Re: Say The Words - ch. 17 & 18 -- The Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman Fan Exchange

[ Show ]

Support VoyForums

[ Shrink ]

VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3, [4], 5, 6 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 06:28:25 03/26/03 Wed
Author: dqfan
Subject: Re: Say The Words - ch. 17 & 18
In reply to: dqfan 's message, "Re: Say The Words - ch. 15 & 16" on 06:19:30 03/26/03 Wed

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

It was the middle of the night and Sophie lay alone - in Peter's bed�in Peter's house, wide awake, enveloped in the darkness. Even though Peter had told her not to wait up, she had. How could she sleep anyway when her mind was a jumble of questions with no answers? Adding to her insomnia, Sophie's ankle cast was driving her crazy. It was itchy and uncomfortable and she flailed about uselessly, finally punching several pillows in frustration. With several hours before dawn, Sophie couldn't escape her doubts.

As the alarm clock ticked relentlessly onward, all Sophie could do was to think. Think about Peter's strange behavior�think about whether moving in together had been such a good idea�think about whether Peter might be getting cold feet about the wedding - colder even than hers. Think�think, think�

"That's it!" Sophie exclaimed, snapping on the light and sitting bolt upright in bed.

Desperate to take her mind off her troubles, Sophie snatched Dorothy's book from the bedside table and began reading from where she'd left off�

"Sully had been married before but Michaela hadn't. And, though, you might think differently of a single woman living alone on the wild frontier, Michaela possesses the highest moral character. So high, in fact, that, even after they had agreed to court, Sully's open displays of affection troubled Michaela deeply. As a result, tiny misunderstandings became major obstacles.

I'm sorry to say I was one of those misunderstandings�It happened when Sully wanted to surprise Michaela by learning to dance in time for the Sweetheart's Dance. I offered to teach him privately. Well, Michaela saw us together and thought the worst. Her insecurities over never having been with a man made her jealous and Sully resented her lack of trust�"

"Trust�" Sophie considered thoughtfully. She needed to have more trust in her relationship with Peter. Trust that this was simply an adjustment period for them both. Trust that they had built a solid foundation for their marriage.

Sophie honestly believed that they had. She wouldn't have agreed to marry him otherwise. Still, she was besieged by why's and if only's� "Why" was Peter being so distant and aloof? "If only" Stephanie hadn't recommended that they curb their enthusiasm until Sophie improved to a removable walking cast�

How ironic, Sophie thought to herself, that Michaela was insecure about being with Sully physically while, tonight, Sophie's own insecurities were based mostly on her current lack of a physical relationship with Peter.

Still, maybe this was a good test? Maybe they needed this time apart? Yet, somehow Sophie couldn't fight the nagging feeling that Peter was using her ankle as a convenient excuse. That he was the one who was afraid of intimacy right now. But why?

Was it something she'd done? He was the one who had invited her to move in before the wedding. Were her small attempts at redecorating really that disturbing to him? Or, was he disappointed that she wanted only a small, private ceremony? Maybe he thought that meant she wasn't sure about their marriage, which definitely wasn't the case at all�

"Oh, this is getting me nowhere�" Sophie sighed mournfully as she closed Dorothy's book and leaned her head back against the pillows.

The sleep that had so successfully eluded her now crept stealthily upon her until the soft, gentle sound of a woman's voice caused Sophie's eyelids to flutter into focus�

"I made you some willow bark tea�It'll ease the pain in your ankle," Michaela encouraged.

"Oh, not that stuff again, please�" Sophie begged as she attempted to push the cup away, the sight of the tea more upsetting to her than the vision of Michaela now before her.

"It's for your own good," Michaela chided.

"Thanks, but I'll take my chances�" Sophie wasn't touching that tea again as long as she lived.

"Ah yes, you enjoy taking chances, I've heard." Michaela's tone of voice was less than approving.

Instantly, Sophie was on the attack. "First Sully and now you! I don't really think you're in a position to criticize�You left Boston for Colorado. A single woman - doctor - alone in the Wild West," Sophie reminded her sharply. "That's not taking chances?"

