Chapter 100

May 19, 1871 – Colorado Springs

Despite almost being summer, a chill was in the air. The windows of the clinic had been foggy that morning, and Michaela normally wouldn't have noticed, but there wasn't much else to focus on. She'd been on continued bed rest, and she relished the moments in which she was allowed to get up and stretch her legs, if only for a few minutes. She hadn't had any more pains that might signify more complications, but she wasn't taking any chances. At the first sign of feeling light headed or achy, she would get back into bed and wait it out. Most of the time, she kept it to herself. Other times, it was more than obvious to Sully that his future wife was in some amount of discomfort.

Johnny was sitting at his mother's bedside this afternoon with the three wolf pups curled at the legs of his chair. They were getting too big to do that, but Michaela didn't mind the company. Sully had gone out to meet the train that carried the replacement doctor. He'd gotten held up in St. Louis, but he'd sent word two days earlier that he'd be arriving on the 19th. Dr. Bernard had stayed on a little longer to make sure Michaela was properly taken care of, but since the new doctor was coming, he had gone back to his room to pack.

"Ma?"

"Hmm?" Michaela asked, as she finished writing a letter and placing it in an envelope.

"Who ya writin' to?"

"My sister…your aunt Marjorie," Michaela said quietly. She didn't notice the grin on Johnny's face.

"Want me to mail it out for ya?" he asked. Michaela gave the envelope a good, sharp crease along the top so that the seal would stay firm.

"That's very kind of you. I'd appreciate it." She stretched her tired arm out and handed him the small, brown package. Just as Johnny took the envelope into his hands, he jumped up, startling the pups awake as well. "You don't have to go right this minute..."

"Yeah I do. I…uh…it's important, and what if Horace closes up early?"

"He never clo—" but Johnny was out the door before she could finish her sentence, leaving her wondering what he was up to. But, she figured that she would find out later, so she sighed and settled back down into her bed, holding her left hand out to admire her engagement ring. Tomorrow was supposed to be the big day, but they hadn't spoken much about it since she'd been put on bed rest, so she assumed it was just another thing that would have to wait. She couldn't wait to marry him, but for the sake of her children, she was going to.

"Dr. Mike?" Michaela looked up from her daze and smiled at Carrie, who was holding a pitcher of what was probably Grace's lemonade.

"Come in, Carrie."

"I know it's a little chilly out, but I figured you might like a little summer. It's Grace's best. I tasted it myself." Michaela nodded eagerly, as Carrie poured her out a glass and handed it to her.

"It's delicious," Michaela concluded.

"You feelin' alright today?"

"Better than usual," Michaela said with a smile.

"Excited about the big day?" Carrie saw the uncertainty in Michaela's eyes. "Dr. Mike?"

"I don't even know if there's going to be a wedding."

"Why do ya say that?"

"Look at me, Carrie. I've been in this bed for nearly two weeks. I haven't had the chance to finish the wedding preparations. I can't very well walk down the aisle. I know Sully wants to marry me tomorrow, but we haven't really discussed it. I just…I don't think it's going to happen."

"Sully loves you. I'm sure he'd marry ya anywhere. I know Sully ain't a church-goin' man, and heck, it might rain tomorrow. Ya never know what could happen. What if ya go to get married in the meadow, and the rain starts pourin' down?"

"I wouldn't care," Michaela said with a slow grin. "I've waited long enough for this day. A little rain won't hurt me." Carrie raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"Well," she grinned, "guess there's still some fight left in the tough lady doc."

"Carrie?"

"Hmm?"

"I've been meaning to…to thank you for your help."

"I've been happy to. I know what it's like to be scared for your child's life. Unfortunately, I never got the chance to really hold mine." She looked away, but she felt Michaela's comforting hand take hers.

"I've also been meaning to ask…will you stand up with me at my wedding?"

"As a bridesmaid?"

"I suppose you could call it that," Michaela said gently, "but it's more important to me. I'd like you to stand with Rebecca. You've been such a support, Carrie, and I know we don't know each other well, but as far as I'm concerned, we're family." Carrie felt her heart skip a beat, and she saw the tears in the doctor's eyes. How could she refuse? She smiled and nodded her head.

"I'd be honored, Dr. Mike." She squeezed Michaela's hand. "Now you just rest and get better, and before ya know it, it'll be your weddin' day." Carrie gathered the empty lemonade glass and the pitcher, and she flounced out of the room. Michaela shook her head, her smile fading, and she looked back at her ring. She hoped that perhaps Sully did have something planned for tomorrow, but she didn't want to get her hopes up or assume anything. Sully had a lot more to worry about than a wedding, and she knew she did too. She decided not to expect anything, because she knew that no matter when they got married, it would be the happiest day of her life.

