The bright early morning sun peered through the window and roused Chester from his peaceful slumber. He awoke startled by his surroundings, he had completely forgotten that he had came up to Doc's office with the Marshal last night . Doc lifted his sore aging body from the exam table he had collapsed on early before the day's dawn . He had the physically exhausting task of helping Bess Ronniger bring a healthy baby boy into the world some time after midnight.
"Oh goodness… I must have dozed off." Chester spoke through a yawn while rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"Finally… your up… Now I'll get some peace and quiet ." Doc spoke as he moved from the exam table toward the stove.
"Oh, Doc. " puffed Chester standing to stretch .
"That snoring of yours… it's absolutely deafening ." Doc barked as he tested the temperature of the coffee pot with the back of his hand.
"Well forever more, Doc… I don't snore that much" he stated.
"You don't … you ever heard yourself… you bellow like a sick cow?" Doc replied pouring himself a cup of coffee.
"Oh… a course not… now how'd I do that if I'm asleep…would ya just tell me that." Chester boasted.
"If there was some way I could bottle it up…so you could open it and hear that ear splitting noise…well...I surely would." Doc spouted as he surveyed out the window.
"Did ya get Mister Dillon all patched up... and the Ronniger baby welcomed to the world?" Chester asked as he reached over Doc to get a cup for coffee.
"Yes I did…and what in thunder are you doing…don't you have some where you need to be?" question Doc slapped at Chester as he checked his pocket watch for the time.
"For Heavens sake…I'm just gett'n a cup of coffee and then I'm gonna go…did you get up from the wrong side of the bed or something." pouted Chester.
"Why you…No such thing…I have you know I haven't even seen my bed yet… wrong or right side of it!" Doc exclaimed back swiping his mustache.
"Well… I'll just be on my way and check on Mister Dillon…get some breakfast or someth'n " Chester announced placing the empty coffee cup on the table.
Chester moved for the door, in all understanding of the need for the sleep that the old physician was lacking . Doc scratched his head as he turned to watch Chester's departure. He wondered if this morning would allow him the much needed shuteye .
Matt had been up most of the night and well into the morning trying to finish up loose ends on some of his paperwork. He knew deep down that truth be told he was really preoccupied from his sleep by Kitty's sultry offer last night. He wondered why in the world he turn her down like that, but he was the type of man that had to be in control of things and it had to be on his terms. Last night was a lost cause, the evening had not started out so well for the young marshal. Matt was a little gun shy in romantic situations and he knew well enough to leave it as it was. He didn't want any type performance anxiety to rear it's ugly head while with Kitty. Matt thought how mighty hard it would be to change Kitty's first impression of him if something like that had happened. Matt shook those thoughts from his head as lifted his large fatigued frame up from the desk and moved toward the window. He reached for the coffee pot to pour himself a cup, he gazed out and noticed Festus trudging into town on that ole' mule his . Matt made his way to the door to greet his hill friend.
"Well… Hello there Festus… It's been quite awhile." he spoke out across the street to his friend.
"Matthew… yur looksome enough with that thear bump on your noggen ." Festus replied swinging off from his mount.
"Why thanks Festus" Matt replied with a smirk ."What brings you into town these days" pushing his hat up from his brow .
"Oh…nary a thang, Matthew… I been a thank'n… ard'a git ak'wainted to town liven that's all" Festus stated while loosening his mule Ruth's saddle cinch.
"Moving into town are you." mused Matt.
"Thank'n powerful hard on it… prairies gett'n scarce out thear, Matthew." he stated factually unto Matt.
"You don't say." replied Matt as he sipped from his coffee cup.
"If'n ya got a mind to offer me some of that thear coffee of yorn…I'd fill ya in on it." Festus pointed to the cup in Matt's hand.
"Oh sure…sure … Come on in." he motioned to the door.
"Them buffler are disappear'n from the prairie… why them injuns ain't even around anymore neither… towns a taken em over, Matthew." Festus proclaimed as he made himself comfortable inside the jail.
"You got your eye on some kind of job here in town, Festus" quipped Matt
"Oh… a course … I'ma heep good at odd an end jobs…I might even have e'nuff extree time to help ya some, Matthew. He answered proudly at Matt's question.
"Well… that would be just fine Festus…I'll keep you in mind." Matt remarked with a wide smile across his face .
"Chester make this here coffee?…cause it a peers to be older than Ma'thoozla." Festus gulped the bitter bit of the black liquid down.
"Yep that would be Chester's doing all right…Hey, how about we go over to the Long Branch for a cold beer?" Matt motioned as he grabbed for the door knob to exit.
"Now Marshal… I ard'a let ya know… I'ma might deep in the pockets as we speak… hadn't felt the bottums of um in quite spell." spoke Festus with the squint of his eye up at Matt.
"Come on, my treat." he announced
The two made there way through the door onto the boardwalk in the direction of the Long Branch. Chester caught sight of them as he was making his way down the stairs from Doc's office.
"Mister Dillon!" Chester called out as he plopped down one stair at a time.
"Morning Chester." Matt greeted as he placed his hands in his vest pockets.
"Well forever more…Festus Haggan… I thought you were around the Cimarron somewheres." Chester spoke as he reached to shake the hill man's hand.
"More like the Colo'rayda ." Festus grasped Chester's in a firm shake.
"I see Doc got you all fixed up there, Mister Dillon" Chester eyed the bruising that crept from the bandage on Matt's face.
"Yep…say did Doc deliver the Ronniger baby last night?" Matt was quick to try to change the subject from him to something else.
"Yes sir, he sure did…a healthy boy ." he nodded proudly back to the Marshal
"Well now that's mighty good news to hear." declared Matt
"Say Matthew… Mizz Kitty still perdy'n up this here place?" with a toothy grin inquired Festus.
