Unshown Moments for The Way It Is- Season 8

This is for Evitascarlett.

Kitty stood in front of her mirror, holding her new dress up in front of her, smiling at her reflection. She'd had the dress made for the Ford County Sociable and she was positive it would be the prettiest one there. As she studied her reflection, she hoped a certain cowboy would think it's owner was the prettiest woman there.

Grinning happily, she thought of the tall man that had taken her heart. He had promised steadfastly that unlike last year's sociable and Bessie Larcher's chivalry and Lily's wedding and their failed trip to Wichita, he would be there this year and happily escort her to the dance. She couldn't wait.

Twirling around, dress held against her, Kitty imagined it was Matt she was holding and they were finally together, in public, having fun. Laughing at her own childish glee, she finally stopped and placed the dress across the back of a chair just as a knock came at her door.

"Come in, Matt." She called happily. "It's open."

Matt came in with a smile, closing the door behind him before pulling her to him for a quick kiss. "You look awful happy." He grinned.

"I am happy." She grinned. "I have a new dress, a free evening and a handsome man in my room. What more could a woman want?"

Matt leaned down, kissing her again. "Oh, I don't know, lot of money? Maybe fine jewels or more perfume?"

Kitty chuckled. "Not even close. Nope, I have what I want, right here. And when we go to the Sociable…"

"Uh, about that." Matt sighed, stopping her before she could get too deep into it. "I'm not going to be able to go to the Sociable, liked we planned, Kitty."

Kitty stiffened; her smile disappeared. "Why?"

"Ah, I got a telegram just a little bit ago. I've got to go to Topeka." He answered, tossing it off as nothing. "But you don't have to worry, I've talked to Chester and Doc already. They'll be glad to escort you to the dance."

"Chester and Doc?" She bit her bottom lip to keep from saying what else came to mind.

"Yeah," Matt smiled brightly. He didn't see the impact that had on her. "You know they would love to take you. After all, it's not like they could get anyone else to go with them, anyway." He chuckled, thinking of his two friends but didn't notice she wasn't laughing with him.

"No, I guess not." Kitty turned away, anger warring with disappointed hurt to see which would show first.

"But you'll have a fine time." Matt went on, failing to notice her sudden silence. "I know I promised I'd take you, but… well, it can't be helped. When they call me to go, I have to go."

Kitty swallowed back the bile that rose to the back of her throat and kept her back to him, just not sure yet what to say or how to act that wouldn't get her arrested for murdering the very man that she wanted to be with.

"When did you find out?" She asked without turning around.

"This afternoon." He answered, finally noticing that her happy mood seemed to have deserted her. "Kitty? You alright?"

"Why, wouldn't I be?" She answered, fighting back tears. "I mean after all I have Doc and Chester to take me to the dance you're backing out on."

Just then, a loud knocking came at the door. "Mr. Dillon!" Chester's strident call could be heard on the other side of the door. "Mr. Dillon! You'd better come. There's trouble over to the Lady Gay."

Matt cast a regretful look at Kitty's back. "Kitty, I… I'm sorry. I know I promised to spend some time with you tonight and I know we need to talk about the dance and all but…"

"Mr. Dillon?"

"Coming, Chester." Matt yelled to his assistant as he looked over to Kitty. "Look, I'll go take care of this and then come back later. Okay?"

"Yeah." She finally answered and turned back to him, just barely managing to hide her hurt and anger. "You go on. Do what you need to."

Relieved that she was still talking to him, Matt smiled at her and then quickly left the room, following Chester down the hall and downstairs. He knew the news of his leaving before the dance wasn't what she wanted to hear, but he was sure she'd be alright. After all, it wasn't the first time and probably wouldn't be the last. Kitty understood that. Convincing himself that all was fine with her, Matt charged onto the Lady Gay to break up trouble.

It wasn't until Kitty heard the last of Matt and Chester's footsteps that she picked up a vase from the table by her bed and threw it as hard as she could at the door.

Early the next morning, Kitty rose from bed alone. Matt hadn't made it back to her the previous night which meant just one thing to her. Once again, his badge had come before her. Angrily, she got up and hastily got dressed.

She'd made arrangements with Moss the previous day to have her mare saddled and waiting for her this morning so that she could take a ride. She hadn't known, at the time, that Matt would be leaving before the dance but now that she did, she felt all the more need to get away from town and him for a while.

While getting ready to leave, all of the anger from the night before hit her full force and it was with that same anger that she loudly closed her door behind her, drank a glass of whiskey for breakfast and stormed out of the saloon, marching down to the stables. She truly didn't see Doc or Chester or hear them, as her senses were clouded by her fury.

It wasn't until she'd reached a point way out onto the prairie that her temper gave way to her pain and she let down her guard and cried.

End