"Ya gotta eat somethin', sweetheart. Here, some nice crispy bacon just been fried up," Grace gently pushed the still sizzling rashers of bacon onto Colleen's plate.
"Really not that, thanks," Colleen sighed, lowering her eyes unenthusiastically towards the plate.
"You two still not got any word on when Dr Mike's comin' back," Grace raised a single eyebrow, moving her gaze curiously to Matthew.
"She said couple a weeks," Matthew pushed the scrambled eggs around on his plate. He cleared his throat, about to change the subject.
"Oh, Lawdy, look out. Reckon you two are in for some pryin' now," Grace gestured subtly to Dorothy's fast approaching form, as the redhead strode directly towards the two Cooper children.
"Well she's wastin' her time," Matthew replied gruffly, as he placed his knife and fork together finitely.
"Thanks, Miss Grace," Matthew dropped the coins on the edge of the table and reached for his hat, getting very briskly to his feet.
"Where you goin' all of a sudden?" Colleen frowned, pulling her napkin from her lap and tossing it beside her plate.
"Over Robert E's. Gotta get him to re-shoe Bear. Ain't ya got school?" Matthew squeezed his sister's shoulder softly, as Grace carried on clearing the breakfast dishes from the table.
"Ain't goin'. Needa stay 'round the Clinic, case anyone gets hurt," Colleen clasped her hands miserably against her chest, her shoulders hunching forwards.
"Colleen, you gotta keep up with your studyin'. Ya worked so hard, don't wanna miss out on the chance to apply for colleges," Matthew placed his hat firmly on his head, looking down with concern at his sister's sour mood.
"Well, maybe I ain't interested in that anymore," Colleen's voice was low and desolate.
"What are you talkin' about? Been wantin' to go to medical school for years now," Matthew noticed Dorothy arrive into the small space of the café, aware that a public spectacle was the last thing they needed.
"That was before. Thought savin' lives and helpin' people meant somethin' to Dr Mike. Thought she took her oath seriously. Now seems it was all for nothin'," Colleen fidgeted roughly with the checkered napkin which rested on the table in front of her.
"Look, ain't talkin' 'bout this with ya now. Just do what ya like, mope around the Clinic all day if that's what ya want. You ain't the only one who's strugglin' with this," Matthew pulled his hand away from her shoulder, shook his head several times, and sauntered across the café to Robert E's.
"Ah mornin' Colleen. Mind if I sit for a moment?" Dorothy barely waited for a response before pulling out the chair to Colleen's right, taking a seat and trying to make eye contact with the young girl.
"Everythin' all right, Colleen?" Dorothy smiled in gratitude as Grace silently filled the metal cup in front of her with fresh coffee.
"I dunno, Miss Dorothy. Does it look like it is?" Colleen heard the sarcasm in her whispered voice, barely caring by that stage.
"I, well no, it doesn't. It's perfectly understandable you're missin' Michaela, but surely she won't be away long and you have to agree she certainly needs some time for herself." Dorothy was momentarily taken aback by the girl's curt reply, however this did not deter her from trying to offer some advice; whether desired or not. What she was not prepared for was the reddening of Colleen's face, and the shrillness in her voice as she responded abruptly.
"I'm so sick of everyone defending her! Poor Dr Mike, poor Dr Mike! That's all any a ya been sayin' for months now! There are other people besides her. What about Brian? What about Sully? Why's everyone sayin' it's all right for Dr Mike to do whatever she wants. What about other people," Colleen rose quickly to her feet, and rested her fists on the edge of the table in front of her. Her voice was thick with emotion. Dorothy's mouth dropped open in shock, before she was finally able to speak.
"Sweetheart, your ma's been through something unimaginable. I would have thought you'd be old enough to appreciate that. I'm sure Sully can." She studied the young girl's furious expression, with the assumption Colleen would see sense and calm down.
"Well Sully don't know the half a it," her reply was only darker and heavier.
"You mean he doesn't know Michaela's gone? Why not?" Dorothy interlocked her hands on the table in front of her, leaning forward in unhidden curiosity.
