Giving Thanks, Part 4

 "Take the babies downstairs!", Andrew told Sully insistently over the enraged
cries of the newborns.
 "GO!!", he all but shouted when Sully hesitated.
 Sully's heart felt torn in shreds as he hesitantly began to carry out the
doctor's orders, all the while watching Andrew and praying that Michaela would
be ok.  Hesitantly he gathered the two squalling infants in his arms and headed
for the door.
 Dorothy let herself in the door of the Sully homestead just in time to hear
Sully's anguished cries.  She froze,the door still open, her heart going into
her throat.  Andrew's next orders to Sully galvanized her into action.  Closing
the door briskly behind her, she took off her shawl and hung it on the back of
one of the dining room chairs and turned, just in time to see Sully descending
the stairs with two squalling bundles in his arms.
 "Two?....Twins?....Oh, my.....well....", Dorothy stammered, hurrying over to
see the new arrivals.  One look at the tears streaming down Sully's face and she
quickly gathered her wits about her.  Knowing Sully needed something to focus
on, she sent up a quick prayer for her friend and set both her and Sully into
action.
 "Sully, we're going to need some warm water to give these two a bath, cradles
to put them in, and some clothes and blankets for them", Dorothy told Sully
evenly as she gently extricated the babies from his grasp.  Sully moved woodenly
to do her bidding as Dorothy gently rocked the babies, trying to quiet them.
 Upstairs, Andrew was waging a desparate battle to save Michaela's life.  Her
heartbeat was dangerously slow and she was losing a lot of blood.  Knowing she
would not be able to expell the afterbirth on her own, he quickly accomplished
the unpleasant task reaching into her body and removing it for her.  Packing as
much cloth between her legs as he could, he gently laid her down onto her back,
sliding one pillow beneath her head and using the others to elevate her hips. 
He then sat on the edge of the bed to wait, alternately monitoring her slow
heartbeat and the gradually decreasing flow of blood coming from her body.  As
he was working, he prayed like he had never prayed before that Michaela's inner
strength would somehow see her through.
 Sully carefully dumped the water he had retrieved from the well into the
awaiting kettle that Dorothy had on the stove.  Then he strode quickly and
purposefully out to the barn to bring in the two cradles, one being Katie's old
one and other a new one he had made.
 "The baby clothes and blankets are in that cupboard over there", he indicated
to Dorothy as he began to ferociously dust off the two cradles.
 Dorothy placed the now sleeping babies in each of the wingback chairs,
temporarily, and went to retrieve a couple of blankets and some nightclothes for
the babies, then she went to check on the water.
 Sully made quick work of dusting the cradles, then went to pour the warm water
into the waiting basin when Dorothy indicated that it was ready. He had just
finished pouring the water when he turned to find Dorothy standing next to him,
one infant son in her arms.
 "Here, you bathe him", she told Sully.
 "Go,on", she told him when he hesitated.
 Sully gently took his son from Dorothy and unwrapped the cloth around him. 
Carefully he lowered the sleeping child into the warm water.  The change in
environment woke the small infant with a start, and he put up a squaking
protest.  Sully gently an quickly bathed him, then handed him to Dorothy.
 Dorothy quickly dried and dressed the squalling child, then soothed him back to
sleep as Sully dumped the used bath water and replaced it with fresh, then went
to retrieve his other infant son.
 Carefully Sully divested the child of its cloth and lowered him into the water. 
The small boy let out a squeak of protest, then quieted and seemed to almost be
enjoying his father's gentle ministrations.
 Sully began to relax and smile, even saying a few non-sensical things to his
small son as he bathed him.  Removing the boy from the water and handing him to
Dorothy to be dried and dressed, Sully again emptied the used bath water, then
he washed and put away the used items and went over to gaze at his two sons, now
soundly sleeping in their cradles.
 "What are you going to name them?" Dorothy asked, startling Sully out of his
reverie.
 "Huh?", Sully questioned, turning his attention toward his friend.
 "I said, what are you going to name them?", Dorothy asked again with a patient
smile.
 "We were thinking of naming them Byron Jr. and Josef", Sully answered, turning
his gaze back to his sleeping sons.
