For personal use and select distribution only © April 2001 by "Tiff" Amber Stockton
The Scars of a Child (cont'd)
by Tiffany Miller
Colin sat on the bench outside the clinic watching the wagons rumble down the street and the people walking to and fro, attending to their business. So many people. Colin had never been around such a crowd. He only remembered his mother and father and the small cabin where they lived. He constantly cast a glance at the clinic door, hoping Dr. Mike would appear and tell him she was finished with her patient and they could continue with their errands for the day.
They had arrived in town early that morning, so that they could purchase some new clothes for Colin for school and see Jake for a haircut. However, when they stopped at the clinic, there was a patient waiting with an emergency, and Dr. Mike had told him to sit on the bench and wait for her. What was taking so long? He was getting very uncomfortable sitting there all alone, and he didn't like the looks some of the men across the street were giving him. Just when he was about to climb down from the bench, the door to the clinic opened.
"Thank you, Dr. Mike, for seein' me like this," Mrs. Donovan said, preceding Michaela from the clinic. "Sorry for comin' so early in the mornin', but I just couldn't do much with the pain in my hands," she continued.
"Mrs. Donovan, I didn't mind at all, and I'm very pleased to be able to tell you it's nothing serious," Michaela returned. "Just be sure to keep that ointment on your hands, and you should feel immediate improvement within a few hours."
"I sure will, Dr. Mike, and thank you again," Mrs. Donovan replied, stepping down off the boardwalk and into the street.
Colin watched the older woman turn and walk towards the meadow, then he looked up at Dr. Mike. She smiled and took a few steps towards him before sitting on the bench next to him.
"You were a very good boy, waiting for me, Colin," she began. "Are you ready to continue with our errands?"
He didn't reply, only nodded, but the slightest hint of a smile could be seen on his face, and that was enough encouragement to Michaela. She stood to her feet and reached her hand out to Colin. He hesitated only briefly before putting his hand in hers and hopping down from the bench. Michaela pulled the door to the clinic closed and together, they walked to the mercantile.
"Well, good mornin' there, Dr. Mike. Hello, Colin," Loren greeted them.
Colin turned his face into Michaela's skirts, but watched Loren out of the corner of his eye.
"Good morning, Loren," Michaela replied. "We've come to see about any additional school clothes you might have for Colin."
"You've come to the right place. Just follow me right over here," he instructed, leading the way towards the far window where an array of shirts and pants and even suspenders hung for display. "There's all colors and sizes here. You caught me at a good time. Just got a shipment in yesterday, so I got plenty of whatever you need!" he explained.
"This is wonderful, Loren. Thank you!" Michaela returned.
"Call me if ya need me," he stated, turning away to see to his other customers.
Michaela turned to Colin and stooped down in front of him, so she was eye level. "Can you tell me your favorite colors?"
Colin just stared at her for a moment, then turned his head to look at the clothing on the racks and hooks. He looked back at Michaela, almost as if he didn't believe she was really going to buy him some new clothes. "For me?" he whispered, and Michaela had to strain to her the words.
"Yes, Colin. I want you to have at least one new outfit, instead of wearing Brian's old clothes," she assured him.
He looked back at the clothes, reaching out and touching one of the shirts. "I like blue," he replied, softly.
"Blue it is, then," Michaela replied. She took a moment or two to sort through the shirts until she found one about Colin's size. Removing it from the hook, she held it up in front of him and measured the length of the sleeves against his arms. "Can you turn around please, Colin?" she asked him. When he did, she laid the shirt against his back, satisfied it would fit. "Now, how about some pants, hm?"
Colin turned back around and looked at the pants folded on the shelves in front of him. Curiosity got the better of him and he tentatively reached out to touch the soft material. "Mama always used potato sacks for my pants."
Michaela fought the tears which came to her eyes at seeing this little boy suffering so much, and his mother being forced to make do with what she had, since her husband used all their money getting drunk. She crouched down again in front of him and touched his cheek. "Colin, I will make sure you have some very nice clothes from now on. I promise."
He turned and looked at Michaela for one moment, then turned back and faced the shelves, touching several pairs of pants. "These. I like these," he finally decided.
Michaela found a pair that would fit him, added them with the shirt, selected a pair of suspenders and some other necessities, then took Colin's hand and walked with him to the counter.
"All set?" Loren asked as they approached.
"Yes," Michaela replied. "We have everything we need. Can you put it on my account, please, Loren?"
"Of course," Lore replied, smiling down at Colin.
The little boy just stared blankly at him, not making any indication of even seeing him, but he stepped closer to Michaela and grabbed a little of her skirts.
Michaela collected the items and reached down to take Colin's hand again. "Thank you again, Loren," she called as they left. "Now, Colin. Let's go over and see Mr. Slicker for a haircut. We can get you in your new clothes in his back room afterwards."
They paused for a moment when they reached the end of the boardwalk, and Michaela helped Colin step down. A few steps more, and she helped him up onto the boardwalk in front of Jake's barber shop.
"Dr. Mike," Jake greeted. "What brings you over here this early in the mornin'?"
"Good morning, Jake. I've brought Colin for a haircut, if you're not too busy," she replied.
"Nope, not busy at all. Bring him in," he invited.
Michaela began to follow Jake, but Colin remained fixed where he stood, staring inside the barber shop and at the chair that sat in the middle of the room. She turned to face him with a confused look on her face. "Colin?" she said, hesitantly. "What's the matter? There's no reason to be afraid. I'll be right with you. I'll even hold your hand the entire time, if you like," she tried to comfort him.
Colin turned to look at her and, seeing the soft look in her eyes, he slowly put one foot in front of the other and allowed Michaela to lead him inside. Jake set a box in the chair to give Colin some height, and Colin climbed into the chair on his own, then began looking around.
Jake was standing at the back, pouring water from a pitcher into a metal bowl before walking back and setting it on the stand next to the chair. He whipped out a sheet and spread it over Colin, tucking the sides around his small body. Then, he picked up the comb, dipped it in the water, and began combing Colin's hair, getting it wet enough to cut.
Once Jake felt Colin was ready, he picked up the scissors in one hand and the comb in the other and began trimming the locks. Colin watched them fall to the floor or down the front of the sheet. He alternated watching the hair fall and looking up at Michaela, who was standing right in front of the chair and smiling at him. Everything was going very well, and Colin actually appeared to be enjoying himself. Every little thing was one step closer to helping the little boy come out of his shell.
