CHAPTER 13

Snowbird lifted her head from a bead she was affixing onto a buckskin shirt and looked toward her husband as he sat staring into the flames of the campfire. "Cloud Dancing? What has taken your thoughts? You are much too quiet this night."

He turned to his wife of many moons and responded, "Spirits have spoken. My little brother has found his will to live again. And like the hawk that mates for life…he is no longer alone.

Snowbird smiled, and her eyes twinkled with happiness. "Medicine Woman?"

"All is well. All is right."

Dr. Mike shifted softly in the grass and grimaced as her hip protested the hardness of the ground. She stretched out her leg and placed her hand against the throbbing sensation that was a daily reminder of her incapacity. Sully saw the flicker of pain across her face and realized there was still something for which he needed her forgiveness.

"Michaela? I gotta say somethin'. I gotta apologize to ya for somethin' else…somethin' I forgot to do."

"What are you talking about? Is this something else to do with Catherine?" Dr. Mike looked lost as to what he was about to say. Surely, he wouldn't have kissed her like he just did if there were still anything he hadn't told her about Catherine. What else did he need to apologize for?

"No! This ain't got anything to do with Catherine. As far as I am concerned she don't even bear discussin' anymore. I need to tell you the truth as to why I didn't take ya to the Galloway homestead that mornin'. Michaela, I don't have an excuse for not showin' up except I plain forgot. It wasn't because of Catherine or because I didn't wanna spend time with ya. Sometimes I lose track of time or don't remember that I need to be somewhere. I guess I've just gotten so used to comin' and goin' as I please that time gets away from me." The words seemed to come faster and faster as he continued to try to explain the unexplainable.

"I know I promised I'd be there, and I broke that promise. Because of me, you nearly died, and I'll never forgive myself for that. Now you're left with pain, and I'm what caused ya to have it. I can't ever ask ya to forgive me, but ya gotta know that I'll regret hurtin' you the rest of my life, and I wanna be the one to stand by ya while your hip's mendin'...to help ya get well."

Sully, who was still crouched on his knees in front of Dr. Mike, jerked when she reached out with her hand and took his into her own. Clasping his hands with one hand, she raised the other and brushed his hair away from his face. He looked into her eyes and saw only love radiating from their depths.

"I must admit I was angry and hurt when you didn't show up at the homestead to ride with me out to see Mrs. Galloway. There was a part of me that wondered if it was because of Catherine." Sully seemed to flinch as she spoke those words, but he remained silent. "There was another part of me that worried that you had been hurt or had fallen ill."

"I am so used to your being there for me and the children I have come to expect it. Perhaps I even take it for granted. I rely on you, Sully, and that is not something I am accustomed to doing. Sometimes my stubbornness and independence get in the way, and I act before I think." He smiled at her, and the corner his mouth twitched as if he were struggling to hold back a slight grin. "That's what happened that morning. I was mad, hurt, and jealous so I acted on impulse. You had warned me the trip was too dangerous to go alone, but I didn't listen. We both made mistakes, and we've paid a high price for them. There is nothing to apologize for, and even if there were, I love you too much not to forgive you. This time apart has made me realize that life is too short for us to be mad or angry. We belong together, Sully. My heart knows that now."

He shifted from his knees and sat cross-legged on the ground next to her. He could feel the breeze from the morning sky blowing against his back, and he watched as it teased the hair on the sides of his heartsong's face. Even though the sun shone brightly, he was fearful she might be chilled so he reached over and placed his discarded coat around her shoulders.

"I gotta tell ya, Michaela. You're different from any woman I've ever known. My ma was content to let my pa make all the decisions…even to the point of leaving England to come to New York. Abagail was content be a housewife, and she never questioned or challenged me. Even Maude was afraid to stand up to Loren. You're different, and I am constantly amazed by your intelligence, your beauty, but most of all your spirit. Sometimes ya drive me crazy, but you'll never, ever bore me!" She raised her hand as if to interrupt him and keep him from speaking further.

"No. Let me finish. I've never known any other woman that has the capacity for caring for others like you do. The way ya love Brian, Colleen, and Matthew…the way ya care for your patients…even the way you have come to love the Cheyenne people. But sometimes ya let your fears get the best of you…especially when it comes to us courtin'. I want ya to know I'm scared too. It's like I said earlier. I'm scared 'cause we're so different and I might disappoint ya."

She leaned over and placed her hands on either side of his face. "Byron Sully. You don't disappoint me at all. Yes, we're different in the superficial ways…where we were born, how we were raised. But we're so much more alike than we are different. Our hearts are alike. How much we love…how much we feel. What we believe in. That's what's important. All that is left is to decide where we go from here. You once told me there were no maps but that we could find our way. Do you still think that's true?"

He reached up, took her hands from his face, and dropped kisses into both of her palms. Then he leaned over and kissed her tenderly on the lips. "I know just the place to start. We've been there before. Will ya go with me again tonight? If ya start to fall, I'll catch ya, and if the journey gets too hard, I'll carry ya. I promise…"

As the blazing sky gave way to the shadows of night and the sun slipped behind the jagged silhouette of the mountain range, an intertwined couple, wrapped snuggly in a red poncho, watched Mother Earth and Father Sky's nightly performance. A pair of graceful hawks soared above their heads and kept vigil over the lovers as they kissed and touched softly. In hushed words they spoke of their love, their family…their future…

Promises were made…and none forgotten…

Those promises…well, that's a story for another day!

THE END