Two Days Later
Clothes crumbled after her two day train ride, but hair smoothed and feathered hat in place, Kitty stepped off the train in San Francisco. The streets were bursting with sights, sounds and smells – fishermen lugging their hauls, Chinese women selling food from carts, nannies in starched uniforms pushing baby carriages – men in business suits, stylish women, dock workers, tradesmen. Kitty shook her head and chuckled – I'm not in Kansas anymore.
She spotted a sign: Montgomery Street. Just what she needed. Her hotel, the Palace, was number 252. She'd already sent her luggage ahead, but wanted to walk to stretch her legs and get a feel for the city. Turning onto Montgomery, she found herself at the bottom of the longest, steepest hill she'd ever seen. Gamely she clutched the sides of her skirt and climbed upwards on and on. Red faced and breathing hard, she finally spotted her hotel, perched at top of the hill. She was panting when she reached the door, and a sympathetic doorman quickly ushered her inside. Nodding her thanks, she stepped onto a thick red carpet that felt luxurious under her feet. She crossed the spacious lobby to the check-in desk. "Good day. I have a reservation. My name is Kitty Russell."
A balding clerk with a handlebar mustache was writing in his ledger. He barely glanced up. "I see your name. Room 101, in the ladies wing of course. Your luggage is there already." He distractedly slid a key across the desk.
"I have a question, sir. I read that this hotel sends telegrams for guests upon request. How do I arrange for that?"
Nose still in his book, the clerk impatiently nodded towards a corner of his desk. "Write your message on the pad, tear it off and put it the box." Kitty grabbed the pad and pencil, and neatly printed: To Marshal Matt Dillon. Dodge City, Kansas. Arrived safely in San Francisco, will be in touch. Kitty.
She tore the paper from the pad and frowned. The box she was told to set it in, was overflowing with messages. Who knew how long they'd been piling up. She eyed the clerk. His focus was still in his ledger. Determined to get her message sent now, Kitty leaned across the desk. The clerk inhaled her perfume, briefly closed his eyes and turned to actually look at her. She smiled with a tilt of her head and widened her beautiful eyes. Her voice was low and lilting. "I know what a busy man you are, having such a BIG job, but I was hoping that maybe, you could make sure my telegram went out right away. It would mean so much to me."
Color rose in the hotel clerk's face. "I-I-I, of course. I'll get it sent immediately." He took the message from her hand and hurried off, with a glance over his shoulder. "If you need anything else, please let me know." Kitty slowly nodded and picked up her key. Men were men in any city, and she hadn't lost her touch. She hurried to her room, eager to unpack and explore San Francisco.
Dodge City
Matt stared down at a blank sheet of paper, and fingered pen on his desk. Minutes ticked by. He sighed and shook his head. His mind felt as blank as the paper, the report would wait a while longer. He ran a hand across his tired eyes and stifled a yawn. It was hard to sleep in his boarding house room. Spending nights there felt all wrong. For years, the bed in that room was used only for afternoon naps, when he was truly exhausted. His nights, when he was in town, were spent with Kitty. But Kitty was away – on a trip – an extended trip. To make matters worse, his right arm and hand were aching something fierce. The pain was so bad this morning he went to see Doc, and got a scolding for his trouble.
"My guess, knowing you, is that you doubled up on those exercises I gave you. Now you've overdone it and caused yourself a set-back. Lay off the exercises until the swelling goes down. AND get this though that thick head of yours, you have to do exactly what I say, AND what I am saying is for now, no more exercises or practicing your draw, soak the hand in cold water, and use it as little as possible."
Matt leaned back in his chair and ran a hand through his hair.. Nothing seemed to be going his way, nothing at all.
San Francisco
Kitty stepped inside room 101, and smiled. The place was lovely and spacious, and what bed! It was so big even Matt would sleep in comfort here. Her smile turned into a sigh. She didn't come all this way to think about Matt at every turn. Pushing him from her mind, she unpacked, washed up and pulled on a pretty, blue dress. Her grumbling stomach was demanding attention, it was time to find a restaurant. She reached around to pull up her zipper, and thought of the many times that Matt had zipped up her dress. Her skin tingled at the memory. She quickly yanked the zipper up. Kitty Russell, stop thinking about Matt Dillon. Just pick out some shoes and go eat! She decided to put on her prettiest pair, the ones with the highest heels. Her stomach grumbled again. She thew on a shawl and hurried off to find dinner.
