Colleen knocked again, this time a little louder on the Clinic door. Momentarily reminding herself that Michaela had stayed at home that day, the girl turned the handle, confirming her suspicions when the door didn't open; Brian obviously wasn't there.
Making her way down the main street, arms swaying loosely by her sides, Colleen arrived on the porch of the Mercantile. She headed inside and waited until Loren had finished serving a customer.
"Ah, Mr. Bray? You ain't seen Brian anywhere, have ya? Said he was comin' over here at recess, over two hours ago. Ain't been back to class," Colleen rested her hands worriedly on the edge of the counter, Loren's face lowering with an uncomfortable frown.
"Well, I dunno if," he stuttered, suddenly not sure if he should be disclosing the little display he had witnessed that morning.
"Mr. Bray, I don't understand. Is he all right? Miss Dorothy, did Brian come over to get the article this morning?" Colleen was slightly frustrated by Loren's awkwardness.
Dorothy heard her name from across the room, wiping her hands in her apron and standing from her desk.
"Yes, love. Hours ago now, though. Loren weren't you reading the article with Brian?" Dorothy turned towards the elderly man, sensing his ill-ease.
"Aww, yeah but, he, well," Loren hung his head, his shoulders tensing nervously.
"Loren Bray, out with it. Come on," Dorothy rested her hands demandingly on her hips, Colleen's eyebrows lowering in concern.
"Did something happen, Mr. Bray?" She leaned over the countertop, Loren looking with uncertainty between the two women.
"Well, don't reckon I was meant to notice. Don't reckon it was planned at all but, stage come in few hours ago. Dr Mike," Loren winced slightly, as Dorothy took a step closer towards him, her voice low and cutting.
"Dr Mike what, Loren?" she pressed.
"Aww Dr Mike, took Brian," Loren gripped the edge of the counter, licking his lips in worry.
"Ma left on the stage?" Colleen's face reddened, worry and concern quickly overtaking any feelings of anger that threatened to surface.
"Yeah. Don't think she was countin' on anyone knowin'. Then little Brian saw her and she just bundled him up, practically threw him inside. Didn't know she was goin' nowhere," Loren looked back towards Dorothy, the editor shrugging in complete oblivion.
"Didn't say nothin' to me. Everythin' been goin' all right, Colleen?" Dorothy reached a hand forward to squeeze the young girl's shoulder supportively.
"No, ah, excuse me. I need to go find Matthew. He'll ah, work it out," she dismissed herself quickly, her heart pounding as she ran to Robert E's desperately looking for her brother.
"Loren!" Dorothy waited until the girl had made it onto the front porch, before turning and scolding the man beside her.
"What ya startin' on me for? Thought you wanted me to tell her?" Loren raised his arms to his chest in defense of his actions.
"Ain't that, Loren. Why'd ya let Michaela leave like that. Somethin' ain't right. Suppose she doesn't come back?" Dorothy dropped her gaze down to her hands thoughtfully.
"You, you ain't thinkin' she's never comin' back are ya?" Loren rubbed his hand across his chin nervously.
"How should I know? Just think it's strange no-one was told, that's all," Dorothy frowned, shaking her head slowly.
"But she took the boy, she wouldn't take him if she weren't comin' back. No. She'll be back," he cleared his throat decisively, as if deciding the matter right then and there.
~.~
X.O.X
~.~
"Won't Colleen and Matthew be worried. How will they know we've gone?" Brian stretched out his legs, having been content to gaze at the passing countryside for the last hour or so.
"Well, I left a note for Colleen but we'll need to send them a telegram, when we stop at Soda Springs," Michaela dropped her voice, not appreciating the looks of curiosity and intrigue she was receiving from the passengers around her.
"We gonna see Grandma?" The idea flashed into his head, Brian turned excitedly around to face Michaela completely.
"No, Brian," she looked away, studying her medical bag which lay precisely on the seat to her right.
"Then why we goin'?" He raised his hand to her shoulder in interest, Michaela choosing to let the question fade, instead removing his hand and directing the young boy back into a proper seating position.
"Ssh, sweetheart. Here, read me the article, Brian," Michaela reached for the crumpled piece of white paper to Brian's left, placing it in his hands, the boy shrugging and beginning to read quietly.
~.~
X.O.X
~.~
"Matthew! Matthew!" Having found Matthew talking with Robert E., the siblings had ridden back to the homestead at once, Matthew securing the horses whilst Colleen frantically ran inside.
