Unshown Moments for Marry Me (4)

"Orkey, you're pa's got cholera doesn't he?" Kitty knew the answer already.

"Yes'm." Orkey answered sadly. "He does."

"I have a friend in Dodge. He'd know what to do for your pa. Why don't you send Sweet Billy into town to get him?" Kitty was no longer concerned about escaping. She truly didn't want to see the old man die.

"Pa don't take to doctoring." Orkey shook his head as he went behind the curtain to tend to his father.

Kitty took a deep breath and looked down. "Orkey, whether he wants it or not, you've got to get him some help." She called through the curtain. "He's going to die if you don't."

On the other side of the curtain, Orkey looked down on his father, struggling not to cry out. The old man was barely breathing and moaning in pain. Orkey knew no matter how swiftly help could be obtained, it wouldn't be fast enough to save his pa.

"Kitty? Kitty?"

Orkey heard a deep male voice calling for her in the yard and he knew that, like his father, he was about to lose her too. He reckoned the pain of her loss would be close to the pain of losing his pa, only he knew, he'd never really had Kitty to begin with, not inside, not the way he'd hoped.

"Orkey?" Kitty pulled the curtain back. "He…"

"Go on, Miss Kitty." Orkey offered her a sad smile. "Just go on. And tell that there man to please be quiet. Pa needs his rest."

"Orkey…"

"Go on, I said." Orkey's voice took on a stern note he'd never had before.

Kitty nodded in understanding, turned and headed for the door, quickly leaving and running as fast as she could to the man waiting out there for her. The man she really belonged to.

"Or… key?"

Orkey swallowed hard and looked down at his father. "Pa. It's alright. You'll be okay. You just rest."

But the senior Cathcart shook his head as he feebly reached out and took his son's hand. "Do… what's…right, boy. Do… what's…"

Orkey nodded, dropping his head in complete misery as his father breathed his last. "Do what's right." His pa had said. Nodding to the knowledge of what he had to do, Orkey squared his shoulder's and went out to tell his brother about their pa and say to goodbye to Kitty Russell.

End