'Sam McTavish, M.D.', is probably my favorite episode of Gunsmoke. I love watching ornery old Doc being softened by his strong, but feminine, counterpart to the point of proposing marriage! It was heartbreaking when she died, so now, I am going to give them the happily-ever-after that they should have gotten!
"Thank you, Sam," Doc murmured fervently, clasping her hand in his, and pressing it to his cheek. He had never dreamed that he could feel like this about someone. Love was for young, starry-eyed couples – he had given up on finding a soulmate for himself long ago. Who could, after all, understand him, and all the pain, exhaustion, and joys that came with being a doctor? It had seemed like a hopeless quest, until this woman had burst into his life. A doctor herself by profession, she understood his life and his sense of humor perfectly – and she had managed to go through rigorous medical training without losing an ounce of her femininity. She was a rare combination, and Doc Adams loved her more than life. To hear her accept his proposal of marriage was bliss itself.
His new fiancée smiled up at him wanly, happiness filling every millimeter of her fever-glazed eyes. She tried to say something else, but before she could, a fit of coughing overtook her.
"Easy, my dear, easy," Doc murmured, suddenly coming to his medical senses again. He remembered that she was very ill, and that she still needed to survive her illness before their future was a settled thing. He reached for a glass of water and put it to her lips. "Drink some of this. We'll talk about the details of the wedding later. Right now, you need to rest."
"As you say, doctor," the lady murmured wittily after she had swallowed some of the cold liquid. She gave him one last smile, and then succumbed to sleep.
Doc sat at her bedside for hours, silently praying that her life would be spared and taking comfort in the steady rise and fall of her chest. As dawn broke, he touched her forehead, and found it to be several degrees cooler. A single tear of joy found its way down his cheek, and very gently, without waking her, he pecked her cheek before getting up to warm some broth.
…..
She awoke about an hour later. As soon as her eyes fell on him, she gave him one of the smiles which made her appear twice as pretty as usual, and said in the sweetest tone,
"Galen."
"Sam," he murmured in response, coming to her, a bowl of steaming hot broth in his hands. "How do you feel?"
"A little weak, as is to be expected," she returned, her eyes sparkling. "I believe that I might have been delirious from the fever last night. After all, I seem to remember you inviting me to cook in your kitchen, for the rest of our lives."
"You weren't delirious, Sam, but I believe that I may have been delirious from joy since you gave me your answer. You…you don't want to change your mind, now that your mind is clearer?"
"And give up the opportunity to tease you mercilessly each day, and catch all the fish in the river that you fail to catch? Never!"
The couple burst out laughing, and Doc lovingly began to feed her spoonfuls of broth.
…..
Around noon, Matt Dillon rode up to the quarantined house. All seemed peaceful and quiet. He began to dismount.
"Matthew!"
Looking to his left, the marshal saw his deputy hurrying over to him, a look of strong distress on his face.
"Festus, what is it?" he asked. "Has someone died?"
"No, no, apparently they are all recovering, and even Dr. Sam will live. But it's old Doc, Matthew…he's gone clean out of his mind!"
"Doc Adams?"
"Yes! He came out in the morning to pick up the vittles which were sent in from town for the sick folks in the house. He was singing under his breath when he came out onto the porch, Matthew, I tell you – old Doc, singing! Then he waved at me and said, 'morning, Festus, good to see you. Lovely day, isn't it?' And his eyes seemed somewhat funny…they weren't glaring at me like they usually do."
"You think he might be sick?"
"That's what I'm afraid of! And with Dr. Sam laid up in there, there ain't nobody to tend old Doc!"
Matt nodded, then looked at the quarantined house. Raising his voice, he called out,
"Doc? It's Matt Dillon. Can you come to the door?"
In about thirty seconds, the door swung open, and the bewhiskered physician came out.
"Morning, Matt!" he called, very merrily.
"Doc?" the lawman returned, surveying his friend's face with concern. "Is everything alright?"
"Yes, indeed it is! Sam's going to be alright, and so are all the other invalids."
"And you? How do you feel?" Matt pressed.
Doc rubbed his mustache, trying to erase the broad smile underneath it, but it was hopeless. Instead, he gave into his joy, and burst out,
"As if I were twenty years younger! Now, if you will excuse me, I must go tend to the future Mrs. Adams. We'll be back in town in a couple of days, once the quarantine expires."
With that, the physician turned on his heel and went back into the small house, closing the door behind him. Matt Dillon suddenly started laughing.
"He's not sick, Festus. He's just heels-over-head in love!"
…..
A fortnight later, half of Ford County gathered for one of the biggest weddings they had ever seen. The middle-aged bride blushed like a girl of seventeen, and the bridegroom looked as if he was walking on air. At the cheering of the vast crowd after the ceremony, Doc Adams, who usually avoided all public shows of affection, kissed his new wife passionately on the church steps. The entire town then danced the night away.
Dr. Sam slipped into life in Dodge as if she had always been a part of it. She and Miss Kitty became great friends. She and Festus had some wonderful conversations. And she moved into Doc's small office and transformed it into a comfortable home within a few weeks.
Doc found life more exciting than ever. He never knew, when he returned from his rounds, whether his wife would be waiting for him with a home-cooked meal and a glass of brandy, or performing an appendectomy on his examining table. With another doctor in town, his workload was cut in half, and he always had someone to consult with on his difficult cases. Their sweet, companionable marriage was the admiration of many.
One person who was deeply impressed by Doc's sudden venture into matrimony was Matt Dillon. One day, as he walked down Front Street at Miss Kitty's side, he remarked to her,
"I never thought that old Doc would actually settle down, did you? Between his temperament and schedule, always running around the countryside, tending sick folks…I never thought that he could manage it."
"But he has, and he has made her and himself very happy," Kitty Russell remarked in a soft tone.
Matt Dillon nervously pushed the brim of his hat away from his face.
"You know, Kitty, it has started me thinking…if a busy doctor like Doc Adams can have enough time for his wife, there is no reason that a marshal cannot." Looking down at the startled redhead, he softly asked, "How about it? Will you marry me?"
"Oh Matt!" she exclaimed, her blue eyes sparkling like stars. "Of course I will!"
And leaning over, the marshal bestowed a tender kiss upon her.
Please review!