What I Was Missing Part 3
Chester got back with Samantha just a few minutes before Doc arrived. After giving Kitty a big hug and Doc a kiss on the cheek, the little girl ran outside to play with Thelma and Louise. "Chester, are you sure she's gonna like what we're eating? Should I make something else for her?"
"Oh, no, Miss Kitty. Sam isn't picky at all. She'll eat whatever you put in front of her."
"Just like her father," Doc quipped. Kitty couldn't hold in her chuckle. Chester's appetite was legendary.
"Oh, hush, Doc."
Everything was ready to eat by five and they all sat out on the patio with filled plates. Doc leaned over and poked Kitty to get her attention. With a wink, he pointed over to Chester and Samantha who were busy gobbling down their food, barely taking the time to chew. Kitty held in a laugh and daintily bit into her rib.
"I tell ya, Miss Kitty," said Chester as he swiped up the last forkful of his peach cobbler, "You sure can throw down when you want to," he complemented. They had moved into the house now that it was dark and the mosquitoes were out.
"Thanks, Chester," she smiled. "Do you want some more?"
"Oh, no thank you. I couldn't eat another bite," he said leaning back in his chair and rubbing his full stomach. It was nearing ten o'clock. Samantha had long since fallen asleep after eating and running around with the dogs some more and was stretched out on Kitty's sofa. "I guess I'd better get Sam on home to her mother." Chester stood to go and get her.
"I'd better get going too, Kitty," said Doc with a toothpick dangling out of his mouth.
"Well, I hope you two enjoyed yourselves," she said as she walked them to the door. "We oughta do this more often." They all stepped outside just in time to see Matt's big, black truck pulling into the driveway. He parked and walked up to them. Chester greeted him and then went to put the still sleeping Sam in the car.
"Everyone's leaving so soon?" Matt joked.
"Oh, Matt, you don't even know what you missed," Doc taunted. "Peach cobbler…ribs…red beans and rice…"
"Red beans and rice," Matt repeated with a pitiful look on his face. He looked at Kitty who had a small smile on her face. He hadn't eaten one thing all day and he was absolutely starving. "You didn't save me any?" he asked her. She was about to answer when Doc cut her off.
"What? Were we supposed to wait in the hopes that you might make it back here tonight? Besides, what did you expect with Chester and Samantha here?" Kitty laughed out loud as Chester came back over, oblivious to Doc's teasing.
"Well, I'm gonna be headin' out now. I'll see you all later."
"Bye, Chester," Kitty said as she gave him a hug. "Drive safely. You, too, Doc," she said, giving him a hug as well. She and Matt stood outside watching as they drove away.
"I can't believe you didn't save me any," Matt whined as they walked back into the house. He took off his U.S Marshal's jacket and his firearm, sitting it on the coffee table.
"Oh, shush, you know I saved you some." Kitty walked into the kitchen and pulled out a heaping plate from the oven. "I even kept it warm for you." Matt came over and took the plate from her happy as a lark.
"Thanks, Kitty." He sat the plate on the island and sat himself down on one of the stools.
"What would you do without me?" Kitty said as she sat down next to him and watched him eat.
"I have no idea," Matt said sincerely, even though the moment was light. Kitty only smiled.
"So, what was the emergency about?" she asked.
"We got a tip on a man named Harold Vasquez. He's wanted for murder in three different states and a long list of other charges. Someone spotted him across town and we went to get him," Matt told her. Kitty listened as the dangers of his job ran across her mind. It worried her every time he had to rush out on some call and when he didn't stop by the Long Branch for days on end. She would be his number one supporter if he ever decided to quit, but she knew that wasn't going to happen anytime soon. She knew that his work was important to him and she always tried to be understanding and caring, but sometimes it was hard. Her mind wandered back to five months ago when she got a call from the hospital.
"Hello," she said answering her cell phone as she did some paperwork. She hadn't bothered looking at the caller I.D.
"Kitty, its Doc."
"Hey, Doc, What can I do for ya?" she said, happy to hear from him.
"Well, I need you to come over to the hospital…its Matt." Kitty immediately sobered up.
"Doc, what is it?"
"Now, calm down, Kitty. He's doing just fine. It's only a flesh wound, but he's taken some drugs for the pain and he needs a ride home."
"I'll be right there, Doc." She hung up and rushed right over.
It turned out to be just like Doc had said. A bullet had taken out a good chunk of Matt's side. It took everything she had not to cry when she walked in and saw him sitting shirtless on a gurney with his side all bandaged up; and he looked so tired. She knew she was being emotional, but she was so relieved that it wasn't more serious and she dreaded the day that she got a phone call and it would be something more serious.
"Hey, where did you go?" Matt said as he waved a hand in front of her face. She looked at him and he gave her a smile.
"Nowhere…guess I'm just tired," she told him. She looked down to see that he was just about done with his dinner. "You want more?" she asked him.
"No, thanks. I'll be done just as soon as I finish this cobbler," he said and reached for the bowlful. He took a big forkful and practically hummed with pleasure.
"Good?" Kitty asked with a smile.
"Delicious."
"I haven't had any yet."
