|
Chapter 8: Change of Plans After five minutes of silence following the gunshot, Michaela placed her twin sons in the care of their older siblings as she started toward the train. “Ma! What are you doin’?” Matthew asked quickly. A few other passengers lingered around, wanting to know exactly what had happened. “Someone has been hurt,” Michaela replied, climbing up into the train car, clutching her medical bag tightly in her left hand. She turned back to her children. “If neither Sully or I come out in ten minutes, I want you to follow the rest of the passengers to the nearest station.” “Ma!” Colleen cried out. “It’s going to be alright,” Michaela promised her with a forced reassuring smile. Colleen and Matthew held their baby brothers protectively as Michaela slowly started to walk through the car. She made her way through four different train cars, and soon, she could see movement from the conductor’s cabin. The moment she saw Sully, a weight lifted from her chest. She saw him moving, and he looked fine. “Sully!” Silence followed for a few painful moments. “Michaela!” he called after her. Hearing Sully’s voice let Michaela know that everything was safe now. She made her way into the conductor’s cabin to find Sully pinning one robber to the ground. Another lay bleeding beside him. Michaela rushed to the bleeding one. “Don’t bother with him. He’s dead.” Michaela searched Sully’s eyes, needing him to tell her that he hadn’t killed him. Sully knew what she was thinking. “I didn’t kill him. He aimed for me but the train moved forward. He stumbled and shot his own partner.” Michaela swallowed hard. She looked at the other robber. “Don’t worry ‘bout him either. He didn’t hurt nothin’, except maybe his pride. One conductor’s hurt, and the other one’s just a bit dazed.” “Go outside and tell the children we’re safe.” Sully nodded and stood, pulling his prisoner to his feet. The man struggled, but Sully tightened his grip on the man’s arm. “I wouldn’t be strugglin’ with me if I was you, mister. It ain’t in your best interest. Start walkin’.” The man spat, but followed Sully’s instructions. Michaela went to work at trying to extract the bullet from the injured conductor’s shoulder. The man screamed in pain, but tried to keep his head about him while the doctor worked. The second conductor watched on as he slowly regained his composure. He was young and obviously not used to railway robberies and hijackings. Luckily neither man had gotten away with money or the train itself. “Are you feeling alright?” Michaela asked the young, stunned conductor. “This was my first trip ‘cross the country,” he admitted. Michaela frowned with worry. Perhaps they would have to back track to the previous station after all. “Do you think you’ll be able to get us to Boston?” “I can get us to New York,” he replied. “I’ll have to report this as soon as we arrive. There’ll probably be a layover for a night, but you’ll be able to board a different train the next day on your same ticket.” Michaela nodded uncertainly as she found the bullet and carefully extracted it from the injured conductor. The man had passed out from the pain, but once Michaela checked his pulse, she knew he was fine. She would have to monitor him closely once the train started toward its destination again, and she knew he wouldn’t be in any condition to work for a few weeks. “We will have to get him to a hospital in New York then,” Michaela concluded as she began to suture. “You’re really a doctor?” the younger man asked. Michaela nodded slowly, trying to keep her mind on the matter at hand. “What’s gonna happen to those robbers?” “My husband will arrange for the one to be buried,” Michaela said, motioning toward the fallen robber. “He’ll probably keep the other one in his custody until we arrive in New York.” “He some kind of a marshal?” “No,” Michaela replied, finishing her suturing. “He’s just a concerned citizen.” She bandaged the conductor’s wound. “Help me carry him to a cabin.” “Sure thing,” the younger man replied, becoming less nervous by the minute. Michaela and the young man put the older conductor in a seat, lying him down comfortably. “I need to clean up. My family and a few other passengers are waiting outside.” “I’ll let them know it’s safe to board,” he replied. “What’s your name, Mrs.?” “Michaela Sully, but you can call me Dr. Quinn,” she replied. “I’ll try to remember that,” he responded with a laugh. “Name’s John Lewis.” Michaela smiled at the young man who wasn’t much older than Matthew. A few minutes later, Michaela had gotten herself cleaned up, and she was greeted by her five children as they re-boarded the train. “Ma? Are you okay?” Brian asked. “Yes, I’m fine. Where’s Sully?” “One of the other passengers is helpin’ him put the robber in the back train car,” Matthew replied. “Alright, well, I’d like for us to travel in the same cabin for the rest of the trip. Come sit inside,” Michaela suggested. The children piled into the compartment, and Michaela got in last, saving room for Sully to sit down. Some passengers had come back to the train while others continued on toward the station a few miles back. Once everyone that was continuing was on board, Sully talked with the young conductor before they took off for New York. Sully finally re-joined his family, relieving all of them, Michaela especially. Sully could have been seriously injured. He took