Chapter 1: A Scratchy Throat
*Author's Note: I had planned on writing stories for my "Gunsmoke: An Alternate Universe" series in chronological order, but this story came to mind, so I decided to write it.
MIke's symptoms started with a scratchy throat. She thought nothing of it. It wasn't the first time she had a scratchy throat. More than likely a cold was coming on. This would not be the first time she had a cold and it more than likely would not be the last time. Mike just hoped the cold wouldn't keep her down too long. There was a lot to do on the ranch.
"Achoo!" Mike sneezed. She and Beth had been eating supper.
"Bless you," Beth replied. "That's the third time you've sneezed today. You must be coming down with something."
"My throat's been scratchy too," Mike replied, rubbing her neck with her thumb and forefinger. "I'm probably coming down with a cold."
"That's too bad," sympathized Beth. "I hope you feel better soon."
"I'm sure I will be," said Mike. "Have you ever seen a cold get the best of me?"
"No, but you are getting old," Beth teased.
"Haha, young lady," said Mike. "Finish your supper."
That evening both Mike and Beth had retired to their bedrooms for the night. Both were hoping that Mike would get better soon. Beth hated to see her mother sick. Fortunately her mother was a strong and healthy woman and she didn't get sick too often.
The bright morning sun shone through Beth's bedroom, waking her up. Beth stretched her arms above her head. She had slept really well. As she was stretching, Beth realized it was really quiet in the house. Usually the sound of her mother making breakfast woke her up. Concerned, Beth got out of bed and put on her robe.
Beth opened her bedroom door and walked out into the main living area. She looked around and did not see her mother, but noticed her mother's bedroom door was still closed. Beth wasn't sure if she should check on her mother or let her continue to sleep. She knew that when a person was ill, rest was one of the best things. Beth finally decided to let her mother sleep. She would make breakfast that morning for the both of them.
After thinking for several minutes, Beth decided to cook scrambled eggs and toast for breakfast. It was an easy breakfast to prepare. She also made some coffee. It didn't take Beth long to make the food. At first Beth was going to wake her mother up and let her know breakfast was ready, so they could eat it together at the table. But at the last minute Beth changed her mind. She decided to put two plates of food and two cups of coffee on a tray and take it to her mother's bedroom. The two of them could enjoy each other's company while they ate breakfast in bed.
When Beth heard her mother cough, she figured her mother was awake. Beth hurriedly put the food and coffee on the tray. She heard her mother cough again. Beth could tell her mother was worse today than she was yesterday. She just hoped her mother stayed in bed so she could get well. However, Beth knew how stubborn her mother could be, and she wasn't too sure if she would stay in bed.
Beth maneuvered the tray under one arm and opened her mother's bedroom door. "Good morning," she quietly said. "I made breakfast for the two of us." She walked to the table on the side of the bed and put the tray down. "How are you feeling?"
"Beth, honey, that was very sweet of you to make breakfast," Mike said. "To answer your question, I feel worse this morning than I did yesterday. My body aches all over, I have a cough, and I'm pretty sure I have a fever. I'm so cold."
"Should I get the doctor?" Beth worriedly asked. "Maybe he could bring something for the fever and your other ailments."
"Let's wait and see how I am later on," Mike answered. "Maybe if I eat something and keep my strength up, that will help. The food does look delicious."
Beth wasn't sure if she liked her mother's plan or not, but reluctantly agreed with her. "Okay," she said. "But you have to promise to stay in bed."
"I will," Mike promised. "I don't have the energy right now to get out of bed."
Mike's words worried Beth. Normally her mother's stubbornness would make an appearance, but it didn't this time. Was her mother feeling more poorly than she was letting on? Should she be more concerned about her mother? Beth just wasn't sure.
"If you don't want the doctor out here, then at least let me put a cool, wet cloth on your forehead," Beth insisted. "That's what you do for me when I'm feverish."
"That's true," said Mike. "Okay, you get a cool, wet cloth, and I'll put it on my forehead."
Beth went out into the main living area and found a cloth in the kitchen hutch. She soaked it with cool water and wrung it out. Before returning to her mother's room, Beth decided to fill a basin with cool water and bring it with her. This way her mother could keep the cloth wet and cool.
"Here's the cloth for you to put on your forehead," said Beth as she handed the cloth to her mother. "I also brought a basin of water for you to keep the cloth cool and wet." Beth placed the basin on the table next to her mother's bed.
