PT.25

Matt took a slow and easy ride into town so Matthew could get used to riding with him. "Matthew, I want you to understand something, Son, about this morning. What I had to rush off and do was something that could have been very dangerous, if you had been along for the ride."

"How?" Matthew asked, looking over at him.

"Let me try and explain. You know I told you about all our land and all the cattle. And I told you about how your sister and Josh's land connects to ours so we have no fences between us."

"Well, Dad, we're family. We don't need fences, right?"

"That's right but there are other ranches connected to us so, in that case, we do have fences."

"Oh. Ok, so our cattle won't go on their land, right?"

"Yes, exactly."

"And they have are cattle too. Right, Dad?"

"Yeah. But see, some people, Son, don't follow the rules and this morning someone cut and knocked down our fences. Our cattle were loose. I had to go take care of this and confront the person and people who did it. See, Son, there are going to be just some things that happen on this ranch that I and the hands will have to take care of that you are just not old enough to be with me. Besides, your mother would..."

Suddenly, Matthew giggled. "Skin your hide, Dad?"

Matt rolled his eyes, shrugging his shoulders. "Yeah."

Arriving in town, "Hello, Matt." Abel Rose approached them. "And who's this?"

"Abel, this is my son, Matthew. Matthew, this is Sheriff Rose."

"Hello, Sheriff, nice to meet you."

"Matthew, here. Why don't you go get yourself some sugar candy and meet me back here?" Matt and Abel went inside to talk about what had happened with the fences.

Matthew crossed the street, entering the general store. He was looking around at all the jars of candy sticks while the clerk stood smiling.

"They sure look good, don't they?"

Matthew was licking his lips. "Yep. Daddy said I can get some. He gave me this." He was holding out his hand showing him he had coins to pay.

"Well, you let me know when you decide. Ladies, can I help you?" Turning to the three ladies walking in the door.

Suddenly, they begin talking above a whisper. "Oh, my. That's him. That's the boy. Beth Reardon told Louise's daughter he was her brother. Can you imagine? Matt Dillon had a child with that woman. I hear she was a saloon woman in Dodge City."

"No, no, silly. The story is she owned a saloon in Dodge City. Matt Dillon was a Marshal there long before he came here."

"Well, either way, we know what she is. Trash."

The store clerk watched as he noticed Matthew standing there and knew he could hear them. "Ladies, please. The child..."

Matthew turned, face angry. "MY MOM'S NOT TRASH." He ran out of the store running across the street into the sheriff's office.

Matthew rushed in the door, tears flowing down his face. Matt had his back to the door until Abel saw Matthew and saw his face. "Matt."

Turning, "Matthew, Son? Whoa, slow down. What's wrong?"

Sniffling hard, wrapping his arms around Matt. "Those ladies... They… they..."

"Ok, ok. What?"

"They said... They said Mom…"

"Matthew, Look at me, Son. Take a breath and tell me."

Swallowing hard, rubbing his eyes, wiping his cheeks and pouting. "Those ladies in the store. They were talking and they said Momma was tr... trash."

"What?"

"Uh huh. They said she owed something, a loon and was trash."

Hugging him, "Matthew, your mom..."

"Daddy, Momma. She's not trash. She loves us, you, me and Beth and Maggie and Josh and Martin. All of us." Wiping his face again. "Daddy, what's that thing they said? A umm… aloon?"

"Son, you mean saloon. Well, it's a place where grownups go to drink beer and whiskey. Will talk about that later. Come on. Let's go."

"Ok, Dad. Oh, we have to go let Doc Brooks check your hand. Remember?"

"Oh, yeah. Ok."

Matt and Matthew walked to see Dr. Brooks. As they walked, Matthew saw the three women from the store. "That's them, Daddy. That's the ladies that said them things about Momma."

"Ok, Son." Sitting in the office, Dr. Brooks re-bandaged Matt's hand. As they were leaving, Louise Porter approached them on the boardwalk.

"Matt? Well, hello! I haven't seen you for a while."

"Hello, Mrs. Porter."

"Oh now, Matt. It's Louise. No need to be so formal." She looked down at Matthew. "What do we have here?"

Matthew looked at her. "I'm Matthew. Matthew Russell Dillon."

"Oh my word. So it wasn't just a rumor."

"No. Matthew's my son."

"And his mother is that woman who I hear is..."

Clearing his throat, "My wife."

"Your what?" She said shocked.

"My wife, Kitty." Matt turned to Matthew. "Come on, Son. Time to go."

Three days later, Kitty and Beth rode into town for Beth to see Dr. Brooks. Matt had told Kitty about what happened with Matthew. And when she mentioned it to Beth, Beth also filled her in on what happened when she and Martin were in town.

"Well, Beth I'm no stranger to gossip. But Matthew. He's just a boy. They knew what they were doing. It was just plain evil."

"Oh, Kitty, they are just bitter and jealous. And Mrs. Porter, well… She just has her sights set on Dad."

As they arrived in town, they saw Louise and several other women clustered. Louise was sharply yelling at a young girl.

Beth and Kitty stepped down, walking towards them. Now seeing this young girl standing defenseless, Kitty walked between them. "Wait. What is this?"

Louise started, "This cheap tramp has the nerve to walk the streets in public. As if she should be seen with decent people. It wasn't enough my husband died in her bed and I have to live with that humiliation."

Kitty turned, "Honey, what's your name?"

"April."

"April, you just go on. Go ahead. You'll be fine." As she walked away, "Mrs. Porter, isn't it?"

"Yes. And how dare you."

"I dare because what right do you or any of you have to berate that young woman on the street?"

"She's a tramp! Oh, but you would know all about that wouldn't you? What was it called? The Long Branch?"

"Yes, I owned the Long Branch. I was a business woman for twenty years and proud of it. I learned a lot of things in my business. One of those things, Mrs. Porter, is that although men would like to think women are gossips... Oh, and they are. You all prove that quite well." Smiling at them all. "But men are the BIGGEST gossips of all times. What you hear across a bar would curl your hair. Or even just walking around this town. Like for instance, your husband."

Now eyes wide. "What would you know about my husband?"

"Well, let's start with, maybe that it wasn't April's bed your husband died in."

"What? Who…"

"And how, that's simple. Mrs. Ashford."

Now inhaling, What?"

"You're Louise's friend. Maybe you would be better informed to tell her the details of her husband's last moments." Kitty now looked from one to the other."

Beth stood with her hand over her mouth, to hide her laugh.

Louise turned to Sara Ashford. "Sara? What does she mean?"

"Oh, I… I..."

Beth looked at Kitty. "Kitty, maybe we should go now. My appointment?" As they walked away, Beth grabbed Kitty's arm, laughing. "Kitty, how did you know all that?"

"Oh, Honey. All my years working in a saloon? That was true. I owned a saloon. I learned men are much more gossipy then women will ever be." Letting out a huge barrel laugh.

"Kitty, every day I see more and more why Dad loves you so."

TBC