Chapter 17

October 1859 – Colorado Springs

The house was aglow with the warmth of lantern light and fires burning in the hearths of both the living room and the master bedroom. That was a comfort to Sully, who had been away for a very long week helping Cloud Dancing and Black Kettle. It had been a tiring journey there and back, but he was glad to be home. He had a long week of constructing the Winslow's barn ahead of him, but he knew that by Friday, he would have a good chunk of money in his pocket. He could buy the girls new shoes and bonnets for the upcoming winter storms.

"There ya go, boy," Sully said, taking the saddle off of a tired Bandit and patting his flank. "Don't worry…ya got a good week of rest now." Bandit snorted and whinnied, and he started to eat, as if he hadn't eaten in a week. "Oh, c'mon. You're makin' me look bad. I fed ya twice today already. Guess it's good that you're a horse. Ya sure eat like one."

He slung his pack over his shoulder and started out of the barn and toward the homestead. He could hear Hanna and Lily giggling inside and Abby chasing after them frantically, and that warmed his heart. Abagail had been more or less her old self these past several months, and that was a breath of fresh air to Sully.

He saw two pairs of identical eyes peer out at him from the living room window, and he smiled widely at them.

"Papa! Papa's home!" Hanna cried. The two little faces scurried away from the window, and a moment later, the front door opened, and they came running out, as Abby stood there, leaning against the doorframe, watching her husband scoop up their little girls. She smiled, and Sully gave both of the girls a big bear hug.

"Papa!" Lily exclaimed, her little arms practically strangling Sully's neck. His eyes met Abby's, and she walked down the porch steps toward him. When Sully finally put the girls down, he awkwardly wrapped his arms around Abagail, not sure what her reaction would be. Sometimes she had bad days, and he wasn't sure which this might be.

"You're home," she breathed, relieved that he hadn't gotten home any later than he had. When they pulled back, their lips met in a sweet kiss, and he could feel her trembling with nerves. That wasn't uncommon either.

"Abby?"

"Hmm?"

"Is everything alright?"

"Yes," she said with a nod. "Come on. Let's get inside." She picked up the girls. "Goodness, you two don't even have your shoes on." She laughed awkwardly and carried them off. Sully stared after her for a moment, watching her disappear inside of the homestead. Finally, he followed after her and closed out the cool October air. The girls were now playing on the floor of the homestead and making horse noises with the carvings their papa had made for them. Abby was already at the stove, stirring the pot of stew and checking on the baking bread.

"Everybody do ok while I was gone?" Sully asked. Abagail nodded simply.

"We're fine. We've been keepin' each other company. Mama came out…day before yesterday and started teachin' the girls some quiltin' patterns." Sully looked at his little girls, as he placed his pack on the coat rack beside the door.

"Abby, ain't they a little young for that? I mean, they're barely old enough to form sentences," he pointed out.

"It's never to early. I was their age, and who do ya think made that quilt on our bed, Byron Sully?" She winked at him, and he walked over to stand behind her, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her cheek from behind. She laughed and leaned into him.

"Well, if they like it, I guess there ain't no problem. I just hope they don't grow out of wantin' to come fishin' with me." Abagail laughed and shook her head.

"They ain't even old enough to hold a fishin' pole." She sighed softly, and turned around, wrapping her arms around his neck. "But, maybe by the time they're old enough, you'll have a son to take along too." Sully shrugged his shoulders.

"Even if we never have a boy, I'd be just as happy with the girls I got. All three of 'em." He winked and leaned down to kiss her. She giggled against his lips, and when he pulled back, she sighed with contentment.

"I have somethin' to tell ya," Abagail began, moving away from the stove and out of her husband's arms. She looked around, trying to think of how to say it.

"Papa! Papa! Baby!" Hanna hopped up and down, pointing to her mother's stomach. Sully's mouth dropped, and he glanced at Abby.

"Abby?"

"Hanna," Abagail laughed. "I thought you were gonna let Mama surprise Papa!"

"Sowwy!" she squealed, hurrying over to finish her game with Lily. Abagail's eyes met Sully's again, but his eyes were fixated on her belly.

