Sorry this is so short and took a while to update. I wasn't exactly sure where to go with this chapter, so I hope that you enjoy it!
Chapter 11: Rising in the East
A single tear escaped her watery-eyed gaze, as she fumbled with a loose thread on her comforter. Ever so softly, Michaela felt Sully's forefinger push the droplet off her tear-kissed cheeks and move down to raise her head and catch her remorse-filled eyes.
Sully looked at Michaela with all the care and compassion that the world had to offer. It pained him to see the vast, hurt, glaze that hung in her olive and maple orbs. He wanted to help Michaela and Elizabeth, but he wasn't sure if he could actually do anything. Sully's hand still clasped Michaela's, and he tenderly stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. "I hate to leave ya like this, but I think you should get some rest now." Sully said, caressing Michaela's pale cheek lightly.
Michaela broke her gaze with Sully, concentrating back on the dislocated bit of string while nodding her head slowly. Sully kept his hand close to her chin, lifting her head gently, while peering into her eyes. Michaela was forced to look up into Sully's azure eyes, as if they had a magnetic force to her own.
"Michaela, I know we need to talk about everything. And I wouldn't say this if I didn't think it was best for ya…"
"No…no wait Sully, you're right. I'm…I'm sorry, for everything…" Michaela interrupted, as more tears began to swell in her shining eyes.
Sully merely shook his head. "Nah, Michaela there's nothing to be sorry for. Some family members…just don't get along all that great with each other…"
Michaela looked as if she wanted to cry and laugh at the same time. "Don't get along? Sully, did you not hear her? Who could get along with that woman?"
Sully chuckled softy to himself. "Michaela, we're not gonna discuss this right now; but ya have to admit, you said some pretty nasty things back to your mother."
Michaela's eyes widened and her mouth dropped in surprise. "Sully! What do you…I mean…I couldn't help it, she was…" But Michaela was silenced by Sully's finger pressing gently onto her lips.
"Like I said, we're not talking 'bout this now. You get some rest; I promise I'll be here when you wake up." Sully assured in a whisper.
Michaela exhaled deeply and glanced up at Sully, giving him a nod and a fair smile. Sully responded with a similar smile while leaning over to place a quick kiss on Michaela's forehead. After one more tender caress of Michaela's cheek, Sully stood and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.
Michaela continued to stare aimlessly at the door, long after Sully had left; while thoughts and emotions swirled in her mind and heart. She hated the constant bickers with her mother and wished she knew what she had done wrong so many years ago. For, Michaela couldn't remember a time when she felt the whole and unconditional love that she should have from her mother. Of course Elizabeth loved Michaela; however, she never seemed to support or approve of Michaela or her choices in life.
Michaela knew she had always been her 'father's little girl'; but she had continuously desired and worked endlessly for praise and acceptance from her mother. Perhaps it's because I always went to Father for my problems…Perhaps I offended her in some way, or even hurt her…If she would just tell me…maybe… But Michaela knew her mother all too well. She knew that Elizabeth Quinn had far too much pride in her being to ever come back and work out the argument. "Someday…maybe…" Michaela whispered, before nodding her head and slipping off into a deep sleep.
Sully faced the door and silently closed it behind him. He turned quickly on his heal only to collide with Dorothy who appeared to have been waiting for him with great anticipation. "Oh, sorry there Dorothy!" Sully apologized in a hushed tone. Dorothy merely nodded and bent her head as she thought carefully about how to word her ensuing question. "Dorothy, is something wrong?"
Dorothy glanced up guiltily at Sully before nodding and stepping over to the kitchen, summoning Sully to follow her. Both took their seats on stools side-by-side, and after a slight delay, Dorothy took in a deep breath. "Sully…what, what exactly happened…out there?"
Sully took in and released a deep sigh before answering. He never even thought about having to explain the entire night's events to anyone, especially without Michaela at his side. However, Sully understood Dorothy's desire and need to know of the night's auspicious (as well as inauspicious) events. "Well…I guess I should start at the beginning…I picked Michaela up after work…" Sully commenced and continued to tell Dorothy the rest of the story, leaving out a few intimate details that Sully figured Michaela would rather be the one to talk to Dorothy about than him.
As Sully's account slowly unraveled, Dorothy's eyes widened with acuteness and near-disbelief. Although she knew Sully and Michaela had developed a strong friendship, Dorothy was completely shocked to discover that either had such dynamic feelings for the other. After all these years of knowing Sully, Dorothy felt embarrassed that she had not noticed the change in his presence or the sparkle in the vast, blue, seas that lit up his face.
"…and as I turned around, I saw Michaela running towards me, and she just threw her arms around me and told me that she remembered! I don't really know what happened to make her memory come back, and I guess at the time I didn't really care…and well, that's about the size of it." Sully shrugged his shoulders as he finished his anecdote.
Silence flooded the room for a few moments as Dorothy took in the rampaging emotions and circumstances of the night. She stood and began pacing the kitchen floor, allowing her eyes to wander to anything except Sully. Finally finding the voice she had thought lost, Dorothy halted and turned to face Sully. "So…you love Michaela?"
Sully looked at Dorothy for a beat with questioning eyes, Hadn't I just explained that to her? "Uh, yeah…I love Michaela."
Dorothy nodded her head and bit the side of her mouth, deep in thought. "…And she, Michaela, loves you?"
Did she even listen to a word I just said? "Yes, Dorothy, Michaela said that she loved me. Is there anything wrong?" Sully asked hesitantly.
