Warning: This chapter includes a brief sexual encounter between two married adults.

Chapter 106

May 20, 1871 – Colorado Springs

His hands roamed down her bare sides, and she relished the feel of him touching her, caressing her, loving her. She smiled, as he lifted her easily into his arms and carried her to their bed, laying her down across the quilt, her hair spilling behind her in a gorgeous display of auburn. Her eyes pierced through his gaze, seeing right into his heart, as he climbed over her, his bare skin lying against her own. It felt so good to be held by him like this. It had been too long since they could truly connect.

"You feelin' alright?"

"Perfect," she breathed. Her voice came out as more of a purr, and Sully had to bite back a groan of desire that began to flow through him. Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him on top of her. Her legs surrounded him, and he moaned, as he felt the warmth of her body pressing into his. It was all he could do to hold his composure for her, but when he looked into her eyes, he couldn't look anywhere else. He kissed her again, slowly at first, but she opened up to him, deepening the kiss. Her hands wandered over his body, caressing the soft flesh that covered firm muscles in his stomach. He jumped in reflex to her ticklish touch, but he then relaxed, letting her explore further before surprising her by grabbing onto her and flipping onto his back, bringing her on top of him. Her hair swished down her body, covering her breasts. He softly stroked her arms, pushing her hair back behind her. She blushed, as his hands began to roam over her sensitive breasts, caressing their fullness and drawing out a contented sigh from her lips.

He pulled her down on him, kissing her hungrily, as their bodies began to react to the embrace they shared. Michaela's lips pressed against his neck, and he felt her suckle him there. She groaned, when she felt his pulse begin to throb against her lips. She smiled, letting him roll her onto her back again, and they joined together, both crying out for one another and neither wanting to let go.

Sully lay on his side watching her sleep. He smiled at the way she lay on her back with her hands on her belly. Her fingers would twitch now and again, moving when one of the babies would kick. The smile that curled up in the corners of her mouth made him wonder what she was dreaming about. He couldn't stop staring at her. She was beautiful, glowing. The way her hair framed her cheeks and rested under her shoulders made her look like an angel or some otherworldly vision that warmed his very soul.

He saw her stir in her sleep, and she moaned softly, increasing his curiosity about her dream. He wanted to wake her, but at the same time, watching her was exhilarating.

Sensing that he was watching her, she yawned and slowly opened her eyes, smiling as she saw him propped up on his elbow, staring over at her.

"Must've been some dream," he said with amusement in his eyes. He caught the redness welling in her cheeks.

"What time is it?" she asked, her eyes twinkling, wanting to keep him wondering for a while.

"Four thirty," he said softly.

"I've been sleeping that long?"

"Figured you'd like the rest," he grinned.

"Thank you." She rolled toward him, kissing him upon the lips. When she started to pull back, he caught her by surprise, pulling her closer and kissing her longer. She smiled against his lips, giggling when his hand began to caress the curve of her hip. "You certainly know how to wake a woman up, Mr. Sully."

"You've given me lots of practice, Mrs. Sully," he countered, brushing the hair away from her face. "I love you."

"I love you too," she whispered. She brought her hand between them and smiled at the rings on her finger. "It's hard to believe we're actually married…it feels like we've already been married for so long." She smiled when he kissed the rings on her finger and never took his eyes off of hers.

"That's good, right?"

"Very," she assured him. She smiled, adjusting herself when her back began to ache. He saw her squint her eyes and sigh heavily in her discomfort, so he got out of bed, wrapping a discarded bed sheet around his lower half, and he moved to her side of the bed.

"Here. Sit up." He took her hand and held her up, and she smiled gratefully. "Tell me where it hurts."

"My lower back…just here." She took his hands and pressed his fingertips firmly into the spot that needed the most attention. She leaned forward, letting him work his magic on the tenser regions of her back. He bent down to kiss her bare shoulder, and she leaned back against his chest.

"That feels good," she admitted, craning her neck so she could kiss his chin. He smiled, leaning down to help himself to a kiss that she eagerly responded to. But, he continued his comforting massage, and pretty soon, her discomfort was gone, and she was lying beside him on the bed, their bodies intertwined, as they kissed and explored one another's bodies again as if it was the first time.

Afterward, they lay half-asleep in each other's embrace and spoke softly about many things, nothing of any consequence. Just being there and experiencing the joys of loving one another and feeling loved was enough. After a while, they both fell asleep in the comfort of their own bed and their lover's arms.

"That was real good meatloaf, Grace," Daniel said with a handsome smile, as he placed fifty cents on the table.

"Thank you, Daniel," she said with a grin. "I know I can always count on you to keep me in business."

"What're ya talkin' about? Ya been busy today."

