Chapter 35 – Adam Helps Make a Birthday Present for his Sister

It was hardly more than a week since Lester Pruitt was stabbed during his fight with Pete Duncan, but the resulting trials were over and life had settled back into what had become normal for summer in Dodge City. I was busy with the usual business at the Long Branch, raising our kids and preparing for our daughter Abby's tenth birthday party. It was to be late Friday afternoon at the saloon, only four days away. Adam had seen Nat working for Mr. Lathrop in order to earn some extra cash to buy his sister a very pretty jewelry box he'd seen in the store and knew that Doc, Matt and I also had presents for her and was feeling left out.

"Ma, why don't I help Adam make a present for Abby? Do you mind if I use some of the rice you have stored and some of the flour to make a paste? I could even use some corn and food coloring and some of the scrap paper and a box."

"That sounds wonderful Nat. Use whatever you need to help him feel part of the upcoming celebration."

I soon left Adam, under Nat's supervision, happily pasting rice and corn onto the cardboard from the boxes to create a very crude box to keep her comb, brush and looking glass. Still, as I headed downstairs to my office to work on the books, I felt sure Abby would love it. He finished it that very afternoon, but two days later he complained of a tummy ache. Matt and I dismissed it as over excitement at first, but when he refused any of the cake and ice cream at Abby's party because he hurt too much, we asked Doc to look him over.

The poor little guy cried out in pain as Doc felt his stomach. Even when Doc finished, Adam couldn't stop crying. Nothing Matt or I did seemed to comfort him and he wouldn't even look at Doc, who looked about as worried as I'd ever seen him.

"What's wrong Doc?" I asked as Matt picked up our small son and mirrored Doc's expression. "Does he have appendicitis like Abby last year?"

"No, it's not that. If it was, I could do something about it. Adam, would you turn your head so your mouth's not buried in your father's shoulder? I need to hear your answers to my questions. Did you eat anything in the past few days that wasn't from Mr. Lathrop's store or on a plate?"

"Mean from floor?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I mean."

"Eat food make Abby present."

"Did you drink a lot afterwards?"

"Tirsty. Drink soda pop an' lots water."

"Matt, Kitty, I'm afraid the liquid Adam drank after eating the rice and corn kernels and paste he used to make Abby's present off the floor caused what he already had in his stomach to expanded and get stuck in his intestines. The more he ate and drank, the worse the blockage became. That's why he's in so much pain. I'm going to wire ahead to a specialist in Denver who can remove the blockage. We should make plans to be on the next available train once I hear from him."

"Doc, can't you do that here?" Matt asked for both of us.

"I wish I could, but I don't have the skills. If I tried it, I'd shorten his life to no more than days, weeks at the most and if I do nothing it's definitely only days he has left."

"Well I reckon we have no choice then. I'll ride out and ask Newly and Paula to look after Nat and Abby while we're gone. Meanwhile, you do what you need to do, Doc."

By the time Matt returned from the O'Brien ranch, Doc had his answer. We'd be on tomorrow's 10 o'clock train to Denver. Newly would stop by for Nat and Abby. Tonight we had to gather what everyone would need into carpetbags and grips.

"Ma, Pa, why do we have to stay with Uncle Newly and Aunt Paula? Can't we come with you to Denver?" our two older children said together.

"I know you probably think I can't look after Abby after I failed so badly with Adam, but I only turned my back for a minute," Nat protested. "Even if you do blame me as much as I blame myself, what's that gotta do with going to Denver with you? I wouldn't be taking care of the squirt or Abs there, leastways not alone."

"The people at the hospital won't allow you to stay in Adam's room and Denver's too big a city for us to let you stay in a hotel room on your own and we couldn't ask Lionel's folks to take on the job of seeing to you. We'll send a telegram as soon as we know something. Meanwhile, just go quietly with Newly when he comes by for you tomorrow," Matt told them in that voice of his that leaves no room for argument.

Albert had waited to head home until we left, so he, Newly, Lionel and Festus were at the train station to see us off. Lionel surprised us by saying he'd heard from his father, who would meet us at the Denver train station and take us on to the hospital, the newly opened National Jewish Hospital, where Doctor David Weisbaum would meet us.

Although the overnight trip was without any delays, it seemed to last forever. It didn't help that Adam became more feverish as the hours dragged on. Even Matt's normally emotionless face was creased in worry as our little miracle boy lay across our laps. Therefore, we greeted Derrick Walker, who was standing on the platform waiting for us, with surprise and as little worry on our faces as we could muster. It seems Lionel had used the telephone service that he'd been trying to convince Matt to put in the jail and me to put in my office at the Long Branch to contact his father. Derrick quickly ushered us into his waiting carriage, speeding us to the hospital where Dr. Weisbaum was waiting in five minutes.

