Chapter 22

Michaela didn't know what she had expected to see after what she'd heard inside of the house when the tornado was racing by. It certainly hadn't been the magnitude of destruction her eyes were meeting now. Shocked, she covered her mouth with her free hand whilst she unconsciously tightened her grip around Sully's waist with her left arm.

Sully, however, didn't show any reaction at all. He simply stared at what the twister had done to the result of his ten years' work. The damage downstairs was bearable: broken windows on the right and askew shutters on the left. Although, the kitchen window wasn't to be seen at all for it hadn't just been a branch that had smashed through it but an entire tree had been thrown against this side of the house. The porch railing had mostly been knocked down, but actually, that was an unimportant damage.

As he allowed his gaze to travel higher, his eyes met an empty space where the roof had been on the right side, and Sully shortly wondered whether there were still furniture in the rooms upstairs. There was some hope for those on the left for there only the shingles were gone but the construction that had held them in place still stood. But the damage on the roof wasn't the worst. It looked as if a giant had roughly pulled at the upper edge of the right wall of the house but hadn't been able to rip it off fully. Sully knew now why the firemen insisted that they wait until someone gave the building free. It didn't look safe at all.

Slowly, Michaela turned her head so as to look at Sully; his quietness frightened her.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, and he swallowed hard.

His response, however, took her totally by surprise. "I'd planned to build a tree house in it," he pointed with his head to the tree that seemed to simply be leaning against the front wall.

As he sensed Michaela's uncomprehending gaze, he glanced at her. "For our kid," he explained as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Sully didn't notice the impact of these three short words on her for he looked at the house again. Michaela, however, felt warmth spreading through her body which eventually showed as a soft pink on her cheeks as she realized how far ahead he'd already planned. Which man who only accepted that he would become a father did already design a place for the child to play at the age of five or so when it wasn't even born yet? There was only one explanation: Sully wanted her baby; he already loved it. Thus, in the middle of destruction, Michaela allowed herself to hope again; maybe she wouldn't have to go through everything on her own.

However, a new cold gust of wind brought her back to reality. She was soaked and cold and her leg throbbed with pain. Knowing though that this was nothing in comparison to what Sully had to endure right now, she concentrated on him.

Looking around she noticed, much to her relief, that the garage was still standing. Without hesitating, she gently steered Sully, who didn't resist at all, towards the shelter. He needed to sit down as much as she did, and there they would be out of the rain.

The garage was quite spacious and Sully had put in a bench right next to the door for her to put down her shopping bags when she unloaded her car. That's where Michaela was guiding them now. As soon as Wolf sensed what his humans were up to, he ran ahead of them, sniffing around at the place where the van normally stood.

Still feeling numb, Sully watched his furry friend. Wondering what it was that irritated Wolf, the empty space suddenly reminded Sully that Daniel was on his way to the airport where Cloud Dancing and his wife were due for their arrival from Canada.

After heavily sinking onto the bench, he waited until Michaela sat as well. Yet before he could speak, she asked, "Do you think they are alright out there?"

That's what he was worrying about, too. "No way of really knowin'," he replied in a subdued voice, as he scratched Wolf, who stood before him, behind the ears. Sully was assailed by so many questions that he couldn't think clearly. Could the house be repaired? How would he ever be able to afford it? He would need a lot of money, but how on earth could he provide the gift shop with carvings when he had neither a place where to do them nor the material he had saved in the barn? Would he lose Michaela now for she needed a place to live and he couldn't offer her one anymore? Had Daniel made his way to the airport? Did his Indian friends land safely?

A phone ringing inside of the house alerted him to his surroundings again, even the more so when Michaela made an effort to get up from the bench. Grasping her arm, he held her back. "Where do ya think ya are goin'?"

"Getting my bag and cell phone. We will need both," she replied sounding astonished that he asked although her intentions were obvious.

Not loosening his grip on her arm, Sully felt his temper rise. "Didn't ya hear what this fireman was sayin'? And don't ya have eyes in your head?" He gestured towards the house.

"Well, yes," Michaela responded, sounding a little less determined. "But I wouldn't have to venture far into the house. I've placed my bag and the phone onto my desk when I came downstairs for breakfast. You know it's right next to the entrance."

Shifting so he could judge the house's state again, Sully thought it might be relatively safe. The left side looked as stable as always, but that didn't mean he would allow for Michaela to go there. "You stay here," he said, straightening to his feet, "I'll get them."

"No," Michaela instantly protested, rising from the bench as well, "you have to be careful with your legs. I'll go."

