Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman. The rights to those characters and to the show belong to the creators of the show, to CBS, The Sullivan Company and to A&E.

A Sense of Belonging

Chapter Eight

The red tail lights in front of her seemed endless as she sat in rush hour traffic struggling to get across town to the bridal boutique. Sully dropped his Jeep by her apartment after lunch for her sisters and mother to use. Robert E, his business partner and friend, agreed to give him a lift to the restaurant later on. Michaela laid her head down on the top of the steering wheel and closed her eyes for a moment. It was bad enough that she'd left work ten minutes late, but the traffic was the icing on the cake. She could already picture and impatient Elizabeth tapping her foot and glancing at her watch.

Letting out a sigh, she thought back to the one peaceful point during the day when Sully had met her for lunch. Her body still tingled with his alluring touch and she felt her nipples harden just at the thought of what awaited her later. As if suddenly remembering that she hadn't fed it since breakfast, her stomach growled loudly. Michaela straightened and started to rummage through her center console in hopes of finding a granola bar or even a piece of gum to tame the inner beast.

When she spotted the orange shiny paper it felt like a streak of luck. Smiling widely, she tore into the peanut butter granola bar and took a large bite now regretting that she had nothing to drink with it. Still something in her stomach was better than nothing she reasoned and bit off another chunk. Lost in the delight of food, she didn't notice that the cars in front of her had started to move until the loud beep of a car horn startled her. Waking up, she cast the unfinished granola bar to the side and stepped on the gas as she glanced once more at the clock.

The rest of the ride was surprising smooth, whatever the hold up it had cleared quickly. Grabbing her purse she stepped out of the car hurrying inside as she was already close to twenty minutes late. Upon entering the boutique, she was instantly assaulted with the fluff and frills that seemed to accompany weddings and she silently hoped that her mother hadn't already picked out such dresses for her to try on. Marjorie came into view first, her red hair making it hard to miss her. She was wearing a black simple dress and looking in the mirror. "Michaela," she called. "Come here and tell me what you think of this."

"It's nice," she said noncommittally.

"Black is so classic and it's such a plain style, I'm sure all the bridesmaids would look good in it."

Michaela frowned. "Marjorie the wedding is going to be during the day."

Marjorie was still primping in the mirror. "How do you know that? You haven't even set a date yet."

"I think we should concentrate on one dress decision at a time," Rebecca stated coming to Michaela's rescue. "And first up is the bride to be."

Michaela looked over hopefully at her mother who was speaking with one of the salesclerks. When Elizabeth spotted her, she smiled. "Michaela."

"Sorry I'm late," she whispered. "Traffic was terrible."

"Well the important thing is you're here now." Unsure what had sparked her mother's new attitude, Michaela smiled tentatively. "I've seen the dresses that you had on hold and I must say they are rather exquisite."

"You like them?" Her eyes were wide with surprise as she took a step forward.

"They're a tad untraditional but perhaps that is what we are in need of. It's not as if you need to wear a white frilly dress."

Michaela narrowed her eyes as she considered her mother's statement. Though it had been said in the nicest of tones, Michaela knew the white comment was directed at the fact that she was no longer a virgin. Rebecca gripped her hand and leaned in. "Ignore," she whispered hoping that her mother would restrain herself from now on.

The salesclerk recognized the slight awkwardness and quickly interceded. "Why don't we try these dresses on? It's hard to say how much you like a dress until you see it on." With that, she quickly whisked Michaela away into the dressing room helping her into the first of the three gowns. The first one was an ivory strapless A line dress, plain except for the piping along the edges. This one Marjorie pronounced looked too young for her. The next one was an off white dress with wide set straps and tulle skirt. It was for Michaela a sort of fairy tale dress, though in her opinion this one did look too young. Finally she put on the last dress which was perfectly white and strapless but it had a wide red satin sash that tied in the back and flowed to the floor.

Elizabeth, who was seated in front of the area, smiled as she stepped out. Michaela had really liked it from the moment she first put it on but she could never imagine that her mother would think it was appropriate. "I think we've found the winner," she said clapping her hands together.

The salesclerk became excited knowing this was the Vera Wang dress, the most expensive of the three. "It is lovely on her, isn't it? And the sash comes in other colors if you don't like the red."

"What do you think?" Michaela looked at her sisters as she asked.

Rebecca wiped a tear from her cheek as she responded, "Stunning. And I love the red."

"The red makes it sexy," Marjorie said with a smirk. "Sully will love it."

Michaela actually smiled at her sister's comment, though the color of cheeks deepened. The salesclerk was already bustling with her measuring tape in hand, making notations for any alterations that would need to be made. Elizabeth stepped instantly to the counter pulling out the credit card. Michaela still in the dress started after her. "Mother I'll pay for the dress."

"Nonsense. I'm paying for this wedding as it should be."

