For personal use and select distribution only © April 2002 by S.L. Snyder

PLANS AND STORIES
by S. L. Snyder

Timeline: February 1875


Brian and Sarah had come to Sarah’s house after school and were lying on their stomachs in front of the fire. “Your ma sure looks uncomfortable,” said Brian, after they watched Anna Marie go into her bedroom to rest.

“She is. The baby should be here next month. She’s so tired. Daniel and I do as much as we can for her, but she still feels so tired all the time.”

“You been doing a lot of her sewing?”

“Not a lot. Some. But I really don’t like it. She said not to do it if I didn’t feel like it. That her ladies would have to understand and if they didn’t that was their problem. But I know she loves to sew and she’s got so many ladies depending on her….”

“Yeah, but if ya don’t like it…”

“I know…I know….I just wish I could help more. But Daniel says not to worry, if the ladies want the things mother can make bad enough, they’ll wait until the baby’s born and until mother feels like sewing again.”

“Daniel’s right!”

Sarah smiled. “I know.”

Their eyes met and locked. Neither one was able to turn away from the face that was in their hearts. Brian leaned over to her and met her lips in a kiss, which Sarah returned.

Brian smiled. “Ya know, I was thinking, we’re alone here in Colorado Springs more‘n we ever were in San Francisco. It seemed like grandma thought she had ta watch us all the time. I guess she don’t think a girl and boy oughta be together alone when they ain’t married.”

Sarah giggled. “I guess. But I’m glad our parents don’t feel that way. They trust us to be careful.”

“Yeah…but sometimes it ain’t easy.”

“No, it isn’t.” She looked at Brian with concern in her eyes. “But we promised each other, Brian….to…”

“I know. And I aim to keep that promise….but….”

“I know…I want to be with you, too. I see Amanda and Matthew, and Colleen and Andrew, and I’m almost jealous. But they waited…..I know we can… But then I see some of those who visit Hank’s girls, they have wives and girlfriends and…”

“Sarah! I wouldn’t…not ever…I ain’t got no hankerin’ for them…it’s you I wanna be with…I like just lookin’ at you…you’re so pretty…and so smart. I love ya, Sarah.”

“I love you, too, Brian…so much.” Brian kissed her again and they lay there for a few minutes watching the fire. Sarah glanced at Brian and saw him smiling. “What?’

He laughed. “Just thinkin’ about Matthew going to Hank’s, along time ago.”

“Matthew visited one of Hank’s girls?”

“Sorta…but not the way you think. Jake ‘n Loren decided Matthew needed ta be with one of Hank’s girls. They had him in the saloon, giving him drinks and urging him on. He was about 16 and in love with Ingrid. Well, Myra….”

“Horace’s Myra?” Sarah interrupted.

“Yep…ya knew she use ta work there, didn’t ya?”

“I heard someone talking about it, but I didn’t think it was true.”

“Yeah, it was…but she quit and married Horace. Anyway, Myra pulled him into her room….not ta be with him, but ta save him from Jake ‘n Loren. Matthew told me later that he didn’t know how to tell Myra he wasn’t interested in her, but Myra knew. She told him why she brought him to her room. She helped him climb out her window. Well, her window was on the alley ya can see from the clinic porch. Ma, Colleen and Ingrid were on the porch and saw him come out. Ma was real mad and Matthew had ta run some to catch up with Ingrid. Ma started to go after him, but Sully stopped her. Said to leave it be. They weren’t married then and ma got real mad at him, too! But it all got worked out.”

“It must have really been bad when Ingrid died.”

“Yep…didn’t think Matthew would ever get over it. Then he saw Amanda and things sure changed.”

“Did you like girls before I moved here?”

“Well, yeah…but….”

“Oh, I know…you’re going to say you didn’t like them as much as you liked me…”

“I was gonna say, I liked them, but you, I loved you from the first!”

Sarah beamed and rolled over to lie next to him with her face beneath his. “You sure know the right things to say!”

