Chapter 16
Suddenly Michaela realized something. She could get out of bed and therefore wouldn't be able to nurse Charlotte and Josef on her own throughout the night just yet. She realized that unless Sully stayed the night, their children would go hungry and the thought frightened her. She knew she had to call for him at the top of her lungs but wasn't sure that her throat was completely up to the task as it had grown hoarse screaming during the birth of her children. Without thinking, Michaela tried to stand and go after her husband as best she could, but her legs weren't strong enough to hold her and she fell with a loud thump to the floor banging her knee and hitting her sore stomach muscles against the floor hard. She screamed out in pain and woke Katie instantly. Upon seeing her mother on the floor, Katie called for her mother to get up, but all Michaela could do was cry in pain and Katie was frightened. Not knowing what else to do, she bolted out of bed, slid past her mother out the door and down the stairs, hoping that her papa was somewhere nearby and could be of help.
Sully had heard the scream from inside the house when he was about to saddle his horse and ride for the lean-to. At the sound of it, he had bolted back towards the door and now met his daughter in the front room. The little girl had tears in her eyes and could barely squeak out the word "Mama" before bursting into tears. Sully picked her up and rushed towards that bedroom.
Upon entering it and seeing his wife lying on the floor sobbing he shouted, "Michaela, what happened?" he asked, not even trying to conceal the love and concern in his voice at the moment.
"I fell. I was trying to get you to come back because I realized that I couldn't feed the twins on my own and I needed you to stay, but when I tried to get out of bed my legs weren't strong enough and I fell. I think I hurt my knee," she said, still crying. Michaela was ashamed to be crying like a toddler but she couldn't help it.
"Shhh. It's all right. Let's get you back into bed and I'll bring you the babies and your medical bag. Looks like you're gonna need it," he said, soothingly.
"Will you stay with me…I mean for the babies, of course," she added hurriedly.
"Of course I will. I'll be right here just like I promised. Just let me go get your bag and I'll help you with the twins. I think Josef's the most hungry," he said with a smile and a wink, trying to ease her physical pain and the pain in the situation between them.
"I think you're right," she said, returning a little bit of a smile through her tears as he left the room to go get the bag.
Once he had left, she thought for a moment about how much she wished he were staying not just for the babies, and how grateful she was that he had been there when she fell. He HAD stood by her this time. and when the twins were born. Would he always be there if she let her heart ask him to love her again? She was afraid to open her heart again; afraid of Mr. Gregory's words and afraid that Sully had meant his when he left. She had to say it though, had to tell someone. When she was sure he was far enough away that he couldn't hear, she said to herself and to the babies who were starting to wake, "I love you, Sully
This is my first fan fiction and I would appreciate any and all feedback, so please feel free to review the chapter and any subsequent chapters if you think they are of interest either here or be orginal and comment on the "Stand By Me" thread of the fanfiction section of the Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman forum The link to the thread is: http/forum.drquinn.us/viewtopic.php?t3949
Thanks, Corinna
