Family of the Heart

PT.14

The train pulled into it's next stop. They were to pick up an order made for special delivery. The conductor walked through the cars. Tipping his hat, "Marshal, it's just a slight delay. We'll be on our way shortly. How's the deputy?"

"Doing good. Thanks for asking."

"Marshal, I need to check on something while we wait."

"Chet, you really shouldn't move."

"This can't wait." Stepping off the train briefly walking to the window. "Hi, I'm Chet Owens. Any messages for me?"

Nodding, "Why, yes, Sir. Just came a few moments ago before the train pulled in. It's marked urgent."

Chet read the message, inhaled deeply, stuffed it in his shirt pocket and made his way back to the train car.

Dodge City Court House, Hearing

After being sworn in, "Good morning, Mrs. Dillon."

Kitty sat with her shoulders squared. "Yes. Morning."

"Miss Kitty… You don't mind I call you Miss Kitty, do you? After all..."

Inhaling, "Yes, I do mind. My friends call me Kitty. You on the other hand can call me Mrs. Dillon."

"Well, alright, Mrs. Dillon. You've been in Dodge ah…"

"45 years give or take a year." She answered.

"Long time and we have already established you ran a saloon. Correct?"

"At one time, but I..."

"Et et. Good enough. And now Mr. Dillon has stated you two were verrrry friendly and well..." now chuckling.

"Mr. Haines, is there a question in there somewhere?"

"Oh, excuse me. I didn't mean to offend you. You understand I just need to establish some..."

"I know very well what you trying to do but it won't work."

He reached up to touch her hand. "Mrs. Dillon." Smiling at her.

Pulling her hand away, Kitty stared at him stonily.

"Now your husband has stated you married in Denver. Is that before or after you conceived your daughter?"

"WHAT? How dare you!" Kitty now inhaled deeply trying not to explode.

"Objection!"

"Sorry. Forgive me. Personal, huh?"

"Yes, very. But for your information, we were married two years before I had Grace."

"Oh, ok. Thank you for clearing that up."

"Mr. Haines, is there a point here anywhere?" Kitty spouted out.

"I'm asking the questions, Ma'am."

Haines began walking back to his table. "Oh, one more thing. Mrs. Dillon you just told us, Mrs Owens came along two years after your marriage. So, then Elizabeth Clayton is…?"

Kitty closed her eyes knowing where this was going. "What about her?" Kitty asked.

"You tell me. She's also a daughter? A daughter older then Mrs. Owens?"

Kitty really wasn't ready to dredge up history. "Yes, she is but..."

"Oh, that is good enough, Ma'am. We all get the picture."

"NO! No, you don't. Beth is my..."

"I'm finished." Haines said quickly.

Quickly, Breck pressed on. "Go on. You were telling us?" Breck nodded to Kitty.

"As I was saying, Beth is my husbands daughter." Now with the reminder, the room was buzzing. She came to be with us after the death of her mother. But she is as much my daughter just as Mary. We love all our girls. We are all a blended family along with our friends."

"Umm?

"Yes, a family of the heart."

"And you feel you can open your home and Chet who is kin, he's their cousin. And you say the girls are healthy, happy with you and your family?"

"Yes. Yes, they are. They have Grace and Chet as parents. Me and my husband as grandparents and cousin's and several uncles and aunts."

"Now I know Mr. Haines brought up your business but you've left that business?"

"Yes, I have. Several years ago. My husband and I have a horse breeding ranch. Several hundred, no, thousands of acres which is why we all live on the ranch."

"Is this leading somewhere, Judge?"

Waving his hand, "Judge, I'm just establishing the environment Tessie and Eva are living in. Thank you, Mrs. Dillon. No more questions."

"Mr. Haines, any other witnesses to question?"

"Yes, Sir. I call Grace Dillon Owens."

As Grace walked up, she held Kitty's hand, squeezing it.

Taking a seat, and being sworn, "Now, Miss Ow... Oh, I'm sorry. It's Mrs. Correct?"

