PLAYING WITH FIRE
Chapter Fifteen
So, how's our patient this morning?" Doc asked the second he walked into Sully's
room. He had just checked on Kay last night, and seeing the improvement, knew
a good night's sleep would show a marked change.
"Ain't much different from last night, ‘cept she's been drinkin' the water
and eatin' the soup more regular," Sully replied. "Her fever seems to be goin'
down, too, only I can't tell much, since she's still tossin' and turnin' in
bed when she sleeps."
"Well, that's to be expected from a fever and infection. It's her body's way
of fightin' against it. She looks a lot better, though, and she's regained a
little bit of color to her face," he remarked, moving to Kay's side. "I'm going
to check on her cut and do a routine examination. Would you mind goin' downstairs
and gettin' me some fresh water?"
"Sure," Sully agreed and left to do as Doc asked.
He returned a few minutes later, and Doc was just finishing his examination.
Sully had to smile at how Doc thought of something for him to do each time he
came to examine Michaela. He couldn't just tell Doc Michaela was his wife, so
he had to make it look like he understood the reason for Doc asking him to leave.
How much longer was he going to have to keep this up? Would Michaela ever remember?
"Here's the water ya asked for, Doc," Sully called, entering the room and setting
the pitcher of fresh water on the washstand.
"Thanks, Sully. Kay's infection seems to be healing nicely, and you were right.
Her fever is not as high as it was last night. It seems the rest she's gettin'
and the care you're givin' her are doin' her a world of good. I must say I ain't
seen anyone recover from an infection-induced fever so fast, so you must have
the magic touch. I know we're all grateful you offered to care for her, and
Kay will be, too," Doc praised, rising from his seat beside the bed.
"Ain't nothin'. Like I said, it ain't like I got anythin' else to do, so I might
as well make myself useful," Sully protested the compliments. He wasn't about
to tell Doc the real reason he thought Michaela was recovering. He believed
it was because she felt his love for her, calling her to get well.
"Well, all the same, you most likely saved Kay's life!" He picked up his medical
bag and began walking towards the door. "And on that note, I best be goin' again.
I have work to do at my office, but if there's any problems at all, come and
get me. I'll be in town, here, all day."
"Doc?" Sully called, walking to the door where Doc stood. "How much longer?
‘Til she gets better, that is?"
"I really don't know. I'm guessin' it won't be long, maybe another day or so.
She's gettin' the rest she needs, and the nourishment, so I'd say her fever
should be breakin' sometime in the next twenty-four hours. Just keep a close
watch on her," he admonished.
"I ain't leavin' her side," Sully promised.
"Ya might think of gettin' some more soup brought up to her. I know Julia offered,
so maybe you could ask her. And, you know where I am if you need me," Doc called
in parting and left the room, pulling the door to behind him.
Sully walked back to Michaela's side and sat down in his chair again. He just
sat and watched her sleep, marveling at her beauty, even with the slight lack
of coloring in her cheeks. There was a little, and for that he was thankful.
As Doc said, it meant she was getting better, and if nothing else happened,
she should recover by this time tomorrow, maybe sooner. Doc was right, though.
He hadn't had any soup for her since yesterday, so he should go and get some.
It would only take him a few minutes, and then he'd be back at her side. "I'll
just ask Mrs. Hawkins to look in on her while I'm gone," he said out loud to
himself.
* * * * *
Hank waited until he heard Sully going down the stairs before opening his door
all the way and venturing across the hall. He walked as quietly as he could,
not wanting to make his presence or actions known to anyone. He heard Sully
talking to Mrs. Hawkins downstairs, so he knew he didn't have much time.
He walked to Michaela's bedside and just stood there, staring at her. How could
he have allowed his feelings to get so out of control? How could he even think
of entertaining the notion that she would fall for someone like him? Why would
she, when she had Sully? When she had her family? It just wasn't right.
Michaela was moving about a little restlessly, but otherwise, she appeared to
be completely dead to the world. He pulled the one chair on the side of the
bed closer and sat in it, reaching out and resting his hand on her arm lying
at her side. "Michaela, I ain't never been much for words, and I certainly ain't
one for openin' up and tellin' anyone my feelin's, but for some reason, I feel
I gotta this time. You an' me ain't always seen eye to eye on things, but we
always had an' understandin' of sorts. For that, I thank ya.
"When I came to town and saw ya actin' like ya was, and when ya started payin'
attention to me, I thought I'd finally broke through that shell ya put up. I
was only thinkin' of myself. I was crazy to think we'd ever get together. You
have Sully, and he needs ya. You need him, too, and so does your little girl.
Ya can't go dyin' on her, or on any of us. Ya gotta get better, and ya gotta
do it now!
"So, I don't care if ya never listen to a word I say from now on, ya gotta hear
me, now. Fight! Don't give up! We'll all miss ya too much back in town." He
was about to say, "Especially me," but he didn't. That would be too personal,
and he had already said enough.
He'd better be going back to his room before someone caught him here and started
asking questions. The last thing he needed was Sully to come back and find him
here. That would be the end! With one last glance at Michaela, he left.
* * * * *
Sully rounded the corner at the top of the stairs and heard a door close, but
he didn't pay it any attention. There were others staying here, so why would
it be important who was coming or going? He had to tend to Michaela. Thankful
Julia had some fresh soup ready when he stopped in, he walked over and set it
on the bedside table, next to the basin of water, then took his seat. He reached
behind her to lift her head and support her, then went through the difficult
task of spoon-feeding several spoonfuls of soup into her mouth, making sure
he tilted her head back enough for it to go down her throat.
When over half the bowl was gone, he stopped, setting the spoon back in the
bowl and picking up a towel to wipe her mouth. He reached out and tenderly brushed
back her loose tendrils of hair, running his hand down her smooth, soft cheek
and tracing the outline of her full lips with his fingers. How he wished he
could kiss those soft lips again, touch her, hold her. It was so tempting being
here alone with her, not to mention the stress he'd endured since he first came
to town. It certainly wasn't easy staying away from her, especially not now,
when all he wanted to do was take her into his arms and hold her, willing her
fever to go away and bringing her back to him by sheer force of desire. He longed
to lie in bed next to her, spooning himself against her back and just holding
her in a loving embrace.
Sully sighed, frustrated he couldn't do any of those things. In her present
state, he was sure it would do more harm than good, since she would likely be
scared out of her mind and more confused than ever at his actions.
He looked away from her face and moved his eyes around the room, his gaze falling
on his one traveling bag, sitting in the corner. For some reason, he felt compelled
to go to it, and once he squatted down in front of it, he reached in and pulled
out the framed photographs of his family. One was of all of them together, with
Michaela holding Katie on her hip. The more recent one was of him, Michaela
and Katie, and it had been taken last year. This was the one he took back with
him to Michaela's bedside.