"She sure is ." Matt chuckled back a him.
"Come on in and see for yourself." Chester placed a hand on the Hill man's back and guided him though the bat wing saloon doors.
The trio bellied up to the bar to order their mid morning eye openers .
"What can I get you gents this morning ?" Sam asked all still in the process of wiping down the bar top.
"Sam, this here big fella has offered to buy…so git ta pour'n" gushed Festus with a gleam in his eye.
"You heard the man." winked Matt at the bartender.
"What ever you say, Marshal." replied Sam with a grin forming across his wrinkled face.
The group had settled in discussing the previous nights events, unaware that Kitty was making her way down from her room above them.
" Well…well …look what the cat dragged in." Kitty bellowed loudly smiling at the group as they all turned in unison to watch her descend the remaining steps to the saloon floor .
"Ain't you a sight for some sore eyes, Mizz Kitty ." observed Festus .
"Good morning boys ." Kitty announced as she flashed her safire blue orbs up at Matt.
Matt caught the none verbal signal she was conveying to him as he felt a slight heat coming from his blushed cheeks.
"How's that handsome face this morning Marshal?" she teased at Matt.
Matt gazed back at Kitty with a sheepish grin and a awkward nod of acknowledgment to her question. He hoped that no one in their presence caught on to what was taking place before them.
"It's on the mend Kitty." he informed her as he lifted the beer mug to his lips for a drink.
"Oh Miss Kitty…I thought you might want to know ole' Doc helped deliver the Ronniger's baby last night…that's why he's not here a course… he's gett'n some shuteye ." Chester proclaimed leaning on his elbows against the bar.
"Matt… mentioned that he was delivering a baby, but didn't say who's it was." replied Kitty to Chester.
"Kitty, ole' Festus here is looking to taking up residence right here in Dodge." Matt stated as he motioned with his mug of beer in the direction of his wolfer friend .
"Glad to here it Festus… How about the next round on me… you know to welcome you to town in all… Sam…" She smiled kindly at the group.
"Yes Ma'am." replied Sam
"Ablidged, Mizz Kitty …I s'pect it's feel'n right homey all ready ." Festus lifted his beer to toast her in appreciation.
"Well if you will excuse me …I promised Bill that I would inventory the stock this morning." she turned away from the group of friends, brushing Matt's arm as she went to the seller door .
"Let me help you." Matt put his beer down and moved in behind Kitty as she led the way down to the seller stairs.
"I'll see you two later." Matt stated flipping a 50 cent piece upon the counter.
"Someth'n powerful strong between them two ain't thear" noted Festus.
"What?" questioned Chester.
"Well… like when yer goozzler is so dry, a cold beer is the onliest thang that will wet it. " Festus spelled it out for Chester .
"Oh yea…yea … of course." with a confused response from Chester.
Matt made his way down the steps behind Kitty. He stopped at the bottom and leaned his large frame over the stair railing to admire her as she looked over the dusty whiskey barrels. Kitty was so beautiful with her fiery red hair pulled high above her head and her ivory white skin peeking out ever so shyly from behind her modest day dress. He wanted her something awful, but he was just a little reluctant to commence into a relationship. Matt tried hard to no avail to convince himself that these feelings he had for her would surely pass.
" Did you come down here to help or just gawk at me ?" Kitty barked at him.
"Um…well… ah… I guess I can help?" he said shamefully, knowing she had caught in the act.
He moseyed from the railing to plant himself atop a beer keg , removing his hat, he tossed it aside on top of the table beside him. Matt reached his hand out to take hold of Kitty's to pull her to him.
"Now…what kind of help would you be needing from me ?" his sky blue eyes twinkled in the question .
He slid his finger down her cheek and across her plump pink lips to rest them in some what of a fisted shape under her chin. He lifted her face ever so slightly to make eye contact with him. Their eyes spoke with silent conversation of the need that their bodies longed for.
"Any kind that you are willing to give me, Marshal." she spoke seductively challenging him to complete what he had started.
"Kitty…I can't promise you much… you do know that." Matt whispered unto her as he took a kiss from her lips.
"I…don't need much… just you, Matt" she professed to him .
Kitty moved in closer, placing her hands around the back of his neck clutching his wisp of curls. Matt grasped tightly to her hips, his hand almost encircling her tiny waist. Kitty could not mistake Matt's excitement as they feverishly explored one another's body. She didn't want to seem too eager so she pushed away from their breathless frenzy. She stepped back from him to compose herself.
"Something wrong, Kitty?" Matt probed.
"I came down here to get some work done… I have you know." she announced picking a clipboard up from the table and placing a pencil over her ear.
"Oh…I see… paybacks, is it?" Matt laughed as he hopped down from the barrel and moved to stand to full height in front of her.
"Humm… if that's what you want to call it." affirmed Kitty lacing her arms around the clipboard and pulling it up against her firm breasts.
"Okay then… I've got plenty of work to do myself." Matt slowly pulled the pencil from Kitty's ear .
He pushed the clipboard down from her grasp with the forefinger of his left hand and scribbled something on the paper with his right. Kitty watched as the wording Matt chose appeared on the paper before her .
"I'll see you later, Kitty." sliding the pencil back to its original resting place above Kitty's ear, Matt grabbed up his hat placing it atop his head. He grinned ever so coyly at her as he ascended the stairs.
She glanced back down to read the inscription Matt left upon the paper.
" I'll pay you back tonight in your room after my rounds are done. I'll be waiting in the back alley behind the Long Branch around midnight. "
Kitty's heart skipped a beat as she read the words of the man she held so dear in her heart . She pulled the page from the clipboard folding it lovingly and placing it between her bosom. She thought of all the things she needed to do before she would meet with him tonight.
