For personal use and select distribution only © August 1997 by S.L. Snyder
BACK HOME
by S. L. Snyder
Timeline: March 1871
*Author's Note: This story is a continuation of DEAD OR ALIVE
Sully and Michaela parted from their kiss.
"Let's go up to bed now. Brian and Colleen are already asleep. The trip to Cache Creek and back was long. I been missin' ya a lot!" Sully said.
Michaela smiled, "I missed you too. I was very worried about you and Matthew out there. And I was worried about the baby. I really have to be careful."
"Yeh, ya do. But I 'magine it ain't easy for ya to slow down. You're so use to hurrin' here and there. But ya gotta watch out for you and the baby."
"I will, Sully. I promise you!"
Sully helped Michaela up from the chair, then picked her up in his arms.
"Sully! Put me down. I'm too heavy!"
"No, ya ain't. You're light as a feather," he said, kissing her again.
Sully carried Michaela up to their bedroom, put her on the bed and helped her off with her clothes. Then he started taking his clothes off.
"Sully? Hand me my nightgown, please."
"Later, love," he said with a smile, as he climbed into bed beside Michaela. He reached over and put his hand on her stomach. The baby was kicking its mother with little thumps. "Active little one, huh?" he asked.
"Very. Especially today. Like the baby knows papa is back home safe and sound!"
Sully reached out to the night stand and picked up Michaela's stethoscope. "Where did that come from?" Michaela asked.
"I brought it up earlier, when you were sleeping. May I listen to the heartbeat again?"
Michaela smiled and took the stethoscope from him. She listened for the heartbeat, then while keeping the end in place, she handed Sully the earpieces to put in his ears. As he listened, Michaela watched his expression, which was one of pure rapture at hearing the baby. He looked up into Michaela's eyes with eyes filled with love and tenderness. Finally he put the stethoscope back on the nightstand.
"That's pretty amazing," he said. "To think that's our baby!"
Michaela smiled, "Sully?"
"Hmmm?"
"Matthew said Preston said a lot of rude and mean things on the trip. One of them was that 'your fire had gone out'. You don't feel trapped by all this, do you?"
"Not at all! I chose to be with you. My fire hasn't gone out...just changed focus. I still love the wilderness, but I love you and our family more. You have given me such peace and happiness. Preston wants everything his way and when it isn't he tries to make people suffer. 'Sides, I think he's got a thing for you."
"Sully!"
"No, really Michaela. He called ya a 'cultured Boston doctor'. He don't see how ya can love me...I'm just a savage," he said, smiling. His hand was back on her stomach, caressing her.
"If you're a savage, then I enjoy your savagery!" she paused for a minute, then "Matthew said you hit him? And don't get upset with Matthew for telling me. I asked and he doesn't lie to me very well. He said you hit Preston when he said something about me?"
"Yeh...I let him get to me when he was talkin' about ya. I did hit 'em, but only once, then I got control of myself and left him on the ground. He ain't worth getting upset over."
"What did he say?"
"Doesn't matter."
"It may not matter, but I want to know.....Sully?"
Sully looked her in the eyes, then finally he answered. "He said you were sensual..."
"And that's bad?" she asked, smiling.
"From him? Yeah! From me, no. I know you're sensual! But I also know he wants what I got! Funny, when I saw him at the clinic today, he asked me why I saved him."
"What did you tell him?"
"That if he didn't know by now, he never would."
"Did he understand that?"
"I don't think so."
Sully leaned over and put his head lightly on her belly. Michaela put her hands on his head and smoothed his hair. He turned his head and kissed her belly..."There, my little one, there's a kiss from papa. You treat mama good while you're in there, okay?" He said, giving another kiss.
Michaela reached for his face and brought it up to hers for a kiss. His hand continued to caress her belly.
"I'm sorry I'm so misshapen. I'm so big, it must be hard for you to look at all of this," she said as she gestured to her swollen stomach.
"It ain't hard, it's easy. I think you're beautiful. I still love touching ya. You'll always look good to me!"
"But I can't....please you....I'm too far along for us....."
"To make love?" he said, interrupting her.
"Yes," she whispered, as a light blush spread from her face down her body.
"Michaela, ya please me by just being you. If I were told we could never make love again, it wouldn't change anything. I'd still wanna be with ya. Being with ya is all I need."
"Oh, Sully! How I love you!"
"I love you too. Have from the first time I saw ya and always will," he said softly as he nuzzled her neck.
Sully reached out and picked up a herb lotion Cloud Dancing had made for Michaela. It was meant to ease the stretch marks. He put some in his hand and started rubbing it over her stomach. Michaela reclined back on the pillows, closed her eyes and enjoyed his administrations. His touch was so soothing. After a little while, he moved his hands up to her breasts and rubbed the lotion on them. Michaela opened her eyes and looked at her husband, to find him looking at her. She blushed again.
