The Next Morning
After a restless night, Doc rose before sun-up. He busied himself with the mundane tasks of cleaning instruments and sorting medicines, until he could no longer avoid facing reality. He stood at his window and drew the curtain back. A beautiful, spacious carriage was outside the Long Branch and trunks holding Kitty's possessions were being loaded inside. Kitty was leaving forever, and would take part of his heart with her. He felt sad, helpless and very old.
Upstairs in the Long Branch, Kitty was taking a long, last look around her bedroom when David strode in looking dapper. She eyed his suit and briefly wondered if he had more clothes than she."
He brushed her lips with a kiss, "Good morning my love," and immediately spotted a note on her dresser addressed to Sam. He picked it up - Dear Sam, I left Dodge with David Miller to get married and start a new life. I won't be returning. The Long Branch is yours. The paperwork is in my safe. Thank you for everything. Kitty.
David placed the note back on the dresser, "Nicely handled my darling." He looked around the room and saw a jewelry box on the floor of her closet. "Dearest, you seemed to have forgotten something." He picked up the box and opened it, "Don't you want these bracelets, pins and things?"
"Those were gifts from Matt. I'm leaving them behind."
David smiled as he snapped the box shut, shoved it to the back of the closet and closed the door. "Are you sure everything is packed? Everything you want that is?"
"I'm sure."
"Well my dear, let's be off. He was about take her arm, when he noticed a sliver of white poking out from the frame of her mirror. He looked at Kitty. Her face revealed nothing. With a slight frown he tugged at the small white corner until little by little a folded note emerged. To his displeasure, he saw Matt's name on the front. He opened it - Dear Matt, I wish you all the best. Please be well. Kit.
David let out an exasperated sigh, "My love, I know you mean well, but surely you can see that any word from you will only make it worse for the man." He handed the note to Kitty, "I think you know the best thing to do with this." She nodded and without a word tore it up and handed him the pieces.
With a nod of approval, he took her arm and they left.
Still at his window, Doc saw the couple emerge from the saloon. Kitty looked fetching in a green travel suit, and David gazed at her with admiration as he helped her into the carriage. He got aboard, flicked the reins and they were off.
Kitty looked back and saw the 2 dark haired men who'd been following her, standing in the street watching.
Doc stood at his window long after the carriage was out of sight and the dust had settled. He went into the back room to check on Matt, knowing he'd have to tell him about Kitty. When he sat beside the bed, the look on Matt's face told him that what he had to say would be no surprise. "She left with Miller to get married in St. Louis."
Matt stared straight ahead, "Like I said she's better off." Before Doc could answer Matt started pushing himself up into a sitting position. "I need to get out of here. I can't stay cooped up in your office with people coming in and out."
"Matt, you need rest and care. That stomach wound is starting to heal, but you're far from out of the woods."
"I can rest in my room. You can check on me there. I need - I need to be alone. I have to go."
Doc realized Matt was right. He had to be alone to try and gain some equilibrium. Shooting the teenager had wounded his heart and spirit, and Kitty leaving had been the final, terrible crushing blow.
"All right Matt, I know if you were able, you'd to ride off somewhere to think. Since you can't, well – I'll help you dress and get your room, but you have to promise to say in bed."
Matt nodded, and with a lot of help from Doc got dressed. The boots took some doing, but he was finally ready and slowly stood. Doc took his arm, "Go slow and lean on me."
Matt pushed Doc's hand away, "I'll go alone."
Doc was taken aback by the brusqueness of the gesture and tone, but lifted his hands and stepped aside. Matt carefully made his way downstairs and crossed the street, stopping frequently to rest. Folks saw him, but let him be.
Stooped over and moving slowly, Matt turned down an alley. He was about to go left towards the boarding house, but something stopped him. He tried to resist the impulse, but the pull was too great. Without knowing why, he turned right towards the back stairs of the Long Branch.
Kitty
Kitty sat beside David in the finest carriage she'd ever seen, much less ridden it. The seats were cushioned and covered with red satin, the back well padded and her feet rested on a carpeted area to prevent the cold air from penetrating.
David looked over and smiled, "Comfortable, my love?"
She nodded, "Very. I've never ridden in a carriage this luxurious. It will sure make the ride to St. Louis comfortable."
"It certainly will. Of course we won't ride straight through. We'll stop at an inn over night. Once we're in St. Louis, everything will fall into place. We'll find a judge, get married, take the train to New York and sail to Europe."
Kitty looked at him with pointed seriousness, "David, I hope you'll let your friends in Dodge know when we're married."
"Of course my love. I'll wired Billy and Greg at the Ronnigers.
Matt
Pulled by an irresistible force, Matt pressed an arm across his abdomen and step by labored step made his way up the back stairs of the Long Branch.
He entered Kitty's bedroom. The note to Sam was the only thing on her usually cluttered dresser, and he didn't hesitate to read it. The contents made his heart sink further. Kitty had given the saloon to Sam instead of finding a way for him to buy it. Further proof of how quickly she wanted to shed her former life and marry David Miller.
He put the note back and crossed the room to Kitty's closet. It was shut tight. She'd often left it open, bursting with dresses, hatboxes and shoes, more shoes than he thought one person could ever wear. He'd teased her about that many times.
He opened the closet and its emptiness hit him hard. He was about to turn and leave when he noticed a jewelry box shoved into the back corner. He struggled to one knee, took hold of the box and lifted the lid. His jaw clenched. Inside were gifts he'd given Kitty over the years: a silver comb, earrings, a charm bracelet, a necklace, a broach and other things. She'd left them behind, obviously they meant nothing to her. He picked up the cameo broach, his most recent gift, and rubbed it between his fingers as if by some magic it would make her appear. He felt an odd bulge and turned it over. A folded slip of paper was shoved onto the pin that clasped the back. He quickly removed it, and saw his name. With a pounding heart he read, Dear Matt, I wish you all the best. Please be well. Kit.
He knew the words were sincere but was gripped with sadness and grief. 18 years of life, of ups and downs, sorrow and joy, love and passion, had come to this – a polite note - I wish you all the best.
He started to rip it up but couldn't. As much as the words hurt, part of him wanted to keep her last words to him forever. He glanced at the note again. This time, his eyes fixed on the signature – Kit. Why "Kit"? He'd rarely called her that, and it held no special meaning. Another thing, the note was written in script, but "Kit" was printed, and printed in a way that was odd but a bit familiar. He stared long and hard, and suddenly remembered the gift.
TBC