“Only speaking the truth,” he responded as he kissed her.


Amanda and Michaela were just opening the clinic, when Matthew came in. “Hey, Dr. Mike,” he said and then kissed his wife.

“Hello, Matthew.”

“Matthew, you just dropped me off, why are you back….not that I don’t like seeing you!”

Matthew laughed with his wife and mother. “I picked up the mail at the station…here’s yours, Dr. Mike….and I had a telegram. Judge Lewis needs me to come up to Denver on this morning’s train. I’ll be back tomorrow evening. I’d like it if you stayed over night upstairs. Colleen and Andrew will be here if ya need them. Don’t like thinking of ya out at home by yourself.”

“Matthew, I’ll be all right….”

“Please?”

Amanda looked in the eyes of her worried husband, “Oh, all right…just to please you.”

“Thanks. I’ll handle being away much better knowing you’re near help if ya need it.” Matthew turned to Michaela. “Need anything in Denver?”

“No, dear, but thanks. And don’t worry, Amanda will be taken care of.”

“I know. Thanks. I ain’t got time to go out and get clothes, so I’ll buy what I need at Loren’s, or in Denver. Can I borrow my wife to go to Loren’s and then up to the station to see me off?”

“Certainly.”

Thanks, ma,” Matthew said, kissing Michaela on the cheek.


Brian, Katie, Benje and Michaela were just finishing dinner. “Ma, is pa gonna be back today?”

“I hope so. He thought it would only take two days for him to handle the things Welland needed done. I hoped he’d be home for dinner. But as long as he’s home tonight…..”

“Pa’ll be home when he can.”

Michaela smiled. “I know, Brian. But I just hate it when he’s gone overnight. I miss him so.”

Brian smiled. “And ya know pa misses you too.”

“Brian, before you go to bed tonight, would you bring in some water for me so I can take a bath?”

“Sure, ma. I’ll start the fire too.”

“Thank you.”


The children were all in bed. Michaela had put the water buckets on the fire to warm while she sat down in the living room to read one of her journals. The journal lay open in her lap, not a word read, while she gazed at the fire and thought about her husband. It was getting late and she knew he might not be home tonight. He would not have headed home if the weather looked bad. He had told her they were due a good snowfall and Cloud Dancing had said it was coming. Finally she went into the alcove to take her bath.

Sully arrived home and put Wind in the barn. He knew it was quite late and didn’t expect anyone to still be up. He saw a faint glow from the living room and knew Michaela had left a lamp on in case he came home. He had thought about waiting til morning, but he missed his family, his wife, too much to wait. He entered the house quietly, looking into the living room in case Michaela was waiting up for him. He found no one and turned down the lamp. As he took off his coat, he heard a small noise somewhere behind him. He turned and saw a glow coming from the alcove. He walked quietly over and peeked into the room. And what he saw was a sight for sore eyes. His wife’s body glistening through the water. Her head was laying back and her eyes were closed. His eyes raked her body from head to toe. He quietly took off his belt and laid it near the stairs. Then he slipped into the alcove and sat down.

Michaela opened her eyes as she thought she heard a noise. She glanced around and her eyes lit on her husband. She smiled. He smiled. He moved over and knelt down by the side of the tub, leaning over to kiss her.

“You could join me,” she whispered.

He smiled, stood, rid himself of his clothes and limbed into the tub. She sat up at one end and he sat down at the other. Legs intertwined.

“Ain’t nuthin’ like the view…”

“I agree….I’m glad you’re home….I missed you…”

“An’ I missed you…. I thought about ya all the time….how long the kids been in bed?”

“Oh, about an hour.”

“That’s nice….”

“What do you mean?”

“No interuptin’!”

She giggled. “I don’t understand, Mr. Sully!”

“I’m sure ya don’t…but I think we oughta finish the bath and go sit by the fire upstairs ta dry, cuz otherwise things’ll happen here and sure don’t feel like wiping up water tonight!”

