When the Past Comes Back
Chapter 4:
When Abagail arrived back at the mercantile while later she entered and found Loren waiting for her, "Dorothy told me that you went for a ride."
Suddenly Abagail began to cry and ran into his arms. "Why is Byron so happy with that woman?"
Loren sighed and rocked her. "Because he knows that he and Dr. Mike were meant to be together."
Abagail lifted her head from his chest. "He should still be with me, not with her!"
Loren turned and led her toward the stairs. "Let's go upstairs and talk."
When they entered the parlor of their small living area they sat down on the little loveseat. "Abbie you've got to accept that Sully has a new family."
Abagail shook her head. "He and I were always meant to be together."
Loren looked down at his hands for a moment. "If you believe that why did you run away after you lost Hannah?"
She rose from her seat. "I needed some time to get through the pain."
Loren shook his head. "You sent him divorce papers."
Abagail sniffled as new tears came to her eyes. "I wasn't thinking in my right mind and I never expected him to sign them, I thought he'd come after me even though I asked him not to."
Loren rose and came up behind her. She turned into his arms again. "Darlin' you gave him permission to move on with his life when you sent him those papers."
As they parted again Abagail spotted a picture on the table. She moved over and picked it up. It showed a very happy Michaela in her wedding dress being held tenderly by an equally happy Sully. Abagail looked at her father again as new tears welled in her eyes. "This was the day they married?"
Loren nodded. "Yes it was a beautiful day."
Abagail looked at the photo again. "They had the wedding here in town?"
Loren moved toward her. "Yes they wanted to share their happiness with all of their friends and family."
Abagail ran her fingers over Sully's face. "Where was it held?"
Loren took the picture from her and looked at it. "They had it in the meadow near the church." Abagail looked at him again. "She didn't want a church wedding?"
Loren placed the photo back down on the table. "They had too many guests for the church so they moved it to the meadow."
Abagail looked at the photo once again. "Which one of the men was his best man?"
Loren shook his head. "Cloud dancing was his best man but he had to leave right after the ceremony because the army was still looking for him."
Abagail looked up and Loren saw the anger in her eyes. "That savage is still alive?"
Loren put his hands on her shoulders. "You better watch how you talk about him he's very special to Sully's family and to your Aunt Dorothy."
Abagail's anger intensified. "If it hadn't been for him needing Byron's help the night Hannah was born I wouldn't have had to go through my labor alone."
Loren pulled her into his arms again. "Abbie, you've got to let go of your anger."
Abagail moved back out of his embrace and noticed another photo on the table. She picked it up and stared at it. "Why are you in this one?"
Loren took the photo from her and looked at it. "I gave Dr. Mike away."
Abagail looked up at him again with pain in her eyes. "You gave her away?" She turned away from him. "How could you give her away when you wouldn't even come to my wedding?"
Loren shook his head. "I was a fool to act the way I did back then, I realized that a while after Dr. Mike came here, in fact she's the one who helped me realized it."
Abagail turned toward him again. "How did she do that?"
Loren shook his head. "I got very sick and needed some blood and it turned out that the only one that could give me blood was Sully."
He smiled slightly. "Neither of us was happy about it but he voluntarily gave it to me and saved my life."
Abagail smiled. "He is a wonderful man."
Loren nodded in agreement. "After I recovered we had a chance to talk and that's when I decided to give him the deed to the old homestead."
Abagail shook her head. "I can't believe that he let her live in our home."
Loren sighed. "She and the children had no other place to live because not many of us wanted to accept a lady doctor." He shook his head. "If I'd allowed her to help your Ma she might still be with us."
Abagail embraced him again. "I'm sorry I didn't come back for her funeral but I couldn't face Byron at that time."
Suddenly she backed out of his arms again. "That doesn't explain why you gave her away didn't she have a father of her own?"
Loren shook his head. "Her Pa died a while before she left Boston."
Abagail looked down at the photo again. "So she asked you to give her away?"
Loren put his hand on hers. "No darlin' Sully asked me to do it."
Abagail's head snapped up and she stared at him incredulously. "Byron asked you to give her away?"
Loren nodded. "Dr. Mike had asked her mother but Elizabeth didn't think it was proper that she give her daughter away so he came to me and asked me if I'd do it instead."
Abagail turned her back on him again. "You could've refused." Loren heard the hurt in her voice.
He turned her around to face him again. "Not if I wanted to keep things right between me and Sully."
Abagail suddenly broke into tears again. "I want my life back the way it was." Loren pulled her close and rocked her again. "I'm so sorry Abbie but that life ended a long time ago, Sully's moved on and you've got to do the same."