"I know. I'm just teasin' ya is all," she laughed. "Have you seen that husband of mine? He was supposed to take Olivia to Mrs. Houser after droppin' Dr. Mike and Sully off."

"I passed him on my way outta the mercantile earlier," he replied. "He didn't have Olivia, so I'm assumin' he made it out to Mrs. Houser's all right." Grace nodded in relief, and she poured him a little more coffee.

"Think Dr. Mike's alright?" Carrie asked absently, as she prodded her cold green beans with a fork. Grace eyed her.

"I'm sure she's managin'," she chuckled. Carrie feigned shock at Grace's utterance, and she laughed. Daniel shook his head.

"You're both terrible. I'm sure they wouldn't appreciate us talkin' like that about 'em on their honeymoon," he taunted. "Maybe they're just talkin' since…" Carrie rolled her eyes.

"Don't you think folks just assume they know what folks are doin'? I mean, it is their weddin' night after all. I'm sure they're doin' a little more than…talkin'," Carrie laughed, winking at him. She lowered her voice so only he could hear. "I mean, is that what you want for our weddin' night, Daniel? You wanna talk?" Daniel saw the twinkle in Carrie's eyes, and he felt his heart skip a beat. She winked at him and leaned over to kiss his cheek, gaining many stares from Grace's other customers.

A clearing through broke them both from their moment, and they looked up to see Kid Cole and Ruth standing there with knowing smiles on their faces.

"Mind if we join ya?" Kid Cole asked.

"Not at all," Daniel replied. "Please." Kid Cole pulled out a chair for Ruth, and she sat down with a smile on her face.

"How are you feelin', Ruth?" Carrie asked with a smile.

"Just a little tired, but I'm feelin' pretty good. Thought we'd come talk to ya about the weddin'. Just a couple more weeks." Carrie smiled happily.

"Yeah. I just wish Olive was here. When I was a little girl, I always dreamed of my ma bein' at my weddin'…I know that can't happen now."

"You heard from your pa yet?" Ruth asked sympathetically. She had always wanted her mother to be there at her wedding. Unfortunately, fate had felt otherwise.

"Not yet. I sent word out to him, but I'm afraid he's probably too busy…"

"Too busy for his own daughter?" Daniel asked. "That don't sound like Tommy."

"Look, he's a busy man."

"That don't excuse him not comin' to his daughter's wedding," Kid Cole pointed out. "There are things a man's gotta do, but there's things he ought to do without even thinkin' twice. Goin' to his daughter's weddin' is one of 'em."

"It's alright. I know he's busy, and if he can't make it, I won't hold it against him."

Grace shook her head, listening to Carrie try to hide the disappointment she knew she'd feel if her father couldn't come to her wedding. Grace had never had the chance to know who her father was or what his name was. She didn't know anything about his side of the family except that her mother had loved him, and they had had seven children together, Grace being the youngest, and they had all been sold off to separate masters. Grace remembered her mother vaguely. She remembered small things like the way she saved her smiles for her children at the end of the day or the way she would pull them all close together to keep warm. But they'd been sold off one by one, and her mother had died from what Grace believed to be heartbreak. When she became a free woman, she vowed to herself that if she ever had a family, she'd keep them together. She only wished that she'd had the chance to know her family and to have them be a part of her wedding to Robert E. Unfortunately, they were scattered to the wind, and she didn't even know if any of them were still alive.

"'Scuse me." Grace jumped, sitting the coffee pot down on the stove to heat. She turned on her heels to face a man she'd never seen before in her life. "I was wondenin' if maybe you could help me find somebody." Grace cocked her head to the side.

"It depends. Who you lookin' for?"

"I'm lookin' for Ruth McKenzie," he said quietly. "Well, I s'pose it should be Ruth Watkins…but maybe she's goin' by Cole now." Grace eyed the man as if he'd grown a second head.

"What do ya want with Ruth Cole?" she asked.

"I'm here to take her home." Grace turned toward the table where Ruth and Kid Cole were talking happily and quietly with Carrie and Daniel.

"I don't know who you are, but—"

"I'm family."

"A brother? A…"

"I'm her husband, Ma'am. James…Jim Watkins." Grace's jaw dropped, and she stared at Jim for the longest time. She gripped the sides of her skirt, shifting her weight from foot to foot.

"I…I…" But he caught sight of Ruth before Grace had the chance to say or do anything. Grace held her breath and prepared to watch the scene unfold.

"You're gonna be a beautiful bride," Ruth said with a sparkling smile, tracing the patterns of the tablecloth with her fingernail. "If ya need anything, I still got parts of my weddin' dress…"

"Parts?" Carrie asked. Ruth giggled.

