That evening he kissed her goodnight in her doorway gently sliding his hands down her back.
"You're beautiful" he whispered in her ear before taking off in the starry night. He could not believe how the evening had progressed. But he also felt for her.
To think that her parents did not respect her decisions, and to think that they wanted to decide whom she was to marry.
He had never envisaged that anyone was like that anymore, but apparently he had been wrong.
She had also told him that she dreaded when they would come for her graduation which was soon.
He wasn't sure how to move on, but he knew he had to give her time, so they had decided to go slow.
Besides there was still Colleen to consider. He hoped Charlotte had had a chance to speak with her.
Both he and Michaela were going to see the children later that week.
Friday night Michaela was revising with Colleen in the living room at the Coopers.
"Mike, can I come to your graduation?" she asked. Michaela nodded "sure, if your Mum agrees."
"We'll all go,"Charlotte smiled from the kitchen.
"We wouldn't want to miss it." She patted Michaela on the back while placing two glasses of lemonade on the table.
Michaela smiled. Charlotte truly was wonderful.
A moment later the door opened, and the sound of laughter and Brian's excited voice sounded.
"Ma, Ma… I did really well today." Brian barged into the room all full of energy.
Sully was with him, and he met Michaela's eyes met across the room.
Sparks flew between them, but they only gave eachother a small smile.
They had not seen each other since that Tuesday night, but had agreed to keep things quiet while with the children.
"Mike's graduating soon, are you going to join us in the celebrations?" Charlotte winked at Sully, and Michaela turned to focus on Colleen.
"Sure" she heard him answer Charlotte, and she felt her cheeks go warm.
Colleen's eyes were resting on Sully, and she watched as he went with her mother into the kitchen. They were speaking quietly, so she could not hear.
"Colleen…" Michaela's voice cut the silence, and she looked at her mentor.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah…" she continued in a whisper: "Mum says, Sully is too old for me… and he likes someone his own age. I wish I was older…" she finished with a sigh.
Michaela was a little unsure what to say.
"You know, one day you'll meet the one who's right for you. Who appreciates you for who you are," she smiled at her.
"You have lots of time. There's no need to rush things, Colleen."
"That's what Mum says, too," Colleen sighed again.
Only a few weeks later Michaela's parents arrived for her graduation.
As she did not have any spare rooms in her small house, they stayed in a hotel nearby.
The day they arrived, Sully came to see her late in the evening. He just stopped by unannounced on his way home from practise, and Michaela was happy to see him.
They were on the steps outside her house, and she snuggled into his arm.
"How did it go?" he kissed her temple, and she sighed a little.
"It was ok. They were happy to see me."
"Then what?" he could tell she was holding back a little.
"I still have to tell them, I'm only coming home for the summer and not to stay." Her voice was a whisper, and he put both his arms around her.
He kissed her hair again, and they sat there for a long time.
"I won't be there for the graduation ceremony tomorrow, but I'll be at Charlotte's afterwards,"
Sully gently kissed her forehead as they got up to say goodbye. She nodded. "I'll see you then."
The graduation ceremony the next morning went well. Elizabeth and Joseph Quinn proudly listened to the graduation speech, and Michaela was happy.
Charlotte and the children had also come, and it made everything a little easier.
"I can't wait until it's me," Colleen sighed, and Matthew laughed softly.
"You'll grow up soon enough, little sis."
"Stop, saying that" she shot back, and Charlotte had to tell them to be quiet.
"Everyone is telling me not to grow up," Colleen sulked when they all arrived at Charlotte's a little later.
"Stop sulking, Colleen," Charlotte admonished .
"It's very kind of you to invite us over," Joseph Quinn said, and Charlotte gave him a broad smile
"Michaela is like family, and she is such a help to me and the children, especially Colleen. It's the least we could do."
Elisabeth smiled at her daughter and watched her interact with Brian. She would make a good mother some day.
"Sully's here!" Brian exclaimed suddenly and he more or less threw himself at Sully, and Matthew laughed.
"Looks like someone has been missed."
Sully grinned meeting Michaela's eyes.
"Congratulations" he went over and gave her a kiss on the cheek acutely aware of her parents' eyes on them.
"Mum, Dad, this is Sully. He has been mentoring Matthew, but now that he is going to law school, he is going to mentor Brian."
"Nice to meet you" Sully shook Joseph's hand, and Michaela's father smiled back.
Something about Sully stirred him, but he could not pinpoint exactly what it was.
"Do you know my daughter well?" he asked, and Sully nodded. "We work together with the children. She's very good with them."
Sully spoke with caution knowing that Michaela wanted to keep their relationship to herself.
"Yes, she's very talented." Elizabeth commented. "She'll become a good mother," she continued oblivious to Michaela's red cheeks.
"Sully would you help me out in the kitchen?" Charlotte saved him from an awkward situation, and Sully excused himself.
"Must you always talk about me becoming a mother?" Michaela sighed at her mother, who simply smiled and patted her arm.
"Oh, stop fussing, Michaela. Both your sisters are excellent mothers, and I'm sure you'll take after me as well."
Michaela shook her head meeting her father's gaze "I'm not interested right now."
He smiled at her and put an arm around her "Of course not right now, but in time you will be. Besides we can't wait to have you back in the practise."
"I know someone who's especially looking forward to working with you" her mother interjected, and her father gave her shoulder a squeeze.
"Let's eat some of the delicious food, Charlotte has cooked for us."
"I have to tell them tomorrow." Michaela sighed into Sully's warm neck. They were cuddling on her sofa semi-watching a film.
"Yeah, I noticed all the hints" he remarked not wanting to admit he had felt a pang of jealousy when her parents had brought up David in the conversation that afternoon.
From what he could tell they were extremely fond of him, and the chances he would ever be able to impress them as much as David had were very slim.
However, Michaela had kept nudging his leg under the table as if to assure him of her opinion on the matter.
"I'm glad Charlotte did not say anything to them. I told her about my plans last week."
"You'll be alright, Michaela." He caressed her cheek and neck, and she closed her eyes.
"I wish life was a little simpler."
"I know." This time he kissed her softly on the mouth, and she inwardly she cursed her parents' idea that she should marry David and move home.