The Winds of Change
By
AZgirl66
Chapter 4-The Birthday
Luckily for Adelaide Jane Dillon, her eleventh birthday was on a Saturday, so she didn't have to worry about scheduling her private time with her mother around a school day. Her mother had given her specific instructions to wear her new lavender dress and meet her in the kitchen before sunrise.
"Good morning, Pumpkin," Kitty quietly greeted her eldest child as the girl descended the wide staircase, "Happy birthday," she enveloped Addie in a big bear hug, kissing her on her forehead.
"Morning, Mama," Addie whispered from the comfort of her mother's soft bosom, "Thank you so much."
Kitty lifted her daughter's chin so that their matching blue eyes could meet. She sighed, "I can't believe you are eleven years old, my darling girl. Within a couple of years, you'll be as tall as me," she wrapped her arm around Addie's shoulders as she escorted her to the front door. "Here, we're gonna need our capes for a bit. It's a little brisk outside," Kitty handed her daughter her blue woolen cape while grabbing her own.
"Where are we going?" Addie asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she secured the tie under her chin.
"Well," Kitty motioned for her birthday girl to step onto the porch, "Daddy, Uncle Festus, Mr. Moose and I were up late, recreating something very special."
The mother and daughter duo began their slow walk arm in arm toward the smallest barn on the property. At first Addie thought she and her beloved mother were going riding, but this was the barn that the cows called home, not the family horses.
"Mama," the child tilted her head and crinkled her perfectly freckled nose while she studied her mother's attire, "are we both dressed in lavender on purpose?"
"I was wondering when you might notice," Kitty gently tapped the end of Addie's nose with her finger, "Follow me to the past, Adelaide," Kitty slid open the barn door and gently pushed her child forward.
"Oh, Mama!" she gasped, her hands snapping to her cheeks, "It's so beautiful…" Addie's eyes were wide as she slowly turned to take in the scene before her. There were several lanterns hanging on nails from various spots on the barn walls, casting a soft, yellow glow. A small, round table was in the center of the barn, covered with a delicate white tablecloth and set with blue willow china.
"Sit down, Sweetheart," Kitty motioned with her hand, regarding her miracle child's appearance. Addie's long, loose, ropey red curls cascaded over her shoulders, the sides pulled up by one thick lavender ribbon. Her small nose had a smattering of tiny freckles, with just a few spilling over onto her porcelain cheeks. But Kitty just couldn't believe how her daughter's eyes were exactly the same shape and color as her own. The resemblance is remarkable, she thought.
"Mama, what is all this? And what did you mean, 'Follow me to the past'?" Addie asked, still surprised by the transformation of the barn that the cows called home.
"Daddy and I did our best to recreate the night he proposed to me," she held her daughter's hands across the table, "And if I do say so myself, we did a pretty darn good job. Hot chocolate?" she held up a small carafe.
"Please," Addie answered, "So Daddy set up a barn all fancy like this? In Deep Ford?" she held her warm cup between the palms of her hands.
"He most certainly did," Kitty said while pouring herself some peppermint tea, "with the help of your Uncle Festus and Mr. Moose. I even wore a lavender dress," she nodded.
"How old was I? And where was I?"
"You were two weeks old, and Uncle Festus was babysitting you in the house. Our friend, Ezra, was supposed to watch you, but he got called away for an emergency." Kitty grinned at the bittersweet memory, "With your little brother or sister here," she patted her belly, "I couldn't wear the actual dress I wore that night, but I had Mary Ann do her best at trying to recreate it."
"You look pretty, Mama. You always do," Addie complimented, studying her mother's contented expression.
Kitty continued, "You are far too kind, my dear. Would you like a sweet roll before I start my story?" she took a large napkin off the tray that was resting on a bale of hay.
"Please," the birthday girl nodded, holding up her plate to receive a gooey cinnamon treat.
The lovely redhead then took a sweet roll for herself as well and cleared her throat, "Your daddy spent a couple of days preparing the barn. He knew I'd waited a long time for him to propose t' me," Kitty glanced at the iced bun on her plate for a moment, "I'd been in love with your father from the moment I saw him."
Addie took a sip of her warm drink, "I wish he hadn't of made ya wait so long. I don't know if I could keep on waiting for any man that long."
