Remember Me 10

I don't own these characters; I just like to spend time with them. No other profit to be had.

Author's Note: I am not a doctor, have never played one on TV and haven't even consulted with one. So please take the following medical descriptions and diagnosis etc…, contained herein, for what they are. Fictional Writing.

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(Five Days Later)

Teresa Spencer took a last look at herself in the mirror, straightening her hat and making sure every strand of hair was perfectly in place. Trying not to concentrate on her growing mid-section, she concentrated instead on her clothes and perfume and a tiny touch of makeup, designed, not to hide her looks, but to enhance them.

From almost the first moment she had met him, Teresa Spencer had but one goal in life. That was to secure Matt Dillon as her husband. She tried all of the normal feminine techniques, flirting, small gifts, parties that only he was invited to. But Matt had shown little to no interest in her romantically, preferring instead to devote his attentions to his job and that saloon woman.

Teresa had begun to despair of ever reaching her goal. That was until Matt lost his memory. Thinking about it, Teresa almost laughed out loud at how absolutely perfect everything was turning out, compared to as little as three weeks ago.

Three weeks ago, she was an unwed mother, pregnant by her father's foreman and facing the loss of everything she had when her father found out who the baby's daddy was. The only man she had ever been around, that her father approved of, to her knowledge, was Matt Dillon. He was a man's man, her father always said.

Around the time she had conceived Hart Chaney's bastard baby, she had been spending quite a bit of time in town, working on a settling some property disputes for her father while he was down with the gout.

The time she had spent in Matt's company had been innocent enough, even the one supper they had shared while discussing the legalities of her kicking homesteaders off of what she thought was her land. She did not know then how valuable her time in Matt's company would become later.

Now here she was, about to become engaged to the US Marshal of Dodge City, and planning a life with the future Governor of Kansas. Of course Matt didn't yet know that was his future, but when he became her husband and she could use her father's wealth and influence, she was certain she could obtain that position for him easily.

"Mrs. Matthew Dillon," she said out loud, chuckling lightly. "That's an achievement even that saloon trash couldn't obtain."

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Kitty sat in her office working diligently on her books trying to catch up on the work she'd let slide while her mind was centered on other problems. Sitting back, she rubbed her neck and stretched trying to ease the kinks her in back. Her books were now caught up and her other problems were currently unsolvable.

It had now been three weeks since Matt was shot and lost his memory, three very trying weeks for the red head. Through some careful questioning of Chester, she knew Matt was aware that he and she had been friends. And she figured Matt had probably also heard the many rumors that circulated in the town about just how friendly they were.

But except for that one night that he had dropped in for a drink, Matt had made no move towards her. He hadn't even come back in that night as he had promised. The few times he had entered the Long Branch it was strictly in his capacity as a lawman. If he did any drinking or socializing, it was at one of the other saloons in town, not hers.

Of course thinking about it she sort of understood. Without his memory to guide him, Matt didn't know which road to take. Did he pursue a relationship with a tavern owner based on rumors or did he spend time with a respectable rancher's daughter who claimed to be his fiancé? Or did he run from both options. It was not an enviable position to be in.

Still the loss of him in her life hurt, it hurt very much. Several times she had come close to walking over to the jail and talking to him, telling him exactly how close they really were. But she couldn't do it. She couldn't bring herself to make Matt's life even more complicated than it already was by insisting on a relationship he didn't remember.

Besides, her weary heart warned her, if he really loved her, the way she loved him, he would remember that wouldn't he? He would remember her.

Looking at the clock sitting on the top of her desk, she saw it was about time she went out front and started helping out. With a trail herd just in and another one coming, she knew the night was likely to be a very busy one for the Long Branch.

Closing her books, she locked them up and left her office to take her spot as the belle of the Long Branch saloon.

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Matt stood in front of the little mirror in his office, wiping off the last traces of shaving cream and making sure he was presentable. It had been a whole week since he had stood outside of the Long Branch and remembered the love that one woman had for him.

Since that time, other, more intimate, memories had surfaced and Matt was now certain that he belonged with Kitty Russell and not Teresa Spencer. He knew his timing could be better, with a couple of herds in, both he and she were apt to be fairly busy tonight, but he wasn't going to wait any longer.

Tonight he was going to talk to the red headed angel that haunted his dreams and get some things straightened out between the two of them. Tonight he was going to take a step in reclaiming a part of his life he had lost along with his memory.

Stepping out of the jail, Matt pulled a small piece of lint off of his vest and polished his boot tops on the back of his pant legs. Nervously he licked his lips as he looked down the street towards the Long Branch. He felt like a schoolboy asking a girl out for the first time.

Berating himself unmercifully he was reminded that he should be concentrating solely on his job tonight as well as Teresa Spencer and her claims of his paternity, but his heart overruled both thoughts. His heart would allow him no peace until he at least had a talk, a real talk, with the beautiful red head that filled his senses so completely.

Adjusting his hat, he stepped off the boardwalk in the direction of the saloon just as Teresa drove up. "Matt, darling." She giggled. "How wonderful of you to be waiting for me."

Matt tried but was unable to completely hide the scowl that had formed upon her arrival. "I'm sorry, Teresa," he said making an effort not to be rude. "I actually wasn't waiting for you; I was getting ready to make my rounds. We've got a herd already in and another one coming; it's likely to be rowdy tonight."

Teresa's irritation at once again being rejected was plain. "Oh no, you don't, Matt Dillon," she fairly growled. "I have been doing everything in my power to give you the space and time you need to adjust to this but enough is enough. Now we need to discuss this and we are going to do that now."

Matt closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Looking up into the angry green eyes of the rancher's daughter he knew she was right. They did need to talk and he they might as well get it over with. "Move over," Matt said as he climbed up into the buggy. "There's a little restaurant at the edge of town where we can talk."

TBC