A Woman could do a Lot Worse….
ATC for "Marry Me"
AN: In the spirit of Singerme's "Unshown Moments," I am posting this very old ATC as yet one more scene TPTB neglected to include in the episode "Marry Me."
Kitty looked at Matt and Chester and Doc, her blue eyes filled with sadness for Sweet Billy and Orkey and their loss. "Well, I guess you can take me home now."
The Long Branch Saloon, later that evening
Matt edged his chair as close to Kitty's as he dared in the very public room and leaned his arms on the round table. "You're awfully quiet, Kitty. You sure you're all right?"
"I'm fine, Matt, just a little tired."
"You're positive they didn't hurt you, didn't do anyth..."
"I told you I'm fine. They were perfect gentlemen."
Matt stared at her bowed head. "Right...perfect kidnapping gentlemen! You sure you don't want to prefer charges against them?"
"I'm positive-no charges. They meant me no harm."
"Meant you no harm?" Matt exploded. "Kitty, do you realize what could have happened to you out there? Those two belong in jail."
"Oh, Matt, must you always be such a lawman?"
"Well, uh, yeah, Kitty, I must."
"Matt, those two wouldn't survive a day in jail. Sweet Billy and Orkey are about as worldy wise as the littlest Ronnigers."
"They could've hurt you...bad."
"But they didn't, so could you just drop it?"
Silence became an uninvited and uncomfortable guest at the table with Matt staring into his beer mug and Kitty twirling her shot glass on the green felt.
Finally she spoke softly. "A woman could do a lot worse than to wife with an Orkey Cathcart."
"What?"
"I said, 'a woman could do…'"
"I know what you said. I just don't believe what I'm hearing. Surely you don't mean that you... Kitty, you couldn't possibly be thinking...?" A concerned frown formed on his handsome face.
"No, of course not. I'm just saying Orkey's a good person...they're good people...kind and gentle. Their ways may be different from ours, but Orkey's simple world seems so much easier to live in than this one, a world without pretense, a world where a man's not afraid to show his feelings, to see what he wants and to claim it for his own." She almost smiled. "Even if what he wants is a woman, and the wrong one at that."
Matt pressed his lips tight. He was pretty sure he knew where this was heading. "Kitty, I'm not afraid to show my feelings for you, but I am afraid of what could happen to you if I do."
"I know, Matt, honest I do. But I get so tired of pretending I don't care, of watching you pretend that you don't care. Just once, I'd love for you to be spontaneous, to do and say what you really feel and let the devil take the consequences." This time she did give him a watery smile. "Oh, don't pay any attention to me, Matt. I'm just tired. I'll be all right after a hot bath and a good night's sleep."
"You sure?"
She nodded and rose from her chair. "I'm sure. I'm going upstairs now." She hesitated a moment, then asked, "Will you be by later?"
Matt shook his head and let out a deep breath. "No… not later. Right now." He felt his cheeks flame as every eye in the room watched him push his chair back from the table, stand, and follow his lady up the polished front stairs.
The End