"Mr. and Mrs. Dillon, I know you're anxious about the health of your son, so I have an operating room ready. I can begin as soon as I finish examining the boy and a nurse experienced in giving ether arrives to administer it. Doctor Adams, I don't think I need to ask if you'd like to assist. It's a simple technique and you can carry it out on any future patients at home in Dodge City as well as teach it to any other doctors in your community."

"Thank you, doctor," I said as he began his examination, "but I can administer the ether. Doc has spent years training me as a nurse, including how to handle ether. Besides, Adam will be less frightened if I'm in such a strange place with him."

"Doctor Adams, if you concur, I will allow Mrs. Dillon to function as nurse in the operating room, although it's highly unusual for a mother to be so closely involved or any other relative for that matter."

"I most definitely agree with Kitty. That overgrown public servant of a husband of hers wouldn't be alive today if it weren't for her assistance in some very delicate operations I've performed. Of necessity, someone practicing medicine in a small town can't help but operate on relatives and close friends. If I couldn't separate what I need to do from how I feel about the person, I couldn't have lasted as long as I have in Dodge as, until recently, the town's only physician. As to our young patient there, I may not be a blood relative, but I am his godfather. He and his brother and sister are about as close as I'll ever come to having grandchildren."

Dr. Weisbaum agreed to allow me to assist with the ether while he completed his examination. As we started for the operating room, I glanced at Matt and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. It was when we left the room and started down the hallway that I noticed a man and woman seated on a bench. The man was looking at the woman next to him, but she was staring fixedly at Adam. I wondered if Matt noticed. Her interest in our son somehow made me feel very uneasy.

I stood in that hospital hallway watching Kitty, Doc and Dr. Weisbaum wheel our son toward an operating room in this brand new building to whatever fate awaited him. My mind dwelled on "our son" because only Adam was truly a result of the love Kitty and I share. I'd give my life over and over for Nat and Abby, as would Kitty, but they were brought into this world thanks to the love shared by another couple. We simply chose to make them ours. I began to pace, not knowing what else to do until word came back about Adam's fate and whether or not there would be a permanent hole in our lives. Somehow my eyes strayed to the couple sitting on a bench trying to draw comfort from one another. They were like a mirror image of me and Kitty; he with hair a bit more brown than Kitty's flaming red tresses and she with wavy brown locks, slightly lighter than mine. Still, they had each other to help them get through that awful wait, while I was alone. Suddenly, I became aware of someone trying to get my attention.

"Matt, I didn't mean to intrude upon your thoughts at a time like this," Derrick Walker said quietly. "I thought maybe you could use a friendly face. Where's Kitty?"

"She's helping Doc and Dr. Weisbaum with Adam. She often acts as Doc's nurse."

"Matt, do you want to come back to the house with me and maybe freshen up from your trip? I can have you back here well before they finish."

"Thanks Derrick, but I've got to stay here just in case… I don't want to not be here if I'm needed."

"I understand. I can wait with you to help pass the time if you want or I can go back home."

"You might as well go home. I'm sure you have plenty to keep you busy in a city the size of Denver."

Denver's district attorney left after I promised to fill him in on how his son was progressing toward becoming the marshal in my place and Lionel's growing attachment to Eileen Fallon before we left for home. There was nothing left to do but take a seat next to the couple on the bench.

"You're waiting to see about that little boy aren't you? I couldn't help but notice that adorable, red head. We're taking a break from visiting with my brother. He suffered severe injuries when the wall of a poorly constructed building came crashing down on him. It certainly wasn't one of his buildings. He came out here with his wife because he thought there'd be more opportunity for an inexperienced architect in a frontier city. Sid and I took the train from New York as soon as we received her letter. Oh, here I am rattling on. I'm Belle Schneider."

"Matt Dillon," I said nodding at her and taking Sid Schneider's hand. "Sorry to hear about your brother, Mrs. Schneider."

"Thank you, Mr. Dillon for your kind words at a time when you must be buried in your own troubles. Is what's ailing your son serious?"

"Yeah. He's got some sort of blockage in his belly from when he ate something he shouldn't. It will kill him if it's not removed and he might die even then."

"I know I shouldn't be asking this, but you do seem rather old to have such a young child. Do you have any other children that you perhaps left at home with relatives?"

"You're right. It's none of your business."