"Sweetie," Kitty chuckled, "I wish he hadn't either, but that's just the way it worked out. I loved your daddy with all my heart. I'm so grateful every day that you came along. You made us a family, Adelaide."
"I made it so Daddy had to ask you, right? That's what's proper anyway. What did Daddy say? How did he propose?" Addie clasped the edges of her chair in anticipation.
"Oh, Honey, please don't misunderstand. Your father didn't have to do anything. He wanted to. He wanted to make sure we gave you the best life possible. He loved us, and always will," Kitty sighed, "Let's just say that you were the little bit of buckshot he needed t' motivate him," she grinned all the way up to her shimmering blue eyes.
"Buckshot, huh?" the girl rolled her eyes, "Finish the story, Mama, please."
"After we ate, he made me close my eyes. Then your daddy had me stand up and walk over to one of the stalls for a surprise," Kitty pursed her lips, taking her sweet time while sipping her tea.
"Mama! C'mon…"
"When I opened my eyes, he showed me the cradle he'd made for you," Kitty's eyes became misty, "He was so proud, and I thought it was beautiful…" her voice trailed off as she got lost in the sweet memory.
"Is that the cradle we all slept in?"
"It most certainly is. Made with love from your daddy's own hands."
"I think that's so sweet," Addie tilted her head to the side.
"It really was. Before your daddy found us, I was pretty worried. But when he came to rescue us, hope lit up my world. I knew we would be just fine. Actually, better than fine," Kitty motioned for Addie to join her on her lap.
"Mama, I'm eleven! I can't sit on your lap," the child semi-protested.
"You're never too old to obey your mama. Now c'mere," Kitty wrapped one arm around Addie's waist and pulled her close, forcing the girl to lean against her legs.
"And then what?" Addie whispered as if she didn't know the outcome of the story.
Kitty briefly closed her eyes, recounting, "We kissed for a long time and then Daddy said, 'Marry me, Kitty. Please.' It was as if he was worried I'd turn him down," her last sentence spoken just barely above a whisper.
Mother and daughter were silent, their eyes connecting in both love and understanding.
"Wow," Addie sighed, "I bet none of my friends have a story like this one."
"Probably not, Honey," Kitty took another bite of sweet roll before holding her daughter's hand, "but this is something we keep between us. That's what makes it special."
"Okay," the young girl studied their entwined hands, "I forget sometimes that I was a-"
"Adelaide!" Kitty whisper-reprimanded, "Don't you dare-"
"I was gonna say 'surprise'," Addie lifted her ginger eyebrows, "I like that I was a 'love child'. It makes me just a little different from my brothers and sisters."
Kitty pressed her forehead against her daughter's, "It makes you special, Addie Dillon. Very special," she sat up straight, continuing, "Now tell me, are you still planning on going for a horseback ride with your daddy today?"
"Yes, Ma'am. He's gonna show me the boundaries of the ranch and we're gonna pick some apples from the grove. Mr. Lacey says he can make us some cider for supper."
"That sounds wonderful! And your brothers have insisted on making your favorite spice cake-"
"Sorry t' interrupt, ladies," Matt popped his head into the small barn, "Seems that Maggie wanted t' help recreate this moment in time as well," he stepped into the barn, the seven-month-old baby hitched upon his hip, crying for her mother.
"Come 'ere, Maggie Lou," Kitty held out her arms to the redheaded baby. Maggie thrusted her chubby arms out of the pink blanket, desperately reaching for her mother.
"Happy birthday, Addie Jane," Matt embraced his daughter once his arms were free.
"Thanks, Daddy. Want a sweet roll?" she motioned toward the table.
"Don't mind if I do," the big man bit one in half, licking the icing off his fingers, "You want t' catch a little nap before our ride, Honey?" he asked, "Your brothers and Moose are gonna take care of all your chores t'day."
"Don't mind if I do," she smiled at her father, imitating his voice. She approached her mother, who had made herself comfortable once again at the table, the baby discretely nursing at her breast.
Addie stood behind Kitty and wrapped her arms around her mother's neck, "Thank you for this morning, Mama. I loved it." She kissed her mother on the cheek and smiled at her baby sister. She hugged her beloved father and kissed his cheek, "See you in a couple of hours, Daddy," she then whispered in his ear, "and thank you so much for asking Mama t' marry you. What would we have ever done without you?"
