Doc's hat was more askew on his head than normal when he pushed the swinging doors of the Long Branch open and waddled through them slowly. Festus and Miss Kitty were sitting at the table in the back and turned their heads to see him slide slowly over to the bar. Sam looked at him with the same look Festus and Miss Kitty had, but did not say a word. He just grabbed the bottle and poured what Doc wanted.
"Golly bill, Miss Kitty, it looks as if ol' Doc has been windblown through the prairie and turned upside down," Festus said.
"I agree. Why don't you go over and find out what's wrong."
Festus gives Miss Kitty the squinted eyes. "Gosh Miss Kitty, I really don't think that's a good idee. It looks like Doc could bite someone."
"Better you than me," Miss Kitty said with a smile.
Festus just gives Miss Kitty that look again, then gets up and saunters over to the bar.
"Hey Doc."
Doc just looks at Festus a moment, grabs his glass of whiskey, downs it in one gulp, and turns and walks out of the Long Branch without speaking a word.
Festus turns and looks at Miss Kitty and she even shrugs her shoulders. She gets up as Festus moves to the swinging doors and Miss Kitty joins Festus there and they both watch Doc climb the stairs to his office.
"Well don't that just thump yer backside with a twig. The on'ry ol' scudder couldn't even speak."
"That's not like Doc. Something's wrong Festus. Where's Matt?"
"Over t'is office."
"Well, come on Festus. We are going to tell him about this."
Festus does not move. He just looks at Miss Kitty.
Miss Kitty walks past him through the doors of her establishment and takes three steps towards the Marshal's Office. She stops and looks back. Festus was still standing in the same place.
"Well, come on Festus."
"Gee Miss Kitty. I think we'll stir up a ruckus if we do that. Maybe Doc does not want us t' know what's in his backside."
"Well I want to know what's in his backside! Now come on Festus!"
"Probably a bunch of buckshot!" Festus said as he finally trailed behind Miss Kitty and she laughed.
Matt was sitting behind his desk when Miss Kitty walked through the door. He looked up from reading the mail and smiled.
"Kitty, what brings you here?"
"Doc."
"Doc? What about Doc?"
"I tried to tell her this was not a good idee Matthew," Festus said.
Miss Kitty turned and gave Festus that look and said, "Hey now, even you said, Doc looked, and I quote, 'windblown through the prairie and turned upside down'."
"Well, I'd say that describes Doc almost all the time," Matt said and smiled.
"Now Matt. This was different. You didn't see him when he walked into the Long Branch."
"Yeah Matthew. Miss kitty's right. I walked over t' the bar and said hi, but Doc just looked at me, drunk his drank, and turned and walked out something fierce. Didn't even say a word. No nothin'," Festus said as he leaned over the desk.
"Matt, you need to go over there and talk to Doc. I'm worried."
"And what makes you two think he will talk to me? You both know how he is sometimes."
"Aww fiddle, Matthew. The on'ry ol' scudder will talk t' you and you knowed that!"
"Well if it makes you two happy, I'll go see what is going on," Matt said and slid the chair from underneath his desk and got up and grabbed his hat. Before he walked out, he turned to Miss Kitty and Festus and said, "But if he doesn't say anything, I don't want you two blaming me for not trying!"
Shortly after, Matt opened the door to Doc's office and Doc was sitting behind his desk. His gaze turned to Matt and he rubbed his mustache.
"I knew Kitty would send you. Just leave me alone Matt. Let me be."
"What is it Doc?"
"I said to leave me be. Now go Matt. I don't want you here."
"I'm not leaving that easy. Tell me what's the matter."
Doc stood up and moved over to Matt like he was going to belt him one. "What's the matter? I'll tell you what's the matter!" Doc exclaimed. "I don't need my meddling friends climbing those stairs, coming in here and trying to see what's wrong with me! I'm fine! Now go like I asked you!"
"Meddling? Who's meddling Doc?"
"You, Kitty, and Festus! That's who! Always getting in a man's business. Has it ever occurred to any of you that some things I like to keep to myself! Even if it means I have a daughter!" Doc exclaimed and slipped at the end. When he did, he turned away from Matt.
There was a sudden silence in Doc's office. Matt wanted to say something, but didn't know quite what to say. He took off his hat and held it. In both hands actually.
"A daughter, Doc?"
"You heard me Matt. Even though you weren't supposed to."
"That was pretty hard to miss. Why haven't you said something before now?"
"Matt, do I look like the type to keep something like that quiet if I had known? I just met her for the first time."
"But Doc, how?"
"Really Matt? I know I'm the doc, but do I really need to explain how to you?"
"That's not what I meant Doc. I meant..."
"Don't worry Matt. I know what you meant. I don't expect you to remember this, but you may. Years ago, oh, I guess it has to be about seventeen years now, especially since she is sixteen, I took some time off and went fishing in Garden City."
"Yeah, you were gone for quite a while," Matt answered.
"That's right. Well, when I got back, I never told anyone what happened. Galenetta's mother, that's her name, Galenetta. Well, I found her mother almost face down in the water. She had been badly beaten and was close to death. She could speak though. I told her that I was a doctor and that I needed to get her somewhere. She told me how to get to her place, and I put her in my buggy. Matt, I nursed her back to health. I did all I could do for her. And then, in a moment of weakness, well, I don't have to tell you the rest."
"Doc, sounds like you actually cared for this woman."
"Matt, I never…" Doc paused and turned towards his desk and sat, "Never cared for another woman the way I cared for Gwen. I fell in love with her. But, she didn't love me. And I knew it. That's why I came back to Dodge. Matt, I'll tell you, if she had loved me, I would have never come back here. Now, Gwen is dying and there's nothing I can do."
