By the time Matt rode into town at it was already 2AM. His right leg was throbbing and his back was achy from the long hours in the saddle. He was feeling more and more that his days as Marshal were limited, but as always he wanted to do things his way and end that faze of his life on his own terms.
Matt saw the light in Kitty's window and smiled. She had made him promise that he would come to see her when he got back, no matter what the hour was.
He put Buck up for the night, took his saddle bags and headed up to see Kitty, fully expecting her to be asleep.
He entered using his key and was surprised at seeing her sitting at a table. She looked up and rushed over to him.
"Oh, Matt I'm so glad you're back." She put her arms around him and buried her head in his chest.
"Kitty, didn't you get my telegram saying that I didn't have a problem and was on my way home?" He hugged her and stroked her hair. The feel and scent of her always felt so comforting.
"Yes Matt, but I'm glad to see for myself that you are safe and sound. And more particularly, I have to take a trip and needed so much to see you and hold you before I left. You see, I can't put off this trip. I have to leave for New Orleans tomorrow to see my cousin Iris. She wrote to me asking, no more like begging and pleading with me to come to see her as soon as I could."
Matt continued to hold Kitty and stroke her back gently, "Kitty, I know that you were going in a couple of months so you'd be there for her baby's birth. That's what you did when her son, Davy, was born a few years back. Has something changed? Is the baby alright?" Matt knew how much Kitty cared for Iris. They had corresponded regularly as far back as Matt could remember. Kitty had always shared any news that she received about Iris with Matt, he felt like he knew her. Kitty had visited Iris in New Orleans several times over the years, most recently for Iris's wedding and the following year for birth of her baby. Matt unfortunately had never been able to get away to accompany Kitty on those trips. Never the less he felt a connection to Iris.
"Oh Matt, I don't know. I just know that she sounds desperate. I feel like something is terribly, terribly wrong. I have to go to her. I'll be taking the train out first thing in the morning. I don't know how long I'll be gone. Matt, I'm sorry, I've been talking about Iris's situation so much that I haven't even asked you about the details of your trip."
"Kitty, like you said – safe and sound." He pulled her closer to him. "Kitty, I just want you to know that whatever the problem is, you don't have to go through it alone."
"Kitty smiled for the first time in days, I know Matt. I feel better just seeing you. Let's go to bed."
After a night of sweet love making, Kitty slept soundly for the first time since Matt had left for his job. Matt held her close wondering what awaited her in New Orleans and wanting to make things right for her.