 "Good names", Dorothy said, her gaze still on her friend, concerned.
 "Yeah", Sully answered pensively, his thoughts turning to his wife upstairs.
 "Sully", Dorothy said, gaining his attention once again as she came to stand in
front of him, placing a hand on his arm,"Michaela's going to be alright.  I know
her, and I know she's strong.  Don't you go worrying, she's going to be
alright."
 Sully smiled his thanks to her for her reassurances, but still said nothing.
 "Come on, come sit down and rest, you must be tired,"she urged him with a small
tug on his arm.
 Reluctantly, Sully pulled up a chair next to the two cradles and began to
gently rock the cradles and his sleeping sons.  Dorothy sat in the other chair
and the waiting began.
 Andrew sighed with relief as he once again checked on Michaela.  Her heartbeat
was still dangerously slow and weak, but the bleeding had slowed virtually to a
stop.  Placing a fresh cloth pack between her legs, for good measure, he pulled
her gown back down over her stomach and legs and carefully pulled the covers up
over her body.  Now that the immediate danger was over, he could turn his
attention to the newborns downstairs, as well as allow Sully a chance to come
see his wife.  Placing his stethoscope back in his bag and gathering up the
soiled linens, Andrew headed for the stairs.
 Sully jumped up and rushed over to Andrew, his eyes asking the question that
Dorothy voiced.
 "How is she?", Dorothy asked of the tired doctor as she came to stand next to
Sully.
 "She's lost a lot of blood and her heart is slow and weak, but so far she's
holding her own", Andrew replied.
 "Can I see her?" Sully questioned anxiously.
 Andrew nodded and Sully rushed up the stairs.  "I'll need to examine the
babies," Andrew told Dorothy.
 Dorothy nodded.   "Here, let me take these", she said, removing the blood
soiled linens from his hands.
 Andrew nodded his thanks and turned his attention to the newborns, eliciting
squeaks of protest from the infants as he examined them.  Dorothy smiled at the
scene, then commenced to take care of the wash.
 The first rays of dawn touched Michaela's pale face as Sully pulled up a chair
beside the bed and took one of her hands in his own.  Her hand was cool, and
Sully gently rubbed it in an attempt to warm her.
 "Michaela...", his anguish went unanswered.  Sully kept Michaela's hand in one
of his own, with the other, he gently smoothed her hair back from her forehead. 
He could touch her forever, if only his touch could reach her and draw her back
from the steep precipice of death over which she now precariously hung.  It was
onto this scene that Andrew intruded.  Sully looked up as the young doctor
entered the room.
 "The babies are healthy and strong.  They're a bit small and a bit early, but
if you keep them warm and well bundled up at all times, they should do alright. 
You'll need to supplement them with cow's milk until Michaela is able to feed
them herself", he said to Sully as he once again took his stethoscope from his
bag to examine Michaela.  Sully scooted back to allow the doctor to work.  After
a brief examination, he replaced his stethoscope and again addressed the man
beside him.
 "I'll need to come every morning and every evening to check on her.  It'll take
her quite awhile to recover.  I'd be happy to look after the clinic as much as I
can until she's back on her feet again", he said.
 Sully nodded his thanks and resumed his position at Michaela's side as the
young doctor took his leave.  Taking one of Michaela's hands in his own, he
again began stroking her forehead and hair.  This was how Dorothy found her two
friends an hour later.
 Dorothy stood quietly in the bedroom doorway and observed, her dress wet from
doing the laundry, her heart breaking for the trial that Sully was enduring. 
She again prayed that her friend would pull through, then spoke quietly.
 "The linens are on the line to dry.  I'm going to go home and rest.  I'll send
Grace out to check in on you, help with the babies and all.  I'll be back a
little later this evening", she said.
 Sully looked up with a start at Dorothy's words.  He had all but forgotten that
she was here.
 "Thanks, Dorothy", he said with a nod.
 "You better get your rest, too", she told him with a smile, coming in to place
a hand on his shoulder.  "Michaela will still be here when you wake up".
 Sully only gave her a half nod and turned his attention back to his wife as
Dorothy wearily took her leave.
