Chapter 26 "Chester's Return" (Part 1)
Matt had received a telegram from Chester on Wednesday that the train he and his family would be on would be arriving on Friday afternoon. It was now Friday morning, and the Dillons had just finished breakfast. Kitty was cleaning up the kitchen, while Matt was getting ready to leave for work. Matt debated on whether or not to go into work or just let Festus and Newly take care of things at the jail. But at the last minute, he decided it would be best to go into work. It would keep his mind off Chester's arrival. Matt was excited about his friend's return and if that was the only thing on his mind, it would take forever for Chester to arrive. Ruby was in the parlor room playing with her toys.
"I better get going," said Matt as put on his Stetson and adjusted his gun belt. He pulled Kitty to him and kissed her on the lips.
Kitty gladly accepted her husband's kiss. "Try to focus on work today," she teased. Kitty knew Matt was eager about Chester's arrival.
Matt smiled. He knew Kitty could pick up on his eagerness. "I'll do my best," he said, walking into the parlor room to give his daughter a hug and a kiss goodbye.
Ruby was playing with her blocks, when she heard the door between the kitchen and parlor swing open. She looked up and saw her daddy. "Are you goin' to work now?"
"Yes, daddy's leaving now," Matt replied. "Come and give me a hug and a kiss.
Just like her momma, Ruby eagerly gave her daddy a hug and a kiss. "Me and momma are gonna come to town after wunch when the train comes," Ruby told her daddy.
"That's right," Matt confirmed. "You'll get to meet Chester and his family. Chester is a good friend of mine and your momma's." Matt stood up and walked to the front door. He turned around and told Ruby goodbye and then left.
Matt tried to keep himself busy that morning. He got the mail and went through it. He made a few rounds around the town. He even swept the jail. Matt was hoping all the activities would make the time go by faster. It wasn't really working. Time wasn't going by any faster.
Sitting down at his desk, Matt thought back to when he first met Chester. Chester had just arrived in Dodge City, from Missouri, looking for a job. Matt had to admit that he wasn't sure about hiring Chester because of his gimp leg. However, since Matt wasn't hiring Chester as a deputy, he decided to give the man a chance. Matt never once regretted his decision to hire Chester.
In the nine years that Chester worked for him, Matt saw him not only as a best friend, but as a brother. Festus and Newly had been working for Matt for several years, and he thought of them as great friends. But he just didn't see them as brothers, not like he saw Chester.
Matt's mind then wandered back seven years ago, when Chester announced he was leaving Dodge City. To say Matt was shocked, was an understatement. He definitely wasn't expecting that. Chester informed Matt that he started corresponding again with Ann Smithwright, and not through the "Cupid's Messenger." They agreed that they wanted to start a relationship. In order to do that, Chester agreed to move out east.
Matt looked up at the clock for what had to be the fifteenth time. He smiled. Kitty and Ruby would be arriving shortly. Kitty and Ruby would be coming into town with the wagon, and then the three of them would ride down to the train depot and wait for the train.
Kitty was driving the wagon into town thinking about Chester's return. Like Matt, Kitty too saw Chester not only as a great friend, but as a brother. Also like Matt, she was shocked when Chester had announced that he was moving to Philadelphia to start a relationship with Ann Smithwright. She was happy for him, but sad for herself. She hated to see him go. Kitty's thoughts were interrupted by her daughter's excited words.
"Wook, momma!" Ruby exclaimed. "I see daddy's jaio." Ruby pointed towards the jail.
"I see it too," said Kitty. "We'll be there in a few minutes."
A few minutes later, Kitty and Ruby arrived in front of the jail. Kitty brought the wagon to a halt. She set the brake and got down from the wagon. Once she was down from the wagon, Kitty helped Ruby get down. They walked up the front porch and into the jail. Kitty and Ruby would have waited outside, but Kitty wanted to make sure Matt was at the jail.
"Hi daddy," said Ruby as she and Kitty walked inside.
"Hello to my beautiful ladies," said Matt. "Are you ready to go?"
"Of course," Kitty responded. "I'm also looking forward to seeing Chester and his family. Do you have to let Newly and Festus know where you're going?"
"I already talked with them," Matt answered. "They know that I'm going to the train depot to meet Chester."
"Alright," said Kitty. "Let's get going."
The Dillons left the jail and walked out to the wagon. Per usual, Matt helped Kitty up and then helped Ruby. After his girls were settled, Matt hopped up onto the wagon. He gently snapped the reins and clicked his tongue. He steered the wagon towards the depot. The depot was about a mile out of town.
They arrived at the depot at one o'clock. The train was scheduled to arrive at one thirty. After the wagon was parked, and all three Dillons were down, they headed to the platform. Ruby walked between her parents. They had been standing on the platform, when Ruby started complaining her legs were getting tired. Considering the little girl was missing her nap, Kitty understood why Ruby was complaining.
"Daddy, can you carry me?" Ruby asked, lifting her arms up.
"Sure, little gemstone," Matt said. "Come here." He lifted his daughter up into his arms. Ruby put her head on her daddy's shoulders and it wasn't long until she was fast asleep.
It was getting close to one thirty. The train would be arriving anytime now. Ruby had been sleeping for close to a half an hour. Both Matt and Kitty wondered if Ruby would sleep through Chester's arrival.
"If your arms are getting tired, I can take her," Kitty offered.
"My arms could never get tired holding my little girl," said Matt.
"Just thought I'd offer," said Kitty.
In the distance, the blowing of the train whistle could be heard. If Matt and Kitty were worried that Ruby would still be asleep when the train arrived, they didn't need to be. As the train got closer, and the whistle got louder, Ruby woke up. She perked right up. A couple of minutes later, the train pulled into the depot.
Chester, along with Ann and two young boys departed the train. Chester saw Matt and Kitty and the little girl that Matt was holding. Chester always figured Matt would have a boy, but had to admit he looked like a natural with his little girl. Had Chester not received a wedding invitation a year before the birth announcement, he would wonder if the little girl had prompted the wedding. But he knew that wasn't true. Matt and Kitty had invited Chester and Ann to their wedding, but they couldn't go because Ann just gave birth to their son a couple months before that.
If the wedding hadn't shocked Chester, the announcement of Matt and Kitty's daughter certainly did. Chester knew how deadset Matt was about not having a wife or a family, but now he had one. He didn't know what changed, but that didn't matter. His friends were happily married, with a little girl, and that's what mattered. Chester had no doubt that Matt and Kitty were great parents.
Chester remembered the letter Matt had sent him in regards to his daughter's birth. In his letter, Matt tried to describe the love he had for his baby girl. He wrote to Chester that he loved Kitty with his heart and soul. And even though he loved his daughter with his heart and soul, it was a different kind of love. Chester understood what Matt was talking about. He felt the same way about his two sons.
"Chester," Matt said with a smile. "Welcome back to Dodge."
TBC in part 2
