Flame Series #18: Physician Heal Thy Self

Chapter 16

Epilogue

Matt paused in the doorway, watching his wife getting the main course ready for dinner. Hays was always a long ride and this time it was certainly worth the effort, but he was still glad to be home. He waited until she had slid the roasting pan back into the oven, before he quietly stepped up behind her.

Just as he was about to lean in to whisper in her ear, she whirled around, sliding into his arms. First came the kiss, then the words. "Even if I hadn't heard you, I sure could have smelled you."

It felt good to laugh again, these last weeks had been so hard on everyone. "It's a new aftershave, called Saddle Sweat. You don't think it'll sell?"

"Well, Festus might buy it, but he would be the only one." She fell back into his arms again for another kiss. "Did you come through town?"

"I did. I wanted to talk to Doc. I thought this was his day at the clinic. Where is he?"

The smile faded from her face, as she tilted her head toward the backyard. "The same place he is every day. Sitting in that wicker chair like an old man. How did it go in Hays?"

Matt wandered to the back door to see for himself. "About as bad as you would expect. You know, I hate having to stay for the hanging, but this time, I thought I wouldn't care. I was wrong. They had to drag him up the stairs crying and screaming."

"You felt sorry for him?" It sounded more like an accusation, than a question.

"No, not sympathy, just amazement that he could value his own life so much, after destroying so many others. There was no remorse, or signs of regret. …Oh…" He stopped suddenly and reached into his pocket, producing a small bottle. "They found this in his things."

Kitty took the glass vial and read the small print on the label. "It says Gert Prosper." Stunned but hopeful, she looked up at Matt. "It's Doc's handwriting."

Matt nodded, "It's the original bottle. Doc was so worried that he killed her. I don't know if Darcy rode out to Gert's place or what, but somehow he switched the bottles. Doc didn't make a mistake."

Kitty handed the bottle back to her husband. "Maybe this will help. He's feeling so useless."

O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O0O

Matt took a seat in the empty chair beside Doc. "Got something for ya." He handed the small vial to the old physician.

"Humph. So…he did it." Surprisingly enough, he didn't show much enthusiasm for the discovery. "Did they get him hung?"

"They did. Kicking and screaming all the way. Probably the biggest coward I've seen since Dal Creed." Matt paused for a moment, mentally comparing the two. "You know, the odd thing is, Phoebe would have done the same thing Dal's father did if given the chance."

Doc's sigh seemed exceptionally heavy, as he dropped the bottle onto the small table between them. "It's over."

"Is it?"

"Isn't it?"

"If it's over, what are you doing here on a work day? I stopped by the clinic and Calleigh was all by herself."

Doc squirmed around in the whicker chair, annoyed at Matt's interference. "She's a smart girl. She can handle it. It's time I turned it over to her anyway."

Matt readjusted his hat further back on his head. "You just gonna sit here, day-after-day, and do nothing? Just kind of fade away?"

"It's called retirement! And I think I've earned it," he snapped.

"It's called hiding!" Kitty yelled back, in the same tone and volume he had used. "Something bad happened to you, but you are fine now. Calleigh gave you a clean bill of health. All the drugs are out of your system."

"I was just lucky that I didn't kill somebody. Hadley could have-" His breath caught in his throat with the image of the little girl in the water.

"But she didn't. YOU saved her." Kitty knelt down in front of her friend; her father. "Do you think I would leave my children in your care if I didn't trust you?"

Doc jumped up so quickly, he almost knocked Kitty on her butt. "I don't want to discuss this anymore! I'm retiring and that's it. Now, if this isn't my home anymore, just say so and I'll move into Ma Smalley's. And don't hold dinner on my account!"

Matt reached down to help Kitty to her feet, as Doc stomped back into the house.

O0O0O0O0O0O0O0

Calleigh stuck her head into the kitchen, to make sure the coast was clear. "Is he gone?"

Kitty nodded as she turned around. "Cooper drug him up to the pond to show him the ducklings. Of course, he didn't want to go, after what happened the last time they went to feed the ducks. But Hadley threw a fit, and wouldn't stop crying, unless he went." She leaned into Calleigh with a wicked smile. "Tears and redheads get him every time. Cooper knows to keep him as long as possible and to come home the back way."

"He sure was angry last night. Did he ever eat anything?"

"No. When he stormed out of his room, that was the last we heard or saw of him. After he threatened to move into Ma Smalley's, I didn't want to provoke anymore." Kitty offered a helpless shrug. "Did you have any problems?"

Calleigh's grin monopolized her face. "Nope. Two wagons—and Pel Murle and Dangus Reed are coming with two more." Tiny fret lines appeared on her forehead, as she glanced back toward the front of the house. "Will they fit?"

Kitty laughed, as she put her arm around her daughter and headed down the hall. "We'll make em fit!"

===()()()===

For once in his life, Cooper was glad that his little sister was a chatterbox. Hadley kept Poppy so busy, he didn't have time to worry about the pond and actually seemed to enjoy himself after a while.

"Are you ready to go back?" Doc started to take the little girl's hand, but she had other ideas.

"I can't walk any moah, Poppy. Will you cawwy me?" Arms upstretched as usual, never contemplating any answer but, yes. Doc leaned down and hoisted the girl onto his chest. She was too tired to walk, but still had enough energy to talk all the way home.

Doc stepped into the kitchen, letting his charge slip to the floor. Kitty had made a fresh pot of coffee that he could smell long before he reached the house. "I could use a cup of that."

"Sure, but Calleigh needs to see you in the study. Sounded pretty important. I'll bring the coffee in."

"If this is more-"

Kitty held up her hands to stop the complaint. "I'm just the messenger."

"Fine!" His grumbling was too low to understand, but she had a pretty good idea of what he was saying. With eyes downcast, he cleared the end of the hall before he heard someone cough. What he saw when he looked up, caused him to stagger back a step. The study, the living room, the foyer and part of the stairs, were all packed with people. They were shoved in so tight, they looked like sardines in a can. "What is this?"

Calleigh worked her way to the front of the crowd. "This is Dodge City, Poppy. And if you won't come to them—they are going to come to you!"

"But, I-"

"But nothing, Doc." Aggie Foster was one of his favorite patients. He had delivered all three of her boys and then saved two of them in separate accidents several years later. "When I think you're too old, I'll stop coming; but until then, you signed on to be the doctor here in Dodge." She glanced quickly at the young redhead. "We love Little Doc, but it ain't fair to push all this work off on her."

"I appreciate this Aggie, but really-"

Hiram Fleming stepped out of the crowd, taking his turn. "My Essie wouldn't be here without you and we won't accept no resick …restig …quitin!"

Calleigh reached out, taking Poppy's hand. "If you're going to be stubborn, then one-by-one, everyone in this room is going to tell you why they want you to stay. Now, we can do it the long way-"

"'Cause we'll do…do…do… it, Doc!" Carl stuttered. "And you…know…know…how…long that…that…could take…me."

Al Moskins started to laugh, as he slapped Carl on the back. "Yeah, Doc, don't put us through that." His laughter started a chain reaction, as the whole crowd began to laugh and talk at the same time. One common theme ran through the chatter. We love you Doc. Don't quit us.

"OKAY!" Doc held up his hands for a moment of silence. "I…uh…well, you all…" He swiped at his mustache, to stall for a moment. Calleigh took that opportunity to spring another surprise. "If you all will just go over to Dangus Reed's buckboard, you'll see it's loaded down with food from the Prairie Rose."

Her announcement was met with cheers and shouts, but as they were leaving the house, each one stopped to either kiss, or shake hands, with the senior doctor from Dodge City.

FIN