Colleen watched the clock. Time couldn’t pass quick enough. She needed her husband to be home know. Soon it turned four o’ clock. Within a few minutes Andrew walked through their front door. He took of his coat and hat, and set them on the coat rack, and put his medical bag on the table. He found his wife seated in the parlor.
She jumped up from her seat when she saw him. She ran into his arms. Her warmth filled his heart with so much love for her. He embraced her tightly for a moment. Then she slowly pulled back to face him. He gently touched her cheek.
“Andrew I have the most wonderful news.” She told her husband all lighted up.
“What?” He told her with a smile on his face.
“Well you know I went to go see Dr. O’Connor today. He and I discussed some cases when I asked him a few questions concerning my own health. Well he decided to give me a thorough examination. He said that I am pregnant!” She waited for his response.
Andrew’s entire face lit up. “Colleen we have both wanted this for so long it seems. I can’t believe it’s finally coming true.”
He embraced her with all the love in the world. They held one another for what seemed like for hours but was only a few minutes. Andrew then pulled apart. He leaned in and gave her a long passionate kiss. Colleen savored the touch of his soft warm lips against hers. This was what love really was.
They made their way to the bedroom. Andrew closed the door behind him. He undid the buttons to her dress and slipped it down to the floor. Colleen stepped out of the dress. She undid his pants and pulled them off his feet. Soon all their clothes were gone.
Andrew felt her warmth against his skin. He couldn’t believe how beautiful she really was. He kissed her tender cheeks. Then he kissed the crook of her neck. She was beginning to react to his touch.
Colleen kissed his chest and his lips. His strong arms around her body brought her warmth and comfort. She leaned in close to him. They soon became one. Their lovemaking was slow, and beautiful. Every part formed together perfectly. They were truly made for one another.
Later on that night they lay in bed fast asleep. Wrapped in each other’s arms. Andrew awoke. He spent moments just staring at his wife. His heart stirred at her beauty. She was the light of his life. He thought to the little child within her. Growing and changing. It was created by their wonderful love.
He spent the rest of the night just staring at her. Sleep would not come easily for him, when the most beautiful woman that he loved was sleeping soundly within his strong arms that gave her safe and secure feeling.
Colleen and Andrew awoke the next morning. They both arose feeling refreshed from the day before. As they were dressing they couldn’t seem to get enough of one another. Kissing, touching, and holding made the morning ritual take an hour longer than normal.
Finally they were both dressed and off to work. They parted ways at the clinic. She went to her office, he went to his. For the first time each of them wished they had shared a partner’s desk instead.
Colleen sat down at her desk. She looked at the pile of paperwork on her desk. She gave a long sigh. Another hard working and long day. But she did enjoy her work. It was just so demanding at times. She began to shift through the paperwork that her secretary had put their earlier that morning.
Andrew put his coat on it’s hanger. He took down his white overcoat and slipped it on over his suit. Then he looked at his schedule for that morning. Nine appointments almost back to back. Another exhausting day for him and his wife. He worried about how the long hours would affect her now in her present condition. But he knew if it was to much she would tell him. He went back to his schedule.
Colleen looked at the clock on the mantle in her office. It was three o’ clock. Time to go home. She knew that she had too much work to finish though before she could go home to a nice warm bed and a nice hot dinner. She began to stand when she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen. She sat back down. It continued to shoot through her body. Then she felt a wet sensation between her legs. She looked and saw blood.
Brian woke up. He arose from his bunk. He got dressed and shaved his face. It was hard to adapt to the Army’s rules. But after a year he know became adjusted to their mandatory rules and regulations.
He assembled along side the other soldiers. He his hand in salute as did all the officers as Lt. William Anderson stepped forward. He inspected each soldier’s uniform, position, and stance. As soon as he was satisfied.
He told the young men. “At ease soldiers. You are all fine young men. It has been a pleasure to have you under my wing for the last year. I wish you all well in your new chain of command. You will now be under General Armstrong Custer’s regiment.”