When Jake paused for a moment to rinse the scissors, Colin turned to watch him. He saw Jake pick up the razor strap attached to the back of the chair and run the scissors quickly back and forth across it. All of his attention was focused on the razor strap Jake held, and his entire body tensed. Michaela noticed it, as well, and started to move forward to find out what was troubling him, but she was too late.
"No! No!" Colin screamed. "Don't hit me! I'll be a good boy. I promise!" He struggled with the sheet and tried to get it off of him, becoming more and more hysterical with every failed attempt to remove the sheet from his body. Tears were coursing down his cheeks, and his face had turned at pale as the sheet.
Michaela was at his side in a second, reaching for his hand and holding it between both of hers. She reached out to touch his face, trying to calm him. "Colin, Colin!" she called loudly. "It's all right, Colin. It's all right. Jake's not going to hurt you. I promise," she reassured him, but her words had little effect. She reached out and placed both of her hands around his bony shoulders and forced him to look at her. "Colin," she began, waiting for him to look at her. When he did, she continued. "It's all right," she repeated. "We'll put the razor strap away, if you don't like it. No one is going to hit you."
Colin's movements stilled as he stared at Michaela. He took several short breaths and began to hiccough, then managed to bring one of his hands up to wipe his face and sniffle. Michaela reached into her pocket and produced a handkerchief, touching his face with it to dry his tears. He blew his nose at her encouragement as she smoothed back a lock of uncut hair from his forehead. After a few moments, he calmed and was breathing normally again, and Michaela leaned towards him to place a kiss on his forehead.
Throughout the entire scene, Jake had taken a step back and watched everything with a dark look on his face. Memories flooded his mind, and he found himself lost in his past. He didn't even hear Michaela calling to him until the second time.
"Jake, are you all right?" she asked, concerned.
He gave himself a mental shake and forced his mind back to the present. "Yeah, sure. I'm fine. How's Colin doin'?"
"I believe he's all right," she replied. "Isn't that right, Colin?" she asked the boy, breathing a sigh of relief when he nodded, but remained quiet.
"Well, let's get this haircut finished, shall we," Jake stated.
In no time at all, Jake put the finishing touches on Colin's hair and combed it into place. He set down the scissors and comb and picked up the towel. "I think maybe you should wipe his face of hair. I don't think he'll let me do it," Jake stated, knowingly.
Michaela took the towel and gently cleared Colin's face and neck of hair, then stepped back to allow Jake to remove the sheet and shake it free of hair. She reached out to help Colin from the chair, then turned back to face Jake. "Would we be able to use your back room for Colin to change into his school clothes?"
"Sure, Dr. Mike," Jake replied, leading the way and opening the curtain.
"Oh, how much do I owe you?" Michaela asked.
"Nothin', it's on the house," he replied, then continued when he noticed Michaela was going to protest. "First haircut's always on the house."
"Thank you," she replied, taking Colin's hand and leading him into the back room. She closed the curtains and Jake just stood there, staring after them. Several emotions passed across his face, but the predominant one was understanding. He knew just how Colin felt.
* * * * *
"Now, you two be quiet and go to sleep," Michaela admonished, stopping in the doorway to Katie's room to turn back and look at the two children in their beds. She had changed into her nightgown when Sully was saying goodnight, and her feet were beginning to get cold without her stockings to cover them.
"Yes, Mama," Katie replied.
Michaela looked down at Colin, who turned to meet her eyes and nodded. She smiled at him, then pulled the door almost closed and walked to her bedroom. Pushing her own door almost closed, she was surprised to be suddenly caught around the waist and feel Sully's lips covering her own.
"Sully!" she exclaimed when he pulled away.
"What?" he asked innocently. "Ain't I allowed to share a kiss with my wife?" he teased.
"It's not that," she replied, looking up at him. "You simply caught me unaware."
"I don't see ya makin' any attempt to get away, so I guess ya don't mind?"
Michaela smiled. "Not at all. In fact," she began, then closed the gap between them and pressed her lips to his.
Sully immediately responded and wrapped his arms more securely around her, pulling her closer to him as he deepened the kiss. Michaela's arms wrapped around his waist, but she moved them up to run through his hair, then rest at his neck as she pulled him to her.
When they broke apart, Sully smiled down at her. "Good answer," he teased, causing her to blush becomingly.
Michaela stepped away and moved to sit at her dressing table. She pulled the pins from her hair and picked up her brush, pulling her hair over one shoulder as she began to brush it. Sully stepped behind her and placed his hands at her neck, gently massaging the taut muscles.
"I noticed ya took Colin to get his hair cut today," Sully mentioned.
"Yes," she replied. "I thought it was time we helped him with a cleaner appearance." She fell silent and thoughtfully pulled the brush through her hair in even strokes.
Sully watched her face in the mirror, noticing the change. "Michaela? Did somethin' happen today you ain't tellin' me?"
"Oh, it wasn't anything overly serious, but Colin did have a bit of a reaction at Jake's when he saw the razor strap hanging from the back of the chair," she told him.
"Do you think it's because...."
"Yes," she interrupted, anticipating his question. "I'm certain of it."
"Well, what happened?"
"He became quite hysterical, fighting to get out of the chair and away from Jake, but I was able to comfort him and reassure him that no one was going to hurt him. Jake was very understanding and gentle, able to complete the haircut without further mishap," she explained.
"That's not surprisin', considerin' what we know of Jake's past," Sully noted.
"Yes, I know. It was the main reason I decided to take Colin there instead of cutting his hair, myself," Michaela stated. "Every little bit is progress."
"Yep," Sully agreed, halting the movement of his hands. "Now, what do ya say we get some sleep?"
Michaela laid the brush down on the dressing table and stood to her feet. Sully pulled her to him and lifted her chin with his finger, placing a light kiss on her lips. He pulled back, then seeing her smile, kissed her again and began trailing his lips across her chin and back to her ear, before nuzzling her neck. She sighed, enjoying his loving touches.
"No, Papa, no! Mama!"
Sully and Michaela immediately broke apart and looked at each other in alarm. On the same wavelength, they rushed to Katie's room upon hearing Colin's cries.
"No, Papa!" Colin was writhing in his bed, and Michaela immediately dropped to her knees to wake him.
"Colin," she called, gently shaking him. "Colin, wake up, sweetheart. Wake up," she beckoned.
