Chapter 5: Martha & Sean

Martha stayed in Phoenix after the second failed attempt to sign the adoption papers. She primarily wanted to spend time with Sean, but she also wanted to get to know the Cavallas better. She and Seth talked about the Cavalla's request to continue to be part of Sean's life and, by association, their lives. They didn't see any problem with the request on the surface. They didn't have any deep dark secrets to hide but they were a very private couple. Neither Martha nor Seth had brothers or sisters. Seth had one uncle that he had seen once in his early teens who he thought may still live someplace in New York. Their close association outside of each other was limited to Pappy and BB. Both Martha and Seth considered Pappy and BB an important part of their family even though no common blood flowed in their veins. They had other acquaintances they were friendly with like the vet they used for their animals, and the doctor all four of them used. They knew people from the church they frequented and they went to parties with acquaintances on special occasions like Christmas and the Fourth of July. But, you don't cry on a mere acquaintance's shoulder when a favorite dog dies of old age. Ben and Liz had asked for admittance to that inner circle of friendship that had steadily strengthened between the Flynns, Pappy and BB since Martha and Seth took over the ranch. Martha and Seth both thought it was important to know the people asking for admittance to their hearts.

Seth wanted to stay in town but had to go back to the ranch for one of the ubiquitous emergencies that mark the daily existence on any working ranch. Seth loved Martha and hated to be away from her. He felt calmer and more connected to the world around him when he was with Martha. On the other hand, he loved being in the quiet, clean air of the ranch. He really hated going to the city because of all the people jammed together, and the dirty air, and the feeling of futility he got every time he drove there. Seth was very conflicted between his desire to be with Martha and the desire to be at the ranch. In the end it boiled down to need. He needed to be at the ranch to do the work his two hired hands couldn't do alone. The ranch had to be kept stable so Martha and his new son had a home to return to.

The women decided they deserved a girl's night out so Ben was elected as the baby sitter. Liz and Sheila had a rare night off at the same time and they talked Susan into trading shifts with another nurse so they could all go out together. The four women went to dinner and a couple of low key night spots Liz had heard about. The goal wasn't the wild and wooly night out with male strippers and loud music often associated with a girl's nights out. Liz intuitively understood that the women needed to get to know each other to make their request of the Flynns viable. Men may be considered the master of the house, but a universal truth is, if the women don't get along it will be a very unhappy house.

Initially the only thing they had in common was Sean so he was the center of conversation. Anecdotes of encounters between Sean and animals, or hospital staff, or other patients dominated the conversation. The stories were often followed by brief tears or gales of laughter. Stories of encounters between Sean and some young patients at the hospital brought Martha's teaching experience into the conversation. Her stories of encounters with her students over the years were more often cause for howls of laughter. The three nurses repeated some of Martha's stories later to their friends at the hospital for even more laughter. Martha's stories were one of the reasons she became accepted as 'one of them' by the general hospital staff during her visits.

They all had a good time on their night out and by the end of the evening all four were the best of friends. Martha's matronly demeanor, combined with her wry sense of humor, caused all three nurses to look at Martha almost as a surrogate mother. Liz, Susan, and Sheila didn't have mothers in the State or any other family close by.

Martha spent the rest of the month in Phoenix after Seth assured her the men wouldn't starve to death at the ranch. A bed was set up in Sean's room so she could be close to the baby. Susan and Sheila both had an extra double bed in their rooms and they both offered to share their room with Martha or even double up themselves so Martha could have a room of her own. Martha elected to sleep in Sean's room despite the loss of privacy. Sean's room was almost as common a meeting place for the adults as the kitchen was. Martha felt a need to be close to Sean as much as possible. It was kind of like the need to explain everything to him. It didn't feel like there was danger if she wasn't close. She couldn't exactly explain it, but it felt like she needed to be tuned to Sean and sleeping in the room would help.

The animals continued to amaze Martha by their attention to Sean. Several times Martha woke at night to see two animals leave the room after two others entered. The first time she witnessed the 'changing of the guard' it left her stunned. The cockatiel and the smallest dog, Buster, were guarding Sean when Martha went to sleep. The cockatiel was perched at the head of the bed, and Buster was curled up between the bed and the door. Martha woke to a scurrying sound and shook off sleep enough to see the hamster touch noses with Buster. After they touched noses, Buster left the room and the hamster scurried under the bed, and curled up. The bird flew out with Buster, and one of the cats, a small grey one jumped into the crib and curled up at Sean's feet. By the end of the month Martha just rolled over and went back to sleep, if she woke at all.