"Doesn't matter. Too late now, anyway. Miss Olive reckon's just gotta let Dr Mike handle stuff for herself. That it's up to her, doesn't matter what I think," Colleen shook her head slowly, as if trying to somehow convince herself of the advice she had received from the adults around her.
Dorothy nodded slowly, as she leant forward in silent intrigue. She'd heard her sister-in-law's name, and she did not like it one bit. Someone knew something she didn't.
~.~
X.O.X
~.~
"Got a few things to finish first, Matthew, take care a Bear later this afternoon." Robert E. reached forwards for the ball plane hammer, and continued with his laborious work.
"Thanks, Robert E. Ain't gonna need it for awhile, just well, needed doin'," Matthew had removed his hat from his head, and began to mindlessly turn it around in his hands.
Robert E. worked on the hot iron shoe in front of him for several moments, not sure whether to voice his thoughts. Taking a glance back up, he noticed the young man's lowered head.
"Weren't gonna say nothin', figured everyone's been harpin' on about it enough but, seemed kinda strange Dr Mike up and leavin' like that. You know she was takin' little Brian?" Robert E. let the hammer slip from his right hand, and placed it gently beside the anvil.
"No, ah, didn't," Matthew was hesitant to discuss the issue, however trusted that Robert E. would not pry unnecessarily.
"Seems little odd, pulling the boy outa school like that," Robert E. wiped the perspiration from his forehead, and folded his arms across his chest.
"He's been pretty clingy to her lately. Well, ever since," Matthew leaned back up against the fence behind him, "reckon she figured he'd be too hurt if she didn't take him. Either that or she thought he was gonna say somethin'," Matthew deflected his eyes quickly.
"Ain't none a my business anyway but," Robert E. looked back across at Matthew sharply in response to the young man's emotive remark.
"'Bout bloody time," Matthew snarled under his breath, seeing Sully and Wolf pacing along the street in the distance.
"Matthew?" Robert E. frowned; he'd never heard him speak in such a nasty tone.
"Sorry, nothin'. Just, well, nothin'," Matthew placed his hat carefully on his head, in an attempt to conceal his identity.
"Come to think a it, haven't seen Sully 'round town for almost a week now," Robert E., unaware of the preexisting tension, smiled warmly and waved in Sully's direction, gaining his attention immediately.
"Mornin' Robert E, Matthew," Sully nodded as he arrived by Matthew's side, getting no response from the younger man.
"Mornin'. Was just sayin' to Matthew, ain't seen you 'round lately," Robert E. located his canteen and took a long, satisfying drink.
"Ain't been in town. Been out with Cloud Dancin', doin' a vision quest," Sully replied flatly, more concerned by Matthew's complete disregard.
"I see," Robert E. looked awkwardly between Matthew and Sully, he too was aware of the young man's hostile attitude.
"Everythin' been all right, Matthew? You seem awful quiet," Sully pushed a handful of hair over his left shoulder, as he turned to his right.
"I'm outa here, got stuff to do," Matthew threw a look of contempt in Sully's direction as he pushed away from the fence and began walking back towards the street.
"Yeah, I better head off too, see if Dr Mike wants some mornin' tea," Sully looked back to Robert E., as Matthew paced off hurriedly into the distance.
"Sully she, don't ya know?" Robert E. suddenly began to put Matthew's earlier behavior together with Sully's words; realization dawned on him.
"Know what?" Sully shrugged, calling the Wolf to his side.
"Thought ya woulda known. Dr Mike ain't here. She went to Denver on Monday's stage, took little Brian," Robert E. saw Sully's eyes flicker with uncertainty; worry creeping instantly to his face.
"She say why?" Sully alternated his glance between the Blacksmith and Matthew's fading outline.
"No, she didn't say nothin'. No-one knew 'bout it. The kids are takin' it hard though," Robert E. trailed off, Sully had long-since turned his attention back to Matthew.
Sully raised his arm apologetically towards Robert E., the Blacksmith nodded in understanding. He watched with concern as Sully tore away from the fence and ran frantically after Matthew.
"Why didn't ya tell me?" Sully locked his hand firmly around Matthew's arm, the forcefulness in his voice startled the young man somewhat.
