Revenge

A Sequel to The Contract

By

AZgirl66

Chapter 8-Deja Vu

Addie hadn't spoken much during the week following the confrontation with the stranger on Front Street, so Kitty was relieved when her child perked up the afternoon they'd gone to retrieve her dress from Mrs. Carr's shop.

Kitty had surprised Addie, picking her up from school at lunchtime, hoping she would be able to help her daughter process what had happened the previous week. The mother knew that ignoring the problem would not make it go away.

"Oh, Mrs. Carr!" Addie gasped as she looked at her reflection in the full-length looking glass, "This dress is beautiful! I love it!" she twirled, the dress' skirt flaring out, her long red curls doing the same.

"I think you are what makes the dress beautiful, Addie," Mrs. Carr complimented, smiling at the young girl.

Once she stopped twirling, Addie studied her mother's reflection through the looking glass. For the first time in a week, she offered her mother a genuine, big smile. A smile that made her eyes sparkle. She turned on the heel of her boot and ran into her mother's waiting arms. Addie embraced her mother so tightly, it took Kitty's breath away.

"Oh, Mama! Thank you so, so much!" the grateful girl gasped.

Kitty blinked back unshed tears, stroking Addie's spiraled locks, "You're welcome, Sweetheart," she pushed her daughter's shoulders back in order to look into her dancing blue eyes, "You look like a princess," she kissed Addie's forehead.

The girl gave her mother a final squeeze, "I feel like a princess, Mama," she turned to examine the dress in the looking glass once more. "I love these puffy sleeves with the tiny bit of lace at the gatherings, and I love that the sash is up high. And you were right, Mama. This color looks nice with our color hair."

"Emerald green is a perfect color for us redheads," Kitty acknowledged, winking, "and the lace along the bottom finishes it perfectly, Sarah," she nodded toward the seamstress.

Kitty beamed, remembering what it felt like to be young and excited about a dance. She was thrilled that her little girl seemed to be feeling like her old self again.

XXXXXXXX

Kitty and Addie rode slowly in their small buggy toward the ranch, just a few minutes outside of town. The young girl was absolutely giddy, enjoying some rare, private time with her mother.

"Boy, Mama, Matthew and Adam are gonna be soooo mad that I didn't have t' go back t' school this afternoon," she smiled at her mother, a peppermint stick poking out of the side of her mouth.

"Oh, well, they'll live," Kitty patted her child's leg. She took a deep breath and decided to inquire, "Baby?"

"Yes?"

"I just wanted to make sure that you're feeling okay…" Kitty hesitated, staring at the road in front of her, "…about what happened with that man last week. It was kind of scary, wasn't it?"

Addie removed the half-eaten piece of candy from her mouth and crinkled her small, freckled nose, "It was scary because I thought he wanted t' hurt you," she concentrated on her knees, nervously swinging her legs back and forth.

"Is that all that bothered you? Because you know that your daddy and other people in town would never let anyone hurt us," Kitty reassured, as they pulled up to the road leading to their property.

"Mama," Addie looked at her mother's face, "who is Will Mannon?"

Kitty clutched the reins tighter as her heart began to pound in her ears. She spoke slowly, "You know about the war between the states, right?"

"Yes'm."

"Well, Will Mannon is what one would call a 'war criminal'. He worked for a horrible man named Quantrill. They and other men raided many towns and killed people, just because they could," she paused, looking at her daughter's surprised expression.

"Why would that man think you'd be married to a man like Will Mannon?" Addie asked as the buggy approached their front yard.

Oh, shit, Kitty thought, how do I answer that?

"Well, hello!" Matt bellowed as he exited the house, "How are my two fine ladies today?" he bounded down the front porch steps.

Oh, Matt, THANK YOU! She would have to give her husband a proper thank you later, in private.

"Daddy!" the girl launched herself from the buggy into her father's arms, "What are you doing home so early?"

Matt kissed Addie's cheek and placed her on the ground, "Oh, I just had a few things to do around here, so I thought I'd head home early," the look Matt gave Kitty told her there was more to his story. And it wouldn't be good. Shit.

"Addie girl, why don't you take your dress box up to your room and hang the dress up in your wardrobe. That way Scarlett won't be tempted to mess with it," Kitty handed her daughter the large box.

"Sure!" Addie shouted, bounding up the porch stairs.

"Wash your hands first, and don't wake your brother and sisters!" Kitty ordered as an afterthought.

"Yes'm!" she popped her head out of the screened door.

Kitty gave Matt her full attention while he held the mare's reins, "What gives, Matt? It's not even one o'clock on a Thursday," she flatly stated.

"Let's put the horse and buggy up while we talk," he lowered his voice, walking the horse toward the carriage house.

After a few steps, Kitty commanded, "Start talkin', Cowboy."

