The Past Comes Back
Chapter 8:
Picking up the note Loren quickly exited the store. He arrived at the clinic just as the other men also arrived. Matthew saw his face and got down from his horse. "What's wrong?" Loren handed him the note.
Matthew read it and shook his head. "It was Abagail." The other men looked at one another.
Matthew gave the note back to Loren. "We need to tell Ma and Pa about this."
Loren nodded. "Yes, they've got to know what my daughter has done." Then the two men entered the clinic.
They walked upstairs and stepped into Michaela's room. Everyone in the room looked up. "Has something happened?" Michaela asked when she saw their faces.
Matthew moved toward her. "We know who took Charlotte."
Sully and Michaela looked at their eldest son. "Who was it?"
Loren handed him the note. "This explains everything."
Sully took the note and then he opened and held it so that he and Michaela both could read. Once they were done, he crumpled it up and threw it across the room.
Michaela's tears began to fall as everything started to sink in. "Oh Sully, she's got our baby girl."
Sully pulled her into his arms. "I'm gonna find her and bring Charlotte home."
He looked up at Loren. "Do you have any idea where she might be?"
Loren thought for a moment. "If she believes Charlotte is Hannah, she might go back to the old homestead."
Sully held Michaela for a moment longer then rose. He looked at Loren again. "Will you go with me?"
Loren nodded. "Of course, I'll get my horse."
Matthew looked back at Sully. "I'll come too."
Sully shook his head. "If she believes that your sister is Hannah, she may react badly if you're there."
Michaela looked up at him. "I'm going."
Sully knelt down in front of her. "No, I want ya to stay here and take care of yourself and Daniel."
Michaela started to protest but Sully put a finger to her lips. "Please Michaela, let me do this." After removing his finger he kissed her and then left to meet Loren.
A few minutes later the two men arrived at the cabin. Sully noticed smoke coming from the chimney. "Someone's here."
Loren nodded. "I see a light in the window." Both men got off their horses and made their way up the steps to the porch.
Sully reached out and cautiously opened the door. Stepping into the cabin, they found Abagail sitting by the fire in the rocking chair trying to calm Charlotte. "Shh Sweetheart, your Pa will be back soon."
Loren put his hand on Sully's shoulder knowing how painful this was for the younger man. Sully looked at him for a moment then moved farther into the cabin. "Abbie, are you all right?"
She looked up at him and smiled. "I told Hannah you'd be home soon."
Sully knelt down beside the rocker. "She sounds fussy." He reached out to take the baby from her but Abagail tightened her hold on the infant. "She just needs to be rocked by her mama."
At that moment they heard the sound of a wagon pulling up outside. Sully rose and walked toward Loren. "I'm gonna find out who that is."
Loren nodded. "I'll try to talk to her."
Sully opened the door and stepped out onto the porch. He wasn't very surprised when he saw Michaela being helped from the wagon by Matthew. Coming off the porch, he enfolded her in a warm hug. He sighed and leaned back looking into her eyes. "I thought I asked ya ta stay in town with Daniel."
Michaela lifted her head from his chest and looked up at him. "I couldn't."
Sully pulled her close again. "You wouldn't be my Michaela if you could."
At that moment Matthew approached his parents. "How's it goin'?"
Sully sighed and shook his head. "She really believes that Charlotte is Hannah."
Michaela took her bag from Matthew. "Let's go inside."
Sully turned and led her to the steps as Matthew along with Daniel, who'd stayed on his horse until that moment, followed.
As they entered the cabin again, Loren looked at Michaela. "She refuses to let anyone hold the baby." Michaela looked at Sully then cautiously moved toward the rocking chair. "Abagail, are you all right?"
The younger woman looked up and to everyone's surprise smiled. "Oh Dr. Quinn, I'm so glad you're here; she's so fussy."
Michaela knelt down beside the rocking chair and gazed at her little girl. Abagail looked at Michaela again. "I'm not sure what to do."
Michaela smiled. "May I try?" Abagail hesitated for a moment before she placed Charlotte in Michaela's arms. As soon as she was in her mother's loving arms once again, baby Charlotte quieted and fell asleep.
Once the baby had stopped crying, Abagail smiled, "Oh thank you so much Dr. Quinn." She then reached out. "May I have my daughter back?"
Michaela shook her head and rose. "Abagail this isn't Hannah; this is my baby girl Charlotte." Abagail rose from the rocking chair. "Give Hannah back to me!"
Sully moved over and put his arm protectively around Michaela. "Hannah died the night she was born."
Abagail shook her head. "No! You're lying!" Michaela motioned for Matthew to come forward. "Take Charlotte out to the wagon and wait for us." Matthew took his sister in his arms and then did as his mother requested.
As the door to the homestead closed behind him, Abagail started to run toward it. "Come back with my baby!"
Daniel and Loren grabbed hold of her. "Darlin', please calm down before you hurt yourself."
Abagail continued to struggle against her father. "Let me go!" Michaela opened her bag and loaded a syringe. Putting the bag down on the floor she moved toward the younger woman. Abigail's eyes widened when she saw the needle. "No!" Loren and Daniel tightened their hold on her. "This is going to make you sleep." Then Michaela quickly injected the needle into Abagail's arm.