"Thank you," Michaela whispered realizing that with her mother paying was a sign that she was coming around.

Yet in the next second, Elizabeth managed to ruin it. "Besides it appears Sully is getting most of your money." At first Michaela didn't understand, her brow wrinkling in confusion and then the scene in the kitchen this morning flashed before her eyes.

"Don't take her card," Michaela said loudly already headed back to the dressing room to grab her own purse.

"Ring it up," Elizabeth said waving the salesclerk on.

"No!" Michaela was already waving her wallet in the air. The salesclerk looked back and forth between mother and daughter, unsure what to do. "Mother, put your credit card away. I don't want you to pay for one thing."

"Don't be ridiculous, of course I'm paying. That's the role of the brides' parents."

Michaela's hands were shaking with rage by this point. Rebecca and Marjorie stood off to the side, unsure of the best way to intervene. Taking two steps forward and then moving right back, Rebecca wanted to do something but couldn't figure out what it should be.

"I am tired of you thinking Sully's nothing. Mother, he loves me and I love him. That money you saw me giving him this morning was rent money mother. He owns the condo I live in."

Elizabeth was infuriated herself, mostly because Michaela was making such a scene in public. Yet she had no chance to say or do anything. After throwing her Visa on the counter, she disappeared again into the dressing room. Rebecca stepped in after her. "Here let me help," she offered as Michaela tried desperately to get out of the dress.

As the dress pooled at her feet, Michaela stepped out of it. "She makes me so angry!"

"I know. She had no right to say that. I do think she is only concerned about you though." Rebecca winced as she said it, preparing for Michaela's reaction.

"Concerned? She's completely out of line. To think that she…" Michaela pulled her shirt over her head muffling the rest of her words. "And the comment about me wearing white. She needs a muzzle." Michaela snatched up her jeans and hastily pulled them on. "I've got to get out of here."

Rebecca nodded. "Be careful, okay. Don't do anything stupid."

Quickly Michaela hugged her sister and then walked back out to the front of the store without looking at her mother. "Did you ring up the dress?"

By now the salesclerk looked scared as she shook her head no. "Fine. I'll get a dress somewhere else." She snatched her Visa off the counter and headed out the door, leaving her mother in a state of shock.

Sully paced nervously in front of his house, unsure what had Michaela so upset. Robert E was there when she called, both of them waiting for her to call and let him know where they would meet for dinner. Yet when the call came, he could barely understand her she was talking so fast. He finally managed to decipher that they weren't going to dinner and that she was coming over right at that moment. When her Prius pulled up at the curb, Sully was right there to pull her into his embrace, wiping the tears off her cheeks.

"What's wrong?" he asked rubbing her back with his large strong palms.

"My mother," she sighed crushing her face against his shoulder.

"Please tell me this isn't over a dress."

Instantly, Michaela tensed and stepped back. "Like I would be this upset over a dress." He could see the fiery anger in her eyes and instantly realized this was larger than he thought.

"I'm sorry," he whispered reaching over and hooking one finger through a belt loop on her jeans. Michaela let out a deep breath as she allowed him to pull her back. "Let's go in." His breath was hot against her cheek as she nodded.

Once inside, Sully sat her down on the couch and plopped down behind her, instantly raising his hands to massage her shoulders. "What happened?"

Michaela turned into him. "I don't want to talk about it," she whispered burying her face just under his chin. Her hands went to the hem of his tee-shirt, slipping her hands up and underneath of it, determined to forget her mother for the moment.

"Michaela." Sully stopped her momentarily. "Tell me."

Wrapping her arms around his torso, she held on tightly as she whispered, "I love you." The fact that it was going to hurt Sully as much as it hurt her made it hard to actually repeat aloud.

"I love you too," he assured her, pulling her hair back off her face.

"She thinks you're living off me because of the check this morning."

For a moment there was silence and then Sully chuckled. "So I'm a kept man?" Michaela wasn't sure whether to hit him or hug him. She sat up quickly and shook her head. Shifting slightly, Sully followed her movements. "Just your boy toy, huh?"

"I think it's more that you're taking advantage of me," Michaela corrected still frowning despite Sully's jovial mood.

"Well that can't be all true. I mean kept men usually do something for the woman who's keeping them or what would be the point."

"Sully, please don't joke about it." Yet as she spoke, Sully pulled off his tee shirt revealing his broad muscular chest and making Michaela loose her train of thought.

"And we do fit the mold. Older woman… younger man."

Michaela laughed finally. "I'm only two years older than you." Her hands dropped to the belt on his pants, her fingers nimbly working at the buckle.

"You have the money… I have the body." He watched as her fingers pushed the button through the hole, excited further by her bold behavior. In one quick moment, he stood threading his hands under her legs and the other against her back. Cradling her in this manner, he set off for the bedroom.