"Get off me. Don't gotta answer to you," Matthew shoved Sully's hand away roughly, and continued down towards the mercantile.
"Robert E. said she took Brian, I don't understand. Did you know about this?" Sully looked deeply into Matthew's eyes as he searched desperately for any information.
"Course ya don't understand. Weren't around, were ya, as usual. And no, we didn't know either. So ya can rest assured Colleen and I weren't keepin' nothin' from ya. Well, least I weren't," Matthew glanced around the busy street, before he turned back reluctantly to Sully.
"Look, it don't make no sense Michaela leavin' like this, just not like her," Sully drew a breath, having decided to be straight with Matthew. "You know ya ma and you know she told me to leave night a the play? I'm worried. She's been actin' strange for weeks and now she goes off like this, with no explanation? I know you and I had our differences," Sully stopped when he heard the young man clear his throat.
"Save it, will ya? Don't try makin' it up to me, too late for that. In fact, reckon it's too late for you to do anything. So why don't ya just crawl back out there, with ya injun friends. Stop interferin'," Matthew felt his hands move to the rawhide pouch around his neck, and in a single instant, pulled it over his head and tossed it to the ground between them.
"You gettin' all of us involved with those savages has caused enough damage." Matthew dropped his eyes to the object as it hit the dusty road.
"Matthew," Sully narrowed his eyes and bent down slowly to carefully retrieve Matthew's sacred pouch from the ground.
"Wish we'd never got involved with you, then none a this woulda happened. Dr Mike wouldn't be out there, God knows where, tryin'," Matthew stopped, mid-sentence, and shook his head; he wasn't about to give in that easily.
"Listen, I know ya angry with me. We've been over this and I can handle ya all blamin' me, even ya ma, but ain't gonna do any good. Now, when Dr Mike say she'd be back? Why'd she go anyway?" Sully glanced around at the several townspeople who were subtly observing their conversation.
"Dunno when she's gonna get back. Few weeks maybe. As for your not knowing why she's gone, maybe there's a very good reason you don't know." Matthew pushed his right hand deep into his trouser pocket, as the corner of his mouth pulled up into a contemptuous smirk.
"Just what's that supposed to mean?" Sully scoffed; he could hear the young man's arrogance, matched with his dismissive body language.
"Maybe you and Dr Mike ain't as close as you thought." Matthew raised a single eyebrow, as a small mocking chuckle left his throat.
"Listen, ya don't know what you're talkin' about," Sully felt the young man's scorn begin to bite at his pride; he also believed Matthew was old enough to keep his emotions under control.
"Reckon I know a damn sight more than you," Matthew tightened his eyes into a seething squint, as he looked away to glance towards Loren and Jake on the edge of the porch.
"Why don't you just grow up for a change. Stop blaming me for something I really had no control over and just move on," Sully had also noticed the attention they had received, however was too appalled by Matthew's coldness to care.
"Think I've done plenty a growin' up. Had to really, you not around, running off to sulk the second things don't go your way." Matthew barely felt his lips move as he muttered a response. The two men locked eyes momentarily, each conveying to the other that they had no intention of coming to an understanding.
"I've had enough of this," Sully shifted his frustrated glare from Matthew, to Loren and Jake, and then finally back to the ground. Only a moment passed before he turned and took several steps back towards Robert's E's. The sound of Matthew's retort stopped his movements immediately.
"Typical. Soon as it gets tough, you're nowhere to be found," Matthew shook his head in pure loathing. For the first time in his life, he actually didn't care how disrespectful his words were.
Matthew had, on the surface, remained polite the last few months, however Sully knew he would probably never earn back the young man's full respect. Nothing would make up for his refusing to allow Matthew to help him search for Michaela from the first day she was taken. Sully knew it would take years of commitment and loyalty before that damage might be repaired.
"Listen, the only reason I left was Michaela made it perfectly clear she didn't want me around, and I respected that," Sully folded his arms defensively across his chest, as his eyes narrowed in unconcealed anger.
"She didn't know what she was sayin'. Ain't in any fit state to know what she wants," Matthew disregarded to Sully's previous statement.