XXXXXXXX
As father and daughter trotted their horses along the perimeter of the Legacy D, Matt couldn't help but replay Addie's words in his head, What would we have ever done without you? He didn't think the child had meant it to be so thought-provoking, but it certainly had been.
Kitty had explained to him long ago about her plans to marry Ezra Roseveare, but he also was aware that those plans had quickly gone by the wayside when Will Mannon had unexpectedly returned to Deep Ford before Ezra could've taken Kitty to the safety of the Osage. Perhaps deep down, Matt Dillon owed Mannon a strange debt of gratitude. If he hadn't had Kitty back in his clutches, she may have already been a member of the Osage tribe. Matt never would have known about his beautiful redheaded girl who so resembled her mother. He never would've married the love of his life, nor had any of his other children. The possible realities of this series of "what ifs" were terrifying.
"Daddy? Did ya hear me?" Addie asked, glancing at her father from beneath the brim of her lavender hat.
"I beg your pardon, Honey? I was just thinking about when you were a baby," Matt bluffed as to why he wasn't hanging on Addie's every word.
"Oh? What about when I was a baby?"
"I was remembering how sweet you smelled after a bath, and how your little smile could melt my heart," he pulled on Major's reins and sat deep in his saddle to stop the animal.
"Whoa, Peaches," his daughter did the same, "That's nice, Daddy. Mama told me all about how you proposed," she pointed to a small grove, "There are the apple trees. I'll race ya!" She took off in a flash, leaving Matt in her dust.
As the two of them picked the late-season apples, Matt asked, "So, my eleven-year-old, do you have any questions for your ol' dad?"
"Can you put me on your shoulders? Questions about what?"
Matt lifted his daughter high above his head, resting her backside on one of his shoulders, "This is the best I can do since you're in a dress. Just gently toss the apples to the ground and we'll pick 'em up in a bit," he took a deep breath, readdressing, "Questions about what Mama told you this morning."
Addie continued her quest for the perfect apples as she replied, "I just wonder why you made Mama wait so long t' get married. I figure you must not have loved her as much as she loved you, and I kind of forced you to-" she yelped as her father released his grip on her, causing her to quickly slide along his body to the ground.
Matt whirled her around by her shoulders to face him, "Addie," he searched her baby blues, "you surely don't believe that."
"I don't mean it in a bad way. But it took ya forever to propose, and poor Mama. She loved you so much she just kept waiting and waiting…"
Matt leaned over so his face was close to his daughter's, "Sweetie, I need you to understand," he paused, trying to figure out how to explain his past justification for not having a family to an eleven-year-old.
"Understand what?" Addie asked, scared she was going to be in trouble for being sassy on her birthday.
"I always loved your mother. I loved her so much that…well, that I didn't want her to get hurt by men trying to get back at me for arresting them," Matt explained, resting his hands upon her shoulders.
"She told me that a long time ago," Addie sighed, trying to summon the courage to speak her mind, "I don't mean to hurt yer feelings, Daddy, but I think you kinda hurt her feelings by making her wait t' marry you till she had a baby."
Matt felt as if he'd been punched in the gut. Was it possible that this was true? Was it possible that his eleven-year-old daughter was correct in her assumption that he'd unknowingly hurt Kitty?
"Maybe you're right, Honey," Matt offered her a slight smile, "We'd better get these apples into our pouches so Mr. Lacey can make us some cider," he grabbed one of the sacks from under a tree and started to gather the apples off the ground.
Addie grabbed his arm, "Daddy," her eyes were wide with panic, "are you mad at me?! I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that! It's not my place-"
Matt cupped her flushed cheek with his large hand, comforting, "Pumpkin, don't you fret. I asked you if you had any questions. Now, we need to gather up these apples and finish our ride, birthday girl."
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Matt curiously watched Kitty as she hung her head upside down to comb out the tangles. He sat in one of the ornate overstuffed chairs that had been left behind by the Wolfes, attempting to read the newspaper, but Kitty's swaying copper tresses distracted him.
"Kitty?" Matt peeked over the newspaper, tilting his head to the side.
"Yes?" she turned her head while still upside down, trying to spy her husband through the tangled curtain of red.
"What are you doing? Other than cursing like a sailor, I mean."
