I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints,--I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life!--and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
Sully concluded reciting the passage and looked up from the book. Michaela had tears freely falling down her face leaving a wet trail on her soft cheeks. Sully saw this and lovingly wiped them away with the tip of his thumb.
"That was beautiful Sully. Thank you," Michaela said barely louder than a whisper.
"I mean every word Michaela," Sully spoke from his heart as he took her hand into his and placed a soft kiss on her hand. He slowly made his way up onto her arm and placed many more soft kisses that grew more passionate as he made his way up the arm and onto her neck.
"Sully?!?!Here?!?!" Michaela was shocked but barely got the words out because of the way she was reacting to his touch.
"No one's around," Sully continued to caress her back and kiss her neck. "Besides, no one is gonna be comin up here anyway.. the kids are staying in town tonight." He stopped talking and made his way up to her lips. His kiss lingered there longer and just when you thought the kiss was going to end, their lips met each others once more to deepen the love that they were feeling and expressing towards each other. Michaela played with Sully's sun bleached hair as Sully carressed her lovingly with his hands moving up and down her small frame. Soon after Sully rolled Michaela onto the ground so she was laying on her back facing Sully who was still kissing her while lying beside her. The kiss kept growing more passionate until they both were ready to show their love towards each other.
Michaela and Sully both were lying on their backs looking up at the sky breathless.
"I think we should clean up," Michaela finally had gotten enough energy to catch her breath.
"I guess you're right." Sully replied while rising from the ground. He was thinking about something totally different but Michaela didn't have a clue. Sully held out his hand to help Michaela up. When she was standing up completely Sully started to speak. "Well, lets clean up!" Michaela started to turn around to pick something up, but Sully was too fast and had her into his arms. Michaela was caught totally off guard.
"When I said clean up, I didn't have this in mind!" Michaela laughed.
"Really? Well this is what I thought ya meant!" Sully acted clueless while still having Michaela in his strong arms. He started to walk towards the homestead, never once taking his eyes off of Michaela.
"Sully..what about the food?" Michaela asked worried.
"I think the food can wait, don't you?"
Michaela looked at Sully and nodded just as Sully swung the door to the homestead open and walked in.
""Oh, Sully! We're not newly weds!" Michaela laughed as she remembered the first time she was carried through the doorway. It was right after they had gotten back from their honeymoon in Denver. She was filled with so much love then, but now she was in love with Sully so much more. It seemed that everyday her love grew for him.
"A person can relive the memory can't he?" Sully answered with his deep blue eyes shining with love for her.
They had gone into the house only a few feet, but Sully never once let Michaela out of his arms. They were coming closer to the stairs before Michaela spoke up.
"I think you can put me down now!"
"No, not jest yet," Sully objected as he made his way slowly up the homestead stairs with Michaela still in his arms to their bedorrom door at the end of the hall.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Katie ya gotta eat," Brian said desperately with a spoonful of mashed potatos in his hand. "Colleen!" he sighed loudly.
"Brian," Colleen laughed as she came up to her little brother. "Kates do ya want Andrew to give you potatos? Will that make ya happy?"
"Andew! Andew!" Katie giggled and pounded up and down.
"Sorry, Brian. I guess you've been fired!" Andrew patted Brian on the back as he arose from the kitchen table with the look of defeat on his face.
"Good luck," Brian said as he handed the spoon off to Andrew who immediately sat down and slid the spoon into Katie's mouth. Brian's jaw flew open and his shoulders dropped. He couldn't believe it.
"Come here little brother, play a game of checkers against me." Matthew smiled and invited him over.
"Alright." Brian agreed with the sound of defeat in his voice. He pulled up a chair from the kitchen table and sat down to compete against Matthew.
Colleen smiled at Matthew and Brian, and at how silly Andrew looked trying to coax Katie into opening her mouth to have some lunch. She sat infront of the fire place of the place Andrew and herself had called home for almost a year now. She looked down at the now very tired Joseph. Feeding him was harder than she thought. He had only fused for a little bit before accepting the bottle. For a moment everyone thought that Dr. Mike and Sully would never get a nice day alone, but it was turning out very well. Besides Dr. Mike and Sully really deserved time to be alone. They needed the rest, and the quiet time, and the socializing time between one another. Dr. Mike and Sully deserved every bit of time together with one another.
CONTINUED