The Cooks visit flew by with lightning speed. 
Before either one of
them knew it, they only had a couple of days left
before having to return
to Philadelphia.  
   "I can't believe we have to leave already." 
Colleen complained to
Andrew one
morning.  They were sitting alone at the table in the
kitchen, everyone
else had already left.
   "Don't worry, Colleen.  Before you know it, we'll
be back in Colorado
Springs,
running our own clinic and watching our family grow." 
Andrew comforted.
   "I know, but that seems so far away."  Tears began
to well up in her
brown eyes.  "I hate the thought of leaving again."
   "Come here."  Andrew pulled his weeping wife to him
and settled her on
his knee.  Hugging her to him he gently rocked her,
trying to soothe her
depressed spirits.
   In the last week, Colleen had become more and more
emotional.  Andrew
knew it was just because she was pregnant, but it
still made him feel
bad.  He hated to see his beloved Colleen sad.
   "Would you like to take a drive before we go into
the clinic?"  Andrew
had
volunteered to look after the Chateau clinic while he
was visiting,
thereby relieving some of the pressure off Michaela,
who was really
beginning to look worn out from all the extra work.
   "Where to?"  Colleen asked, dabbing at her eyes
with the sleeve of her
blouse.
   "I have something that I'd like to show you." 
Andrew simply stated.
   "What is it?"  she asked, curiosity lighting up her
face.
   "You'll have to wait and see."  her husband replied
mysteriously.
   "Well, let's get going then."

   Michaela finished updating her last patient’s
medical file, then
quickly rose from the desk to return it to her filing
cabinet.  Suddenly
her head felt dizzy and her stomach clenched in
nausea.  Gripping onto
the side of the desk, she lowered her head until the
feeling subsided.
   "Guess I shouldn't jump up so quickly."  She mused
to herself as she
returned the file to its proper place.

   "Here we are."  Andrew announced, pulling the horse
to a stop in a
clearing.
   Colleen looked around her, taking in the sight. 
They were on top of a
large hill,
surrounded by trees, except for one side, which
offered a beautiful view
of the Colorado Rockies and the valley of trees at
their base.  The young
woman sighed contentedly.  "This is absolutely
incredible, Andrew.  How
did you ever find this spot?"
   "I came up here the other day.  Come here and check
this out. " 
Andrew clicked the horse and directed him to one
corner of the property. 
There they found a stream that flowed along and down
into the valley, but
the beginning of it was a huge water fall, surrounded
by trees.
   "Oh, Andrew, this place is wonderful!  I love it!" 
Colleen exclaimed.
   "If you love it, it’s yours."  Andrew smiled.
   Colleen looked at him, not understanding his words.
   "The land is for sale and the price is very
affordable.  Father left
me enough money that I could easily purchase this land
without having to
go to Preston for a loan."
   Colleen's brown eyes were wide in surprise as she
let the news sink
in.  "You’re going to buy this land?"
   "If you approve."  her husband nodded.
   "Oh, Andrew!"  she flung her arms around her
husband's neck and kissed
him tenderly.  "Oh, Andrew, I love you so much."
   The young man laughed as he hugged his excited wife
to him.  After a
few moments he urged, "Come on, lets look over our new
property."  He
jumped down out of the wagon and then swung Colleen
down beside him. 
Grabbing her hand, he lead her to one area of the
property.
   "I thought we'd build ourselves a nice homestead
right here, facing
the Rockies." 
Colleen nodded in approval, her voice too choked with
emotion to speak.
   Colleen listened like a woman in a dream as Andrew
sketched out in
detail his plans for their new home.  She placed her
hand on her rounding
stomach and listened excitedly as Andrew talked.  She
couldn't remember
when she had felt so happy.
   
   At supper that night, Colleen and Andrew announced
their good news to
the rest of the family.
   "Where's the property at?"  Sully asked.  Andrew
told him and
described its various features.
   "Sounds wonderful."  Michaela smiled.
   "And it’s not very far from here."  Matthew stated. 
"In fact, they'll
be one of our
closest neighbors."
   "I'll love that."  Dr. Mike replied, looking
lovingly at her daughter
and son-in-law.  "I can't wait until you move in."
   "Neither can I."  Colleen smiled happily.

