After supper Sully waited outside on the porch for Molly. Hearing the front door shut he turned around to see her donning her shawl.
"Ya ready to go?" he asked as she stepped beside him. "Of course." she replied as they stepped off the porch.
With clasped hands they walked outside of town to the creek they had been at earlier today. "It's beautiful out here." she said as she took in her surroundings in the moonlight.
"Sure is." Sully said not taking his eyes off of her.
" Tell me about yourself ,Sully." she said as she led him to a fallen log so they could sit down."What do you want to know?" he asked wrinkling his brow.
"I want to know everything about you." she said simply, rubbing her thumb back and forth across the back of his hand.Does she have any idea what she's doing to me he thought as she continued her movements.
"Not much to tell." he said not wanting to reveal too much. But as he looked into her eyes and seen the disapointment that was in them he started opening up like he always had with her.
"My pa died before I could even remember. Ma said all he knew was farming. He had to take odd jobs from the land and his heart gave out. She said it was the city that broke it."
"What happened to her?" she asked her heart already going out to him.
"She drowned in the Hudson River. I was ten.Then I came out west." he said as he looked at the creek in front of them.
"All by yourself?" she asked shocked at what she was hearing.
"That's right." he said turning to her. "I'm so sorry Sully." she said sadly looking down ashamed of herself.
"It's alright. You didn't know." he said letting her hand go so he could put his arm around her shoulders.
"It must have been so hard on you. I shouldn't have asked." she said leaning into him. "Forgive me?" she asked.
" Hey," he whispered in her ear, " Nothing to forgive. You have any questions you just ask." he said kissing the side of her head.
"You truely don't mind?" she asked, not remembering ever felling as safe as she did when she was in his arms.
"Truely." he said with a smirk on his face. They fell into a comfortable silence. Both content with being in each other arms and in their surroundings.
Breaking the silence Molly asked,"Sully have you ever been in love before?"
Pulling away from the embrace Sully got up and walk to the edge of the creek. With his back towards her she couldn't see his face but in the moonlight she could make out his silhouette.
"Sully?" she asked. Not knowing what she did to make him upset she went to him laying her hand on his back. "Sully." she said hoping he would confide in her.
Sully turned to her and cleared his throat. It was then that she saw the redness of his eyes. Knowing that he had been crying she asked," Sully what's wrong?"
" Memories." he said simply. Taking both of her hands he pulled her closer to him.
"Sully, I'm sorry I asked you that. I never meant to hurt you and it pains me that I have." Before she could say another word Sully pulled her into him and hugged her like it was the last time he was ever going to see her.
"Don't apologize. You didn't do anything wrong." he said loosening his hold on her. "I want to tell you." he said his eyes beginning to brim over with tears.
"I'm here." she said waiting for him to speak again.
"I've only been in love twice." he began, looking down at their clasped hands. " When I first came to Colorado Springs I meet the store keeper's daughter, Abagail. We fell in love but her pa didn't like me much. He wanted her to marry someone else. But Abby wouldn't listen and we eloped."
Taking a deep breath Sully continued on. " A few years later we were expecting our first child. But the town didn't have any doctor just a mid-wife. She did all she could but Abagail didn't make it."
"Oh,Sully." she said as she put her arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest wetting his shirt with her tears.
Lifting her face up to look at him she asked," And the baby?"
"She went with her ma." he said his voice cracking with emotion.
"I'm so sorry." she said as she cupped his face in her hand. "You've been through so much."
"It was worth it if it lead me here. To you." he said as he looked into her eyes.
Running her fingers through his hair she tucked a few strands behind his ear. Putting her hand on his shoulder she lifted up kissing him on the cheek. As her lips left his cheek Sully couldn't control his emotions anymore. Cupping her face in his hand he leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.
Afraid he might have overstepped some boundaries with her he said," I'm sorry. I didn't mean..." But was interrupted when Molly burried her hands in his hair guiding his lips to hers again in a kiss that left them both wanting more.