"Welcome to Colorado Springs," Horace said with a pleased smile, as the travelers stepped off of the train and onto the platform, swirls of dust sweeping between legs and around skirts.

"Pa, ya think she made it?" Johnny asked curiously, as he clutched the letter he was supposed to mail in his hand. Before Sully could answer, a blaze of red bounced out the door and down the steps. Johnny's eyes lit up, as he caught sight of Marjorie. "Aunt Marjorie!" Marjorie smiled, when she heard her name called, and she looked blindly toward the voice, only to be startled by a quick hug around the middle. She looked down at Sully's son and smiled. "Ma wanted me to mail this to ya, but I figure since you're here, I don't gotta." Marjorie noticed Sully stepping toward her, and she smiled.

"Well, where is my sister? I want to see her." She gave Johnny a quick hug back before Sully took her hand, giving it a gentle shake.

"She's restin'," he announced. "I'm glad ya made it, Marjorie. She'll really appreciate ya comin'."

"It's the least I could do. How…how is she? The babies?"

"Everybody's fine for the time bein'." Marjorie could sense the nervous undertone, but she saw Johnny smile and decided not to ask any questions that might cause worry for the boy.

"I want to see her," she said quickly.

"Ya can't," Johnny pointed out. Marjorie raised an eyebrow. "It's part of the surprise."

"It's alright, Johnny. We got it under control. You take Marjorie to see your ma, and I'll get her bags and wait on Dr. Cook."

"Alright," Johnny said quietly. He grabbed Marjorie's hand, and they took off toward the clinic immediately. Sully gathered Marjorie's things, and Horace offered to have them delivered to the clinic. Grateful, Sully agreed, and he moved back toward the rear compartment of the train, grateful to see a young man depart with a black bag in his hand.

"Dr. Cook?" The young man glanced at the oddly-dressed man and nodded, a smile turning up in the corners of his mouth.

"Mr. Sully, I presume?"

"It's just Sully," Sully replied with a nod, extending his hand. Andrew shook it.

"Then I must insist you call me Andrew. My family is very close with the Quinn's, though I'm afraid I've been away and haven't gotten much time to get to know them." Sully smiled at the kind-voiced stranger, and he began to feel at ease, though he worried about the young man's age. He couldn't be more than twenty-one years old.

"When'd you graduate, Andrew?"

"I was an early starter," he said with a nod. "I graduated medical school a year ago." Seeing the apprehension appear in Sully's eyes, he quickly tried to explain himself. "I assure you, I've dealt with many cases like this. I've gotten mothers and babies through worse." He took a deep breath of fresh mountain air, and he relaxed a little. "I'd like to meet my patient now, if that's alright."

"Sure," Sully nodded. "Let's get your stuff to the clinic. We'd like ya to stay in one of the rooms 'til ya find a more permanent place."

"I'd appreciate it. Thanks." He looked around. "You know, a man could get used to this place. I've been here less than five minutes, and it's already a breath of fresh air compared to the bustle of St. Louis or even Boston."

"Sully!" Sully and Andrew turned toward Carrie's voice. Andrew's eyes immediately grew curious, and he stepped forward without hesitation.

"Carrie? Is Michaela ok?"

"She's fine. She's restin'. I just came to check on some shipments…but I see Daniel's already down there takin' care of it." She smiled, nodding Andrew's way.

"Carrie, this is Dr. Andrew Cook. Andrew, this is Carrie James. She runs the mercantile." Andrew nodded.

"A business woman. I like that," he said with a grin, causing Carrie to shift awkwardly, blushing a little and looking at Sully as a plead for help. Sully tries to suppress a smirk, and he cleared his throat.

"Carrie's almost family. She's marryin' my best friend," he said nonchalantly, but firm enough to get the point across.

"I suppose congratulations are in order then, hmm?" Andrew asked. He extended his hand, and Carrie took it, feeling the strength of a surgeon's hand but the sweaty, nervousness of a young man meeting a new lady for the first time.

"Thank you," she said mildly. Glancing over at Daniel, Sully noticed that his best friend was staring now, so he decided that he'd better break up the moment before any silly fights broke out, and Sheriff Cole had to come throw someone in the slammer.

"C'mon. Let's see about getting you settled," Sully said, nudging the doctor, who promptly let go of Carrie's hand. Being released, Carrie nodded quickly and rushed over to talk to Daniel. Sully saw the eyes Andrew had been giving Carrie, and he knew that trouble was probably brewing, and he had a bad feeling that he was going to somehow get caught in the middle somewhere down the road. But for now, his wife needed attending to, and that was most important.

Andrew glanced over his shoulder, as they walked away, and he saw Carrie and Daniel talking intimately, hand in hand, and he smiled at the way her eyes lit up, and her cheeks flushed with color. She was a beauty; there wasn't a doubt. Yes, he was definitely going to get used to living in Colorado Springs.