|
Chapter 7: Losing Elizabeth Sully sat on the porch of the clinic with a sobbing Michaela in his arms. The townsfolk started to gather around, but Sully gave them a look to tell them that it wasn’t the right time. He held Michaela and felt her body trembling in his arms. He had lost his parents when he was younger, so he really didn’t know how to tell Michaela that it was all going to be all right. She had had both of her parents for twenty-six years. Now one of them was gone without warning, and everyone was shocked. “You want to go inside?” Sully asked softly. Michaela pulled away and looked around. “The boys . . .” “Don’t worry. They’re safe with Hank and Myra.” “Hank?” Michaela asked softly. “Don’t worry,” Sully whispered. He kissed Michaela’s cheek. “Your pa’s inside. You wanna go talk to him?” “I couldn’t save her, Sully!” Michaela cried. “I couldn’t save her. I should have seen it beforehand. She had a stroke . . .” “Not even your pa saw it. It ain’t nobody’s fault.” “I never go to say goodbye!” she cried. Sully stood and held onto the large post connected to the roof and the porch. Sully stood up behind her and put his hand on her back. She leaned on the post and began to sob again. Sully wished there was something he could do for her, but she seemed inconsolable at the moment, and that was understandable. “I never got to say goodbye either,” Sully whispered softly. “It’s painful, Michaela, I know, but it’s gonna get better.” “You don’t understand!” she exclaimed. “All of my life, she was hounding me and pushing me to be what she wanted me to be! I didn’t want that, so she and I didn’t get along! Just as my life was starting to get better, and I was making progress with my mother, she died unexpectedly! How is anything going to get better?!” Her eyes pleaded with him to give her an answer. He didn’t know what to say, and the most he knew to let her do was to cry and let it all out. She had to grieve in her own way, but he knew it was going to nearly kill him to see her in so much pain. She turned and started into the clinic. Sully knew she needed time, so he was going to give that to her. He decided it was best to let the children know right way. Sully started across town and over the bridge. He could see Holly opening the door to let the children out for recess. He immediately saw Brian run out and hurry over to the seesaw. “Colleen!” he shouted. Colleen looked over to see her little brother sitting hopelessly on one end of the seesaw. She knew he wanted her to play, but she didn’t feel like it. She looked to see John North walking out of the schoolhouse with her best friend Becky Houser. Colleen sighed and looked at Brian. “Maybe later, Brian,” she replied under her breath. Brian searched the crowd for Matthew, but he saw him taking off for the immigrant camp to spend time with Ingrid. The boy sighed and started to get off of the seesaw. “I’ll play with you,” came a voice. Brian looked up to see Mary standing by the other end of the seesaw. Brian smiled. “Alright,” he replied. He stood a little, balancing the seat so Mary could hop on. Mary smiled and hopped onto the other end of the seesaw. Once she was situated and holding on tight, they began their hypnotizing act of moving back and forth on this ingenious toy. A few of the children from school, who weren’t too keen on a child of Mary’s color in their school, gathered around the see-saw to watch Brian with her. Brian noticed this, and he looked at Mary, who seemed not to notice. She was smiling, grateful to have a friend like Brian. “Looks like Brian’s got a new girlfriend,” one boy named Mike said with a snigger. “Ya better not talk too loud. Miss Tucker’s watchin’,” said another boy named Collin. “So what?” “So, Mary’s her daughter.” “Well, I say we let her know that we don’t want no nigger in our school.” “It ain’t nice to call people that!” Brian spoke up. “Ain’t nothin’ wrong with it!” Mike replied angrily. “My pa says it’s alright to call people what they is. That’s what Mary is. She ain’t nothin’ but a half-breed nigger.” “Shut up!” Brian yelled. He stopped the seesaw and got off of it, letting Mary down gently. “What ya gonna do about it, nigger lover?” “I told ya it ain’t nice to call people that. It ain’t nothin’ but a bad word.” “Who told ya that?” “My ma and pa,” Brian replied. “Yeah, but they’re Injun lovers, so what do ya expect?” “Leave him alone!” Mary exclaimed. “You shut your mouth before I shut it for ya,” Mike replied. That was the last straw for Brian. He was normally a passive boy when it came to fights, but he couldn’t stand there and watch his friend get ridiculed by some ignorant little boys. Brian lunged