After the Storm 9

I don't own these characters; I just like to spend time with them. No other profit to be had than that.

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The next morning dawned crisp and cold. Boston had apparently been favored with a midnight snowfall, and outside of her window; Kitty saw a pristine blanket of white obscuring most of everything in view. Disheartened, she noted it was still snowing.

Though beautiful, the sight did not please her. While in the hospital she had not had a chance to do any shopping. Her supplies were down to nothing. She did not want to go out into this kind of weather, but she had no choice.

She needed things for both herself as well as her son, along with paperwork she had to drop off at the Tin Star. She had finally finished that the night before, and Nathan needed it today.

She turned when Benjamin started crying and quickly crossed over to him. As she changed, fed and burped him, she sighed in frustration. She didn't like bothering her neighbor two days in a row, but she couldn't take Benjamin out in this kind of weather and she really needed those supplies.

As soon as the baby was attended to she got herself dressed and wrapped the baby up securely in several blankets. Carefully she made her way across the way to her neighbor's house, praying she would be willing to watch Benjamin.

The footing was treacherous and twice in just a few yards Kitty came close to slipping. Looking about her she almost changed her mind and returned home, but she knew she couldn't. She had to go.

Margaret answered the door cheerfully, when she saw it was Kitty, and graciously agreed to take the baby for a couple of hours. Though it was necessary, it was with a reluctant heart that Kitty relinquished her son to her neighbor.

As she turned to leave, Benjamin squirmed in Margaret's arms and though only 2 months old, Kitty would've sworn by the way he worked his mouth that he was trying to talk to her. Swallowing hard, she turned away.

After leaving Margaret's house, she took a look down the street. The scenery truly was beautiful, with soft white tufts of snow here and there, and every thing so clean and fresh, but it was it was early yet. As soon as the buggies and carts and other sorts of traffic started, it would be a cold, gray brown mess.

As Kitty's house was close to down town and near the pub, she had not seen the need to go to the expense of buying a horse and buggy. There was no place close to board them, and she seldom went anywhere anyway. But looking at the horrible weather in which she was going to have to walk, she wished now that she had.

Squaring her shoulders, Kitty pulled her bright cranberry colored cloak tighter around her neck and shoulders, and trudged down the street.

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Kitty made her way carefully, trying hard to keep her footing in the slippery slush of the now active streets, but it was difficult.

She had made a few stops at various shops, ordering needed provisions and arranging for them to be delivered to her that afternoon. Despite store policy, impersonal, and sometimes rude, shopkeepers were always happy to oblige when enough money was offered.

Her last stop was the Tin Star. Stepping into the gaily decorated hostelry, she smiled as she looked around her. Though Christmas was yet a month away, Nathan had already supervised the employees in the placement of garland and streamers around the room, and by the box of decorations behind the bar, it looked like he was just getting started.

"Kitty," she heard him call happily, as she walked in. "What are you doing here?" Nathan was pleased as always to see her. If he had his way he would see her constantly and on a much more personal level. But Kitty refused to think of him as anything more than a friend.

Kitty accepted his brief embrace, as she stepped closer. "I brought that paperwork you needed. Remember, I promised it to you yesterday?"

"Oh yeah," he remembered. "Sorry, I got kind of carried away this morning and just completely forgot. Thank you. Hope this wasn't too much trouble."

Kitty smiled engagingly. "No, no trouble, I had to get out today anyway and order some things for home."

Nathan glanced at the window behind her and saw it was still snowing. "How was it going out there?" he was worried about her being out in the weather.

Kitty shrugged it off. "Oh it's alright. And anyway, I'm done for the day, unless you need help or something around here. I noticed you're decorating." She arched a brow in amused curiosity.

Nathan grinned like a kid in a candy shop. "Yeah, I know it's early, but I couldn't help myself. I feel like celebrating big this year and figured I'd start with the Tin Star."

Kitty looked quizzically at him. "Celebrating?" she asked.

Nathan nodded. "Yep, thanks to you, this is the first year since I opened this place, that I not only made a huge profit, but I have someone to share Christmas with."

Kitty noticed the expression on his face and shook her head. "I hope you're not talking about me?" she said softly.

Nathan dropped the grin. "Of course I was talking about you, Kitty" he exclaimed. "You and your son. I mean I don't have anyone and you and Benjamin are alone, I just thought we could all spend the holidays together, you know as friends."

"I'm sorry, Nathan," Kitty patted him on the shoulder. "But I'm planning on nothing more than just some time with my son. Besides, I'm not much for celebrating these days."

Nathan started to protest, but he saw the expression on her face that he had come to know all too well in the last six months. The expression which told him to drop the subject. He did.

"Well, alright, Kitty" he sighed "but if you change your mind, you just let me know."

"I will," she smiled, as she turned and headed for the door. "I'll see ya later, Nathan."

"Sure, Kitty," he nodded, as he watched her exit the pub, and sighed again, deeper this time. If only she would give him a chance, but she wouldn't. She wouldn't give any man a chance.

Going into his office, he deposited the paperwork, and had just come back out when Joe, one of his regulars, came rushing in. "Nathan," Joe yelled. "You best come quick. It's Miss Kitty, and she's been hurt bad."

TBC