lots of risks, but sometimes those risks were so great that his own life was at stake. Michaela was thankful no harm had come to him while he was saving the train from being completely overtaken by robbers. *~* A few days later, the train pulled into a station in New York, and the young conductor escorted his superior to a hospital, sent a telegram to his boss about the robbery, and assisted Sully with making arrangements for the living prisoner and the dead. Once all matters were taken care of, the remaining passengers were put up in a hotel, paid for by the railroad because of the inconvenience. Matthew, Colleen, and Brian all had their own beds in the Sully family’s suite. A room attached to it held a bed and two cradles, especially requested for the twins. Once they arrived in the rooms, Michaela and Sully put their sons down for a nap, and Michaela laid down onto the bed to rest. She was feeling better than she had been on the train, but spending that much time without a soft bed to sleep in seemed to tire her out even more. The children were also tired and went right for their chosen beds to nap. Sully was a bit tired as well, so he laid next to his wife, pulled her close, and tried to get a few hours of sleep. Unfortunately, sleep wasn’t what Connor and Daniel had in mind for themselves or their parents. As soon as Sully and Michaela started to nod off, Connor sat up in his cradle and began to bang on the side of it. Daniel followed his twin brother’s lead. “Dada!” Connor cried. Sully sat up quickly, and Michaela followed his lead. “What?!” Michaela asked. “Was I dreaming?” “If you heard what I heard, neither of us were dreamin’,” Sully replied. He looked at the boys who were both grinning at them. “Dada!” Daniel called out. Soon, both boys were babbling the word, and Sully had tears in his eyes. “They’re calling for you,” Michaela said with a grin, half disappointed that their first word wasn’t ‘mama,’ but also elated that her six-month-olds had just let their parents know they were beginning to speak. Both parents jumped out of bed and rushed to pick up their sons. They carried them over to the bed and sat down with them. “You’re talking! I can’t believe it!” Michaela exclaimed, holding Connor close while Sully bounced Daniel in his lap. Sully was laughing happily though the boys had stopped talking and were now merely giggling at their parents’ delight. The feeling Michaela was experiencing right now was overwhelming. She felt so incredibly happy that her boys were speaking for the first time, and knowing that made her feel as if she’d succeeded in some way. Her boys seemed to be a bit more advanced than most babies their age, and that secretly made her feel very good inside. Feeling that good made her believe she could be a great mother over and over again to her current children and to any future children that might come along. Sully noticed the look in his wife’s eyes; the light in her face that glowed as she smiled with pride. He knew she was thinking about future children again, and he couldn’t be happier that her mind was off of worrying about her father at the moment. He hated when she worried so much. Of course he was worried about Josef, but he hoped the old man could hang on for his daughter’s sake. Michaela loved him dearly, and he’d been the one man to ever fully support her until Sully came along. “They’re growin’ up fast, huh?” Sully asked with a sparkle in his eyes. Michaela nodded, biting her bottom lip Tears glistened in her eyes, and she let a sharp breath escape as she shook her head. “It’s amazing how quickly they’ve picked up on things. It’s as if they’re competing with one another. When one began to crawl, the other was determined to do so and accomplished it in the same day. It’s the same with talking.” “A little competition ain’t so bad,” Sully replied. “But they’ll learn they don’t gotta beat each other at everything. For now, though, I think it’s good ‘cause they’re learnin’ how to be their own selves.” “That’s very wise, Mr. Sully,” Michaela whispered, kissing her husband lightly on the lips. He pulled her close, and they sat together with their children in their arms. It was hard to believe that it had only been half of a year since their sons were brought into the world. Now here they were, learning how to talk and becoming two different little people. It was an amazing thing to witness, and neither Michaela nor Sully would change a thing. Once the boys had finally gone to sleep, Michaela and Sully settled back down onto the bed, wrapped in each other’s warm embrace. A fire crackled in the fireplace across the room, and that, mixed with the steady breaths of the two lovers was all that could be heard. *~* A couple of days later, the Sully family was greeted at the train station by Rebecca, Marjorie, Claudette, and Maureen. The four sisters wore no colors of mourning, so Michaela took that to be a sign that Josef was still with them. After greetings, hugs, and kisses, everyone made their way to the Quinn household where Harrison and Martha showed the children to their rooms. The house was quiet, not being filled by the sound of her mother calling for assistance from the maids, or the sound of her father humming as he looked over his patients’ files. The smell was even different. The fragrance of Josef’s cologne no longer lingered in the corridors, and the aroma of