"Does this hurt?" he asked.
"No. It feels good," she said with downcast eyes. "My breasts have been very sore lately, something that happens as delivery time gets near."
"You tell me if I hurt ya, okay?"
"Yes."
Sully continued to rub her breasts and her stomach with the lotion. Michaela was very comfortable. Then she began to realize that her body was reacting to his touch....that she was becoming excited. She opened her eyes again and saw Sully gazing at his hands on her breasts.
"Sully?"
He looked up at her with a smile, "Hmmm?"
"Remember before I got pregnant.....during one of my monthlies......we found satisfaction without....without..." Michaela said, again not able to look in Sully's eyes.
"Shh..." he said. He reached over and turned the lamp off so that the only light in the room was from the fireplace. Sully put his lips on Michaela's and the kiss became very passionate. Their tongues met and receded many times. His touch on her breasts, her nipples, changed from the lotion rubbing to soft caresses. Michaela was tingling all over. Sully then moved his hand below her stomach and his touch gave her pleasure.
When he was finished and her breathing slowed down, Michaela pushed Sully over on his back. She managed to roll over on her side, reached out and started caressing Sully's nipples. Sully reached his arms back and held onto the edge of the headboard. She heard him groan with pleasure. She leaned over and kissed his lips as she moved her hand down to grasp his erect manhood and give him the same pleasure he had given her.
After awhile, Michaela turned on her right side with her back to Sully. He fit his body in behind her, spoon fashion, and put his arms around her. The last thing she felt before going to sleep was his kiss on her neck.
When Michaela woke up in the morning, she could tell it was long after daylight and Sully was gone from their bed. She realized she still didn't have her nightgown on. The bed's coverings were wrapped around her and pulled up to her chin. She smiled, knowing Sully had done that when he left the room.
Michaela knew she needed to get up and get ready to go into town. She lay there hoping someone would come to help her as it was very difficult for her, being so far along in her pregnancy. Just as she decided to get moving, the door opened and Sully came in.
"Finally awake, huh?" he said as he leaned over to kiss her good morning.
"What time is it?" Michaela asked.
"'Bout 10," Sully said. "You were sleeping so soundly, I figured ya needed the sleep. Colleen went into town to take care of the clinic until I bring you in."
"Thank you so much. I really feel rested and refreshed. Can you help me out of bed?" she asked, holding out her hand.
Just as Sully started to help her up, there was a soft knock at their door. Michaela gasped and grabbed at the covers, which had fallen off her.
"Yes, Brian?" Sully answered.
"Is Ma awake?" Brian asked.
"Yeah.....we'll be down as soon as she's dressed. Can ya fix some toast for her?"
"Sure....then I'll go hitch up the wagon."
"Thanks, Brian," he said, gazing at Michaela with his mischievous smile. She smiled back and again held out her hand. Sully helped her out of bed and helped her get dressed. Michaela sat down at her dressing table to brush her hair, but Sully took her brush and did it for her, as she watched him in the mirror.
Sully pulled the wagon up to the clinic as Brian jumped down. Sully got down and helped Michaela. Colleen came out of the clinic to greet them.
"Only one patient this morning, Ma. It was Joey Watson. He had a bad scrape on his arm from a fall. His pa said he'd been running down a hill. I cleaned it up, put salve on it and a bandage. I told his pa to bring him back day after tomorrow just to check it."
"Thank you, Colleen. I appreciate your help."
"Any time, Ma. Did you get some rest?" Colleen asked.
"Yes, I did and I feel wonderful."
"Sully!" Horace hollered, waving an envelope.
"What is it, Horace?" Sully asked.
"Mr. Leonard left this for ya when he got on the train yesterday. He told me to give it to you today."
"Thanks, Horace," Sully said, taking the envelope and then following Michaela into the clinic.
"What is it, Sully?" Michaela asked.
Sully opened the envelope to find $100.00 and a letter. Michaela raise her eyebrows as Sully shook his head. He read the letter out loud:
Mr. Sully,
I realize you do not care for my views and my actions and probably would not have accepted this payment if I had handed it to you. So I chose to have the station master give it to you after I leave. I do not like to be beholden to any man and if I don't pay you for your service in the rescue of my son, I would be beholden to you.
I remain grateful to you for saving my son,
Ezra Leonard
When he finished, Sully looked up at Michaela. "He's right, I wouldn't have accepted it from him. He's dishonest. He had no intention of honoring his word to not go forward with this statehood movement." He looked down at the money and back at Michaela.
"All the more reason you should accept the money. Sully, you did a job and should be paid for it," Michaela said.