at Mike, knocking him to the ground. As Mike fell, he pulled Brian with him. Collin was too stunned to do anything, so he stood there and watched as Brian’s fists began to fly at Mike’s face. Holly witnessed this and rushed over to stop the fight. The boys were too rowdy and she stepped back, not wanting to catch a fist in the face. Luckily Sully had been on his way over and saw the entire scene break open. He pulled Brian off of Mike, and Collin helped Mike stand up. “What do ya think you’re doin’?” Sully asked Brian angrily, kneeling to hold him by the arms. Brian struggled but Sully held him firmly in place. “What is going on here, boys?” Holly asked. Mary had tears in her eyes. “Mary? What happened?” Mary shook her head, not wanting to talk about it. She rushed away toward the schoolhouse. Colleen had seen Mary and hurried off to try to talk to her, putting her own problem aside for a moment. “Go on, Brian. Tell your papa what happened,” Mike sneered. Holly grabbed the back of his coat to make sure he wouldn’t go anywhere. “What happened, son?” Sully asked. “He called Mary somethin’.” “What did he call her?” Holly asked with urgency in her voice. “It ain’t nice to say so I ain’t sayin’ it.” Mike pulled away from the teacher’s grasp. This boy, who was about a year older than Brian, looked defiantly up at his teacher. “I called her what she is. A nigger. And he’s a nigger-lover for bein’ friends with her.” Holly felt her blood boil. She knew she couldn’t do anything about him right now except for punish him. She wasn’t sure what to do in order to control what was happening to her daughter. Perhaps it would be best if she pulled her out of school and taught her at home instead. She wasn’t sure what to do, but she looked at Sully who’s anger at his son had faded away. “That’s why I hit him,” Brian explained. “Well, fightin’ ain’t right, son, but I know that it made ya mad. Next time somebody makes ya mad, try to ignore it.” “But they wouldn’t leave her alone!” Brian insisted. “Ya gotta believe me.” Brian began to cry and Sully held him close. “It’s alright, son. I believe you.” Sully suddenly realized that he had temporarily forgotten the reason he had come to the school in the first place. He stood and Brian looked up at him. “Pa?” “Holly, would ya mind if I took my kids home for the rest of the day?” Sully asked. “Is there something wrong?” “Yeah. There’s been a . . . well . . . I’d like to talk to my kids about it first.” “Of course,” Holly replied with a nod. “I had better go check on Mary and figure out my punishment for Mike and Collin.” “I didn’t do nothin’!” Collin whined. “Inside, now!” Holly barked. Mike and Collin started toward the schoolhouse where Colleen was just coming out with Mary. “I’ll take it from here, Colleen. Thank you for talking with her. Your pa wants to take you and your brothers home.” “How come?” “He wants to tell you first,” Holly replied. She walked into the school with Mary to face Collin and Mike. Colleen saw Sully and Brian and hurried over. “What’s goin’ on?” she asked with worry. “Is it ma? The babies?” “Your ma and the boys are fine,” Sully assured her. “Where’s Matthew?” “Went to see Ingrid,” Brian replied. “At least that’s where I think he went. Want me to go get him?” “Yeah. Go on,” Sully answered. “We’ll be at the church.” Brian rushed off and Colleen began to walk with Sully. “What’s goin’ on, pa?” “I wanna wait till your brothers get to the church to talk about it.” Colleen could see that he was upset. Something terrible had obviously happened, and Colleen wanted to know what it was. But she knew she wasn’t going to hear anything until her brothers arrived. She wondered why Michaela and the twins weren’t with him, and she had the horrible feeling that something terrible had happened to them, but then again, he had told her that they were fine. She had just lost one mother, and she wasn’t willing to lose another. *~* Michaela sat at her mother’s side while Josef sat at the other. The tears had stopped for Josef, but they seemed to be endless for Michaela. “Mike, this wasn’t your fault. I should have seen it too, but we can’t blame ourselves.” “Why not?” Michaela asked. “Perhaps mother was right! Perhaps my dream of being a doctor was just a dream. Maybe I’m not supposed to do this with my life.” “Mike, you have performed miracles, and I’ve seen those with my own two eyes. You are a doctor in every sense of the word. You mother finally accepted it, and what happened to her wasn’t fair. But neither of us could have prevented it.” “I could have tried!” Michaela exclaimed. “I could have done something!” “No, Mike. There was nothing to be done,” Josef