AN: Sorry for posting a bit late. I had some trouble getting onto the site. Just one chapter after this!
Dodge
A mess of papers, filled with names and numbers were scattered across Doc's desk. He scratched his ear and went from sheet to sheet, pencil in hand, adding, subtracting and crossing out. He opened his mouth to speak, but shook his head. Sam sat in a chair by the door, head in hands. "Go over those numbers all you want Doc, but you won't find any money. The Long Branch girls, bartenders, and house gamblers all care about Miss Kitty. They appreciate the kind of boss she was – I mean is – and I promised them their jobs back. They want to help put the Long Branch back together. but most of them already spent the extra salary I gave them. Those that didn't, spent most and gave back what they could, but it just don't add up to much. The other saloon owners in town want to help, and donated what they could. Stan, from Lady Gay even gave back some chairs. Still, that don't get us close to ready to re-open, or even look like a real saloon. What about lamps, pitchers, glasses, or halfway decent booze. We don't even have a bar, forget about a piano.
Doc patted Sam's shoulder and filled two cups with steaming, black coffee. "Sam, we can't give up. Let's drink some more coffee and think."
Sam glumly toyed with his cup. "If I drink any more coffee I'll explode, and I have been thinking."
"Doc – Sam - listen up." The door burst open, "Ah got us an idea, an' it's real goodun." Doc looked up eagerly, and then sighed. Things were bad if Festus bursting through the door gave him hope.
"Ya keep worryin' about gettin' a bar." Festus scratched his head. "Funny thang is, I never knowed those thangs were movable. Seemed ta me it's the kinda thang that's always thar, but I seen it get hauled off with my own two eyeballs. Anyways, since there ain't no money to buy one, we gotta git one built. Ben Carson is a right fine carpenter, at least when he's sober. He usual don't charge much for his work, an' we can pay him bit by bit. What 'bout it?"
Sam frowned, "Miss Kitty once hired Ben to make three chairs. Two ended up being the best and sturdiest she ever had, but the third was so rickety she couldn't use it. I guess the question is, do we take a chance on Ben Carson?"
Doc ran a hand across his mustache, "Sam, I hate to admit it but Festus brought us the only solution we can afford. Let's go have a talk with Ben, and we'll keep him off drinkin' as best we can."
Witicha
Sheriff John Mannix tapped his foot to a catchy tune, and smiled at his two companions. "Kitty, Matt since you're headed home tomorrow, the Witicha Fall sociable seemed the perfect send off. As you can see, the whole town turns out for this one." He pointed across the room, "Even Martha from the hotel is here. I don't think I ever mentioned she's my niece. She downplays our relationship. Doesn't want any suspicion of special favors from the law. I'll tell you, she sure looks a lot prettier in that flowery dress, than she does in the dark buttoned up clothes she insists on wearing at her hotel." Kitty glanced at Martha talking and laughing with cluster of young women. "John you have to keep in mind that she's young and pretty, and trying to run a tough business. I guarantee that the way she dresses at her hotel makes folks take her more seriously. It's smart of her."
"Guess, I never thought of that." John watched his niece chatting with friends. "She is a hard one to figure out. I know for a fact she's had 2 or 3 marriage proposals and turned them down. I worry about her."
Kitty smiled. "No need to worry, John. Different women have different priorities, just like you men. Martha is smart and knows what she wants. She'll be fine."
"I'll keep that in mind." John laughed, "Seems even at my age, I have things to learn about woman. Anyway, I want to thank you both for coming with me tonight. It's been a real pleasure getting to know the two of you over the past couple of days."
Matt took a sip of punch and nodded at Mannix. "Thank you for the invite. You'll have to visit Dodge, and join us at a sociable there." Kitty lifted an eyebrow at Matt, and a hint of red touched his cheeks. "I – um - have to admit, I've been known to miss some sociables in Dodge – you know – because of work." Kitty tilted her head and smiled, "And I understand – at least most of the time." She met Matt's eyes, and the deep communication between them, wasn't lost on Mannix. Lawmen see things.
Matt got to his feet. "Our glasses are empty. I'll go get us another round of punch." John watched Kitty's eyes follow Matt across the room. He smiled beneath his silver-grey mustache. "I understand what Matt means about missing events because of work. I also know, from my own life, it's hard for a woman to be in a relationship with a lawman. My guess is it's even harder when that lawman is a US Marshal who is responsible for a territory like Kansas. But, and I could be speaking out of turn, it seems you and Matt have something special going on." Kitty took measure of the long-time lawman. "I haven't known you long John, but I know you're smart and wise, and have been a good lawman for many years. I'll be honest. Matt and I do have something special, but you're also right that there are times when his job makes it hard, real hard. Sometimes my temper …." She laughed and shook her head. "We've had some rough patches, and there will be more of them I'm sure, but Matt and I will always find our way back to each other." She unconsciously fingered the silver heart that hung around her neck, "Think about this, a lot of people – people who care about me - were told I was dead, and shown a letter proving it. Matt was the one who somehow knew it was't true."
