New Orleans
Kitty stepped out of a narrow, two story, stucco townhouse onto a tree lined sidewalk. The afternoon sun was bright, and the smell of magnolias filled the air. She closed her tired eyes for a moment to inhale the sweet fragrance, and then turned to the short, sturdy, dark haired woman standing behind her in the doorway. "I should be back from the cafe by 7:00. I'm sorry the schedule changes so much."
"I don't mind, Mrs. Monroe. Frankly, working for your household is the best job I've ever had."
"Thank you, Gabrielle, and I don't know what we'd do without you." She offered a quick smile and started down the street to Cafe de Monde. A small sigh escaped her lips; being called Mrs. Monroe felt odd, even after all these months. She'd get used it, eventually, and frankly she couldn't imagine where she'd be right now if it wasn't for George Monroe. He'd made her new life possible. As for her old life in Dodge, she didn't let herself think about why she left, how she left, or the man she left. That life was over and some things were best kept locked away, deep inside a person. She quickened her pace, and at the end of 5 blocks, turned the corner. The wrought iron doors of Cafe du Monde stood before her. She smoothed down her blue satin dress and went inside.
Matt
Gripping his duffle bag, Matt stepped off the train onto the busy New Orleans platform. Porters and passengers scurried by in all directions, but the tall, striking lawman remained frozen in place. Now that he'd arrived, this trip to see Kitty made less and less sense. He was visiting a woman who'd left him after 19 years, by way of a brief note, and who was married to another man. What could possibly be gained by seeing her, disturbing her, asking her questions? He'd might even have to meet her husband. Why put himself through that? His eyes rested on the ticket office across the street. Maybe heading right back to Dodge would be the smartest move. He took two steps towards the ticket office and paused. On the other hand, Doc made the idea of visiting Kitty seem so right, even wise. He could almost feel Doc's hand on his arm, "Matt, you need to have some closure, and I have a feeling she might too. Go to New Orleans, have a talk, find out what went wrong, and wish her well. Then spend a night in a hotel, and head home in the morning. It's that simple."
Matt sighed. That sounded good at the time, but what if Kitty didn't want to talk. She knew where he was all along, but never wrote or wired. Besides, she was a married woman now. This whole thing could be one terrible mistake. He was wavering between staying and going when a voice cut through his indecision.
"Cab Mister? Where ever you're going I can get ya there fast." A cheery, young man wearing a tattered coat and an infectious grin, tipped his hat at Matt.
Matt took the young man's sudden appearance as a sign that he should stay. "I'm going to the Oak Haven Hotel. Know where it is?"
"Of course, the Oak Haven on Oak Street. I'll have ya there in a jiffy." The driver made a grand gesture towards his cab. Matt climbed up and was barely seated when they took off at a clip. They whipped around the corner and sped down a long, cobblestone street. Matt's eyes darted everywhere, taking everything in - streetcars with clanging bells, folks clustered on sidewalks, a stream of people flowing from the waterfront driving wagons, pushing carts, carrying bundles on their heads. Talk and laughter floated through the air, but some of it sounded strange to his ears and he strained to pick up words. He wasn't in Kansas anymore.
The cabby glanced back at his passenger. "I'm guessing it's ya first time here."
Matt smiled crookedly. "Bet, I make that pretty clear."
The cabby shrugged. "I'm curious about how ya even know about the Oak Haven Hotel?"
"I'm from Dodge City, Kansas. Someone there knew of the Oak Haven so I wired for a reservation. To tell you the truth, it's kind of pricey for a lawman, but I'll only be here for one night so I reckon I can handle it."
"A lawman, eh? That makes sense, ya seem real observant. Here's some advise from a local. If ya end up stayin' longer than ya think, try movin' to the Mayflower Hotel. It's pretty nice and lot's cheaper than the Oak Haven." The cabby pulled back on the reins. "Here ya are."
Matt grabbed his duffle bag, and paid the cabby with a generous tip. "Thanks for the ride, and the advise on the hotel. Like I said, I'm just here for a night, but I'll pass the information on if anyone asks."
The cabby tipped his cap, flicked his reins and raced off to another potential customer. Matt pushed through the heavy wood doors of the Oak Haven and found himself in a large, bright lobby decorated with hanging tapestries and tall potted plants. A bespectacled clerk with thinning hair looked up from his polished desk. "May I help you, Sir?"
"Yes, I wired for a reservation. I'm US Marshal, Matt Dillon."
"Of course. Just sign here and I'll get your key. Just one night, is that correct?"
Matt scrawled his name in the ledger. "Yep."
"For your information, sir, the room is available for the rest of the week if you wish to stay longer."
Kitty
Kitty stepped into Cafe du Monde, and paused to assess the crowd. Every table was taken, and uniformed waiters were rushing about serving dinner and taking orders. The bar in the rear of the place was lined with men in business suits, enjoying their evening gin. The place had a reputation for good food and high-end booze. It was an adjustment from the Long Branch in some ways, but customers were customers. No matter how much they could spend on food or alcohol, some were nice, others were nasty and they all had a story to tell.