"That was different�" Michaela argued, hating to admit Sophie was right.

"Oh? How?" Sophie pressed suspiciously.

"It may have been dangerous, yes, but I was certainly not being reckless merely for sport," Michaela countered, confident there was indeed a difference.

"You mean my skydiving?" Sophie replied edgily.

"Skydiving, motorbiking, mountain climbing�" Michaela recited them all by heart.

"Okay, so I like to keep moving," Sophie admitted freely.

"And now you're not�" Michaela noted observantly. "Does that bother you?"

"No! Yes! Not really�" Sophie wasn't sure how to answer that question. "I think maybe it's bothering Peter�" Sophie theorized, more subdued. "Maybe he liked me better before I hurt my ankle�before I moved in with him."

"Liked you better?" Michaela was amused by Sophie's choice of words. "I would hope he loves you if he asked you to marry him!"

"That's not what I meant," Sophie scowled. "I know he loves me, but maybe he's not 'happy' with me. I mean�Oh, you wouldn't understand�" Sophie sighed hopelessly.

"Oh, but I would," Michaela surprised Sophie, settling herself comfortably in a chair by the bed.

"Why, the morning after we returned from our honeymoon, Sully was gone from our bed before I awoke - up and dressed and about to ride off for the day without a single word to his new wife. It was rather disconcerting to say the least." Michaela remembered vividly.

"I didn't know what to say�how to act. I felt guilty even asking if he'd be home in time for supper," Michaela smiled fondly. "I just assumed that since we'd become physically intimate we'd be emotionally connected as a couple as well."

"Exactly!" Sophie concurred, thrilled to realize that Michaela did understand after all. "That's why I told him I wanted to be friends first this time�and I thought we were�" Sophie's voice trailed off in a whisper.

"Sully and I were friends first, that's true," Michaela agreed. "And while I still don't approve of being intimate before marriage, I do think you and Peter have come a long way in your relationship. You truly are his best friend, Sophie. I'm sure of it."

"But then, why�?" Sophie was so confused.

"It takes time to become a couple, Sophie," Michaela counseled. "Cloud Dancing told Sully it took many seasons before he and Snowbird realized they no longer rode separate horses. Every person is different...but, I felt it instantly," she smiled, reveling in the joy of those early days.

"From the moment I pledged my love on our wedding day, Sully became a part of me and that was a very powerful feeling," Michaela recounted, amazed at how strongly she still felt it after all these years. "But it wasn't the same for Sully. It took him a little longer before he recognized that our souls were one."

"Peter's drifting away from me�" Sophie could feel it in her heart.

"Perhaps�" Michaela didn't disagree. "He has some decisions to make," she continued seriously. "Sophie, please try to remember that he loves you very much and whatever he decides, he thought it was best at the time�"

Michaela's tone of voice was beginning to frighten Sophie. It was a somber, mournful pitch, filled with regret and resignation. Searchingly, Sophie looked deeply into Michaela's remarkable eyes - one green and one brown. There was a softness there - a love that Sophie wished her own mother had shown her.

"I've come to care for you a great deal, Sophie," Michaela admitted, affectionately urging Sophie back under the covers.

As Sophie closed her eyes, Michaela felt her tears flow unchecked. "Peter needs you so much�Please don't do anything rash, Sophie," Michaela begged softly, knowing Sophie was too deeply asleep now to hear her.

Brushing Sophie's cheek with a tender kiss goodbye, Michaela whispered forebodingly, "He can't lose you�We can't lose you�"

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

"Sophie�Sophie�" A woman's voice stirred Sophie awake and she felt a gentle hand nudge her by the shoulder.

"Oh, go away, Michaela." With her eyes still closed, Sophie tried to push the woman's hand from her arm. "I don't want to hear any more�"

"Michaela!" The woman laughed openly. "My great-granddaddy'll be turning in his grave hearing you call me Michaela."

Sophie eyes fluttered open with a start. "Charity!" she exclaimed, regaining her focus, "What are you doing here?"