"Here we go." Matt carefully set three glasses down, filled to the brim with bright red punch. Kitty took a quick sip and held out her hand, "Matt, the fiddlers are playing my favorite tune, let's dance." He smiled sheepishly, "Sure you know what you're getting into?" She looked up into his eyes. "I'm sure, and so are you."
Two Days Later
Kitty poured water over the last embers of the camp fire, and warm smoke rose through the chilly air to meet her cheeks. She sighed with satisfaction. "Those fried fish were delicious Matt. The perfect breakfast." He stopped packing up the buggy and looked over with a grin, "You cooked 'em." She grinned back and winked, "You caught 'em." Laughing he helped her up to her seat, and tied his horse to the back of the buggy, before climbing up beside her. He casually flicked the reins, setting off at a leisurely pace. It looked to be a beautiful day, making their 3rd day of travel as pleasant as the first 2 had been. "Kitty, I sure am glad John Mannix lent us Sharpe's horses and buggy. It's made traveling home a whole lot simpler. Technically he should have turned everything right over to the state to be auctioned off." Kitty shrugged. "Matt, you know better than most, that what's technically right isn't always what's best. You'd have done the same thing. John knew this would be nicer for us than being on a crowded stage with no privacy, or even worse, me on the stage and you on horseback. He'll send someone to Dodge to retrieve the horses and buggy in a few weeks." She put a hand on Matt's. "And, traveling this way with you, has helped me put this whole nightmare behind me."
He rubbed his thumb along her small, soft hand, and they rode in contented silence, barely feeling the hours pass. Kitty jumped in her seat and pointed ahead. "Look Matt, Crystal Lake. Such memories – the two of us sneaking away from town - cold chicken in a basket, champagne cooling in the water." Kitty smiled, "And it means we're almost home. Oh Matt, I can hardly wait to see Doc and everyone." She smiled up at him, "And after everything that's happened, it will feel so good to be back in the Long Branch, and have everything be normal again."
Dodge City
Doc, Festus and Sam stood shoulder to shoulder in the Long Branch, assessing the results of their struggles and hard work. Festus eyeballed the newly installed bar, end to end and top to bottom. "It's a might rickety-rockity, but puttin' that thar book under the back leg makes it steady enuff. 'Course the color's a mite lighter than the ole bar. But all-in-all, Ben Carson did a good job."
Sam ran the palm of his hand across the new bar. "It's pretty smooth, just a couple of bumps here and there, and aside from that kinda big one in the middle, the rest are small." Doc nodded and raised his eyes to examine the shelves above the bar, "Sam, the way you have the bottles all spread out is good – it's good. It makes it less obvious that there are fewer bottles, and all of it's the cheap stuff." He glanced around room and rubbed his mustache. "Just three less tables than there used to be, so that's pretty good. Of course, it's some dimmer, with just one lamp, but all-in-all it's ready to re-open." Festus pointed to the spot where the player piano once stood. "Sam, I like how ya set a chair thar with ya fiddle settin' on it. Folks know that iffin they git a hankerin' for a tune, you'll play if fur em."
The three men plastered on big, bright smiles, but after a long moment they heaved a collective sigh. "Festus and Doc, thank you for all your help, and for being so positive, but the fact is the place is a shadow of what it was when Miss Kitty left. She worked so hard to buy it and to build it up, I don't see how she can ever forgive me for what I did."
Doc put a hand on the bartender's arm, "Sam, Kitty will understand why you did what you did – what we did, it wasn't you alone. Now let's take another look around to see if there are any improvements we can make before Kitty and Matt get back. It could be any time now."
An Hour Later
Matt turned onto Front Street, and drove directly to Moss Gimmick's stable. Old Moss hurried out wearing a smile that made him look like a kid at Christmas. He put two gnarled hands on Kitty's shoulders. "You are the most beautiful sight I've ever seen in all of my born days, and I've seen some beauts in my time." Kitty laughed and hugged the old stableman. "It's good to be home, Moss. You have no idea." He squeezed her shoulders. "I should warn you, you won't get more than a step or two in this town without getting a hug or a smile and some welcome home words. Now, I'll take care of the buggy and horses. You go enjoy being home."
Kitty looked up at Matt with shining eyes. "Cowboy, I know you have a lot of work to catch up on, but could you let it wait? I'd like you with me when I get to the Long Branch and greet everyone." He put is hand firmly on the small of her back. "Sure thing, let's go."
As Moss predicted, everyone in town was delighted, overjoyed and eager to welcome Kitty back from the dead. After winding their way through hugs, howdies and handshakes, Matt pushed open the doors of the Long Branch and followed Kitty inside. She saw Doc, Sam and Festus standing side-by-side, and smiled warmly, but the smile soon changed to a puzzled frown, that was replaced by shocked dismay. She felt like the Alice girl, who went through the looking glass, in that strange book she recently read. The color drained from her face. She took an unsteady step forward and looked around the room. "W-w-w-w-what happened to my saloon?"
TBC
