Chapter 3

Brian looked out the window of the homestead for what seemed like the tenth time in the last half hour.

"I told ya, Brian, they probably decided to find shelter somewhere 'cause the horses got spooked," Matthew told him.

"But what if ma got thrown off Flash or…?"

"Then Sully'd take care of her," Colleen assured him.

"They told ya where they were going, Matthew. Why don't you go look for 'em?" Brian begged.

"'Cause they probably ain't there no more, Brian. I told ya, they probably went off lookin' for shelter," Matthew answered.

"Ya still could go look for 'em," Brian begged.

"Stop worrying, Brian, everything's fine," Colleen assured him. She walked over to the window and placed a hand on her younger brother's shoulder. She admired his ability to care about people the way that he did.

"Ya better come and eat your dinner 'fore it gets cold," Matthew told him.

Brian walked over to the table and sat, pushing his carrots around with his fork. Colleen sat beside him, unable to help but worrying about her ma and Sully, as well even though she knew that Matthew was probably right. They were both probably fine but, knowing the trouble her and Sully had gotten into in the past, she couldn't help but worry.

"Matthew," Colleen began, "will you stay in the homestead with us tonight instead of sleepin' in the barn? I mean, Brian might get scared or…"

"I ain't scared!" Brian yelled. "It's just a storm. You're the one that's afraid of storms."

"I ain't afraid…" a thunder bolt cracked above them and Colleen jumped slightly in her seat.

Both Matthew and Brian chuckled.

Matthew knew that either Colleen or Brian would have asked him to stay in the homestead before the night was up. He knew that it wasn't just because Colleen was afraid of storms or that Brian was afraid that something had happened to Michaela and Sully. He knew that they appreciated his company and it made him feel needed.

"Sure," Matthew answered.

Colleen smiled. She knew that there was nothing to worry about but storms had always made her uneasy, especially after the barn had been lit on fire once by a bolt of lightening.

"You think they had a nice time today?" Brian asked, finally putting a carrot into his mouth.

"I'm sure they did," Colleen replied.

"'Sides, it musta been nice for them not to have you kids underfoot," Matthew remarked.

"We ain't underfoot!" Brian yelled.

"And don't forget that you're around, too," Colleen reminded him.

"But I ain't a kid," Matthew retorted.

"Oh yeah?" Brian said. Both he and Colleen stood and began tickling their brother, ignoring the fact that their dinner was getting cold.

"What are y'all doin' here?" A voice shouted.

Both Michaela and Sully stopped in their tracks. Sully instinctively stood in front of Michaela, shielding her with his body.

"We're just passin' through," Sully said, unable to see the man who was speaking, even though he knew that he was standing nearby. The rain made it impossible to see anything.

"You're on private property."

"We're sorry," Michaela said. "We just got caught in the storm and we're just trying to find some shelter."

"Y'all from town?" The man asked.

"Yes," Sully answered. He heard the gun being lowered and he breathed a sigh of relief. The man suddenly took a few steps forward and came into view.

"The name's Warren. Warren Clark. Just moved out here." He shook their hands. "My homestead's just down the road. You're welcome to stay until the storm's over."

"Thank you," Sully said, shaking the man's hand.

They followed Warren in silence, Michaela staying close to Sully. She wanted to ask Warren questions about himself and his homestead, since she had never seen him before, but she knew that he would not hear her through all of the rain and that she should probably wait until they were all inside and dry.

Warren led them to his homestead, which was where the smoke was coming from that Michaela had seen. He ushered Michaela and Sully inside and quickly shut the door behind them all. They both looked the man over, finally able to see him for the first time. He was a middle-aged man, probably ten years older than Sully. His hair was light brown, although darker because of the rain. He was about Sully's height, although much smaller in stature. His clothing suggested that he worked on a farm, perhaps with cattle.

"I'm Sully," Sully introduced, "and my fiancé, Dr. Quinn."

Warren raised his eyebrow, a move that Michaela was all but familiar with. "What kind of doctor are you Ms. Quinn?"

"Please, call me Dr. Mike and I'm a medical doctor," she answered.

"I ain't never met a lady doctor before," he admitted.

"I'm afraid I get that a lot."

"I bet if folks knew that doctors could be as pretty as you, a lot more folk would be gettin' sick."

Michaela smiled. "Well, I hope not."

"We all better get outta these wet clothes 'fore we all catch…" Warren began.

"Pneumonia?" Michaela offered.

"'Fore we all catch pneumonia," he finished.

"I'm afraid we don't got no other clothes," Sully said. "We was just out for a picnic 'fore the storm caught us by surprise so I'm 'fraid we don't got much at all with us."

"Well, that's alrigh'. I got plenty of clothes ta go 'round," he said to Michaela.