"It wasn't a job. It wouldn'ta mattered whose son it was, no one should be kidnapping a child. I couldn't have sat still while it happened."
"I know, Sully. It'd be different if you charged for going and didn't go until you were paid. But you did go and you didn't ask for anything. Mr. Leonard is a man who pays for services. Just quietly accept the payment."
He looked at her and smiled, "We can use it, huh?"
Michaela returned his smile, "Yes. And some of it you should use for the reservation. Maybe to get some meat for them."
"Yeah...I'll do that. I'll go over to Loren's and pay off our account and order some supplies for the reservation. Do ya need anything?"
"Just you."
Sully laughed, "Me ya already got! Colleen, Brian, ya need anything?"
They both said no.
"Well, I think ya should get something just for you," Sully said, handling each of them $2.00. "Do whatever ya want with it."
"Thanks, Pa!" Brian said.
"Thanks, Sully," Colleen said and hugged him.
"Brian, why don't ya come with me to Loren's? Then when we're through, we'll come back and take Colleen and your Ma to lunch." Brian nodded his head and they left for Loren's.
Sully and Brian ran into Matthew on their way back to the clinic and asked him to join them for lunch. The family was seated at one of Grace's tables and had ordered their lunch.
"Michaela, this is for you," said Sully, handing her a little package.
Michaela opened it up and found a small bottle of her favorite perfume. In way of thanking Sully, she leaned over and gave him a very satisfying kiss. Matthew, Colleen and Brian were smiling. They all enjoyed being together like this as a family.
"Matthew," Michaela said, "how's your eye?"
"It's okay, Dr. Mike. A little sore, but I can see just fine."
"No headaches, dizziness, anything like that?"
"No, 'Ma', I'm okay. I promise I'll tell you if I feel poorly!" Matthew said, smiling. Everyone laughed at that, knowing Michaela was torn between being a doctor and their Ma.
"Pa," said Brian, "do you think Colorado will become a state?"
"Yeah, I do. Someday. I just hope people understand the need to keep the beauty of the land, not to mine it out, or build everywhere, or cut down all the trees. Parts of the land always need to be protected. We need to make sure as a people that we save the best parts for the future of our children. We don't wanna lose the greatness of this land."
"Maybe I can write about it. I can write about the Red Rocks and the Indians and the buffalo," said Brian.
"You could even keep a journal of all the things Sully has taught you about tracking and..." Michaela said.
"Yeah," said Brian, interrupting her. "I could tell about fishing and seeing the deer and how to follow trails and how to find your way if ya get lost and...."
"Whoa, Brian," Sully said, "that's all good, but ya gotta take 'em one at a time."
"I will. After lunch, I'll go see if Mr. Bray has any journals and if not, I'll see if he'll order some. That's what I want to get with the money you gave me, pa."
As they were getting ready to leave the café, Sully said, "Matthew, can I talk with ya a minute?"
"Sure."
Sully led Matthew off a little distance. "Ezra Leonard gave me some money for going after his son. He left it with Horace cuz he knew I wouldn't take it from him. Michaela convinced me to keep it. I gave a little to Colleen and Brian, paid off both of our accounts at Loren's, used some to buy supplies for the reservation and I want you to take this $20."
"No, Sully...I was just doing my job."
"I know, as sheriff ya were, but I ain't giving the money to the sheriff...I'm giving it to my son."
That stopped Matthew cold. He had no reply for that. He nodded and took the money. "Thanks...Pa."
They smiled at each other and headed back for their waiting family.
Promptly at 3 pm, Sully and Brian arrived at the clinic to take Michaela and Colleen home. Colleen was just finishing putting things away. Michaela was at her desk writing. Sully took the pen out of her hand and Colleen took the file and put it away.
"Let's go," said Sully. "It's time to stop being the doc and start being a very pregnant lady."
Michaela smiled and the kids laughed, as they all left the clinic for home.
Sully was hanging up Michaela's clothes. He'd already helped her undress, into her nightgown and into bed. Michaela was laying there, watching him. "You gave Matthew some of the money, didn't you?" she asked.
Yeah...he didn't want to take it as going after Caleb was part of his job. But I told him I was not giving it to the sheriff, but to my son."
"And so he took it, right?" Michaela asked, her eyes glowing with pride in her husband.
"Yeah."
Sully undressed and got into bed with Michaela. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead. "Michaela, the other night when I said after the baby came, things would get back to normal, you laughed. How come?"
Michaela looked up at Sully, her lips very near his chin so she kissed him. "Earlier I had said the same thing to Dorothy and her response was that the meaning of normal was going to change once we have the baby."
Sully laughed, "Yeah, I guess the baby will change things. I think I'm gonna like the change. We'll be just fine, though...you, me and our kids...just fine."
The End
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