   The next day, Michaela asked Colleen if she'd help
her in the clinic. 
   "It's your last day and I feel like I've hardly
seen you." So Colleen
agreed to going with her into town.
   About ten o'clock, Dr. Mike asked, "Would you care
for a snack?"
   Colleen's face broke out in an enormous grin.  "I'd
love a snack.  I
am absolutely
starving."
   Her mother smiled knowingly, "Let's go then, shall
we?" 
   They walked down to Grace's Cafe and sat down.
   "So, what would you like?"  Michaela asked.
   "A meat loaf sandwich."  Colleen replied.
   Her mother looked at her, a surprised look on her
face.  "This time of
the day?"
   Colleen laughed, "For the last three weeks, I've
been eating meat loaf
sandwiches till they've been coming out of my ears.  I
can't seem to get
enough of them.  Oh, and I think I'll have some pie
too."
   Michaela's eyes widened, but she didn't comment.
   A few moments later, Grace appeared, "Oh, Dr. Mike.
 Could you come
with me for a moment?  I need your help with
something."
   "Certainly."  Michaela rose and told Colleen she'd
be right back.
   "Colleen might as well come, "  Grace replied, "I
could use her help
too."
   The two women followed Grace towards the meadow.	
   "Where are we going?"  Colleen asked, wondering
what Grace wanted.
   "Just over here."  As they got closer to the
meadow, Colleen noticed a
group of
woman gathered around a table.  When they reached the
group, everyone 
suddenly cried,
   "Congratulations, Colleen!"  It was then that
Colleen noticed the
table was laden with presents.  It was a baby shower
for her.  Tears
welled up in her eyes as she looked lovingly at each
of the women
present.
   "Well, don't just stand there, have a seat."  Grace
urged.  Once
Colleen was settled, the women pulled out other chairs
for themselves. 
"Now, just to let you know, this is a combination
Wedding-Baby Shower,
since we were unable to give you a wedding shower
before you got married.
 You just got hitched too fast!"  Colleen's face
flushed from
embarrassment, as well as excitement.  
   For the next half hour she opened presents of every
sort of
description.  She expressed pleasure and approval over
everything.  Then,
when she was done, she thanked everyone for their
generosity and
thoughtfulness.  Then a snack was served, and Grace
appeared with a huge
meat loaf sandwich and a piece of apple pie.  Colleen
laughed as the cook
placed them before her.
   "I believe this is what you ordered."
   "Thank you, Grace.  This looks wonderful!"  Colleen
popped a piece of
it into her
mouth and smiled in appreciation.
   Suddenly there was a crash and Dorothy cried,
"Michaela!"  Colleen
jumped out of her seat and saw her mother passed out
on the ground.
   "Ma!"  she rushed to her side, "Ma!"  Gently she
shook her, but she
didn't come
around.  Colleen listened for a heart beat and made
sure she was still
breathing, it was then that she realized that her
mother was burning up
with a fever.  Looking desperately at the women around
her, she cried,
"We have to get her to the clinic."
   Grace suddenly spotted Jake talking to the Reverend
at the church. 
"Jake!"  she hollered as loudly as she could.  
   Jake looked up at the sound of his name, but from
where he was he
couldn't really tell what was happening.  He ran
towards the group and
was alarmed to find Dr. Mike collapsed on the ground
with a very
distraught Colleen leaning over her.
   "Dr. Mike's fainted and we have to get her to the
clinic."  Dorothy
announced, as Jake stepped in and gathered the fallen
doctor into his
arms.  Dorothy then helped Colleen to struggle to her
feet.
   "Somebody go for Andrew."  The barber cried as he
headed for the
clinic, with a
worried Colleen in tow. 
   About thirty minutes later, Andrew came rushing
into the clinic,
medicine bag in hand.
   "What is it?"  Andrew asked Colleen, who was
bathing her mother's
fevered brow.  
   Colleen's beautiful dark eyes were swollen from
crying.  "She has
typhoid."
   Andrew quickly examined his colleague and confirmed
his wife's
diagnose.  "Let's get her upstairs to one of the
recovery rooms."
   Andrew gathered his mother-in-law into his arms and
carried her
upstairs.