replied. Michaela shook her head. She couldn’t believe that her mother was dead. It didn’t seem real! Michaela couldn’t handle it right now. She had to get out and go somewhere quiet. Just for a little while. “Excuse me,” she said quietly before she rushed out of the clinic. Dorothy, Grace, and Loren all saw her running away. She had to get away from everyone and everything. The only place she could think of to go was the lean to. She rushed off toward the woods and didn’t look back. She ran until she felt like her lungs were going to burst. Her legs throbbed from running so hard and so fast. She stopped and leaned against a tree, sucking in sharp gasps of air. She had never felt like this before. She was so lost, so confused, so hurt. How could God take her mother away without letting her say goodbye first? It wasn’t fair! It wasn’t supposed to happen like that. Not now. Not when everything was starting to come together. Elizabeth couldn’t be dead. She slid down to sit against the trunk of the tree, her body aching. She hated feeling as if the world was closing in on her. She hated to admit that she didn’t feel like seeing anyone, not even her own husband or children. She just wanted the world to leave her alone so she could think about what had just happened to her life and family. Everything was different now, and there was no changing it. Michaela pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around them. She buried her face in her arms and sobbed uncontrollably, wishing that it was all a bad dream. She wished she could pinch herself and wake up in her bed, wrapped in Sully’s arms, and come downstairs to greet her parents and children. She would have given anything to have just one more moment with her mother to tell her how much she meant to her. But that chance was gone now. She was never going to get the chance to tell her mother how proud she was of her for becoming who she was. She had gone from being a stuck up, rather rude woman to an accepting, kind woman who would do anything for anyone if they asked. She had changed so much, and she was just the way Michaela always wanted her to be. Now she was gone, and the memory of her mother would have to live on in her place. *~* Matthew and Brian entered the church where Sully and Colleen were sitting. The Reverend wasn’t at the church because he had gone to sit with Josef and Elizabeth at the clinic a few moments ago, at Sully’s private request. “What’s going on?” Colleen demanded once everyone was seated. Sully took a deep breath and looked at his children’s worried faces. “A little while ago,” he began, “your grandma . . . she passed away.” “What?!” Colleen asked. “No!” Tears sprang to her eyes. “Grandma’s dead?” Brian asked, his lower lip quivering. “Yeah,” he replied softly. “What happened?” Matthew asked as his voice choked in his throat. “I guess she had a stroke. Your ma and grandpa are at the clinic right now with the Reverend. You three gotta be strong for your ma and grandpa, alright? They’re gonna need ya.” “We will be,” Matthew promised, brushing a tear away at the news of his grandmother’s passing. “I can’t believe grandma’s gone,” Colleen sobbed into her hands. She wrapped her arms around Sully’s neck and began to sob. He rubbed her back gently and tried to calm her. “It’s gonna be alright.” “I wanna see ma,” Brian said softly. “Why don’t ya three go see her at the clinic? I’m gonna go get the boys and go out to your grandma and grandpa’s homestead and let your aunts know.” “They’re gonna be real upset,” Matthew said softly. “Do ya want me to go?” “No. Your ma needs ya now. Just be there for her and your grandpa.” Sully and the children spoke for a few more minutes before the children headed across the street to the clinic to spend time with their mother and grandfather. Sully wanted to go to Michaela right now, but he also knew that he needed to check on the boys. Hank and Myra were sure to be keeping a close eye on them. So, he started across the town toward the saloon. He immediately saw Myra and Hank sitting on the porch of the saloon, each with a baby in their arms. Connor was in Hank’s arms, and he was starting to cry. “Thank God you’re here,” Hank spoke up. “Ya better get these kids to their ma. They’re getting hungry.” “Those ain’t hungry cries, Hank,” Sully replied. “They need new diapers is all.” “Even more reason you can take ‘em back.” “Hank, what are ya gonna do when we have babies?” “Like I said before, let’s worry ‘bout getting married first.” “When’s that gonna be?” “When’s good for you?” Hank asked. Sully cleared his throat. “I don’t wanna get in the middle of this, but I got a family to tend to.” “We just