as the baby blinked her tired eyes and squirmed some more. The baby began to fuss louder, and a few women looked over at her. They smiled a little and went back to their own babies.
"Dr. Quinn?" Michaela looked up to see Ethan and the children walking in. "A nurse just told us Charlotte had to have surgery?" Michaela swallowed hard and placed Katie in her bed. She stood.
"Children, why don't you sit with your mother?" Sensing this was no time to argue, Matthew ushered his younger brother and sister toward the hospital bed. Michaela led Ethan out into the hallway. "Mr. Cooper…"
"Ethan?" Michaela swallowed hard.
"Charlotte had an infection from her delivery, and I had to cut the tissue away…but…"
"But?"
"I'm afraid I had to remove her uterus. The infection had spread too far." Michaela looked up into Ethan's eyes.
"What are ya sayin'?"
"I'm saying…Charlotte won't be able to have anymore children. After examining her, it's amazing she carried your daughter as long as she did. She had a lot of scar tissue." Ethan rubbed his temples. He wasn't sure what to think of his wife not being able to have more children. "I'm sure this is a terrible shock to you, Mr. Cooper, and I would have asked permission, but you were out with the children, and I needed to act quickly to save her life."
"Is she gonna wake up?" he wondered.
"She should wake soon." Michaela's voice wavered.
"But?"
"It's possible that…the infection wasn't removed in time." Ethan took a deep breath and moved toward the door. "Mr. Cooper, I need to make sure you're aware that…"
"That my wife might die?" Ethan nodded, and Michaela was taken aback by the lack of concern in his voice. "I'm going to go sit with her." Michaela sighed softly and leaned against the wall. She put her hand on her grumbling stomach, and she shook her head. Her world was starting to spin. She took a few deep breaths and slid down the wall, her legs giving out underneath her.
She closed her eyes, feeling the world move around her, and she rested, waiting for the moment to pass. Something was out of balance, and it wasn't just her body reacting to her pregnancy. No, something was happening. Something big.
A storm was brewing. The wind was picking up, and Michaela stirred in my arms as lightning flashed. I sat up slowly, knowing I needed to shutter the windows. I disentangled myself from Michaela's arms, leaving her lying there on the floor, her dress splayed out around her. She continued to sleep, and I crept outside. Something wasn't right. Someone was watching. I could feel their eyes on my back as I moved about the porch, shuttering the front windows. I felt a tingle of apprehension run up my spine, and I stopped as the wind changed directions. I turned toward the barn, and I saw a lantern swinging in the doorway. A dainty, pale hand held that lantern, and an eerie sensation filled the air.
"Sully?" Michaela stepped out onto the porch, wrapping her arms around herself from the chill of the breeze.
"Michaela, go back inside," I said quietly, my voice not even coming to fruition. She stared at me blankly, and her gaze followed mine out to the barn.
"What…"
"Go back inside," I said louder. Michaela stood motionless. She seemed to be trapped in the same trace that I was. Her legs moved her toward the barn, and I tried to go after her. I couldn't move. I couldn't speak. I could barely see anything but her form floating ghost-like toward the eerie shadow in the barn. I wanted to scream for her! My mind screamed her name, but my lips pursed together in a horrified frown. My ears were closed off to every sound except the intense wind. My heartbeat became faster and faster, and it felt as if it was cracking and breaking through my ribs; beating violently out of my chest.
The figure stepped out of the barn, and Michaela froze.
"Abagail?" my voice echoed. Her black hair stood still in the wind, her eyes dark and full of sorrow. Michaela's hand reached out toward her, and Abagail drew back like a frightened cat.
"Abagail. I want to help you," Michaela breathed. I watched in horror as my wife touched the icy exterior of Abagail's robe. Michaela pulled away, her face twisted in fear.
"Michaela!" I screamed out to her. When I expected Michaela to fade away as if in a dream, she didn't. She straightened up and looked right at Abagail. Abagail began to sob, and my head began to spin. What was going on? My head was pounding. My body was feeling weak. I wanted to wake up from this dream. This wasn't a perfect world anymore. Something was wrong. "Michaela! Come here!" I couldn't go to her. Michaela was reaching out to Abagail. She was afraid for her. Abagail's tears dried, and her face twisted into a hideous nothingness. Michaela fell silently into the dirt, blood pouring everywhere as the knife stuck between her ribs up to its hilt. I swear I saw David laughing in the darkness, as an infant's cries whistled through the wind.
"Michaela!" Sully's eyes flew open, and he reached for her, grabbing onto a hand. "Michaela!" Everything was blurry, and he couldn't think straight. Abagail had murdered Michaela. No! Michaela couldn't be dead. She couldn't be. "Michaela!" His eyes closed tightly, and he felt a hand grip his. "Is it you?"
"I'm here," came a soft voice. "Sully, calm down. Calm down. I'm here."
"Michaela."
"N…"
"I love you," he breathed, his head fogged with confusion. "Michaela…"
"Sully, relax. Relax." Her voice. That wasn't Michaela. He felt cold. He heard the infant crying. He sat up, his head feeling as if it was splitting in two. David was laughing at him. The baby was crying. Michaela was bleeding.
"Michaela!"
"Someone get a doctor!" that frantic voice called. Sully drew back, his eyes focusing on her plain form. Her black hair was pulled up into a simple bun, and her pale skin mocked him, reminding him of his dream.
"Abagail?" he coughed, his lungs burning. "What did you do? Where is she?"
"What?"
"Michaela. You…you killed her." Abagail drew back in surprise.
"I don't know where she is," she breathed. "You were alone when…" A young doctor came in with a sedative, and he immediately injected it into Sully's arm.
"No!" he cried out, but he was too weak to resist. A moment later, he was powerless. He couldn't move. He could only lie there and try to comprehend what reality he was living in. "Michaela…"
"No!" Colleen screamed, ripping open the door and tearing out into the hall. Michaela stood quickly, forgetting about her nausea for a moment. She caught Colleen.
"Colleen! What is it?"
"No!" she cried, falling to her knees. Matthew rushed out, tears in his eyes, his hair pressed down against a tear-streaked face.
"What…"
"She…Ma…" Matthew whispered. He knelt down onto the floor beside Colleen and drew her into his arms. It was then that Michaela knew what had happened. She shook her head and covered her face with her hands. Tears began to flow, and she wiped them away.
"Not Charlotte," she breathed. How could this happen? Charlotte had four amazing children who loved her so much. They hadn't even gotten to say goodbye. Why? Why Charlotte?
Brian burst out into the hall and ran right into Michaela. His arms wrapped around her waist, and he buried his face in her side.
"Ya gotta wake her up! Please, Dr. Mike! Make Ma wake up!" Michaela pulled the little boy up into her arms, and he wrapped his arms around her neck. He began to cry louder, and she held him close. Ethan Cooper appeared from the room, his face emotionless, his knuckles white from gripping the brim of his hat. Michaela half-expected him to comfort his children, but he did no such thing. He looked at her as she held Brian, and he turned to walk away. "Please. Please. Wake her up, please!"
Author's Note: Thank you all for your support and feedback:) More will be posted soon!