Unshown Moments for The Badge (3)
AN: Just wanted to say thank you to everyone I couldn't PM. I'm glad you like these little moments. I also neglected to mention that The Blueeyed fool helped me tremendously on this last chapter. She is a jewell.
I trust everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and Pray you have a wonderful Christmas.
This is for Phoenix.
Sam arrived early, as he always did, and unlocked the front doors of the Long Branch. Though the windows were still boarded over and technically the place was still closed and up for sale, Sam still felt he had a duty to his employer to be there every day.
Of course, since Miss Kitty had been the main attraction and she was gone, business had been practically non-existent. The girls had all taken jobs elsewhere and most customers had gone with them. Doc, Festus and Newly still came by each day and occasionally Louie and even Burke but few others found their way to the doors of the shuttered saloon.
But one person did not. And that one was sorely missed.
"Good morning, Sam."
Sam came close to dropping the coffee pot he'd just picked up when he heard her voice. Turning, he saw a smiling Kitty Russell descending the stairs and coming towards him looking happy and content.
"Miss Kitty?" He couldn't keep from grinning. "When… when did you get in?"
"Late last night." She grinned. "I uh, let myself in and made myself at home."
"Well, I'm sure glad you're back." He smiled broadly before a thought struck him. "I mean… you are back, aren't you? Permanently?"
Kitty nodded and then shrugged with a teasing arched brow. "Well, I am unless you managed to sell the Long Branch while I was gone."
"No, Ma'am." He shook his head with a chuckle. "And even if I had, I'd get it back for you."
Kitty dropped the grin and her head for a moment before returning her gaze to him. "I know you would, Sam. You've been more than an employee to me. You've been a good friend as well and I appreciate all you did while I was gone. I know it couldn't have been easy."
"The only hard part was thinking you wouldn't come back." Sam answered honestly. "This place isn't the same without you."
Kitty reached up and pecked Sam on a leathery cheek. "I wasn't the same without this place or my friends and that includes you."
"Thank you, Miss Kitty." Sam nodded solemnly. "Does the Marshal know you're back?"
"Yeah." Kitty nodded without elaboration. "He knows."
"Good." Sam sounded relieved. "Ever since he came back from checking on you in Ballard he's been as nervous as a cat on hot tin roof, afraid you wouldn't come back. Festus told me he's been pacing around his office like he's got a fever and runs to the window every time he hears someone coming down the street."
"Oh, really." Kitty hid a grin. "He was afraid I wouldn't come back?"
"Yes, Ma'am," Sam nodded, "or at least that's the way he's been acting since he returned. I'm not so sure he wouldn't have come back down to Ballard after you if you hadn't of come back here."
"And he specifically went to Ballard to check on me?"
"Well, he said he had some business down south but we all figured you were the main reason he went."
Kitty's grin widened. She'd known since she walked into the jail the night before that Matt had been glad to see her back, he'd even told her that but he hadn't mentioned being nervous that she wouldn't or that his main purpose of coming to Ballard was to check on her. That was something good to know.
"Well, you all can relax now. I'm home and I'm staying."
"Sure glad to hear that, Miss Kitty." Sam smiled genuinely. "Uh, do you want to wait a couple of days to reopen the saloon til you get settled back in?"
Kitty shook her head. "No, Sam, I think we ought to go ahead and open it up today. The Long Branch has been shuttered up long enough don't you think?"
"Yes, Ma'am." He nodded happily. "Yes, Ma'am, I sure do."
END