”Sounds nice…”

Sully climbed out of the tub and helped Michaela out. He pulled her close and they kissed, arms around each other. He picked up her robe and wrapped it around her.

“Sully, I’m still wet!”

“We’re gonna dry by the fire upstairs.” He replied as he wrapped a towel around his waist then swept her into his arms.

“What about the tub?”

“Worry ‘bout it tomorrow. Wanna concentrate on my wife tonight!”

Michaela smiled. “I like that,” she whispered as he carried her upstairs. He carried her into the bedroom and put her down on the rug in front of the fire. He locked the door then sat down next to her, after taking his towel off. He pushed her robe off her shoulders and put the towel around both of them. She turned her face toward him. “This is nice.”

“Yup. Like this…nice an’ warm.”

He claimed her lips and they shared a very passionate kiss. Then he nuzzled her neck and moved his hand up to cup her breast, running his thumb across her nipple. She shuddered with desire. He maneuvered their bodies to lie on the rug next to the fire. The warmth of the room was quickly drying their bodies. He lay on his side, head propped on his hand. She lay on her back. His other hand was slowly exploring her body. He lingered on the small rise in her abdomen. She smiled and lay her hand over his.

“The baby is showing,” she whispered.

“Yep. I sure love watchin’ ya grow with babies. I know ya always say you don’t like how ya look when you’re big with our babies, but I sure like it. There’s a glow about ya that’s special. You’re always beautiful…don’t care whether you’re carrying our baby or not.’

“I love you so much. You make me feel so wonderful. And I really do love looking at you….your body….all parts of you.”

Sully smiled. “My Michaela…my wife…you are my everything….” He leaned down and kissed her.

Michaela put her hand on his chest in caressing moves. Lingering at his nipples, feeling them react to her touch…enjoying that she could stimulate him the way he did her. That she could make him shiver, as he was doing now, with desire the way he made her shiver.

“Oh, Michaela,” he whispered, “what ya do to me….”

She kissed his ear and then whispered, “And how many times have I heard that?” She ended with a giggle.

He turned his face to hers to again claim her lips as he slowly moved over her. She felt him throbbing against her. As he started to move his lips away, she put her hand on the back of his neck and pulled him back to her, grinding her mouth into his, claiming all of him by moving her hand down to grasp him and incite him even further. He lifted his head to gaze into her desire filled eyes, seeing his passion mirrored in her.

In those moments, for them, nothing else existed but each other. Each lost in the soul of the other. Slowly, he entered her, slowly he began the movements which would fulfill them both. He felt her hands on his rear, urging him on. As the movements increased, he claimed her lips, her mouth, her tongue…increasing the desire they were feeling. He felt like her body was glued to his. He raised his head from hers, knowing she would open her eyes as he did. As the fulfillment of their desire came, they were deep in each other’s eyes.


Michaela and Amanda closed the clinic for the day and headed for the café, meeting Sully on the way. “Where are Benje and Katie?” Michaela asked.

“Brian and Sarah have ‘em. I met ‘em at the center and they said they wanted to take the kids for a walk. Said they’d meet us at Grace’s. How ya doing, Amanda?”

“Oh, fine….I just miss Matthew. I can’t wait for the train…I know it’ll be here anytime and I promised Matthew I would wait at the café. I wish I hadn’t…I want to see him as soon as possible!”

Michaela smiled. “I sure he’ll be in the café within minutes of the train arriving. I imagine he misses you as much as you miss him.”

“I know. I’ve always been able to go with him on his trips, but with the baby coming, and having loss one before, I just want to be with him all the time.”

“I understand, Amanda. I felt the same way when I was pregnant with Benje and Katie. And now, with this new one…well, I hate to think that Sully will have to go on a trip.”

“I ain’t gonna go anywhere if I don’t have too.”

“I know, love, but if Welland needs you, you’ll go.”

“Sure, but I’m gonna write him about the baby…he knows, he’ll understand…” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her.

