Chapter 6:
Later that afternoon after they woke up they headed to Grace's for a late lunch. Loren saw them and walked over from the store. "Sully, Dr. Mike may I speak to you for a moment?" Sully and Michaela saw the troubled look on his face.
Sully pulled out one of the chairs. "Have a seat."
Loren sat down and sighed. "I'm so sorry that Abagail won't leave ya alone, I've tried to reason with her but it's as if she's not even listenin'."
Michaela put her hand on his. "You're doing all you can."
Loren looked at her. "Dr. Mike, last night after supper she told me that she's been seeing a couple of doctors in New York for quite a while, I was hoping you might know who they are." He took a piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to her.
She opened it and read the names. "I've heard of Dr. Crawford, he works with patients who have some sort of mental problems."
She looked at Sully. "I'm sure she is seeing him to deal with losing Hannah."
Then she read the other name. "I've never heard of Dr. McKentire." She folded the paper again and looked at Loren. "If you'd like I could wire a doctor friend in New York and ask if he knows who this doctor is."
Loren rose. "I'd appreciate it."
Michaela smiled. "I'll send the wire after before we head home." With that Loren turned and went back to his store.
Later that afternoon they returned to the homestead. When they entered, they found their older children in the living room. Brian looked up from the checker game he was playing with Matthew. "You're home!"
Michaela and Sully smiled. "Yes we are." Michaela remarked as she sat down in one of the winged back chairs then she looked around. "Where's Katie?"
Colleen giggled. "She's taking a nap."
Michaela looked toward the stairs. "Isn't it a bit late for a nap?"
Brian and Matthew smiled. "Yeah but I think we wore her out earlier today," Matthew began and Brian added. "We played tag in the meadow before coming home."
Brian added. "Katie and I won."
Sully chuckled. "I'm sure that did wear her out." Michaela looked at him and held out her hand. "Why don't we go check on her?"
Sully helped her up then put his arm around her. "Good idea." Then they headed toward the stairs.
When they returned a few minutes later, they noticed that Brian, Colleen, and Matthew seemed troubled. Michaela sat down at the table. "Is something wrong?"
The three kids looked at one another, and then Matthew spoke. "We had an unexpected talk with Abagail while we were at Grace's."
Sully also sat down. "What did she say to you?"
Matthew shook his head. "Just that she wants to get to know us because Ma's gonna be leavin' after she has the baby and you and Abigail are going to raise Brian, Katie, and the new baby together."
Sully looked at Michaela, startled. "That's not going to happen!"
Brian looked at his Pa. "That's what we told her before we went to play with Katie in the meadow." After their conversation Michaela and Colleen headed into the kitchen to make supper while Sully played checkers with the boys.
After dinner the older kids stayed in the living room as Sully worked in the kitchen cleaning up.
Michaela heard the dishes rattle and knew that Sully was very upset. Putting her book down, Michaela looked over at Colleen. The young woman smiled and helped her mother to stand and then returned to her own book.
Michaela made her way into the kitchen and walked up behind Sully. She reached up and started rubbing his back. "Are you all right?"
Sully sighed and turned around, pulling her into his arms. The older kids saw this and knew that their parents needed time alone, so they rose and headed upstairs. "Night ma, pa, see ya in the morning." They called together as they climbed the stairs.
Sully pulled back until he knew they were alone. "I wish someone could get through to Abagail."
Michaela nodded. "She wants what she believes I stole from her."
Sully pulled back. "Ya didn't steal anythin', we fell in love."
Michaela smiled. "I know but in Abagail's mind you're still her husband and she looks at me as the woman that stole you away."
Sully smiled. "You're my wife and all I'll ever need." Then he led her into the living room.
When they were at one of the wing back chairs, he sat down and pulled her down onto his lap. "I'm sorry she's doin' these things to ya."
Michaela laid her head on his shoulder. "She's so determined to get you back that she's not thinking rationally."
Sully shook his head. "Do you want me to talk to her again?"
Michaela sighed. "It wouldn't do any good." They stayed that way for a while longer then rose and went upstairs.
The next morning they rode into town. Matthew was driving the wagon while Sully was on his horse. He and Daniel were going out to the reservation for the day to see Cloud Dancing. They also wanted to talk to McKay, who had returned a while before to work with Sully and help the Indians who had come back to the territory.
Sully got the family out of the wagon then followed Michaela and Katie into the clinic. He put Katie in her playpen. When he turned, he saw Michaela staring out of the window. Walking up behind her, he put his arms around her. "Are you all right?"
She turned in his arms. "Just thinking about what the kids said last night about Abagail."
Sully was about to speak when someone knocked on the door. Michaela looked at him. "I don't have a patient for another hour." Sully walked over and opened the door. He smiled when he found Horace standing on the other side. "Mornin' Horace,"
He ushered the telegraph operator inside. "Mornin' Sully, Dr. Mike" He looked moved toward Michaela. "I just got this telegram for ya and thought I'd bring it personally." He handed it to her.
She took it and smiled. "Thank you Horace."
He smiled slightly. "I gotta get back to the telegraph office." Then he left.
Michaela opened the telegram. "It's from Abagail's doctor."
Sully moved toward her. "Do you want to give it to Loren?" She nodded. "It might be better if you go get him so that she doesn't know about it yet." With a quick kiss he left the clinic heading to the store.