"Hello Kitty." She turned towards Cecil Barr's familiar voice and smiled brightly. The dear man, with his greying mustache, bushy eyebrows and wise old eyes, reminded her of Doc. "Hello Cecil. Business is good. As majority owner of the place, you must be pretty happy. I know I feel good owning 25%."
The older man ran a hand across his mustache and smiled. "Yes, yes business is good, but it will be even better once you are behind the bar."
She shook her head and laughed. "Cecil, I'm not some young temptress with an unlined face, and the svelte body of 19 year old."
"My dear, don't underestimate yourself. You are a real woman, a woman of substance. If I'd met a woman like you 30 years ago I could have conquered the world, but alas, I did not." He sighed theatrically, and Kitty laughed. Her laughter pleased him. "Anyway, before you get busy tantalizing men into buying more drinks, I want to remind you that the profits from this quarter are in my office. 25% is yours. Come and get it whenever you like." She nodded and walked off to take a shift behind the bar. Cecil watched her and shook his head. He'd grown to like and admire Kitty Monroe, and it was a comfort knowing she'd be the one taking over his beloved business as he eased into retirement. Still, it troubled him that no matter how much the attractive red-head smiled or laughed, there was a sadness within her that was deep and strong. An old man can see such things.
Matt
Matt stared into the large, framed mirror that was nailed above the dresser in his hotel room. The bout with pneumonia had left him drawn and pale, but given his stature and presence, most people didn't notice. He ran a comb through his hair, and after a slight hesitation, pulled his badge from his pocket and pinned it to his shirt. New Orleans was way out of jurisdiction, but letting people see that he was a lawman sometimes had advantages. Eyeing himself, he shook his head. This trip could be a colossal mistake. Kitty wasn't even Kitty Russell any more, she was Mrs. George Monroe. What was the point of going to see her? He swallowed hard, and remembered Doc's final words."If you don't talk to Kitty one last time, you'll never forgive yourself. You need to have a real goodbye, you both do." He grabbed his hat, and hurried out the door before he could change his mind. The Monroe's address was etched in his mind, and he headed south on Oak Street scanning the numbered doors as he walked along. After a few blocks he spotted 220 Oak just ahead, a tidy, two story town house with lace curtains in every windows. With a heart pounding harder than it had before any gunfight, he walked up to the door and rang the bell. It was 6:30 in the evening, and he wondered who'd be home. Perhaps George Monroe himself would open the door.
"Good evening, sir, can I help you?" It was a female voice with a soft southern accent.
Relieved he wasn't looking at Kitty's chosen, George Monroe, Matt tipped his hat at the short, dark haired woman standing in the doorway. "Hello, I – I was hoping to see Kitty Ru… Kitty Monroe. Is she home?"
Gabrielle spotted Matt's badge and shifted on her feet. "That's not a New Orleans policeman's badge, but it's a badge. There's no trouble for Mrs. Monroe, is there?"
"No, no – my name's Matt Dillon. I'm a United States Marshal, but I'm not here on business. I knew Mrs. Monroe before she moved to New Orleans. I just wanted to pay my respects. I'm just here today, I'll be heading out tomorrow."
Gabrielle took measure of the imposing man who stood in front of her. She was protective of Mrs. Monroe and the household, but something about this man's clear blue eyes and kind voice assured her he meant no harm. She nodded, "Come in, Mrs. Monroe should be home soon. I'd have you wait in the parlor, but I'm in the middle of sweeping up in there. I'll just take you upstairs to the nursery. Anyway, that's where Mrs. Monroe goes first when she get back from work. Follow me."
Gabrielle ushered him in and pointed to the staircase. Matt followed her up the steps with the word 'nursery' ringing in his ears. They reached the second floor, and Gabrielle opened the door to a sun-lit room. Her eyes rested on a baby lying in a crib, dark curls surrounding his face. "Just look at him sleeping like an angel. He's three months old today." She pointed to a plush armchair. "Take a seat, Marshal. Mrs. Monroe should be back soon."
Matt hesitated, "What about Mr. Monroe? Will he bo home soon too?"
Gabrielle frowned. "Oh my, you have been out of touch. I hate to be the bringer of bad news, but Mr. Monroe passed on before …. Oh, I hear Mrs. Monroe coming in. I'll let her know you're up here." Gabrielle hurried off. Matt stepped over to the crib and looked down the baby, sleeping soundly, dark curls clinging to his forehead. His lawman's mind was reeling. Kitty had been gone from Dodge for 9 months and during that time was married, widowed and had a baby. A baby boy who was now three months old. One thought came to the surface of his consciousness, but he couldn't believe it was true. Kitty would never do that.
TBC