They entered the café to find Brian, Sarah and the little ones already there. Grace smiled and met them at the table. “So, is my favorite family, sides mine, gonna have dinner here?"”

“Yes, we are, Grace. But we will be waiting for the rest of the family….including Matthew who’s arriving soon on the train….and Daniel and Anna Marie.”

“Well, take your time. The twins are in the playroom Robert E and Sully built. Why don’t ya take Katie and Benje there?”

“We’ll take them in, won’t we Brian?” said Sarah.

“Sure.”

“Grace? Have you a moment to sit with us?”

“Sure, Dr. Mike,” Grace replied as she sat down.

“I want to tell you something. You are the first to know outside the family, Dorothy and Cloud Dancing….”

“What’s that?”

Michaela smiled at Sully. “We’re expecting again.”

Grace beamed. “Another one? Another baby?!”

Sully kissed his wife’s cheek. “Yep…she’s making me a pa again. Wanted ta make it an even six!”

Grace hugged Michaela. “Aren’t ya keeping it a secret?”

“No…we don’t mind people knowing. Besides, Sully says I’m starting to get a little bulge and so soon people will be able to see!”

Brian and Sarah came back to the table at the same time as Daniel and Anna Marie came in, followed closely by Colleen, Andrew, Clara and McKay.

Grace looked at the people. “Hmmm…this table is sure loaded with pregnant ladies. Guess I’m getting three new customers!” She shook her head as she headed for the kitchen.

“What is Grace talking about?” Anna Marie asked. “Three?”

“Me and Michaela are gonna have another baby.” Anna Marie and Daniel congratulated them as other diners glanced and nodded as Sully had said it loud enough for nearby diners to hear. Michaela smiled, knowing in this town, the word would spread quickly.

Everyone was seated and discussing the day when the heard the train whistle in the distance. Amanda looked up and smiled brightly. Grace came back to the table. “Well, I reckon Matthew’ll be dashing through the door soon, so ya all wanna order now?” She took their orders, Michaela ordering for Amanda and Matthew as Amanda was only paying attention to the door.

Within minutes Matthew came bursting through the door and to his wife’s side. He leaned down and kissed her. “God, how I missed ya!”

“I missed you too!”

They kissed again. Then Matthew looked up to see family and friends smiling at them. He smiled. “Hi.” He sat down next to Amanda, not letting go of her hand.

Sully went and got Katie and Benje and brought them back to the table as dinner was being served. After dinner, Matthew spoke. “Got something ta tell ya.” They all looked to him. “One of my lawyer associates, Albert Brewster, told me that Preston Lodge was killed.”

There were startled glances. “He say what happened?” Sully asked.

“Apparently Preston tried to con one person too many. He had a little loan business going in Denver. There was a businessman who had money to invest and did it through Preston’s company. Preston did make some loans, but he used some of the money for some get rich scheme. Guess he figured to pay the businessman back. Trouble was, he lost the money. The businessman pulled the rest of his money out and charged Preston with stealing. The guy took the loan books and gave them to a bank to collect the loans. Story is Preston said the businessman was part of the get rich scheme and that he took Preston’s personal money, money Preston said wasn’t part of the business. Preston went to the guy’s house. The guy claims Preston pulled a gun on him and tried to shoot him. The guy’s bodyguard killed Preston.”

“Ya sound like you ain’t sure of the story,” said Sully.

“Albert said the businessman had a reputation for taking care of problems this way. But the businessman, his bodyguard, his wife and a friend all told the same story. The judge ruled it was self-defense. Albert said the sheriff wired Preston’s family in Boston and they wired back that Preston had been cut off from the family and they wanted nothing to do with the remains. He was buried in a pauper’s grave.”

“How sad. I did not care for Preston,” said Michaela, “but to end that way…to have his family disown him….no one deserves to end like that.”

