Anne woke in her own bed to an awful taste in her mouth. She sat up quickly, sputtering, trying to rid her tongue of the terrible flavor.
"Sorry," said a booming gentle, male voice. It sounded like Iain's, just without the Celtic lilt. Confused, Anne looked up. A kind- looking old man hovered over her. She blinked, confused. He held up a bottle. "The medicine- well, it doesn't taste very good, but it works, so I use it. How are you feeling?"
Anne glared at Mary, who sat knitting something blue in the corner. "I'm feeling fine now, Doctor," she told him, not breaking her glare. Her sister cowered. Mary set down her knitting needles on the nearby table and went to the small chest where they kept their money. She took out some coins and bills, counting them, then turned back to the doctor. "Here, she said quietly and demurely, very unlike her normally tomboyish nature. "Five dollars." She looked pained to part with that much money, but with shaking hands she handed the money to the doctor, who took his hat from the hook and left. As soon as he had gone, Anne swung her legs over the side of her mattress.
"I'm fine, Mary," she insisted. "Why'd you send for a doctor?"
Mary bit her lip nervously, wringing her hands as she stood by the money chest. "Maria," she whispered, so softly that Anne couldn't hear.
"Pardon?" demanded Anne, her temper flaring with her frustration- at what she was frustrated, she didn't know.
"Maria- she's terribly sick, Anne," said Mary quietly, looking down.
The fire had died in Anne at those words. "Maria?" Little Maria had become like a little sister to Anne, not the little sister she had never been given, though.
* * *
"Matilda!" called Anne, standing by the tent on the Colorado hill. "Matthew!"
The grass waved in the wind, the blue sky and bright summer sun shining on the game of hide- and- seek. Ten- year- old- Anne bounced a baby sister on her hip as she looked out over the beautiful, rolling green swells of earth. There had never been land like this in Galway.
Her reverie was interrupted by an unusual rustling in the long blades. As fast as she could with little Adalyn in her arms, she ran towards it, pushing aside the grass.
A high, childish giggle sounded, and Anne looked down. A little boy with shining gold hair and huge bright green eyes looked up, his rosy cheeks pushed up by an enormous grin that covered his entire face, almost, as he sat on the ground. Anne laughed.
"There you are, Matty. " She took her brother by the hand and started to help him up, but he pulled away.
"I'm five, Annie," he said when he had stood, his stocky arms folded across his chest.
"Yes, you are, aren't you? Today, in fact!" She took him by the hand, regardless of whether he wanted to be dragged or not. "As soon as we find Matilda we'll go into the house and celebrate."
"'Tis not a house," grumbled little Matthew. "'Tis a tent."
Anne ignored her brother and watched, keeping a firm hand on him. He'd run and hide again if she let him go.
"I think..." mused Anne to Adalyn, who smiled, showing her teething baby gums. "I think Matilda is... right here!" She flung aside a wall of green blades to reveal a little girl about two, who pouted in every aspect of her face, from her down turned mouth to her serious green eyes.
"Left me." she said, pointing a finger at Matty.
"No, I didn't!" insisted Matthew. There was a danger of Matthew reaching out to pull on one of Matilda's auburn ponytails, so Anne took matters into her own hands.
Wanting to avoid a fight, Anne shepherded Matilda and Matthew back towards the tent that she pretended was a glorious castle. Emma appeared out of the tent flap, followed by their beautiful, gracious mother. Emma relieved Anne of little Adalyn, who had fallen asleep.
Meav put a hand on her youngest son's shoulder, leading him away with a smile. The father of her children had left her six months before, with a baby of three months and six other children, none very old, but she bore it all in a good humor.
Around her children, at least.
All we seem to get from the MacEilans is sob stories, oh well :-) remember to vote and comment!