PART 1

"Here we are children. Boston." Dr. Michaela Quinn told her family as she stepped off of the train. She smiled at once again being back in the place she grew up.

"Looks bigger than the last time we were here, Ma." 14-year old Brian said as he examined everything around him. "Hey, there’s that candy store I loved." Brian pointed to the corner of the street.

"It probably is bigger, Brian," his 18-year-old sister told him. "It’s been five years since we’ve been here, remember?"

"Does seem like towns grow quickly now days, "Sully, Michaela’s husband, continued while carrying 2-year-old Katie in his arms. "Just look at Colorado Springs. It’s getting bigger by the minute it seems."

"Look, there’s mother’s carriage," Michaela pointed to the beautiful black carriage in which her mother was sitting in. She ran over to hug her mother. "Mother! Hi."

"Michaela, I missed you. And the rest of the family, " Elizabeth Quinn said as she got down from the carriage.

"Brian, how you’ve grown since I saw you last year at Thanksgiving."

Brian gave his grandma a hug. "I’ve missed you, Grandma."

"Colleen, you look beautiful. Must be Andrew." Elizabeth said, not knowing that Colleen and her beau, Dr. Andrew Cook, had a big fight right before they left. She didn’t notice the sad look coming to Colleen’s face. "Or maybe it’s just graduating from college."

Colleen perked up a bit. "Yes, that must be it, Grandma. I’m finally done with college. Now I just have to wait till a medical school excepts me." She said as she gave her grandmother a hug.

"They will, don’t worry."

"Matthew," she said to the young 21-year-old behind Colleen. "I’m so glad you could come."

"Didn’t have anything keeping me at Colorado Springs," he said.

"My, Katie," Elizabeth turned to the beautiful 2-year-old. "You have gotten so big. I’m your grandma. Remember me?" She gave her young granddaughter a kiss on the cheek.

"Hi, Sully,"

"Good you see you, Mrs. Quinn."

"Mother, where’s Rebecca?" Michaela asked about her older sister.

"I’m sorry. I wasn’t able to let you know before you came. Rebecca moved to a small town just a little ways outside of Boston. Its called Concord. She’s the town’s new seamstress."

"Oh! Well, that’s OK. We’ll just go and visit her for awhile while we’re here." Michaela smiled. Everybody got into Mrs. Quinn’s carriage, and the carriage started for home.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

It was a beautiful day at Concord, and the town was going at its normal daily pace. Mrs. Josephine Bhaer; Mrs. Bhaer to some, Jo to others, and Mrs. Jo to her children; had just decided to go extravagant and have a brand new dress made. She took the pattern and the material she had picked out, and walked into the dress shop. As a little bell rang, announcing her arrival, a woman in her 40’s walked out from the back room.

"Hi, I’m the new seamstress here in town. My name is Rebecca Quinn." Rebecca greeted Jo.

"I’m Jo Bhaer. I run a school called Plumfield just outside of town." Jo introduced herself. "Perhaps you’ve heard of it."

"Plumfield? Yes, I have heard of it. Sounds like a wonderful school."

"Oh it is. The kids are great."

"Well, may I help you?"

"Yes, I’d like you to make me a dress. I have everything here for you." Jo told her exactly what she wanted.

"I’ll get to it right away, Jo." Rebecca promised.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A week after Michaela, Sully, and the children arrived in Boston, Michaela decided to go to Concord for awhile to visit her dear sister.

"Michaela! What a surprise," Rebecca said as she hugged her sister. Rebecca was just stepping out of her dress shop when Michaela walked up.

"We went to visit Mother in Boston, but when we found out that you weren’t in Boston anymore, we decided to pay you a surprise visit here."

"I’m glad you did. There’s only one problem, though. I don’t have a place for you to stay."

Just then Jo Bhaer came riding into down the street. She stopped in front of Dr. Pierce’s office, which was just next to the dress shop, and headed for the door. Michaela overheard everything.

"Mrs. Jones? I need Dr. Pierce," Jo anxiously said to the doctor’s elderly aunt as she answered the door. "My son is sick."

"Oh, Mrs. Bhaer, I’m truly sorry. My nephew had to make an emergency trip out of town. I don’t know when he’ll be back."

"But, Rob, he can’t breathe."

Michaela heard all of this and ran up to them, followed closely by Rebecca and the rest of the family.

"Maybe I can help." Michaela said to Jo. "I’m a doctor."

Before Jo could say anything, Rebecca continued, "Yes, Jo, my sister here is a fine doctor."

"The best," Brian added.

Desperately, Jo said, "OK." Michaela went into Dr. Pierce’s office and got some things that she figured she might need. She then hopped on Jo’s horse right behind Jo. They headed back for Plumfield.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

As Dr. Mike and Jo were in tending to Rob, the rest of Plumfield sat in the parlor and waited.

"A woman doctor? Who’s ever heard of a woman doctor?" said Dan.

"I wouldn’t want any woman looking at me," said Emil.

"Hey, a woman can do anything that she wants to do." Nan said. "I don’t see any reason why a woman can’t be a doctor."

"You’re right, Nan," Becky (see my story "Teacher’s Pet") said. Becky had been out at Plumfield teaching Rob when he had started having trouble breathing. "There is no reason why a woman can’t be a doctor."

"Well, I still wouldn’t want her looking at me." Emil said.

Just then, Dr. Mike and Jo walked into the parlor. Jo looked relieved.

"How is Rob, Aunt Jo?" Jo’s nephew Franz asked.

"He’ll be fine. Thanks to Dr. Quinn here." She looked over at Michaela.

"It’s no problem. Now remember what I told you to do." She looked over at the rest of the room. "Don’t worry, it’s not contagious."

"So are you going to be staying with your sister?" Jo asker her.

"I don’t know. Just before you rode into town, she was telling me that she doesn’t have room. I have my four children and husband with me."

"Maybe we could find room here for all of you. How old are your children?"

"I have 2-year-old daughter, Katie. A 14-year-old son, Brian. An 18-year-old daughter, Colleen. And a 21-year-old son, Matthew."

"How long have you been married?" Jo curiously asked.

"Three years," Everybody looked at her funny. Michaela started laughing.

"Don’t worry. The 14, 18, and 21 year olds are adopted. The 2 year old is actually mine."

"That explains it," Jo started laughing. "Well, let’s see, you and your husband and 2 year old can take the guest room. Our cook, Asia, is out-of-town for a month, so Matthew could take her room. Colleen could stay in the girl’s room. And Brian’s the same age as a lot of the boys, so he could stay in with the boys. You kid’s don’t mind, do you?"

"No, of course not, Mrs. Jo," they said.

"Ok, then, if it’s no trouble. I’ll just have to fetch my family from town."

"Oh, Dr. Quinn?"

"Please, Jo, and the rest of you, call me Dr. Mike. Everyone does."

"OK, Dr. Mike. Brian must be missing out on a little school." Jo was always one to be concerned about whether children are getting their education or not.

"Yes, the last few weeks of school, actually. I wasn’t sure I wanted to take him out early."

"Well, you’re in luck. You’re staying at a school. Let Brian join the rest of the kids. My nephew, Franz, is the teacher."

"A school? I was wondering why there were so many kids here."

"Yes."

"If Brian wants to, than I guess so." Dr. Mike agreed.