For personal use and select distribution only © February 1999 by S.L. Snyder

SEEDS OF LOVE
by S. L. Snyder

Timeline: July 1873
Author's note: the mention of a romance between Daniel and Anna Marie Sheehan was suggested by Tiffany Miller, who kindly gave me permission to use the idea.


Brian had been waiting on the clinic porch to see if Sarah would come into the store. She usually did on Saturday mornings. Then he saw her. He waited a little while for her to shop, then headed slowly over, hoping to catch her on the way out. He was just stepping on to the store steps when she came out with her purchases.

"Hi, Sarah."

"Hi, Brian."

"Hey, pa said I could use the wagon. Do ya wanna go up to the Red Rocks this afternoon?"

"I'd love it! I just have to take these things home to mother."

"We can drop them off on our way to the Red Rocks. Pa said just to be back in time for the family to go home." Brian reached over and took some of Sarah's packages. They went over to the livery, got the wagon and headed for Sarah's house. After dropping off the packages, Brian turned the wagon and headed for the Red Rocks.

They were silent all the way there. As they came over the rise and Sarah saw the Red Rocks for the first time, she exclaimed, "Oh, Brian! How beautiful! I've never seen any thing like this."

"Ain't no other place like it, that pa knows of. And he knows a lot of wilderness places."

"It looks just like your geology project. I can see how well you made it. Oh, Brian, thanks for bringing me here!" Sarah leaned over and kissed Brian on the cheek.

Brian blushed as he turned to get down from the wagon and help Sarah down. Then he got a basket out of the back. "Before I asked ya, I got some cookies and lemonade from Grace. I was sure hopin' ya'd say yes."

Sarah smiled. "Of course I said yes. I like being with you."

"I like being with you too."

Brian found a nice grassy spot, with a good view of the Red Rocks. They sat down and Brian brought out the cookies, two cups and a jar of lemonade and they enjoyed their picnic and the view.

"Hey, Sarah, how do ya like Daniel?"

"I like him a lot and he makes mother so happy. I'm a little.....well.....worried though."

"'Bout what?"

"If Daniel marries mother, do you think he'll expect me to call him father? I mean, you call Mr. Sully father."

"I choose to call Sully pa. He don't care if I call him Sully though. I think Daniel'll be the same way."

"I hope so. I don't know if I could call him father. I really loved my father. Then I worry about them having children."

"Why?"

"I guess I'm scared they'll like the new children better than me. I'd expect Daniel to because they would be his, but I'm afraid mother would too."

"I don't think that'd happen. My folks aren't my real ones and they love me and Colleen and Matthew as much as they love Katie. There've been times when I wasn't sure about that, but they both figured out what was bothering me and made sure I knew they loved me as much as the others."

"I hope you're right. It would be nice to have a home of our own. Living with my aunt, uncle and their five kids is really hard. Mother and I have to share a bed and it's in the same room with their two girls. I had a room of my own back in Georgia. I mean, the girls are nice, but they're 5 and 6 and when I'm home, they hang around me all the time. I can't be alone....there are times when I want to be!" Sarah's words caught in her throat and tears rolled down her cheeks. "I'm sorry! I shouldn't be bothering you with my problems."

Brian moved close and put his arm around her shoulders. "It's okay, Sarah. I don't mind listening. That's what friends are for. For awhile, after my ma died, I didn't have anyone to talk to. Matthew and Colleen had problems of their own. I didn't know Dr. Mike well enough and Sully wasn't around much then. I didn't really have any friends to talk to." Brian chuckled and Sarah looked at him. "I felt so alone that I ran away to live with the Cheyenne and Sully. It wasn't funny at the time, but now I think it is. Not sure ma'd agree though. She was really scared."

"How did she find you?"

"She went to the Cheyenne camp and found Sully. Together, with Wolf, they found me. I had fallen down a cliff and broke my leg. Sully climbed down and brought me up. He handed me to ma and she grabbed me and hugged me tight. I could tell how worried she had been. She set my leg and they took me home."

"When did she have you start calling her ma?"

"She didn't. During the first Christmas with her, I asked her if I could. She said she didn't think ma would mind. Colleen and Matthew agreed. Matthew usually calls her Dr. Mike, but he does call her ma sometimes. Colleen usually calls her ma. But we all think of her as our ma."

