Festus opened his eyes once the light from the sun dawning filtered though the curtain in his and Abelia's room.
Abelia was already up. He could hear her putting the frying pan on the stove and smell the coffee perking as she made him and the children breakfast.
With a sigh, he stretched and smiled at the same time. It was good to have her back and whole again.
Since their trip to Hayes to watch Burt Sims hanging, she hadn't mentioned him or the time they spent apart.
At first, he wondered if it was healthy for her to not discuss it but Doc assured him, if Abelia felt the need to talk about it, she would.
Getting out of the double bed, he washed his face in the basin before pulling fresh clothes from the dresser and getting dressed.
"Morning, Bee," he said sliding up behind her.
"Festus," she said as the hill man pulled her toward him in a hug. "I have breakfast to make."
"I was just givin ya a hug," he said as the twins hurried out of their bedroom.
"Well," Festus said picking up one in his right arm and the other in his left. "Where do ya think you two are going?"
"Ma'ma, ma'ma," the two year old toddlers squealed while teaching for Abelia.
"Sorry, youngin's," Festus said with a slight laugh. "Yer Ma's busy."
"Put the twins in their chairs and I'll feed them," Abelia said as the baby started to fuss from his cradle.
(Jail)
"Morning, Matthew," Festus said entering the jail a short while later.
"Morning," Matt said finishing up his morning shave as Festus hummed away while making coffee. "You seem to be in a good mood this morning?"
"Oh, wal," Festus said with a grin. "Junior slept all night last night. Got ma first good nights sleep in months."
"Well, yeah," Matt said with a grin. "I guess that would put you in a good mood, wouldn't it?"
Matt headed over to his desk as the door opened and Doc walked in. "Morning, Matt," he said before noticing Festus near the stove. "What are you doing here so early?"
"Wal," Festus said looking at Matt. "If ya must know, nosy. I came ta talk to Matthew bout being deputy again."
"And Abelia's alright with that?" Doc asked while swiping at his mustache.
"Wal, ya," Festus said getting a cup of coffee. "It was her idea."
Festus brought a cup and the pot of coffee over to the table in the middle of Doc's office.
"You made this?" Doc asked as Festus nodded. "Just give me half a cup! I got to be able to sleep tonight."
Matt grinned as Festus poured Doc half a cup before pouring Matt a whole one. "Well," Matt said opening a drawer, he took out Festus deputy marshal badge and handed it to him. "I'm happy to have you back."
"Much obliged, Matthew," Festus said pinning the badge on his vest as Matt thumbed though a few wanted posters. "What ya got there?"
"This came in yesterday," Matt said showing the hill man a poster with a picture on it. "This gang started out in Colorado. They've been working their way though the states and may be headed here to Kansas."
"What they done?" Festus said handing the poster back.
"So far mostly petty stuff," Matt said. "They've been taking goods and occasionally money from general stores, no ones gotten hurt, yet."
"Don't sound like they got any reason ta be putting out a poster on em," Festus said curiously.
"Well," Matt said pushing one of the posters toward him. "This one here is the governor of Colorado's son, he's been riding with them from the beginning and the governor wants him stopped."
"I just don't know what ta say bout these youngin's Matthew," Festus said shaking his head. "I know one thing, ya won't catch no youngin of mine a tearin though the states robbing this an that."
"Because that's what you did, right?" Doc said with a wink toward Matt.
"Wal," Festus said bashfully. "I got in ta my share of trouble when I was a kid."
"Uh huh," Doc said tugging at his ear. "And now that you got kids yourself, you think you're the authority on how to control them, right?"
"Guess I would be more than you," Festus groused. "I don't see ya rearin no youngin's."
Doc scoffed as he stood up and headed toward the door. "I'm going to the Long Branch for a decent cup of coffee."
(A day out of Dodge)
"Hey Rob, pass me some more of that coffee?"
The young man picked up the pot from the fire and filled the other man's cup.
"That's almost the last of it, Joe," Rob said shaking the pot. "We're going to have to get some supplies soon."
"Yeah," Joe said thoughtfully. "I was thinking bout that. Our next stop is Dodge City."
"Dodge," Rob replied hesitantly. "I don't know bout that."
"Why," Joe said smacking the alabaster skinned and blonde headed, hazel eyed boy on the shoulder.
"No reason," Rob said quietly. "Let's just get in and get out fast, okay?"
"Yeah sure," Joe said with a grin. "No problem."