He
held it in his hands and looked at his wife and daughter, then he looked at
his wife lying in the bed, sleeping. He was overcome with emotion and he moved
to kneel on the floor beside the bed, resting his forearms on the bedclothes
by her right arm. He still held the daguerreotype in his hands.
"Michaela," he rasped out in a choked whisper, too overwhelmed for his voice
to be any louder. "Ya gotta get better, not only for me, but for our little
girl. She needs ya. I need ya. She needs us both, Michaela. I can't do it alone.
We got three other kids, too, that need us, an' our friends back home in Colorado
Springs. We got a whole life there, you an' me. We built it together from the
first time we met. We promised each other when we got married, we'd be together
for better or worse, in sickness an' health, through good times an' bad.
"I'm tellin' ya now, Michaela, I'm still here, and I ain't leavin' ya, not now,
not ever. I don't care if ya don't remember. I don't care if we gotta start
over, you an' me, gettin' ta know each other, helpin' ya get to know our family
an' friends. I don't care if ya gotta learn ta love me all over again. I just
wanna let ya know, I'll take ya any way I can have ya. I'll take ya as Kay.
I'll even take ya as the feisty barmaid ya've become with the loss of ya memory.
As long as ya come back ta me, I'll be happy."
He placed the photograph on top of the bedclothes and reached out to take her
hand in both of his. He held it to his lips, placing a tender kiss to her fingers.
"Please, Michaela, come back to me!" he pleaded, the tears he held back finally
becoming too many for him to control. They fell, one after another down his
cheeks and splashed onto their joined hands. He released his left hand from
clasping hers and reached out to touch her face, running the back of it across
her forehead and down her cheek, tenderly cupping her chin and running his thumb
across her lips.
A creaking floorboard made him start from his plea and glance towards the door
where he saw Hank's retreating form heading for his room across the hall. A
moment later, he heard the door close, the sound distracting him momentarily.
He had been so concerned about Michaela in the past week, he hadn't even realized
Hank hadn't been around at all. The time apart had given Sully the chance to
cool down from their last confrontation, and with Michaela's explanation of
what had really happened that night he had seen Michaela leaving Hank's room
fresh in his mind, he decided to have a talk with Hank.
He moved to get up from his kneeling position, and when he released Michaela's
hand, she took a deep breath and exhaled it, almost as if she felt the loss
of contact between them and was protesting the only way her body could at the
moment. Sully felt his heart beat rapidly and his hope soared. It was definitely
a good sign. She seemed to be responding to him, even if only a little.
Leaving the photograph on the bed, Sully walked towards the door, casting one
more look at Michaela, hoping she'd be alright for a little while. He walked
across the hall and knocked on Hank's door, but it wasn't closed. He pushed
it open and was taken back by the sight which greeted his eyes.
"What do ya think you're doin'?" he demanded.
"What's it look like I'm doin'? I'm packin'!" Hank growled in response.
"Why?" Sully pressed.
"Cuz!" Hank threw back.
"Ain't good enough!" Sully growled.
"Too
bad!" Hank returned.
"Hank, I ain't gonna let ya leave like this!"
"Ya ain't gonna let me? Since when did ya have control over what I do
and when? Since when did I have to answer to you ‘bout my comin's and goin's?"
"It just ain't right, ya leavin' like this," Sully tried to reason with him.
"You're just gonna run away? I'd expect that of Jake or Loren, but not you!
Where ya been these past few days?"
That comment comparing him to Jake or Loren got to him. Hank might have avoided
certain situations, but he was no coward! "I been around, just stayin' outta
the way, and it's a good thing, too," he added.
"Why's that?"
"Cuz it's clear I ain't needed no more."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Sully wanted to know.
"Do I gotta spell it out for ya?!"
"Well, I sure don't know what you're talkin' about, so maybe ya better tell
me what's goin' on. I saw ya standin' by my door only a few moments ago, so
I know ya know about Michaela. Why ain't ya come to see her? Ya musta known
what happened, since you're only across the hall, here. For as much as ya seem
to care about her, ya sure ain't showin' it!"
"That's just it! I can't be comin' in an' steppin' on your shoes! I can't be
comin' ta see her, tellin' her how much I wish she'd get better, lettin' her
hear me talk!"
"Why not? I thought ya said you were her friend? Friends don't act the way you're
actin'!" Sully accused.
"I am her friend, but I just can't be spendin' any more time with her!"
"Why not?"
"Cuz!"
"We been here before. Tell me why ya can't come an' see her. Tell me why ya
can't tell her ya wanna see her get better! I thought you cared!" Sully challenged.
The immediate silence in the room which followed Sully's accusations was nearly
deafening. Sully looked at the pain in Hank's eyes and saw a spark of something
he couldn't identify. The two men just stood there, facing each other like they
were ready to do battle, only that couldn't be farther from the truth. In fact,
this confrontation was something that needed to happen a while ago, but it didn't.
Both men were too full of pride to admit their feelings and failures, and neither
one wanted to admit how much they had come to depend on each other since they
first started out on this journey.
"That's just it!" Hank exploded, breaking the silence. "I do care!!!"
he finally admitted.
Sully stood, silently, and heard Hank's confession, saw the unmasked evidence
of his feelings in his eyes. What should he say? What could he say? This
man had just admitted to having feelings for his wife. How deep did those feelings
go? Was Hank admitting to loving Michaela? Had he really fallen in love with
her? Or had he just fallen in love with the "Kay" she had become? Was he really
in love with her? His first thought was to just grab him by the collar and start
punching, hoping to relieve some of his frustrations, but he realized that wasn't
a solution, so he held back. He took a good look at Hank. It was obvious Hank
wasn't all too happy about admitting his feelings, whatever they may be, and
Sully knew he had struggled with controlling his desires, even when Michaela
was not making it very easy on him. If nothing else, Hank deserved credit for
that!
"Hank, I'm real grateful ya brought me here, and that ya been here with me all
this time. I know we had our differences recently, and I know we both said some
things in anger, but I wanna tell ya how much I appreciate ya stayin', even
when I most likely woulda left, if I had been in your place." He paused and
changed the focus of the conversation a little. "Up until now, you an' I had
been on opposite sides, both seemin' to be competin' for Michaela. Wanna tell
me what changed your mind?"
Hank sighed and turned away, rearranging his clothes in his carpetbag. "Katie,"
he said simply.
"Katie?" Sully asked, confused. "What's she got to do with this?"
"I heard ya sayin' how ya'd take Michaela any way ya could get her, and I heard
ya sayin' how Michaela needed to get better, not for her or you, but for Katie.
It was then I realized we ain't talkin' about my feelin's or your feelin's or
even Michaela's feelin's. We're talkin' about a little girl who needs her ma,
and I saw I ain't got no place in interferin' in that."