"Dying, Doc?"
"Yeah. Galenetta wrote me a letter and I got it last week. To say I was surprised was an understatement. She explained to me who she was and who her mother was and of course, I remembered. Matt, I had to go see her."
"Well, I don't blame you Doc."
"I don't know what I'm going to do Matt. I have a daughter I don't know and her mother is dying of a cancer and there's not a thing I can do about it because it is inoperable. Galenetta will be alone after that. She's only sixteen Matt. She's not a child, but she's not quite a woman."
"Well, Doc, you are the only person that will know what to do. I think you have a lot of thinking to do," Matt said and put his hat on and headed toward Doc's office door.
As Matt put his hand on the doorknob, Doc turned to him and said before he turned it, "Matt, thank you."
Matt just looked at Doc and smiled then nodded. That was all he had to do.
Knowing he had to tell Kitty and Festus something, Matt walked over to the Long Branch. As soon as he had pushed through the swinging doors, Kitty eyed him. She did not wait for him to get to the table.
Kitty met him half way and asked, "Well?"
"Well, Kitty, this is something Doc will have to tell you on his own. I have a feeling that you and Festus will find out sooner than later," Matt answered.
"Well that certainly tells me nothing. A lot of good you are," Kitty said and turned to head back to the table.
Matt followed her and sat after hanging his hat on the back of the chair. "Kitty, you'll understand when it happens. Trust me."
Kitty guffawed and said, "Trusting you is like trusting that that beer there of Festus' won't get him drunk!"
"Hey, I knows my limit!" Festus said as he picked up his beer.
"Kitty, you just have to go with me on this one. Doc will show and tell in time," Matt said and thanked Sam for the beer he brought over.
A couple of days went by and Doc had Moss Grimmick hitch his buggy. Kitty and Festus stood watching as Matt helped Doc get his buggy loaded. Once it was packed, Doc looked at Matt, then turned and looked at Kitty and Festus. He only gave them a gentle nod goodbye and Doc got in his buggy and rode off.
Matt walked across to the Long Branch where Miss Kitty and Festus were standing. As soon as he reached them, Kitty asked, "He'll be back in a couple of days I suppose?"
"Yeah. Yeah, he will."
"Matthew, you couldn't give me and Miss Kitty a little piece of that secret could you?"
"Festus, I gave Doc my word. When he gets back, he will tell you both. Now quit hounding me. I have rounds to make," Matt said and strode past them both.
"Well, Miss Kitty, I guess we will have t' wait, sure as shootin'."
"That's all we can do, Festus. Come on, let me buy you a beer," Miss Kitty said.
"I hadn't heard better words," Festus said and followed Miss Kitty into the Long Branch.
The waiting was getting to each of them, Kitty and Festus, and even Matt. Doc had been gone now for four days and there had been no word from him. Kitty wished he would send a telegraph, but knew that may not have been possible. Festus just moped around town most of the time and well, Matt, he continued with his duties.
They were all sitting at the table inside the Long Branch when the swinging doors opened and Doc walked inside. But Doc was not alone.
Matt was not surprised, and knew the obvious reason why the young lady was behind him, but when Miss Kitty and Festus saw her behind Doc, their mouths dropped open.
"What the…" Festus said then turned to look at Matt and Miss Kitty. Matt was just smiling and Miss Kitty, well, she still had a stunned look. "Why that there is a she-male following Doc. And she looks…"
"Looks just like him. Matt, she's not his…" Miss Kitty announced finally.
"I'll let him be the one to tell you," Matt said and smiled.
Doc walked over to the table where all his friends were sitting. Galenetta, his daughter, trudged shyly behind him, but had a smile on her face. When Doc reached the table, he looked over his shoulder at his daughter and took her by the hand to pull her to his side. "Kitty… Festus… I know you two have been wondering what I've been keeping from you, and even though Matt knew, I asked him not to tell. Thank you Matt for respecting my wishes. Now, I want you all to meet my daughter, Galenetta. Galenetta, Miss Kitty Russell, Festus Haggen, and Marshal Matt Dillon."
"It's a pleasure to meet you all," Galenetta said and curtsied.
"The pleasure is all mine Galenetta," Miss Kitty said and smiled.
Festus and Matt, now standing, both began to speak at the same time, but Festus stopped and let Matt get ahead of him, "Nice to meet you Galenetta. Don't let your old man keep you hidden now. You just got here!"
"Pleased to make your acquaintance ma'am," Festus said as he held on to his hat.
"And yours Marshal, and Festus, was it?" Galenetta spoke in a very mild tone.
"Why yes ma'am," Festus said with a smile.
"It'll be nice getting to know you since this is my home now," Galenetta said with a grin.
"Speaking of home, I better show you where it is." Doc said, "It's not much, but we will make do."
"I'm sure we will Poppa," Galenetta addressed Doc and he smiled at the sound of his daughter saying it.
Doc turned her around and moved towards the Long Branch's swinging doors. There was a new giddy-up in his step as he escorted his daughter to his office and home. And now it was going to be their home.
When Doc and Galenetta reached his office steps, he climbed slowly so she could keep up. Before he opened the door to his office, he stood there on the stoop and looked at his daughter. Galenetta smiled at her father. Doc smiled back and pulled out his key and unlocked his office door. As he turned the doorknob with his hand, he looked at his daughter and said, "Welcome home, Galenetta."
Galenetta smiled and walked through the door and Doc followed. Their life as father and daughter was just beginning.