Chapter 2

Sully straightened in his chair when he heard the wagon arrive in the yard. They had just finished supper and everything appeared to be normal. Catherine was eager to learn how to make biscuits and Colleen was willingly explaining it to her. Grinning at each other now and then, he and Matthew had simply listened whilst they were eating. Only Brian was unusually quiet as he had been all day. Yet every time his sister asked him, he insisted that he was fine and just had a headache.

However, as Colleen rose to her feet, starting to clear the table, Catherine followed suit, determined to help. In order to cheer up his little brother, Matthew suggested a game of checkers and when Brian agreed, Sully decided to go out and see what was taking Michaela so long.

As he entered the barn, she had just led Bear to the place where he would spend the night.

"Evenin'," Sully said, "We already finished supper."

He could tell that Michaela was worked up when she deliberately avoided his eyes and only replied, "That's alright."

Probably another hard day at the clinic, he decided. She would tell him if she wanted to. Casually picking up a piece of straw from the haystack and fiddling with it, he followed her out of the backdoor of the barn towards the wagon that she had left there earlier, not knowing that in two more minutes, their whole relationship would be messed up. He hadn't even recognized it then.

Michaela couldn't believe that Sully was acting as if everything was fine. Well, she knew that this wasn't the case and would confront him right away. Trying in vain to calm her racing heart she managed to make her voice sound non-committal as she started their conversation, "So, now Catherine is staying with you."

Sully was honestly surprised and told her so, "I don't know anything about that." Glancing up at him her voice betrayed that she didn't believe him as she responded, "I don't suppose you gave her your necklace either."

Irritated by the sarcasm he detected in her tone he explained, "She gave me one." As he touched it, Michaela glanced at the item hanging down his chest and Sully felt compelled to explain, "The Cheyenne believe that you return a gift with a gift."

Michaela didn't even ask why he was wearing a necklace made by another woman because she already knew that some other Indian custom would be the reason for it. She wondered for a split second if he would find it normal too if it were the other way around: her wearing the gift of another man. Yet she didn't bring up this question; being positive now that she was already out of the game. Shrugging lightly, she acknowledged this fact, "Well, if it's alright for the Cheyenne – who am I to argue?" She averted her eyes from him again.

The bitterness shining through wasn't lost on Sully. Bending forward he searched for her gaze and touched her upper arm so as to reassure her, "She's just bein' grateful; that's all."

But Michaela was beyond a state where she could be soothed with such an explanation because she knew there was more. That was why she instantly responded. Locking her eyes with him she challenged him, "And kissing her – is that gratitude as well?"

Momentarily stunned, Sully straightened. He should have seen that coming. Since he'd learned that Brian had seen Catherine and him, he was contemplating how to react if Michaela found out too. In the end he had decided not to make it bigger than it was. Yes, he had kissed Catherine but it was a decision of the moment, not of his heart. He knew Michaela would be angry about that but in his opinion she had no reason to doubt his love for her.

However, there was something in her tone which made him sense that he wouldn't get away so easily. Thus he put all his power of conviction into his voice in an attempt to make her hear that he was being absolutely honest when he at last replied, "I never meant for that to happen."

The still lingering, tiny hope that Brian had misjudged what he had seen was dashed by this response. There was no reason for Michaela to hold back her pent-up emotions any longer. Setting them free, her tone was purely accusatory, "In front of the children! How could you?"

This was the last reply he had expected. Not prepared for it Sully used the first argument that came to his mind, "I didn't know that Brian was there!"

If Michaela had taken the time to analyze these words they would have caused yet another pang. She would have concluded that, contrary to his former assurance, he knew very well what he was doing otherwise there wouldn't be any need to hide his actions.

However, she wasn't interested in excuses anyway but immediately went on, "Catherine is in love with you; she didn't even know about us! Why didn't you tell her?"

Growing defensive in response to her angry tone, Sully shot back, "Why didn't you?"

Taken aback, Michaela just stared at him for a second. Did he really think it was her task to set the woman straight when she had proudly presented his gift? After he had told her that they were the same? She couldn't believe that Sully was making it her fault that Catherine thought her future was with him.

Incredulously, she raised her voice, "Now you're turning it around! I'm the one…"

Yet Sully cut her short. Spending time with Catherine had reminded him how pleasant and easy the company of a woman could be. Losing his temper as well he shifted, trying to hold her gaze when he blurted out his frustration, "You are the one who has never time to spend with me. Who's always too nervous to be alone with me, to kiss me!"

He didn't succeed in keeping their eyes locked because she was looking down at the ground now. Without knowing it, he had affirmed Michaela's conclusion from earlier that she wasn't the right partner for him. Thinking that he at least owed her confirmation that he had found someone else, she lifted her head again, declaring, "You want to be with another woman - then admit it."

Letting out an angry snort Sully turned away from her; she was actually twisting his words! His expression showed his irritation when he faced her again, "I never said that!"

He was oblivious to the fact that she simply didn't believe him anymore. And when she went on, "But you find her attractive!" his response, "Any man would," didn't improve the situation.

Although it felt as if her heart had become a block of ice on hearing his admission, it beat frantically against her ribs when she at last asked directly, "Are you in love with her?"

Sully's incredulous reply came instantly, "Of course not!"

He couldn't believe that they were having such an argument again. After her unfounded suspicions of him having feelings for Dorothy, he had thought that they were through with this nonsense.

Yet Michaela wasn't done yet; she only took another approach as she stated, "But you care for her."

Not even bothering to hide his annoyance, Sully averted his eyes for a moment by looking up at the dark sky. She wanted to hear it? Fine, then he would say it, "Yes, I care for…"

Finally having her answer, Michaela interrupted him with her inference, "Then you have feelings for her!"

Now Sully lost the rest of his patience and yelled at her, "Stop putting words in my mouth! Stop assuming things!"

"My only problem is assuming that I'm the only one," she retorted, suddenly feeling strangely disconnected from the man across from her. Who was he? And again, the thought from earlier about him living with the Cheyenne plagued her, "Tell me Sully, how many others have there been before me?"

Taken by surprise he straightened his back. Lowering his tone considerably he wondered, not understanding where this question was coming from, "Why are you asking me that now?"

Michaela, however, was determined to get her answer as she simply stated, "I want to know. Have you been with another woman since Abigail died? I want the truth."

Yet Sully refused to get into this, thinking he finally knew what this argument was about. Thus he coolly replied, barely hiding his disgust, "No, you don't." He had no intention of dealing with a jealous woman.

Turning, he left her standing there, not knowing that he had just destroyed what they had so carefully built together: their trust in each other.

Michaela stared at Sully's retreating figure. He was a stranger, leaving her standing there as if she wasn't worth another word. If she summarized their argument in a sober light then he had just told her that he had kissed another woman he cared for and found attractive. He had done it unintentionally but it wasn't her business since everything that had happened was her fault anyway.

This had to be a bad dream she would wake up from any minute.

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