"That's real big of ya, Hank. I know it ain't been easy on ya, but I wanna thank
ya for bein' honest and for bringin' me to Michaela in the first place. If it
weren't for you, I might never've found her. I hope you'll think twice ‘bout
leavin', since I'd really appreciate ya stayin'."
"I don't know, Sully. I..."
"Noooooo!" The loud scream piercing the air stopped Hank from finishing his
sentence. It didn't take either of them but a few seconds to react and run across
the hall into Sully's room. Michaela was sitting up in bed, sweat pouring down
her face, and she was gripping the bedclothes so tight her knuckles were as
white as the sheets.
"Michaela!" Sully called the minute he came to her side. "Michaela!" he called
again, trying to talk above her yells, only she wasn't responding. She was holding
tight to the covers and her eyes were squeezed shut.
"Nooo!" she yelled over and over again.
Sully looked up at Hank who stood standing in the doorway, watching. "Hank,
I need your help. We gotta get her calmed down!"
Hank immediately moved to the other side of the bed, and helped Sully pry her
hands loose from their vise-like grip of the bedclothes. She started thrashing
about and trying to fight off their touch, but the two men overpowered her and
soon they had her held down against the bed, keeping her from moving. She was
still protesting, but her yells had gotten less intense.
"Michaela," Sully tried again. "It's me. It's Sully. You're all right. Everythin's
all right. You're safe. Nothin's gonna happen to ya," he soothed, trying anything
he could think of to calm her.
It seemed to be working, since her protests grew softer and softer, and her
fighting became weaker. Within moments, she was still again and breathing deeply.
Hank and Sully both released their hold on her at the same time and moved away
from the bed. They both looked at each other and sat down in the chairs.
"What happened? Why'd she scream like that?" Hank asked.
"I don't know. She most likely just had a bad dream, or maybe one of the images
she's been seein' triggered that response. She's been tossin' and turnin' ever
since she came down with the fever two days ago."
"So, she told ya ‘bout her dreams?"
"Yeah, you knew too?"
"Yeah, that's what she came to tell me that night ya saw her leavin' my room."
"My guess is she's been havin' these dreams since her accident, since her mind's
tryin' to remember, but it can't. It can't be easy seein' us, either," Sully
deduced.
"Nah, it can't be. I don't know much ‘bout the mind, but I know somethin'
about bein' able to hear voices while ya sleepin'. I remember hearin' Myra and
Grace and Horace and Michaela when I was in that coma few years back. I don't
remember much about what they said, but I remember somethin' kept me fightin'
to stay alive. My guess is the same thing's happenin' ta Michaela. She's gotta
be hearin' your voice talkin' to her, and her mind's tellin' her not to give
up."
"I don't know what's goin' on, but I don't know how much longer I can handle
this. It's killin' me seein' her like this, and not bein' able to do much more'n
give her water and feed her some soup and make sure she stays cool," Sully confessed.
"So, who says that's all ya can do?" Hank questioned.
"Whaddya mean?"
"Who says ya gotta stay away from her? I mean, ya love her dontcha?"
"‘Course I do!"
"Then show her!" Hank challenged. "I saw ya touchin' her face a while back.
Why dontcha kiss her, like I know ya wanna do! Hell, I know I'd be wantin' to
do it if she was my wife!" Hank leaned forward in his chair and implored Sully
to listen to him. "Sully, you an' Michaela got somethin' special, ain't no denyin'
that. An' it's that somethin' that's gonna pull her through this. Ya just gotta
believe, and ya gotta not give up! You're the cure she needs!"
Sully turned away, a little embarrassed to be having this conversation with
Hank. What if he did as Hank suggested? What would it hurt? Maybe it would help
her remember!
"I, uh, think I'll be leavin' you two alone for now," Hank said, standing to
his feet. Sully looked up and saw the smirk on his face. "Wouldn't wanna be
interruptin' any plans ya might be makin'!" Hank added, a teasing note to his
voice and a suggestive look in his eyes. Sully cleared his throat and looked
away, making Hank chuckle as he walked to the door. "Don't go doin' nothin'
I wouldn't do!" he called in parting. "Ya never know. It just might work!" he
added before crossing the hall and entering his own room again.
Sully heard the door close again and turned his attention back to Michaela.
She had started to move again, only this time her movements were calm and just
a little restless, nothing like they'd been before. He moved his chair closer
and reached out to touch her forehead. It was warmer! What had happened? Hadn't
she been getting better? Why was her fever going up again?
Sully thought about leaving to go get Doc, but he didn't want to leave her side.
He could send Hank, but that would mean walking across the hall again, and he
just had to stay here. He reached out and took the old washcloth from on top
of the bedclothes. It had fallen off when Michaela had sat up a few moments
ago. He soaked a fresh one in the cool water and placed it on her forehead,
smoothing back her tangled hair from her face.
Leaning over her the way he was, he looked down onto her face. She seemed to
be trying to talk, but it looked like it was all in her dreams. There was no
sound coming from her lips, so Sully thought she must be mimicking what she
was dreaming. He leaned down and placed a tender kiss on the top of her head
and started to pull away, but then he thought about what Hank had said. What
would it hurt if he kissed her? Lord knows, he was wanting to do just that!
Would it help her any more than he already was, or would it make things worse?
If things got worse, would he be able to handle it?
There was only one way to find out. He slowly moved his mouth towards hers,
intently watching her face as he moved closer. There was no response either
moving away or towards him, nothing to show she was feeling his presence at
all. He paused just a hair away from her mouth then closed his lips over hers
in a tender and sweet kiss. He held his lips there for several moments, just
relishing in the familiar feelings that washed over him.
Suddenly, she started to move again and moan, and Sully immediately moved away,
taking hold of her hand again and sitting down in his chair, uttering words
of assurance over and over to try to calm her.
She
looked down at the little bundle in her arms and felt tears come to her eyes.
She couldn't believe she finally had a little baby of her own -- their own,
she corrected herself. She looked over at him, and he smiled. He stopped the
wagon in front of their house, and their other children gathered around them.
They each wanted to take turns seeing their little sister, and although she
didn't want to let her little daughter out of her arms, she did, watching with
love as they held the precious baby, talking to her and showing her where she
would live, introducing her to her family, and just enjoying being with her.
She stood next to him, and they shared a tender smile, knowing how perfect everything
seemed...
She turned her head when she heard him call her name, and she immediately went
to him, opening the soft, leather flap and kneeling in front of him. He seemed
to be very disoriented, asking her where she went, and telling her he didn't
want her to go anywhere. He told her he needed to be with her, and she was feeling
the same way. He seemed to have recovered from whatever had been plaguing him,
and now he was staring directly at her. She felt pulled to him in a way that
was very unfamiliar to her. She had never felt this attraction for any man,
before, but she was helpless to fight it. She was overwhelmed by her feelings
for him and the passion ignited in his kiss. Would she be able to stop at one
kiss...