"Why ya makin' excuses for her? Dr Mike's perfectly capable of knowin' her own mind," Sully dusted his hand down his left arm, the tone of his voice was condescending.
"No, she ain't. She," Matthew took a tentative step towards Sully, his voice dropped, aware of the interested looks from passersby. The two men exchanged regarding looks, for several moments.
It wasn't until Matthew trailed off, and dropped his head, that Sully calmed down enough to gently prompt him.
"What?" Sully picked up on the awkwardness in the young man's hesitant words. Sully glanced down at the rawhide pouch clasped loosely in his hands before he drew his gaze back to Matthew's face.
Matthew cleared his throat, both men aware of the agonized silence between them. He didn't want to tell him; it felt as though he was letting him win. Matthew knew that by telling Sully, he'd be losing a degree of power over his family, he'd be admitting his inability to cope with the situation. Matthew felt as if telling him would take him a step backwards into childhood. He couldn't let that happen.
"Matthew, this isn't about you or me, is it? No matter how angry you are at me. If something's wrong, then," Sully sighed, mentally willing Matthew to put his immaturity aside.
"Then, what?" Matthew replied automatically, however a small piece of his resistance being broken away. He tried to distract himself away from the reality that Sully's words were slowly breaking down his resolve.
"Then keepin' it from me, ain't the right thing to do. Keepin' it from me, just coz you're mad at me ain't gonna do no-one no good. Why'd ya ma leave?" Sully felt a queasiness form in the pit of his stomach. He could sense the nervousness Matthew felt, which only convinced him more strongly that something was very wrong.
His sister's words of concern for Michaela's safety had had an indirect effect on him, and despite his contradictory words to Colleen, Matthew was petrified. Somewhere deep inside, the thought of having another adult's support was comforting, although his pride would scarcely allow him to admit that, even to himself.
"You knowin' ain't gonna change anythin'. Ain't gonna get Dr Mike out of trouble," Matthew muttered lightly. He lifted his head slightly as he finished, catching Sully's intense glare. Matthew did not consciously mean to give the situation away, but fear had been slowly building in his chest since the day before.
"Trouble?" Sully felt his chest tighten, he initially feared Michaela ill. It was the tone that the young man had used which caused Sully to reconsider his meaning. As his mind repeated Matthew's words over and over in his head, another realization struck him. Trouble. Sully watched the young man's shoulders sink, as the word again sounded in his mind.
"Sully," Matthew pulled his mouth into a mortified grimace, his eyes darting around the ground between them. He couldn't say it; not here, not out in the open like this. Matthew heard Sully's weak reply. It was barely audible, the hoarseness of his tone, however, conveyed his understanding.
"No," Sully felt his feet numb against the ground underneath him. He looked up desperately, hoping Matthew would disconfirm his darkest suspicion.
Matthew heard the emotion in his voice before he realized his eyes had been clouded by tears.
"Tell me it's not." Sully had locked onto one harrowing conclusion.
"She ain't ill, Sully." Matthew heard the emotion in his voice before he realized his eyes had been clouded by tears.
Matthew didn't bring his eyes back to Sully, however turned, and with his head still lowered, began a slow pace back up the main street.
"Matthew, please. Tell me it's not true," Sully's voice was raw and pleading, he quickly followed the young man, barely able to think logically.
Matthew quickened his pace, glancing up the street ahead of him. They were now only several yards from the Clinic, and Matthew knew the imminent outburst was best kept as private as possible.
~.~
X.O.X
~.~
"Brian, slower, you'll make yourself ill," Michaela cringed, and watched in disbelief as the young boy shoveled the remainder of his final pancake into his mouth.
"thorry, Ma, just dis weally 'ood," Brian struggled to respond to the reprimand, however only made matters worse.
"Brian Cooper," Michaela dropped her fork to the fine china plate in front of her, her eyes glared across at him in disapproval.
The small child lowered his head in shame, and silently continued to chew the food in his mouth. Michaela sighed and reached forwards to take a sip of her tea.
"Ma, when's the baby due?" Brian frowned, resting his chin in his left hand.
