PT.2
My Family, My Choice!

Doc, being exhausted, had gone directly up to his office with every intention of getting several hours of sleep. He started to undress and wash up some. Every part of his body was aching. Thinking to himself, "I don't know how much longer I can work these kinds of hours." Then he just shook his head and sat himself down slowly. The bed felt really good. "Ahhhhh!"

Just as he was about to lay his head on the pillow, he heard a voice. "Doc! Doctor Adams. Doctor Adams. Are you in there?"

Quickly, he sat up, shaking the tiredness out of his head, walking to the outer room to see. "Well, Billy. Billy, what in thunder are you yelling about?"

"Doctor Adams, Pa sent me to get you. It's Ma. She's… well, she's…"

"What is it, Son?" Doc asked.

"Well, she's real sick, Doctor. Ma got out of bed and when she was helping Pa with the chores…"

Doc stopped him. "She was what?"

"Ma was helping Pa with the chores."

"By thunder I told him… Look, Son, I'll get dressed. You go over to Moss' and tell him I need my buggy and I'll be down in a minute. Go, go quick."

"Yes, Sir. I'll go directly." And he was out the door.

Billy had skipped down the stairs so fast, when he made it to the bottom, he just about run right over Festus. "Whoa, hold on there. Where ya off to in such a hurry?"

"Doc wants me to go to Moss' to get his buggy. Ma's real sick, Mr. Hagen."

"Ok, you go ahead on." Festus headed up the stairs as Doc was coming out.

"No! No! I don't have time to argue with you right now."

You Ol' Scudder. I a wasn't gonna be arguin' with ya. I was a comin' ta see if'n ya need me ta come out there a with ya, maybe case there's trouble or somethin'."

Tugging his ear, and rubbing his upper lip, "No. But you can go see if Kitty isn't too busy. I could use her help. Tell her I'm headed out to see Betsy Foster."

"Sure thing, Doc."

Festus hustled into the Long Branch. "Sam?"

"Festus. Back so soon?"

Shaking his head, "Nah, Sam, is Miz Kitty still in her office?"

"Yeah. She's in there. What's wrong?" He asked.

"Ol' Doc needs her. He got em sum trouble at the Foster place and he wants Miz Kitty ta go with him."

"Ok, I'll get her for you."

Sitting at her desk, holding the large envelope with a tight grip, her eye fixed on the return address:

Law Offices of LaTrese and DuPree
# 10 Brill Avenue,
New Orleans, Louisiana.

There was a heaviness in her stomach. What could this be? What would lawyers from New Orleans be sending her? She'd been away from there for so many years. She didn't like the feel of this. Not at all!

Then when she looked at the names again, LaTrese? Dupree? "Why do these names sound so familiar? Oh well, I guess there's only one way to find out."

She turned the envelope over and with the letter opener, slid it under the seal and started to slide it across. When she heard, "Miss Kitty? Festus is here and needs to see you. It's important."

"Ok, Sam, I'll be right out." Opening the desk drawer and slipping the envelope inside. She went out into the bar area.

"Hello, Festus. What did you need to see me about?"

"Oh, Miz Kitty, it's not me. It's ol' Doc."

Furrowing her brow. "Doc! What's wrong? Is he alright?"

"Yes, Ma'am, but he needs ya to go with him ta the Foster place. Mrs. Foster, she's real sick. Lil' Billy came a runnin' in ta town lookin' fur Doc. Says his Ma's in a bad way."

"Ok, you go tell Doc, I'll be right there. Will ya, Festus?"

"I'll do er, Miz Kitty. I'll do er directly."

"Sam, I'll be back as soon as I can. You be alright here?"

"Don't you worry Miss Kitty. I'll handle things here for you, just fine." He told her. "You and Doc just go and do what you need too. I sure hope Mrs. Foster will be alright?"

"So do I, Sam. So do I."

Kitty met up with Doc out front of the Long Branch. "Oh, Kitty, there you are. Thank you for coming along and giving me a hand."

"Oh, Doc, of course I'll come along." She said. "Doc, what do you think happened?"

"Kitty, I know what happened."

"You do?"

"Yeah, that numb-scull, Dave, had Betsy out of bed doing chores after I told him she was to stay in bed, complete bed rest."

"Oh, Doc. Do you think..?"