"Miss Russell, Miss Russell." She was half way across the lobby when she heard the clerk's call and turned. "Is something wrong?"
"Miss Russell, you look like you're going outside, and it's getting dark."
Kitty nodded, "Indeed, because it's evening. That's why I'm going out to eat dinner."
The clerk looked confused. "But, but our dining room is down the hall. It's open until 8:00. There's a ladies section, so you can chat among yourselves without the awkwardness of dining alone, or the worry of being disturbed."
"Thank you for your concern, but I'll risk the – um – awkwardness of dining alone." Kitty smiled at the clerk and hurried off. If she remembered correctly there was a multitude of restaurants at the bottom of Montgomery Street. She started down the steep hill, high heels clicking against sidewalk, step by step by step.
"WATCH OUT, LADY, WATCH OUT."
Kitty turned sharply. A horse was barreling down the hill with a wagon bouncing behind, and the driver frantically tugging the reins. Kitty lurched back and stumbled. A heel caught a hole. Her body twisted. The driver managed to slow his horse. He looked at Kitty. "You all right lady?" Kitty nodded. "I'm fine, don't worry." Relieved, the man gripped the reins and drove on. Kitty took a step, grimaced and looked down. The foot she 'd twisted was ballooning before her eyes. She looked up the hill towards her hotel. The climbed upwards seemed impossible, so limping downwards seemed her best option. Maybe she could find help. Hobbling painfully to the bottom of Montgomery Street, she spotted a sign on a building that gave her a jolt of hope: J. Miller, MD. A light was on inside. Half hobbling/half hopping Kitty made her way to the door and rang the bell. Her foot was throbbing; minutes ticked by. She was about to ring again when the door swung open. A tall, stern woman with jet black hair piled high on her head, looked down at Kitty. "Can I help you?"
"My name's Kitty Russell, I hope it's not too late to see Dr. Miller. Is he still seeing patients today? I – I twisted my ankle. It's swelling fast and pretty painful."
The woman shrugged, "I can't speak for whoever HE is, but I'm still seeing patients. I'm Dr. Joanne Miller, follow me." She strode inside. Kitty hopped behind and found herself in a room quite similar to Doc's. The woman pointed to a chair. "Please sit." Trying not to grunt, Kitty took a seat.
Gracefully getting down on one knee, the doctor took Kitty's foot and gently probed the swollen area. Kitty spoke through gritted teeth. "I apologize for assuming Dr. Miller was a man. I've only met one other woman doctor."
Doctor Miller got to her feet. "That's one more than most people have met." She crossed the room to a cabinet. "Here's a packet of salts. Sprinkle a teaspoon in a bucket of water 2 times a day and soak the foot. Of course you'll have to stay off it until the swelling goes down. That means crutches. I'll lend you a pair. There seem to be no broken bones, you're pretty lucky."
"Hobbling around on crutches is not my idea of luck."
The doctor lifted an eyebrow. "Really?"
Kitty looked up at the tall, attractive doctor. "I don't mean to sound ungrateful, it's just I'm visiting San Francisco for the first time, and I'm here alone." Kitty sighed, "Just getting up that hill to the Palace Hotel on crutches, is going to be something, but I'll figure it out. Thank you Doctor Miller."
The doctor looked Kitty up and down as if assessing her. The slightest of smiles tugged at her lips. "Well, well an independent woman. Tell you what, to soften the blow, let me take you to dinner. My office hours are just about over."
Dodge City
"Mathew, Mathew," The door to the marshal's office flew open. "Mathew, guess who's come ta town." Festus smacked his hand down on the desk. "That gunslinger Ash Drake that's who, and he's with his younga brother, two of them's over at the Long Branch drinkin' right now. I reckon it would be a good idea fur me ta keep an eye on 'em, ya know, follow 'em around town."
"Festus, why would I want you to do that? Just hand me the gunbelt hanging on the wall. Not the cross draw, my regular one. I'll go have a talk with Ash. I didn't even know he had a brother."
Festus hesitated. "Matthew, ya sure that gunbelt's a good idea. I mean with ya arm bein' so sore an all. Doc said…."
Matt's glare stopped Festus cold. "Doc shouldn't be talking about my arm. I'll have a word with him about that. My gunbelt, Festus?" Matt held out a hand. Festus lifted it from the peg, and handed it over with a heavy sigh. Matt buckled it on slowly, using his left hand. He grabbed his hat from a hook and strode out the door. Festus followed, wise enough for once, not to say a word.
TBC