Brian’s eyes gasped. He couldn’t take commands from that monster of a man. But Brian retained his composure and stood tall. He would have to find someway to get out of it.
After he was relieved of duty. He went to the Department of War. He walked through the swinging glass doors. He asked if the Major Thomas O’Hara was in. The lady told him to wait while she announced his presence.
“Sir, Private Brian Cooper is here to see, should I show him in?”
The Major replied in a deep voice. “Yes show the young man in.”
Brian walked into the Major’s office. He stood before the man with a nervous expression on his face. The Major looked at Brian. Something about him seemed very familiar.
“Private are you related to a... Private Carleton Quinn?” The major asked him.
“Yes sir, he is my mother’s cousin.”
“You are the spitting image of him. He is a fine officer.”
“Sir Carlton died several years ago in the battle of Gettysburg.” Brain told him sadly.
“Well I am sorry to hear that. Now what can I do for you sir?”
“Sir it’s about General Custer.” Brian remained calm.
“A good man. Ridded us of those filthy savage Indians. What about him?”
“I refuse to serve under his regiment.” Brian told him firmly.
“Private do you realize what an opportunity this is for your career? He can give you the kind of combat skills you need fast and you can move up in rank quicker. It would be an impressive honor on your reputation.”
“Sir I can’t serve General Custer.” Brian restated.
“Well then you’ll be thrown in jail Private. You will be defying a direct order from Lt. Anderson. Are you willing to stand by your decision even if it means career suicide?” The Major looked at Brian with a stern look on his face.
“No sir.” Brian said with a sigh.
“Good, then it’s settled you’ll join General Custer within a week in Wyoming.” The Major said pleased.
“Yes Sir.” Brian said as he left the Major’s office.
Colleen cried out to her husband. He ran into the room. He saw Colleen bleeding between her legs. He knew what was happening and he was frightening. He went to her side.
“Oh God Andrew make it stop. Please make it stop. The baby. Oh God no not my baby.” Colleen told her husband in tears as she was in pain.
“Dana call for my carriage now.”
Andrew turned his attention back to his wife. She was in so much pain that he wasn’t sure what to do. He thought back to Michaela. He knew how hard her miscarriage had been for her. But she had other children to keep her going. He had heard woman when they came to see him after a recent miscarriage tell him that they felt so sad, but they had to go on for their children. But he knew Colleen and he didn’t have any other children.
Soon he and Colleen were at the hospital. The doctor and nurse took Colleen into her room. They gave her a warm bath and then gave her something to sleep. It was all they could do to help her.
Andrew sat beside her as she slept. He felt a great sadness pushing down upon him. Colleen had lost her child, his child, their baby. He felt he couldn’t control his tears anymore. So he let them fall.
“Soldiers attack!!!” General Custer told the young men.
Brian felt his feet freeze. He couldn’t make the horse go. He wouldn’t kill anymore Indians. He felt the horse move. He held on as the horse took off in a frantic rampage. Brian heard the screams and the gun shots. Then he saw a fellow officer of his on the ground. He had been wounded.
Brian stopped the horse and jumped down. He ran to the young man’s assistance. He took off his jacket and put it on him for warmth.
“James your going to be alright. I promise your going to be alright.” Brian told the young man with tears of desperation in his eyes.
Brian looked at the battle around him. His eyes finally opened. What was he doing here. He couldn’t believe he ever wanted to be in the army. He saw the innocent children be slaughtered and the women and old men run in desperation then shot in the back.
“James why did we ever come here? Why did we ever join this terrible army? There nothing but blood thirsty savages themselves. Now look at this. This terrible battle. For God’s sake their killing women and children. But they don’t care do they James?” Brian cried.
“Brian you need to get word to my wife and kids. Her name is Melanie and my son is Aaron and my little girl Anna. You need to tell them I love them. Their in San Francisco. Melanie Brooks. Can you get word to her? Promise me please.” James pleaded with Brian.