I was finished with the Schneiders. I got up and resumed my pacing between Adam's room and the operating room at the end of the hall. How dare that woman pry into our lives and assume our age prevented us from having only Adam. Pure happenstance had brought Nat and Abby to us and somehow, if the worst happened, we'd have to tell them and somehow find a way to lean on each other so we could do more than exist.

I don't know how long I paced alone with my thoughts, but however long it was, it ended. Kitty, Doc and Dr. Weisbaum were coming toward me wheeling Adam to his room. I stepped in along side Kitty, who grabbed my hand.

"How you holding up, Cowboy?" she whispered, seeing the answer in my eyes.

"Doc, Dr. Weisbaum, will he make it?" I said trying to conceal the fear I felt.

"Mr. Dillon, you have a very strong little boy. I think he stands a good chance, but we'll know more after he wakes up and we can see if he can keep anything down."

The two doctors went off together, leaving us alone with our son. They'd said something about going to get some food and wondered if we wanted any, but both Kitty and I refused. It was close to 7 by the time they returned and Adam was still asleep. Dr. Weisbaum promised to return in the morning, but Doc planned on staying down the hall in a dormitory reserved for the doctors who were on hand in case they were needed for an emergency. We would stay with Adam, keeping a vigil over our little miracle.

Two more hours passed with us sitting in chairs on either side of the bed, alternating between holding his hand and stroking his forehead or ruffling his hair. I'd just brushed my hand through his hair again, when I thought I saw his eyelids flutter. I looked over at Kitty and knew she'd seen the same thing. When we looked down at Adam again his eyes were open and shifting from one to the other of us.

"Mama, Pa over?" he asked.

"Yes, sweetie, it's over," Kitty replied. "Soon you'll feel all better, but right now I'm sure you're tired, so go back to sleep. We'll be here with you all night and your godpa's just down the hall."

I don't know when I fell asleep, but I awoke to full morning. Doc was taking Adam's temperature and Kitty was stroking the face of our fully awake son. I smiled down at him just as the door to the room opened to admit Dr. Weisbaum. He too smiled when he saw the alert little boy.

Adam grinned back at us and said, "hungry."

"I see you're feeling much better than you were yesterday, young man. Just what would you like to eat?" Dr. Weisbaum asked.

"Want bacon, eggs."

"Well, let's just see how you do with a little herbal tea and toast and maybe a bit of porridge. I think you should wait a few days until you tackle bacon and eggs. Mr. Dillon, why don't you come with me? I could use some help carrying back food and drink for all of us."

I agreed to help now that it appeared that our son was going to make it. I also realized that I was starved.

"When can we take him home, doctor? I'd like to let his brother and sister know he's going to be all right and when to expect us."

"Let's see how he does with the food and make sure no further blockage occurs. If he has no trouble then you can telegraph or phone the people your older children are staying with. If all goes well, you may make tomorrow's 9 o'clock train east. I normally wouldn't allow a patient to go home so soon after a serious operation and especially not on a long train ride, but he will be traveling with his own private physician."

We returned laden with food, which all of us ate with relish. Adam finished not only the tea and toast, but the porridge with no ill effects. Dr. Weisbaum was content to take his leave for several hours and opened the door. Mrs. Schneider blocked his exit.

"Oh, excuse me. I'm sorry Mr. Dillon, I must have entered the wrong room. It looks like your little one is doing fine. I'd like to request one thing, since I'm here, if you don't mind. I heard you have two other children and this little one looks so much like what I imagine mine would have looked like that I was hoping that you would agree to let me take him home with us to New York. It would complete our family."

I would never hit a woman, but I came perilously close to it right then. Kitty, having no such qualms, was advancing toward the woman with murder in her eyes. She stopped short when Sid Schneider appeared behind his wife.

"Schneider, take your wife out of here before something happens that we all might regret."

"I understand your anger, sir and I will take her with me. You see, Belle's not herself this morning. Her brother didn't make it."

The Schneiders disappeared and we all relaxed. It was probably the last we'd see of them.

"Matt, I don't trust that woman. How did she know we left Nat and Abby at home?"

"I think she was listening at the door when Dr. Weisbaum and I went for the food and kept her ear to the it after we got back. Don't worry Kitty, I don't think we mentioned where we live," I said, hoping the woman hadn't overheard which train we were taking.

Adam's appetite continued to be strong and there was no sign of trouble so that by the time Derrick Walker showed up at 6, I was ready to send my telegram. Walker offered to send it for me and to bring us back supper from his home as well as buy our return train tickets for us. He also agreed to meet us at 8:00 the next morning so we could have breakfast and still make our train with time to spare. We'd be back home by Wednesday.