Usual Disclaimer: Just taking our friends out to play ,will put them back when I'm Done!
Chances
PT.1
Sitting quietly at her desk in the back office, with a fresh pot of coffee Sam brewed, reading the morning paper, or trying to, she realized she had just read the same page for the fourth time. Her mind was anywhere but on the meaningless print on the paper in front of her. Reaching to the shelf in front of her, unfolding the wire that came just two days earlier, she began reading it again:
Kitty Russell, Long Branch Saloon Dodge City, Kansas.
Trial extended. Stop. Will Arrive Friday Noon. Stop. Sorry. Stop.
Matt Dillon, United States Marshal
Kitty read these words over and over. Matt had said this trial was a cut and dry trial. Should be no delay. This cowboy was going to hang for stealing horses. Matt was hoping to be out of there before the hanging took place. He never could stomach watching. Kitty had a bad feeling in her stomach. Something was making her feel very uneasy. Just this once, she was hoping, she was just over reacting.
Across the prairie, the dry dusty winds swirled like little twisters as Carl led his team of horses along the path that led to Dodge, carrying his passengers to their destinations. As he pulled into the stage depot, Festus and Doc were just coming out of Delmonico's. Festus yelled out, "Howdy there, Carl! Early gitin' in, are ya?"
"Howdy, Festus, Doc! Yep! Cut a little time off my run this afternoon. Figger I'll stop at the Long Branch and see Miss Mary, if'in she's workin' today."
Doc just shook his head. "Well, only one way to find out, Carl." Doc said. "And I'm headed that way myself."
"Oh, you'a buyin' are ya, Doc?" Festus' said looking at him with a wide-eyed look.
"You mooch! Where, in what I just said, did you hear me offer to buy you a drink?"
"Well,.. ummmm.."
Shaking his head and tugging on his ear. "Oh, come on. I'll buy you a drink, just one. You got that, just one!"
Just as they were bickering, they suddenly stopped at the sight, descending the stage. Tall, thin, in a beautiful dark green traveling suit, with a matching hat and falling slightly out from underneath, were a few loose curls. Bright red curls.
As she looked up, in a soft voice. "Good afternoon, Gentlemen. Maybe you could direct me to the nearest hotel?"
Doc and Festus' were speechless and fumbling for words. "Ahhh Ummm ..I… I..."
"Something wrong, gentlemen?" She asked.
Finally Doc said, "Oh, no, no. That would be the Dodge House, just up the street. Festus here can take your bags, ain't that right Festus?"
"Oh, sure I can. I git um' directly, Ma'am." Festus answered.
"Oh, my name is Maggie Cassidy." Suddenly she turned and reached into the stage and two small boys came out. Then she said, "And these are my boys, Ian and Conner. Say hello, boys."
Together they said "Hello."
As she walked away, Doc, Festus and Carl all looked at one another. Carl began to say to Doc, "Doc, doesn't she look …?"
And Doc stopped him. "Carl, If I didn't know better, I'd swear she was…"
Then he walked away, heading towards the Long Branch. He had to tell Kitty about this.
Doc entered the Saloon. "Hi, Sam. Kitty around?"
"Sure, Doc, she's in her office. I'll get her for you. Miss Kitty," he said as he knocked on the door. "Doc is here and wants to see you."
"Ok, Sam, I'll be right out."She answered. "Doc, what brings you so early, can I get you anything? Coffee?"
"Sure, Kitty, sit down. There's something that I just saw and I gotta tell you about it... ask you… Honey, I know you keep your past, and your life, private and that's fine. That is your right, but, honey …"
"Doc, what's eating at you?" Kitty asked, puzzled.
"Kitty, Honey, Festus and I were just coming from Delmonico's when the stage came in and there was a passenger got off."
"Yeah, and?" She asked.
"Honey, I felt like it was De' Jevu' from twenty years ago."
"What? What are you talking about?" She looked at him confused.
"Kitty, this young woman that got off this stage could have been you, twenty years ago."
"Oh, Curly." Then Kitty looked at his face and realized this was actually bothering him. "Curly, what are you asking?"
TBC