"We were in a hurry leavin' town…didn't have much choice. We were bein' chased, and my dress got cut up." Carrie frowned. "Oh, it wasn't that important. What was important at the end of the day was that me and Kid Cole were alright. We spent out honeymoon hidin' in some little hotel, waitin' for the trail to cool." She shook her head. "Thankfully, we don't have to keep runnin' anymore. We have a home now."

"Home, huh?" Ruth froze at the voice that spoke those words. "Last I knew, your home was with me." Everyone at the table turned to see the man. He was older than Ruth, probably in his mid-thirties, and he had slight tinges of grey around his temples, a sign that he'd been working hard for a long time, and Ruth knew that he'd been searching for her this entire time. How had he managed to find her? She grimaced, remembering letters she'd written back home. How stupid could she have been? "Ain't ya gonna say hello, darlin'?"

The dinner table in the side room of the clinic was quiet, as Johnny and Mary sat side-by-side, whispering together about something they'd seen outside earlier. Gabby, feeling like the odd girl out now, was picking at her food with her fork, while Marjorie, Rebecca, and Timothy spoke now and then about how wonderful the wedding had been. All in all, it was a comfortable silence, but it was still a little too quiet. They had offered for Dr. Cook to join them, but he had made other plans.

Johnny looked up from his conversation with Mary, and he glanced questioningly at Rebecca.

"You think Ma and Pa are alright out there?" he wondered.

"Of course, Johnny. If anything were wrong…"

"There's no doctor out there. What if somethin' happens," he asked, worry beginning to fill his heart by the moment.

"I'm sure everything's fine, Johnny," Marjorie assured him. Michaela and Sully just need a little time alone. I'm afraid they haven't had much chance for that lately."

"But she's supposed to rest, and…"

"And I'm sure your father is taking wonderful care of her," Timothy chimed in. Johnny still wasn't convinced. He knew his father took great care of his mother, but he was still afraid for her. What if something happened? He knew his father would never leave her side, but if he did have to leave for help, she'd be all alone and afraid. The thought of that made a lump form in Johnny's throat.

"Don't worry, Johnny," Gabby said softly. "They'll be back to town tomorrow, and you won't have to worry anymore." Johnny nodded slowly, a plan forming in his head.

"What if she didn't come back to town."

"What?"

"Well, I heard ma say once that all that wagon ridin' can be hard on pregnant ladies. What if I ask her and pa if we can stay at the new homestead instead of here in town. Ma said she's getting tired of lookin' at the same walls everyday. Maybe she'd like to stay home better." Rebecca and Marjorie glanced at one another, the wheels in their heads turning as well.

"Well, I think that would be a wonderful idea, but I'm concerned that something might happen that would require Dr. Cook…"

"Well," Timothy retorted, "Dr. Cook said that she was strong enough to walk down the aisle on her wedding day."

"Yes, but that's one day. So much could happen in a few moments…and if Dr. Cook wasn't there…what if…" Marjorie closed her mouth, her jaw clenching tightly in worry. She remembered the pains of childbirth vividly, but she had no idea what Michaela was going through with the constant worry everyday that one wrong move could damage both her health and her children's. "I think we'd better let Michaela decide what she wants first." Johnny nodded, and he stood up.

"Can I be excused?"

"May I be excused," Marjorie corrected him, causing Mary to giggle aloud.

"Sorry. May I be excused?"

"Go along. Don't forget to wash your face," Rebecca said with a nod.

"I won't." With that, Johnny escaped up the back stairs and into his room. Three curious wolf pups padded silently into the room, as Johnny sat on the edge of his bed and started to write in his journal.

Ma and Pa are having their wedding night. I don't know what they're doing, really, but since Pa told me the birds and the bees, I think I got a pretty good idea. That's how my baby brothers or sisters were made, anyway. I really don't want to stay at the clinic anymore. I want to live in the new homestead, but I don't want Ma to have to worry about there not being a doctor there. I wish I was a doctor, because I could help her. I'm scared of losing another ma, especially since she's the only one I ever knew. I wonder about my first ma sometimes, but every time I think of ma, I think of Dr. Mike.

Me and Mary are friends again. I don't know if Gabby was right about Mary being sweet on me. I hope not, because I really like Gabby, and I don't want Mary to be jealous anymore. I don't want to make her feel bad. She's my best friend, and I want to keep it that way.

I wish there was a way I could know all the answers to things. I'm tired of being confused all the time. Grandpa Loren always told me girls were confusing, but I didn't understand him till now. I guess he was right. I miss him sometimes too. Me and him would go fishing a lot this time of year, but we can't anymore. Pa says Grandpa's up in Heaven with my real ma and my sisters and that we'd all be together again someday. But what happens to Dr. Mike? If we all go to the same place, how can I have both her and Abagail as my ma in Heaven?

