PT.11
Chances
Checking her pulse, and listening to her heart beat, Doc looked at Maggie. "Well, young lady, I'd say in my professional opinion, you're going to be just fine. But I do want you to still take things slow and easy. Remember, those two little fella's need a strong healthy Momma."
Maggie smiled with a twinkle in her eye that reminded him so much of Kitty many years ago, he still couldn't believe he wasn't looking at a child of hers.
Maggie fixed her clothes. "Thank you, Doctor, and I promise I will."
Matt and Kitty headed for Doc's office. As they entered, "Well, Doc, how's our patient? Kitty asked. .
"She is just fine."
"Miss Kitty, Marshal, I hope you two didn't rush over here just to check on me. You both are very busy people."
"As a matter of fact, Maggie, we did!" Kitty smiled. "Maggie, Matt did some checking. Wait. Matt maybe you should tell her."
"Maggie, I sent some wires to San Francisco, New Orleans and Texas. And I… I…" he turned his glance to Kitty.
"Oh, Matt. What Matt's trying in his own way to say is, Maggie, your mother, Kate, is living in Texas. In Billingham."
Maggie looked shocked! Then in a low voice, "My mother, in Texas? You mean she was always that close and I didn't know it?"
Furrowing her brow, "Well now, honey, she may not have always been there. It seems she married a rancher from Billingham. Maggie, Kate is getting older, and in our line of work…." Kitty stopped for a moment, thinking of her own words, then continued. "The years take their toll and they're not always kind so when they have the chance they marry when the opportunity presents itself. Some have to take those chances whenever …" Kitty walked over putting her arms around Maggie. "You take your time, think about what you want to do. We can talk later."
Matt just Looked at Doc, thinking of what Kitty had just said. The words were running through his mind, over and over.
"I'll see you all later. I need to get back to the Long Branch." Kitty said. She quickly left.
Maggie walked in the other room. Matt looked at Doc without saying a word. Just looking at Doc's expression, rolling his eyes and nodding. "Yeah, Doc, I know, I know!" Matt flipped his hat on to his head, and headed out the door.
As he walked across the boardwalk, he had no idea what he was going to say. He knew how Kitty felt about wanting a house, a home, a family, all the things he'd always said his badge didn't allow or afford him to have.
Just as he approached the Long Branch, resting his hands atop the batwing doors, his eyes scanned the room, quickly setting on the object of his heart, that he knew was hurting inside.
Kitty was perched at the end of the bar with a bottle of whiskey and two glasses. Both hands wrapped around the glass, she just stared into the deep amber brown liquid, contemplating the words over and over in her mind that she had just said to Maggie.
"Kitty," he said as he slowly moved next to her at the bar. "Are you expecting company?"
Nodding, "Yes, I was, and it looks like he showed up just in time, Cowboy."
"Kit, I… I..."
Placing her small hand on his, "Cowboy, don't. What I said up there, that could have been my life."
"But, Kitty, it's not and it won't be." He said.
"Not right now. But it could have been, Matt." She motioned for him to follow her to her office to get away from over hearing ears. When in the office, "Cowboy, had I not had the opportunity to buy into this place, I could have well been in Kate's shoes."
Wrapping his arms around her, "Kit, honey, listen to me. A wise woman once to me,' you can't be responsible for what happens to the people who lives touch with yours."
Now with a slight smirky smile, "Oh, Is that a fact, Marshal?"
Tightening his grip, "Yes, Ma'am, that is a fact." Pulling her into a passionate kiss!
TBC