She backed out of his arms and wiped her face. "I can't move on because he is my life,"
Loren lifted her chin. "You're goin' to have to because they're happily married." Abagail sighed sadly. "I'm going to bed early." She moved past her father toward her old bedroom.
"I'll fix you something to eat first." Loren offered.
Abagail looked at him over her shoulder. "No thank you Papa I'm tired from my trip." With that she went into the bedroom and closed the door behind her before her tears once again started to fall.
At the homestead Michaela and Sully had just come downstairs from putting Katie to bed. They entered the living room and Sully helped her to sit in one of their wing back chairs. Michaela looked toward the kitchen where Brian, Matthew, and Colleen were cleaning up. "Can you all come sit down?" The three older kids entered the living room and sat down around their parents.
Sully took Michaela's hand as he started to explain. "Today my ex wife Abagail came back to town."
Matthew stared at him. "I thought she died when she lost Hannah?"
Sully shook his head. "She ran away two days after the funeral because she thought that losing Hannah had been her fault." Sully felt Michaela's hand flinch in his. He looked at her and knew she was thinking about when she lost their child. "Losing Hannah wasn't her fault and losing our baby last year wasn't yours."
Michaela smiled. "Thank you."
He looked at the children again. "Do you have any questions for me?"
Brian nodded. "Why exactly did she come back?"
Sully shook his head. "She thought that I'd be willing to take her back and that she and I could start over."
Brian looked down. "You're not going to leave us are you Pa?" Michaela put her hand to her mouth as she let out an audible gasp. Sully motioned for Colleen and Matthew to take care of her. They rose and quickly approached their mother.
Sully moved over and knelt down in front of Brian. "Look at me son." Brian lifted his head. Sully then saw his tears for the first time. Putting his hand on Brian's cheek he wiped them away then pulled him into a tight embrace. "Brian, I'm not goin' anywhere."
At that moment they heard sniffling coming from the stairs. Everyone looked up in time to see Katie standing there. Sully rose to his feet. "Kates, are you all right?"
She shook her head. "I don't want ya to leave us Poppy."
Sully walked to the bottom of the stairs and knelt down then held out his arms to his precious little girl. "Come here honey." Katie came down the stairs and ran to him.
He picked her up and rocked her gently. "Shh Kates there's nothin' to be afraid of." He then carried her to his chair and sat down with her on his lap. "I love our family and nothing or no one is going to ever make me leave."
Michaela took his hand. "We've gone through a lot to become a family and nothing is going to tear it apart."
Sully squeezed her hand and smiled. "Your Ma's right." They spent the rest of the evening together as a family.
Later in their room Michaela sat at her dressing table. Sully was lying in bed reading one of his poetry books. He looked up and smiled at her as their eyes met in the mirror. Closing the book he moved aside then threw back the covers and rose. He walked up behind Michaela and put his arms around her. "You're still the most beautiful woman I've ever met."
Michaela smiled. "And you're a good liar." She teased. She reached up and took the pins from her hair letting it fall down her back.
Sully smiled as he ran his fingers through it. "You've got the most beautiful hair I've ever seen." Michaela started to reach for her brush but Sully stopped her. "Hey that's my job." He then brushed her hair until it shone.
He put down the brush then helped her to her feet. "Are ya ready to turn in?" Michaela nodded. He helped her into bed and made sure she was comfortable then he went around to his side and climbed in. Michaela snuggled as close to him as she could. Sully rubbed her arm. "This has been a very emotional day."
Michaela lifted her head and looked at him. "Are you all right?"
Sully nodded. "I'm fine."
Michaela cupped his cheek. "You can't fool me Mr. Sully I know you too well."
Sully sighed and took her hand in his kissing it. "I never thought she'd show up here again and expect that I'd simply welcome her back with open arms."
Michaela laid her head on his chest. "She wants to recreate the past that the two of you shared." Sully looked at her. "I told her that we can't live in the past." Then he smiled. "Besides I have a beautiful wife and the most wonderful children in the world, and I'm not letting any of ya go."
Michaela smiled. "We are a great family."
Sully pulled her a bit closer. "Tomorrow I'm going to tell Abagail that I want her to stay away from you and the children."
Michaela lifted her head again. "Is that necessary?"
Sully gently rubbed his hand over her stomach. "I don't want anything upsettin' you right now since you're so close to havin' the baby and I don't want her upsettin' the kids with her claims that she and I are gonna be gettin' back together."
Michaela sighed. "Brian and Katie were very frightened that you were going to leave."
Sully kissed the top of her head. "Like you said tonight, we went through a lot to become a family and I'm not gonna give that up for anyone or anythin'." A little while later they fell asleep in one another's arms.