“Yeah I promise I’ll get word to her.” Brian told James. As James took a final breath and his eyes closed. Brian cried out. He couldn’t take anymore death.
Then in the background Brian heard a low sound. Brian turned and in fear he saw explosives coming toward him. A loud explosion occurred. Everything stopped. The battle became silent as the explosion happened. Brian looked up at the sky and felt pain shoot through his body.
Michaela awoke to two loud cries coming from the cribs. She got up from bed and went to the cribs. Danielle and David were both awake and fussing. At only one month old they still completely depended upon Michaela for their nourishment. Michaela picked up her son and sat in the rocking chair with him.
She undid the buttons to her gown and slid it away to expose her breast. Soon David started to nurse. Sully soon awoke to his daughter’s cries. He saw Michaela nursing their son. Sully slipped out of bed and went to the crib. He picked up his small daughter carefully. Being careful of her fragile head that she could not yet herself support.
Sully spoke to his small daughter. “Hey there Danielle. Your hungry aren’t you honey. Well as soon as your brother is done we’ll get you fed and changed.”
Michaela moved David to her shoulder after he was done feeding. Then she patted his back until she got a few good burps. She knew that a baby couldn’t burp like a child or an adult could, so she had to help him.
“Sully here you take him and change him, and you give her to me and I’ll feed her and burp her.” Michaela told her husband.
Sully picked up David and put Danielle into her mother’s waiting arms. Michaela had Danielle soon nursing from her breast. After she was done she burped her. Then she got up from the rocking chair and changed her and got her dressed.
Later on that morning they all sat down to eat breakfast. Katie was chatting on about a school assignment while John was playing with his toy train. The twins were peacefully asleep in the cradles in the living room. Alex was sitting in the high chair making a mess of her breakfast.
“Poppy Mrs. Slicker said we had to paint a picture of our house. She said that I was talented, but I needed to work on perspective. Would you help me?”
“Honey you should talk to you mother about that. She knows more about painting then I do.” Sully told his daughter.
“Mommy will you help me with perspective?” Katie asked her mother.
“Sure, sweetheart, how about after supper tonight?” Michaela asked her daughter.
“Okay Mommy.” Katie replied happily.
As they continued to eat and chat on about school and work. Horace rode up on a horse. He jumped down and ran to the front door and knocked on it franticly. Michaela was closest to the door so she got up from her seat and opened the door.
Her smile soon left her face as she looked at Horace’s look of shock. Michaela felt the blood rush to her head.
“Horace are you alright?” She asked him.
“Telegram for you Dr. Mike. From the Army.” Horace said with a very serious tone.
Michaela took it from him and opened the folded piece of paper. She silently read the message to herself. She felt her tears threatening to fall. She sat down slowly in the chair she had just sat in with a happy expression upon her face.
“Michaela what is it?” Sully asked very concerned.
“It’s Brian. He’s..” She could not find the word’s to continue.
Sully arose from his seat and went to his wife’s side. He took the telegram from her hands. Sully slowly read the painful words as he choked back tears. This couldn’t be true. He knew that they had to have made a mistake.
“What is it Poppy?” Katie asked her father.
Sully looked at his daughter’s very worried face. She looked so small and frail just sitting there. Sully couldn’t tell her such heartbreaking news.
Michaela found the strength to say. “Katie, please take John and Alex upstairs with you. Play with them in your room. Your father and I will be up in a minute.”
Katie picked up Alex and went to the stairs. Four year old John followed quietly. They walked upstairs slowly. Sully and Michaela made sure that they were out of hearing range when Michaela finally broke down into tears.
“Oh, God No! Not my son. He can’t be dead.” Michaela cried out as she put her hands up to her face.
Sully embraced her within his strong arms. She pulled him close and they both cried in each other’s arms. The doctor who was so strong and the mountain man who always was quiet and tough were both breaking apart.