Despite believing Loren's account, she still had an ounce of hope that she'd open the door and find her mother and brother playing checkers on the edge of the bed like nothing had happened. All she'd found upon entering the homestead, was a small envelope, placed neatly in the middle of the table.
"Colleen?" Matthew had just returned Flash to her stall, when he heard his sister's alarmed cries.
"Here, you read it." She handed him the letter, hands clutching worriedly to her skirt.
Matthew dusted his hands against his trousers, before hurriedly opening the envelope, his eyes darting between the crisp, white paper and Colleen's panicked face.
"Dear Children," Matthew cleared his throat apprehensively before continuing. "The last thing I want is to upset you, however it has become clear that my staying will only make matters worse for everyone. I do not anticipate being away for any longer than two weeks, however, if Matthew decides it is for the best, please stay in town during my absence. This situation is not one I feel is fair on any of us, and I do not blame you for your criticism at my hypocrisy. Should the worst happen," Matthew looked up, hearing Colleen's voice for the first time.
"Couldn't really get any worse, could it?" Her tone was bitter and slightly sarcastic.
"Reckon she means, if she dies." Matthew held a somber glance with his sister for several moments, before turning his attention back to the paper before him and continuing.
"Should the worst happen, and I am unable to return, I know Miss Olive will be there for you. Please forgive me for doing this, but I don't see any other way. Love, Dr Mike." Matthew let his voice trail off into silence, slowly folding the letter, before gradually raising his head upwards to meet Colleen's eyes.
"I can't believe she did this." Colleen gripped her hands tightly against her waist, trying to make sense of the events over the previous week.
"But why'd she take Brian?" Matthew shrugged, a frown breaking out over his face.
"As if running off in the first place weren't bad enough, she had to take our little brother!" Colleen fixed her brown eyes beadily on the letter still held in Matthew's right hand.
"Whoa, Colleen, think she had a pretty good reason." He raised his arm defensively towards his sister, seeing the anger build on her face.
"What's a good reason for murder, Matthew? Coz that's what this is! She's run off to Denver so she don't have to have that baby!" Colleen gripped her upper arm tightly with her right hand, eyebrows lowering violently in undisguised fury.
"You really think that's what she's doin'? Maybe she just needed some time, needed a break from everyone?" Matthew took a step closer to his sister, tenderly resting his hand on her shoulder, seeing the fear and frustration in her eyes.
"Oh, come on, you don't believe that! Just what do you think that horse ride was all about? Not to mention the weeks of not eatin', not sleepin', besides, she as much told me herself the other day."
"All right, all right, calm down. Ain't nothin' we can do worryin' about it here," Matthew paused thoughtfully before continuing. "Maybe, maybe it's for the best, Colleen."
"For the best? How is her killing her own baby for the best?" Colleen shook her head, unconvinced.
"Well maybe she don't see it like it's her own baby," Matthew dropped his voice, eyes softening. "After all, sure ain't gonna look like her, now is it?"
"But I don't understand, how could she not even love it a little bit? I mean whether it looks like her or not, it's still growing inside her. I can't understand how she could be so cruel. She's a doctor, Matthew, she oughta know better!" Colleen watched as her brother carefully slipped the letter back into the small envelope.
"Well, maybe it's all well and good from where we're sittin' but, I know somethin' like this happened to you, or Ingrid, wouldn't blame either of ya one bit," Matthew began a slow pace back towards the front porch. Colleen frowned, her anger reduced, however still apparent.
"Can promise ya if it were me, I'd never wanna kill a little baby, no matter what," The young girl's view was firm, her narrow-mindedness understandable given her young age.
"I ain't gonna fight with you about it, Colleen, because bottom line is, it ain't you and I just hope you're never in such a horrendous situation." The pair arrived on the porch, Colleen leaning on the door frame, her self-righteousness renewed.
"Never would be. I woulda rather died!" She crossed her arms once again defiantly over her chest, a shiver flashing down her spine at the very comprehension.
"Maybe, but then you don't got three children to raise. You don't think that thought woulda crossed Dr Mike's mind? Imagine if we'd had to tell Brian he'd lost another mother," Matthew handed the letter back to his sister, gazing back out into the yard thoughtfully. He could still here the sound of Horace's words across the dog soldier's camp. The relief he heard in the older man's voice, banished the lingering fear that he'd have to break such devastating news to his little brother.
"You reckon that's why she took him?" The contempt in Colleen's expression melted slightly into considered reflection.
"Maybe. We all have our breaking point, Colleen. Maybe Dr Mike just decided this was hers," Matthew glanced back at his younger sister, seeing the spark of maturity begin to ignite in her eyes.