   Preston pulled his wagon to a stop in front of his
homestead. Jumping
out quickly he rushed into the house.
   "Ruth!"  he called.
   "I'm upstairs."  his wife answered.  "I'll be right
down."  
   In his excitement, Preston met her half way down
the stairs.  "Grab
your shawl, I have something I want to show you."
   Ruth looked at him in surprise, but did as bidden.

   It was about four o'clock when Sully came rushing
into the clinic. 
Andrew was sitting at the desk, reading over
information on typhoid
fever, trying to see if he could find anything to help
cure the disease. 
He didn't want another epidemic on his hands.
   "Where's Michaela?"  Sully asked, worry in his
voice.
   "She's upstairs in one of the recovery rooms. 
Colleen's with her." 
Andrew replied, his voice thick with emotion.
   Sully nodded and rushed up the stairs.
   Andrew turned back to his medical book.  He had
just arrived at the
part that said how dangerous the disease could be on
an unborn child.  He
ran his fingers through his hair and sighed in
frustration and worry.

   "What is it, Preston?  What is it you want to show
me?"  Ruth asked,
curiosity making her impatient.
   "Just a few more minutes and you'll see." Preston
replied.
   Ruth sighed and watched the landscape until finally
Preston announced,
"Here we are!"
   Ruth looked around her.  "Where are we?"  she
asked.
   "Welcome to the location of my new Rockies Resort
and Spa."  her
husband proudly replied.
   "You bought this land?"  his wife asked, looking
around her.
   "No, not yet, but I'm looking into it.  I sent a
telegram to the owner
today and offered him a fair deal.  Well, what do you
think?"
   Ruth looked around at all the trees that lined the
property, and then
her eyes lit on the magnificent view of the Rockies
and the valley below.
 "It's beautiful."  she smiled happily.  "It truly is
beautiful."
   "Come on, let me tell you what my plans are." 
Helping her out of the
wagon, he lead he around the property describing his
new hotel.

   "How's Ma doing?" Brian asked as Colleen and Andrew
descended the
stairs from the recovery rooms.
   "She's sleeping at the moment."  Colleen replied,
suddenly feeling
weary to the bone.
   "Is she going to be all right?"  Matthew asked,
concern all over his
handsome face.
   "It’s too soon to tell.  We'll know more in a couple
of days."  Andrew
replied.  "I'm going to stay here and look after her. 
Could you take
Colleen home with you."
   "Sure thing."  Matthew nodded.
   Colleen turned to her husband and objected.  "I
want to stay here and
help."
   Andrew shook his head, "No, Colleen, I don't want
you exposed to this
illness
anymore than you have to be.  You've already been
exposed to it too much
in my opinion. I want you to go home with your
brothers and get some
rest.  Understand!"  
   Colleen nodded her head.  "I understand."  Then
after kissing her
husband good-bye, she followed her brothers out.