A knock came to the door, and Gabby poked her head in.

"Hey."

"Hi."

"They let you go without doin' dishes?"

"I lied and told them I was tired and didn't feel well. I just wanted to make sure you were ok."

"I'm ok." He placed his journal aside and smiled for her.

"You sure? You looked kind've worried back there."

"I'm ok. I just want Ma to be ok."

"You don't have to worry about her. Your father loves her a lot. You can tell by the way they look at each other." She grinned. "My mother and stepfather used to look at each other that way." She moved over to Johnny's bed and sat down beside him. "What're you writing?" Tensing up, Johnny tossed the journal onto his bedside table.

"Nothin'. It's…nothin'. Just some thoughts."

"Anything about…" She blushed. "I mean…thoughts about what?" Johnny shrugged, squirming in his spot on the bed, as Pup pounced off of the floor and into the chair next to his bedside table. The pup yipped, and Johnny was grateful. He hurried over to pick the heavy wolf up, and Gabby rolled her eyes.

"Good boy," he said quietly. "You're getting big."

"Well…I guess I'm going to go back downstairs. Are you coming back down?"

"Um…no, I think I'm gonna read a little. Ma brought some books back from Boston with her, and she said I could read 'em if I want. One of 'em is about a man who goes after this huge white whale named…Moby…somethin' or other."

"Moby Dick?" Gabby asked.

"Yeah! That's it. She said it might be kinda hard to understand, but it sure sounds like a good story."

"Alright. Well, good night then." Johnny nodded.

"Night." Gabby smiled at him before she left him, closing his bedroom door behind her. Johnny sighed heavily and sat down on his bed, letting Pup down to play with his siblings. He stared at the door for a few minutes before finally taking his journal back and continuing to write.

When Sully woke again, he expected to feel her in his arms or find her resting at his side. But he grew alarmed when she wasn't even in bed with him, and her robe was missing. Standing up and pulling a towel around his waist, Sully quickly left the room, feeling the urge to call out to her, but when he saw lamplight emanating from a partially open door down the hall, his heart began to beat at a normal pace again.

He stood behind the door for a moment, hearing her humming softly, and he smiled, slowly opening the door to find her sitting in a rocking chair by the window, rocking slowly with her hands resting upon her belly. She stared down at two cradles that lay side by side, and the scene warmed his heart. Suddenly, he found himself wishing it was September and that the babies were already there, though he didn't want to wish the time away. He didn't know how much longer he could have these moments with her where it was just the two of them and no distractions; no interruptions.

She hadn't noticed him there yet, but when he stepped into the room, the glow from her lantern flickered, and his shadow was cast across the room. She looked up, smiling contentedly.

"They were gonna be a surprise."

"When did you find the time, Sully? They're perfect."

"I have my ways," he replied, moving across the room to kneel in front of her chair. He took her hands in his, and he kissed them. "You should be in bed."

"I'm alright. I was curious about the rest of the house. It's wonderful, Sully. You've done so much for our family…I feel as if I haven't…"

"Don't even think about finishin' that sentence. You've done so much, Michaela. You're carryin' our babies. You're helpin' me raise our son. You're getting ready to build a hospital in town to help your friends and your patients and your family. You've done so much in such a little amount of time. I'm so proud of ya." She leaned down to kiss him, but her belly would only allow her a little room, so Sully stretched upward to compensate.

"I don't want to go back into town tomorrow," Michaela confessed. "It's so nice here." She pulled away from him for a moment. "I feel as if I could stay out here forever…it's so peaceful."

"But ya gotta go back so Dr. Cook can make sure you're alright."

"I know," she said softly. "I know what's best for my babies. I can't wait until everything's normal again. I just want to get on with our lives, Sully, but I feel as if we can't do that when I'm cooped up inside that clinic all of the time."

"Not too much longer, Michaela. In a few weeks, if everything goes right, we'll be able to move in, and we'll be able to start getting ready for the babies."

"I can't wait. I can't wait for them to come. It seems hard to believe that I still have four more months to go…" She laughed softly. "Four more months to get even larger than this if it's possible." She indicated to her belly. He rubbed it softly. Standing, he helped her stand too, and she leaned into him. He held her for the longest time, rubbing her back and feeling her warm breath against his chest.

"Thank you for being so wonderful, Sully."

"Ya make it easy," he grinned. "I love you."

"I love you." He took her hand in his and led her back to the bedroom, where they continued their wedding night, not wanting to accept that it had to end. But they knew they had a lot more to look forward to. They were just getting started.