"No!" he screamed again.
"Papa?" Katie called sleepily from her bed.
Sully immediately walked over to his daughter's bed and sat down, gently smoothing back a few locks of Katie's hair. "It's all right, Katie. Colin's havin' a bad dream."
"Papa, hug," she requested, holding out her arms. Sully removed the covers from his daughter and pulled her into his lap, wrapping her in his arms. Katie immediately snuggled against him, and he turned to watch Michaela and Colin.
"Colin, it's all right. You're safe. Wake up," Michaela called again.
Slowly, the boy's cries ceased and his eyes opened. He stared up at Michaela, his eyes unfocused as he tried to figure out where he was. All of a sudden, he remembered and he clutched his blanket to him. "That night," he whimpered. "That night scared me."
Michaela watched his lower lip continue to quiver, and heard his trembling breath. She reached down to draw Colin in her arms, then stood to her feet and walked over to sit in the rocking chair sitting in the corner. Pushing off the floor with her foot, she gently rocked back and forth, all the while caressing Colin's head and speaking soft words to him. She looked up and saw Sully holding Katie, and she couldn't keep the concern from showing on her face.
Sully tried to reassure her, but he was concerned as well. He sighed, then leaned back on Katie's bed against the pillow and gently repositioned his daughter next to him, pulling the covers over her. Casting one final look across the room at Michaela, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.
* * * * * * * * * *
"Class, please open your readers to lesson forty-seven. I would like the older children to begin working the exercises, and I will work with the younger children on lesson sixty-five," Teresa announced later that week.
The students in the back immediately moved to follow her instructions, and Teresa moved a chair from the side of the room to sit in between the two rows of desks. "Annabelle, will you please begin reading at number one?"
"Yes, ma'am," the seven-year-old girl replied. "Jane had not been gone long, before some black clouds arose in the north-west. They were soon over-head and the light-ning flashed from them and the thunder was ter-ter-..."**
"Terribly," Teresa interjected.
"Terribly loud,"** Annabelle finished.
"That was very good, Annabelle," Teresa complimented. "Benjamin, please continue."
"The birds flew about, as though great-ly a-larmed, and hid under the shed, and in the barns. The cat-tle ran and bel-bel..."**
"Bellowed," Teresa supplied.
"...bellowed about the fields, as if filled with ter-ror. Birds and an-I-mals seem to know when a storm is coming and what kind of a storm it will be much bet-ter than men,"** he finished. "Is that true, Mrs. Morales?" Benjamin asked.
"I think it is, Benjamin. Think about the animals you have seen in the woods or all around you," she stated, looking at all of the children. "Do you not notice when they find a safe place even before you know there will be a storm?" Sally raised her hand. "Yes, Sally?"
"My pa told me that he watches his cows to tell him when a storm is comin'."
"Yes, that is correct. Cows are one of many animals who can tell you a lot of things, if you take the time to pay attention to them. They have been around much longer than we, and it is a good thing to be careful and not ignore them." She paused and looked back at the older students in the back of the room. "Caleb, is there something you wish to tell all of the class?"
The young man was immediately contrite. "No, ma'am."
"Please continue with your assignment," she instructed.
"Yes, ma'am."
Teresa returned her attention to her younger students. "I am sorry. Colin, would you like to continue reading?" She looked hopefully towards the little boy, wondering if it was too soon to ask him to do such a thing, but he looked up at her and allowed a small smile to form on his lips as he nodded.
Turning his attention to his book, he began to read, "Em-I-ly and Fran-ces ran home and had just rea-ched their house when the wind blew hard and the rain came down. Large hail-st-ones, hailstones also fell and beat down the grass and grain, and broke the win-dow-s that were not co-ver-ed, covered,"** he finished.
"That was excellent reading, Colin," Teresa complimented with a smile. "Thank you."
Colin was very pleased by the praise and he sat watching Teresa as she continued with the lesson.
"Let us continue. Mary, please read the next part."
"Yes, ma'am," eight-year-old Mary replied, beginning to read. "The good little girls were very glad they were safe at home, but they thought of Jane, and of her mother. They told their parents and as soon as any-one could safe-ly go out, her father went into the wood and looked a long time for Jane. At last he found her, and when he took her home, her mother did all she could to pre-vent her taking cold."**
"Very good. Andrew?" Teresa called the next student's name.
"Jane had been so long wet with the rain that she was very chil-led. The next day she was qu-quite sick and for sev-er-al weeks it was th-thou..."**
"Thought," Teresa supplied.
"...thought that Jane would never be well again. At last she grew better and she told her kind mother she would try to be a good child."** Andrew stopped at the end of the part.
"Caleb, this is the last time I will speak to you," Teresa warned.
"Yes, ma'am," Caleb replied.
"Nancy, please finish," Teresa requested.
"When I last saw her, she was with Emily and Frances and they were now all good fr-ie-nds, friends, and they were telling how happy it made them to keep the fifth com-man-d-ment."**
"And what is the fifth commandment?" Teresa addressed the small group of younger children.
Several of them replied, "Honor thy father and mother."
"Yes, that is correct," she complimented, not even noticing that Colin's face had suddenly darkened, and a scowl crossed his face. "The spelling words for this lesson are on the board. First, I wish that you write them on your slate. Then, you are to practice writing them on your paper three times each. When you finish, find a partner and practice reading them together." She paused and looked at each student. "Are there any questions?" When no one spoke, she continued. "Very good. Please work quietly."
Annabelle turned to Colin and whispered, "I'll be your partner to read."
Colin turned and looked at her and the scowl left his face as he replied. "All right."
* * * * *
The remainder of the morning passed quickly, and the time for recess came. "Class, you have all done very good with your assignments. You may go outside, now," Teresa excused them.
In a flurry of noise and activity, the children quickly filed outside, grabbing their pails of food as they went. Teresa watched as Colin was the last to leave, but Annabelle took his hand and encouraged him to walk with her. Her heart went out to the little boy, and she knew he was making progress, but there was still so much hurt and pain hidden behind his eyes. She wanted more than anything to help him, but she didn't know how.
Outside, the children had all found places where they could sit and eat, and Annabelle opened her pail, pulling out an apple and a sandwich. "What do you have to eat?" she asked Colin, who was sitting next to her on the log.
"Dr. Mike gave me an apple from her trees outside and a sandwich," he replied.