"How about Mr. Sully and calling him pa?"

"I don't remember when I started calling him pa. I just kinda fell into it and I don't always. Same thing with Colleen. It just feels good."

"I'm glad you're my friend. It's nice to be able to talk to someone. I don't want to make mother mad or unhappy by telling her my fears. It was so bad for her after father died and it's so much better now, with Daniel."

"I'm glad we're friends, too." He removed his arm from her shoulder. "Let's go for a walk." Sarah nodded and he helped her up. He put the basket back in the wagon and then took her hand. He took her to show her where Sully and he had found the injured hawk. "The hawk's mate attacked pa here."

"How come?"

"He was protecting her. Hawks mate for life, so after ma helped her get better, ma and pa brought her out here to release her."

"I wonder if the male ever found her again."

"Yep, he did. He was here and when they released her, they saw the hawks meet each other up in the sky and soar off together."

"Wow. That's neat."

"There are so many things like that out here. Pa and Cloud Dancing have told me a lot of stories. When I think about leaving here to go see other things, to maybe go to college, I get real sad. There ain't nothing like this. My blood pa, Ethan Cooper, almost made me and Colleen go with him to San Francisco once and for the few days when we thought we were goin' have ta leave, I was real sad."

"How come you didn't go with him?"

"The day we were leaving, his wife, Miss Lillian made him stop and let us go back to ma and pa. She knew it weren't fair to take us away from our family."

"Do you ever think of him? Do you miss him?"

"I don't miss him at all! I've thought about him now and then, but every time he comes here, he hurts us somehow. He came once, before he married Miss Lillian, and told me and Colleen all about San Francisco and how he had come to take us there. He told us what our rooms would be like and everything. We were young and I don't think we realized that ma wouldn't be going with us. But he left without us and without saying goodbye. Pa had a letter from him and ma read it to us. It said his partner and their ship had been lost at sea and he had to go home to deal with the problems."

"At least he left the note."

"Well, he really didn't. I found out just last year that pa wrote the note. I was talking to Matthew about the note and how come Ethan didn't come back. I could tell Matthew knew something and didn't wanna tell me, but I talked him into it. He told me that Ethan couldn't read or write. Matthew asked pa why he wrote the note and pa said for us. Later, Matthew asked pa what really happened. Turns out Ethan stole money from the church. pa saw him do it and followed him out of town. Dr. Mike too. They got the money back, but for us kids, they let Ethan go. They snuck the money back and never told anyone."

"Dr. Mike and Mr. Sully must love you very much, to go to all that for you."

"Yeah, they do. And we love them the same way. Sometimes, when we're all home having dinner, with Matthew, Colleen, Amanda and Andrew there, it doesn't seem like it can get any better. I it's time to head back."

Still holding hands, they returned to the wagon. As Brian was taking Sarah home, she asked, "Do you think you might be able to teach me how to ride a horse? I would really like to learn."

"Sure. I'd like that. I'll ask pa if I can use Bear. He's a good horse to learn on."

"Thanks, Brian." And she gave him another kiss on the cheek.

Brian returned to town and drove up to the clinic. Sully was sitting on the porch, playing with Katie. "Am I late, Pa?"

"Nope. It's just after two. Your ma said she's close up about three. Katie's been wearin' out her welcome today with Aunt Grace, Aunt Dorothy and at the clinic. She ain't holding still for anything."

"Bran!" Katie yelled. "Play with Katie, Bran!"

Brian laughed and got off the wagon. "Let's go over to the meadow, Katie. I'll run with ya."

"Otay. Papa come too!"

"I'll come over in a little while, Katie. I gotta go talk to Robert E."

"Come now, Papa!"

"Behave, Katie, or you can go to bed when we go home. You go with Brian now and I'll see you soon."

Katie started to stick out her lower lip in a pout, then Brian said, "Come on, Katie. Race ya!"

Katie giggled and started her little legs running for the meadow, with her brother in hot pursuit....sort of....he let her win.


After dinner, Sully went outside to find Brian sitting on the steps. "Brian? You okay?"