Once it was empty she pulled it out. As soon as the needle was removed Abagail swooned and started to collapse. Daniel moved quickly and picked her seemingly lifeless body up.
Loren looked at Michaela. "Are ya takin' her to jail?"
Sully moved up and put his arm around Michaela's waist again. "No, we're taking her back to the clinic until you can make the arrangements to get her back to New York."
Loren smiled slightly. "Thank you both." Then they all left the homestead and headed back to town.
Later that night after Abagail was settled, Michaela exited the recovery room. She sighed as Sully's strong but loving arms came around her from behind. "Ya should get some rest, you're exhausted."
Michaela sighed as she turned and wrapped her arms around him. "Andrew told me that we could go home tonight."
Sully shook his head. "I think you and I should be here in case Loren or Abagail need anything."
Michaela understood his reasoning. She looked up at him and cupped his cheek. "Sully, I'll understand if you want to stay in the room with them."
Sully kissed her lips lightly. "I'm gonna sleep in the recovery room with you and our family."
Then Sully led Michaela down the hall. Opening the door, Michaela saw the twins peacefully sleeping along with Matthew, Colleen, Brian, and Katie.
Sully smiled. "They all wanted to be with us tonight." He then led Michaela inside and closed the door.
Early the next morning everyone was awakened by Abagail's screams. "Give me my baby back!" Michaela, Sully and Matthew quickly rose and ran out into the hallway, where they were met by Andrew. Moving to the recovery room where Abagail had been placed they saw Loren struggling to keep her in bed. "Abbie, please ya gotta rest."
But Abagail continued to struggle against him. "Where's Hannah?" Michaela looked at Sully then he along with Matthew and Andrew entered the room. They moved over to Loren.
Sully put his hand on the older man's shoulder. "Let us do that." He quickly moved back and let Sully replace him holding her down while Matthew and Andrew held each of her hands.
Abagail looked up at Sully pleadingly. "Byron they won't tell me where Hannah is."
Sully's eyes misted over. "She's dead." Those words made Abagail fight against him once again. "NO, you're lying, my baby's not dead!"
At that moment Michaela came in with another syringe. Sully moved aside but kept his hold on Abagail. "This will make you sleep again."
Abagail's face contorted with rage. "You've stolen everything from me!" Michaela flinched slightly with her accusation but quickly resumed her doctor's persona. She dabbed the area with alcohol then injected the needle into Abagail's arm. After a few seconds Abagail stopped struggling and closed her eyes once again, falling asleep.
Matthew, Sully, and Andrew released her. Sully put his arms around Michaela. Matthew looked at his parents. "I'll go check on the kids."
Michaela smiled. "Thank you." He moved over and kissed her cheek and then left the room.
Loren sat down on the bed beside his daughter. After a moment he looked up at Michaela. "She's lost her mind, hasn't she?"
Michaela moved out of Sully's arm and put her hand on the old man's shoulder. "I'm not exactly sure what's wrong with her." She looked at the younger woman in the bed. "She definitely needs to return to New York to her doctors."
Loren nodded. "I got a ticket for her and me on this morning's train."
He looked at Dr. Mike again. "Is she able to travel in this state?"
Michaela thought a moment. "I can arrange for a private car for you on the train so she'll have privacy." Then she added. "I'd go with you if I could so that I could look after her as a doctor."
Andrew moved forward. "Would it be better if a doctor was with them?"
Michaela nodded. "Yes, I think it would be." Andrew headed toward the door. "I'll go to the chateau and pack my bags."
Loren looked up at him. "You'll go along?" Andrew turned smiled.
"I'd be glad to since Michaela can't go herself." With that Andrew left the clinic.
Later that afternoon the family gathered along with other members of the community at the train station. Sully and Andrew got Abagail loaded onto the private train car. Michaela turned to Loren. "Her doctors are meeting you at the station in New York."
He smiled appreciatively. "I can't thank ya enough for helpin' her after everythin' she did."
Michaela embraced him. "We love you Loren, you're a very important member of our family."
He returned the embrace. "That means a lot."
Sully came out of the car and stepped down beside Michaela. "Let us know how she's doin'." Loren nodded. "I'll wire everyday that I'm gone." He then surprised Sully by pulling him into a fatherly embrace. "I was very wrong about you all those years ago."
As they parted, Sully smiled. "Thanks for that." The whistle blew, letting everyone know that it was about to leave. After hugging Dorothy and Olive, he pulled Colleen, Matthew, and Brian into his arms, and then he climbed up on the back of the train as it slowly pulled out. Everyone waved as it picked up speed leaving Colorado Springs.
Once it was gone, the family turned. Brian looked up at his Ma. "Are ya goin' back to the clinic?"
Michaela looked down at Charlotte sleeping in her arms and then at Daniel in his father's. "Before he left for New York, Andrew told me that we could go home."
Sully smiled. "That's good."
Colleen moved over beside her parents. "Who's gonna take care of the clinic for you while Andrew's gone?"
Michaela looked up at Sully and smiled, and then she looked at her daughter again. "I was hoping you'd do that."
Colleen's face lit up. "You mean it?"
Michaela giggled. "Yes, I think you might learn a lot from the experience."
At that moment Daniel began to fuss. Sully looked down at his son. "I think our little boy is tellin' us it's time to go home." They all laughed as the family walked back toward the clinic, where their wagon was parked.
The End