"That's what I have. What kind of sandwich do you have?"
Colin opened the two pieces of bread and looked at the contents. "Turkey."
"Mmm, I have ham. Wanna trade?" Annabelle held out her sandwich towards him.
Colin paused a moment and looked at her, trying to decide why she was so kind to him, and realizing that he actually liked it. He couldn't see any reason not to trust her. "All right," he agreed and handed his sandwich to her, taking hers in return.
They each took bites and smiled a little at each other, swinging their legs as they sat on the log.
"Hey, look. It's Colin, sitting with a girl," Caleb taunted, coming around the side of the schoolhouse. "I'll bet he cries like one, too. Just like a little sissy."
"Caleb's a mean boy, Colin. Don't listen to him," Annabelle said.
"Oh, I'm mean, am I? So, you're gonna let a girl tell you what to do, Colin? What's the matter, can't decide for yourself?" Caleb continued. Turning to the others who had gathered around him, he remarked, "He even eats with girls and swings his legs like a girl."
"That's probably because his pa forgot to teach him how to be a boy," Nate added.
"Yeah, his pa probably wanted nothin' to do with him," Caleb agreed.
"You leave him alone!" Annabelle scolded.
"Ooooh, even got a girl fightin' his battles for him. He really is a sissy!"
"Sissy! Sissy!" the older children taunted in unison.
Annabelle watched Colin and noticed tears forming in his eyes. She reached out and touched his hand, but he pulled it away and stared at the other children.
"You know what? His ma probably babied him and made him a sissy. She's probably the reason he don't act like a boy!" Caleb snided.
That was it. That was all it took. Colin jumped off the log, dumping his apple and sandwich on the ground as he charged at Caleb. "No! No! You're wrong!" he yelled, pummeling Caleb's midsection with his fists above his head. "My mama loved me! She was good to me! She protected me! Papa was bad. Papa hit me. He hit mama! No! My mama loved me!"
"Whoa, Colin," Caleb reacted. "Calm down. I didn't mean it!" He tried to push Colin away, unsuccessfully.
"Man, look at him! He's really mad!" Nate remarked. "Somebody'd better get Mrs. Slicker!"
"Caleb, what'd you do?" Brian accused, joining the little group. "I heard Colin yellin'."
"I didn't do nothin'," Caleb lied. "Just teasin' him a little, and he just up and attacked me."
"You should know better than to pick on someone so much younger than you, Caleb," Sarah reprimanded. "You know what happened to his parents. How could you be so cruel?"
"I...I...I didn't..." He couldn't finish, and he continued to try to push Colin away from him.
"Mrs. Slicker!" Susan called, running towards the front door of the schoolhouse. "Mrs. Slicker! Come quick!"
"What is happening here?" Teresa fairly ran down the steps and over to Colin and Caleb. "Colin, stop that!" She pulled the little boy away, trying hard to avoid his flying arms.
"No! No! Mama loved me!" He fought against Teresa when she tried to hold onto his arms. "No! Don't hurt me! I was a good boy! Please, I'm sorry. I won't do it again! No!" he screamed, fighting against Teresa, tears streaming down his face.
Teresa finally managed to pin his arms to his side, as she stooped down and pulled him against her. He struggled, twisting and turning as he tried to free himself. Teresa held on and smoothed back his hair, whispering to him. "Colin, shhh. It will be all right. You are very good boy."
After several moments, he stilled, but almost immediately buried his face against Teresa and took short breaths, trying not to cry. Teresa rocked him a little until she was certain he was calm, then pulled him away.
"Colin, it is all right. You were not a bad boy and no one it going to hurt you. Please, do no worry," she spoke calmly.
Colin sniffled and wiped his eyes, looking up into Teresa's face. "I'm sorry," he whispered.
"Sarah? Annabelle? Would you please take Colin around back and help him wash his face?" She spoke to the two girls she knew Colin trusted.
"Yes, ma'am," they replied in unison.
Sarah approached and stooped down to his level. "Colin, would you like to come with me and Annabelle and get a drink of water?" she invited softly, holding out her hand.
Colin turned away from Teresa and looked at Sarah. He silently nodded and placed his hand in hers, allowing her to lead him around the side of the schoolhouse.
The moment they disappeared, Teresa stood to her feet and dusted off her skirt. "Now, what happened?" The students were all silent. "Caleb? Colin would not hit you without a reason. What did you do or say to him to cause this?" she demanded, pinning him with a stern look.
"I'm real sorry, Mrs. Slicker. I didn't mean nothin' by it. Just havin' a little fun is all," Caleb pleaded.
"That may be what you planned, but you should know better than to tease that little boy. Everyone knows what happened to him not too long ago, and it was very wrong to say those things to him." She paused and looked at all of the children gathered around her, returning to look at Caleb. "You will apologize to him immediately."
"Yes, ma'am," Caleb replied, his head bowed.
"Come with me," she instructed. "The rest of you children, please go back to your recess. I will ring the bell when it is time to come back inside." Placing her hand at Caleb's back, she led him around the schoolhouse to where Sarah and Annabelle were helping Colin clean his face and get a drink of water. "Colin, Caleb has something he wishes to say to you."
Colin jerked around and immediately moved closer to Sarah, clutching her skirts and leaning against her.
"Colin, I, uh..I'm real sorry about those things I said," Caleb began, kicking his toe in the dirt. "I didn't mean them, and I'm sorry I hurt you. I promise I won't do it again," he finished, looking directly at Colin with an apologetic look on his face.
Colin just stood there and stared for a moment, but looked at Teresa and finally nodded at Caleb. He didn't say a word, but Teresa could see he understood Caleb's apology, and she was at least somewhat satisfied.
"Now, Caleb, you will spend the remainder of your recess inside, writing twenty-five times, ‘I will not tease the younger children.' Do you understand?"
"Yes, ma'am," Caleb replied, turning around and walking up the steps to the back door of the school.
Teresa followed him inside, but before closing the door behind her, she turned and cast a final look at Colin. Tears formed in her eyes as she saw him huddling close to Sarah and Annabelle. That little boy deserved so much more.
* * * * * * * * * *
"Has Miss Teresa come to see you at all since Colin's first day of school last week?" Sully asked Michaela as they sat, eating at the café.
Michaela swallowed her food, then replied. "No, in fact I haven't heard a word from her since we spoke last week. I hope everything's all right at school. You do think she'd come and see me if something was wrong?" she asked, concerned.
