Finding Mary
PT.3
A/N: Happy New Year's to all. Hope that 2017 brings everyone new ventures and much Love and Peace!
Kitty paced the parlor. Doc did what he could to try and calm her but even he knew, in all his years knowing her, it wasn't going to be long before, no matter what he said, no words were going to soothe her. Holding a sniffer of Brandy, her favorite Napoleon, that Doc had poured her, without warning, she spun and smashed it into the fire, burning strong in the hearth.
"OHHHHHH! Damn it, Doc! I can't do this anymore."
"What? You can't do what?"
Stomping her feet, "THIS! THIS! Just standing here doing absolutely nothing."
Scrubbing, his upper lip, "Well then, Young Lady. Just what in Thunder is it do you think you can do? Huh? Tell me that."
With her lips pursed and face beet red, "OHHH, I DON"T KNOW DAMN IT! But I can't just sit here doing nothing but us two just watching each other grow old! Curly, I'm going to head back to town. Grace should be back from the Miller place." Now covering her mouth, "Oh, Curly. Grace!"
"What about Grace?"
Shaking her head, "Curly, Grace doesn't know. She doesn't know Mary's gone. She'd left town before all this happened. Oh, Curly, why? Why?"
"Well now, Honey, we don't know that just yet. Look if you insist..."
Looking at him, both hands on her hips. "I do."
"Yeah, I know, then I'm going to go with you so I can keep an eye on you. Matt wanted me to."
"I'm not worried about what Matt wants right now. One of my girls is missing and God knows where or what is happ..." She was now covering her face in her hands trying to hide the tears.
"Now you just hold it here. You and Matt have raised two very smart, strong girls and don't you forget that."
Sniffling back the tears, nodding in agreement. "Let's just find Grace. Ok?"
Tugging his ear, grabbing his hat. "You bet we will!"
Webb Cabin
Turning slowly, facing Ezra, "Did you just say doctoring?"
"Yeah! Git to it. Time is slippin' by."
Tilting her head. "Are you crazy? I can't..." Then she looked around the room. "What's wrong with her?"
"You be the Doc, Missy. Ain't that what you do?" Ezra, walked closer. "That there is my ma. Granny ta my youngins'. Ma/Granny does the doctorin' for us all. But you can see she be feelin' poorly and ain't none a us here know no doctorin'. So I sent the boys to fetch ya. Need ya help."
Mary stared at him, now feeling sorry for this man who's eyes shed so much pain. "Look, Mr..."
"Webb, Ezra Webb."
"There's been a big mistake." Then Mary stopped and thought how telling him could only make things worse. She thought that she could try and do what she could for the old woman. She had been around while Grace had treated many patients.
Mary being a school teacher, something she had done for several years after she and Frank Jr. married, had done a lot of reading and enjoyed reading Grace's books and journals in her office. She figured maybe it would be helpful now. Now to distract them from hovering.
"Look, Mr. Webb, first thing we need to do is make some room. Clean this space up. I'll need lots of fresh water. I do remember seeing a well outside?"
"Yes," he answered.
"Good. Like I said, lots of water."
Turning to one of the boys, "Well, boy. You heard her. Water. Go on!"
"Ok then, this room. The animals they need to go outside and I need some clean linen, blankets, as best you can. Please? I'll help you." Mary started cleaning up, thinking to herself, 'Momma, I sure hope you got to Poppa and you all are looking for me.'
Mary saw the two young girls sitting, staring at her. The smaller one asked, "Is Granny going to leave us?"
Holding her chin in her hand, "Oh, Sweetie, I'm going to do all I can for your Granny. Don't you worry."
Just then the son brought in buckets of water. "Here."
"Thank you." Mary began soaking some small pieces of cloth in the cool water and wiping the old woman's face. "Say, can you two help me out?" She asked the girls.
"Sure. How?" Ezra had handed Mary a large linen sheet.
"I want you to rip this in big strips then again in squares. Ok? We're going to use them to wash down your granny and then to keep her cooled down and try to break her fever. Ok?"
Nodding, "Ok, we can do that."
Dodge City
Just as Doc and Kitty arrived on Front Street, Sarah spotted them. "Oh, Kitty, Doc? I wasn't expecting you back tonight."
"Oh, Sarah, I couldn't sit out there doing nothing. Besides, I remembered Grace didn't know."
"Ummm, Kitty, Grace is at the Long Branch with Ellie."
Kitty quickly jumped down and headed straight for the batwing doors. As she rushed through the doors. "GRACIE?"
"Momma?"
Hugging her tight, "Oh, Sweetheart."
"Momma, Mary's going to be just fine. Poppa and Uncle Festus and Uncle Newly, hey even Uncle Sam, are all out there. They will find her. She has the best."
Smiling a forced smile. "Yeah, she does. This is all my fault. I shouldn't have waited!"
"Momma? What are you talking about?"
"Mary wanted me to have lunch."
"Yeah, Mary told me you were coming in for a fitting with Sarah."
"Yes, Grace. But if only I had just came here first. Sarah would have understood. Your sister would be here and safe."
"NO! Now, Momma, you had no way of knowing. That's brings me to what I was just about to tell Ellie."
Furrowing her brow, "Tell Ellie what?"
"Here, Momma, sit." Grace led Kitty to the table where she and Ellie were sitting. "Momma, I was just about to explain to Aunt Ellie what I was thinking may have happened here.
Looking puzzled, yet nodding. "Ok, you've got my attention."
"Momma, you may not like what I'm about to say but..."
