Change of Life
A Silver Creek Christmas Story
One
Chaos was the order of the kitchen. Three nearly two-year olds were banging on pots and pans with great wooden spoons as they sat on the floor next to the cupboard. Standing on a chair, leaning against the counter with her fingers in the mixing bowl was six-year-old Hannah Rose Roniger. She was dusted with baking flour, while her chubby fingers were glued together by sugar cookie dough. The dog, a terrier mix named Puppy was enthusiastically licking up the crumbs, which had fallen from her hands to the floor below.
Sitting at the table none too gracefully were Christopher Greenwood Dillon and the Roniger triplets, Benny, Timmy and Tommy. The boys had managed to combine the red and green icings together turning the mix to a dull brown. Bored with decorating cookies they had begun to decorate each other with moustaches and sugary eyebrows.
A work weary Kitty surveyed the scene with a sense of desperation, a saloon full of rowdy cowboys had never created a challenge greater than the one before her now. "Children." She said sternly. "Settle down."
Little Jimmy Dillon stood, letting his pot drum fall to the floor with a clatter. Clenching his fists and grunting, he squatted a bit as his face turned red.
His twin sister Bethy, studied him for a moment, "Poo-peeeee." She declared pointing a little finger in the direction of Jimmy's bottom. "Jimmy do pooo-peeeeee."
"No-no." Kitty cried rushing to the toddler. "In the potty Jimmy ... make poopies in the potty." She arrived too late, the deed had already been accomplished. She picked the little boy up holding him at arms length hoping to save her clothing.
"Oooo wee." Tommy Roniger declared. "Jimmy stunk up the whole kitchen. Good one Jimmy!" The other boys agreed making a great show of holding their noses while loudly commenting on the odor.
Regina Roniger, getting in the spirit of the moment began banging her pot chanting, "Jim-meeee poo-pee, Jim-meeee poo-pee..." Bethy picked up her wooden spoon and joined in.
The door opened from the bedroom adjacent to the kitchen. "What's going on out here?" A grumpy voiced Doc said, "Good heavens Kitty, can't you keep those children under control? I need my afternoon nap."
Sensing an all out free-for-all, Puppy started barking and running around the kitchen joining in the commotion.
It was at that moment Matt Dillon chose to enter his home with his trusty ranch hand Festus Hagen at his side. They'd had a long day, Matt's back was sore and his joints ached with the cold. His usual good humor had retreated to the wayside that morning when he'd found out Bessie Roniger had gone into labor six weeks early, thereby spoiling his Christmas surprise for his wife. If truth be told, the present was as much for him as it was for Kitty. In the last two years, since the birth of the twins, time together had been at a premium. In fact, he could count on the fingers of one hand the times he had made love to his wife in the last six months. In hopes of rectifying the situation, he had purchased two train tickets to St Louis for the week after Christmas. Mrs. Roniger had promised to watch the children while they were gone. Now Bessie had spoiled his plan and although he knew it was unreasonable, Dillon took it personally. It seemed the only thing he had to look forward to was a decent meal. But, he soon realized supper was not in the plan as he opened the door to the mayhem inside. "All of you, Hold it right there!" The former lawman ordered.
Every eye turned to Dillon. The room was quiet for just a moment before the bedlam returned. Puppy in his excitement ran to Dillon and lifted a leg to the big man's boot. Dillon gave the dog a look of tolerant disgust. His footwear had been abused enough for one day by cow manure and horse dung. "Hey, stop that." He picked the little animal up and tossed him out the back door. "Take care of your business outside." He ordered. Turning back to his wife he asked, "Where's supper?"
"Supper?" she repeated glancing at the large clock ticking away on the kitchen wall. "I lost track of time. I forgot all about supper."
"How can you forget about supper, look here Kitty, Festus and I are hungry, we've been working hard all day with only those cold sandwiches you served this noon. You've been doing nothing but playing with the children."
"Playing with the children?! You think this is just a big game in here and we're all having a party?"
He wasn't in the mood to argue with her, he just wanted to eat and go to bed. "Humph." he grumbled. "I suppose its more cold sandwiches or starve." he moved to the cupboard but she stopped him before he opened the breadbox.
She set Jimmy back to the floor as she explained, "I fed the last of the bread to the boys this afternoon, they were hungry after they came in from sledding."
The big guy's stomach rumbled loud enough for everyone to hear, his frown deepened while surveying the kitchen disaster scene. From his bedroom door the elderly physician voiced a concern, "something smells like its burning."
Kitty's hands flew to her face. "MY COOKIES!" She whirled around and dashed to the cook stove. Using her apron as a pot holder she removed the tray of scorched cookies.
