Kitty's Love Story
Chapter 7
Bill insisted on pulling Kitty's chair out even though it was a clumsy endeavor for a man on crutches. He had never failed to show the proper etiquette with a lady, and he wasn't about to start now.
It had been a beautiful ride to the new Mexican restaurant that had opened west of town. The sun was just starting to set when they rented their buggy from the livery, and the horizon bore brilliant streaks of orange and red. Kitty had been quieter than usual since he had picked her up at The Long Branch, and he could tell she was preoccupied. He decided not to press her during the ride, content to enjoy the peaceful journey and lovely scent of her perfume as they sat side by side.
Bill let Kitty order the wine, as he was certain she had more expertise in that area than he did. It was excellent, as expected. The food selection was impressive, and it took them several minutes to decide on their meals. The waiter collected their menus and Bill raised his glass. "To a lovely evening, with an even lovelier lady."
Kitty smiled and lifted her glass to his. "Thank you, Bill. This is very nice."
After taking a drink they set their glasses down, and Bill put his hand over Kitty's. "You seem to have a lot on your mind. Would you like to talk about it? I'm a good listener."
"I know you are," she replied sincerely. "I'm sorry, I don't want to spoil our date. I don't think this is the right time."
She wanted to enjoy this wonderful dinner, but all she could think about was the look on Matt's face when she told him what had happened in Tanner's Creek, and more importantly, what had happened since. Her explanation sounded just as unsatisfying out loud as it had sounded in her head. Being sorry and confused could never make up for the pain she saw in that haunting, silent expression. He had let the information soak in before uttering a single parting sentence. "I'll try to stay out of your way." With that, the conversation had ended and she had not seen him since.
Bill knew what was on her mind, and in his fantasy the right time to discuss this was never. They would continue to look right through that giant elephant in the room as if it didn't exist, until one day it disappeared altogether. That wasn't going to happen, though, and it wasn't fair to anyone involved to pretend otherwise. He took a gulp of that excellent wine and spoke before he lost his nerve. "I heard the marshal got back into town today. I suppose that has something to do with it."
Kitty looked surprised. She had no doubt that Bill was aware of her relationship with Matt—Pete Folsom had made sure of that—but they had done an impressive job of avoiding the subject so far. Somehow she assumed she would be the one to bring it up, when she was ready. Maybe it was the right time after all. She knew that Bill was already becoming serious about her, and she needed to be honest with him. She had a lot of soul searching to do, and she couldn't tell him how long it would take. You didn't walk away from eighteen years of your life on a whim.
"I suppose you already know it does," she sighed. "Matt and I are…well, it's complicated." Kitty realized that she had no experience talking about her personal life aside from a few conversations with Doc. She felt strange saying it out loud.
"I got that impression while we were first talking on the stage," he remarked. "Of course, I didn't know who it was until Tanner's Creek. If you don't mind me asking, how long have you been together?"
Kitty didn't mind him asking, but somehow she didn't feel like putting a number on it either. She didn't know why.
"A long time," she answered. "We were quite young when we met."
The next question was inevitable, and Kitty braced herself. "Didn't the two of you ever want to get married?"
"One of us did," she quipped. "Matt doesn't think a lawman has any business with a family. I made peace with that many years ago. At least, I thought I did."
"And now?" Bill wondered.
She was trying to figure that out herself. "I don't know," she said honestly. "I suppose deep down I always thought things would be different someday. That he would change his mind about marriage or eventually give up the job, and we would finally be together. When he got that wire in Kinsley and told me he couldn't go on our trip—I guess I started to think, what if I've been kidding myself? Maybe this really is all there is for us, and maybe it's not enough for me."
Bill listened attentively, and his expression was one of understanding. No judgment, no criticism. He thought before he responded and chose his words carefully. "I wouldn't dream of pressuring you to do anything you didn't want. I know it's very sudden and it must sound crazy, but I already know what I want, Kitty. I want to give you that life you've been waiting for. A commitment, a home. A man who is ready to spend every minute loving you and making you happy."
Was this a proposal? It sure sounded like one. Kitty took a breath and tried to speak, but nothing came out. She looked a bit stunned.
"I'm not asking you give me an answer now," he said quickly, silently berating himself for his overeager announcement. "I can wait, as long as you need. It's your life, Kitty, and I could never be happy unless I knew you were living it the way you wanted."
It felt almost like an alternate world to Kitty. A world where someone was waiting on her to decide where their lives were headed. A place where her happiness came first.
Kitty squeezed Bill's hand. "You are such a dear man," she said. "Thank you for being patient with me."
Their waiter showed up with two hot plates of enchiladas, rice, and beans. Kitty wasn't sure if it was the wine or their honest discussion, but she suddenly felt much more relaxed. They were able to enjoy both a delicious dinner and delightful company before heading back to Dodge. It was pitch dark by that time, with a bright moon and pinpoint stars illuminating their way home. Kitty had brought a shawl for the cool night air, but Bill kept his arm around her to make sure she stayed warm.
They arrived at the livery, and Kitty insisted on taking care of the rig and the horse despite Bill's protests. What kind of gentleman let a lady do all the work on their date? "I suppose you're going to hold the reins in your teeth," she joked to the man on crutches. He admitted that she had a point and waited outside while she quickly handled the job. They began to walk the short distance to The Long Branch, with Kitty setting a comfortable pace. When they reached the door, he leaned toward her and she gently put her arms around his neck, becoming a full participant in the passionate kiss that followed.
Bill knew if he didn't stop there he was in trouble. It had been two years, and he hadn't wanted anything so badly in a very long time. But it was too soon, and she was vulnerable. He couldn't live with himself if he took advantage of her. They parted slightly, her arms still around his neck, and Bill whispered in her ear. "I think I'd better go now." Kitty gratefully nodded. She wasn't ready for this.
Bill hobbled back to The Dodge House, having a bit more difficulty walking than he had before. Kitty glanced toward the jail and saw that the light was still on. Matt was almost always in bed by now. Part of her wanted to go down there and make sure he was okay, but she figured he had seen enough of her for one day. She unlocked the door and went up to her room, hoping for a better night's sleep.
TBC