"I heard from Washington today. My last day as a U.S. Marshal is June 30th. So just less than five weeks t' go."

"Okay," Kitty studied her husband's face, knowing there was more to come. She stood with her arms folded, "That can't be all…"

Matt unhitched the obedient horse, easily pushing the small buggy into its proper spot in the carriage house.

"C'mon, Gladiola," Matt haltered and lead the mare toward their small, family barn.

Once inside, Kitty slammed and bolted the barn door, "I can't take it anymore. Just say it, Matt."

He started brushing the horse, not able to look at his wife. "You remember Homer Renfro?"

Kitty stood with her legs apart, arms defiantly folded over her breasts, "Yes, he kidnapped, raped and murdered two young school girls in Topeka."

"One in the same," Matt pursed his lips, leading Gladiola to her stall.

"Maaaatt…" Kitty whispered, tilting her head, her eyes narrowed.

"I've got t' go to Topeka for his trial. It starts on Tuesday," Matt winced as he said the words.

"Oh, no you don't, Mister! Wait one damn minute! You can't do this to HER!" Kitty shouted; her eye's shooting daggers toward her husband.

"Kitty, there's a chance I can make it back in time for the dance on Friday. I can tell Judge Hopkins that I-"

"Oh, really, Matt! What are you going to tell Judge Hopkins, 'Oh, Your Honor, my ten-year-old daughter has a dance at her school Friday, so could we move this murder trial right along?!'" Kitty spat out, "Who do you think you're foolin'?"

Matt approached his furious wife and Kitty turned her back to him. "Honey, I know it's a Father/Daughter dance, but she could go with Doc or Festus," he offered.

Kitty whirled around, "You can't be serious! She doesn't want to go with Doc or Festus! She wants to go with you!" she felt her knees become weak as she experienced a haunting feeling of déjà vu.

"Kitty, why in the hell do you think I want t' retire?! So things like this will stop happening! So that I can control my own schedule. Honey, please…"

"I can't believe this…" Kitty fumed, as she frantically paced around the barn, "…this is just rich!" she shook her head back and forth.

"Kitty, you know that for another few weeks, this is just the way-"

Kitty stopped in her tracks and slowly turned to face Matt. Her lips were taut and her hands were firmly-planted on her hips, "Don't. You. Dare."

XXXXXXXX

"Addie?" Kitty knocked on the water closet door while her child bathed, "It's Mama. Can I come in?"

The little girl let her body float in her parent's large bath tub, her hair fanned out, floating atop the water like red seaweed. "Sure," she quietly answered.

Kitty entered the room, closing the door behind her. She offered her daughter a closed mouth grin as she knelt beside the tub.

"I just wanted t' make sure you were okay, after Daddy's bad news," Kitty reached for some lilac soap on the side table, "Can I help wash your hair?" she asked.

"Sure," Addie sat up, pulling her knees up to her chest, embracing them with her long, thin arms.

"You didn't answer me," the mother probed, lathering the soap between her hands.

"Well, there's nothin' t' say, is there?" Addie whispered, resting her chin upon her knees while her mother began to wash her long hair.

"You can tell me how you feel about it. I know we can't change the end result, but-"

"It's just the way it is, Mama. You oughtta know that by now," the little girl looked at Kitty, tears threatening to fall.

"Oh, Baby," Kitty stopped rubbing the girl's head, "I know you're hurt. But I want you to know that your daddy feels terrible."

"Uh-huh," Addie tilted her head back for her mother to rinse.

"Really, Honey. I have never lied to you in your whole life, have I?" Kitty rinsed her daughter's hair using a small pitcher.

Addie sat up, hugging her knees once again. She blinked the dripping water out of her eyes, "No, Ma'am. You've never lied t' me. Not even when I asked you about how babies were made."

The mother winked at her eldest child. Just before Kitty had given birth to Maggie, Addie wanted to know how the baby got into her mother. Kitty had taken it in stride. She'd wished that someone had been more honest with her about what men and women did in the boudoir. It may've helped her to avoid being used by men in her early womanhood.

Kitty picked up a washcloth and lathered it with the same lilac soap. "Let me wash your back, Baby," she started to rub circles on Addie's back.

"That feels good, Mama. And it smells good, too." Addie grinned at her mother over her shoulder.

"It sure does," Kitty rinsed off the soap.

"Are you and Daddy gonna make more babies?" Addie kept her back to her mother.

Kitty's eyes grew large, her ginger eyebrows reaching her hairline, "Well, I don't think so…" she paused, "but I guess we don't know for certain."

"Well, when did you decide t' have all of us?" she looked at her mother.

"When I found out I was pregnant," Kitty honestly answered with a smirk on her face. She picked up a fluffy bath towel and stood next to the tub, holding out the towel to envelop the child.

