Before Dodge

Chapter 21

Loving You is Easy

Okay, here is chapter 21. Hopefully only one more chapter, or maybe two. I have three other ideas running around in my head and have a need to get them on paper as well. Ideas that are going to be, at least I think that they will be good stories. We shall see.

KR

Matt sat beside Kitty as the doctor looked her over. He had undressed her and examined her, all the while, Matt would not leave her side. Festus and Newly stood outside the door, keeping watch, making sure that John Clark did not have more men in an attempt to get his hands on the woman again. Covering her nude body back up after examining her, the doctor looked over at Matt. The moment he had laid her on the bed, he took the cuffs off of her and hadn't even noticed the look the doctor had given him.

"Marshal, she's gonna need to rest. Why don't you go and get some sleep." He said scratching his balding head.

"What did he do to her, Doc?" He asked, holding her hand.

"It's Matt, right? Why don't you come out into my office and we'll talk?" He saw the hesitation in Matt's eyes. "There are no windows in this room, Matt and no other doors." He said, knowing that Matt was worried about her safety. "She's perfectly safe, you and I will be just in the other room."

Reluctantly, Matt stood up and followed the doctor into his outer office. "So, what did he do to her?" He asked looking at the old man.

Shaking his head in disapproval, he didn't know where to begin. "She has a mild concussion, three broken ribs, bruising over seventy-five percent of her body, not to mention the fact that he…he violated her, repeatedly. Matt, this isn't the first time. Kitty's been through hell and back. I don't know if you know what happened and how she came to be here, but it wasn't her choice. I've been doctoring around these parts for 25 years. I've tended to her after his beatings time and again. She was just a child. I've implored the sheriff to intervene; but he was paid by Clark. I even helped her get away once. Got her sent up north to a convent, but somehow he found her and brought her back. When he asked who had helped her, she wouldn't tell him. For that, he put her in bed for two weeks. He busted her arm, beat her up pretty bad. I think he knew, in a way that it was me, because any time she needed me, I was not allowed to see her alone, unless she was unconscious. I've tried to get others involved, he runs a slavery operation over at the Palace. Those girls were sold to him by people trying to pay back debts owed to him. No one wants to get involved. Besides, most of the folks around here don't get involved because they do business with Clark. He controls this town and everyone and everything in it."

"Is she gonna be alright?" Matt said looking up at the old Doctor.

"I don't know how, but she's gonna be fine. She just needs to stay here a few days. I know that's asking a lot with this being Clark's town, but she shouldn't be moved for a few days. Just give her a little time." Doc pleaded with him.

"That won't be a problem, I wired the nearest fort in these parts, before I hit town. There will be a regimen here in three days."

"That should give her time to heal. She's still pretty young and very healthy which is a mystery to me." Doc said as he poured himself and Matt both a whiskey. He took a swallow of the amber liquid and looked down at Matt. "It burns a bit, but it's still smooth." He said looking at Matt.

"Thanks, Doc." Matt said gulping down the whiskey in one swoop. He felt the heat of the whiskey burning down his throat and he breathed deeply. "Is it true, Doc, is she carrying my child?" Matt asked looking into the glass and the remaining droplets of amber fluid

"Yes, it is. It's the only thing that has kept her alive, Matt." Doc said gently touching the big lawman's shoulder. "What are you gonna do with Kitty?" Doc asked.

"I'm taking her back to Kansas to stand trial for cheating if the charges are still valid that is." Matt said looking over at the door.

"You know she had no choice in that. John Clark made her cheat, he taught her how to deal and play. She's a pretty sharp player, when she doesn't cheat and pretty lucky. But he doesn't like to take any chances. If he tells her to do so, she cheats, otherwise, she'll be paying me a visit. What will they do to her?" Doc said leaning forward in his chair.

"I don't know." He said torn between his duty and the woman he loves. "I could always…."

"No, you couldn't, son. You love her, and she loves you. I know the one thing she admires most about you is your loyalty to the law. She told me about you when he first brought her back three weeks ago. She said she had left you, because she didn't want to see you get hurt. Then Mobley told her you were dead that he had killed you. She wanted to die. In fact, there were a few incidents she had started. She wanted Clark to kill her. He killed Jenny and she felt more alone." Doc said as he poured himself another whiskey and swallowed it quickly.

"What, who's Jenny?" Matt asked looking up at him. Doc sat down in the chair across from him.

"Well, you could say she was Kitty's daughter, seeing's how Kitty raised her since she was just a babe. Her real mama was one of John's girls, and John was the father of the child. Jenny's mama died. She loved Kitty and she tried to protect her, but she couldn't always protect her. She died giving birth to Jenny and left the baby in Kitty's hands. John never laid a hand on Jenny; Kitty was always his target. He loved to hurt her, the sadistic bastard. Anyway, just about a week ago, John was beating on Kitty pretty badly and Jenny tried to stop him. Kitty said he picked the child up and threw her across the room. Jenny's head hit the wall and she died. Kitty lost hope. She wanted it to end, than I told her about the baby. We had convinced Clark it was his child." He said sitting there pulling out his handkerchief and wiping his eyes. He saw Matt get upset. "We only wanted to protect your unborn baby. She needed this to keep her going."

"It's okay, Doc. I understand. Why weren't charges pressed against Clark for Jenny's death?" Matt asked as he stood up and began to pace the floor.