Elizabeth’s favorite dessert no longer wafted from the kitchen. From the moment Michaela stepped foot into her Boston home, she felt that everything had changed yet remained the same. The same flower arrangement stood in the same crystal vase in the center of the foyer. The same drapes covered the windows, keeping out the early morning sun. “Wow, ma! This is where you grew up?” Colleen asked as she looked up at the small but fancy crystal chandelier that was hanging above the staircase. “Yes,” Michaela whispered with a nod, seeing the overwhelmed and excited expressions on her oldest children’s faces. Even Matthew, who hadn’t wanted to leave Ingrid at first, had a curious look in his eye. Sully, who had seen the place before, was holding Daniel and pointing out different things while the baby looked on in amazement. Michaela shifted Connor to her other hip, and looked at her sisters. “We should go see father.” “We will as soon as the children have had something to eat,” Marjorie insisted. “Of course,” Michaela replied with a smile. “Children, why don’t you follow Martha into the dining room?” Colleen took Brian’s hand and walked with Matthew toward the dining room, while Martha disappeared into the kitchen. “Alright, let me see my little nephews,” Rebecca said with a grin. She took Connor into her arms while Marjorie snatched Daniel. Michaela’s four sisters took turns passing the boys around, and Michaela couldn’t help but smile. Sully reached for his wife’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. She turned to him and he leaned down to kiss her while the ladies were preoccupied with Connor and Daniel. “You okay?” “Of course. Why would you ask?” “I’m just worried ‘bout ya. You’ve been through a lot.” Michaela nodded and looked down. “Yes, we all have. But father would want us to remain strong.” “I think you’re right.” “Shall I take you to your old room, Mrs. Sully? Dr . . .” “It’s alright, Harrison,” Michaela laughed. “Dr. Quinn is a bit formal, and my name is rightfully Michaela Sully.” “Then Mrs. Sully it is, ma’am,” Harrison replied with his thick British accent. Sully chuckled as Michaela’s eyes lit up at. They managed to pry the boys away from the four sisters, who seemed to be flocking about them like crazy geese. Once they were in the privacy of Michaela’s old bedroom, Sully looked around. “Never saw your room while I was here.” Michaela winked at him as they put the boys down on the bed. “Well, now I can give you a proper tour of the entire house.” “I’d like that,” Sully replied. He pressed his lips against hers, and a moment later, their kiss began to turn passionate and more intense. Just then, the door burst open. Brian hurried in and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw his parents kissing. “Sorry,” he said quietly, looking away. Michaela and Sully quickly pulled away from one another, and Sully rested his hand on Michaela’s back, rubbing it tenderly. They both laughed a little, letting their son know he hadn’t done anything wrong. “What is it, Brian?” Michaela wondered. “I got the big room down the hall! I called it first, so tell Matthew and Colleen.” Michaela and Sully glanced at each other with knowing grins on their faces. “Ah yes, that was your Aunt Rebecca’s room,” Michaela recalled. “The biggest room in the house, however, is my mother and father’s.” “Can we go see it?” “Perhaps later,” Michaela replied with a grin. “Go back down to the dining room. I’m sure Martha is ready to serve lunch.” “Are you and pa comin’ down?” “We’ll be down in a while,” Sully promised. “Okay,” Brian replied. He hurried out of the room, looked both ways, trying to remember which way the stairs were, and bolted down the hall once he caught the faintest whiff of food. Michaela turned to Sully, her body wanting to continue what they had started, but her mind was telling her otherwise.” She gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Perhaps we should go downstairs and join the children. I want to see father as soon as we can.” “Sure,” Sully replied. He kissed his wife lovingly before they picked up the boys and started downstairs to join their children. *~* Michaela’s shoes clicked down the hallway of the oh-so-familiar wing of the hospital. Sully walked beside her, and both were carrying a child in their arms. Colleen, Matthew, and Brian walked behind their parents, not knowing what to say about their grandfather’s condition. Michaela’s sisters had decided to wait at the Quinn house so Michaela and her family could spend time with Josef. Dr. William Burke was Josef’s physician, and Michaela had never had the chance to meet him. She saw him standing outside of Josef’s room, and immediately saw that his eyes were fixed on her. Michaela glanced at Sully, and she knew he was seeing the same thing. “Dr. Quinn?” William asked. Michaela nodded. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” “Dr. Burke?” “Yes, but you may call me William. May I call you Michaela?” “Actually, Dr. Burke, my father would not appreciate me acting as his physician in this case, so you may call me Mrs. Sully.” Michaela smiled and looked at her husband, wanting Dr. Burke to know straight off that she was married and happily so. Dr. Burke swallowed hard, slightly embarrassed, and opened the door to Josef’s room. Michaela immediately rushed to her father’s side with Daniel in her arms. “Mike!” he exclaimed, his face lighting up when he saw her. The rest of the family walked in, followed by Dr. Burke, and Josef sat up. “Father, you shouldn’t exert yourself.” “Mike, I’m letting you know right now that you will not act as my physician. Dr. Burke is perfectly capable, and all I need you to do is act as my daughter.” Michaela nodded. “I will respect your wishes father, because I expected you would say that, but I don’t understand. You’re the one that encouraged my wishes to become a doctor.” “And I am very proud of you. But, you should not be working right now. You should be spending time with your family. That is what I want most in this world, to see my daughters and their families happy. I want to leave this world knowing that my youngest little girl was enjoying herself instead of working.” “Father, don’t speak like that. You’re going to be alright.” Josef looked at the children. “Perhaps this conversation isn’t meant for some ears.” “We’re stayin’, grandpa.” “Sully, will you take them outside?” “No. We ain’t leavin’,” Matthew replied. “We got a right to be here. He’s our grandpa.” Michaela looked at Josef. “Very well,” he replied. He took a labored breath and began. “My heart is failing. I’ve suffered three attacks in the last week. Dr. Burke believes that there is a blockage in the main artery, along with disease that has spread throughout. Mike, it is a miracle that I’ve made it this far.” “Grandpa,” Colleen whispered. “Don’t worry, my dear. Your grandma will have someone to keep her company.” “Father!” Michaela exclaimed. “I refuse to just let you take the diagnosis at that. I would like to listen to your heart.” “What did I say earlier?” “I won’t examine you if that’s what you wish. However, I would feel better if I could listen to your heart myself.” Josef sighed. “Very well, if it will make you feel better.” Sully took the boy out of Michaela’s arms. Dr. Burke handed Michaela his stethoscope, and the room grew quiet so Michaela could make a basic diagnosis. She frowned and shook her head, handing the stethoscope back to Dr. Burke. “I’m afraid I must agree with the diagnosis, father,” she replied quietly. “I’m assuming old Silas showed you my will?” “He tried,” Michaela replied, “but I refused to look at it until I had come to see things for myself.” Josef looked at the children. “Sully, perhaps you should take the children outside. I need to speak with my daughter for a few minutes. Dr. Burke, please leave us as well.” Everyone except for Michaela and her father evacuated the room. “Father?” “Mike, I know you’re upset.” “Upset?! Father, you’re taking all of this very lightly! It’s frightening!” “What is so frightening about death?” “I have lost so many people in the past two years. I lost Charlotte, mother, and Holly. I don’t want to lose you too!” “Mike, you knew it was going to happen sooner or later. I was sure I wouldn’t live to see my first grandchild born. I was fortunate enough to see my youngest daughter get married and to walk her down the aisle. I was also fortunate to meet my grandchildren. I’m thankful this is happening later than I expected.” A tear trickled down Michaela’s cheek. “Mike, I have held on as long as I could. Last night, I had a dream about your mother. I’m about to see her again.” Michaela’s lower lip began to tremble, and she swallowed hard. “Mike . . .” “I can’t do this right now!” She stormed out of the room and rushed down the corridor. Sully and the children watched her as she rushed into the ladies washroom. Sully handed the boys to Colleen and Matthew before starting down the hall after her. “Michaela?” he asked, knocking on the door. He could hear the sounds of Michaela emptying the contest of her stomach. She had upset herself so much that she was made herself sick. “Leave me alone!” “I ain’t gonna leave you alone.” Everything grew quiet, and Michaela stepped out of the washroom a few minutes later after having cleaned herself up. She looked into Sully’s eyes, and her tears began to flow. Sully took her into his arms and held her close. “It’s alright.” “It’s not,” she cried. “He’s just giving up! He’s accepting this without a fight!” “Your pa’s been fightin’ for a long time, Michaela. He feels like it’s his time.” “It doesn’t have to be!” Michaela insisted. “He can’t die!” “I know you’ve looked up to him since before you can remember. But you gotta be strong for him, because he needs you there through this. I didn’t get no choice in the matter when my ma and pa died. My pa died when I was real young, and I wasn’t there with him. My ma died by drowin’ in the river, and I had to hear it from somebody else. You’re lucky enough to be here with your pa like he wants ya to be here.” “How can you be so calm?” “’Cause I know what it’s like to lose someone ya love.” “I’ve lost so many people, Sully. I can’t lose him too.” She clung to him, not wanting to let go. Sully kissed the top of her head. “I wish there was something I could do!” “The best thing you can do now, Michaela, is be with him. He needs you now.” Michaela looked up into Sully’s eyes, realizing that the last bit of life that Josef had left was what mattered the most right now, not the life that he should still have but wasn’t getting. “Will you be there with me?” she asked as if she was a young child, afraid to get a shot from the doctor. Sully squeezed her hand reassuringly. “I’ll always be there.” |