Sully squeezed her hand. “It’s real sad, but can’t say I’m surprised. Preston seemed ta think he could do anything he wanted and not pay for it. I woulda thought losing the resort, the bank, would have taught him ta be careful, but sure don’t sound like it did…”

“Sounds ta me like the man got what was comin’ to him,” said Grace, who had come up to the table in time to hear Matthew’s story. “He didn’t never do good in this town. Always hurtin’ folks. And I reckon his family weren’t much better…why remember his pa’s attitude when Preston took Horace’s buggy, not giving him a chance to make good on the last few payments.”

“That’s true,” responded Michaela, “but to think Preston actually had a gun with him to kill someone. I can’t imagine Preston killing anyone.”

“He done it before, Michaela,” said Sully.

“What? When?” she asked as everyone looked to Sully.

“Cache Creek…remember? He’s the one that killed McBride…and McBride without a weapon…injured…he did that for the money…and maybe so’s Leonard would like him…”

“I’d forgotten about that,” Michaela said and from the nods around the table, it was apparent most had.

But Matthew hadn’t. “Preston was never sorry for killing McBride. The way he acted and things he said after that, made me think he liked it.”

“How sad,” said Anna Marie, “to like killing someone.”

“Yeah, it’s sad, but sometimes necessary,” said McKay. “There’s some real bad people out there…I seen lots while I was in the Army.”

“And I bet some were in the Army with you,” said Daniel.

McKay smiled. “Yeah. The Army has it’s share, mebbe more’n it’s share, of the bad. Some of ‘em are even officers.”

“Like Chivington mebbe?” asked Sully.

“Yeah…like him.”

“Well, folks,” said Matthew, “my wife is looking tired and we got a little way to go home. I wanna get her and the baby home.”

“Yes, of course,” said Michaela as the gathering started to disperse.


Sully entered the bedroom after having closed up downstairs and looking in on his sleeping kids. Michaela was sitting at her table, brushing her hair. As he walked over to her, talking off his shirt, he said, “Brian fell asleep readin’. He’s bin doing a lot o’ that lately. Like he can’t get enough of readin’.” He reached her and took the brush to finish her job. “I covered him up and turn out his lamp.”

“He reads about everything, from medical to history to the current events in newspapers. He wants to know so much. He says it makes him a better writer.”

“Like he ain’t great already!”

“Yes, he is. But he doesn’t see it that way. I think he’s just about read everything in the library. When we got the books, I thought we had a lot, but now I see it’s a very small amount. I’m arranging with mother to obtain more books for our library.”

“That’s good. I seen more and more townsfolk going into get books. And now that Josie is spending time there helping grownups to learn to read, well there’s lots that wanna learn. And did ya know she’s got a few kids from her school coming in to teach others to read?”

“No, I did not. That is very good for those children.”

“Yep. The reverend said she thinks it helps the kids, too.”

“I’m sure it does. How’s the hospital coming along?”

“Real good. Jonas and his men sure do a fine job, and fast. Colin’s real pleased.”

“Do you think it will be done by next month?” Michaela asked as he finished with her hair and taking off her robe and climbing into bed.

“Think so…it’ll be close though…saw Cloud Dancing today and he says the storm’scoming. A blizzard he thinks.” He replied as he finished undressing and joined her. He lay back and she laid her head on his chest with her hand over his heart.

“How soon?”

“Next day or so. He says it’s already snowing hard up higher in the mountains. He went up hunting and couldn’t go very far. Told him he oughta come down and stay here a few days…maybe over at Matthew’s. He ain’t getting’ any younger and those storms can be rough.”

“Did he say he would?”

“Yeah…he’ll be down tomorrow.”

“Then let’s ask Dorothy out for a few days.”

He kissed her forehead. “Good idea.”

“And if it’s really going to snow hard, I’d rather bring Amanda and Matthew over here. We can double up…let Amanda and Matthew have Brian’s room…put Cloud Dancing and Dorothy in Katie’s and let Katie stay in Benje’s. I’d feel better if Amanda were here, just in case.”