"Maybe. Still don't make what she's doing right," The girl reiterated, however her voice now far less emotional.
"I never said it was right, Colleen, but none of this is right. I think Dr Mike's been through enough. If this is what she believes she needs to do, then I'll respect that." Matthew nodded his head in decision, the silence that followed served as notification that Colleen no longer wished to continue the argument.
"You wanna go into town or stay here?" Matthew waited several moments before changing the subject, Colleen about to respond quickly, however stopped and pondered her answer for a moment.
"Maybe we should go stay at the Clinic, just in case there's any news?" Her natural concern was evident through the softness of her speech.
"Yeah and sure Miss Olive'll let me have a few days off, can come check on the animals. 'Least then you'll have people around." He arrived on the first step of the porch, not expecting the decisiveness in Colleen's voice.
"Matthew, if she is gonna do this, maybe would be better off if we don't tell no-one about the baby. I mean, Brian don't know, and sure Dr Mike wouldn't appreciate arrivin' back to the whole town judging what she's done. We can just say she went to Denver for a medical conference, took Brian coz he woulda been too upset by her leavin' him," Colleen tilted her head, her voice having been quiet yet stoic.
"Right. Gonna be all right, Colleen. Come on, I'll get the horses together, you pack some clothes and stuff. We'll have supper back in town at Grace's," Matthew descended the rest of the stairs, as Colleen headed back inside to gather the necessary items.
~.~
X.O.X
Tuesday, 17th August, 1869
One Day Later - 17 Weeks Gestation
X.O.X
~.~
"Colleen, you sure you're all right? Why'd Dr Mike leave like that? You didn't say nothin' about her leaving?" Colleen and Becky made their way slowly from the schoolhouse, having just stepped onto the bridge.
"Well, we didn't know she was leavin'. Will be fine though. Everything's fine," Colleen tightened her hands nervously around the books against her chest, trying to dismiss her friend's concern.
"Bet Brian's excited, gettin' a holiday in Denver!" Becky chuckled, the two girls passing over the bridge and continuing on into town.
"Reckon she took him so he didn't get all upset by her leavin' him. Said she'll only be a couple a weeks," Colleen trailed off, wanting desperately to change the subject.
"What'd Sully say? Weren't he real shocked?" Becky adjusted the two braids neatly in her hair, before turning back to Colleen for a reply.
"He ah don't know, yet. He and Dr Mike had a fight night a the play, ain't been around since," The two girls passed the telegraph office and continued on towards the Clinic.
"Oh, so you and Matthew all right stayin' back in town?" Becky gestured forwards, as they arrived on the porch of the Clinic.
"Yeah, at least will give me a chance to clean everything up proper. Gonna dust through everything, and got a new box of supplies last week that I still ain't had time to put away," The two girls turned around quickly to the sound of Horace's calls.
"Oh, Oh, Colleen. Here, this come in last night. Didn't know ya were in town. From Dr Mike," Horace appeared on the porch of the telegraph office, quickly drawing the girls' attention.
Colleen processed his words, swallowing nervously and taking the small slip of paper in her right hand.
"Nothin's the matter, is it?" Becky rested her hand on Colleen's shoulder.
"Nah, just Dr Mike tellin' us she decided to take Brian," Colleen rolled her eyes and stuffed the telegram into the pocket of her apron.
"Guess she didn't know you knew already. Said she won't be too long though, only goin' to Denver for medical supplies," Horace shrugged, providing the girl with the limited information he knew.
"Oh, did she say that, Mr. Bing?" Colleen frowned mildly, receiving the impression Horace knew more than he was saying.
"Yeah, last week. You two gonna be stayin' in town until she gets back?" Horace replied tentatively, quickly changing the subject.
"We thought it'd be best. Save all the travelin' in and out. Also, will be town in case there's any problems. for what good it'll do," Colleen shrugged, knowing she was poor compensation for a town doctor, however realizing she at least had more medical training than the likes of Jake Slicker.
"Sounds like a good idea," Horace smiled, before nodding politely and returning back inside the telegraph office.
~.~
X.O.X
Wednesday, 18th August, 1869
One Day Later - 17 Weeks Gestation
X.O.X
~.~
"Aww, Ma, I hate these clothes! They itch and they make me look like a girl," Brian pulled uncomfortably on the tightly frilled collar around his neck.
"I'm afraid there's nothing I can do about that, Brian, you'll just have to get used to it," Michaela checked the length of his sleeves and cuffs, before nodding and turning back to the shop assistant.