"Sure she would, Michaela. Besides, you're the one who said you felt things would work out with Colin and her. I don't see why there's any reason to fret," Sully assured her.
"You're right, Sully, as usual." She smiled across the table at him.
He reached across for her hand, and she placed it in his, watching him as he gave her hand a loving squeeze. "I ain't always right, but I try to help ya not fret so much," he countered.
"You do realize that it's an almost hopeless cause?" she teased.
"Yep, but that ain't gonna make me quit tryin'," he returned.
"Have I told you how much I love you?"
"Not since this mornin'." He grinned with a knowing look. She looked down at her plate and blushed, and Sully changed the subject. "So, what're your plans for this afternoon?"
She lifted her head to look at him. "I need to pick up some supplies at Loren's, and I have one patient I believe," she replied. "Why do you ask?"
"No reason, really. Just figured you and me might take a walk for a little bit. The supplies I need for the Harper place ain't here, yet, and I finished what I could this mornin', so I was wonderin' if you'd be free to walk with me and enjoy this nice day for a change. It ain't often we get this kind of weather at the end of March," he explained.
"You're right, Sully. It's usually not this warm for another few weeks. There have been times when there is still snow on the ground at this time of year," she added.
"Yeah, so are ya free?"
"I suppose I can take some time out to join you," she replied. "My patient comes at one-thirty, so shall we say two-o'clock?"
"Sure, sounds good," he answered, swinging his legs around and standing to his feet. He picked up his napkin and wiped his mouth before he tossed it back on the table. "I'm gonna go check with Robert E. See if he needs any help for a little bit," he announced.
"And I'm going to go see Loren then return to the clinic. I certainly don't want to be late for my patient and make us late for our walk," she stated with a grin, one side of her mouth turned up.
"Is that all for you folks?" Grace approached from the kitchen.
"Yes, Grace. Thank you. It was delicious, as always," Michaela replied.
"Ain't nothin' better than you're cookin'," Sully added, handing Grace a bill for the meal.
"Thank you both," she said as she pocketed the money. She started to say something, but the cries of a baby stopped her.
"Sounds like someone is calling for their mother," Michaela remarked with a smile.
Grace sighed. "Yes, here I go again. Sometimes, I wonder how I'm able to do it all, but I wouldn't change a thing."
"How are they doin', Grace?" Sully asked.
"Oh, they're doin' real good, Sully. They don't really fuss all that much, and their temperament's very easy going," she replied.
"It is about time for them to come to the clinic for another visit," Michaela interjected.
"Yes, I know, Dr. Mike. I promise we'll stop by one day next week." She turned towards the kitchen. "I'd better be seein' who's cryin' and who wants what," she added. "You two enjoy the rest of your day."
"Same to you, Grace," Michaela called to her retreating back.
"Shall we?" Sully invited, holding out his hand to Michaela. She placed her hand in his and together, they left the café.
* * * * *
Colin sat on the steps of the schoolhouse, waiting for Brian or Sarah to meet him and walk with him to the clinic. One by one, the students left from the schoolyard, and the sounds of their laughter and voices diminished to the point where everything became very quiet. He looked around, hoping to see someone he knew, but there was no one left. So, he stood to his feet and gathered his books as he walked down the rest of the steps to the dirt path that led to town. He remembered the admonition to never walk alone, but there was no one here to walk with him. What choice did he have?
Crossing the bridge which joined the meadow to the town, he watched from afar as the bustle of activity had everyone busy doing one thing or another. It seemed to Colin that everyone had forgotten him, and he almost gave in to the feeling of running away. They probably wouldn't miss him, anyway, so what did it matter? He didn't have anyone left. Nevertheless, he kicked at the dirt on the other side of the bridge and made his way to the edge of the meadow. He waited for a moment for a wagon to pass, then stepped into the street and walked towards the Gazette building. He knew if he stayed close to the buildings, he'd be safe.
Walking very slowly and looking all around, he finally made it to the front of the clinic. He stepped onto the boardwalk and knocked on the door, then waited. He didn't hear anything and no one came to the door, so he knocked again. He tried turning the knob, but it was locked, so he turned around and went to go sit on the bench. He waited for a long while, wondering if anyone was going to come to the clinic. Where was Sarah or Dr. Mike?
"You dumb animal. Settle down!"
Colin looked up when he heard the man's harsh voice. Seeing him roughly grab the bit in the horse's mouth, Colin hopped down from the bench, setting his books down as he ran to the edge of the boardwalk where the man was. The man raised his hand to strike the horse, and Colin reacted.
"No!" he screamed, jumping down off the boardwalk. "No! Don't hit that horse!" he yelled and reached up as high as he could reach to pull with all his might on the man's arm.
The man turned and saw Colin standing next to him. "Get away from me, kid. You ain't got no business bein' here. This is my horse, and I can do what I want with it!"
"No! That horse isn't bad. You're bad. You're a mean man!" Colin continued.
The man reached out and removed Colin's hand from his arm, then grabbed him by the arm. He raised his hand as if to strike Colin, and the little boy cowered in fear.
"Keep your hands off him!" Jake yelled, coming across the street from his barber's shop. "You lay a hand on him, and I'll see you land in jail so fast, your head'll spin!" he warned.
"This boy's tryin' to keep me from handlin' my horse, Mayor. Now, why don't you tell him to stop what he's doin' before he gets hurt!"
"This boy was tryin' to keep you from hittin' your horse, something' you shouldn't be doin' anyway!" Jake retorted.
"What do you know?" the man accused.
"I know enough to know it ain't right to be hittin' a horse or any livin' thing. It don't matter what they do to ya," Jake replied.
"Jake's right," Robert E added, approaching from the livery. "I sold you that horse, Jeb, and if you ain't gonna take good care of it, I'll just take it back."
"You can't do that!" Jeb retorted.
"Watch me!" Robert E threatened.
"Ah, you're all fools," the man stated, grabbing the reins of his horse. "Now, leave me be!" He pulled on the reins and led his horse away, mumbling and cursing under his breath.
Jake squatted down to the boy's level. "Hey there, Colin. You all right?"
Colin cowered away from him, holding his hands over his head. "Please, don't hit me! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bother that man!" he pleaded.
His cries tore at Jake's heart, bringing back haunting memories of his own childhood. For a moment, he found himself lost in his past, as he remembered what it was like to be on the receiving end of a razor strap's sting or the slap of a hand.