"So you and daddy didn't talk about it? Babies?" Addie curiously asked as she stepped out of the tub and into her mother's waiting towel-clad arms.

"Nope. Not really." Kitty flatly answered, hoping that would end this line of questioning.

"Then how did you know he would be a good daddy?" Addie pushed her long, wet hair out of her face.

Kitty picked up another towel and motioned for the girl to sit in the wooden chair. "Sweetie, I knew your daddy for fourteen years before we got married. He was the best man I ever knew. He IS the best man I've ever known. I knew he would love any children we ever had," Kitty smiled as she soaked the water out of Addie's hair with the towel, squeezing small sections at a time. She slyly added, "I just didn't think there'd be so many of ya!"

Both redheads laughed until the younger one asked, "Is that how your daddy was? A really good man and daddy?" Addie turned her sweet freckled face over her shoulder to look at her mama.

Kitty's expression sobered as she grabbed the child's white, cotton nightgown. "Raise your arms," she guided the gown over Addie's head, "Let's go into my room," she invited, opening the door to her inner sanctum.

Addie sat at her mother's vanity, watching the woman's every move through the looking glass, as her mother picked up her big, silver hair brush.

Kitty began brushing the girl's hair, "I didn't have a 'daddy' like you children do, Adelaide."

"How can that be, Mama? Everyone has a daddy."

"No. That's where you're wrong," Kitty concentrated on a stubborn knot, biting her bottom lip, "Everyone has a father. Not everyone is lucky enough t' have a daddy. There's a difference," Kitty's blue eyes locked with matching ones in the reflection.

"Go on…" Addie urged.

"Look down for me, this hair is getting so long," Kitty continued grooming, "Fathers help in the creation of babies, like what we talked about before. Daddies love their children, take care of them, teach them things, and are around for them."

"You don't think your daddy loved you?" Addie tilted her head, tears filling her eyes.

Kitty sat next to her daughter on the vanity bench, placing her arm around Addie's shoulders, "I know he didn't love me. He left me and my mother when I was as young as Maggie."

"Mama…why, she's just a baby," Addie gasped, tears trickling down her cheeks.

"No tears for me, my love," Kitty wiped away her daughter's tears, "I've done just fine. It was hard, not having a man around like other little girls, but my mother was a strong woman…" her voice trailed off.

"Oh, Mama. Daddy is the best! Isn't he?! He would never leave us forever. Never." Addie threw her arms around Kitty's neck in a heartfelt embrace.

Kitty's eyes became deep pools of blue, "He sure is, Baby. He loves all of you very deeply. And he hates it when he can't be with us. That's why he's retiring," she released the girl to see her face.

"I'm not upset any more, Mama. Grandpa can take me t' the dance if Daddy doesn't make it back. Really, it's okay."

XXXXXXXX

Matt entered his bedroom, finding Kitty nursing Maggie while rocking her gently in the rocking chair.

"Is it okay if I sleep in here tonight?" the big man asked sheepishly, using his most charming, schoolboy grin.

"You'd better," Kitty beamed.

"Really? Phew…I figured I'd be sleepin' with Festus…or worse yet, Mutt," he stretched out across the bed on his stomach, stuffing a pillow under his chin.

"The boys get all squared away?" Kitty switched Maggie from one breast to the other.

"Yup. Since it's so warm out I just had 'em shower in the outside shower. Ezra thought he was so grown up, like his brothers. Don't know if we'll be able t' get him in the tub again with Scarlett."

"Speaking of which-"

"Don't worry. Abelia was kind enough t' stay a little late. She bathed her in the big tin tub in the wash room. She did say t' remind ya she wouldn't be here tomorrow," Matt closed his eyes.

"Got it," Kitty closed her gown and hoisted the baby to her shoulder, patting her back until the child graced her with a very unladylike belch.

After placing Maggie in her cradle, Kitty joined Matt on their bed. She straddled him over his backside, deeply massaging his shoulders.

"Oh…God…Honey…oh…don't…stop," Matt groaned.

"I've heard those words before," Kitty smiled, jamming her elbow into Matt's back, "I think that's how we got Ezra," she laughed that deep, guttural giggle.

Matt wriggled underneath Kitty, turning completely over so that he was face up. "So… you're not mad at me anymore?"

"No, Matt, I'm not mad at you anymore. The shock has worn off," she leaned over and kissed him deeply. She whispered against his lips, "I just needed t' remind myself that you're the best daddy in Kansas."

"Wow," Matt lifted his eyebrows, his hands creeping up to encircle Kitty's waist, "the whole state of Kansas, eh?"

"Uh-huh," Kitty nodded, biting her bottom lip, "Ya know, Addie asked me if we were going to make any more babies," she slowly removed her nightgown over her head.

Matt licked his lips as he reached to caress her perfectly swollen breasts, "And what was your response, Mrs. Dillon?"

TBC