She pulled away and looked into his face. She stood before him, clothed in white.
They had just spoken vows to each other, made promises before a large crowd.
Then, they walked around together and talked with those who were there, enjoying
a little dancing and laughter before making their way towards the train. They
walked up the steps and the door opened, and she found herself looking at a
beautiful bed, flanked by two wingback chairs to the left and right of the foot
of the bed. She leaned against him and waved goodbye to the people gathered,
then entered the train car in front of him. She was nervous, but excited, and
she didn't know what to do. He helped ease her fears, though, but her nervousness
remained. She found it hard to keep from looking at him, but then she was shy.
Finally, she felt her courage bolster and she took some initiative of her own,
and together they shared their love...
She screamed in agony, wanting the pain to stop, but not knowing how to make
it go away. He was right there with her, injured and all, but he wasn't leaving
her side. She could see she was scaring him, and although she was in extreme
pain, she had to assure him that everything was happening like it should. Nothing
was going wrong, and soon, they would have a baby of their own. She would have
preferred a different location, but you can't always have things the way you
want them. She was just happy to have him here with her, and the privacy of
the location only made the event more special. She tensed, knowing something
was wrong. She could see it in his eyes. She talked to him and got him to talk
and was relieved when it wasn't as serious as she thought. She helped him get
over his fears to help bring their child into the world, and together, they
marveled over their beautiful baby girl, held lovingly in their arms...
He cradled her against him, having not left her side for days since she came
home. She was battling with fears of going outside again, of facing anyone but
her family, and she didn't even want to come out of her bedroom. He had been
very patient, tending to her, holding her, caring for her, all while she was
not responding and not wanting to do anything about her situation. She just
couldn't bear to face the thought of it happening again, and her dreams constantly
plagued her. She couldn't fall asleep without thinking of that event over and
over again. Somehow, though, she felt assured, felt comforted. Somehow, she
was able to get through it, and she knew it all had to do with him...
He was caring for her again, and holding her, helping her stay awake, and she
was fighting with images of some traumatic event in her past, something that
didn't make sense. She kept seeing images of it flashing in brief spurts, and
she knew it was painful, but she couldn't tell what it was. All she could see
was him, walking with her, talking with her, helping her stay awake. Finally,
she screamed out, unable to hold it back any longer. Their baby! She had lost
their baby, and they had never talked about it! They had never healed, but now
they had time. They talked and cried and mourned their loss, but in the end,
they rejoiced in their love for each other, knowing how important it was for
them to be there for each other, knowing they would be able to create another
life, not one to replace the one they lost, but one to be the result of the
deep and abiding love they shared...
She felt along his bruised
and battered body for any apparent injuries or broken bones. It was hard enough
seeing him like this, and even harder knowing there wasn't much she could do
other than be there for him. She pressed on his ribs and heard him expel a breath,
only instead of a breath of pain, this was a breath of finality, and she froze
in fear. She immediately moved into action, breathing life back into him, trying
with everything she had in her to bring him back to her. He couldn't die. He
just couldn't! She couldn't live without him! She needed him too much, and he
needed to be there for their family...
"Sully," she
whispered, very faintly, but pleadingly. Sully wasn't sure he had really heard
it, or if he had imagined it. He lifted his head from where it was resting on
his arms and looked up at her. Her eyes were open and she focused on him. "Sully,"
she said again, only this time it was more clear.
He moved into an upright position, holding her right hand with his and smoothing
back her hair with his left. He immediately felt her cool forehead and knew
her fever had finally broke. "I'm here," he replied.
"Sully," she spoke his name, grasping his hand tightly with her own, and this
time looked him directly in the eyes. It was at that moment he saw it. For the
first time since he had come to Cedarville and found her working in the saloon,
there was recognition in her eyes.
How ya feelin'?" Sully asked, wondering exactly how to approach conversation
with Michaela.
She looked as if she was pondering the answer for a moment, then replied, "Truthfully?
I don't know. I feel really tired and very confused. There's a lot of things
that just aren't making sense right now."
Sully prayed for guidance before he spoke. He didn't want to destroy any chances
there were that Michaela was getting her memory back, even just a little. "Such
as?"
"Such as what happened to me, and why I'm here," she paused and looked around
the room, "in your room, lying in your bed." She glanced down at the bedclothes,
not wanting him to see the feelings she was certain were showing in her eyes.
It was embarassing enough being here in this room, but there were a million
thoughts running through her mind about why she was here. What had happened
while she was here?
"Well, ya been in an' outta consciousness for about three days, now," Sully
answered.
"But why? What happened to me? Everything's so unclear at the moment." She braved
a look up at Sully's face and saw nothing but openness and honesty in his eyes.
She knew right then that he had done nothing improper and quietly released the
breath she wasn't aware she was holding.
"When I came upon ya, ya looked like ya ain't slept in days. I called your name,
an' ya turned towards me, but then ya just collapsed. I took ya over to see
Doc, and he found out ya had an infection in your hand from that cut ya had.
Ya had a high fever and needed constant attention, so since I wasn't doin' nothin'
important, I offered to help. ‘Sides, your room at the Shady Oak ain't
exactly a good place to get rest durin' the day," he added with a slight smile.
Her lips moved to a form a small, but fleeting, smile, and then her face returned
to the puzzled look. "So, you have been here with me for three days, taking
care of me?" She didn't want to think about to what extent he had seen to her
care, especially with her lying in this bed for three whole days. That was just
too embarrassing a thing to imagine.
"Yeah."
"Why?"
Sully paused and took a deep breath before answering. "I told ya. I was the
only one who wasn't busy with work. Seemed like the best option," he answered,
with only the partial truth. He looked away from her analytical eyes, trying
to hide his feelings from her.
Kay looked at Sully, knowing he wasn't telling the whole truth, and at the same
time, she wondered why. What would he feel he had to hide from her about his
reasons for staying with her? They had come to a new level in their relationship,
and he had told her things he admitted he hadn't told anyone else, so why was
he being so secretive, now? She knew him well enough to know he wasn't going
to respond to continual prying, so she decided to take another approach.
"All right, that answers one question, but things are still not clear to me."
"Care to talk about it?" he invited, returning his gaze to her face.
"I don't know if you'll be able to help me." She tried bating him, making it
seem like she didn't think he had the answers, when she thought he just might.
However, even though she thought she was sure, she wasn't really sure of anything.
Sully was just a mere possibility.
"Try me," he suggested. "Ya just never know."
Now, Kay took a deep breath. "Remember on our walk, when I talked a little about
going to Hank for answers to some questions?"
"Yeah."
"I know I didn't say much, but that was your time to share, not mine. The truth
is, I was asking him about the dreams I've been having. I know you and I talked
about them during your recovery from your gunshot wound, and I thought Hank
would be able to help a little too."
"Why's that?"