"Colin, I ain't gonna hit ya," Jake spoke softly. "I promise. You were right tellin' that man not to hit his horse, so no one's gonna hit ya."
Slowly, Colin lowered his arms and turned to look at Jake. "You're not gonna hit me for bein' bad?" Colin asked, amazed.
"No, I ain't. I promise," Jake replied. "Now, why don't ya tell me what you're doin' out here all alone?"
"I walked here from school. No one came to pick me up," he replied, his lower lip trembling a little.
"I'm sure I saw Brian and Sarah a little bit ago. Think they was walkin' towards the train station. I can go check and see?" Robert E offered.
"Thanks, Robert E," Jake replied. "I'm gonna take Colin with me to wait for them or for Dr. Mike." He turned back and looked at Colin. "Would ya like that, Colin? Wanna come with me?" He held out his hand in invitation.
Colin stared at the hand for what seemed like a long time before raising his head to look at Jake. This didn't make sense. He couldn't understand why this man was being so nice to him. He just knew he was going to be hit, but he wasn't, and now this man is asking him to walk to the barber shop. Should he trust him?
He stared at Jake's hand for a few more moments, then slowly reached out his hand. Jake waited for Colin's hand to touch his before he gently closed his and led him across the street. They walked up the steps of the barber shop and inside, where Jake led Colin to sit on the bench while he tended to the one customer he had. Colin sat, quietly and watched.
* * * * *
Michaela and Sully walked back into town, hand in hand and headed straight for the clinic. Madeleine Craven and Katie were waiting on the bench.
"Oh my goodness!" Michaela exclaimed. "Is it that late already? I can't believe I allowed time to get away from me so much."
"It's all right, Michaela," Madeleine reassured her. "Katie and I only arrived a moment ago, so don't worry."
"Mama! Papa!" Katie squealed in delight, reaching out her hands to them both.
Sully stepped up on the boardwalk and reached out to take his daughter. "How's my sweet Kates?" he asked.
"I was a good girl, Papa," Katie replied. "I help wash!" she announced proudly.
"You did? And you didn't get the water all over yourself?" Sully teased, tickling the little girl and making her squirm.
"No, Papa. I helped Miss Maddy a lot!"
"Yes, she did," Madeleine replied. "She's a very good scrubber."
"Sounds like you've had a busy day, sweetheart," Michaela interjected.
"Hug, Mama," Katie requested, stretching out her arms to Michaela.
Sully transferred Katie to Michaela, then turned to face Madeleine. "Thank you, Miss Madeleine. Michaela and me went for a walk, and I guess we just didn't pay no attention to what time it was," he explained.
"No need to apologize. Besides, the two of you should have a chance to spend time together. I don't mind watching your precious little girl one bit. Brightens my day."
"Have you seen Sarah or Colin?" Michaela suddenly asked, looking around.
"No, I thought they were with you, or that they might have taken a walk, themselves," Madeleine replied.
"That's odd," Michaela stated. "It's been almost an hour since school ended. They should be here, too."
"Are ya sure Brian and Sarah didn't say anythin' about takin' him anywhere today?" Sully suggested.
"No, I'm certain of it," Michaela replied. "We'd better find them."
"I'll check with Loren," Sully offered.
"And I'll go see Robert E and Grace," Michaela added.
"If it helps, I'll keep Katie with me while the two of you search," Madeleine offered.
"Thank you, Madeleine." Michaela smiled.
"My pleasure."
"Come on, Sully. Let's go," Michaela said to her husband.
They both walked to the end of the clinic porch and parted ways. Sully headed straight for the general store and Michaela started to turn towards the livery, but something caught her eye.
"Sully, look!" she called, before Sully entered the store.
He turned and stepped back into the street, looking where Michaela pointed. Sitting in the chair in Jake's barber shop was Colin, and Jake was holding up various items and talking to him. Colin didn't seem to be scared at all, and both Michaela and Sully wondered what had happened. Without a word, they both walked towards the barber shop and up the stairs.
"What's this?" Colin asked.
"It's a razor. I use it to shave men's beards when they ask me to," Jake replied.
"Does it hurt?"
"Not really. See, I wet their face, then put this cream on it, so the hair is soft, then I take the razor and shave the beard," he explained.
"My papa shaved his own beard," Colin stated softly, and Jake had to strain to hear him.
"Yeah, I know." They both looked up when they heard footsteps. "Dr. Mike! Sully! I was waitin' for one of ya or even Brian to come. Colin walked to the clinic after school when no one came to get him, and he had a little scare in the street," Jake explained.
"A little scare?" Sully asked.
"What happened?" Michaela wanted to know.
"Nothin' much, but he saw a man beatin' his horse and tried to stop him. Real brave thing he did, too."
Michaela went to Colin and kneeled in front of the chair. "Colin, are you all right?" She reached out and smoothed back his hair from his forehead, picking up one hand in hers. She saw him nod, so she looked up at Jake. "Thank you, Jake. I don't know where Brian and Sarah are, but I appreciate you caring for him. I hope it wasn't any trouble?"
"None at all, Dr. Mike. Truth is, I enjoyed his company. Ain't that right, Colin?" Jake asked, looking at the little boy.
Colin nodded, then looked back at Dr. Mike, wondering if she was angry with him for not waiting for her.
Michaela saw the fear in his eyes, so she reached out and stroked his cheek. "It's all right, Colin. I'm not upset with you. You did the right thing coming to the clinic," she reassured him. "Now, let's go see if we can find Sarah and Brian. Then, we'll go see Katie at the clinic." She held out her hand to him and he took it, allowing Michaela to help him from the chair as they turned to leave.
"Thanks, Jake," Sully called.
"No problem, Sully." Jake replied, watching the trio walk down the steps and across the street.
* * * * * * * * * *
"Is everyone finished?" Michaela asked, wiping her mouth and setting down her napkin on the table.
"That was real good, Ma!" Brian complimented.
"Mmm!" Katie exclaimed, causing everyone to laugh. When she saw that she was the center of attention, she clapped her hands and smiled a toothy grin.
Colin sat across from Brian, but he didn't say a word, just sat and stared at his plate with his fork in his hand. Sully looked at him, then looked down the table and exchanged a concerned look with Michaela.
"Brian, why don't you and me do the dishes?" he suggested.