"That's good thinking," said Mike. "There's no need for you to be hanging out around here. You have ranch chores that need tending to."
"But Mother," Beth started to protest.
Mike stopped her. "Don't 'but mother' me. I'm countin' on you do your part on this ranch. If it makes you feel better, you can come back later and check on me."
Beth knew there was no point in arguing. "Alright," she sighed. "I'll be back later to see how you're doin'. When I come back, I'll make some lunch for us." Before she went outside, Beth put a glass of water next to the small basin.
When Beth went outside to do her ranch chores, the hired ranch hands noticed Mike's absence. They questioned Beth about it, and she told them that her mother was feeling a little under the weather and was staying in bed to rest. Hearing that Mike Yardner was staying in bed to rest was somewhat of a shock. If Mike Yardner was staying in bed, then Mike must be more than a little under the weather. They were concerned about their boss.
Around noon Beth returned to the house. Her morning chores were complete. She told her mother she would make them both lunch, and that's what she set out to do. Mike and Beth usually didn't eat heavy lunches. Working on a ranch and heavy lunches didn't mix. Lunch most often consisted of a sandwich or a bowl of soup. Beth decided to fix sandwiches for her mother and for herself. There was some leftover muley roast, Beth used several pieces of that. She also used two slices of homemade bread that her mother had baked yesterday morning. Beth put the sandwiches on two plates and went to her mother's bedroom.
"Here you go," she said, handing her mother one of the plates. "I made each of us a muley roast sandwich. How are ya feelin'?"
"I can't say that I feel better, but I don't feel worse either," Mike responded, taking the plate from her daughter. She set it down next to her.
"Aren't you gonna eat the sandwich?" questioned Beth.
"I really don't have much of an appetite," MIke responded.
"You need to keep up your strength," said Beth as she took a bite from her sandwich.
"I'm just not hungry at the moment," said Mike. "But keep the sandwich here. I'll try to eat it later."
"How's your fever?" asked Beth.
"I don't think it's gone down," Mike answered.
"It probably doesn't help that you're not keeping the cloth on your forehead," said Beth, pointing to the cloth that lay crumpled next to her mother's pillow.
It seemed as though the role of mother and daughter had reversed. Normally it was Mike taking care of Beth, but now it was Beth taking care of Mike. She may have been sick, but Mike was having a hard time accepting this role reversal. Not only that, she was having a hard time letting someone take care of her. Mike Yardner was a very independent woman.
Afternoon turned into evening. Mike did manage to eat the sandwich from lunch, but refused to eat supper. She was too weak. Beth could see that her mother was not improving. She was declining. Beth knew a trip to town to get the doctor was in order. She would set out first thing in the morning.
The next morning Beth woke up and checked on her mother. Mike was burning up with fever and her breathing was labored. Beth was scared to death. She had never seen her mother so sick. Beth wasted no time and headed for town.
A trip that would usually take thirty minutes took less than twenty minutes. Beth knew her mother would not have been pleased if she knew how fast and hard Beth rode into town. Johnny Yardner, her mother's deceased husband, the man she thought was her father for her entire life, died when his horse hit a prairie dog hole and he was thrown from the horse. If her horse had stepped into a prairie dog hole at the speed it was going, Beth could have met the same fate as Johnny Yardner. But fortunately that didn't happen.
Beth reached Doctor Norman Rudman's office and quickly dismounted her horse. She went up to the door and knocked, hoping the doctor wasn't out on a call. Beth was relieved when she heard Doctor Rudman on the other side of the door.
"Come in," Doctor Rudman called from inside his office. Beth opened the door and walked inside. "Miss Beth, I didn't expect to see you here. Did one of the ranch hands get injured?"
"It's not one of the ranch hands," Beth replied. "It's my mother."
Doctor Rudman shook his head. "When is your mother going to admit that she has no business doing what she does at her age? I hope the injury isn't too bad, but that it teaches her a lesson."
"She's not injured. She's sick," Beth corrected the doctor.
"Sick? What seems to be the problem?" inquired Doctor Rudman.
"She has a fever and she's weak," Beth replied.
"When did this start?" Doctor Rudman's questions continued.
"It started yesterday with a scratchy throat," Beth answered. "The fever also started yesterday. She has no appetite. This morning I went to check on her and she's worse than she was yesterday. The fever seems to be higher today than yesterday. Can you please come out to the ranch?"