"I shall also take another in the maroon, thank-you," she smiled, the young brunette sales assistant disappearing back to the rack of clothing.
"If we ain't seein' Grandma, then why we goin' to Boston, Ma?" Brian frowned, realizing he had to remain in the newly acquired clothing.
"Sweetheart, I've already been over this with you. We're only going to be away a week or so, I need to meet with a very important doctor," Michaela reached for the young boy's hand, both pacing across the floor of the department store, arriving at the counter.
"About a patient, Ma?" Brian idly began investigating a display of bowties.
"Yes, Brian." She turned back to the shop assistant, paying for the items and taking the two large boxes.
"Thank-you, morning," Michaela directed Brian towards the door, the young boy walking very awkwardly, trying to adjust to the new shoes and stockings.
"Now, where, Ma?" The young boy arrived on the edge of the street, looking curiously in both directions.
"Well, the train leaves in a few hours, Brian. We'll go back to the station." Michaela turned to her right, leading the slightly clumsily walking child back up the main street.
"Can we have some lunch, Ma. I'm starvin'," Brian tugged again at the scratchy material of his trousers.
"If you stop fidgeting, Brian," Michaela rolled her eyes, and gripped his right hand more tightly as the pair headed back towards the train station.
~.~
X.O.X
~.~
Laying the dusty cloth across the back of the chair, Colleen surveyed her hours of cleaning. Folding her arms with satisfaction over her chest, the young girl glanced around the room; all the supplies were orderly arranged in the cabinet, the examination table was neatly made up with a fresh, white sheet. Looking downwards, Colleen noticed the only area left to tidy was Michaela's desk, and quickly set about returning the pile of textbooks to the bookshelf across the room.
She had just slid the final book back onto the shelf, when the sound of a gentle knock on the wooden caused her to turn quickly.
"Come in," Colleen crossed the room, and tilted her head with a frown as the door opened. Olive strode into the room boldly, her right hand gripped tightly against her hip, her face drawn into a demanding, yet sympathetic glare of concern.
"Where is she?" The widow folded her arms tightly across her chest, one eyebrow raised in an unquestionable demand.
"Dr Mike just had to go away for a few weeks. There ah, was a medical conference in Denver," Colleen brushed her arms along the sides of her royal blue skirt, her gaze deflected from Olive's. Colleen found the deception almost impossible.
"It's all right, Colleen. You don't have to make anything up around me. I know. I think I've known for months," Olive brought her hand forwards to rest on Colleen's shoulder, the pair standing only inches from the examination table.
"I, I don't," Colleen's eyes lowered, as she shook her head several times in confusion.
"She's pregnant, isn't she?" Olive's voice was resigned, her hands clasped loosely in front of her.
"How did you know?" Colleen cringed momentarily, before turning and taking several steps towards Michaela's desk. Concentrating her efforts on rearranging the various items in front of her, Colleen tightened her jaw, and bit down harder on her lower lip. She felt the relief at another woman's support flood over her, unable to hold the tears back any longer.
"Aww, sshh," Olive came up behind the young girl, and brought her hands to rest gently on each of Colleen's shoulders.
"I'm scared. I'm worried 'bout what's gonna happen," Colleen gripped the edge of the wooden desk tightly. Olive ran her right hand gently down the back of the girl's smooth, blond hair.
"I know, and I know you've had to deal with a lot by yourself. Maybe it's for the best. Some time away might be what your ma needs. Time to adjust to everything, without everyone passin' judgment," Olive fanned the girl's hair neatly across her back. Removing her hands, she let them drop either side of her waist.
"Ain't gonna be like that though. She's gone to… get rid of the baby. Don't no-one know," Colleen dropped her head, as she turned around to face Olive. The tears had begun to dry against the young girl's alabaster cheeks.
"What are you sayin', sweetheart? You sayin' Dr Mike's planning on ending this pregnancy? Are you sure, because that just doesn't seem like," Olive was startled by the sound made when the young girl banged her hands on the desk in front of her.
"Well, it's true. Told me herself, been tryin' to kill it for months. That's why she's gone to Denver. Reckons she can just come back, like nothin's happened," Colleen glanced down at her slightly red palms, rubbing them together as she recovered from her emotional outburst.
"Colleen, I think you're being too hard on Dr Mike. I mean, just imagine, I certainly wouldn't want to be carryin'… Makes me ill just to think about it," Olive shuddered visibly at the notion, her words however, fell on deaf ears.