"Yeah. Just thinking."

"'Bout what?"

"Sarah. I really like her, Pa."

"Yeah. I know."

"She asked me to teach her to ride. Do you think I could use Bear?"

"Sure, son."

"Pa?'

"Yep."

"Can we go for a walk? I wanna talk but I don't want ma or Katie to hear me."

"Okay. Let me go tell Michaela we'll be gone for a little while."


They walked off toward the woods. "What's on your mind, Brian?"

"How do you know when it's okay to kiss a girl?"

"There ain't a sure way to know. It's somethin' ya gotta feel."

"Sarah kissed me on the cheek today, twice. I wanted to kiss her back, but wasn't sure I should."

"Well, best I can tell ya, son, is if ya get in that situation again, give her a little kiss and see how she acts. Ya'll know from that. You'll know whether or not she likes it. Just remember not to force anything. Take everything easy."

"I remember what ya said about that when I spent that time in the cave with you. I just wanna show Sarah I like her, but I don't wanna do anything she don't want. I guess it just takes time, huh, pa?"

"That's right. In some way, I learn somethin' new from or about your ma everyday. Just follow your senses, you'll know what's right or wrong"

"Thanks, pa."

As they headed back to the homestead, Brian told Sully about Sarah's concerns if Daniel was to marry her mother.


Michaela and Sully were in bed, in their favorite spoon position, talking about the days events.

"I had to put a splint on one of Horace's fingers. He broke it trying to organize some packages for the resort."

"Ya sure have seen him a lot of times over the years."

"I know. Sometimes I think he's accident prone. Where did you and Brian go for a walk?"

"Just over to the trees. He needed to talk. I think I should warn ya that our son is growin' up. He wanted to talk about kissin' girls, and Sarah. Sully heard Michaela make a noise, like a sob. He looked at her face and saw a tear running down her cheek. "Michaela?" You okay?"

"Yes...sort of.....I'm just not ready for Brian to be really interested in girls. It seems I just went through this with Matthew. I feel like Brian is still my little boy. I don't want this!!"

"I know, honey. But ya gotta let him go. He's becomin' a young man." Sully hugged her and kissed her cheek. "We gotta let go when they're ready. Ya know he's liked Sarah for a long time, so we should'a been prepared for this."

"I know, I know. But when I think of that little boy, so scared and lost when Charlotte died. I like Sarah....I really do....but I'm just.....I don't know.....I....."

"Yer just being a ma! Ya want the world for the kids, but you wanta keep them safe and warm. You were the same with Colleen and Matthew. But ya gotta let 'em pick their own way."

"You're right, of course...."

"Nice to hear you admit it!"

"Sully! I know you're right now and that happens a lot!"

"Yeah...but ya don't always say it. Sides, nothin' much will happen with them for awhile.....they're just getting to know their feelings. They're smart kids and won't do anything they shouldn't. But kissin'....yeah, they'll do some of that. Brian also wanted to know if I thought Daniel and Anna Marie would get married. Sarah's a little worried about how she and Daniel will get along once he marries her mother. I told him I thought they would get married and that things with Daniel and Sarah would work out fine."

"I agree. Daniel's a good person and would be a good step-father for Sarah."


A few days later, Brian took Bear with him and rode Taffy over to Sarah's. She was waiting for him. "Hey, Sarah. Ready for your first lesson?"

"Yes. I'm excited!"

Brian started working with Sarah, telling her about horses and how to ride. They spent a pleasant few hours together. Towards the end of the first hour, after having her pet and talk to Bear, and walk around with him, Brian had Sarah get on Bear. He mounted Taffy and was right next to her.

By the end of two weeks, Sarah was comfortable riding Bear, as long as Brian was along. "Come on, Sarah, let's ride slow, down to the stream. It should take us about 20 minutes to get there. Then we can rest before we ride back."

Brian made sure they walked the horses all the way. Sarah was excited that they finally left the yard. They reached the stream and Sarah was ready to get off and rest. Brian helped her off and tied the horses to a tree. He gave her his canteen to have a drink of water. "How ya doin'?"

"Oh, a little sore. But I wouldn't have traded it for anything. It's really neat to ride horses!"

"Yeah, I know."

