The Next Day
It was almost noon, and Kitty was filled with a quiet sense of happiness as she sat in her newly acquired rocking chair giving Mary a bottle. It had been a busy morning. Just after dawn, Matt demonstrated to her that he could put weight on his sore leg, and left for early morning rounds. Shortly afterwards, there was a knock on the door. She opened it and was totally surprised to see Sam standing there, "Sam, is something wrong? Why are you in this early?"
Sam looked a bit sheepish, "Miss Kitty, I know it's early but I figured since you have a little baby, you'd be up. I just wanted to - Well, after hearing that you and the marshal were adopting Mary, I wanted to give you a gift that you'd find useful."
He stepped to the side to reveal a rocking chair, a beautifully made, elegant rocking chair. Noting that there was a plump, dark red cushion on the seat, and padding on the back, Kitty knew that the skilled craftsman who made the chair was concerned with both beauty and comfort. Sam smiled "I know having a rocker is handy with a baby, and I knew you didn't have one. Can I bring it in?"
Kitty was deeply touched, "Oh Sam, how thoughtful."
Sam brought the chair in and hurried away before Kitty had a chance to say a word of thanks or ask where he had gotten the chair.
Now sitting in the beautiful chair, Kitty thought about the appointments she had made to see 3 properties that afternoon. She smiled at the baby she was cradling her arms, "This is a big day for you Mary, but one you won't remember. By the end of today you'll have a real family and a real home."
After Mary was fed, Kitty dressed her in her prettiest dress and waited for Matt. He had stopped by earlier to say that he'd by around noon to take them to Judge Brooker. Matt said the judge was happy, even eager to legalize the adoption.
At that very moment Matt was hurrying over to the Long Branch to get Kitty and Mary. Judge Brooker had been absolutely delighted when Matt made his request, saying that overseeing two fine people adopting an orphan was rare a pleasure in his job. Matt smiled, thinking that in all the years he had had dealings with the judge, he had never seen the man so pleased to oversee a proceeding.
As Matt walked along quickly he noticed a wagon come down the street and stop in front of the marshal's office. Thinking he recognized the passengers, he walked over. When he got beside the wagon he looked up at the young girl sitting there, "Hello Lettie. What brings you to Dodge?"
Lettie looked at her father, and then back at Matt. She spoke with a huge smile on her face, "Marshal, I'm here to get my baby."
Matt tried to hide the surprise and dismay he felt as he looked at Lettie's father, "I thought you said that you wouldn't accept her baby."
Joseph replied solemnly, "Marshal I spoke to my minister. He said I was forgetting the parts of bible that were about love, forgiveness and acceptance. I mulled that over. Then me and my wife talked about it. We knew Lettie still wanted her baby, and we decided we'd been wrong. We will welcome the innocent babe into our home, and help Lettie raise her up."
Matt looked at Lettie, "Are you sure about this?" He was immediately embarrassed by his question as he saw Lettie's puzzled look as she answered, "Of course I am marshal. She's my baby."
Trying to keep the emotion out of his voice Matt looked at the girl, "I'll get her for you. It might take a little while, maybe you should go get something to eat in the meantime."
Joseph shook his head, "We'll wait here, and then head right back. My wife is waiting."
Matt went to the Long Branch and walked up the stairs slowly, with a heavy heart. He opened the door. Mary was in Kitty's arms dressed in a white, lacy dress, her fine blond hair framing her tiny face. She looked angelic as she smiled up into Kitty's eyes, and he thought that he had never seen Kitty look happier or more beautiful. Kitty heard the door open and turned to him smiling, "Well Cowboy, you took your sweet time. Let's get a move on."
She saw the look on Matt's face and said quietly, "Matt, what's wrong?"
"Kitty, I don't know how to say this."
"Just say it Matt. Did Judge Brooker change his mind? Is it because I'm a saloon owner, because I'll…"
Matt put his hand up and shook his head, "No Kitty no. Judge Brooker thinks the world of you."
"Then what Matt?"
Kitty saw the pain in Matt's eyes as he spoke, "Kitty, Lettie, the girl who gave birth to Mary is here with her father. She wants the baby."
Kitty took a step back, and clutched Mary closer, "No Matt, no. She can't have her."
Matt took Kitty's arm. His voice choked with emotion, "Kitty, we have to give her up. There is nothing else to do."
Kitty swallowed hard and looked at Matt. She saw the anguish in his eyes and knew that her pain was theirs. She also knew that Matt was right, they had to give Mary up. Unable to speak she met Matt's eyes and nodded.
Matt took a deep breath, "You stay here, I'll bring her down."
Kitty shook her head. She knew that Matt was trying to spare her. "We'll do it together. Please gather Mary's things and put them in her basket."
Matt carefully folded each item, knowing that each had been chosen with love. When the blankets, dresses, bonnets, booties and diapers, were packed into the baby basket, Matt looked at Kitty. She was sitting in the rocking chair, eyes closed, holding Mary close. Dreading the words he had to say, Matt whispered, "It's time." Kitty opened her eyes, and nodded. She stood holding Mary in her arms as Matt picked up the basket, and they walked down the stairs and out the door.
As they got close, they saw Lettie and her father standing beside the wagon. Lettie was so excited she could hardly stand still. Kitty walked over, "You must be Lettie." She gently placed the baby in Lettie's young arms, saying hoarsely "Here's Mary."
Lettie smiled down at the baby and then looked questioningly at Kitty, "Mary?"
Kitty bit her lower lip, "That's what folks here called her."
Lettie nodded, "Mary, that's a fine name, a real fine name." She looked at the baby, "Hello Mary, I'm your mama."
Matt handed the basket to Joseph, "Folks here bought her some things."
Joseph looked into the basket and started to hand it back, "We can't pay for this."
Matt put his hand on Joseph's arm, "Please take it. Folks here want her to have those things."
Joseph thought for a second and nodded. He put the basket up into the wagon, and turned to Lettie, "Let's get going."
The teenager looked at Matt, "Could you hold Mary while my father helps me up?"
Matt swallowed hard and nodded. He took the baby into his arms and looked into her sweet face, knowing it was the last time he would see the smile that had so enchanted him. When Lettie was seated in the wagon she held out her arms, and Matt handed Mary up.
Kitty and Matt watched the wagon pull out, staring down the empty street long after the wagon was gone.
Kitty didn't look up as she spoke, "Matt, you'd better let Judge Brooker know we won't be needing his services."
Matt took Kitty by her arms and turned her to face him, "I'll send Festus with a message. We have houses to look at, and while where doing that we can have a long talk about having children
Kitty managed a small smile threw her tears. Children Cowboy? As in more than one?
Matt smiled the half smile that even after all these years never failed to capture her heart, "You never know."
Kitty reached up and gently touched Matt's cheek before pulling his face down to kiss his lips. Then arm in arm they walked down the street ready to find their future.
The End
