"You came back to me." he said as he buried his nose in her hair inhaling the intoxicating smell of rose water she used in her hair. As tears ran down her face she pulled out of the embrace.Turning her back on Sully.
"Michaela?" he asked stepping closer to her and laying his hand on her shoulder.
Turning her around to face him he froze as he saw her face. Her eyes seemed empty, her face stained with tears. He prayed he would never see her like this again. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath he barely choked out,"Michaela..please."
"How long have you known?" she asked wiping her tears from her face.
"Michaela..we didn't want to..."Sully began but was interrupted by her holding her hand up. "How long?" she repeated.
"Since we came here. When James came to Colorado Springs we all became friends. We had him over at the homestead one night and the kids were talking about their ma. They showed James your picture. That's how we found out you were alive."
"So you've known all along and didn't even tell me? How could you?" she yelled, walking away from him.
Sully ran catching up to her. He grabbed both of her shoulders and turned her around to face him. "Do ya think this was easy for me? Do ya?"
Trying to push him away but not succeeding she yelled,"I don't know. All I know this whole time I thought we had something special .Some trust that we were building up and then I find out you've known all along that you knew who I was. How am I going to trust anything you say again?"
"I wanted to tell you. But we thought it was better if you trusted us...got to know us first before we told ya who you were."
"Why? So you could make a fool out of me?" she cried as she pushed even harder to get away from him.
Pulling her even closer to him his voice cracking,"Is that the way you see it? Because it's not the truth. The truth is you got me and three children that love you to death. It nearly destroyed them when they thought you died.If it wasn't that I thought you would want me to look after them for ya... I felt like dying myself. Losing you almost destroyed me."
Not struggling in his embrace anymore she said," Oh Sully." Then letting everything he just said sink in she said,"The children? They're mine?"
Letting her go he looked down at her hands and held them in his own as he said,"Yeah. They came to live with you after their real mother died."
"I have a family." she said more to herself than to Sully.
"Yeah you do. And we love you more than anything." Sully said. Michaela looked into his eyes and she willingly went into his embrace, burying her head in his chest.
"I don't know what to do. There's so much to think about." she said as tears slipped down her face wetting his shirt.
"I know there are but we got all the time in the world,don't ya think?" he said as he buried his face in her hair.
"Sully, I want to go back to the boarding house. I need to lie down." Pulling out of the embrace Sully looked at her face she had suddenly became pale. "You okay?" he asked worried. "I'm fine Sully. Just shocked is all." she said as they started back to the boarding house.
When they stepped on the boarding house porch Sully put his hand on her shoulder," If you need anything. If you just want to talk. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere. YOU CAN TRUST ME!"he said as he emphasized the last sentence.
"How did she take it?" Matthew asked the next morning.
"Upset. Mad at me because I didn't tell her sooner." Sully said looking at the three children. He had set them down to tell them that he had told Molly the truth.
"Did you tell her about us?" Brian asked looking at Sully.
"She knows Brian but you got to understand that the news came as a shock to her. So if she wants some time alone to think about things you got to leave her be."
"Doesn't she want to be our ma?" Brian asked tears forming in his eyes.
"Of course she does Brian." Matthew said. Colleen chimed in," She's just upset cause she can't remember us."
"It's like this Brian," Sully began."What if you couldn't remember anything then one day out of the blue somebody told you about your life. Your children...your whole life before you lost your memory.You'd be pretty upset,right?"
Now understanding what Sully was saying Brian whispered,"Yeah. I would."
"That's how your ma's feeling right now. We got to give her the space she needs. Alright?"
Looking at the three children he knew they all needed a distraction so he suggested," How bout we go downstairs and eat breakfast. How does that sound?"
When all three agreed they went downstairs to see Mrs. Johnson putting the last plate of food on the table."Good morning," she said cheerfully.
Just then a knock on the door disturbed them. Mrs.Johnson opened the door to discover James standing there.
"Morning everyone. I came to see how everybody was doing." James said looking in Sully's direction.
"Everyone's fine James." Mrs.Johnson said." Won't you join us for breakfast?"
"Don't mind if I do." James said taking a seat. Turning to Brian Mrs.Johnson suggested to him that he go tell Molly breakfast was ready.
Glad to have a reason to see her Brian took off for the stairs. When he knocked on the door and got no answer he went inside. Her bed was made up. It looked as if she already got a head start on the day.
Going back downstairs Brian entered the dining room. Everyone was already at the table eating when Mrs.Johnson asked, "Did you to tell Molly breakfast was ready?"
"She wasn't there." Brian said as he took a bite of his bacon.
Sully,Colleen, Matthew and James all exchanged a worried look. They all left their seats to go upstairs to her room. Opening the door they looked around."Looks like she didn't sleep here last night." James finally said.
"I'll check the general store." Matthew said as he headed downstairs. "I'll keep an eye on Brian while ya'll look for her." Colleen said as she headed downstairs leaving the two men alone.
"You told her, didn't ya?" James asked shaking his head.
"Yes." Sully said looking down shuffling his feet on the wood floor. "I thought she should know."
"How she take it?" James asked with a worried expression.
"Not good. Mad at me...mad at everything." Sully said looking the older man in the eye.
James just shook his head as he went out the door. Following him Sully asked,"Where ya going?"
"To find her." James answered. Grabbing his coat Sully added,"I'm coming with you."
"No." James said putting his hand on Sully's shoulder. " You better let me handle it. You just be here for her when she does come back."he said as he closed the door to the boarding house leaving Sully standing there with a worried expression on his face.