"Brian," Michaela's shoulders sunk, as she turned her attention back to her right to gaze out of the glass window. The choice to have brought Brian along was certainly a poor decision.
"Won't be for ages, will it? Will it be before Christmas?" Brian sensed Michaela's distraction, thinking she was still angry at him for his earlier lack of table manners.
"I don't wish to discuss it over breakfast," Michaela lowered her eyes momentarily, unable to deny herself the truth; that she was indeed carrying a child. That another human being had been created; that it was slowly growing inside of her. And that she would, in a matter of days, be ending that life.
Brian blinked several times, trying to assimilate the sharpness in Michaela's words, with the misery he now saw in her eyes. He couldn't understand it, Miss Myra was excited, why wasn't his mother.
"It's all right, Ma. Doesn't matter if it's not a boy," Brian turned the corner of his mouth up into a teasing smile, attempting to lighten the mood.
"Brian! Hush, just, please," Michaela brought the palm of her left hand down forcefully on the edge of the table, as she tore her gaze from the moving countryside which surrounded them.
Brian tensed his shoulders in response to the noise and pulled his chin down to his chest. His eyes locked on his mother's right hand, the palm of which remained flat against the perfectly white linen.
Michaela cringed, and diverted her attention back towards the window, unable to voice the insincere apology she knew Brian would be expecting.
The young boy watched nervously as Michaela's right hand slipped from the table after several moments. Still he waited, eyes shifting between his mother's turned face, and the empty plate before him.
"Can I," he stopped sharply, and instantly corrected himself, "May I have another pancake, Ma?" Brian looked eagerly across the room towards the buffet of food.
"Sorry?" Michaela muttered unconsciously, as she removed the napkin from her lap and placed it delicately beside the china plate.
"May I have another one?" Brian repeated, already halfway to his feet, as he saw another young girl approach the freshly cooked pancakes.
"No, you've had sufficient. We're heading back to our seats," Michaela frowned briefly, ignoring the disheartened expression that swept across Brian's face.
"Aww, Ma," Brian whined, placing his plate back onto the edge of the table reluctantly.
"I told you, no, Brian. Now let's go." Michaela reached awkwardly for her medical bag which rested on the ground by her chair. With a disgruntled sigh, she stood and proceeded along the car to the door which separated the carriages. Brian followed, failing to hide his superficial annoyance at his mother's denial.
~.~
X.O.X
~.~
Colleen looked up from her seat behind Michaela's desk the moment she heard the door open.
"Matthew, what's," The young girl trailed off, and her jaw dropped as she saw Sully enter the room behind her brother.
"Tell him," Matthew waved his right hand dismissively from his sister and back towards Sully, in indication for Colleen to say what he could not.
"Sully, where have you been?" Colleen lowered her eyebrows, somewhat startled, as she had not seen Sully for almost a week and knew he would be shocked by Michaela's unexpected departure.
Sully deflected Colleen's question with a quick shake of his head, as he arrived by the edge of the desk, both hands leaning assertively on the front of it, as he addressed Colleen.
"Matthew said, is it true? He said Michaela, tell me, Colleen. Just tell me," Sully's voice was breathy, his words divided and broken up in panic and concern.
"It's true. She's pregnant. Well, was," Colleen pursed her lips precisely, as her hands interlocked upon the desk in front of her.
"What do you mean, was?" Sully didn't blink; his words were placed more slowly than usual.
"That's why she left," Colleen sighed and continued. "From what we can gather, she hasn't gone to Denver like everyone thinks. Miss Olive and I reckon she's gone to Boston. To have an abortion." Colleen looked from her brother's resigned face, back to Sully's, as his face slowly melted into forlorn disappointment.
"I knew it. Knew somethin' weren't right. Why didn't someone tell me?" He adjusted his stance nervously, and his widened eyes glared between the two siblings.
"Weren't around, were ya," Matthew raised a single eyebrow, his arms crossing defensively against his chest.