Now, Kitty squared her shoulders and her eyes went wide. "WHY?"
"Ok, Ok." Grace started quickly. 'Just wait. The way I figure is this. You and Sarah both said Mary was alone in my office."
Kitty nodded, 'Uh huh."
"Ok, whoever these two men were came there probably needing medical help."
"Grace, Sweetheart..."
Waving her hand, "Momma, let me finish."
"Go on."
"Ok, they were in a real hurry. Momma, things were taken from my office."
"Yeah, I know your sister." Kitty couldn't sit still.
"Momma, I mean medicines. Bandages. Things like that. My extra bag."
"Grace, where you going with this?" Kitty was searching Grace's face for answers.
"Momma, they didn't come there to take Mary." Now holding Kitty by both shoulders. "Momma, they came for me. They needed a doctor."
"And this is supposed to make me feel…"
Before she could finish her words, "Momma, I said you weren't going to like what I had to say. But..."
Snapping her head up, "BUT WHAT?"
"This may not be as bad as we think?"
"NO? NO? And what happens to your sister when these two realize she's not a doctor?"
"Momma, please calm down. It's not good for you to get all worked up."
Kitty eyes burned into Grace. "GRACE MARIA DILLON. Don't you dare. I swear you are more like your father every day."
Grace tried to hide the snicker.
"Young lady!"
"Sorry, Momma. I just know it's not good for you."
"Stop telling me what is good for me."
Just then Obie Newton rushed in the door. "Doc Grace, I've been looking for you."
"What is it Obie?"
"They need you, need you in a hurry. I was coming into town and I came across Rod Kellerman. He was out near the old Witting place. His wagon was flipped over. He is pinned under. I moved the wagon but didn't think it's a good idea to move him to git 'um back here to town."
Jumping up. "Obie, show me. Momma, I got to go."
"Of course, Sweetheart."
As she started out, Doc was coming in. "Whoa! Where's the fire?"
"Oh, Pap, Rod Kellerman was pinned under his wagon. Obie says he's hurt bad."
"Well, come on, I'll go with you."
Webb Cabin
Mary did her best to comfort the old woman lying in front of her. She wasn't sure what all was wrong. But she knew she had to try something. She was wishing and praying Grace or her Pap were there with her, not that she wanted them stuck in that situation, but she knew they would know what to do. Mary knew she was going to have to tell Webb she wasn't a doctor, eventually. But she was trying to buy enough time to feel him out.
His one boy, Jeb, he was a quiet soul that kept to himself, did what he was told and looked after his sisters. Now his brother, Edmond, he was a different soul. He would let himself be known. You knew he was there, what he was doing and what he wanted all the time. And he wanted to know everything. He was full of questions about everything but most of all about Mary.
He had become her shadow. She couldn't make a move that he wasn't right there on her heels. Several times Ezra had to tell him she was there for doctoring.
"Oh, but Pa', she's so perty. Can we keep er? Pa, I kin marry up wit er. Pa, kin we?"
Mary overheard him quickly swallowing and blurting out, "NO! No, you can't." She snapped much to Edmond and Ezra's surprise.
"You mind your tongue, Missy." Edmond scolded her.
Now angry, both fists clinched on her hips and jaws tight. "Now, you wait one minute. It's bad enough you drag me out here without saying a word to me about why. But you think you can just tell me you're going to marry me and you think I'm going to agree? WELL LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, MISTER! It's not happening."
Smiling at her, "Oh, we do things proper, Missy. Pa will speak to your Pa."
"YOU FOOL!" Stamping her foot. "No one is going to speak to anyone. I'm not marrying you. First of all, I'm already married.
Looking confused. "You is?"
"UGHHHH! Yes, I am and I have two children. And it's not going to be long before..." Now she inhaled deep.
Wide eyed. "Fur what?" Edmond asked.
"Before people are looking for me." She said sarcastically. "You just came and forced me to come here with you. People saw you."
Dodge City
Matt and Festus came up Front Street. Burke was standing outside of the freight office. "Mr. Dillon? You didn't find her?"
"No, but we're going back out. Just going to get some supplies."
"Who would want to take Mary? Who? Who?"
Shaking his head, "I don't know, Burke, but I'll find her."
"Oh, Miss Kitty's in the Long Branch."
Matt rolled his eyes. The last thing he wanted to do was face her now, not having found Mary. "Festus stock us up, and meet me at the Long Branch, will ya?"
"Will do, Matthew. See ya, directly."
Matt, took a deep breath, then stood at the batwing door. For a second, he remembered how many times he had done that very thing hoping to see one special person. Now... Then he was pushing through.
Without turning, Kitty felt his presence. "Cowboy?"
"Yeah, Kitty, it's me."
"Did you..."
"No. Not yet. But Festus and I, we're going back out. We're just replenishing supplies."
Standing and walking close, placing both hands and her head on his chest. "Oh, Cowboy!"
"Now, Kitty..."
"Matt, don't you dare."
"Nah, I wouldn't think of it. Honey, I'll find her."
"Matt, Grace thinks they meant to take her not Mary."
"What?" He questioned.
"Well, the way she figured, Mary was alone in Grace's office. They came there in a hurry, not only took Mary but Grace's extra bag and some supplies. Grace thinks they mistook Mary for her."
"Hmmm, Kit, she might be right which in that case she may not be in as much danger."
"But, Matt, Mary's not a doctor and when they find out... Cowboy, what will..."
"Kit, don't. We'll find her. I promise you. I'll bring our girl home." Quickly kissing her forehead, he rushed out the door.
TBC