"A baby?" he asked. She nodded nervously.

"Charlotte said she's pretty sure, and I ain't had my monthly." After a few moments of silence, she spoke again. "What do ya think?"

"What do I think?" Sully asked, quickly. He was going to have three children by the time he was twenty. It was overwhelming, but he loved his girls with all of his heart, and having another baby in the family would certainly make things interesting. But, at the same time, he was worried, because after the girls were born, Abagail had never been the same. She was just starting to get back to her normal self, and he was afraid for her. He didn't want her to go through the same things she'd gone through after Hanna and Lily. "Are you happy?"

"'Course I'm happy," she said with a nervous smile. "I been tellin' the girls, but I ain't told nobody else yet, 'cause I figured it wouldn't be right. You're the father. You got a right to know first." Sully swallowed the lump in his throat. "Ya don't want this baby, do you?" Her eyes were shadowed with doubt and tears.

"'Course I do, Abby! I'm just shocked."

"But…ya think we can afford it?"

"Sure we can," Sully said quietly, pulling her into his arms, hugging her close to him. "This just means I'll need to pick up a few extra hours of work...that's all." Abagail sighed.

"So you'll be gone more than ever," she pointed out. She felt the tears coming on, and she pulled away.

"I'm sorry, Abby, but that's how it's gonna have to be if I'm gonna be able to feed all of us. Don't worry. We'll figure somethin' out." He noticed a crate on the table now, and he wondered where it had come from. "What's that?" Abagail pulled away.

"What's what?" she asked. She followed his gaze to the crate, and her face paled. Sully moved toward it, and he peered down, seeing two pair of shiny black shoes and two matching bonnets.
"Oh…"

"Did ya buy these?" he asked, trying to think how she could have afforded them. He'd left enough money for food and an emergency, but he hadn't there had been enough for shoes and bonnets. He'd planned on buying those after he returned.

"No," she said quietly. He furrowed his brow.

"Did your pa give 'em to ya?"

"No," she answered, looking into his eyes, trying to think of a way to tell him. This seemed more difficult than telling him she was pregnant.

"What's goin' on?" he finally asked, searching his wife's features. By the look in her eyes, he knew. "Jake bought these, didn't he?" Immediately, Abagail moved toward him.

"Sully, he was only bein' nice," Abagail explained. Sully could deal with nice, but Jake knew what he was doing when it came to Abagail, it seemed. He knew how to make big gestures seem casual. "Don't be mad."

"Mad? Abby, he thinks I can't take care of my own family." Abagail shook her head.

"No. Sully, I didn't say nothin' to him. He just saw that Lily had a little hole in her shoe, and he brought this stuff over."

"The bonnets too?" Abagail sighed.

"He must've heard me talkin' to Mama. What could I do? He brought 'em over…"

"Ya shoulda told him that I was plannin' on buyin' this stuff when I got back. Now he thinks I ain't good enough to support our family."

"No he don't…"

"Now I'm in debt to him."

"He said it ain't necessary." Sully sighed and shook his head. He took the money out of his pack, tossing it on the table.

"Don't do that," she responded shortly. "He was just bein' nice." Sully shook his head again.

"Yeah, I'm sure that's just what it was." He turned and walked onto the porch, while Abby turned the opposite way and fled up the stairs.

December 1870 – San Francisco

Michaela and Sully walked out of the telegraph office, having taken care of everything they needed to. They were leaving on a train for Denver in the morning, and after having slept through most of the afternoon, they had met in the lobby of the hotel to do a few errands before departing. They had been in the middle of discussing a Cheyenne sweat lodge ceremony when they arrived at the telegraph office.

"So, what exactly is the sweat lodge used for," Michaela wondered, thinking about all of the medical benefits it might have, as she looped her arm through Sully's.

"Cloud Dancin' says, among his tribe, it's mostly used for healin'. He says that it rids the body of harmful things…usually makes the person come out feelin' better. "Folks sometimes use 'em for spiritual reasons." Michaela glanced at Sully curiously.

"Have you ever done this?" Michaela asked. Sully nodded slowly.