"Well I didn't know it was somethin' like this, did I? How could I? Had I known, woulda never left. Guess it makes sense now. No wonder Michaela refused to talk to me, no wonder she… Why didn't I see this! Why didn't I do something," Sully pulled his eyes from Colleen's, to look down at his fingers gripped against the edge of the table.
"It's all about you, ain't it? Just like before. Why don't you just listen to yaself for a minute. Stop tryin' to rescue Dr Mike all the time; she doesn't need you. Think that's perfectly clear by now. We don't need you at all," Matthew heard his sister's stifled gasp in response to the directness of his words. He didn't care. There wasn't anything that anyone could say to fix this.
"No. I can make this right. Colleen, you don't believe Michaela's doing the right thing, do you? She's just scared. Only doin' this coz she thinks it's what everyone expects her to do."
"I ain't so sure about that but, you're right, I don't agree. However, I think it's what Dr Mike wants," Colleen replied, as her shoulders sunk forward in hopelessness.
"Don't ya see, she doesn't. I mean, she might think she does. No. There's no way ya ma'd really want to do that. Ain't right. Ain't what she believes in," Sully tilted his head to the side slightly, unintentionally catching Matthew's eye.
"What makes you think you know anything about what Dr Mike wants, or thinks? Ain't the same to you. Some of us, let's face it, most a the people 'round here don't see Indians in the same light as regular folk. Don't even treat them like they're human, and I know for a fact, where Dr Mike comes from, it's even worse. You really got no idea how terrified she is of this. Feels like she's betrayin' her family, herself, all of us," Matthew felt the pace of his words slow. Throughout the short outburst, he'd alternated his glance between Sully and his sister, Colleen's facial expression melting into soft encouragement.
As the young girl took in her older brother's words, she frowned slightly, beginning, for the first time, to consider this situation from a contrasting perspective. That this child's origin was not to be regarded as an insignificant factor. Colleen remembered briefly, the words of contempt and ostracism they'd received during the few days they'd taken care of the cowboy's baby; she knew the town would not be as accepting as were the two people standing before her.
"Ya Ma'd know better than that. Would know this ain't something that coulda been helped. That it's not her fault. You know that, don't ya? That this baby isn't responsible for what happened. That it's just the way things are meant to be," Sully turned sharply, hearing Matthew's furious exclamation from behind him.
"Hell, I can't believe I'm standing here listening to this. 'The way things are meant to be'." Matthew crossed the room noisily, reaching for the door handle, turning momentarily to lock eyes with the older man, "You care more about some half-breed Indian bastard than you do about our mother!" He felt the cool, round handle turn, and pulled the door open towards him, hanging his head as he waited for the inevitable reply.
"That ain't true, Matthew. But hating that child isn't the answer. Michaela killing her own child won't help her to forget what happened. Will just make it worse; she'll have to carry that guilt for the rest of her life; she'll regret it every day," Sully dropped his head, and turned back to Colleen, seeing the paralleled views behind the young girl's eyes. Matthew closed the door gently once again, deciding to stay for a few more minutes.
"That's what I think, Matthew. I don't want nothin' happenin' to her. You know it's dangerous. Maybe, maybe we oughta try and stop her," Colleen brought her right hand across her chest and rubbed her hand along her left upper arm slowly in thought.
"No. It's up to Dr Mike. This isn't our business." Matthew remained firm, however he noticed Sully's jaw tighten in response to Colleen's words.
"Colleen, what did ya mean? Is Michaela in danger?" Sully moved around the desk to crouch down beside the girl.
"Think so." Her chin lowered to her chest, as she slowly pulled the desk drawer open in front of her and delicately retrieved the crisply folded letter.
"What's this?" Sully tentatively unfolded the thin paper; he squinted to make out the scrawled writing.
"From a doctor in Boston. Ma wrote him askin' for help, 'cept he weren't any help. Reckon she thought she could do it herself. Then, realized it was getting too late, and panicked," Colleen trailed off as Sully became consumed in the grim content of the writing before him.
"But something like this. Against the law, ain't it? I mean, ain't something you can just do. Would have to be careful to not get caught, and that'd make it more dangerous, wouldn't it?" Sully felt his shoulders rise and fall heavily, quickly turning around to see Matthew's anger fade into worry before he looked back to Colleen for a response.
