It was just past eleven in the morning, but because of the heat, the Longbranch was busy. Sam smiled at Doc and Festus as they entered, and made their way to Kitty's table.
"Hi Doc...Festus." She didn't fail to notice the huge grin on the doctor's face compared to the relatively sour look on Haggen's. "Everything okay this morning?"
Doc's voice sounded overly chipper, "You betcha, couldn't be better!"
Haggen glared at the old man from under the brim of his hat, then looked at Kitty. "Better fer some folks than others, I 'spose..."
"I'm sure it's nothin' that a little beer wouldn't fix, huh?"
Haggen's face brightened, at least until Doc squashed it.
"No, no, Kitty, Festus can't have any beer. He's recovering from acute gastrointestinal disturbance owing to the fact that he consumed half of all the food in Dodge last night."
Kitty's brow furrowed in concern. "You okay, Festus?"
He glared in the direction of Adams. "Consisterin' the fact that a ol' quack took care o' me, I 'spose I'm fine."
Doc smiled at Haggen. "It don't matter how many times you call me a quack this mornin', you're not gettin' outta buyin' me a beer." He turned to Kitty. "And you're not payin' for it either! I know he's got a nickel in there somewhere..."
Festus tossed the nickel from his vest pocket onto the table, blowing air out of his mouth at the same time. "Hope yer happy now, ya old crank, it's my last nickel..."
Kitty looked at Doc, silently imploring him to let Festus off the hook. And for all of his crusty antics, she was the one person who could always have her way with him and they both knew it.
"Oh, don't look at me like that."
Kitty's eyebrows raised with innocence. "Like what?"
"Like that! Now you just stop it, right now. He's buyin' me a beer, and that's that!"
"Aw now, Doc, you said yourself he's sick this morning. Don't you think you should take it easy on him?" She leaned in closer, allowing her eyes to soften him the rest of the way. Her voice took on a low, breathy quality, "For me?"
He looked away, angry that he could deny her nothing. "Oh, hell!" She got up to get the beer, winked at Festus who took back his nickel, and kissed Doc on the cheek. Adams' voice was sharp as he watched her head to the bar, "You sure know how to ruin a feller's fun..."
Eli Kendall watched the three of them while drinking his beer at a nearby table. Kitty Russell, Festus Haggen and Doc Adams - the closest people to kin Marshal Matt Dillon had. Kendall smiled to himself; soon Dillon would rue the day he ever heard the name Eli Kendall. He took a large gulp of beer, and mopped his brow with his sleeve. It sure was hot in Dodge, even hotter than it had been out on the trail. He'd have a few more beers and survey the landscape of the Longbranch awhile longer before making any kind of move. Too many people jammed in the saloon at the moment anyhow. He had time. He swallowed the last of his beer wondering why his throat still felt dryer than a prairie dog's den at the height of August.