 By ten o'clock that morning, word has spread all around town that the Sullys
were proud parents of twin boys, and that Michaela's life was in danger. 
Concern and care abounded as Loren gathered together supplies and baby items
from his store to send out to the homestead, and the Reverend was organizing a
prayer meeting in the church for Michaela for that evening.
 Grace was just gathering together some food and supplies to take with her to
the homestead when she got a surprise visitor.
 "You heading out to Sully and Michaela's?" Hank asked.
 Grace turned around with a start and leveled Hank with a look.
 "Yeah, what's it to you?" she asked somewhat unkindly.  Hank wouldn't be put
off that easily.
 "I was wonderin' if I could come out there with ya?  Sully probably ain't
feelin' much like doin' any chores, I was thinkin' maybe I could help out a
bit", he said.
 Grace was touched by the offer and was still debating on how much to show it
when Robert E approached the pair.
 "Don't sound like such a bad idea to me.  I'm sure Dr. Mike and Sully could use
a little extra help about now", he said, his eyes on Grace.
 "Well, get in!" Grace ordered Hank, indicating the wagon.  The twinkle in her
eyes belying the apparent severity of the order.   Hank nodded his thanks to
Robert E and climed in the wagon.  Grace quickly finished loading the last of
the food, then climed in beside Hank, snapped the reigns, and the two began
their journey.
 As soon as they reached the homestead and Grace stopped the wagon, Hank jumped
out and headed to the barn to tend to the animals.
 "Don't worry about the supplies, I'll bring 'em in as soon as I'm finished
here", he told Grace.
 Grace nodded and proceeded to unload the food and take it into the house. 
Setting the food on the table, she couldn't resist going over to investigate the
two sleeping bundles in the cradles.
 "Oh, my!  Aren't you just cute!" she told the sleeping infants, reaching down
to touch first one, then the other.
 Sully must have dozed, because he awoke with a start when he heard a commotion
downstairs.  Gently running his hand down Michaela's cheek he wearily got up to
go investigate.
 "Sully??!  My lands!" Grace exclaimed, putting her hand over her heart when she
saw Sully come stumbling down the stairs.  Rushing over to him she grabbed his
arm and lead him to a chair at the table, urging him to sit down.
 "Now, you just sit and eat.  Come on now, I've brought some meatloaf, some
apple pie....", Grace continued as she commenced pulling out food and eating
utensils.
 "Grace, I don't think I can eat", Sully told her wearily attempting to get up. 
Grace put a hand on his shoulder, pushing him back down into his chair.
 "No arguments, now", she said waving a finger in his face,"you've got to eat!".
 Sully had just begun to eat and Grace had just started putting things away in
the kitchen when Hank came through the door, his arms loaded with supplies. 
Sully looked up in surprise.
 "Hank?" Sully questioned.
 "Loren sent out these supplies and some baby things.  I thought I'd come out
and do the chores for ya for a few days, that way ya'd be able to spend more
time with Michaela", Hank said in reply.
 Just then, simultaneous hungry squaks began coming from the two cradles.  Sully
moved to get up to attend to his sons, but Grace pushed him back into his seat.
 "Sit and eat!" she told him, giving him a pointed look.  "We'll take care of
the babies".
 "We?" Hank goaded her, already beginning to fish out the baby bottles from the
supplies.
 "Yes, we!" Grace replied as she began warming some milk.
 Hank went over to the cradles and picked up the two crying infants, talking
quietly to them and rocking them.  The babies quieted momentarily at this
strange new voice, but soon resumed their hungry cries.
 Grace soon came over with the bottles of warm milk, trading Hank one of the
bottles for one of the children.  The two babies ate hungrily as Grace and Hank
sat at the table.   Sully finished eating slowly, watching Hank feed and care
for his son with something akin to surprise.  This was a side of Hank that he
hadn't suspected.
 "How's Michaela?" Grace asked Sully.
 Sully just shook his head as he took his son from Hank.
 "I think I'll head out and chop some wood", Hank said as Grace put the one boy
back to bed and took the other from Sully.   "The Reverend's organized a prayer
meetin' for Michaela at the church tonight", he told Sully.
