The List 2
Author's Note: Forget to mention, this is set in late season 19.
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"Sam, give me a bottle of your finest whiskey." She said as she approached the bar.
For several seconds Sam stood, blinking rapidly, uncomprehending what she'd just asked for. Finally, "I beg your pardon." He said. "You want whiskey?"
"Yes," she nodded. "That's right, whiskey. Oh and a glass of course."
Sam looked at her uncertainly. "Are you sure, Ma'am?" He asked. "I mean, I can fix you a glass of branch water or a cup of coffee."
"I do believe I made myself clear, Sam." She frowned at him. "Whiskey. A full bottle, if you please."
"Yes, Ma'am." He said. "Uh, why don't you have a seat over there," he pointed to a table out of the way in the back, "and I'll bring it over to you."
"Why, thank you, Sam." She beamed up at him. "I do believe I will."
An hour later, Kitty came through the doors and stopped just inside. For several minutes she stood in total confusion and wonder at the woman sitting at the back table, a bottle of whiskey, two thirds gone, in front of her and a silly grin on her face. Finally she made her way over to the bar.
"How long has she been here?" Kitty asked Sam.
"About an hour." Sam replied. "She just walked in, ordered a bottle of whiskey and a glass and has been sitting there drinking it. I've tried a couple of times to get her to stop and perhaps drink some coffee, but she won't do it."
"Hmm…" Kitty arched a brow as she turned and looked at Jean Lane, the dress shop owner. "Let me have another glass, Sam."
Sam handed her a glass and she walked over to the table, sitting down next to the petite blond woman who had never been known to even look at a saloon, much less enter one. "Afternoon, Jean." Kitty smiled warmly. "Mind if I join you?"
Jean looked over at Kitty and her grin broadened. "Kitty!" She exclaimed, slurring her words. "Ah, my friend. I am so glad to see ya. Here, put yer glass over here and lemme pour ya a drink."
Kitty sat silently for a minute as Jean poured her a glassful and then some. "Thank you, Jean." She gently placed her hand over the woman's and directed the bottle back to the table. "Would you like to tell me what's going on here? I don't believe we've had the pleasure of a visit from you before."
Jean giggled in a high pitched tone. "That's a fact and me with my hand up." She tried to raise her right hand but it wouldn't go up. Trying again, she grabbed it with her left and pulled, giggling even more. "I figgered it was about time, Kitty. I mean, you n' me bein' fellow bidness owners and you being such a good customer o' mine and all, I figgered I oughta return the favor."
"Well, not that I don't appreciate the business," Kitty grabbed her hand before she could raise another glass of whiskey to her mouth. "But don't you think you ought to slow it down some? To my knowledge, you're not quite used to drinking like this. It could make you awfully sick."
For just a second Jean looked stricken at the words then laughed loudly, shaking her head. "Sick!" She chuckled. "Yep, that's the word for it."
Kitty sensed something was going on and whatever it was, wasn't good. Pursing her lips for a second, she rose and reached down, taking Jean by the hand. "Come on, Jean. Come with me."
"Ah, no, Kitty. I got me a bottle I gotta drink. See. I… I…" Suddenly she turned white as she looked over at Kitty with glazed eyes. "Oh, I don't feel so good." She started to swoon and began sliding out of the chair.
"Sam," Kitty called with a touch of amusement. "A little help here, please?"
"Yes, Ma'am." Quickly Sam made his way over to the table and lifted Jean's slight form from the chair.
"Take her up to the room across from mine, if you would, Sam." Kitty told him with a sigh and a shake of her head.
A couple of hours later, a very pale and ailing dress maker lay back on the bed with a cool wet cloth on her forehead. She had managed to throw up the contents of her stomach completely and was currently too weak to do much else but lie there.
"How are you feeling?" Kitty asked as she pulled the cloth away, dipped it in water, wrung it out and replaced it.
"Sick." Jean admitted. "I never knew whiskey could do that to a person."
Kitty grinned. "Well you know now."
"It doesn't do you that way, though, does it?" Jean observed.
"No," Kitty shook her head. "But then I've been doing it a whole lot longer than you have. Besides I don't try to kill a whole bottle in one sitting." Kitty's grin disappeared, replaced by concern. "You want to tell me about it?"
For several long moments, Jean said nothing, she wouldn't even look at Kitty. But finally, she raised troubled eyes to her friend and shrugged. "Not too much to tell." She said softly. "I'm going to die soon and I wanted to do some things, experience some things, I never have, before it was too late."
"Die?" Kitty gasped. "Oh, no, Jean. Are you sure? Have you been to see Doc?"
Jean nodded glumly. "Yes, he's the one that told me. It's some kind of blood disease. He said it won't be much longer."
Kitty suppressed a sob and turned away, not wanting to burden her friend with her emotions. "Oh, Jean." She managed.
Despite a doozy of a headache, Jean pulled herself into a sitting position and took Kitty by the arm. "It's alright, Kitty." She soothed. "I've accepted it. I'm okay, honest. And now at least, I can scratch whiskey off my list."
Kitty turned a puzzled look on her friend. "List?"
Jean nodded. "Doc told me that if there was anything I wanted to do, I'd need to do it soon. I know he meant things like, writing out a will and contacting relatives or whatever, and I will do that. But I decided there were other things I've always wanted to try, things I wanted to do but didn't quite have the nerve. Drinking whiskey was one of them."
Despite the tragic news she had just been given, Kitty grinned. "Well, you did do that. Quite a bit of it as a matter of fact. Want any more?"
Jean returned the grin. "No, I think that will do. At least as far as whiskey is concerned. But I do have several other items on that list."
"Oh? Like what?" Kitty questioned.
Jean chuckled as she lay back down. "I'll tell you later. But right now, I think I need to rest. If I wasn't going to die anyway, this list just might kill me."
TBC