Kitty righted herself, flipping her hair as she did so. She frustratingly sighed, "My hair is so tangled, it's ridiculous. When I'm pregnant, it gets so thick I can barely get the comb's teeth through it," she approached Matt, grimacing in front of him.
The retired marshal studied his wife's frustrated expression for a moment before patting his leg, asking her to join him.
"I'm too heavy t' sit on your lap, Cowboy," she pouted.
"Kathleen," his deep baritone beckoned as he held her hand, pulling her close.
Kitty acquiesced and sat on her husband's lap, one hand perched upon her swollen belly, the other holding her comb and brush.
"Did you see the looks on the boys' faces when Matty carried out the cake they made?" she asked.
Matt snickered, "They were so proud. But did you see Addie's face?"
They both chuckled at the memory of their daughter trying not to laugh when she had seen the three-layer spice cake that was anything but perfect. It had tilted to the side and the vanilla bean icing hadn't been spread evenly, but it had certainly been made with love.
"It tasted good, even though it wasn't much to look at," Matt took the brush from Kitty's hand and began to detangle some of the knots.
Kitty moaned in pleasure, closing her eyes, "I made sure I kept an eye on the batter mixing. Too many people live in this house to risk food poisoning. Could you imagine?"
"Good point," Matt mumbled as he concentrated on the task at hand, his tongue peeking out from the corner of his mouth.
"You were awful quiet tonight," Kitty softly observed.
"Just taking it all in, I guess. Remembering the night Addie was born," Matt commented, barely audible.
Kitty opened her eyes and gazed at him. "Anything specific?" she caressed his cheek, remembering the horror that preceded the babe's arrival.
He exhaled, "Mannon could have killed you, Kitty. He could have killed our daughter. I haven't thought about that in a very long time," he finally met her gaze, his expression serious, sorrowful.
"No need to think about that any longer," she said flatly, "Here we are. Living proof that good won over evil, Matt."
"Honey, I'm wondering," the big, strong man suddenly seemed very self-conscious as he broached the subject Addie had addressed, "did you ever think I didn't love you as much as you loved me?"
Kitty tried to stand, but he held her firmly on his lap.
"Matt, where's this-"
"Please answer me," he implored.
She pursed her lips and furrowed her brows, "I'd be lying if I said 'no'. Early on, I loved you so much, I thought my heart could just burst right outta my chest when you'd step into the Long Branch," Kitty was unsure if she should continue, but the expression on Matt's face gave her permission.
"The first time you came t' my room to be with me in my bed, it was like an answered prayer. I loved you so much," she bit her bottom lip, "but deep in my heart, I figured you just wanted what every man wanted," she wiped away one errant tear.
"Oh, Sweetheart," Matt tightly embraced her, burying his face in her damp, sweet-smelling hair, "I promise you-"
"Stop, Matt. You don't need t' say a word or justify anything you did or felt. I know that at some point shortly after that you really did love me. I could just tell, because being with you-in that way-felt different. I could feel your love for me like I still do."
Kitty stood and entwined her fingers with his, "There was a point in time when I became aware that our feelings were in sync. It was sometime after my father visited, but before I got snatched by the Gunthers during that bank robbery."
Matt drank from Kitty's deep pools of blue, acknowledging in his heart that every thought to which she'd just given sound was true. He'd known all those many years ago Kitty had been in love with him, and she would willingly share her body. What he hadn't expected when he was such a young marshal was to fall madly and deeply in love with a young saloon gal. Especially a young one who'd already learned so much about the way men treated women. Falling hard for sweet, kind, beautiful Kitty Russell had definitely not been part of Matthew Dillon's plan.
"I'm glad you could feel when things changed, Honey. I never realized," he glanced at their entwined fingers, "that a woman could sense things like that. Hell, I sure couldn't," he offered her a boyish grin.
"Let's face it, Matt," she squeezed his hands, "I wasn't the typical twenty-year-old, lovestruck girl."
Matt stood, holding her face between his big hands, "Kitty, so long as you know that right now, at this moment in time, I love you more than any man has ever loved a woman, and I have for many, many years," he leaned over to emphasize his words with a kiss upon her plump, soft, pink lips.
"I do know how much you love me," Kitty whimpered before she eagerly accepted his kiss. When their lips finally parted, she led him to their big, awaiting bed, imploring, "Show me, Cowboy. Show me how much you love me."
TBC