As they glared at each other, standing face to face, both insisting on being in the right, they suddenly became aware of the absurdity of their argument.

"We are doing it again," Michaela looked at Sully somewhat sheepishly, whilst he ran his hand through his hair.

"Yeah," he agreed, even more shamefaced. "I'm sorry."

"But we are making progress nevertheless," Michaela stated, the corners of her mouth curling up.

"Yep," Sully nodded, grinning at her tentatively, "we notice what we're doin' and stop bein' stubborn."

The ringing of the phone had ceased by now, and Sully suggested, "We'll just ask that specialist once he'll show up here."

Although reluctantly for she felt cut from the world without her cell phone and naked without her medical bag Michaela concurred with him, sighing.

Knowing they had no other choice, they resumed their waiting, sitting on the bench again whilst Wolf alternated between laying his head in Michaela's lap, waiting to be stroked, and putting his front legs on Sully's thighs enjoying his master's patting him on his back.

xxx

It was about three hours later when Michaela felt she could truly breathe again. She and Sully had remained on the bench for thirty minutes or so, but then they both became too restless to idle the time away, simply sitting around. Promptly they had another discussion, both insisting the other one needs to rest. However, in the end they had taken turns in searching along the street for someone who could tell them how to find that specialist whilst the other one was waiting at the house.

Stout Drive was an odd sight; obviously, the twister had just grazed it. On the right, the buildings had suffered only minor damage but on the left the tornado had left a path of destruction. From some of the houses in the beginning of the street only the foundation walls were left. That was where the helpers were searching for survivors who might be stuck in their cellars. However, since both, Michaela and Sully were injured, they weren't allowed to help.

Feeling helpless and useless, their frustration grew. In addition, they didn't dare leave the property for they feared thieves who would show up eventually as certainly as the sun rose every morning. They had another argument when Sully wanted at least for Michaela to go to the apartment yet their fight was settled rather quickly once Sully remembered that the key was still in his jeans that lay on a chair in the master bedroom.

However, they weren't able to find someone who could tell them whether it was safe to enter the house or not. It was then that Sully decided he knew enough about the construction to judge the damage himself. Michaela had agreed, even if somewhat reluctantly, after he reminded her that he'd not only been the architect of the house but the master builder as well.

With Wolf never leaving his side, Sully had just finished rounding the building when the van drove onto the yard. The reunion of the friends had been enthusiastic but short for everyone knew that they had to make some quick decisions. The first one was, much to Michaela's dismay but she had been outnumbered by four to one, that Snow Bird would take her to the apartment after Sully mentioned that Charlotte had a key, too. Thus they were on their way now.

Closing her eyes, Michaela relaxed against the back of the passenger seat in her Toyota whilst Snow Bird was driving. As shaken as the Cheyenne woman was by the destruction she'd just witnessed, she still thought something that Daniel had told them much more important. Glancing at her friend, she couldn't wait any longer.

"So, when will the big day be?" she asked, eager to start with helping to plan it.

Michaela, with her thoughts still at the house, was bewildered. "What day?" she wondered, looking at her friend.

Snow Bird chuckled, "The wedding, of course!"

"Oh," Michaela said caught off guard, needing a moment to consider her reply. "There won't be a wedding," she at last conceded quietly.

"Why not?" Snow Bird requested in disbelief. "You love each other, you practically already live together and you will have a baby… What else are you waiting for?"

Michaela swallowed; the way Snow Bird put it, everything sounded so easy. Yet she still recollected very well what had led to the breaking up, and thus she explained, "We found out that we don't have enough in common to make a life together."

"How's that?" Snow Bird kept at it, flashing a curious gaze at her neighbor. Of course Daniel had already informed them about the rift between the couple, but the Cheyenne wanted to hear it from Michaela herself, hoping to be able to understand the problem that had caused the parting of their friends' ways.

"Well…" Michaela hesitated, searching for the right words whilst she looked at the street ahead. Only a few more minutes, and they would arrive at Charlotte's. How could she say it in a few words why she had lost the confidence in their relationship? "Maybe the main reason was that he allowed other people to help him but insisted that I leave him alone. In addition, he dismissed my advices, no matter whether I gave them as a doctor or his partner."

"I see," Snow Bird replied. She knew her husband's white brother for a very long time already, had seen him getting married to his first wife and witnessed how devastated he was after he'd lost her. But she had also been there when he not only found back into life after he met the doctor but enjoyed it as he had never before once he'd become friends with her. The Indian woman was sure that Sully had only pushed Michaela away because he thought it was better for her, and of course a character like Dr. Mike didn't appreciate this kind of solicitude.

