Thank you to everyone for being so patient in waiting and for all the nice reviews. J
Just Once: The Ford County Sociable Story
Chapter 2
Disclaimer: See chapter 1.
Matt and Chester were at Del Monico's enjoying breakfast when Doc came in. "Morning Doc." Matt greeted, feeling overly chipper. The sun was shinning, it was going to be a beautiful day and he was going to escort Kitty to the sociable. He had to admit, he was looking forward to it.
"Oh Matt!" Doc said, a little suprised to see the lawman. "I'm suprised to see you in town."
"Oh?" Matt asked. "Why?"
Winking at Chester, Doc quipped, "Well it seems that any time there's a social event going on you mysteriously have to leave town."
Matt gave Doc a brief smile but didn't say anything. In fact he didn't get a chance because Chester said around a mouth full of bacon, "Yeah Doc, you're gonna have to find someone else to escort."
"What!?" Doc asked in mock horror. "You mean," Doc pointed at Matt, "that this, overgrown civil servant is the one escorting Kitty?" Shaking his head, Doc continued, "I don't believe it."
Nodding his head, Chester said with a big smile, "You better believe it Doc, Mister Dillon told me so this morning. Didn't ya Mister Dillon?"
Matt grinned and nodded, saying nothing just enjoying the banter of his two friends. He listened for the rest of their meal with half an ear until he saw Kitty come in. Stepping through the door, she smiled at him as she made her way to their table.
"Morning Matt. Doc. Chester." Kitty said, pretending that this was the first time she had seen Matt as they so often did.
"Morning Miss Kitty." Chester greeted, this time around a mouthful of pancakes.
"Kitty." Doc said, kicking Matt under the table, urging him to stand and pull out the empty chair for Kitty, as the younger man was trying to stand.
Matt shot Doc a look over Kitty's shoulder as he helped her get settled before taking his own chair. He sat and was just taking a drink of coffee when Doc made his next comment.
"So Kitty, I hear for the first time in four years our Marshal here is actually going to be around to escort you to a social event."
Kitty nodded and smiled at Matt, full well realizing that Matt was probably enduring more than his fair share of teasing, before she chided her older friend. "Doc, be nice. It hasn't been Matt's fault that he's missed those events in the past."
"Yeah." Matt said, deciding that maybe he should stand up for himself a little. "I haven't missed all of them. I was here for the lunchbox social."
"Well yes, there was food involved, I'd expect you to show up for something like that." Doc poked at his friend.
That afternoon Matt and Chester were dozing in front of the jailhouse when Matt through half closed eye lids saw Kitty come out of Miss Adelia's dress shop with two packages in her hand. Wondering what she was doing, he stood lazily, stretched and then wandered across the street. Stepping into the Long Branch he looked at Sam who simply smiled and pointed a finger up the stairs.
Matt smiled and took the stairs, two at a time to go and see just what Kitty was up to. When he reached her door he knocked swiftly and then stood to the side waiting for her answer.
Kitty had just returned from the dress shop with her new dress and hat for the sociable and was suprised when she heard the knock but thinking that it was one of the other girls, wanting to see the new dress she called out a happy "Come in!"
Matt stepped through the door after gaining admittance to find a very shocked Kitty Russell. "Matt! What are you doing here?"
"You said that I could come in." Matt said carefully.
"Well next time let me know that it's you! I don't want you to see this dress until tonight!" Kitty said, scrambling to cover the dress.
"Why?" Matt asked innocently.
"Beacause it may be as close to a wedding dress as I ever get!" Kitty shot back, knowing that if anything sent Matt Dillon running it would be the "w" word.
However, it didn't work this time and Matt decided to stay, taking a chair, pulling it out and sitting down. "Matt!" Kitty almost screamed. "You can't see my dress until this evening."
"Well that's what I wanted to know Kitty. What time would you like me to come for you?"
Kitty laid a hand on her chest, "You mean your actually going to come a callin' for me Marshal?" she said in her best imitation of a Southern belle.
Matt stood then and extended his hand, "Why yes Miss Russell, but again I ask, what time would you like me to call for you?"
"Well, why don't you come by at six and we'll go have some supper." Kitty suggested.
Matt nodded, stood and smashed his hat back on his head. "Sounds good Kitty. I'll see ya later."
Kitty smiled at his retreating back, "Bye Matt."
Matt went back to his office where he found Chester busily polishing his boots. "Oh hello Mister Dillon."
"Chester."
"I'm just tryin' to get ready for the sociable tonight." Chester said in way of explanation.
"I see that." Matt said. "When you get done, would ya mind givin' me a hair cut?"
"Uh, a hair cut Mister Dillon?" Chester asked.
"Yeah, I need a little trim up and I know that the barber shop is going to be full of other fella's doing the same thing. Thought I'd save myself some time and money and just have you do it."
"Oh. Oh, well I guess I can do that for ya Mister Dillon."
"Good."
Later that afternoon anyone that walked past the jail gave the closed door an odd look, wondering what in the world was going on inside but to afraid to stop and look.
"Jesus Chester, did you find the dullest sicsors in the drawer or what?" Matt hollered as he sat with a towel around his shoulders, letting Chester trim his hair.
Chester, getting flustered said, "I sure am sorry Mister Dillon. I'm doin' the best I can."
He took another snip at Matt's neckline, trying to even it out and Matt yelped again in pain. "Oops. I think I might of nipped ya that time, Mister Dillon." Chester dabbed at the small, bleeding cut. "Aw, it'll be ok Mister Dillon and your shirt collar will cover it up."
"Thanks Chester." Matt said ruefully.
His haircut finished, Matt then went to the wash stand to shave. He was always careful doing this but it seemed that his nerves over taking Miss Kitty out were taking over him. Feeling the razor slip, he watched as a trail of blood flowed down his cheek to drip off of his chin. "Damn!" he yelled out loud, throwing his razor into the basin of water and using the towel around his next to wipe his face off. A cut on his neck and now one on his face, by the time he made it to Kitty's he was going to look like he'd been in a knife fight.
Matt grumbled to himself a little more and then finished what he had started. It was time to get ready for the sociable.