“Sounds good. Brian’s bed is big enough, but Katie’s ain’t. I’ll move hers into Benje’s room and have Matthew help me bring one of the extra beds over from their place. He won’t argue since it’s cuz of Amanda.”

“I agree. Thank you, my love. And you should talk to Daniel. Maybe it would be better for him to bring Anna Marie and Sarah to the rooms in the clinic. Anna Marie’s very close and I would hate for anything to happen.”

“Sure thing….I’d do any thing ta make you happy.”

“I know…and you often do!”


The next day the arrangements were made. Dorothy agreed to go home with Michaela after she closed the clinic. Michaela made sure that Colleen, Andrew, Clara and McKay knew about the coming storm. She asked them to make sure they stayed home once the snow started. Sully went to mention the approaching storm to Daniel, who agreed to bring his family to the clinic.

The snow started coming down in town in the late afternoon. Andrew came in from the resort around three, just as Daniel and his family were arriving. Michaela gathered the children and with Dorothy, headed for home through the deepening snow. Matthew and Amanda had not come into town and by the time Michaela, Dorothy and the children arrived home, everyone, including Cloud Dancing, had arrived. The bedrooms were set up for their occupants.

The family sat in the living room, fire blazing, enjoying each other and watching the snow come down. It had gotten heavier and by the time Michaela and Dorothy started preparing dinner, there was a foot of snow on the ground. The men had secured the animals in the barn and Wolf, Storm and King were laying by the fire.

Dorothy was in one of the wingback chairs, with Cloud Dancing sitting on the floor in front of her, leaning back against her legs. Matthew had brought Amanda’s favorite chair from their house and she was sitting in it. Sully was in the other wingback chair with Michaela in his lap. Matthew and Brian were playing a spirited game of checkers while Benje and Katie were playing with the wolves.

Sully glanced at Michaela to see her smiling at the gathering. “Michaela?”

“Hmmm?”

“What’s ya thinkin’?”

“Oh, how I like having family here. I only wish the others could be here as well.”

“Well, my love, I’ll have to build some more rooms to accommodate that!”

Dorothy and Cloud Dancing chuckled. “Aren’t ya gonna have to anyway, Sully? What with the new baby?”

“Yeah…guess so…hadn’t got that far in my thinking yet.”

“I’ll help you, Sully,” said Matthew.

“Me, too, pa,” piped in Brian.

Sully smiled. “Thanks. I guess that means I’d better figure out where we want the room.” He looked up at Michaela. “Any suggestions?”

“I’ll think about it. Maybe in a day or two I’ll have an idea.”

“Sounds good ta me!”


The blizzard went on for two days. The only forays outside were to care for the animals in the barn. While the animals were being taken care of, the wolves frolicked in the yard, but were always quick to go back inside. On the morning of the third day, most of the family was awaked by sun streaming in the windows. The house was warm as Sully and Cloud Dancing had risen early and stoked the fires. By the fourth day, Matthew and Amanda were able to go home. Michaela and Sully made it into town to check on everyone, finding no problems. The town had also successfully weathered the storm. Within the week, things were back to normal.


IN TANTRA

All that is vibrates with desire: indecent, suspect, uncertain desire;
of which we ourselves have been formed, cut from the very fabric of longing.
My lover is a world I long to enter; a well in which I would submerge.
My lover is a ripple that spreads itself through the pool of my consciousness.
My lover is a world I may not enter; an ocean of experience
I taste; like an infant my lips upon his.
His voice is the first form of caress.
His touch soothes; lulling the unquiet depths.
My lover is a world I ask to enter me; sweetness in my mouth;
the cup I drink from; the press of velvet against my skin;
the scent of his body compelling like perfume rising;
my fingers suffused as with sandalwood.
My lover is a world which intersects mine like the darkness
of the new moon; or the sun that scorches; like the shadow beneath the wings
of the blue heron; the sailing of the hawks overhead.
He is the presence of joy in my flesh.
My lover is a world I gaze upon in season; a changing landscape of face and form,
though Being is constant.

By Darle Wright Doran

The End

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