"Sure, Pa," Brian replied, not missing the exchange between his parents.
Michaela stood to her feet, wiped Katie's face and hands, then lifted her daughter from her chair. Sensing that Colin would join them when he wished, she walked over to the living room and set Katie on the floor to play with her toys while she sat in one of the wingback chairs with one of her medical books to read.
"Mama, I want paper, please," Katie spoke from her position on the rug, and Michaela glanced at her daughter.
"Would you like to draw, sweetheart?" Michaela asked.
"Yes, mama. Please?" the little girl replied.
"All right," Michaela agreed. "Let me get you some paper and pencils." She rose from her chair and walked over to her desk in the corner. Opening one of the drawers, she pulled out several sheets of paper and retrieved two pencils from the desktop, then walked back to Katie and set the papers on the floor. "There you are, Katie. Please be careful to draw on the paper and not on the floor," she admonished.
"Yes, Mama." Katie immediately pulled a piece of paper from the stack and picked up one of the pencils to begin drawing.
Michaela returned to her chair and picked up her book, but before she began reading, she noticed Colin walking by on her left side as he moved to sit near Katie on the rug. She watched quietly, observing his actions, and saw him unobtrusively look over Katie's shoulder to see her pictures.
Katie, being very observant, a trait she gleaned from her father, looked up almost immediately after Colin joined her and smiled. She grabbed a piece of paper and a pencil and held them out to him. "You take," she instructed him.
Colin hesitated and looked at her, but a small smile formed on his lips and he took the items from her outstretched hands. Stretching out on the rug, he laid the paper flat on the hardwood floor and picked up his pencil to begin writing and drawing.
Michaela watched from overtop of her medical text, not wanting to be caught staring, and she couldn't help but feel a small amount of hope in her heart at his willingness to express his thoughts, at least on paper.
"What you wr-wite?" Katie suddenly asked, and Michaela looked at the two children.
Sully came to stand behind her chair and placed his hands on her shoulders. Michaela turned her head to look up at him and smile, and she saw Brian doing his homework at the table. Reaching up with one hand, she covered one of Sully's with her own, then turned her attention back to the children.
Colin turned to look at Katie. "I'm drawin' my mama and me," he replied. "See?" He showed her the picture.
Katie looked and touched the figures drawn there. "Pr-wetty," she remarked. "Your mama love you."
Colin turned away and his lower lip began to tremble. He raised his hand to swipe at his eyes, trying to prevent the tears from falling, but he wasn't successful.
Sully stepped around the chair and towards Katie. "Come on Kates," he began, reaching down to lift her into his arms. "Let's go on upstairs and read a story, all right?"
"Stor-wy, stor-wy! Yay!" Katie replied, eagerly bouncing in Sully's arms as she threw her little arms around his neck. "Let's go, Papa!"
Sully looked down at his wife and smiled in encouragement. She nodded in return and waited until her husband and daughter had reached the stairs, before placing her book on the table between the chairs and scooting forward to the edge of the own chair.
"Colin?" she called softly, her heart wrenching at the pain and hurt in his eyes when he lifted his head to look at her. "Would you like to talk about it?"
For several moments, he didn't move. He sat staring at the picture he had drawn, rolling the pencil back and forth along the floor and allowing several tears to run down his cheeks unchecked. Finally, he released a trembling sigh and lifted his head again to look at Michaela.
She reached out her hand and he slowly placed his small one in hers. She gently pulled as Colin stood to his feet, allowing her to draw him to her. With his help and her encouragement, Colin climbed into the chair with her and partially sat on her lap. She hugged him to her and stroked his hair, allowing him to sob quietly without saying a word.
"I miss my mama very much," he whispered after several moments. "She loved me and called me CJ. I loved her, but my papa was mean and hurt her, and now she's never comin' back," he cried.
Michaela was silent, continuing to lovingly caress his head and hold him to her, hoping he would continue to talk. It broke her heart to listen, but she knew it was for the best.
"I hid when Papa came home that night. He was real mad, and I was scared. He yelled at Mama and hit her. She cried, and I cried, but I was scared and didn't come out. He took his gun and pointed it at her, yelling at her. Then, he shot her, and I saw Mama fall down on the floor." His voice was a mere whisper, and he wiped his face on his sleeve before continuing. "I yelled at Papa, but he didn't hear me. He fell down next to Mama and cried, and I think he was sorry for what he did. I watched him touch Mama. Then, he pointed his gun at his head and shot himself. I screamed when he fell on top of Mama, but I was too scared to go near them." He paused and took several short breaths, wiping his cheeks from his tears. "I think I fell asleep, but when I woke up, I went over to them and called their names. They didn't answer, and they didn't move, so I ran away."
"Oh, Colin. I'm so sorry," Michaela whispered.
"I was scared of my papa and scared of men, but you're nice, and I don't have to be scared of you. I like it here," he finished.
"No, Colin. You're right," Michaela replied. "You don't have to be scared...of me or Brian or Sully or anyone, here. We're going to make sure you never have to be scared again," she vowed.
Laying his head against her chest, Colin silently cried. Michaela just put her arms around his little body and hugged him, rubbing his back and whispering soothing words to him. She looked up when she saw that Brian stood in front of her chair. He held out Colin's blanket, and Michaela noticed the shine in his eyes, evidence that he had heard Colin's words. Wordlessly, she communicated her thanks to Brian, then took the blanket and wrapped it around Colin as he cried.
* * * * *
"And they all lived..." Sully began.
"Happy ever after," Katie supplied the well-known ending.
"All right, Kates, time for bed. Come on, slide under the covers, there," he instructed, lifting the bedclothes so his daughter could slip beneath the sheets.
"Papa, I want Mama and Col-win. Where they go?"
"Your mama and Colin will be up in a little bit. I promise," he replied. "Now, give me a hug."
"But, Papa, I say my pr-wayers," Katie protested.
"All right, say your prayers. I'll listen."
"God, please make Col-win all better. I like him. Make Col-win happy. Tank you he stay with us. Amen," she finished.
"All right, now give your papa a hug," Sully asked, leaning down to his daughter.
Katie threw her arms around his neck and squeezed as hard as she could. "I love you, Papa," she told him.
"I love you, too, Kates. Now, time to close your eyes and sleep," he told her.
"Yes, Papa. Col-win come in?"
"Yes, Kates. He'll be here very soon. I promise."