Immediately, Sophie sat up in welcome, accepting Charity's warm embrace and sliding over to make room for her on the bed.

"I knocked but there was no answer so I let myself in. The door was unlocked. I hope you don't mind�" Charity explained.

"Mind? Of course not!" Sophie felt cheerier than she had in ages, just seeing Charity's familiar friendly face. "But what are you doing here?" she questioned. "Is everything all right?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Charity returned, surprised at how much she'd missed Sophie as well.

"Your emails stopped so suddenly...no new wedding updates�nothing since you wrote you might need surgery," Charity went on in detail.

"Well, I started to worry - an utterly useless endeavor. That's why Lawsons don't worry - they act!" Charity's voice was filled with purpose and determination.

"So you got on a plane, rented a car�" Sophie figured the rest.

"I was coming for the wedding anyway�" Charity justified with a grin. "So I'm a little early�"

"I'm so glad you're here," Sophie hugged the older woman tightly. "I've missed you so much." The slight crack in Sophie's voice was all the evidence Charity needed that she'd made the right decision by coming.

"Sophie, dear�tell me what's wrong," Charity encouraged. "Is it your ankle?" she asked, her attention focused on Sophie's cast. "Are you in pain? Won't it be healed by the wedding?"

"No�no�it's not my ankle," Sophie shook her head. "It's�It's Peter�" she answered softly.

"Oooh, what's he done now?" Charity fumed. "I'll kill him! Didn't I tell him there'd be serious consequences if he didn't go through with this wedding?" Instantly, Charity contemplated summoning Randolph P. Lodge to administer a healthy dose of torture to her wayward nephew.

"We're still making plans�" Sophie interrupted, temporarily halting Charity's litany. "And we're still getting married�at least I think we are�"

"Think?" Charity was stymied. "Don't you know?" she asked, her exasperation quite evident.

"Well, we haven't exactly been talking much�" Sophie replied tentatively.

"We were fine until my surgery. He even gave me a surprise for Valentine's Day�" Sophie smiled, handing Charity her prized copy of Dorothy's book.

"My Town!" Charity practically squealed with delight. "Where did he find it? Oh, this is magnificent�the binding is still intact!" Charity ran her hand lovingly over the age-worn leather.

"Seventy-three�" Charity instructed, unable to temper her excitement. "Read page seventy-three to me Sophie�please," she begged, filled with anticipation to hear the words she enjoyed so well.

"Okay�" Sophie obliged, a little surprised to see Charity so overcome with enthusiasm. "Page seventy-three�"

"Hank Lawson is the proprietor of our local saloon, The Gold Nugget. He is rugged, unkempt, rude and opinionated. He cheats his customers, waters down his whiskey, and keeps prostitutes in the back rooms. But, in spite of all that, he can also be fair, loyal and even charming when he sets his mind to it.

With his imposing height and long blond hair, Hank is easy to spot when you arrive. He's the one with a cigar in one hand and a woman in the other. He can make you so furious you'll want to scream and then with a roguish wink he'll have you inviting him to the Sunday picnic.

For all his faults, Hank is still an irreplaceable fiber in the fabric of our town. Truly, I think Grace once said it best�'The devil you know is better than the devil you don't and Hank is the devil we know.' All I can say is�We wouldn't have him any other way."

Charity sighed, content to bask in the glow of Grandpa Hank's checkered legacy. If the history books were right, and the West was, indeed, won by sinners and scoundrels, then, like generations of Lawson's before her, Charity was damn proud of Hank's colorful contribution.

"He sounds�fascinating�" Sophie offered, trying to contain her amusement at Charity's glee.

"Even Michaela couldn't resist him," Charity boasted teasingly. "Well, his friendship, at least," she chuckled freely.

"What a marvelous gift, Sophie," Charity positively gleamed with envy. "Peter must have gone to a great deal of trouble�"

"He did," Sophie sighed, wondering if she might have blown her fears completely out of proportion.