Kay looked at him. How had this turned around to her being on trial? Wasn't
she supposed to be getting Sully to confess his reasoning? She shook her head,
not wanting to test her mind any more than she already was. It really didn't
matter anyway, as long as she got some answers. "Why did I go to Hank?"
"Yeah."
"Thinking back on the severity of my dreams, I realized they starting getting
worse when Hank arrived, but they have been almost too much to bear since you
both returned."
"Do ya remember anythin' from your dreams?"
Kay thought back to the most recent ones she remembered. She closed her eyes
as if trying to conjure them back into her memory, and truthfully, it wasn't
all that difficult a task. They were as fresh as if she had experienced them
just a little while ago.
"Kay?" Sully's voice penetrated her thoughts.
She opened her eyes and found herself staring right into the deep pools of blue
she had seen in her dreams. "Those eyes!" she announced. "I'd never forget those
eyes! You! You were there! You were in my dreams!" she declared, then a frown
passed over her face. "But why?"
Sully forced the tears back from his eyes, trying hard to not let her see his
emotions. After all, he didn't need to overwhelm her with the truth right away.
She needed to find out gradually, and it needed to be her mind which remembered,
not his words which painted the picture for her. "It ain't as strange as ya
might think, Kay, but why dontcha start by tellin' me some of what ya remember,"
he implored.
"There are a lot of them, all mixed together, but I'll start with the most recent
ones. I remember children, and a little baby girl. I remember being outside
with them, watching them holding the baby and talk to her. I remember a canvas
dwelling of sorts and sitting by a stream. I remember a wedding and a train.
I remember being afraid to go outside and fighting against falling asleep. I
remember praying you wouldn't die, or at least someone who looked like you.
Now that I think about it, you were in a lot of those images. I don't know!"
she sighed, exasperated. "Perhaps I'm just conjuring you into my dreams in place
of another face since you're the one I know. Perhaps you weren't really there,
but my mind is just thinking you were! Perhaps this is just all one big mistake,
talking about this! Perhaps I'll never understand my dreams!!" she ended with
a sob, the first of her tears falling down her cheeks. She pulled her hand from
his grasp and covered her face.
Sully's heart broke at the desperation he heard in her voice and at hearing
her sobs. It was so difficult to force her to talk about this, but it was the
only way he could think of to get her to remember. He knew he couldn't just
tell her why he was in her dreams. That might shock her and cause more problems.
He tried to remember what Andrew said about amnesia. He said a person had to
remember on their own, and if the truth was revealed in a way which didn't make
sense to the amnesia victim, it could cause all manner of complications. That
was why Sully had to try to pull it out of her. It was buried somewhere in the
depths of her memory. He just had to figure out a way to get it to come forth.
Hearing her continual sobs and seeing her shaking body was just too much for
Sully to bear. He couldn't just sit back in his chair and leave her to suffer
on her own. He quickly moved from the chair to the space on the bed next to
her and gently pulled her into his arms, cradling her against his chest.
"Shhh," he comforted. "It's gonna be all right. You're just tired and real confused
about a lotta things, but ya needed to get this outta ya." He tenderly stroked
her hair and rocked her back and forth a little. "There ain't no hurry. I ain't
goin' nowhere, so we got all the time in the world ta talk about this," he whispered.
"I'm here for ya, and I ain't leavin' ‘til we get to the bottom of this,"
he vowed.
Neither knew how long they sat there together, but Kay realized she was ready
to continue. She moved a little away from Sully, even though she felt the emptiness
of pulling away the moment she put any distance between them, and looked up
into his face. She saw the tears in his own eyes, although he was doing his
best to keep them in close check, and something else reflected in the deep pools,
something she didn't understand, but which he was obviously doing his best to
disguise. She couldn't tell what it was, though, and he quickly changed it.
Seeing him watching her, though, made her think about her appearance. "I must
be quite a sight!" she exclaimed.
"Yeah, ya are," he said softly, but there was no laughter in his voice, only
tenderness.
She reached up her hand to touch her hair and cringed at how tangled it felt.
She tried to loosen the clasp which somewhat held it and run her fingers through
her hair, but it was no use. Without a mirror or brush, she couldn't do anything.
"I can't say anything, or he'll think I'm vain for caring about my hair at a
moment like this!" she thought.
He seemed to be right in tune with her thoughts, though, when he turned her
around to sit more in front of him. She felt his hands on her hair, gently loosening
the tangles and pulling out the clasp. She closed her eyes, luxuriating in the
feel of his hands coaxing her soft masses to tumble down her back, free of their
hold. There was such a feeling of rightness about this, such a feeling of it
happening before, and that only confused her more. Would there be no end to
the torment? Would anything ever make sense again?
"Why dontcha tell me some more about your dreams?" he suggested, slowly running
a brush through her hair. She had no idea where he found one without moving,
since she hadn't seen one lying on the table, but that held no importance to
the greater scheme of things. He was being so gentle and so tender, it almost
brought tears to her eyes.
She momentarily allowed herself to wonder why he cared so much. What had she
done to deserve his devotion? Why was he staying here with her, whispering words
of comfort and assurance to her? Why was he so intent on helping her? Was there
more to their relationship than she thought? Was he really the same man she
had seen in her dreams, and if so, how could that be? She closed her eyes again,
trying to force her mind to make sense of the jumbled images, but the attempt
had only a minimal effect. Maybe she needed to talk some more, just like he
suggested.
"I hardly no where to begin, or what to say," she confessed.
"Just say what's on your mind," he said, simply.
"That's the problem I'm having. I have too much on my mind, and it's causing
me to have headaches and not get any sleep." She had to concentrate to keep
talking. Sully's touch was so soothing, she almost felt like basking in the
wonderful feeling of his ministrations. That wouldn't get her anywhere, though.
She had to keep talking. "I can't pretend to understand why I've been having
them, but they do seem to be linked to the fact that I don't really know anything
at all about my past. At first, I wasn't sure at all about them. They seemed
so disjointed, almost as if they were pieces of a large puzzle, but the pieces
were from all of the corners and areas of the puzzle, none of them fitting together.
"At least, that's how things were until recently. Up until you and I talked
the other day, most of my dreams were just unconnected scenes, not making any
sense, but after I returned to town, I started seeing longer scenes, and scenes
that blended or joined with others." She realized Sully's hands hadn't stopped
the entire time she was talking, and she wondered if it was his way of letting
her talk things out. She wondered if he had the key to unlocking her past, and
for some reason was keeping it out of her reach, but that made as much sense
as some of her dreams.
"While I was fighting the fever, I know I dreamed again, only this time they
seemed to make more sense," she paused, "more sense than they had been, anyway.