"All right, Papa."
Sully placed a kiss on Katie's forehead, then stood to his feet. Just as he was about to leave Katie's room, Michaela appeared with Colin in her arms. Sully stepped aside and allowed her to enter, then watched as she tenderly laid him on his bed on the rug.
Colin never stirred once in the transfer, and Michaela pulled the blankets over him, brushing back his hair from his face and placing a soft kiss on his forehead. For a moment, she simply sat there and watched him.
"Michaela," Sully whispered, calling to her. She looked up and met his eyes, and he could see traces of tears in hers. He took a step towards her and reached out his hand, lifting her to her feet. "Come on," he encouraged. "Let's get some sleep, ourselves."
"Sully, you should have heard what he told me," she whispered, her voice catching in her throat as she remembered Colin's words.
"Let's get to our room and you can tell me all about it. We don't want to wake up either one of these two," he suggested. Michaela only nodded, allowing Sully to place his arm around her waist and lead her from the room.
Inside their room, Michaela walked to her dressing table and sat in the chair. She reached up and undid the clasp which held her hair back from her face, then picked up the brush and ran it through her waist-length tresses. Sully left her for a moment to wash his face, and Michaela pulled her nightgown over her head, removing her clothing and undergarments from beneath the gown. She stood and walked over to the bed and pulled back the bedclothes.
Sully joined her on the other side, and together they slipped beneath the covers. Immediately, Sully pulled her to him, and she willingly moved closer, laying her head on his chest and one arm draped across him. For several moments, they lay there together in each other's arms.
"Michaela," Sully whispered after several moments. "What happened downstairs this evening?"
Michaela took a deep breath and sighed. "Oh, Sully, it was so hard listening to him talk about what happened to him when he lost his parents," she lamented. "He remembers everything, and I can't imagine what it was like to go through something like that!"
"He's got a lot of scars that need to heal, Michaela, that's for sure," Sully agreed.
"Yes, and Sully, I don't know if we are going to be able to help him," Michaela confessed.
"What are ya sayin'?"
"I'm not saying I don't want him to stay with us," she began, lifting her head to look into Sully's face, "but I'm not certain we're what he really needs. After all, we're both busy with our work, and we have Katie, who's requiring more and more of our time. Then, there's Brian, who'll be graduating from school this year. We have so much that requires our time, and I can't help but wonder if Colin might not be better somewhere else." Her last words were barely audible, as if she really didn't want to admit them.
"Michaela, I hear what you're sayin', and I agree with you. I just wasn't sure about tellin' you how I felt, seein' ya gettin' so close to Colin," Sully admitted. "I been wonderin' the same things. He needs someone who can spend a lot of time with him and not have so much else to do to keep them busy."
"Yes, and as much as it breaks my heart to admit to this, I don't think we are able to give him what he needs to help him heal his scars."
"So, whattya think we should do?" Sully asked.
"I don't know, Sully. I've been thinking about families I know, but none of them come to mind, except..." she paused, not finishing her thought.
"Except..." Sully encouraged. "Except who, Michaela? Jake?"
She lifted herself up a little and pulled away, so they could talk face to face. "Sully, you were there. You saw him talking with Jake, and he wasn't scared. Jake seemed to have a way with him, and I told you about the experience with Colin's haircut," Michaela tried to reason.
"That's probably cuz Jake's got a past that's close to what Colin's experienced," Sully remarked. "But, Michaela, we can't just go interferin' and askin' Jake to take Colin in. It ain't right," he pointed out.
"You're right, Sully. We can't. However, I have seen him with Mrs. Slicker, and Brian told us both about what happened at school today when the children teased him. Mrs. Slicker cares about him, Sully, and she is concerned about helping him. I'm not saying it's a definite solution, but it's a place for us to begin, isn't it?" she asked him hopefully.
Sully sighed and ran his hand across his mouth, thinking about what she'd said. "I don't know, Michaela," he began. "How are ya plannin' on introducin' this idea to Jake and Miss Teresa?"
"That's something I've been unable to figure out, at least right now," she confessed. "I can't say several ideas haven't crossed my mind, but nothing seems to be the right one." She paused for a moment and leaned back on her pillow, staring up at the roof. "Do you think it's possibility at least?"
"I guess so," Sully replied. "I just don't know how it's all gonna work out."
"We don't have to know that right away, though, do we? We could perhaps arrange for Colin to see Jake and Mrs. Slicker or even see if he'll talk about them to us. I simply can't bear it to see Colin suffering, especially when there has to be a solution," she stated.
Sully couldn't help but smile and chuckle a little at her words.
"What do you find so humorous?" Michaela demanded, a little upset to find him smiling.
"You, Michaela," he replied, turning to face her and pulling her a little towards him. "You always wanna do everythin' you can for everyone, no matter what it takes. You're always lookin' for answers to solve all the problems, an' I love ya for it," he finished, leaning towards her and kissing the top of her head.
Michaela smiled and lifted her eyes to look at him. "I love you, too, Sully. Does that mean I can count on your assistance?" she couldn't help but asking.
"Sure," he agreed. "Not that I could get out of it, anyway," he teased.
She placed one hand on her hip and forced a small amount of defiance to be seen in her eyes. "Are you trying to insinuate that I'm..."
"Bossy? Nope, not a bit. Just real persuasive," he replied with a grin, reaching down to lightly tickle her side with his right hand.
"Sully!" she squealed, then covered her mouth, as she tried to turn away from him.
He held her tight, though, and she couldn't move. His right hand stilled, and he moved his left to lift her lips to meet his. Covering her mouth completely, he lowered his left hand to her waist and pulled her closer to him. Her one free arm found its way around his neck to the back of his head, where she pulled his head closer, allowing him to deepen their kiss. Several moments later, they broke apart, breathless.
"Sully pulled away, slightly, and smiled, running his finger over her swollen lips. "Never could resist your methods of persuasion," he whispered. Michaela blushed and lowered her eyes, but Sully lifted her chin to look at her again. "I love you."
"And I love you," she replied, her voice thick with emotion.
Pulling her to him once more, he lowered them both a little further down on the bed before capturing her lips with his own. She responded eagerly, melting into his embrace.
The only light in the room was the shaft of moonlight, dancing across the bed, illuminating the loving couple as they engaged in a dance of their own.
** Select passages taken from The Original McGuffey's Eclectic Second Reader New York, NY. 1836.