 Sully nodded his thanks to Hank and Hank put a brief understanding hand on
Sully's shoulder before going outside to attend to the wood.  Seeing that Grace
was attending to tucking in his sons, Sully turned and headed back upstairs to
Michaela.
 Just before they left, Grace slipped upstairs quietly to tell Sully goodbye and
that Brian and Katie could stay with her and Robert E for as long as was needed. 
Sully again just nodded his thanks before returning his attention back to his
wife's still form.
 For five days, this continued.  Sully sat at Michaela's side as much as he
could, hardly sleeping, scared to death, and almost ready to lose hope.  Andrew
came morning and evening to check on Michaela, but usually, there was nothing
different to report.  Grace and Dorothy took turns coming to the homestead each
day with food and to help with the babies.  Hank came every morning and evening
to care for the chores.  The Reverend came out once with Loren to see how things
were.  The following Saturday morning, however, Sully's hope was restored.
 As the first rays of dawn touched the room, the fog hanging over Michaela's
brain slowly lifted.  She was so weak and so tired she couldn't move much, but
she concentrated all her efforts on waking.  Slowly her eyes opened to behold
her husband dozing in a chair next to her.  He looked scruffy and tired
and....wonderful.
 "Sully...?", she tried to get his attention, but her mouth was parched and dry
and her voice rusty from disuse.  With a monumental effort, she was finally able
to move her arm to the edge of the bed and drop her hand off the side onto
Sully's knee.  This awoke him with a start, and seeing she was awake, he fairly
flew to her side.o
 "Michaela??  Oh, Michaela!!" he said, tears beginning to run down his face as
he slipped one arm around her back.  The other hand stroked her forehead, all
the while he was pressing soft kisses to her face, her lips.
 "Oh, Sully!" Michaela croaked softly, reveling in his touch, but unable to
respond.  Realising that she was thirsty, Sully gently pulled away long enough
to pour a small glass of water.  Slipping his arm beneath her back, he helped
her sit up enough to drink.
 "The babies?" she questioned as soon as Sully had laid her back down.  Sully
just grinned and propped a couple of pillows behind her back so she was
partially sitting.
 "Be right back, don't go away", he said as he quickly went downstairs. He was
back shortly, carrying the two small boys in his arms.  Carefully he placed them
on Michaela's chest and gently drew her arms underneath each boy, helping her
support them.
 "Oh, they're so beautiful!" Michaela breathed as she beheld her two sons.  Both
were wide awake and stared curiously at their mother.  One, sensing he was with
his mother, began to root hungrily against her breast, and let out a squak of
protest when all he encountered was her cotton gown.
 "Oh!  Sully, could you help....I can't....", she said as the angry squalls
began.  Sully took both boys from her arms, setting them beside her on the bed. 
Gently he drew her forward and slipped the straps of her gown down and off her
arms.  Michaela's breasts were heavy with milk to the point of discomfort and
she was only too happy to let her sons feed.
 Sully gently placed his sons back against her chest and again drew her arms
under them, using his one of his arms to help her support them.  The crying
infant again rooted hungrily against his mother, and finding what he wanted this
time, he quieted instantly as he began to avidly feed.  Sully gently drew his
other son to his mother's breast, and with a little encouragement, the small boy
also began to feed.  Michaela looked on with a tired smile.
 "Which one are we going to name what?" Sully asked her as he gently caressed
her arm with his thumb.  Michaela weakly turned her head to indicate each son.
 "This one Byron Jr.", she said, indicated the formerly crying infant,"and this
one Josef", she said indicating the quieter of the two. Having spent all her
energy, Michaela leaned her head back against the headboard and fell back into a
deep, healing sleep.
 Sully watched with a smile as his sons finished feeding and fell asleep against
their mother's breast.  Gently he took them from her arms and settled them on
the bed next to her, then he gently replaced her gown and settled her back under
the covers.
 Sully settled back into his chair, a smile on his face, his heart at peace.  He
knew the road to recovery would be a long one, but Michaela was going to be ok,
and they could start this new journey together, them and their two small
miracles.



Part 5