Within minutes, Warren had presented clothes for both Sully and Michaela. He had pointed them to different rooms throughout the house and they all changed. He handed Michaela a towel and she let her hair down and began drying it. She knew that it would take hours before it was finally dry but getting some of the moisture out was better than nothing.

Warren had made the fire in the fireplace larger and the heat began to fill the cabin. He sat before the fire on a rocking chair, a mug of coffee in his hand. As Michaela and Sully entered the room simultaneously after changing, Warren asked them to sit with him. Michaela couldn't help but smile at the sight of Sully wearing a button down shirt and dress pants while Sully couldn't help but smile at the sight of Michaela wearing men's clothing. Despite their ridiculousness, they were both happy to be dry and warm. They both helped themselves to coffee and pulled up two chairs next to Warren's by the fire.

"Where are you from, Mr. Clark?" Michaela asked.

"Please, call me Warren," he corrected.

"Alright, Warren," Michaela replied.

"Don't come from nowhere in particular," Warren answered. "I was born in Kansas City but I've lived in Wyoming and Nebraska…all over."

"When'd you move out here?" Sully asked.

"Just last week."

"Wasn't this the old widow Henry's place?" Michaela questioned, having remembered visited the women when she had a rash on her upper arm.

"Don't know, Dr. Mike. Place was for sale last week and I couldn't resist it."

"I wonder what happened to her," Michaela said.

"Maybe she moved," Sully suggested.

"Just seems odd that she wouldn't tell anyone in town," Michaela replied.

"Haven't seen you in town, Warren," Sully remarked.

"'Fraid I haven't had time to get into town yet. I gotta herd of cattle out in the back and they take up most of my time. I've been meanin' to head inta town, though. Gotta get me some supplies and things."

"I'm sure the townspeople would love to meet you," Michaela said.

"Feelin's mutual," Warren responded.

"How many cattle ya got?" Sully questioned.

"About twenty. It's a small herd but it's growin' slowly. Truth is, they're been some robberies happenin' out in these parts. That's why I had the gun when I met you folks. Never know who's out walkin' in the woods."

"I didn't see any cattle when we were outside," Sully observed.

"They tend to graze in the meadows behind the homestead. Too dark to spot 'em."

"My son inherited quite a lot of cattle recently," Michaela said. "They can be a handful."

"Ya don't look old enough to have a son who's of age to be raisin' cattle," Warren commented.

"He's my adopted son," Michaela explained. "Our adopted son." She squeezed Sully's hand. She knew that Matthew was too old to be considered for legal adoption when she and Sully sought to legally adopt Colleen and Brian but she considered him as much as a son as Brian or Colleen and she knew that Sully felt the same way. "His mother left him and his younger brother and sister to me when she died a few years ago."

"Sounds like ya got a nice family."

"We do, thank you," Michaela said. "Do you have a family?"

"Nope," Warren answered quickly. "Just me. Don't know where my pa is and my ma died when I was 'bout eighteen."

"No siblings?" Michaela wondered.

"Just me."

"You never got married?" Sully asked.

"Never found the right woman." This time it was Sully who squeezed Michaela's hand. "What about you folks? When do you plan on gettin' married?"

"Our wedding's in the spring," Michaela answered.

"Not too far away, then."

"No, it isn't," Michaela said as she smiled.

"Doesn't sound like that storm's gonna move on anytime soon," Warren observed.

"No, it doesn't," Sully agreed.

"Ya'll are welcome to stay here the night."

"That's very kind of you," Michaela said.

"Well, I got an extra bed and plenty a' blankets to go 'round."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Sully, but I don't have two extra beds."

"That's alright, I'll be fine on the floor of Dr. Mike's room," Sully replied.

"Oh, now we can't have that," Warren interjected.

"I'm sorry?" Sully said.

"A man and woman shall not share a room under my roof 'til they're properly married," Warren explained.

"Sir, I assure you, we…" Sully started.

"That's the rules of this household, Mr. Sully. You're more than welcome to set up some blankets in front of the fire but I shall not allow you and Dr. Mike to sleep in the same room. It just wouldn't be fittin'."

"That's fine, thank you, Warren. Sully will sleep in the front room," Michaela decided.

"Well, now that that's settled. I'll be off to bed, folks. Dr. Mike, your room is right beyond the door on the left. There are extra blankets in the chest beside the fire. Goodnight, my friends."

"Goodnight," Michaela said.

"'Night," Sully repeated.

Warren walked through a door to the right, leaving Michaela and Sully alone in front of the roaring fire.

"Wish you hadn't agreed to let me sleep in the front room," Sully said.

"Why?"

"'Cause how do I know that you're safe if I'm not right there with ya?"