Horace couldn’t see two people who were his very dear friends fall apart as they were. He quickly left the homestead and road back into town. He hated to be the barer of bad news.
Soon cries came from the two cradles in the living room. Michaela and Sully both dried their tears. They arose from their sitting and kneeling positions. They went to the cradles and each picked up a child. Then they slowly climbed the stairs until they reached Katie’s bedroom door. Sully opened it and they took a seat on the bed. Katie, John, and Alex were all sitting on the floor playing with her toys.
“Katie and John we need to talk.” Michaela told her two children.
“John, Katie, we received a telegram from the Army. As you both know Brian is in the army. He was fighting in a battle, and he and several other soldiers were mistaken for the enemy and they were fired at by soldiers with cannons and they were all killed.”
Katie became very quiet. The thought of her older brother being gone and never see him again hit her very hard. She bit her lip and tried to control her tears, but her efforts were not succeeding.
John lowered his head and his huge tears fell from his blue eyes. As he looked up at his mother and father it was enough to make them choke. They couldn’t stand to see their children falling apart. It was just to unbearable.
Sully handed David over to his wife and went to his young daughter and son. He picked them up and put them on his lap. Katie leaned close to him and finally absorbed the fact that her brother was dead and not coming back. And with that realization, came her tears from the loss that she felt so close to her heart.
Sully held his two children as they cried for the loss of their beloved brother. His tears soon began to fall. Soon Michaela and the twins were all in an embrace. They all held one another as a family wept for such a tragic and sad loss of a young man who they loved so dearly and had touched their lives in so many ways.
Andrew made sure Colleen was asleep before he left their bedroom. She had a rough couple of nights in the past week since the miscarriage. He went downstairs. He went to the table were the mail was. He quickly glimpsed through it. He found a telegram marked Urgent, Open Immediately.
He opened the telegram and read it. It was from Michaela and Sully. It said that Brian had been killed in a battle in Wyoming, and that his funeral would take place at Arlington Cemetery. He felt another pain of sadness hit him. He knew that this was more then Colleen could ever bare at this point in time. He thought about keeping the information from her for awhile, but he knew that she would hate him if she didn’t get to say goodbye to her younger brother so dear to her.
He slowly climbed the stairs. The time seemed like years. Finally he reached the top of the stairs. He turned left and went to his bedroom door. He stood there for a long moment. He finally found the strength somewhere inside of him to turn the knob and open the door.
It made a loud creak, that awoke Colleen. She sat up in bed. Andrew slowly moved toward her.
She looked at his face. She knew something was terribly wrong. She could see the inner turmoil and pain within his eyes. They told her something awful had happened.
Andrew handed Colleen the telegram. She took it from him. She opened it slowly. Hoping that it wouldn’t be bad news, but deep down in her gut she knew that it was. She stared at the paper blankly for a moment. The news finally hit her and she finally cried.
“No!” Colleen screamed.
Andrew took her in his arms. But nothing he could do or say could ever take away the pain she felt so deep inside. She had a piece of herself die that day as the terrible news of her younger brother’s death hit her hard. Harder then anything in her entire life ever had.
As the mail came in. Matthew looked through it. He found a letter from one of his colleagues. He opened it and began to read it. He grabbed the mail tray and went upstairs. But as he grabbed the tray he didn’t see an important telegram marked urgent open immediately from his parents drop from the tray and land under the large round table.
The 7th Calvary lead by General Armstrong Custer marched into Arlington Cemetery to lay the soldiers who had fought and who had given their lives by a mistake of identity to rest on a cold, chilly, rainy day. Michaela, Sully, Katie, and John all were standing together as the ceremony began. Sully looked at Custer with anger. He hated this man who had killed his family the Cheyenne and now he took away his son. Andrew and Colleen soon walked up next to them to attend the funeral.
Lt. William Anderson stood before the group of people gathered to say goodbye to all the fine men who had once served under him. He cleared his throat to choke back his emotions.