"Of course," responded Doctor Rudman. "Let me get my bag, and I'll follow you out there."
Knowing Doctor Rudman's buggy couldn't go as fast as she wanted to ride, Beth's trip back to the ranch took the time it usually took. After arriving at the ranch, Beth escorted the doctor to her mother's bedroom. When Doctor Rudman entered the bedroom and saw Mike lying on the bed, he knew things were not well. He knew Mike Yardner's life was in jeopardy. There was a sickness with a fever going around the area, and those who were struck by the illness were not surviving. It did not matter how healthy that person had been.
Doctor took his stethoscope and listened to Mike's chest. Next he checked her pulse. Both were weaker than they should have been. Hearing Mike's weak heartbeat confirmed that she had the deadly fever. Doctor took his stethoscope out of his ears and looked at Beth.
"Are there some powders or medicine you can give her?" Beth asked.
"I'm afraid not," Doctor Rudman quietly replied.
"Are you saying she has to get better on her own?" Beth asked.
"No," said the doctor. "Can I talk to you out there?"
Beth knew something was wrong. Why would Doctor Rudman want to talk to her outside of the bedroom? If everything was going to be alright, Doctor Rudman would have said so. Doctor Rudman told Beth he didn't have any powders that would make her mother feel better and she wouldn't get better on her own. That meant only one thing. Her mother was dying.
"There's no need to leave the room and discuss my illness," Mike weakly said. "I've already heard what you've said. How long do I have?"
"Mother, please don't talk like that," Beth cried. "You're a strong woman. You'll get better."
"I'm sorry, child, but I'm afraid she won't," said Doctor Rudman. It pained him to give Mike and Beth such horrible news, but he didn't want to give false hope. "To answer your question, I would say about a week, maybe less. Your heart will get weaker and weaker until it can no longer beat anymore."
"That's it? You're not going to do anything? You're just going to let her die?" Beth was angry.
"Beth, that's enough," her mother scolded. "Doctor Rudman has been a trusted family doctor for years. You know if he could do something he would."
"I absolutely would," stated Doctor Rudman. "If there's anyone you want to see before you become weaker, then I suggest you do so soon."
Doctor Rudman was referring to Beth's biological father, Matt Dillon. By now word had spread that Johnny Yardner was not Beth's biological father. That news stunned people that knew Mike and Beth. They questioned who Beth's father was. Finding out it was Matt Dillon, former Marshal of Dodge City, Kansas was even more stunning. Many people would not have thought that was possible.
However, Matt Dillon's presence at the Yardner ranch and the fact that he came to Arizona and rescued Beth from the Apaches were enough to convince people that he probably was Beth's father. He wouldn't come to rescue some stranger's daughter. People tried to see if they could see any resemblance between Matt and Beth. Anyone who tried agreed that Beth was the spitting image of her mother.
"Beth, I want you to go to your father's house and bring him back here," Mike told her daughter. "Tell him what's going on."
Beth was still in denial over her mother's sickness, but did as she was told. She didn't want to argue with her mother and make her weaker than she already was. Beth nodded head and left the bedroom. She took a few deep breaths. She would not cry. She would be strong for her mother.
For the second time that day Beth mounted her horse and left the ranch. She rode in the direction of her father's house. It was only a few miles southeast of the Yardner Ranch. Her father was trying to establish his own ranch. He was considering raising horses. Since the trip to her father's house was shorter than a trip to town, it didn't take Beth long to arrive there.
Matt was in the front yard when Beth rode up. "This is a nice surprise. I wasn't expecting to see you here." Matt was still trying to establish some sort of relationship with his daughter. He knew he had a ways to go. "Are you here to tell me there's been a change of plans with dinner tomorrow?" He was supposed to have dinner with Mike and Beth tomorrow night.
"You could say that," Beth replied.
Beth took a deep breath before she continued, and Matt could tell something was wrong. There was more than just a change of dinner plans. He waited for Beth to continue. When she remained silent, Matt spoke.
"What's wrong, Beth?" he asked.
"It's mother," she said shakily. "She's caught the fever that's been going around. Doctor Rudman said it's a deadly fever that attacks the heart. He said she has a week to live, maybe less. Mother wants you to come out to the ranch."
Matt was shocked. That was the last thing he expected to hear. "Alright, let's go."
Matt mounted his buckskin horse and he and Beth headed back to the Yardner Ranch.
TBC