"Yes. But it's Dr. Owens to you."

"DOCTOR?" Haines repeated, now looking back at Singleton, confused that he hadn't told him Grace was a doctor. "Well then, Dr. Owens. We have heard how your parents met and your birth so let me ask, with your mother running a place like the Long Branch, you must have had an interesting childhood."

"How do you mean?"

"Well, with your mother in a saloon all the time, when did she find time to raise you and your sisters?"

"Mr. Haines, my mother owned the Long Branch. Uncle Sam worked there. He was a loyal employee and friend. Momma always made time for me and my sisters."

But she raised you in a saloon."

"No, Sir. We were forbidden to be in the saloon during..."

"Ah, I see." He waved a hand.

"NO! No, you don't. See, we lived above the saloon but there is a private entrance. Then when Uncle Sam and Aunt Ellie bought it and opened the restaurant, we all moved out to the ranch with Uncle Festus and Uncle Frank and Aunt Millie, when they were still here."

"Quite a lot of uncles." Chuckling.

"Was that a question, Mr. Haines?"

"Uh, no. Just an observation."

Grace's jaw was getting tight.

"So, you think you can raise these two girls with a husband, wherever?"

"We have a large family, very supportive and we all look out for one another. My husband is a United States Deputy working with Uncle Newly."

"Uh huh. Another uncle." Chuckling again. "Interesting."

Now rolling his eyes at Grace, "Your Honor, I think we all get the picture what's going on here. No more questions. Your witness."

Breck smiled at Grace. "Grace... I can call you Grace?"

"Sure."

"Ok, let's un-confuse Mr. Haines."

"How so?" She asked.

"All your uncles."

"Oh well, they are not blood uncles. They are my godfathers."

Now the spectator area roared. "Quiet!"

"Godfathers." Smiling.

"Yes. I have five. Uncle Newly, Uncle Sam, Uncle Festus, Uncle Frank and oh, Uncle Quint. But he lives out in the mountains."

Nodding, "That's nice."

"See when I was born, Momma and Poppa didn't want to choose between them so I have all five and I love them all. And then there's Pap. He's my grandfather, so to speak. Pap has been like a father to Poppa and Momma for many years. It was his wonderful way with people that made me want to be a doctor. And Momma was always adamant about our education, so she always saw to it we girls had a great education. My sister is the town teacher and a darn good one at that. And Beth, she and her husband have a great ranch in Springfield. Momma said it right earlier. We may not all be of the same blood but we are a family. A family of the heart. And I wouldn't trade it for anything. Tessie and Eva will be loved more then you know, Judge."

Kendall just smiled and nodded. "Thank you."

"Your Honor, If I may, I'd like to recall Mrs. Burnett. I have a few more questions."

"As you wish." The judge agreed.

"Mrs. Burnett, you are still under oath. You understand?"

"Yes, yes of course."

"Again, tell me why after all this time you are interested in Tessie and Eva? You have no children of your own, so do you really think you can handle a ready made family?"

"Well, I… I..."

"Come now, Mrs. Burnett. That's not difficult."

"No…"

"How will you help them adapt?"

"Well, we have a governess. She will take very good care of the girls until they go off to sch... Uh, I mean..."

"I believe you were saying, until you send them off to school? Correct?"

She now sat frozen. "Well, my sisters and I were sent to boarding school and we, well, I did very well. They'd get a far better education then in this place."

"So let me clarify. If you are granted custody, you plan to ship the girls off to a boarding school. Do I have that right, Ma'am?" Now staring her eye to eye up close.

"Yes. Yes, that's right. My husband is a very important man and we have many social obligations."

"So, again, I ask. Why are you so interested in custody of these two young girls? The way I see it, they will be raised by strangers. Correct?"

"Well… well... That's not the point. We… we..." She was now getting frustrated.

Just then, the door flew open in the back of the room. All heads turned. All you could hear was a collective GASP!

TBC