I started to see faces very clearly, hear voices, feel the same feelings I was
feeling in my dream. I was able to put ownership to some of the things I was
seeing." She stopped, wondering if she should say what she wanted to say. How
would he react? What would happen if she did say it? Realizing she had nothing
to lose and no other alternative, she continued. "And throughout every one of
my dreams, you were there, comforting me, smiling with me, and just being there
for me. I don't pretend to understand how or why...but, you. You were the one
I saw in my dreams," she ended with assurance, her voice nothing more than a
mere whisper.
She felt his ministrations stop and knew he was fighting his own battles. She
stopped, looking over her shoulder at him in wonder. Dreams suddenly merged
with reality in a blinding flash and she breathed, "Sully!" Somehow, with certainty,
she knew now that the man sitting behind her held the key to her dreams.
Slowly, as if unsure of what the outcome would be, she leaned back against him,
allowing her weight to rest on him a little bit at a time, until she was relaxing
completely against him. He didn't protest, didn't move at all. In fact, no sooner
had she leaned her entire weight against him, and he put his arms around her,
holding her in a warm and comforting embrace.
He leaned his head down a little and pressed it against hers. She crossed her
arms and placed her hands over his at her elbows and almost immediately felt
a drop on her arm. She looked down and saw the teardrop she knew had fallen
from his eye, and she just squeezed his hands reassuringly. He inhaled a deep
and ragged breath and she felt him tremble.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, not knowing what else to say.
"Don't be," he admonished in a whisper. "I'm not."
She heard and felt the truth in his statement, but she still couldn't fight
that nagging feeling of forcing him to do something against his will, of appealing
to his protective nature in offering her comfort in her time of need. However,
his next words dispelled any doubts she had.
"Anytime ya need any holdin', ya just ask," he said, close to her ear.
She froze, her entire body tense, no longer relaxed against him, and he pulled
away a little at her reaction.
"What is it?" he asked, concerned.
"Those words," she replied. "You've said them before. I know you have. I can
feel it inside of me." She turned in his arms to face him again. "But, I don't
underst..."
She stopped abruptly and gasped at the look she saw in his eyes. It was no longer
hidden from her, and he made no effort to change it. She tried to turn away,
but he wouldn't let her. He stopped her head from turning and forced her to
look into his eyes.
"No, don't turn away from me. Ya ain't leavin' me again, not when I just got
ya back. I ain't gonna lose ya twice!" he lamented, his voice full of anguish.
"Twice?" she asked, confused. "But, you haven't lost me before," she protested,
but the moment the words were out of her mouth, she realized the falsity of
that statement. He saw the realization in her eyes, too. For reasons she didn't
understand, she knew he had lost her before, knew they were linked in their
pasts, and knew they had found each other again. It wasn't making complete sense,
but it was enough for her for now. Now, she just wanted to enjoy being with
him, enjoy the feelings he evoked when he was near.
She reached up and tenderly ran her fingers down the side of his face and across
his chin. He turned his face towards her hand and kissed her palm, sending currents
of pleasure through her and causing her to shiver, uncontrollably. He only smiled
at her reaction and brushed the tip of his thumb across her parted lips.
As if drawn by some unknown force, she turned a little more in Sully's arms
and moved closer to him. Their eyes were locked, and nothing could break the
invisible bond pulling them together. If she really admitted it to herself,
she didn't want it broken, either. They paused just before their lips touched,
and they both smiled.
"Michaela," he whispered.
She froze and pulled back from him. "Michaela!? That was your wife's name!"
she suddenly exclaimed, confusion and wonderment battling on her face.
"I never told ya how I lost her. Truth is, she ain't really dead. I've just
been waitin' for her to come back to me. I been waitin' for her to remember
how much I love her, and how much her little girl needs her," he replied, looking
deep into her eyes and willing her to realize what he was saying to her. He
had tried once before to connect to her soul, and he had to try again.
She stared into the deep, dark, blue pools of his eyes, completely lost and
mesmerized by the intensity of his stare. She was fighting a losing battle,
and then wondered why she was fighting at all. Why not give in to her feelings
and allow him to help her remember? She looked deeply into his eyes and found
the connection she had always somehow known was there. At that moment, they
said more with their hearts and souls than they did with their words. At that
moment, they were connected.
With tears streaming down her face, she reached out and tenderly touched his
cheek. "Sully!" she whispered.
That was all he needed to hear. "Michaela!" he said in return, and this time
she didn't protest. She knew it to be true, deep within her. Even though it
sounded slightly foreign to her ears, somehow it seemed right. There was no
time to ponder this, though, because almost immediately, he pulled her close
and she melted against him. "You came back to me," he said just before his lips
grazed hers. "You came back."
With that, he covered her lips with his own, and she felt herself being drawn
into him. She eagerly gave and took in the kiss they shared, marveling in the
sense of completeness she felt. All of her questions weren't yet answered, and
all of her thoughts weren't yet making complete sense, but losing herself in
his kiss, she knew she had come home!
* * * * *
Brady walked up the stairs and rounded the corner, heading straight for the
door to the room where Mrs. Hawkins had said Kay was staying. He had tried to
avoid coming here, since he didn't really know what the reception would be,
and whether or not she even wanted to see him. He had absorbed himself in his
work, focusing on keeping things running and successful, and he even allowed
himself to enjoy a game or two of cards. He didn't know why he felt he had to
come see Kay today, but something told him he needed to be here, now. Something
told him it was important, so he came.
He saw the door was partially open, so he hesitantly knocked and pushed it open
wider. He stepped into the room and froze, his face paling at the sight which
greeted his eyes. Never had he expected to see this, although somehow he had
always known it was a possibility. There, sitting on the bed was Kay, his Kay,
in the arms of another man, sharing a very passionate embrace and seeming very
happy to be doing so. Brady closed his eyes for a moment, trying to force himself
not to care, but it was no use.
"I'm just foolin' myself," he thought. "I don't know why I ever thought I'd
have a chance with her, when she made it clear she wanted nothin' ta do with
me, other than as a friend." It was clear now! She had obviously made her choice,
and there was nothing he could do about it. A part of him wanted to make his
presence known and to challenge Sully for her, but the better part of him knew
he shouldn't disrupt Kay's obvious happiness. The longer he looked at her, the
more he realized he had never seen her this happy, and he wasn't about to change
that.
"Best of luck to ya, Sully," he said under his breath. "Take good care of her...or
else," he added, turning to leave the room and pulling the door closed behind
him.
* * * * *
Michaela and Sully broke apart, both breathless, their hearts beating wildly.
Michaela turned a little and leaned against his broad chest, content to stay
wrapped in his arms forever. She had such a feeling of comfort and love, and
she never wanted to leave his embrace. However, other thoughts entered her mind,
thoughts she couldn't control, and she didn't understand why they were coming
to her now. There was no use keeping them to herself, though. Besides, maybe
Sully could help her make sense of them.
"Sully?"
"Mmh?"
"I'm still not sure about some things. There are some images that just don't
make any sense, some things that are still very fuzzy and unclear."