A few minutes later he and Loren entered. "Mornin' Dr. Mike, Sully told me you had an answer to my request about Abbie's doctor." She nodded and handed him the telegram. "You should read it."
He read it silently then looked up at her. "She was in an asylum until two weeks ago."
Michaela nodded. "From what my friend told me the doctor Abagail was seeing thought she wasn't dealing with losing Hannah properly." She looked up at both men again. "And apparently he also discovered that she's not going to be able to have anymore children due to complications from losing Hannah."
Sully read the telegram. "No wonder she wants us to raise the kids together."
Loren looked at him. "She told you that?"
Sully nodded. "She told both of us and the older kids." Loren shook his head. "I'm going to talk to her and convince her to return to New York, she needs to go back into the hospital."
He looked at Dr. Mike again. "Thank you for findin' this out for me." Then he left.
When he was gone, Michaela hugged Sully. "Are you all right?"
He held her a bit tighter. "I'm just a bit shocked."
She nodded. "I can understand that."
At that moment someone knocked at the door. Sully released Michaela and opened it. "Hi Daniel,"
The sheriff took off his hat as he entered. "Are ya ready to go to the reservation?"
Sully looked at Michaela. "Maybe I should stay in town today."
She shook her head. "I'll be fine, besides I've got patients this morning and then I'm having lunch with Colleen."
Sully embraced her again. "Are you sure?"
She looked up at him again. "Tell Cloud Dancing hello and that he should come to see us soon."
Sully tenderly kissed her. "Send Matthew or Brian out if you need me for anything." Michaela walked them to the door. Sully kissed her once more then he and Daniel left.
At the store Abagail came downstairs. "Mornin' Papa,"
Loren looked up at her and then closed the front door. "We need to talk."
Abagail sighed. "I won't go near them today."
Shaking his head, Loren handed her the telegram. "I asked Dr. Mike to find out more about these doctors you were seeing in New York."
Abagail paled as she read it. "You asked her to spy on your own daughter?"
Loren shook his head. "No, I asked her to find out what you weren't telling me."
Abagail ripped up the paper. "You and she had no right!"
Loren sighed. "I think it's time for you to go back to New York and go back into the hospital."
Abagail stared at him. "You don't mean that."
Loren approached her and pulled her into his arms. "I want you well and you're not right now."
Abagail wrenched away from him. "I'm fine!" Then she ran out of the store as Loren stood at the door calling her back.
As she ran away from the mercantile, she saw Michaela on the front porch of the clinic with Mrs. Marsten. She waited until the woman walked away and then approached the clinic. "Stop interfering in my life!"
Michaela turned around. "Your father asked me to find out about your medical condition." She then opened the door. "Can we continue this inside?" Abagail lifted her chin defiantly before she entered ahead of Michaela.
When Michaela closed the door, she turned and saw Abagail staring toward the playpen. "She's not Hannah."
Abagail looked at her again. "Don't you think I know that?"
Michaela shook her head. "No, I don't think you do."
Abagail moved toward the playpen. "Hannah should've survived that night." She bent down and picked up Katie then she looked at Michaela again. "I should be the mother of Byron's children not you!"
Michaela walked over and took her daughter from Abagail and placed her back in the playpen. "I'm sorry you lost Hannah but I can't bring her back and I can't change the fact that Sully and I are happily married and that we've been blessed to have children together."
Abagail moved away from the playpen. "Dr. Quinn you've got everything I've ever dreamed of, can't you understand that?"
Michaela approached her slowly. "It's not my fault that your life turned out as it has.
Abagail turned toward her with pleading eyes. "I just want another chance to make Byron happy."
Michaela shook her head. "It's too late for that."
Abagail folded her arms over her chest. "I could love his children as if they were ours."
Michaela shook her head again. "But they're not yours and as a matter of fact I know from one of your doctors that you can't have anymore children." Abagail's anger rose again. "Stay out of my life!" She turned away from Michaela for a moment then looked at her again. "I'd like to know your answer about giving Byron and me custody of the children."
Michaela walked to the door and opened it. "I believe our business is done Ms. Bray, I'm Sully's wife and the mother of his children and that's not going to change."
Abagail stared at her for a few moments then moved to the doorway. "Don't think you've won yet, Dr. Quinn!" With that she exited the clinic.
Around noon Michaela was finishing up with some paperwork when the door opened and Colleen entered. "Hey Ma, are you ready to go to lunch?"
Michaela smiled and put her pencil down. "Yes, just let me go upstairs and get Katie." She rose and moved to the door of the recovery rooms. As she reached for the knob, a sudden pain hit her. Grabbing her stomach she stumbled back.
Colleen was at her side instantly. "You okay?"
Michaela shook her head after a moment. "I think this little one is going to come a bit early."
She looked at Colleen. "Do you know where Matthew and Brian are?"
At that moment the door opened and the two boys entered. "Hey ma we thought we'd join you for…" Matthew's words faded when he saw the scene in front of him. "What's going on?"
Michaela smiled reassuringly. "The baby's coming."
Brian looked at Matthew then at his mother. "What do ya need us to do?"
Michaela thought. "Matthew can you ride to the reservation and get Sully?"
Matthew put on his hat again. "Sure Ma." Then he left.
She looked at Brian. "Can you go to the Chateau and get Andrew?"
Brian opened the door. "Be back soon." Then he too left. After her brothers were gone, Colleen helped her mother upstairs to prepare her for the upcoming delivery of her new brother or sister.