"Sully just never met a strong woman like you before," said Snow Bird in an attempt to explain his behavior. "Give him some time," she suggested as she pulled the car against the curb. As she turned the key so as to put off the ignition, she looked at Michaela, adding, "I bet he already deeply regrets what he has done to you."

xxx

Michaela gave Snow Bird's words a lot of thoughts while she was resting in the bedroom. Sully had been curt with her, even rude. She had felt humiliated next to his friend Catherine, the teacher, but he didn't seem to care. Could the purpose behind his acting excuse what he had done? Like David, he had made her decisions but whilst her former fiancé had only had his own welfare in mind, Sully wanted to protect her. Could she really trust that he was able to change and come to accept her sight of things? Well, she wouldn't find out if she didn't give him a chance. At least they were still on friendly terms… Only time could show…

Without noticing it, she drifted off and only woke when she heard the doorbell's ringing.

It was amazing how many people fit in the living room. In the end they were eight because Charlotte and both her sons had joined them, wanting to find out in which way they could help. The Coopers were perched on the couch together with Michaela and Snow Bird whilst Cloud Dancing and Daniel occupied the two chairs. Sully had chosen to sit in his wheelchair due to the lack of another seat.

"Alright," Sully said, taking in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "It ain't easy, but the house can be repaired. It's only…"

As he swallowed hard it became obvious that he couldn't bring himself to admit out loudly that he wouldn't be able to afford to hire a construction company. Yet the others understood anyway.

"I still have a few weeks until my next project will start. I'll help ya," Daniel declared.

"And Matthew's on spring break," Charlotte chimed in, "he will be happy to help as well."

"Yep," affirmed the young law student without hesitating.

"You can count me in, too," Cloud Dancing nodded to his white brother, "I still have some days off."

All eyes were expectantly directed at Sully, waiting for his reaction. Feeling highly uncomfortable, he thanked his friends, "I'm really grateful, but I'll still need a lot of money for buying all the building material."

"There are such things as loans," Cloud Dancing said quietly, "and I'm sure the insurance will pay something, too."

It was apparent how little Sully wanted to talk about his money problems, but he still conceded, "I got only a minimal insurance that won't pay for damages caused by a tornado. And no banker in his right mind will give me a loan for I'd never be able to pay it back."

As Michaela listened to the conversation and watched Sully communicating with his friends, she made a decision. "May I talk to you for a moment? Alone?" she requested, looking at him.

"Sure," he replied, trying to sound calmer than he was. It wasn't hard to imagine what the topic of their talk would be, and although the last thing he wanted was to fight with her, he knew he simply wouldn't be able to accept money from her.

Glancing from Cloud Dancing to Daniel, he rose to his feet so as to follow Michaela who was already at the French door, opening it.

Wolf, lying under the table, shortly lifted his head as if considering following his humans but laziness won out. Thus it was only Michaela and Sully in the back yard.

Standing across from her, Sully heavily supported himself on his crutches as he waited for her to begin, silently begging her not to offer a loan to him.

Of course Michaela knew that he would never agree if she suggested a private credit, but she thought she had the perfect solution for his problem which could also solve that of their relationship. If he said yes, that was.

At last looking up from her hands she had clasped before her, she said, "I have an idea regarding my rent."

This statement stunned Sully momentarily for it was the least he had expected her to talk about. Yet as she continued, he understood. "I could pay my rent for as many months as necessary in advance. This way you would have the money you need for rebuilding the house."

Speechless, Sully gaped at her. He knew what she was doing; she gave him her money just in disguise. He didn't immediately protest though because simultaneously, he realized something else: she intended to stay with him. All he had to do was to forget his pride and accept her offer. Once at this point with his thoughts, he stopped considering any other options.

"That would be great," he said, his voice cracking with emotion.

As he held her gaze, his eyes lit up, flashing the most incredible blue Michaela had ever seen. A warm sensation inside of her chest made her heart beat faster. Blushing, she shyly averted her eyes.

Sully wanted to pull her in his arms but feared that it might still be too much. Thus he suggested instead, "Let's tell the others."

Silence fell over the room as they entered again. The adults expectantly waited for an explanation, but Brian blurted, "Have ya been kissin'?"

Whilst everyone else burst into laughter Michaela and Sully looked at each other, both knowing that they had just made another large step forwards in their relationship.