Doc shuffled quickly into his office from the spare room when he heard the door open and close.

"Robert," he said as the boy smiled and handed him a tin pale. "What's this?"

"Soup from Abelia," he said looking around. "She made some for Pa and asked me to bring you some."

"Oh, thank her for me will you," Doc said putting the soup on the stove.

"You could thank her yourself," Robert said gently. "If you came out to the house. It's been a week since everyone went home and you haven't been out yet."

"I've just been busy is all," Doc said slowly. "Still seeing to patients from the influenza. How's your Pa feeling?"

"He's fine, except for some weakness and constantly complaining to Abelia about that mixture of medicine she keeps forcing down his 'gullet' as he put it," Robert said with a slight laugh.

"I can imagine," Doc replied evenly. "But it's that mixture that saved his hide, you might want to remind him of that."

"Abelia already has, she said if it wasn't for you, he'd have died right along with Festus, Jr."

Doc winced when Robert mentioned the baby's name but moved to get his hat and coat. "Grab my bag from the desk, will you?"

"Sure, Doc," Robert said picking up the well worn black bag by the handle. "There's something I've been thinking about."

"Oh," Doc said pulling his coat shut before putting his hat on his head. "What's that?"

"When I first came to Dodge and got shot, I saw the way you took care of me and the way you took care of everyone during the influenza. You really have a passion for medicine, don't you?"

"Well," Doc said thoughtfully. "I guess you could say it's a calling."

"That's what I'm talking about," Robert replied eagerly. "I feel like, well, maybe that's what I'd like to do."

"You want to practice medicine?" Doc asked eagerly.

"Yes," Robert replied. "That is, if you'd teach me. And later when you think I'm ready, I'd like to go to school."

"You talked about this to your Pa," Doc asked opening the door.

"No, sir," Robert said following the physician down the stairs. "I wanted to talk to you first."

Doc nodded as they headed down the boardwalk. "We'll talk about it," he said quietly.

"Festus!"

The hill man dropped the hammer and nail as he turned around startled.

"Golly Bill, Doc!" he said catching his breath.

"What are you doing?" Doc said angrily.

"What's it look like I'm a doing, ya ninny," Festus said waving his hands. "I'm tryin ta hang shutters!"

"I can see what your doing," Doc replied frustrated. "Why are you out here doing it when your supposed to be in there resting."

"I'm not sitting around on my backside fer a month with nothin ta do but stare at the four walls," Festus said picking up the shutter.

"You see what you'd be getting yourself into," Doc said looking at Robert who just grinned.

"What you talkin bout," Festus said scrunching up an eye as Doc jerked the shutter from his hand.

"Don't you worry bout that," the physician said taking the hill man's arm. "You get your butt back in that house before I take that wood and nails and bar that door shut!"

"You wouldn't dare," Festus said as Robert opened the front door.

"Abelia," Doc said shoving Festus into a chair at the table.

"Doc," Abelia said stepping out of the bedroom. "I didn't know you was coming by today."

"I hadn't planned on it till Robert here came by," Doc replied putting on his glasses before taking Festus wrist. "But, I'm glad I did because I found your husband outside trying to hang shutters."

"What," Abelia said looking at Festus. "You said, you were just going to get some fresh air."

"Wal," Festus said sheepishly. "I was but then I remembered the shutters was just a sitting there needin ta be hung."

"It's normal," Doc said letting Festus wrist go. "I don't care if they sit there for a year, you can't be exerting yourself like that. You need rest!"

"Rest ma foot," Festus said huffily as Doc put a hand on his forehead.

"No fever," he said gently. "How you feeling otherwise?"

"Alright," Festus said quietly as Doc opened his bag and took out his stethoscope.

"What about the weakness, Pa," Robert said as Festus gave him an ugly look.

"Maybe just a little," the hill man groused.

"That's normal," Doc said absently while placing the stethoscope against Festus chest. "Heart sounds good and the lungs are clear. As for your strength, it'll come back as long as you don't push yourself! You want to end up sick again?"

"Wal, of course not," Festus said quietly as Doc sat down.

"Can I get you some coffee, Doc?" Abelia asked heading to the stove.

"Yes, thank you," Doc replied looking at Robert. "Your boy here's got something to tell you both."

"What is it, Robert?" Abelia said putting two cups of coffee on the table.

"Well," Robert said softly. "I really want to study medicine with Doc and later, go to school for it."

"Are ya really sure bout that," Festus said with a smile.

"Yes, I am," Robert replied firmly. "But Doc hasn't given me an answer yet.

"Well," Doc said slowly. "I'm not getting any younger. Between him and Newly, Dodge would be well taken care of when I retire."

"Kitty," Matt said closing the front door of their house.

"In the kitchen, Matt," Kitty said as the lawman took off his hat and vest before heading toward the back of the house.

"Well," Matt said with a smile at the fancy table cloth and candles that lit up the room. "What's the special occasion?"

"Does it have to be a special occasion for me to surprise my husband with a candle lite dinner?" Kitty asked with a mischievous smile while sliding into his arms.

"Well, no," Matt said gently. "I guess, I was just hoping you had something special to share with me."

"Like what?" Kitty asked smiling.

"I don't know," Matt said slightly disappointed.

"Something special, huh," Kitty said teasingly. "Well, I guess if you want to call having a baby special, then yeah, I can say that I'm sharing that with you."

"Kitty," Matt said smiling broadly. "Are you serious?"

"As serious as I've been about anything in my whole life, Matt!"