hear ‘bout Dr. Mike’s ma,” Myra said gently. “If there’s anything we can do . . .” “Thanks,” Sully said simply. He took his sons and started toward the clinic. Brian came running out. “Pa!” “What is it?” “It’s ma.” “What about her?” “She ain’t here? Grandpa said she ran out of the clinic a little bit ago. He figured she’d come find ya.” “She ran off toward the woods,” Hank spoke up. “I saw her about fifteen minutes ago.” Sully swallowed hard. Michaela had been distraught, and he couldn’t let her wander out in the woods alone. He knew she could take care of herself, but right now she was emotional from the babies and now from losing her mother. The events of the past few weeks. “I’ll find her,” Sully swore. He handed Connor to Colleen and Daniel to Matthew. He started off toward the woods and the children watched him as he rushed out of town to find his wife. *~* Michaela’s sisters were finally in town. Jake had ridden out to get them and tell them the news. They were devastated, obviously, but they were trying to be there for their niece, nephews, and father. They were about to take the children and Josef out to the homestead for the evening, and the sun was starting to set. It was getting late, so the town was winding down for the evening. Elizabeth’s body had been put into a coffin, and she was going to be buried in the morning. A few townsfolk were standing on their porches, watching the gravediggers creating Elizabeth’s grave. Josef told them that he wanted his wife buried in Colorado Springs, because that was where she wanted to be. Colorado Springs was their home. Holly was cleaning up at the clinic while Mary was playing out on the porch. The events at the school earlier had struck fear into both of them. But they had other things on their minds now, and were trying not to worry about Mike and Collin. Holly had expelled Mike and Collin from school, and she was sure she’d be hearin’ from their fathers soon enough. Holly walked outside when she was finished. Mary was sitting on the porch with one of her dollies. Colleen had given it to her. It had been hers a few years ago, so she thought Mary might like to have it. “Sweetheart, how about we come inside? It’s getting chilly.” “A few more minutes, mama?” “Sweetheart, I don’t want you to catch a cold.” Mary stood, and just as Holly was about to take her hand to lead her inside, a man rode up with the blackest hair and the angriest eyes. Holly gasped at his appearances as he dismounted his horse and walked up to her, eyeing little Mary for a moment. “You’re the schoolteacher with the colored child.” Holly swallowed hard and Mary hid behind her mother’s skirt. “Mary, honey, get inside, now!” Holly exclaimed as the man started to tower over her. She turned and she and Mary ran toward the door. Before they could get inside, the man reached behind and shut the door, pinning Holly and her daughter against it. “Ya ain’t goin’ nowhere till ya answer me a question!” “What do you want?!” “You expelled my boy from school.” Horror fell into the pit of Holly’s stomach. “My boy Mike ain’t happy, and neither am I.” She looked down at Mary. “Mary, sweetheart, I want ya to go get some help.” “The little girl ain’t goin’ nowhere.” “Mary, run!” Holly screamed. The man clamped his hand over Holly’s mouth, and Mary ran off quickly for help. “Get inside!” the man yelled, pulling a pistol from his holster and jabbing it in Holly’s side. Holly began to panic, but she opened the door and walked inside. He shut the door behind her. “Help!” Mary pleaded as she ran across the street. She heard laughing and talking coming from inside the saloon. She knew children weren’t allowed inside, but she knew that the man who had saved her life worked there. Just as she was running up onto the porch, two arms caught her from behind. She screamed out. “Shh. It’s okay, honey!” Myra exclaimed. Hank had grabbed Mary when he and Myra were coming back from a walk. He knew the girl was upset and he didn’t want her disrupting the whole town. “Help!” Mary cried, clinging to Hank as he held her in his arms. Myra looked at Hank with concern and rubbed the girl’s back. Hank, who was tense, relaxed a little and sat down on the porch of the saloon. “What’s wrong, Mary?” he asked. A few men came out to stand on the porch. “What the hell are ya holdin’ that little half-breed for, Hank?” one of them laughed. “What are ya doin’, Hank? Are ya becomin’ a nigger lover?” “Shut up!” Hank yelled, standing, surprised at his own defense of the little girl. “Get back into the saloon and don’t come back out here till I come in.” The men slowly retreated back inside the swinging doors and went back to