"Such as?"
"How does Hank figure into all of this?" She felt him chuckle beneath her ear,
and she smiled in response. "What's so funny?"
"You," he replied. "Here ya are, held in my arms and you're thinkin' about Hank!
I never woulda thought that could happen!"
She smiled at the irony of the situation, but she needed to know the answer
to her question. "I never said I had control over my thoughts, Sully, but I
know you can tell me the answer."
"Yeah, I can, but I don't know how safe it is," he began, hesitantly.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, with your memory only comin' back just now, I don't know how good an
idea it is to overwhelm ya," he explained.
"But, I'm not really confused any longer. I know who I am, now, and who you
are, and my dreams are starting to come together. I just have to know how Hank
is involved. I know he plays an important role, but I don't remember him in
any of the dreams I had."
"Good!" Sully answered, and they both smiled. "I will tell ya that he lives
in the same town as us. He was there before you arrived, and he was there when
I came, too. He actually owns the Gold Nugget, a..."
"Saloon," Michaela finished for him.
"Yep," Sully agreed.
"I can see it in my mind," she told him, and he could tell her mind was racing
with thoughts.
"Whoa, slow down, Michaela. Not so much at once! Just take your time. We ain't
in no hurry, like I told ya. Ya don't wanna be workin' yaself into frenzy with
all your thinkin'. Just let your mind remember things as they come. Don't force
‘em."
"You're right, Sully," she acquiesced. "It's just so wonderful to finally know
who I am and know about my past. I guess I got a little carried away," she finished
with a contrite grin.
"Well, back ta Hank. Whaddya say we take a little walk across the hall and pay
him a visit?" he suggested.
"That sounds like a wonderful idea!" she agreed, but made no effort to rise.
Instead, she just leaned back against him and rested her head on his chest.
He sighed and wrapped his arms around her.
They just sat together like that for several minutes, both lost in their own
thoughts, both happy and content to have found each other again, to be connected
again. All of a sudden, Michaela sat upright and turned to face him again. "Sully!
The dreams! They were real? Those things really happened?" He nodded. "The little
girl in my dreams? Sully we have a little girl, don't we? We have Katie!"
"Yep,"he replied, his smile becoming very broad. "We got a real family, Michaela,
and you'll be seein' ‘em all real soon," he promised.
"Speaking of that, why don't we walk over and talk to Hank and start things
moving towards returning home," she suggested.
Rising with him from the bed, they stood together for a moment, smiling tenderly
at each other. Together, they walked the short distance to Hank's door, and
Sully knocked. Michaela's heart began to beat faster as she thought about Hank,
and Sully squeezed her hand, reassuringly. He turned to look at her and leaned
down to place a kiss on her lips, showing her it would be all right.
Hank opened the door at the same moment and chuckled. "Well, I'd say ya both
patched up ya differences!" They broke apart abruptly, looking like two guilty
schoolchildren caught in the act. "Don't mind me. I'm happy to see the two of
ya together again. I must say, it's been near hell havin' to deal with ya both,
livin' in the same town and not knowin' each other!"
"Mind if we come in?" Michaela was the first to speak.
"Sure!" he invited, stepping back from the door and allowing them to enter.
"Hank, I wanna thank ya for stickin' around," Sully said.
"Ain't nothin'," he protested.
"Oh, but it is!" Michaela disagreed. "I can't imagine what the two of you have
been through, having to keep everything to yourselves these past few weeks.
I don't know how you managed to do it, but I'm very grateful." She looked at
Hank and immediately thought of everything that had happened between them. She
tried to hide her embarrassment, but she felt her cheeks grow warm. "Why am
I embarrassed?" she thought to herself. "That wasn't me! That was Kay who carried
on with Hank, who talked with Hank, who had fun with Hank!" She nearly gasped
at that thought, but now was not the time to be thinking about this. She couldn't
exactly apologize for everything that had happened with Sully standing right
there.
She looked at Hank and saw similar thoughts in his eyes. She sighed. Maybe they
should just let it be, and just forget it ever happened. Looking in his eyes,
though, she knew that would never be. It was impossible to forget it, and she
knew he wasn't about to let her.
Hank cleared his throat and was the first to break eye contact with her. He
turned to face Sully. "So, what're we gonna do, now?"
Sully had watched Hank and Michaela's visual exchange and wondered about the
two of them. He knew Michaela hadn't been herself when suffering from her amnesia,
but he didn't have a clue what had happened between her and Hank. There would
be time for that talk, later. He would make sure of it. "I don't know," Sully
replied, truthfully. "I hadn't really thought about it, to tell ya the truth.
I suppose we need to be headin' home."
"Home," Michaela sighed and squeezed Sully's hand. "I never thought I'd know
where ‘home' was. I never thought I'd ever remember my past or have a ‘home'
to where I could return," she admitted.
"Well, ya do," Sully answered, "and ya got a family and a town full of friends
who're missin' ya and wantin' ya back."
"I know I ain't interested in wastin' more time here. I got a business to return
to, and I hope it ain't been run inta the ground from my absence," he chuckled.
"I suppose there's no reason to postpone our return any longer, but I will be
sorry to leave this place. I have made some very good friends, here, and I will
be sad to say goodbye."
"It ain't gotta be forever," Sully informed her. "There ain't no reason ya can't
come back here for a visit or write to ‘em, ya know."
"Yes, I know that, but it won't be the same. Still, I am anxious, as well, to
get home. I know I have a family waiting for me, and I eagerly anticipate seeing
them all again." She shook her head in amazement. "It still doesn't seem real.
I'm married, with a family, and have a home waiting for me back in Colorado
Springs. I know I don't remember all of the details, and even now, a lot of
it seems unclear..."
"But, ya ain't gotta trouble yaself with rememberin' it all at once," Sully
finished.
"Just take ya time, Michaela," Hank added. "We got a long ride home for your
memories to return. An' I'm sure once ya see Colorado Springs again, it'll come
back to ya."
"What are we waiting for? Let's go!" she announced, casting one final look at
Hank, who met her eyes directly. Would they ever talk about what happened?
* * * * *
"Is this true?" Julia asked, completely surprised to hear the story.
"Yes, it is," Michaela replied, nodding her head.
Jim, Belle, Julia, and Doc had all gathered together at the Shady Oak the next
morning, at Kay's request. Brady didn't come down, nor had she expected him
to. She knew she would have to go see him in private. She had explained what
she knew of the story to the four gathered, and was now saying her goodbyes.
"But, I don't understand," Belle added. "How'd ya get stuck all the way out
here, if ya were goin' to ‘Frisco? That track's north of us."
"It seems I had boarded a train which was taking a different route from normal,
and we stopped here to change trains, maybe to pick up some supplies. I got
off for some reason and ended up being near the explosion when it happened.