“Ladies and Gentlemen we are gathered to pay tribute to the passing of several fine men. They were all just beginning their careers, but while they were here they were heroes in their own right. It is such a tragedy that these young men died in such a violent way to die. Fine men such as Private Daniel Propsen who was a bright and hard working young man. Or a young man like Private Brian Cooper who was quiet, and who cared for nature. All these men had their own unique character. These fine men will be put to rest in Arlington because they were heroes.”
The soldiers played a tune on the trumpets as the coffins were lowered into the graves. Michaela watched as her son’s body was lowered into the ground. She almost felt like she was going to faint, but she knew that she had to stay strong for her children.
Katie watched as they poured the dirt over her brother’s coffin. She felt so sad that she couldn’t feel any happiness or joy. She held onto her mother’s hand tighter. She needed her parents close to her.
As General George Armstrong Custer was leaving. Sully felt the anger inside him boiling. He couldn’t take it anymore. He ran toward him and knocked Custer to the ground. He began to beat on him with all of his frustration and anger inside him.
As the soldiers got a hold of Sully to keep him from beating on Custer. Custer got to his feet. He wiped the blood from his mouth. He looked at his hand angrily. He began to punch Sully in the stomach.
Michaela watched in horror. She had to stop this. She ran and threw herself in front of Custer’s fists. She put her hands in front of her body against his fists. To stop him from punching her.
“General Custer that is quite enough. I would think that even you would have more respect and understanding then that.”
“Your husband attacked me first, Dr. Quinn. I believe he is the one to blame for this ordeal.”
“I can’t believe that you have no compassion on a man who just lost his son. I thought even you were more decent then that.”
“With all do respect Dr. Quinn your husband had no right to hit an officer in the back.” General Custer replied.
“If you’ll excuse my husband and I we would like to say goodbye to our son in peace.” Michaela said.
“As you wish Dr. Quinn. If there is anything I can do for you and your family don’t hesitate to ask.” Custer replied.
“You have done quite enough already General. I’ll thank you to leave us be now in peace.” Michaela told him with anger in her voice.
Custer left in a hurry. Sully watched him walk away. His blood boiling at the thought of him. Michaela gently placed her hand to his cheek and turned him to face her. He looked into her sad eyes. He realized this was neither the time nor the place for this. They walked back to join their family.
When the crowd left and just the families remained they broke. Colleen fell to her knees and laid upon the fresh grave. Andrew stood silently as he let her do what she needed to let go of her brother. It was a grieving process that she needed to go through or she would never heal, and she would resent him in the end.
Michaela cried on Sully’s shoulder. Her daughter falling apart was more than she could take. She needed someone to hold her or she knew she was going to fall and not get back up. Sully was her salvation. He was being strong for both of them.
Katie went to her sister. She embraced her tightly with her small arms. Colleen held on to her little sister. She needed someone to hold onto that she loved so near right then in time. She felt so sad from the loss of her baby, and her brother. It was a terrible pain inside that was absorbed all into one. She couldn’t separate the pain of the loss from her baby or from the pain of the loss of her brother. To her it was all the same.
As the sun began to set and another day was ending they began to leave. The Sully family was the last to leave. They wanted to hold onto to this young man that they all loved and were connected by for as long as they could.
Michaela finally accepted that her son was gone and she leaned into her husband’s shoulder and with their two children by their sides walked out of the cemetery. They all climbed into the carriage and rode away from their daughter, son, and son-in-law.
Colleen stood up from the grave. She gently traced the name on the white cross. Then she felt gentle wind run across her face. She knew it was time to let go, but it was so hard and painful to. She and Andrew left the cemetery as it just turned dark. They rode back to the hotel for the night. Colleen felt all life had left her body. She had no fight left in her. Her brother’s spirit had taken it with him, as had the spirit of her child. She curled up that night and fell asleep and began to dream of a time when her brother was still alive and she was filled with so much happiness.