The kitchen was fragranced by Jimmy's dirty diaper and the burned cookie remains. Having been called upon to change a diaper once or twice since moving out to the Dillon ranch, Festus Hagen opted for a quick escape, "Matthew, I got me some salt pork and beans down at the bunk house. Looks to me like Miss Kitty's gonna have her hands full fer a spell, why don't me and you and ol' Doc there fend fer ourselves tonight."
Dillon opened his mouth, ready to say something, but changed his mind, looking in Adams direction he asked. "You comin'?"
When the men left, Kitty plopped down on a kitchen chair, she was caught somewhere between an urge to laugh hysterically or cry her eyes out. Regina Roniger toddled up to her and patted her stomach. "Baby?" she asked. "Baby."
Hanna Rose, who was beginning to have an understanding for the trials and tribulations of womanhood on the frontier, gently took her little sister's hand. "No, no `Gina.. Miss Kitty doesn't have a baby in her fat tummy, it's Ma who gots the baby."
Kitty looked down at her lax abdomen and sucked in her stomach. It didn't make much difference. After carrying twins her stomach muscles seemed to have lost their will to follow orders.
Christopher moved to stand beside her; he placed a consoling hand to her shoulder. "I'm sorry Mama; I guess we got carried away."
She looked up at his frosting mustached face and couldn't help but give him a weak smile. "I guess we'd best get things cleaned up in here. You big boys see what you can do. Hanna Rose, you keep an eye on Bethy and Regina while I tend to Jimmy."
GS GS GS
Order had been restored to the Dillon house, she had fed the children scrambled eggs and baking powder biscuits and tucked every last one of them snug in a bed. She wiped the last of the dishes and set it in place then glanced out the kitchen window, a blanket of snow covered the yard and beyond where the light burned brightly in the bunk house. Doc and Matt hadn't returned yet and she could only surmise they were still enjoying Hagen hospitality, which, more than likely included a jug of Ollie Tatum's finest corn liquor. She sighed and pushed the red bangs off her forehead.
Things usually ran much smoother than they had today. The addition of Bessie's triplets, Hanna Rose and Regina certainly put a crimp in her routine. She thought of her friend and wondered if the new baby had arrived yet. How Bessie managed with a house full of kids, Kitty had no idea. How she managed to have time and energy to spend with her husband to produce more children was nothing sort of a miracle to Kitty.
A change of life had occurred when Matt Dillon had asked her to marry him, and she would not trade places with anyone, especially not the Kitty she had once been. But every so often, especially on days like today, the thought of her old ways at the Long Branch brought a wistful sadness to her heart. The sound of sleigh and bells drew her attention away from the bunk house.
"Company!" she thought as she slicked her hair into place and tucked in her shirtwaist. She answered the knock immediately startling the visitor with her promptness.
"Merry Christmas Miss Kitty!" Her guest announced.
"Sam!" she cried with genuine delight. "What brings you out here?" She took his elbow and escorted him in the house. "Can I get you something? Coffee or whiskey? It's mighty cold out there."
"No thanks Miss Kitty, I'm fine."
"Considering the time of night, I'm guessing this isn't a social call. What's wrong Sam?"
With a smile, Sam admitted, "You know me too well. Miss Hannah was taken ill. Doc Bledsoe says its pneumonia. He says she'll have to rest and take it easy for at least two weeks. Now, Miss Kitty you know I'd do anything for you and Miss Hannah, but I've been planning on spending Christmas with my sister and her family back East. I haven't seen her in ten years."
"I remember you telling me about your trip, what does this have to do with me?"
"Miss Kitty, someone has to look after the Long Branch."
She looked at him, then looked down at herself, "Sam!? Surely you don't expect me to do it?"
"Miss Kitty you still own fifty-five percent of the place. The way I see it, you've got to do it. If you don't who is going to protect your investment?"
"It's been over two and a half years since I worked in the saloon. I'm a mother now. I have responsibilities. I'm sorry, but you will just have to find someone else."
The back door opened and Dillon walked in. "Find someone else for what?" Dillon asked.
"Sam wants me to come back to the Long Branch while he's away and Miss Hannah is recovering from the pneumonia."
The idea of Kitty working at the Long Branch made him chuckle out loud but the look on Kitty's face made him stop.
She frowned, "What are you laughing at Sunshine? Don't you think I could still do it? Maybe you think I'm too old, or not pretty enough to attract business."
"Now, that wasn't what I meant."
"What did you mean by laughing then?"
" Kitty you have to admit the notion is ridiculous. And what about the children..."
"If memory serves me, you think it's child's play to take care of the children, so here's your chance for a little fun and games Cowboy."
"I forbid you to go!" As soon as he said the word forbid, he knew he'd made a mistake.
Her voice rose in volume and pitch, "You what?"
It could have been the way the lamplight was hitting her, but Matt Dillon swore he saw sparks fly from her red mane.