"The same reason they weren't pressed against him for killing Jenny's mama, this is Clark's town, Matt." Doc said feeling guilty. "I've been trying to protect her in my own feeble way, you see, I love her too. Not the way you do, Matt, I'm an old man, but she…she's like my own child. I never married, never had time. When I came to New Orleans, well, she was just a scared kid, maybe 13 years old. She had bruises on her body, a broken nose and busted lip when she came to see me that first time. She looked up at me with those terrified blue eyes, and I've been here ever-since, just to try and keep her alive. Though, I wonder if that was a good idea, maybe I should have helped her long ago. I've been trying to protect her, but I'm an old man, what could I have done."

"You did more than your share, Doc, you are a good friend to her." Matt said grasping the old man's shoulder. "No matter what happens at this trial, Doc, I'll be waiting for her." He said looking down at the floor, which suddenly seemed to be quite interesting to him.

It suddenly dawned on Matt, he was going to be a father, and the silliest grin appeared on his face. "She's having my baby." He said as his voice cracked slightly.

"I take it, this pleases you?" Doc said smiling at the big Lawman.

"Yes, it does. I love her. I intend to marry her." He said sitting back on his chair.

"You're a lawman, what would people say about you marrying a whore?" Doc said, not really trying to goad the Marshal into an argument, but help him to see what others will think.

"Doc, you and I will get along just fine, if you never use that word again when speaking about Kitty. And I don't give a lick about what folks think. She's all I care about." Matt smiled. "And the child too. I need a parson." Standing up, he looked over at the old man. "Doc, is there a parson in this town?"

"Whatever for?" Doc asked as he looked up at the young man.

"I'm gonna marry her, right this moment." Matt said as Doc stood up.

"She's sleeping, she needs to sleep." Doc said as he scratched his head in confusion.

"I'll let her sleep, Doc. But I'm gonna marry her before Clark can try anything." He said walking over to the door.

"Don't you think you're moving a little too fast, Matt." Doc said as Matt headed for the front door.

"Nope!" He said opening the door to see Hannah, Newly and Festus standing there keeping watch.

"Well, there is a Parson, he lives on the edge of town, down behind the church." Doc said as he once again scratched his head in confusion.

"Thanks, Doc." He said looking out at his friend. "Festus, Hannah, Newly, come in for a minute."

"Sure thang, Mathew, what can we do for you?" He asked closing the door behind him as Hannah and Newly come in.

"I want you to go to the edge of town where that old church is that we past by, get the parson and tell him he's going to a wedding." He said to the surprise of his friends.

"Okay!" He said heading out, then stopped with his hand on the doorknob and turned to look at Matt. "Who'sa getting' hitched, Matthew?"

"I am." Matt said as he walked over to the wash-basin and poured some water into the basin to clean his face and hands.

"It's about durn time, you ain't ah gettin' no younger." He said heading' out the door.

Hannah smiled to Newly. "Well, I know you ain't marrying me, I'm a might old for you Matt, but is Kitty well enough to be gettin' hitched?" Hannah asked as Newly smiled at her joke.

"Well, she's a bit out of it, but what she don't know won't hurt her." He said drying his face on the towel.

"What if she don't wanna get married?" Newly asked, then looked at the three of them. "Okay, okay, stupid question." He said looking down at the floor.

"Well, Newly has a point, a woman has a right to be conscious for her own wedding." Hannah said looking at Matt.

Matt buttons his shirt. "You're right Hannah, but these are extenuating circumstances, and you're gonna stand in for Kitty."

"I'm what?" She said looking at him.

"Please, just sit beside her and stand in for her." He said, his big blue eyes looking into her brown eyes.

"Awe, alright, I never could say no to you, Matt." She said smiling.

"Thank you!" He said quickly kissing her on the cheek. Hannah stopped him from moving away and fixed the collar of his shirt.

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The following morning, Kitty began to wake up. Matt lay beside her, her body half on top of his. Her head lay on his chest. He was fully dressed. Her hand lay on the lean hard planes of his abdomen. She gently moves her hand over his abdomen and it is at that moment that she saw something on her left hand. When she raised her hand, there on the forth finger was a simple gold band. She stared at it for the longest time until Matt took her hand and gently kissed it.

"Matt?" She asked not sure of what to say

"Yes, Kitty." He said looking down into her deep blue eyes.

"What's this all about?" She said laying her hand on his chest and looking up into his strong handsome face.

"You're my wife. Reverend Bennett married us two days ago. You were still under the weather, but I knew you wouldn't mind." He said kissing the palm of her hand.

"Matt, you can't possibly be serious. You're a US Marshal, I'm your prisoner. What were you thinking?" She said trying to sit up but his arms were tight yet gentle around her back.

"I was thinking that no matter what happens at the trial, I love you. I will be waiting for you. Besides, my daughter's gonna need her pa."

"But Matt,…." She said sitting up quickly only to lie back down in pain.

"Stop moving so much. What's done is done. You're my wife, yes, I'm taking you to Kansas, but like I said, no matter what happens Kitty, I'll be waiting for you." He said gently holding her against his chest.

"What about Dodge, Matt, they won't be too happy with their Marshal marrying a whore." She said as tears began to flow down her cheeks. "I love you too much to let you ruin your career."

"There's a word I truly hate. I don't wanna hear that word out of your mouth again." Pulling her a little tighter against him. "All that matters is that I love you and you love me….you do love me, Kitty?"

"Yesssss….very much so." She said as her mouth gently slid across his.

"Now get some sleep woman. We've gotta get you to Kansas." She lay her head upon his chest. She didn't care any longer about the outcome of the trial, she was married to the most wonderful man she had ever known and she knew he would wait for her. Closing her eyes, she fell into a deep sleep, safely in his arms.

TBC