"Here." Matt scooped up a little and fed it to her.
"Mmm. I can really throw down when I want to," she said, repeating Chester's word from earlier.
mKmKm
Matt sat his beer on a coaster on the coffee table, sighed and plopped down onto one end of the couch. "Kitty, I could stay here forever." She sat in the opposite corner and stretched her legs out in the space between them. It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him that he could stay forever, but she held back, not wanting to hear his tirade about why he couldn't. She looked down at her painted toes and wiggled them. "You've got freckles everywhere don't you?" Matt said. She looked up to see him looking at the exposed part of her legs.
"Wouldn't you like to know," Kitty said with a raised eyebrow. She grinned evilly when Matt blushed and looked away.
He decided to change the subject. "I'm really sorry I got called away today."
"It's okay. You can make it up to me."
"How?"
"You can cut my grass for me." Kitty yawned and leaned against the back of the couch. Matt grabbed his beer and downed the rest of it.
"Deal," he said. "I guess I'd better hit the road." He stood and grabbed his jacket and gun. Kitty stood, too and walked him to the door.
"I'll see you later, Matt," Kitty said as they stopped at his truck. He put his stuff inside and then turned back to her.
"Don't I get a hug?" he asked remembering the hugs she gave Doc and Chester.
"Come 'ere," she said as she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest. Matt smiled and hugged her back. He sure wasn't making things easy for his self. "I'll do you one even better," Kitty said as she reached up to give him a kiss on the cheek. Matt turned his head to look at her and it became a kiss on the lips instead. The friendly mood immediately changed and they were both reluctant to pull away. They still had their arms around each other and Kitty reached up to kiss him again, stronger this time. She felt him respond and he tightened his hold on her. Matt knew that they shouldn't be doing it, but he couldn't make himself stop. Kitty tasted so good and it was like he was instantly addicted to her. Kitty felt his tongue at her lips and she immediately opened for him, her tongue flickering against his. They stood there for minutes before Matt finally pulled away. He looked down at her, her breathing hard and her lips wet from his kisses. She was stunning. He closed his eyes to regain his senses and all of the reasons came rushing forward.
Kitty watched as Matt opened his eyes. She could immediately feel a change in him. "Kitty…"
"Don't," Kitty said as she loosened her hold on him.
"Kitty, we can't…" Matt said anyway. He saw the hurt in her eyes and it broke his heart. The hurt turned into anger and she backed away from him.
"Fine," she said simply. "Run for the rest of your life." With that she turned around and walked back into the house, shutting and locking the door behind her. She stood just on the other side and after a few minutes she heard Matt start his truck and drive away. Kitty walked toward the back door and out to the kennels to let the dogs in. They danced all around her in their excitement to see her, but she ignored them. Once back in the house, she went into the bathroom and ran some water in the tub. She stripped down naked and climbed in. A few minutes later, she reached forward to turn off the water. Then, Ursula, who had been MIA all day, strolled in and peered up and over the edge of the tub and then strolled back out. Kitty tracked the cat's movements with a blank face as she walked out of the bathroom. Her eyes became glued to the last spot she saw the feline as she walked out of sight. She blinked once and the tears began to fall.
kMkMk
Just as she suspected she wouldn't, Kitty didn't see Matt at the Long Branch the next day or even the next few days after that. She was beginning to wonder if he would ever come there again. She stood from her desk and stretched out all of her kinks. Lately, most of her time had been spent doing paperwork and going over the books. It gave her something to think about besides Matt. A lot of times, when it came to paperwork, she would go out on the floor and sit at a table and do it, but lately she wasn't in the mood to mingle with anyone.
Kitty made her way out of the office and to the bar. "I sure would love a beer, Sam," she told the barkeep as she took a seat on one of the stools.
"Sure thing, Miss Kitty." She smiled her thanks as she watched him. She had hired Sam not long after Bill died. He had come in looking for a job and she immediately liked the older man. He told her that he had experience in bartending and that he was looking for something to keep himself busy since his wife had died not long ago. Kitty knew that if she ever needed Sam for anything at all, he would be there.
"What's got you so deep in thought?" Kitty turned and came face to face with Adam Bellamy. His brown eyes crinkled as he smiled at her.
"Hi, Adam. You're here early today." He usually never showed up before eight. He was a tall, handsome man with black hair and brown eyes. He had been coming into the bar regularly and he always sought Kitty out immediately. Something about him could make a woman feel like such a woman. He paid her plenty of compliments and his attention was always for her alone.
"Well, I got a little free time and I figured I would use it to come and see the most beautiful woman in the world," he sweet talked. Kitty only smiled. "You know, Kitty, I just don't understand it. You're a good lookin' woman…easy for a man to talk to…you ought to be beatin' 'em back with a stick." Kitty laughed at his choice of words, but didn't really respond. Aside from Sam, no one knew that there was rarely a night that went by where she didn't get a marriage proposal or at least an invitation for a romantic dinner.
"How about a drink?" she offered, changing the subject.