"It's just�He's been so distant�so preoccupied," Sophie tried to verbalize what she'd been feeling. "It's as if he doesn't even want to be in the same room with me�"

"I can't believe that�" For Sophie's benefit, Charity tried to hide her concern. The Peter Sophie was describing was the Peter of old, the one who ran from his problems instead of facing them. But what could have happened for Peter to suddenly consider Sophie a problem?

"Why don't you let me talk to him?" Charity suggested, wanting to get to the bottom of this.

Sophie shrugged her shoulders and nodded warily. At this point, she was willing to try anything.

"Don't worry, Sophie. Peter wants to marry you. I'm sure of it," Charity soothed hopefully.

Though her comforting arms safely enfolded Sophie, secretly, Charity feared she'd arrived not a moment too soon�.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

"Becker�Alexander Becker..." Peter repeated for the thousandth time, as he sat in his office and tried to keep his voice from rising uncontrollably as he spoke into the telephone.

"No�no�don't put me on hold!" he begged loudly, losing his patience.

"Yes, I tried the air base at Istanbul�and the officer's club in Rio�How hard can it be for you to find him?!" Peter's desperation was mounting.

"No�don't put me on hold�" Peter pounded his fist on the desk.

"Surprise�!" Sophie poked her head into the office.

"Sophie!" Peter exclaimed, immediately slamming the receiver and hanging up the phone. "What are you doing here? Who drove you?"

"That's my surprise�" Sophie opened the door wide and ushered Charity into Peter's office.

"Charity�!" Shocked, Peter rushed to give Charity a hug.

Though he tried quickly to compose himself, Charity could see right through Peter's cheerful facade. Sophie was right. There was something different about him. Even as a little boy, Peter had never been able to conceal his guilt from her and he couldn't do it now. He was definitely hiding something�

"It's good to see you," Peter gushed nervously.

"Is it?" Charity probed pointedly.

"We didn't expect you until May," Peter avoided her question.

"I thought Sophie might need my help�It's difficult enough planning a wedding without being in a cast," Charity explained blithely.

"But the WALPOCS�" Peter affected grave concern for the ragtag group.

"Will be just fine without me�" Charity reassured him confidently.

"You don't mind, do you? I won't impose�" Charity watched closely for Peter's reaction.

"The wedding's almost three months away, Charity, and the hotel in town isn't the Broadmoor�" Peter hedged, knowing his aunt was waiting for an invitation. "I wish you'd called and let me know you were coming�"

The thought of Charity nosing around was enough to give Peter chills. As if he didn't have enough on his mind already�Did he really need this? And, to make matters worse, Sophie obviously had no objections to Charity's untimely arrival. Now, what was he supposed to do?

Though Charity had no real intention of barging in on them, she found Peter's hesitancy a clear sign that Sophie was correct. Peter would never allow her to stay at a hotel unless he was afraid she'd discover something she shouldn't.

Ready to sacrifice any amount of privacy if it meant that Charity could discover what was troubling Peter, Sophie offered a creative compromise solution�"How about my trailer?" she suggested optimistically. "It isn't much, but it's close and�"

"Perfect!" Charity seized the opportunity before Peter could come up with a valid reason to protest. "It's settled then�"

"You'll have dinner with us tonight, won't you, Charity?" Sophie asked innocently, as Peter's mind raced.

Dinner with Sophie was awkward at best. Dinner with Sophie and Charity would be impossible. He had to even the odds somehow�

"Pete, do you have the last quarterly report?" Frank knocked on the door as he entered.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know you had company�Good to see ya, Soph�How ya feelin'?" Frank gave Sophie a welcoming hug.

"A little better, Frank, thanks�" Sophie replied, glad to be back at Horizon even for a few minutes.

Giving Charity a bright smile, Frank poked Peter in the ribs. "Aren't you going to introduce me?" he chastised.

"Oh�ahh�sure�Frank Markasian, this is my aunt, Charity Lawson Mitchell," Peter did the honors.

"Ahhh, the famous Aunt C." Frank offered his hand warmly.