That's when I suffered a blow to my head and lost my memory. I had been having
dreams since I woke up here; however, once Sully and Hank arrived, my dreams
became stronger and more connected. With the fever, they started making more
sense, and I finally put everything together."
"So all this time, the two of you been married, and Kay didn't even know it?"
Belle still couldn't believe everything.
Michaela stepped closer to Sully, and he took her hand in his. "Yes, although
somehow I knew there was something special about him," she replied, looking
up at him with love shining in her eyes.
"Well, I'll be!" Jim exclaimed. "I must say, it's great news to hear ya got
a family and loved ones, Kay, I mean, Michaela!" Jim corrected himself, causing
everyone else to laugh a little.
"That's all right, Jim. In many ways, I'll always be 'Kay' to you. Michaela
still sounds a little foreign to me, but I'm sure I'll get used to it. All of
you, on the other hand, can still call me 'Kay', if you like. And I hope I'll
be hearing from you from time to time. I don't want everyone to forget me!"
she admonished.
"Oh, don't you worry about that," Julia assured her. "You've brought a lot of
good to this little town, and we're gonna miss you somethin' fierce!"
"Here, here!" Belle echoed.
"And even though I haven't had a lot of time to get to know ya, I'll miss seein'
your pretty face!" Doc added with a glint in his eye, causing Michaela to blush.
"Yeah, I'm gonna miss seein' ya give them customers what for!" Jim remarked.
"Ya sure know how to put ‘em in their place!"
"Ya can say that again!" Hank interjected, and everyone's eyes turned his way.
"See, all of ya ain't knowin' the Michaela I know, so seein' her as Kay came
as a big shock to me. Course, she sure did one helluva job as 'Kay'!"
Sully shot him a look that promised they'd be having a talk if Hank didn't stop
where he was. Michaela just looked at Hank and again wondered about his true
feelings. She stepped a little closer to Sully, unconsciously, then cast a look
to the stairs leading to the second floor.
"If you will excuse me," she interrupted everyone's enjoyment at her expense,
"there is someone I need to see." She stepped away from Sully, but not before
giving him one reassuring squeeze of her hand. Their eyes met, and he nodded
his understanding. Everyone watched her leave, but seeing where she was headed,
returned to their previous conversation. Michaela began ascending the steps,
and she heard her friends start back on questioning, only this time it was Sully
and Hank who had to answer. She smiled at her husband and knew there wouldn't
be any problem.
As soon as Michaela disappeared from view, Doc Brown walked over and behind
the bar. The little group was involved in the barrage of questions and answers,
they didn't even notice his absence for those few moments it took for him to
retrieve what he had placed behind the bar and return. He joined the group and
cleared his throat, causing all eyes to turn and face him.
"I uh, well, that is..." he faltered and turned to face Sully. "Sully, I believe
this belongs to your wife," he stated, bringing his hands in front of him to
hold the black medical bag which had been retrieved from the accident site.
Sully took the bag from him and nodded. "I don't know why," Doc began again,
"but I know that wife of yours is a doctor. Somethin' about her. I could see
it in her eyes, in her knowin' what to do and understandin' all of my high-falutin'
mumbo-jumbo when I was explainin' injuries and care."
"Thanks, Doc. She'll be real grateful to have this back. She mighta forgotten
her name and the people she knew, but I knew she'd never forget her doctorin'."
"Ya got one real special lady, there, Sully. Don't let her go!" Julia advised.
"Don't you go worryin' 'bout that, Mrs. Morgan. I ain't lettin' her outta my
sight for a long time to come!" Sully vowed.
"Yea, who knows where she'll end up, if she goes an' gets herself hurt again!"
Hank interjected, causing everyone to laugh. Sully and Hank exchanged a silent
look of understanding. Their relationship had a changed a lot during this trip,
and it certainly wasn't anything either one of them were going to forget.
* * * * *
Rounding the corner at the top of the stairs, she walked down the hall towards
Brady's office. She stood in front of it for several moments, taking a few deep
breaths and trying to think of what she would say. She lifted a hand to knock
and almost immediately, she heard him call for her to enter.
She turned the knob and pushed open the door, then stepped inside, adjusting
her eyes to the darkness of the room. She looked around and her eyes settled
on the lone figure sitting at his mahogany desk by the window. He looked up
when she entered and for a few moments, they just looked at each other.
Eager to break the uncomfortable silence, Michaela took a step closer. "Brady,
I noticed you didn't come down to say goodbye, and I wanted to make sure I had
the chance to see you before I left," she began. When he didn't respond, she
continued. "I know this isn't easy for you, and I apologize for anything I have
done while I was here to encourage your feelings towards me. I in no way meant
to do so, and I am sorry for the pain I've caused you."
He still wasn't saying anything, just watching her, so she took the opportunity
to walk around the side of his desk and stand next to him. "I know you might
not admit it, but I do know you must be hurt, since you didn't come down with
everyone else. I suppose I should have seen the signs long before now."
"Kay, it ain't all your fault," he spoke for the first time. "I let my attraction
to ya get in the way of good ol' common sense, and I failed to see ya just weren't
interested. If I had been thinkin' ‘bout you, instead of myself, I woulda
seen it. Truth is, when them two fellas came to town, I was ready ta give ‘em
a good beatin' for messin' with ya an' interferin' with my plans," he admitted.
She began to protest, but he held up a hand. "Now, don't worry, I know it wasn't
right, but I ain't gonna lie about it." He reached out and took her hand in
his. "I do care about ya, Kay, but not enough to make ya do somethin' ya don't
wanna do. I see how happy ya are with Sully, and I'm real glad ya found each
other again."
Michaela squeezed his hand. "Brady, I can't tell you how grateful I am for you
rescuing me and giving me a place to stay and a job here at the Shady Oak. I
would have never survived without your help, and I will forever remember you
for this," she vowed. "I hope you won't be a stranger, and maybe someday, I
can make my way up here again to come back to visit."
"I'd like that, Kay," Brady nodded.
"In the meantime," she added, "why don't you try paying a little more attention
to a certain unattached female downstairs who's been a wonderful friend to me
while I've been here!" she teased with a playful grin.
Brady smiled a little at her. He knew exactly who she meant, but right now,
he didn't want to think of Belle. "I wish ya the best, Kay!"
"Thank you, and the same to you," she replied. "Now, I better be getting back
downstairs. We have a long ride home ahead of us, with the train leaving in
just a little while, and I'm anxious to return."
They both stood their, Brady still holding onto Kay's hand, as if he was reluctant
to let her go. Impulsively, she leaned forward and placed a quick kiss on his
cheek, then withdrew her hand. "Goodbye, Brady. It has been quite a pleasure!"
she said, turning and leaving his office, closing the door behind her.
Brady watched her go, and his eyes remained on the closed door for a long time
after. It wasn't going to be easy getting over her, but he would.