As Sully opened the door he gasped at what he saw.It was as if time stood still.There she was-his Michaela walking around, helping Mrs.Johnson set the table.
As Sully stepped further in the room the children got their first glimpse at what he saw.They all looked on in disbelief.They couldn't believe their mother was standing in front them-alive.
Just then Molly looked up, noticing for the first time that there were strangers standing before her."Hello." she said sweetly nodding her head in acknowledgement.
Trying to disfuse the situation as quickly as possible James said stepping forward,"Molly,I want you to meet my friends. This is Matthew, Colleen, Sully, and this here is -" but was quickly cut off by Brian."Hi,I'm Brian." he said stepping in front of her with his hand extended.
"Well,hello there." Molly said knelling down towards him." I'm Molly. It's very nice to meet you. All of you." she said standing up looking at all of them.
"I'm Matthew." he said stepping forward taking her hand." We're from Colorado Springs."
"Oh, how nice. I don't think I ever been there." Molly said making polite conversation with the young man. Then her attention went to the young girl," Colleen,right?" she said as she tried to get the girl to look at her in the eye. "Yes,ma'm." Colleen said looking down,suddenly shy.
"My name is Sully." he said stepping very close to her. There was something about him that made her very nervous.Looking into his blue eyes she felt like she could get lost in them."Sully,it's nice to meet you." she said as she offered her hand to him to take. As their hands touched for the very first time it was as if electricity ran through each of them.It was so powerful that it almost made her jump back.
"Well now, since we are all aquainted with each other how bout we sit down and eat." Mrs.Johnson said laying the last bowl of food on the table.
"Yes,I think that's an excellent idea." James said leading Molly to the table as everyone took their seats.
"The dinner looks delicious, Mrs.Johnson." Molly said piling her plate up with food.
"Thank you,dear." Mrs.Johnson said smiling at Molly."My late husband Charles always loved it when I fixed my roast."
"You might have to show me some pointers. " Molly said chuckling.Then looking around the table she said shrugging,"I'm not very good at cooking."
"Neither was our ma." Brian said taking a bite out of his biscuit.
Not wanting to reveal anymore information Matthew asked," Where do you work,Molly?"
"Over at the general store most days. And I help out Mrs.Johnson on my days off from the general store." she said simply.
"Where do you live?" asked Colleen,curious about the woman in front of her.
"Here." Molly said, seeing the confusion on their faces."I live upstairs. I've stayed here for the past couple of months."
"Where did you live before then?" Sully asked his eyes never leaving her face.
Molly looked down at her plate and said quietly,"I don't know."
Mrs.Johnson assuming the visitors had no knowledge about Molly said,"She was in a bad accident. She was out cold for a month. When she woke up she couldn't remember a thing about her past." Mrs.Johnson had always felt sorry for the girl having no clue who she was.But she was also a good judge of character and could tell right off that Molly was a good person.That's why when James aked if Molly could stay with her she agreed.
"If you don't mind I'd really rather not talk about it." Molly said blushing.
"Of course,dear." Mrs.Johnson said picking up her fork and continuing on with the dinner.
After the dinner everyone sat in the sitting room enjoying each other's company. Molly and Sully kept glancing in each other's direction.Everyone couldn't help but notice.Especially Mrs.Johnson who prided herself being a matchmaker.
"It's such a lovely evening. I used to love taking walks with my Charles on nights like this." she said smiling at everyone.
"Yes,it is."Molly said."I like taking walks on evenings like this myself."
"Well,why don't you. Don't feel the need to stay on my account. Besides it'll give me a chance to catch James up on all the gossip."
"Well,alright." Molly said rather puzzled."Would anybody else like to go?" Molly asked looking at the children.
"Nah.We're all pretty tired." Matthew said yawning."Right,Colleen?" Matthew asked elbowing his sister on the chaise.
"Yeah,I'm tired too." she said pretending to yawn.
"I'm not that tired." Brian said standing up after he had been playing on the floor with his train.The little boy didn't get another word out before Matthew's hand wrapped around his mouth.
"Yes,you are.Remember Brian?" Matthew said, punching him on the arm,hoping he would catch on,as he let Brian go.
Oh,yeah! Real tired." Brian said sitting back down to play with his train oblivious to anything around him.
"Mr.Sully,why don't you acompany her. I wouldn't want anything to happen to her." Mrs.Johnson said smiling at him.
"I'd be happy to." Sully said getting up from his position in the chair.
"You don't have to really." Molly said now extremely nervous for some reason.
"I want to." he said quietly looking into her beautiful eyes. Picking up a shawl that was hanging on a coat rack Sully asked,"Is this yours?"
"Yes." she said and a moment later Sully came up behind her draping her shawl across her shoulders squeezing her shoulders for a moment before he let go and opened the door for her.
For the most part the walk was quiet both not knowing what to say. Sully kept glancing at her not believing she was here with him.And she kept glancing at him thinking she had never meet a man as handsome as him. Deciding that someone was going to have to start up conversation she asked,"What do you do for a living, Mr.Sully?"
Looking at her Sully said,"A lot of things.I trap. Carpentry work. Negotiator between the Cheyenne and the army."
"You help the Cheyenne?" she asked puzzled.
"Yeah, they saved my life.They're like my family." Sully said.
"How did they save your life?" she asked, curious about this man's past.
"I was in a dark place.They helped me out of it. My best friend is a medicine man. He's very wise." he said.
"I'm glad they helped you." she said noticing that they had made it back to town and she was a little disapointed that they had.
"They can help you to. Maybe Cloud Dancing,that's my friend, can give you something or he might know a ritual to perform." he suggested.
Noticing that they had made it back to the boarding house, looking back at him, getting lost in those blue eyes she said,"I don't think anyone can help me.I don't think they make anything to help a person to remember."
Reaching for her hand she eagerly gave it to him,stepping close to her so he could look in those mismatched eyes he loved so much he said,"Maybe it's not about remembering.Maybe it's not about something you lost. It might be about finding something that's right in front of you." he said as he kissed the back of her hand.Pretty sure she wouldn't permit any more than that for right now.
Looking into his eyes,she swore she never saw eyes as blue as his. Taking in his features for the very first time she swore she never had seen a man so handsome. She thought she could stare at him for hours."Maybe I already found it." she said as she turned and went in the boarding house with Sully following behind her.