CHAPTER 22:

When Michaela found out that morning that dinner was going to be, she was really happy. Conrad had come and thanked his friend, saying Sully would be there too.

Then, when she left the clinic to go home, she was slightly disappointed not to find Sully on the way. But she suspected that, since they were going to see each other that evening, he must have been working. In general, he worked before and after seeing her. He sometimes had to fill out reports on the state of Indians and wilderness in Colorado, which she knew full well he hated to do.

When she arrived home and met her mother, the latter said a simple "hello" to her and went to another room. Michaela sighed in sadness. This situation bothered her. She could not help but feel ashamed that her mother caught her in such a position with a man… But sometimes she could not help but think that she and her sisters were not born from a simple magic wand either.

But finally, just before the time of the invitation, Michaela joined the living room in which she knew her mother was.

"Thank you, mother, for accepting this dinner…" she told her, her hands clasped in front of her, her heart pounding at the answer the latter might give her.

Elizabeth, who was sitting on the couch facing the fireplace, rose to face her daughter. And she gasped. Her daughter was gorgeous and she could not help but smile. It was true that since she had been dating this young man, she had been radiant. And she was clearly not used to seeing her like this. It was not just about her clothes or her physique. But rather her shining eyes, her rosy cheeks and her constant smile.

"You are beautiful, Michaela…" the young woman's mother suddenly said before approaching her and taking strands of her hair to stroke them and put them behind her shoulders.

"I…thank you." the young woman answered with such confusion that it left her mother worried. Maybe Joseph was right. She was asking too much of Michaela, or she was trying too hard to change her. Still, she was perfect. She was her daughter.

Then, as they looked at each other, someone knocked on the door of the house. Michaela turned, her heart pounding, as she and her mother could see the front door from where they stood. Harrison opened the door and Michaela sighed at the sight of General MacArthur. This man was really obnoxious, and she already knew she could not help but get involved in the conversation about Indians and natural areas.

She turned to her mother, who beckoned her forward to greet the general. She nodded and, like perfectly civilized women, they planted their best smiles on their faces.

"General MacArthur! What a pleasure to see you again!" exclaimed Elizabeth, holding out a hand to him, which he hastened to seize in order to greet her properly.

Michaela almost wanted to laugh, knowing full well that her mother hated this man for several reasons that the young woman approved of. And she could easily imagine that the discussion between Sully, Clarfield and MacArthur was going to be heated.

As Michaela sat with her parents and General MacArthur in the parlor, chatting, another thud sounded from the hallway. The young woman's heart leapt in her chest. This time it was him. Sully had arrived. They had not seen each other since two days before in the park, when he had suggested that she read the famous passages from the book. Besides, she had a lot to tell him, especially about her parents who had surprised them the evening of the reception.

She got up, along with her parents and the general, to welcome the new arrivals. Harrison appeared in the living room and gestured towards the room.

"Mr. Sully and Mr. Clarfield." he announced, still professionally, even after all the long years he had worked here.

And they appeared in the living room, smiling. Sully's eyes immediately landed on Michaela and she fixed hers on the young man, her heart pounding. She could not help but smile at him and he did the same. He was dressed in that new suit he had been wearing since the second reception at the Quinns. Looking at him, she noticed with shock that her long braid was gone. She knew he had let it grow since his wife died. Why had he cut it?

She felt her parents' eyes on her and she turned her head towards them. She understood why they were studying her. They observed her reactions in the presence of Sully. She found it amusing. She could easily imagine that the evening would be like this. She suspected her father had organized this dinner as well in order to observe her interactions with Sully to be sure that this relationship was healthy.

Note : Thank you for your readings! Hope you still like the story. Thank you for the last comment hehe :)