When the stage rolled up, an hour and a half late, only a beautiful young woman in a fashionable tan dress with dark brown accessories, accompanied by a tall, well-built young man in a tailored three-piece suit got off and looked around.
Kitty, the first to recognize Clarey, hurried over and hugged and kissed her.
"Oh, Clarey! You look so beautiful! It's so good to see you!"
The three men stared, then walked over to the two hugging young women.
"Matt! Doc! Chester! It's wonderful to see you all again! You all look the same…just as I remembered." Tears stood in her eyes as she smiled fondly at her friends.
"Wal, you sure don't look the same, Miss Clarey!" Chester's grin froze on his face as he felt three pairs of eyes bore into him.
"Ha! I don't, do I? It's all right, Chester. I take that as a fine compliment! Now I want you all to meet my husband, Brad MacMillan."
The young woman glowed as she pulled her husband closer and proudly introduced him to Matt, Kitty, Doc, and Chester.
During their three day visit, the six spent as much time together as possible. Their first meal at Delmonico's was awkward until Clarey once again broke the tension by laughing after sensing Matt's and Chester's initial discomfort.
"My Brad knows everything about my past, present, and future. I've told him everything. Steak and all!"
Brad smiled tenderly at his wife, picked up her hand and kissed it.
"Only a special and wonderful woman like my Clarey could have come so far and still be such an open, friendly, and nonjudgmental person. Only her exterior changed, from what I have learned."
Kitty looked at the loving couple with tears in her eyes. She felt the pressure of Matt's knee against hers under the table and their eyes met.
Chester looked over at Doc with relief, having told Doc about the disastrous steak episode shortly after it had happened.
On their last evening in Dodge, Matt, Kitty, Clarey, and Brad strolled back to the Dodge House from dinner. Brad gratefully shook the men's hands and held Kitty's for a moment.
"I want to thank you all for making me feel so welcome. Please tell Doc and Chester for me, too. I'll say goodnight now." He smiled at his wife, knowing she wanted a few moments alone with her friends, turned, and went upstairs.
"Kitty, Matt, thank you for the wonderful time, and as Brad said, for your welcome to him. I never dreamed I could ever be so happy." Her eyes looked up the stairs towards their room.
"We'll see you two in the morning, Honey. Good night!" Kitty kissed her and she and Matt walked towards the Long Branch, arms around each other's waist.