"After Abagail and the kids…well, I made myself a sweat lodge, and I spent days tryin' to convince myself to go back; to keep goin' like Abby would've wanted. But, I was too wrapped up in my grief that I couldn't let go of it. Turns out…I didn't need it after all. All I needed was you." Michaela squeezed his hand and smiled a little.

"Your friend Cloud Dancing sounds very wise."

"He's a good man. I can't wait for ya to meet him. His wife Snow Bird…you'll like her." Michaela took in a deep breath and sighed. Sully decided to change the subject. "What's the craziest thing ya ever had to do as a doctor?" Michaela didn't have to think very long, and she laughed shortly. "What?"

"On my way here, I had to deliver a baby on a train. She was named after me."

"Really?"

"Yes," Michaela said with an affirmative nod. "All the while, the big brother was screaming at the top of his lungs." She shook her head. "I've been in more stressful situations before, but that's the first time I've ever done something like that before. Bringing a child into the world is difficult for the mother, but for the doctor…you have to be there to make sure both mother and baby are fine and make sure there are no complications. It's a frightening thing." Sully nodded.

"When Abagail was havin' Johnny, I didn't know what to do. I wasn't sure…" Sully started, realizing what he'd said. "I…I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Go on," Michaela urged, gently placing her other hand on his arm. "Please?" Sully finally nodded, and he looked up a little, searching for the words; remembering.

"I ain't talked about Johnny bein' born in a long time," he said in a low, contemplative voice. "I guess it's just been a part of me…real vivid in my memory, so I don't have to talk about it much." Michaela nodded supportively.

"I have several memories like that myself," she replied. She glanced side-ways at him as they walked. "You don't have to tell me about him. I'll completely understand if you don't."

"No, I want to." He sucked in a deep breath, and they turned the corner, heading toward the train station to pick up their tickets for the next day's train trip. "When he was born, Abby swore he looked like me. I know she was right. He was so little and red and squashed up, but I already knew he was my son. He had my eyes…my face. He had his mama's smile though." Michaela smiled, picturing an infant version of Sully.

"He must have been a very beautiful baby." Sully nodded sadly.

"Didn't get much time with him, but I knew right away…he was trouble." Michaela grinned. "He was stubborn and tricky. Abby'd feed him, and just when she thought he was sleepin', he'd start cryin' up a storm. The girls were easier babies, and there was two of 'em." Michaela shook her head in awe.

"You were both so young."

"Abby tried her best. We both did. I think it was too much for her at times. We were barely twenty when Johnny came. I think it might've been better if we'd waited. But we were young…stupid, I guess."

"But you loved her."

"I did," he said with a nod. "I loved her, and I thought for sure her pa'd hate me for everything that happened. I wrote him a letter…after I left Colorado Springs. I told 'im I was sorry for everything. I never knew if he got it…I never knew how he felt 'bout me leavin'." Michaela frowned for a moment, as they crossed the street and made it safely to the next sidewalk. "He really helped us out a lot, ya know? He loved playin' with the kids, and he swore that he was gonna be the first one to teach Johnny how to ride a horse. He was a good grandpa…a good pa." There was a soft vulnerability in his voice; a little boy crying out for a father he'd never known.

"How do you think…he'll react to seeing you again?"

"I don't know…I'm almost not sure if I wanna find out." Michaela squeezed his hand.

"Everything's going to be all right, Sully. You'll see." He leaned down to give her a quick kiss, before they continued the rest of the way, conversing about past experiences and their future together.

December 1870 – Boston

Martha came flittering into the Quinn household, her cheeks rosy, and her mouth turned up into a giddy, almost incomparable grin. She had Elizabeth's mail in one hand and the one and only telegram in her other.

Harrison was dusting off the foyer table when the maid came in, and he raised an eyebrow at her good mood.

"Martha? What's happened? You're surprisingly cheerful," he said with a smile. Martha knew he was joking. She always seemed to be cheerful, despite the fact that Elizabeth had demands that the Queen of England probably didn't have.

"Wonderful news, Harrison!" she exclaimed. "I know it isn't my business to read Mrs. Quinn's, telegrams, but Ed at the telegraph office told me it was wonderful news. I had to peek."

