This chapter is for JanglySpur since she has been waiting FOREVER for me to get it posted. Enjoy!
The Best Things
Chapter 11: Wedding Belle's A-ringin'
Disclaimer: No, I don't own 'em. If I did TV Land would play nice and Gunsmoke would be on 5 X's a day like all the other shows.
A week later, after finding a small, run down place outside of Dodge to live, Matt and Kitty were to be married in a very small ceremony in Matt's office. While it was not the wedding that all little girls dreamed off, Kitty was just happy to be taking the next step with Matt and the place they got married mattered very little in the long run. Kitty fussed at her hair a few more times before deciding that it was as good as it was going to get and then she went to step into her dress.
Matt and Chester had both gotten up early that morning and while Chester swept the floor and cleaned things up, Matt had moved his desk and the table that they used to play checkers on out of the way. Then he had sent up a few chairs for their few guests—Chester, Doc, Sam, Bill Pence and a couple of Kitty's girls from the Long Branch were also coming over.
"I'm all finished here Mister Dillon, I think I'll go on over ta the boarding house to change."
"Alright Chester. That sounds like a good idea." Matt said, following his assistant out the door. He then headed over to the hotel and made short work of changing into his dark dress pants and grey coat. He then stepped back across the street to his office and was met by the preacher who was just about to knock on the door. "Oh Marshal, good day!"
"Father Muhlkalley" Matt replied.
"Now Marshal, I was told that you and Miss Russell would like to keep this ceremony short and to the point is that correct?"
"Yes Father."
Matt and the Father were talking when Doc and Chester both showed back up. "Oh, Matt!" Doc said, "Was I supposed to escort Kitty over here?"
Matt shrugged his shoulders as he fidgeted with his tie.
"Oh well I'll just mosey over there then and see if she needs anything." Doc said walking out the door and leaving Matt be for a few minutes. It was a big step for a young man, to get married, Doc thought as he shuffled across the street towards the Long Branch. Kitty was just coming down the stairs as he came through the batwing doors and the sight of her made Doc pause.
"Morning Doc." She greeted taking the last few steps down onto the bar room floor. "Doc?"
"Oh Kitty, honey, you look absolutely beautiful!" Doc exclaimed, going to her and taking her hands. "The glow about you is brighter than I've seen on any woman."
Kitty blushed and leaned down to kiss Doc on the cheek. "Oh Curly, you flirt."
"May I escort you across the street?"
"You may." Kitty said.
When Doc and Kitty arrived at the Marshal's office the Father, Sam, Bill, Chester and Matt were all there waiting, and all stood when Doc brought the beautiful red head through the door.
"Are we ready to begin Marshal Dillon?" Father Muhlkalley asked.
Matt looked at Kitty and she nodded in the affirmative. He took her hand and they went to stand before the Father and the ceremony began.
"Dearly beloved we are gathered here today to join together in holy matrimony, Matthew Dillon and Kathleen Russell. Marriage is a beautiful thing and when these two young people came to me to ask me about marrying them I couldn't have more pleased, however, it is now that I need to ask, are their any objections to this marriage?"
The room remained quiet.
Father Muhlkalley continued, "Very well then. Matthew and Kathleen if you could please join hands and then Matthew, please repeat after me, "I Matthew take thee Kathleen."
"I Matthew take thee Kathleen." Matt said, almost wanting to laugh, he hadn't be refered to as Matthew since he was a child and well no one he knew called Kitty Kathleen. He was brought back to the present when he heard Father Muhlkalley's voice.
"To be my lawfully wedded wife, for richer or poorer forsaking all others until death do us part."
"To be my lawfully wedded wife, for richer or poorer forsaking all others until death do us part." Matt repeated solemnly looking into Kitty's beautiful blue eyes that were beginning to look a little wet.
"Now Kathleen, please do as Matthew and repeat after me, "I Kathleen take thee Matthew."
Kitty doing her best to keep from crying, said, "I Kathleen take thee Matthew."
"To be my lawfully wedded husband, for richer or poorer forsaking all others until death do us part."
Kitty let the tears go then and repeated after the Father, "To be my lawfully wedded husband, for richer or poorer forsaking all others until death do us part." She ended with a small sob.
Farther Muhlkalley looked at the small group of people seated before him and at the tall Marshal and slender red head before he continued, "Then, by the power invested in me by the state of Kansas, I now pronounce you man and wife. Matthew, you may kiss your bride."
Matt gathered Kitty into his arms, wiped the tears from under her eyes and softly said, "Gladly." Before he bent his heads and took her lips with his own in a searing kiss that garnered catcalls, whistles, clapping and laughter from the group that was gathered for the ceremony.
When they separated, Matt whisphered to Kitty so that only she heard, "I love you Mrs. Dillon."
Kitty smiled and as the tears streamed down her face replied, "I love you to Marshall Dillon."
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Later, after the marriage license had been signed and Matt and Kitty had been given some time to be alone, the whole town gathered at the Long Branch for a huge celebration in honor of the day. When Matt and Kitty stepped into the bar room it erupted into cheers, whistles and clapping and Matt heard several "Well it's about time." comments.
He had to admit that it felt good to be able to claim Kitty as his openly in public instead of always hiding his true feelings behind the mask of unemotion that was US Marshall Matt Dillon.
Kitty was feeling joyous herself and enjoying the celebration that was being held in her and Matt's honor but she was also getting tired and told Matt so. "Matt, can we go and sit down, I'm getting tired."
"Sure." Matt lead her to a fairly uncrowded table and pulled out a chair for her, then sat down with her. "It sure has been quite a day, huh?"
"Yeah, it was." Kitty said, grabbing Matt's hand. "But it was the one of the best days of my life Matt."
"Mine too Kitty, mine too."