"How can you act like what she's doin' is right?" Colleen paced around the side of the desk, and roughly pulled out the wooden chair. She dropped her weight resignedly down onto it.
"Colleen, you can't for a moment think that your ma keepin' this baby would be right. It ain't. It's against God, it's," Olive folded her arms tightly across her chest, absolute repulsion made her flesh crawl.
"Well if that's true, then she wouldn't be in this situation," Colleen collated loose pieces of paper and pencils into a neat pile in the middle of the desk. Olive sighed, with a determined frown.
"Ain't as simple as that, sweetheart. Sometimes, even God makes mistakes. Babies oughta be brought to this earth outa love," Olive turned to glance around the now spotlessly clean clinic, Colleen's attention drifted back to small drawer in the desk in front of her. Carefully, she pulled it open, and idly sorted the stationery items neatly into their locations.
"Miss Olive, I." She was about to further contradict the widow's words, when her eyes fell immediately upon the crisp, partially folded, handwritten letter. A frown came to her face, as she rotated the letter slightly. Colleen managed to discretely glimpse several words.
"I know it's an awful thing to have to think about but," Olive noticed the concerned distraction sweep across Colleen's face, and leant over the top of the desk. Her eyes narrowed as she awaited a response from the young girl.
"I, I shouldn't be readin' this. Dr Mike must have left it," Colleen swallowed, she'd quickly taken in the author of the letter, as well as a vague idea as to the subject matter.
"What is it?" Olive paced around behind Colleen's back, hesitantly skimming a few opening lines from over her shoulder.
"It's from some doctor. Reckon she musta written him for advice on what to do," Colleen continued reading; Olive did likewise.
"Sure doesn't sound very friendly," Olive brought her right hand forwards and brushed her fingertips over some of the harsher phrases.
"Sounds like she didn't know it was dangerous. Is it really that dangerous, or would he just be sayin' that to try and scare her?" Colleen turned back to Olive, who commenced reading aloud the passage the young girl gestured towards.
"However skillfully the work may be done, health or life is always imperiled… Your ma musta been real desperate, to leave even after this," Olive finished the letter after several silent moments.
"She was," Colleen's voice was almost inaudibly low and reflective, slowly beginning to piece together the cruel words in the letter before her, with Michaela's frantic departure.
"Surely she wouldn't travel halfway across the country to see this doctor, after getting this response?" Olive muttered, however quickly reevaluating her words and responding to her own speculation. "Then again, Dr Mike certainly ain't one to take 'no' for an answer. She ain't gonna give up until she gets what she wants, and if she's desperate enough," Olive pulled away from her strained position over Colleen's right shoulder, sensing the mortal fear hit her.
"But what if, reading this, it sounds as if she really could, die," Colleen let the letter fall back onto the desk. Her head lowered in silent thought as she tried to consolidate her previous views with the newly gained information, all the while powerful emotions pressing heavily against her chest.
"Aw, sweetheart. Now don't you worry. I'm sure everything will," Olive had no choice but to trail off; in truth, she wasn't sure of anything, how could she be. And she knew instilling false hope in the young girl's heart was worse than allowing her to face the dark reality.
"How, how could she risk her life? I don't believe that. She'd never do that. Not to Brian, she couldn't," Colleen slipped her right arm against her temple soothingly.
"Ain't gonna do any good thinking the worst. Ain't nothin' you can do," Olive quickly wrapped her left arm around the girl's back, gently taking the letter from the desk and slipping it back into the drawer.
"Just wish there was. Doesn't even sound like she's gone to Denver. Reckon that was all a lie too," Colleen pushed the drawer closed, as if symbolically attempting to shut off the nightmare from her very consciousness.
"Well, where else would she," Olive answered her own question, Colleen however, provided the verbal affirmation.
"Boston."
~.~
X.O.X
~.~
"Brian, I've told you, slow down," Michaela pulled back wearily on his arm, the young boy nevertheless managing to slip from her grasp. He jumped quickly up the several steps and turned back to his mother briefly.
"Hurry up, Ma. Wanna get a good seat," Brian's voice faded off as he disappeared eagerly into the carriage.
"Brian, I," Michaela sighed and rolled her eyes, before she graciously accepted the young porter's hand as he assisted her up into the carriage.
"Thank-you," she smiled, and slipped her right hand into his as she stepped up awkwardly from the platform edge.
"You're welcome, ma'am. Enjoy your trip," The young man tipped his cap with a genuine smile.