They sat down by the stream, took off their shoes and dipped their feet in the water. Brian reached over and took Sarah's hand. Sarah looked at him and smiled. After awhile, they put their shoes back on and Brian helped Sarah up. When she stood up, they were standing very close together. Sarah didn't move away, so Brian took his heart in his hands, leaned over and kissed Sarah on the lips, quickly. He moved back, hoping he hadn't done anything wrong, to be rewarded by a smile on Sarah's face. Brian smiled back.

They mounted the horses and slowly rode back to Sarah's. They took their time because they liked being together.

"Sarah?"

"Yes?"

"Can I ask ya something about Kyle?"

"Sure."

"Do you like him?"

"As a friend, I do. But if you're asking if I care for him the way I care for you, the answer is no. I would have been upset if he had tried to kiss me."

"Oh.......I like you, too."

They reached Sarah's and Brian helped Sarah off Bear. "Sarah," he said, pulling a leather dream catcher out of his saddlebag, "I made this for you, with Cloud Dancing's help. It's an Indian symbol. It's meant to catch your bad dreams in it's web and protect you when you're sleeping."

"Oh, Brian, I love it. I will hang it over my bed and it will always remind me of you!" Sarah put her hands on Brian's face and gave him a kiss on the lips.....longer than the one he had given her. When they parted, they both blushed.

"I gotta go. I'll see ya tomorrow." Brian said as he mounted Taffy, grabbed Bear's reins and headed for home.


After dinner, Sully found Brian sitting out on the bench under the tree in the yard. "Brian? You okay?"

"Yeah, Pa. Just thinking."

"Anything you wanna talk about?"

"Nah....well.....I took Sarah down to the stream near her place. We had a nice ride. I.....well....I kissed her, Pa. I liked it. I gave her the dream catcher I made and she thanked me....with a kiss. I really like being with her.....I like kissin' her, too."

"That's okay, son. Kissin' a girl ya care about is nice. But ya also gotta remember to be careful. Remember what we've talked about before. And remember what your ma told ya about men and women. It's easy to lose yourself when ya get to kissin' and things."

"I 'member. I don't wanna make those kind of mistakes." Brian smiled. "Matthew came to me the other day to make sure I knew about what happens between men and women. He asked if I knew how babies were made. Kinda sounded like you! I told him I knew and not to worry. I don't want you or ma to worry either, Pa. I ain't gonna do anything I shouldn't with Sarah. I just wanna be with her and show her things and talk with her."

"You'll do just fine, son. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks, Pa." Brian gave Sully a hug. "Even though I'm growing up, I can still hug ya can't I?"

"Sure can. I like those hugs."


Sully was brushing Michaela's hair. She was watching him in the mirror. She loved the look he had on his face when he brushed her hair. He looked up and saw her watching him. He put the brush down and kneeled down besides her. He reached his hand up and ran his fingers around her face. He follow his fingers with his lips. Then he pulled her up and they walked over and got in bed together.

"When I was putting Katie to bed, I saw you and Brian out at the tree. Is he okay?"

"He's fine and in love. I made sure he remembered the talks he and I have had and when you talked to him. He does and he told me we didn't have to worry. He knew what not to do. He's a pretty smart young man."

Michaela cuddled into Sully's chest and he put his arms around her. "I'm not sure I can ever get use to our children falling in love and all that means. I want to keep them young and with me forever."

"I agree, my love. But we gotta let them make their own way."

"I know. I just need you to remind me now and then. And I need your arms around me like this."

Their lips met. "Anytime ya want my arms, ya got 'em." They shared another kiss, his arms tightened around her and they settled down to sleep.


In the land of the Great Plains Indians
the legend of the Dream Catcher begins…..
The mother would weave a web on a hoop,
then hang it on the child’s cradleboard.
Then, as the Great Moon would come out
At night, the Web would catch all the
Nightmares that tried to get into the child’s
Dream world; but the Great Spirit of the
Web would not let them enter the life of the
dreamer. By the first rays of the Great
Sun the nightmares were destroyed, so only
The Good Dreams would find their way
Through the Web to enter the life of the
dreamer.


The End

Send all comments to me at thorcatfic@yahoo.com.