Sully slowly undid the blindfold and took it off of her eyes. Michaela squinted to the suns rays and looked around confused, trying to find something memorable of this spot.
"Do ya remember this spot?" Sully asked with a half grin on his face.
Michaela looked around and frowned. She couldn't remember it, but then she turned and saw a huge tree. Something about that tree made her remember. Her face quickly brightened up
"How could I forget?" She exclaimed turning to Sully and playing with his beads. "It's where Katie was born!"
"I knew you would enjoy coming back here." Sully said softly.
Michaela was trying to fight back tears. She remembered that day.
It had been such a long wagon ride, her back ache, her ankles were swollen and she felt like a whale. Above it all, Sully was hurt and missing, which had frightened her more. She and Cloud Dancing walked a long way to find Sully, and when they did the soldiers caught up to them, taking Cloud Dancing and leaving her and Sully. The two of them had to walk back to the wagon. It didn't help that Michaela was very pregnant and Sully hurt with a broken ankle. She had felt some pains before but thought it was false until they had reached the wagon, where a contraction hit her hard and unaware, making her call out for Sully. Then her waterbroke and they were too far from town to get there without cause of infection to the baby or herself. So Sully placed her up against a huge tree where the two of them helped bring their daughter into the world.
"I was scared that day, Sully.. but so happy, especially since you were with me. I don't ever want to be without you again. You kept me strong Sully. You were my strength," Michaela let a tear fall as she told Sully what she felt in her heart.
Sully took his thumb and softly brushed away the falling tear. He loved Michaela so much, he loved her for being his wife, for giving him kids, for loving him, and so much more.
"I've never been so scared in my life as I was that day, but I've never been so happy either. I tried to stay strong for you Michaela, you needed it more than ever. You don't know how much I wanted to take away your pain. It tore me apart to see you going through that. I was worried that I would lose you like I had lost Abigal. But this time, if you would've died. I would've died as well."
"Oh Sully!" Michaela gave Sully a heartfelt hug as tears fell down her face more quickly. Sully's eyes filled with tears as well as he hugged Michaela back even harder. There the two of them stood for a minute crying for the fears and love and joy they had felt on that day.
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"Brian!" Colleen cried as she walked back into the kitchen seeing her little brother in the act.
Brian quickly put down the wooden spoon after spooning some sause into his mouth.
"What?" Brian asked innocently.
"You know what! I saw you! Now you can wait till supper like everyone else. Now, out of the kitchen!" Colleen scolded, but not before giving him a smile.
"Ok, ok, I'm going. Can't a guy get something to eat around here?" Brian asked while leaving. He was so hungry, he couldn't help it.
Brian sat down by Andrew and Matthew who were discussing a new article on law when a loud cry from upstairs told them that Joe was ready to join the family.
"I can get him, I haven't had time to talk to this little guy all day," Matthew spoke up before rising from the chair and walking up the steps. "I'm comin' Joe.. hold on!"
"Well Brian what do you think about...." Andrew starting making conversation with Brian.
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"Thank you Sully, for bringing me out here," Michaela looked into Sully's deep blue eyes.
I thought you would like it, besides I thought it would be nice for us to remember when Katie was born. The kids are one of the best presents ya could've ever given to me, next to bein' my wife," Sully answered a little shy to tell his feelings so bluntly.
"Sully, the children are also one of the best presents you have given me. That, and being my husband no matter what. If I never would've come out here..." Michaela started
"I never would' a met you," Sully finished with a smile.
"And I never would of met you!" Michaela finished her sentence before being twirled around by Sully just like the day Michaela asked Sully to marry her.. and he said yes. Although the time he asked her to marry him was much more romantic!
""Come on, lets sit down. At least one more time. But this time ya ain't pregnant, or in labor, and I ain't dirty and hurt," Sully smiled as he averted his eyes to the tree. Michaela smiled and Sully led her by the hand to the base of the tree where she leaned up against it, like she had almost three years ago. Sully sat down next to her facing her, just like he had on that day.
"This time, I promise not to pinch your cheeks!" Michaela joked.
"Ya better not, or I'm leavin'!" Sully teased back. They sat there listening to nature and talking about all the memories that had come their way through the years.
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"Well Katie's asleep!" Brian said while reaching the last step of the stairs. "It was hard. She kept wanting to see the same picture over and over again, while I was tryin' ta read the story!"
Andrew laughed. "I guess it's not as easy as you though, huh Brian?"
"I think I know why I let Ma and Sully do it every night." Brian slumped into a chair near the fire.
"Now ya know what they go through, huh little brother?" Matthew asked between a huge smile that was filling his face
CONTINUED