This time, Dorothy didn't miss a beat as she shook her head. "No, no…I suppose I'm just…surprised!" Dorothy honestly admitted as she forced her head up to look Sully straight in the eye, and a hint of a smile peaked through her tense features. "I'm really…happy for you, Sully; both of you!" Dorothy reiterated while a forced smile blazed across her face.
Sully immediately noticed the abnormity in Dorothy's usually soft and friendly form, and he was about to make mention of it when she suddenly cut him off and reached for her coat, which lay across the desk chair behind her. "Well, I really must be going…I have to…go to work, but I'll see you two later. Give my regards to Michaela when she wakes up! See ya later Sully!" Dorothy called behind her as she headed out the door.
It wasn't until she had closed the door behind her and Sully heard the distinct rumblings of her car starting up and driving off that he realized that it was still Christmas Day, and Dorothy certainly wouldn't have any work to do at the press office. Dorothy's reaction left Sully completely baffled, and he couldn't imagine why she wasn't acting more supportive of Michaela and his relationship. Had it not been her who continuously told me that I needed to move on and find the happiness that awaited me?
Sully continued to puzzle on the ensuing subject until he heard a frail coo followed by the faint creaking of the floorboards from across the living-room, behind the closed doors of Michaela's chamber. Rising to his feet as her door slowly crept open; Sully felt his heart leap and sensed that his legs had gone numb. Somehow, Sully had managed to forget how absolutely gorgeous Michaela was. She stood across the room from him, wearing a mere tank-top and an old pair of scrubs; nothing glorious. Yet perfectly simple. And as plain as it seemed, Sully found his heart racing and the lump forming in his throat appeared to be growing rapidly with each passing moment.
Michaela suddenly became aware of Sully situated across the room, and smiled as she made her way over to him. Sully, who finally came to his senses, greeted Michaela with a loving embrace, holding her close to his chest and placing sweet kisses into her hair. Sully felt Michaela relax into his arms, and he nodded his head down slightly to whisper into her ear. "Her beauty was like silence in a cup of water." Michaela smiled into his warm embrace and raised her head to meet Sully's gaze, while a twinge of perplexity danced with utter joy in her eyes.
Sully noticed the trace of confusion that played in her contrasting orbs, and he mirrored the blissful smile that her own face held. "It's a quote by Denis Devlin…I suppose your beauty must of inspired me to remember it."
Michaela blushed feverously, and she felt her heart bursting from the love she felt both to and from Sully. As she stared into the intensity of his gaze, Michaela slowly sensed the distance between them diminish until she could feel Sully's short breaths blanketing her face. Michaela closed her eyes, trying to control the raging emotions that tortured her so. Sensuously, she felt Sully's lips brush timidly against her own, before they came back with an intensity Michaela had never experienced in her life. Souls soared and all thoughts of dignity or suitability were lost in the kiss that consumed both their hearts and minds. Michaela felt her arms wrap around Sully's neck to deepen the kiss, and she realized she had lost control of her body's actions. Fear, mixed with confusion and desire caused Michaela to moan into the kiss.
Unfortunately, Sully mistook her guttural for an urging of more, and it wasn't until Michaela pushed hard against Sully's chest, breaking off the kiss, that he suddenly realized the intent of Michaela's sigh. Sully quickly broke all contact with Michaela, freeing her completely from himself.
Their hearts raced as they gasped for the breath that had been lost during the kiss. Michaela turned from Sully, as tears formed silently in her eyes. Her swollen lips tingled as she brushed a finger across them. She couldn't believe she had lost control in such a short span of time. The things that this man does to me! But this was thought not with the joy one might expect, but instead with fear and angst.
"Michaela?" Sully said still short of breath, as he noticed her concealed form. It was not until he placed a hand on Michaela's shoulder, beckoning her to face him, and he saw the tears clouding her eyes, that Sully understood the feelings that were rushing through her at that moment. Sully quickly removed his extended hand from her shoulder and back away cautiously from Michaela. Damn it! How could I be so stupid? Sully beat himself mentally, as he began to turn from Michaela.
Michaela saw the pain and self-disgust that lay in Sully's features, and she quickly composed herself to mirror Sully's previous actions. Michaela brushed her fingertips on the back of his arm, halting Sully, before she gave her testimony. "Wait Sully…I…I'm sorry. I lost control of myself…and, I suppose that just scared me…Sully, I've…I've never felt like this…I've never had such emotions, emotions that get the better of me and…I can't even begin to explain it!" When Sully continued to face away from her, Michaela sighed deeply and searched for the words to describe her heart's emotions. "Sully…I love you, there's no better way of saying it. But I've…I've never truly been in love before. This is all so new to me, now I'm finding that when I'm with you I can't control how I feel; and sometimes, I can't control my own actions. And Sully…that scares me!"
Sully let go of the breath he had held during Michaela's explanation, as he turned to face Michaela, before enveloping her in his arms. Michaela welcomed him embrace thoroughly, and immediately relaxed into his arms. Sully, once again, kissed the top of her head and rocked Michaela gently in his arms. "I love you too, Michaela. I don't want you to ever doubt that! I guess we're just gonna have to take this one step at a time…"
Michaela nodded into Sully's embrace over her as they swayed back and forth on the carpeted floor. Thoughts and emotions were still fresh in her mind and heart, but Michaela forced herself to push the uncertainties from her mind as she reveled in the feeling of Sully's arms around her timid body. Everything appeared to be perfect…but the key word was 'appeared'.
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