"And the famous Mr. Markasian�" Charity returned the greeting and the handshake. "It's a pleasure."

"The pleasure is all mine, Mrs. Mitchell," Frank complimented.

"Charity�please call me Charity," she smiled, pleased by Frank's attention.

"And it's Frank�" he requested casually.

Peter saw his opportunity and pounced�"Frank, why don't you join us for dinner tonight? We'd love to have you�"

"Well, sure�" Frank agreed willingly, unaware he was being used as a decoy.

Charity knew, though, and smiled wryly. So, Peter was going to make this a challenge�

"Wonderful!" Charity enthused, exchanging glances with Peter. "I'm looking forward to it."

The next Sully-Lawson battle of wills was about to begin and Charity was armed and ready�

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Dinner had been an intriguing affair of inference and innuendo. Sophie watched safely from behind her water glass as Charity and Peter jabbed and sparred without either ever throwing a punch. Holmes and Moriarty could not have parried with greater verbal finesse.

Totally oblivious to the game afoot, Frank listened intently, following earnestly such conversational debates as "Are men capable of telling the truth?" and "Is guilt bad for your health?" while remaining thoroughly captivated by Charity's charm and wit.

At the end, Sophie called it a draw. With skilled evasiveness and intrepid determination, both Charity and Peter had fought valiantly. Unfortunately, by the end of the meal, Sophie had no better idea what was bothering Peter than she had before the shrimp cocktail.

Now, after bidding Frank a warm goodnight, Sophie disappointedly prepared for bed while Peter busily carried Charity's bags over to the trailer, to settle her in for an extended stay.

"Maybe once they're alone Charity will be able to find out what's wrong," Sophie hoped desperately as her head hit the pillow in complete exhaustion.

Anxious to avoid his aunt's scrutinizing gaze, Peter dropped the luggage unceremoniously on the trailer floor and mumbled, "So�ummm�If there's anything else you need, Charity, just let me know."

"The truth would be nice," Charity began quietly, sitting regally in one of Sophie's folding chairs with her hands clasped neatly in her lap.

"Charity�please�" Peter was so tired. Tired of the lies, tired of the secrets.

"Do you love her?" Charity asked sharply.

"With all my heart," Peter vowed, matching his aunt's directness.

"You're hurting her, Peter," Charity sighed sadly, shaking her head in disapproval.

"And it's killing me�Can't you see that?!" Peter shouted, nearing his breaking point. Trapped, he began to pace the small confines of Sophie's trailer.

"Then tell her�Whatever it is�Tell her�" Charity rose and placed her hand gently on Peter's shoulder to quiet him, deeply touched by his obvious torment.

"I will�soon�" Peter promised wearily.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" At that moment, Charity sounded so much like his mother that Peter was sure he could feel Rachel's presence there in the room with them.

"Actually, yes," Peter surprised Charity with his answer. "Could you make sure Sophie doesn't get into Agnes? Keep her busy here with the wedding plans - catalogs, the internet�"

"Peter, is there really going to be a wedding?" His strange requests and bizarre behavior were giving Charity cause to doubt.

"There's nothing I want more, Aunt C. You've got to believe me," Peter pleaded, hugging her tightly, his defenses utterly spent.

Feeling as if she were holding him again as a small child, Charity returned Peter's loving embrace. With a smile, she realized that, for the first time since she'd arrived, Peter had called her Aunt C., affectionately.

Whatever her was up to, whatever secret he was hiding, Charity truly believed Peter was telling her the truth. He was acting selflessly out of love for Sophie.

Charity just hoped Peter wasn't making the biggest mistake of his life�

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

Re: Say The Words - ch. 19 & 20 -- dqfan, 06:32:31 03/26/03 Wed
- Re: Say The Words - ch. 21 & 22 -- dqfan, 06:37:26 03/26/03 Wed
  - Re: Say The Words - ch. 23& 24 -- dqfan, 06:41:25 03/26/03 Wed
    - Re: Say The Words - ch. 25 -- dqfan, 06:44:01 03/26/03 Wed