gambling and drinking. “A man,” Mary started. Hank looked back at her as she looked up at him, tears filling her big brown eyes. “What man?” “A man on that horse,” Mary pointed. Hank’s gaze turned to the lone horse beside the clinic. “A man tried to hurt me and my mama. He took her inside.” Hank looked to see that the kids, Josef, and his daughters were no longer in town. “Myra, you take Mary out to Josef Quinn’s homestead. Ya tell him to get into town quick.” “His wife just died. Ya think he’ll want to come?” Myra asked. “You tell him it’s an emergency,” Hank replied. He handed Mary to Myra and gave his bride-to-be a kiss. “Be careful, Hank,” Myra whispered. “I love you.” She rushed off with Mary in her arms while Hank started over toward the clinic. *~* “Michaela!” Sully called out as he walked through the woods. He knew Michaela had been there, because he had found one of her handkerchiefs. But she was gone, and he was starting to panic. The moon was full in the sky, and it was the only light to guide him in the star-less night. “Sully!” Michaela cried out, hearing her husband’s voice. They rushed toward each other, and finally found each other a few moments later. “Oh God, Michaela! I was so worried about you!” “I was going to come back, but I couldn’t yet. Then I got turned around and I couldn’t find my way back in the dark. Sully, thank God you’re here,” Michaela cried, wrapping her arms around his neck. She began to cry and Sully picked her up in his arms. “It’s alright now. I’ll get us back home. Our boys will be needin’ their ma.” Michaela leaned her head on Sully’s shoulder. “Sully, I can’t believe she’s gone.” “I know,” he whispered. “Did you tell the children?” “Yeah. They know. They’re real upset, but they’re gonna be alright.” “I can’t believe it,” Michaela sobbed. “I just wish I had one more minute.” “That’s what I said when Abagail died.” Michaela tightened her hold on Sully and they continued through the dark in silence. *~* Myra ran up onto Josef Quinn’s porch. The wagon was outside and the inside was brightly lit from the fireplace. She rushed to the door and began to bang on it with her free arm. “Help!” Matthew came to the door and saw Myra with Mary. “Myra? What’s wrong?” Myra was gasping for air. “Come in.” “No time,” Myra panicked. “Hank needs a doctor. Dr. Quinn?” Josef looked up from the kitchen table where his daughters were gathered around him. “Father isn’t in the mood to go into town right now,” Claudette mentioned. “It’s Holly. She and Mary were attacked. Dr. Mike and Sully ain’t back yet.” “I’ll go,” Josef said quickly, standing up. “Are you sure?” Marjorie asked. “It’ll take my mind off of everything,” he replied. “Come along, Myra. We’ll go into town in the wagon.” “Matthew? Will you take Mary with you back to your homestead?” “Yeah,” Matthew agreed. He took Mary.” “Hitch up my wagon in the barn, Matthew. We’ll borrow yours to go into town. We’ll trade tomorrow,” Josef replied. He and Myra rushed into out to the wagon while Matthew put Mary down and went to hitch up the other wagon. The children waited until their big brother was finished before they joined him with Mary and the babies and started out for their home. *~* Josef and Myra entered the clinic to find a man lying dead on the floor, a badly beaten Holly lying on the examination table, and Horace sitting at her side, holding her hand. Horace had heard a gunshot, ran across the street to see what was going on, and found Hank holding the man’s smoking pistol in his hand. “He was tryin’ to take advantage of her,” Hank said quietly. “I stopped him.” “It’s a good thing you did,” Josef replied. “I believe you may have saved her life. Now if everyone will clear the room, I have a patient to tend to.” “I’ll go wake Robert E. and tell him to get another coffin ready,” Myra replied softly. She started across town to wake Robert E. from his sleep. Meanwhile, Hank and Horace walked out to sit on the porch to wait. When they got outside, Hank shut the door and Horace turned to him. He thought Horace might try to pick a fight, but he didn’t see any reason for it. Instead of picking a fight, Horace extended his hand. “What?” Hank asked. “I want to thank you for savin’ Holly and Mary,” Horace said softly. “If ya hadn’t gotten in there when ya did, Holly might be dead.” Hank swallowed hard. “And thanks for takin’ good care of Myra. She deserves to be happy.” Hank nodded and accepted Horace’s hand. “I’ll always take care of her. I love her.” “I know,” Horace replied. “I know that now.” They sat down in the middle of the night to await news of Holly’s condition, both hoping that she was going to make it through this fight. |