"Sure," he accepted. They sat quietly for a few moments and then Adam asked, "Kitty, I know a nice little restaurant about two miles from here. I'd love it if you'd join me tomorrow night?" Kitty sat for a few minutes thinking about it. The night of the cookout ran through her mind foremost and she knew now that nothing would ever be between herself and Matt. Before, she always hung on to someday, but that night forced her to let go of that hope. She looked over at Adam as he waited for her answer. He was a nice man and he made her feel special. Kitty knew that she couldn't put her life on hold anymore and she agreed.
"I think that'd be nice, Adam." He gave her another of his eye-crinkling grins as they made plans.
kMkMk
One week had passed and Chester sat at the end of the bar, watching as Miss Kitty and Adam Bellamy sat closely at a table talking and laughing. He didn't like it one bit and he didn't like the fact that Mr. Dillon knew nothing about it. "Doc? What do you think about those two?" he asked the old man.
Doc sat nursing a scotch. He looked over to where Kitty and Adam were. "Well, Chester, I think they're over there enjoying themselves."
"When did Mr. Dillon say he was gonna be back?"
"He didn't say, Chester. He just said that he had to leave town for a while on business," Doc said, remembering Matt's call to him a little over a week ago.
"I can't believe she's carryin' on like this."
"Like what, Chester!" Doc yelled, sick of talking about it. "Kitty is a grown woman and nobody owns her. If she wants to see this Adam fellow then she has every right."
"I know, Doc, but what would Mr. Dillon say if he were here?"
"If Mr. Dillon was here," Doc said swiping at his mustache, "Then he would see what he was missing." Chester didn't say anything because he knew Doc was right, but it still galled him to see Miss Kitty with someone else. He turned around to face Doc as he saw Kitty approaching the bar.
"Here she comes."
"Hi, Doc, Chester," Kitty said with a big smile. "I didn't see you two up here. You should have come over to the table."
"Well, Miss Kitty, we didn't want to interrupt anything."
"Nonsense," Kitty told Chester as she ordered two beers. "Why don't you two join us?"
"Oh, I can't Kitty," said Doc as he finished his drink. "I need to get this tired old body to bed."
"How about you, Chester?" she asked hopefully. Chester's first instinct was to decline, but Kitty insisted.
"Well, alright. Maybe just for a few minutes."
"You get home safely, Doc. We'll see you later," Kitty told him as she ushered Chester to the table. Chester sat down a little uncomfortably and smiled politely at Adam.
"Hello again, Chester," said Adam. They had already met earlier in the week. Kitty sat the beers on the table and took her seat as well.
"Chester's gonna join us for a while," she told Adam.
"Well, just for a few minutes, Miss Kitty." He looked over at Adam who was looking at him.
"We understand if you need to leave, Chester." Kitty's brow furrowed a little and Chester only stared back at Adam.
"Well, maybe I will leave."
"Chester, stay," Kitty said putting her hand on Chester's forearm. She hadn't seen him in a while and she wanted to talk with him. "Adam didn't mean that the way it sounded."
"I meant it just like it sounded," Adam said, continuing to glare. Kitty looked over at him shocked. Chester stood.
"I'll see you, Miss Kitty." They both watched as he walked over to the jukebox in the corner.
"Adam, what in the hell was that all about?" Kitty asked appalled at the way he treated Chester.
"Kitty, I wanted to be with you tonight."
"Well maybe you had just better be alone tonight," she said standing up and walking toward her office. Adam sat for a moment in disbelief. Things had been going so well for the past week and a half. They had gone to dinner on a few occasions, he stopped by the bar practically every night, and Kitty had even let him kiss her. Now, she dared to walk away from him. He glared once again in Chester's direction and then stood to follow her. He grabbed her arm as he reached her.
"Wait a damn minute. You can't just walk away from me. You spend all this time teasin' me and you think you can just walk away!" he spat. Kitty stared at him like he was crazy. Chester walked closer to where they were just in case Adam decided to get violent.
"You take your hands off of me," she told him, her mouth tight. She yanked her arm away and stared him down.
"This isn't over, Kitty." He watched as she stormed away into her office. Chester watched as Adam ran a hand through his hair in frustration and stormed out of the bar.
Kitty sat on the couch in her office trying to get a grasp on what just happened. Maybe Adam wasn't as nice as she thought he was. All of a sudden he was like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. She knew that she needed to go and apologize to Chester, but right now she needed to be alone. One thing was for sure, things were over between her and Adam. She had no intentions of getting caught up with someone who was obviously mentally unstable.
She leaned back into the couch and sighed deeply. All in the last ten minutes, everything had gone out of control. She hadn't seen Matt since the night of their kiss and she was missing him something terrible. She knew that maybe they needed a break, but she would have thought that he would come back around by now. No matter how frustrating he was, he was still her best friend and she still loved him and missed him. Wherever he was, she just hoped that he was safe.
Kitty's thoughts drifted back to Adam. Now that she thought about it, she probably never should have gone out with him in the first place, aside from what had happened tonight. It was nice having someone pay attention to her and for a while Adam could make her forget about Matt, but then the evening would end and she would go home, sit in her bath and all thoughts of him would come rushing back to her. She didn't think that there was anyone in the world who could ever erase what she felt for him and the thought made her angry. She was ruined for anyone else.
To be continued…