  About two o'clock in the morning, a soft creak in
the hallway roused
Matthew from his peaceful slumber.  He listened
carefully as someone
crept gently along the hall floor.  Quietly, Matthew
eased himself out of
bed and opened his bedroom door a crack.  He didn't
see anyone, so he
opened it more.  He soon discerned that whoever it
was, had gone
downstairs to the family room. Carefully he descended
the stairs.  There
he found Colleen curled up in front of the dying
embers of the fireplace.
   "Mind if I join you?"  he asked as he claimed the
chair beside her.
   Colleen smiled at him and replied, "Make yourself
comfortable."  
   Matthew settled back in the chair and looked at his
sister.  After a
few moments
silence he finally asked, "So, what are you been
thinking about?"
   "Oh, I was just thinking about our ma.  I was
thinking about how proud
she'd of been if she were here.  We've all turned out
pretty good, if I
do say so myself."
   "I think Dr. Mike and Sully deserve some credit for
that too." 
Matthew commented.
   Colleen smiled mischievously at her brother.  "I
seem to remember a
certain young man not being terribly impressed when we
had to go live
with Dr. Mike."  Matthew dropped his eyes and lowered
his head as if he
was ashamed of himself.  "You even informed her very
boldly that she was
not going to be our mother."
   "I remember."  the young man admitted, raising his
eyes and staring at
the red hot embers in the fireplace.  "I was so mad at
Dr. Mike for not
being able to save Ma.  I'm ashamed to admit it, but I
was convinced that
if Dr. Mike had been a man, then she would have saved
Ma.  I realized
after a time that nothing could have saved ma and that
Dr. Mike had done
everything she could do to save her."
   Colleen leaned her head back in her chair and
commented, "It's hard to
imagine that we weren't ever family."  She glanced at
the family portrait
that sat on the mantel.  "Those days with our Ma seems
like a dream."
   "I know, but she couldn't have chosen better
parents for us then Dr.
Mike and Sully."  Matthew stated, also looking at the
picture.
   Colleen chuckled, "Actually, Ma chose Dr. Mike, we
chose Sully."
   Matthew laughed too, "Yeah, I remember when Brian
suggested to Sully
that he could be our Pa.  I don't think Sully knew
just what to think."
   "Maybe not, but he was sure there for us when we
needed him.  I don't
know what we would have done without him."
   "I know, Sully and Dr. Mike have been just as
loving and supportive as
any real
parents could be."  Matthew acknowledged, his mind
traveling back in
time.  "In fact if it wasn't for Dr. Mike and Sully, I
might not be here
today."  At Colleen's puzzled look he explained. 
"Remember when I
was working in the mine and it caved in?"
   Colleen's body shivered, "Yes, I remember."
   "It was Dr. Mike and Sully that saved me.  I was so
afraid that I was
going to die
there, scared and alone.  When I heard Ma's voice, I
was never so
relieved in my life."  Matthew told her.
   "What about when we found you in that railroad camp
after Ingrid
died?"  Colleen asked.
   The young man's eyes watered slightly at the
thought of his first
love.  
   "I was so angry and confused."  he admitted.  "I
didn't care about
anything, all I
wanted to do was die.  I felt so dead inside.  I am so
glad that Ma
insisted on staying in camp and trying to talk some
sense into me.  I was
very annoyed with her at the time for bothering me.  I
just wanted to
wallow in my misery.  But if she had have let me, if
you guys hadn't have
been there, if Brian hadn't have almost fallen over
that cliff, I
probably would have let that dynamite blow me to
bits."
   Colleen's eyes overflowed at the thought.  She
reached over and
squeezed her older brother's hand.  "I don't know what
Brian and I would
have done without you.  You've been a big influence in
our lives as
well."
   Matthew smiled and planted a loving kiss on his
sister's hand.  "I
love you, little
sister."
   "I love you too, big brother."  Colleen smiled.
   Just then they heard a creak on the stairs. 
Turning in their seats,
they saw a
bedraggled figure coming down the steps.
   "Brian, what are you doing up?"  Matthew asked as
the young man
approached.
   "I couldn't sleep.  I can't stop worrying about
Ma."  Brian admitted,
standing between his two siblings.  
   "Don't worry, Brian."  Colleen placed a comforting
hand on his arm. 
"Andrew and Pa are looking after her.  She has a
strong constitution. 
She'll be fine."
   "I hope so."  Brian replied, worry still on his
brow.

   The next morning, the Cooper children rushed
through breakfast and
their chores so they could get into town.
   "How is she?"  Matthew inquired the moment they
entered the clinic.
   "She's doing a bit better,"  Andrew replied as he
enfolded his wife in
his arms.  "She still has a fever, but it’s dropped
slightly."
   "Can we see her?"  Brian asked.  
   Andrew hesitated for a moment, but then nodded. 
"You can see her for
a couple of minutes, then I would suggest staying out
of the sick room."
   Brian's eyes widened and he nodded before
disappearing upstairs, with
Matthew
behind him.
   Colleen turned to follow, but Andrew detained her. 
"Where do you
think you are
going?"
   "To see Ma."
   "Colleen, I don't want you anywhere near the
recovery room."  Andrew
told her.
   "But, Andrew, she's my mother."  Colleen protested.
   "I realize that, and I realize that you only want
to help, but I also
have to think about your well-being and the well-being
of our child.  I
love you Colleen, I love both of you, and I don't want
to see anything
happen to either of you."
   Colleen smiled at her husband and then nodded.  She
would do as she
was told.
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