Brian continued his frantic jog along the elegantly carpeted corridor of the carriage. His head darted keenly in and out of doorways, searching for an empty compartment. Eventually finding one, he settled himself by the window, both elbows rested on the ledge, his attention drawn to the array of movement on the platform.
"That's it, young man, I refuse to spend the next two weeks chasing after you. From now on, you're to remain within my sight unless otherwise instructed. Understood?" Michaela stood in the doorway, her voice hoarse and direct.
"Sorry, Ma. Was just excited and wanted to get a window seat," Brian turned quickly to acknowledge her presence, before enthusiastically returning his gaze back out through the window.
"Well, you've succeeded then, haven't you," Michaela took several steps into the small compartment, and arranged her medical bag on the seat.
"Yeah, can see everything. How long we gonna be on the train, Ma?" Brian glanced back towards her for a split second, his childlike fascination reignited by the smartly dressed conductor on the platform, whistling at the eminent departure.
"We'll arrive in Boston Friday morning, sweetheart," Michaela took her seat next to him, her left hand resting on his shoulder, surprised at how glad she was of the company.
"Good. Two nights. Last time was real fun bein' on the train at night, tryin' to sleep with the rocking back and," The young boy trailed off, as he noticed the middle-aged couple enter the small compartment through the small doorway.
The older man's hair was white, and he reminded Brian of a nicer looking Mr. Bray. With him, was a similar aged woman, her hair drawn into a tight gray bun behind her head. Brian frowned unconsciously at the indignant manner in which the woman directed her husband to his chair.
"Over there, Matthew. No there, I don't fancy having to sit by the window." She dusted her hands against her skirt, the man complying meekly.
"I do hope you don't mind if we join you. Only other available compartment was a lady with a very noisy young child, and I just couldn't bear that," The woman addressed Michaela with a confident, yet not unfriendly nod.
"Please," Michaela forced a small, polite smile, Brian adjusting his position beside her, fearful that this bold, slightly harsh woman may find fault in his seating.
"Thank-you," The woman replied crisply, not for a moment having anticipated any reply to the contrary.
"This your first train trip, son?" The man slipped his hat from his head, placing it gingerly on the seat between himself and the window.
"Oh, no, sir, got to come to Boston last year, too," Brian hesitantly tore his gaze from the window, however only long enough to answer the man's question.
"Did you, now? Aren't you a lucky little boy. I'm Matthew," The man extended his hand warmly, Brian reacted immediately with a bright smile.
"Hey, that's my brother's name, too! I'm Brian," he grinned, his eagerness now much more apparent.
"Well, ain't that something and is this your mother?" Matthew rested his hands against the delicately patterned fabric of the bench, his moustache twitching endearingly as he turned to Michaela.
"Uh-huh, she's a doctor," Brian gestured with a proud smile, Michaela feeling her cheeks redden with momentary embarrassment.
"Ain't never met a lady doctor before, neither," Matthew nodded courteously, Michaela glaring with a chastising frown in Brian's direction.
"Please, it's really," Michaela attempted to disregard the attention, being cut off by a sharp utterance from the older woman opposite her.
"Didn't know they allowed such a thing," her voice was succinct, however her meaning indiscernible. Michaela tilted her head subtly, unsure as to whether the woman approved or not.
"Well, ah," Michaela stopped mid-sentence when the white-haired man's voice again filled the surrounding space.
"What'd ya have to say somethin' like that for. Think it's a great thing," Matthew contradicted the woman's words immediately.
"Did I say it wasn't? I just was unaware that women were permitted to train as physicians, is all. Honestly, Matthew, you are forever arguing with me," her tone was slightly harsher; however her facial expression remained unemotional and pleasant. Michaela had begun to receive the impression that such bickering was common between the pair.
"Wasn't arguin', Marilla. I'd know better than to dare argue with you," Matthew looked towards the young boy, his reply having been abruptly terminated by the sounds of Brian's chuckling.
"Brian," Michaela chastised, Brian lowering his head and ceasing his noise for an instant.
"Sorry. Just sounds like Sully talkin' about you," he giggled several times, before realizing his contribution was not warmly received; Michaela had looked away coldly, and Matthew and Marilla had merely frowned in mild curiosity.
"Looks like we're just about to get goin' now," Matthew smiled and changed the subject swiftly, directing Brian's attention back out onto the platform, as the train slowly began to pull away from the station.
"Look, Ma, see, we're movin'," Brian chewed excitedly on his lower lip, reaching contentedly for Michaela's sleeve, not understanding why his eagerness was not being replicated by the adults around him.