Pt.14

Taking all the bags and trunks into the house and placing them in the guest bedroom, Kitty noticed the strange expression on Matt's face. But he wasn't saying anything. Maggie was happy to see there was a child in the house. She and Martin huddled together. He was fascinated with her accent.

Kitty sidled up slowly to Matt. "Ok, Cowboy. I've been watching you. What is it?"

Snapping his head around. "Huh?"

"Matt, where are you?"

"Oh, uh, Kit, I was just... I..."

"No, no. Don't tell me nothing. Matt, something is bothering you. What?"

"Kit, Honey, Maggie brought this with her." He was now bringing to Kitty's attention the box with Doc's name on it.

Kitty's eyes widened, taking a deep breath. "Oh! Yeah, that's Doc's."

"Well, yeah, Honey I see tha. It has his name on it. But..."

Placing her hand on his arm. "Matt, after Doc died Hannah shipped this box to me in New Orleans. She packed up some of his personal things when the new doctor came to Dodge. She thought you and I were the closest to being his family and well... She said no one was sure how to reach you at that time so she sent it on to me. I just kept it in my room in my large chest."

"Did you go through it?"

Shaking her head, "I… I couldn't. It was just too painful. Too final."

Just then, Maggie and Martin entered the room. "Ah, Miss Kitty. I be thinking I be bringing you some things from the house you'd be wanting." When she saw the look on their faces, she turned to Martin. "Come. You show me around? These two have some talking to do." She smiled and walked him out the door.

Matt looked to Kitty. "Kit, should we? We can go through it together."

"Matt, I… I..." Then she nodded, squeezing his hand.

Matt slowly opening the box. Kitty began to smile, lifting out Doc's hat. "Matt, he wore this hat as long as I can remember." There were some books, his glasses, his medical bag. "Oh, Matt, he was always so proud of keeping this bag so up to date."

"Yeah, he sure was." Matt agreed.

Next, Kitty lifted out his old worn out Bible. "And this... He never was without it. It was a part of him. Oh, Matt, his coat. Well, one of them anyway." She held it close, tearing up as if to hug him. "Oh, Curly. Why? Why'd you leave me? I needed you. I still need you."

Matt reached for the coat and as he did it fell to the floor. Quickly picking it up, they both stopped when a small envelope hit the floor. It was one Kitty recognized. Furrowing her brow, "MATT?"

As she lifted it off the floor, turning it over, Kitty held her breath. It was addressed:

Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshal's Office Dodge City, Kansas

Return address:

Kitty Russell, 220 Magnolia Lane, New Orleans, Louisiana, 21 April, 1889

Their eyes locked. "Matt…"

"Is this..." Matt began to ask.

Shaking her head, "Matt, how? Why?"

Matt quickly opened the letter and as they thought, it was the letter in question. It was the letter Kitty had sent to Matt asking him to come to New Orleans to be with her and the baby. The one that said they needed him. The one she thought he ignored and never responded to.

"Kit, I wasn't in Dodge in April of 89."

"Ok, so, someone must have given it to Doc hoping he would get it to you. But, Matt, he died shortly after Matthew was born?"

"That's right and, Kit, this was never opened so he didn't know what it was about."

"Oh, Matt. I… I..." shaking her head. "I'm so sorry. I thought you didn't..."

"Shhhh, Kit. Don't. Don't. Neither of us knew what happened."

"Matt, it's awful. Just awful. Matt, I was such a mess. John and Maggie took such good care of me."

"John, huh?"

"Oh, cowboy. Yes, John. I know how you feel but John Chapman is my friend. And he was there for me. John, Maggie, Thad and Charlotte."

Twisting his face, "Yeah, we know what Chapman's agenda was."

"Matt Dillon!"

"Oh, alright. But..."

"Now, Cowboy, please..."

He just scrunched his face. "I'll just feel better when I know we're married and you're here to stay."

"Matt Dillon, what am I gonna do with you?"

"Ummmm... Honey..."

The next few days they took time adjusting to what they learned. Matt wrote Newly and Hannah in Dodge questioning them about what they may have known about the letter when it came and why Doc was in possession of it.

Newly responded that he and Hannah, not knowing Matt's where abouts at the time, gave it to Doc for safe keeping, thinking it was the best idea in case Matt showed up or they learned where they could send it.

Once he received the answer, the postmaster also stopped him. "Mr. Dillon? I have a letter for a Kitty Russell. It's addressed to her at your ranch. Do you want to take it to her?"

"Yeah, Ben, I'll take it." Matt saw it was from Thad. "Hmmm... I guess he's just checking on Kitty." He muttered, put it in his shirt pocket and headed home.

Kitty and Maggie were unpacking some of her things. "Ah, Miss Kitty. Here. I brought a few things I thought you might want from the house that I didn't think you wanted shipped."

Opening a separate box, Kitty's eyes saddened. It was a box of things that belonged to Matthew or that she had bought when she was preparing for him. Small baby clothes, blankets and rattles.

Then Maggie lifted one out. "I added this one for ya." Maggie had stitched on it.

Matthew Russell Dillon Sunrise, 20 April, 1889 – Sunset, 23 April,1889 R.I.P. Our Lil Cowboy

"Oh, Maggie, this is so... so beautiful. Thank you. When did you..."

"Aw, me stitched it some time ago but waited till I thought it be the right time and now that you and his daddy are together it be right it tis'."

Hugging her with tear filled eyes, "Maggie McBride, you are so special. What would I have done without you all these years?"

"Am I interrupting?" Matt now stood in the doorway.

Wiping the tears from her face, "No. Not at all."

Matt quickly sat beside Kitty lifting the blanket from her hands. "Aw, Kit."

"Matt, Maggie made this for Matthew."

"Maggie this is... its beautiful."

Kitty stood, hanging the blanket over her quilt rack. "I want this where it can be with us. Its perfect right here."

"Well, I'll be gettin' lunch." Maggie stood to leave the room. "Matt, a big fella like yourself be getting' hungry out about town working hard."

Just then Matt remembered. "Oh, yeah." He was now reaching in his pocket. "Kitty, this came for you. It's from Thad."

"Thad? Uh. I'm sure he just has questions." As Kitty read Thad's letter, Matt watched the expression on her face change and it didn't look good.

TBC