"Well, out with it, Martha!" Harrison said, the anticipation building.

"Miss Quinn…Miss Quinn is getting married!" she exclaimed in an excited whisper. "She's marrying Mr. Sully!" Harrison breathed a sigh of relief and took the telegram in his hands. He read the words carefully and then embraced Martha as if to say, "It's about time!" At that point, Elizabeth made her way out of the parlor and into the foyer, just in time to see Harrison let go of Martha. Her eyebrows shot up her forehead, and her mouth gaped open slightly.

"What is going on here?" she demanded, her eyes darting back and forth between the two. Martha's smile fell, and Harrison quickly went back to wiping off the foyer table, but he couldn't take the giant grin off of his face. Martha stepped toward Elizabeth hesitantly and held out the piece of paper.

"Good news, Ma'am," she explained. Elizabeth began to read over her daughter's words, but Martha blurted them out first. "Your daughter is getting married!" Elizabeth's lungs stopped functioning the moment she saw the words printed on the paper: SULLY AND I ARE GETTING MARRIED! MOVING TO COLORADO SPRINGS. WILL SEND WORD FROM THERE.

Harrison and Martha both moved toward Elizabeth when several moments had passed without words. Elizabeth's eyes were unflinching, and her mouth was set in a thin line, though she looked to be using all of her strength to keep it from dropping again.

"Mrs. Quinn?" Harrison asked, stepping up beside her. "Are you all right, Ma'am?" Elizabeth blinked a few times and folded up the piece of paper.

"I'm fine, Harrison," she replied. She cleared her throat and glanced at Martha. "I'll have my afternoon tea in my room." Martha nodded and scurried off toward the kitchen. "Harrison, the parlor piano needs dusting."

"Yes, Ma'am," he replied, quickly jogging off in the opposite direction. Elizabeth was still frozen in place and staring at the piece of paper in her hands. Her daughter; her baby girl was getting married to a man who had no home and no future; a man who was chained to the past like a prisoner.

Rebecca picked the opportune moment to walk through the door with her five-year-old daughter Mary.

"Grandma!" Mary exclaimed, her little gloved hands reaching out excitedly. Elizabeth smiled down at her granddaughter and knelt down slowly to hug her.

"There's my favorite granddaughter," Elizabeth said with a relieved sigh.

"I'm your only granddaughter," Mary said with a giggle. All of the other Quinn daughters had produced sons for their husbands. Rebecca was the only one who had given birth to a daughter. Mary was Rebecca's only child with her late husband, who had passed not long after Mary was born.

"Well, I'm certainly glad to see you. Why don't you run along into the kitchen and have Martha give you something? She baked cookies this morning." Elizabeth winked, and Rebecca sighed with a laugh, as Mary ran off.

"Mother, you shouldn't spoil her."

"Of course I should," Elizabeth replied, waving her hand. "She's my only granddaughter, for goodness sakes." Rebecca smiled again.

"How are you, Mother?"

"Better now that you're here. Oh, Rebecca. Something terrible has happened!" Rebecca's face twisted in worry.

"Oh, Mother. What's happened?" Elizabeth took a deep, dramatic breath.

"Your youngest sister is about to make the biggest mistake of her life, and we are going to stop her."


December 1870 – Colorado Springs

"Jake! Jake!" Horace rushed across town as fast as his two long legs would carry him. In one hand, he held the key to the telegraph office, and in the other, he held a white piece of paper with scratches of writing upon it. "Jake! Jake!" He leapt up the steps of the barbershop in two quick strides and pounded on the closed doors. Jake, who was sharpening his razors before the afternoon rush, came walking over with confusion in his eyes.

"I'm closed, Horace. Whaddya want?"

"Open up! Got good news!" Jake frowned impatiently and opened the doors, ushering the telegraph operator inside. "Got a telegram."

"I can see that. What he heck does it say?"

"Read for yourself," Horace responded, handing the paper over to Jake. But, he couldn't contain himself, as Jake's eyes skimmed over the words. "She's comin'. The lady doctor's comin'!"