"Oh, Sully, what could happen? Do you think a grizzly bear's going to come through the window while we're sleeping and take me off into the night?" She laughed.

"No but we don't know this man."

"Sure we do, his name is Warren Clark and he's offered us a place to stay. Besides, he's right."

"About what?"

"It isn't exactly proper for an unwed couple to share the same room."

"Oh, Michaela. How many times have we been out in the wilderness for days on end with just the two of us?"

"That was different."

"How?"

"We didn't have any other choice."

Sully smiled and kissed her lightly on the lips.

"Whatever you say."

"Goodnight, Sully."

"Goodnight, Michaela." He watched her walk into the room to the left, closing the door behind her.

Hours later, Sully heard the sound of footsteps walking towards him. He smiled, his back to the person, knowing that it was Michaela. He wondered if, like himself, she was having trouble sleeping. Sully listened to the rain that still was falling heavily, and he rolled over, expecting Michaela to be standing there in front of him. It wasn't Michaela, it was Warren.

"I'm sorry," Warren apologized, reaching for the coffee pot that was near Sully's head.

"That's alright," Sully replied, sitting up.

"'Fraid I couldn't sleep," Warren admitted. He brought the coffee pot to the table, his back turned towards Sully. Sully heard him pour out the coffee into a basin but then poor more water from a nearby bucket into the pot.

"Me neither."

"Rain's certainly comin' down hard."

"I thought it'd stopped by now."

"Sometimes the weather can play nasty tricks on ya." Finished with whatever he was making, Warren brought the pot back to where Sully lay on the floor, in front of the fire. Warren sat in the same rocking chair he had before, beside Sully's makeshift bed on the floor.

"Hope Dr. Mike's sleeping well," Warren said.

"Sure she is," Sully answered, wondering himself whether or not she was actually asleep.

"Seems like a wonderful lady."

"She is. But she's headstrong, that's for sure."

"Always liked headstrong women myself. I like a woman who can think for herself. Hardworking women."

Warren grabbed the warmed pot and poured two cups. He handed one to Sully.

"No thanks," Sully said. "Coffee'll keep my up all night."

"It ain't coffee," Warren explained to him. "Just some tea. I find that it helps me sleep."

Sully took the cup and sniffed it. It had no odor. He took a sip, hoping the tea would do just as Warren said – put him to sleep.

"So, you were born in Kansas City?"

"Yup. Only place I ever really called home."

"How long did ya live there?" Sully asked, sipping his tea. The tea warmed him and he began to feel tired just as Warren said he would.

"'Til I was eighteen and my ma passed away. Then I headed ta Wyoming ta try my hand as a cattleman and that's what I've been doin' since."

"Do ya ever miss it? Kansas City or Wyoming?"

"Don't miss Wyoming much. Sure, it was pretty but it was just a place to set up camp for a little bit. Never thought of it as much of a home. I had a pretty good home in Kansas City, though. Sometimes I find myself missin' it – wonderin' what happened to the folk there that I used to know. Used to live in the outskirts of town there. Didn't get to go inta town too often cause I was always busy helpin' my ma but the folk was nice and they helped us out when they could."

"You ever think that you'll go back there?" Sully questioned, drinking the last of his tea. His eyelids seemed to grow heavier with every breath. He could hear what Warren was saying but he was barely comprehending it.

"Maybe. Depends on my life here in Colorado. I go where the wind takes me, Mr. Sully. No tellin' where I'll be next. Suppose ya can't live that way once ya got a wife and three kids bogging ya down. But maybe I'd even settle down if I met a woman like Dr. Mike." Sully's eyes closed and he fell to the floor. "A strong woman who can help me and who does what I tell her without questionin'. Dr. Mike might not like to listen to what anyone says now but, let me tell you, Mr. Sully, she'll get used to it mighty quick 'cause she won't have no other choice. 'Sides, a man like you don't know how to keep a woman like her in control. Women shouldn't be allowed to do what they want. Ya need to be strict with women and let 'em know who's boss. Dr. Mike'll know who's boss, Mr. Sully, I'll promise ya that. Oh, and I don't like big posse's, Mr. Sully. Never much cared for 'em. They tend to make me do rash things like kill. Ya see, she isn't worth goin' to jail over so I wouldn't call the marshal, either. I suppose you'd rather have her alive than dead so I'd remember all that if I's was you. But, don't you worry, everythin's gonna be fine. Best thing for you ta do now is just forget 'bout what happened and forget 'bout Michaela. She'll be happier with me and my folk back home, anyway. You'll see." Warren patted Sully hard on the shoulder but Sully was no longer conscious. "I told ya that tea would make ya tired. Sleep well, my friend," Warren said, pouring the contents of his own mug back into the pot. He hadn't even taken a sip.