"Kitty, I don't what to think. I'm just hoping, I'm just hoping he hasn't killed her."

"Doc, I'll never understand why people treat other people, especially the ones they're supposed to love, with no compassion. Betsy was looking so forward to having this baby, wanting so much for it to be a little girl. And now that she finally has that, it would be awful, just awful if…"

"Kitty, don't." He turned and looked at her.

Her eyes were tear-filled and she was biting her bottom lip. "You're right, Doc." And she took a deep breath.

Doc and Kitty pulled up to the Foster farm. The Foster children were all outside working with their father. All but one of the older ones, he stayed inside with Betsy. When Doc and Kitty got out of the buggy, Dave just looked at them and continued to walk into the barn.

Kitty put her hand on Doc's shoulder. "Curly, let's just worry about Betsy. Ignore him for now. Ok?" And inside they went.

Betsy was fevered and incoherent and when Doc touched her, she would yell in pain. Rob told Doc and Kitty that she was plowing when she collapsed.

Doc was fuming. Looking at Kitty, he said, "I've got to break her fever. Rob, can you help Miss Kitty get lots of cold water, maybe a tub full?"

"Sure, Doctor, I'll try."

"Come on, Rob. I'll help you." Kitty said, wrapping her arm around him.

Rob looked at Kitty. "Miss Kitty? Is my ma gonna die?"

"Oh, Rob, she's real sick, honey. But Doc and I are going to do everything we can for her. I promise, so don't you worry. Ok?"

Kitty saw the other children working outside. It was hot, they were exhausted. She had called to them to come inside to cool them down. They didn't want to come because they didn't want their father to get angry. But Kitty insisted.

When Dave came out of the barn and didn't see the children, he began to yell for them. Then he stormed into the house.

But as he did, Kitty stopped him at the door. "Whoa! You need to keep the noise down. Doc is trying to keep Betsy calm."

"How dare you? This is my home. Don't you tell me to keep quiet. And what are you kids doing in here when there is work to be done?"

"They were overheated and exhausted. I brought them in here to cool them off a bit."

"Well! Isn't it just like a woman to coddle them?"

"What? Coddle? Why you… Dave Foster, don't you dare speak to me like…"

And just then, his temper took hold and he grabbed one of the boys. "Get back to work, all of you, now!"

When the boy flinched, Kitty jumped at him. "You're hurting him." And she reached out to break his hold on the boy.

But with the other hand, Dave pushed her back, but so hard that she bounced up against the stone fireplace. Kitty let out a yell.

Doc rushed in from the back room. "FOSTER! What in thunder do you think your doing?" He ran to Kitty. "Kitty. Honey, are you ok?"

"Ugh, Doc, I… I… Yeah, I'm okay."

"You let me be the judge of that." Doc helped her stand then they went to the back room with Betsy.

By morning, Betsy's fever broke but she was still in a lot of pain. Kitty was a sleep in the rocker where she had rocked the new baby to sleep.

Doc went to talk to Dave. "Foster, we need to talk."

"Look, Doctor, I have a farm to run. I don't have time for sitting and talking."

"Fine, then sit and LISTEN! I'm gonna tell you something and you best listen unless you want to be a widower and a sole parent. Is that what you want?"

"Ahh, Doc, she's just lazy."

"Lazy? What in thunder is wrong with you man? You have yourself a good wife, a good woman and a good mother for your children, all 6 of them. That's not the easiest job in the world. Now, you need to let her heal and get well, and I mean it. Do you understand me? If you don't, you're sure gonna kill her. Now I need your word."

"My word?"

"Yes, your word, that you're gonna follow my orders. And I also want you to apologize to Miss Kitty for the way you treated her in there. She's been mighty good to your family and she didn't deserve the way you acted in there."

"Oh, alright."

Kitty woke and as she came out of the bedroom, she was groggy.

Dave looked at her. "Miss Kitty, I owe you an apology. I didn't mean to be so…"

"It's alright, just let's forget it." She said shaking her head, still trying to focus and wake up completely.

"Dave, I'll be out in a day or two to check on Betsy and the baby. And I want you to make sure these boys get enough water while they're out working."

"Ok, Doc."

Then Doc and Kitty packed up and left. While riding back to Dodge, Kitty laid her head on Doc's shoulder and slept. Looking puzzled, Doc just smiled and kissed the top of her head.

TBC