"Yeah, I, I don't know much, but it's gotta involve surgery. And if this doctor reckons it'll leave permanent damage, or even kill her, then there'd be the chance of massive blood loss. Surely it'd be safer to just have the baby?" Colleen cringed noticeably as Sully dropped the letter to the desk.
"Then I ain't lettin' her do this," Sully stood, reaching a hand to Colleen's shoulder in support.
"Here we go," Matthew rolled his eyes, once again opening the door to signal his intention to leave the room.
"Don't you understand, Matthew? Even ya own sister is sayin' this is dangerous. If you want to stand by and have ya little brother end up livin' halfway across the country with your Grandma, because Michaela's been thrown in jail, or, died, then you're not the man I thought you were," Sully paused, expecting Matthew to have departed from him moments earlier.
He was somewhat taken aback by the young man's continued presence. "Look, I'm sorry you feel this anger towards me but don't let it stop ya from admitting what you know is the right thing. I'm not going to let her kill herself over this. And from the sounds of it, she'd go just that far. I'll leave on tomorrow morning's stage. I'll find her, somehow and I'll bring her home. Now, if you two want to come with me, then that's up to you. Reckon she needs all of us right now. Either way, I'm goin'," Sully moved his eyes slowly over the assorted items on Michaela's desk, his gaze resting on the framed photo of her graduating class. He swallowed, eyes glazing over as he considered the emotional torment Michaela must have been enduring these last few months. He wished he'd known. He wished he'd listened, asked. It wasn't until he heard Matthew's footsteps approaching along the wooden floorboards that Sully realized he had not left the room.
"Fine but I'm goin' too, then. Maybe we can get there in time to stop this," Matthew added, as they both turned back around, having heard the chair scrape across the floorboards.
"Me too," Colleen rose to her feet, and nodded slowly in contribution.
"Good. I need to go get some stuff organized. Meet you both back here tomorrow mornin'," Sully kept his voice low and serious.
"Right, gonna go ride out to Miss Olive's, let her know what's goin' on. Everyone's gonna think it odd the lot a us traipsing off, gonna need someone to keep the rumors under control," Matthew saw the confused look Sully directed his way, Colleen quickly interjecting with an explanation.
"You don't need to do that. She well, guessed. Couldn't really lie to her. 'Sides, she thinks Dr Mike's doin' the right thing; doesn't bother her a bit," Colleen shrugged.
"Don't matter what anyone thinks, Colleen. We'll worry about that after we've found ya ma and Brian," Sully looked between both Matthew and Colleen, to see if either had anything further to say.
"Sully's right. What matters is keeping our family together. Will get Robert E. to look after the animals. Colleen, we'll head back to the homestead tonight, pack. You all right stayin' here 'til supper?" Matthew ran his right hand along the edge of the doorframe, barely believing that he was agreeing with Sully after their earlier confrontation.
"Yeah, I'll make up some supplies for Mr. Slicker. What we gonna say though? I mean tomorrow, everyone's gonna see us leavin'. Gonna think it's strange us going after Dr Mike for no reason." Colleen pushed a strand of loose blond hair behind her right ear, looking nervously between her brother and Sully.
"We can just say got a telegram, that Dr Mike wanted to stay on. That we thought it'd be nice if we joined her. Surely no-one'll question that," Matthew raised an eyebrow questioningly.
"S'ppose that'll work. Couldn't really care less to be honest, ain't what's important." Sully arrived by Matthew's side, opening the door and taking several moments to glance out onto the busy main street, before his attention was gripped by Matthew's dull reply.
"I'll, ah, be back after lunch, Colleen," Matthew drew his lips together in a tight grimace, stepped past Sully out onto the porch, and secured his hat firmly on his head.
"All right," Colleen whispered, returning the crisply folded letter to the drawer, and sliding the chair back neatly under the desk.
Sully nodded in Colleen's direction; his eyes communicated a warm confidence of reassurance.
"Everythin's gonna work out, Colleen," he muttered under his breath, before joining Matthew on the porch and letting the door close behind him.