Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
"Coming Home: A Christmas Story"
Written By: Emily A. Linzi
(Sully Homestead, Colorado Springs, December 1877)
"Michaela, come on we're going to be late for the train." Said Sully.
"I'm coming." Said Michaela coming down the stairs.
"Come on Katie." Said Sully to his youngest daughter who was age 7 now.
"Okay Papa." Said Katie anxious to see her family.
When they were finally ready to leave they loaded into the family wagon with Sully in the driver's seat. At the edge of the property Sully saw his eldest son Matthew riding over to the homestead.
"Mornin' Matthew." Said Sully.
"Mornin', are you guys going to meet the train?"
"Yes are you coming?" Asked Michaela.
"Of course, but I have to help Loren with something first." Said Matthew.
"Okay but don't be late." Said Michaela.
"Yes Ma." Said Matthew teasing Michaela.
The family arrived in town and to the train station before the train.
"Horace, is the noon train runnin' on time today?" Asked Sully.
"I haven't heard any different." Said Horace.
"Where is Matthew I thought he would be here by now." Said Michaela.
"He'll be here he had to help Loren." Said Sully reassuringly.
A couple seconds later the train's whistle sounded signaling the impending arrival of the family. Matthew ran up to the platform right when the train pulled into the station.
"You made it." Said Michaela.
"Just barely." Said Matthew straightening his tie.
Colleen, Andrew, Brian, and Nia descended from the train looking around for familiar faces. Finally Colleen spotted them.
"Ma, Pa!" Said Colleen trying to get their attention.
"Colleen!" Said Michaela.
"Hi." Said Colleen as she hugged everyone.
"Where are Brian and Andrew?" Asked Matthew.
"I think seeing about the luggage." Said Colleen.
"Well we should go and help them." Said Sully to Matthew
"Okay, It's good to have you home little sister." Said Matthew.
The men and Katie went over to the luggage area to find Brian and Andrew. It only took them a couple seconds to find them among the crowd.
"Brian!" Said Katie when she spotted him trying to sort whose was whose.
"Katie, wow your getting taller and taller every time I see you, Hi Pa." Said Brian as he hugged Sully.
"Andrew how are you?" Asked Sully.
"Great, but I seem to have lost my wife in all this craziness."
"She over with Michaela."
"Ah." Responded Andrew.
The now larger group returned to where Michaela and Colleen were talking. After the family said their hellos, Brian cut in with the introduction of Nia.
"Everyone… This is my friend Nia Parsons, Nia this is everyone." Said Brian.
"Hi, I've heard so much about everyone of you." Said Nia.
"Nia, how was the trip?" Asked Michaela.
"Long." Said Nia with a laugh.
With that said the family moved over to Grace's Café to get more acquainted before moving out to the homestead.
"So Nia, what do you do for a living in Boston?" Asked Dorothy who was at the café with Cloud Dancing.
"I actually work at the Boston Globe with Brian, well not exactly with they kind of keep me hidden in the back room editing articles for the 'real' reporters." Responded Nia.
"But, Nia also has written a few things free lance." Said Brian.
"Yeah, under a male's name." Said Nia.
"They're your thoughts though."
"Well I think we should get going out to the homestead and get you guys settled." Said Sully.
"So Nia what part of Boston are you from?" Asked Michaela.
"No part really. I sort of grew up all over Boston." Said Nia.
"What do you mean?" Said Michaela.
"Well I grew up in like 3 different orphanages. One in the North End, One in the South End, and One outside the city." Responded Nia.
"I once worked in the orphanages in the North End." Said Michaela trying to figure out if she had come across Nia in her former life.
End of Chapter 3