Chapter One-Growing Pains
A crisp autumn breeze rustled the last few remaining orange and yellow leaves of the mighty oaks that overlooked the Dodge City schoolyard, while a handful of children remained, either waiting for someone to pick them up or merely playing with their friends to avoid the chores that awaited them at home. The three school aged Dillon children belonged to the former group, which normally wouldn't be a problem, but the nip in the air made the wait slightly uncomfortable.
"Addie, where's Mama? She said it was her turn to pick us up t'day," Adam asked as he stuffed his hands deep into the pockets of his winter coat, trying to hold his McGuffey reader against his body with his elbow.
The eldest Dillon child stood tall in her long, pink, woolen coat. She let out a deep sigh, wrapping her arms around herself, clutching her books to her chest, "Well, why don't we head to the general store? Mama said she had some errands t' take care of in town," she nodded toward the mercantile in the middle of Front Street.
"I wish you'd a said somethin' five minutes ago," Matthew scoffed as he took off toward Mr. Lathrop's store at full speed, his books banging against his thigh, secured together with a thick, leather strap.
"I'll walk with ya, Addie," Adam offered, giving his sister a wide toothless grin.
Before the eleven-year-old could answer her little brother, a tall, blonde haired, brown eyed boy sidled up next to her.
"Hey, Addie, I was wonderin'. Ya think you could help me with my book report? Yours are always so good and mine are jus' awful. If I git another bad mark, my pa will tan my hide," the boy shrugged his shoulders, hoping the bright Dillon girl would take mercy on his soul.
"I surely thank you for the compliment, but I don't know, Garth. You're two whole grades ahead a me. How could I possibly help you?" she answered, some of her ropey, red strands of hair blowing across her face as they escaped from underneath her pink, knitted hat.
"I'd surely be glad fer any help you could give me. Think about it, would ya? I have one due in two weeks. And besides, not bein' that smart, I'm only one grade ahead of ya," the blonde boy stopped in front of the gunsmith shop, smiling brightly, "I've got t' help my pa. See ya tomorrow."
"Bye, Garth," Addie grinned, still clutching her books to her chest.
"He likes you," Adam teased, "he didn't even notice I was standin' next t' ya."
"Don't be silly. Garth is thirteen years old. I'm eleven."
"Who's thirteen?" Doc asked as he approached his two grandchildren from behind, wrapping his arms around their shoulders as he stood between them.
"Hi, Grandpa!" Adam greeted, hugging the elderly man's waist, "Where's Mama?"
"She should be along any moment with the big buggy. She had t' go to Mr. Lathrop's and I needed to get something from Doctor Brooker," he swiped his mustache as he took in the serious expression on Addie's face.
"You gonna answer me, Adelaide? Who is thirteen?"
Just as Addie was about to answer, her mother pulled the buggy over toward the boardwalk.
"Before you say anything, I know I'm late," Kitty remarked, reaching down to assist Adam into the backseat, "I got caught up in a conversation with Mrs. Ritter in the mercantile. Here's a blanket," she handed the thick woolen blanket to the three children squeezed together in the rear seat, "Spread it evenly, please. I don't want t' hear any fussing."
"I like bein' small," Adam commented, pulling his hat further down over his ears, "It's warmer sittin' in the middle."
After being on the road for a few minutes, Doc took advantage of the children animatedly discussing the very public paddling of Rupert Smythe and the offense that led to such a punishment.
He whispered, "I do believe it's time t' have a chat with your daughter. Seems she's beginning to catch the eye of a boy."
"Oh, really?" Kitty whispered, giving Doc a side-glance.
He tugged on his earlobe, sighing, "I have a feeling she's quite unaware of her beauty and the attention it will bring. Some of it unwanted, as you well know, my dear."
XXXXXXXX
Kitty leaned on the doorjamb of Addie's small bedroom; her arms loosely folded over her chest. She took in the sight before her, choosing to soak up the yellow glow of the quiet moment prior to speaking. Her eldest child sat up in bed, leaning against a small sea of white, fluffy pillows, engrossed in her book. Her winter quilt covered her up to her waist, her lilac flannel gown keeping her upper body warm.
"What'cha readin', Addie girl?" Kitty asked as she slowly sauntered into the room.
"Mama," the smaller redhead gasped, "you scared me," her hand reflexively moving to her throat.
"I'm sorry, Honey. Mind if I sit?" Kitty motioned toward the end of the bed.
"Of course not. Is something wrong?" the child's big blue eyes studied her mother's matching set.
"No. I wanted to have a few moments just with you," Kitty lifted the cover of her daughter's reading material, "Anna Karenina? Looks ominous," she grinned as she made herself comfortable at the foot of the bed.
"I just started it. It's one of the books in the library that the Wolfe's left behind. I flipped through it. It's set in Russia and there's even a character named 'Kitty'," Addie yawned, stretching her arms above her head, asking, "Mama, were you around when the midget named Arizona Midnight came to Dodge?"
"I was wondering what all that laughing was about," the elder redhead smirked as she propped her back against the wall, "No, I wasn't in town when the were-elephant came to Dodge. I was home at the Triple D with you and Matthew, probably coping with morning sickness. I'd just found out I was pregnant with Adam," Kitty began to pick some invisible lint off her skirt. She hated to remember that turbulent time in her life.
"Uncle Festus and Grandpa had us laughing so hard, Ezra nearly wet his pants! That was such a silly story. I don't understand how anyone believed the little man."
"Our family certainly has some good story tellers," Kitty grinned at her daughter, taking in her maturing features. She noticed that Addie's cheeks had lost their child-like roundness and her cheekbones were becoming more prominent. The loving mother folded her hands in her lap, sighing, "I'd like to talk t' you about something, if you aren't too tired."
"Okay," Addie tucked her quilt under her armpits, "Is Daddy alright? How come he's not home yet?"
"Don't look so worried, Pumpkin. Daddy's fine. He had a dinner and meeting in town for the Chamber of Commerce. This is just a mother/daughter chat. One I wish I'd had with my mother," Kitty scooted closer to Addie, caressing the side of her lightly freckled face, "You see, my mother died when I was eleven, so she was never able to share some womanly secrets with me. Not that she would've anyway, because in New Orleans it wouldn't have been considered proper."
"Why not?" the curious child asked, tilting her head to one side.
"Who knows, really? People sometimes have a strange sense as to what is proper."
"Alright. What do you want me to know?" Addie cradled her knees to her chest, resting her chin upon them.
"You are a very beautiful girl, Adelaide. Boys are going to begin to notice you very soon, if they haven't already. Remember last year, when we discussed girls maturing and getting their courses?" Kitty placed her hand upon her daughter's forearm as she leaned in toward her.
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Well, once those start, your body will begin to change. You'll begin to fill out, become curvier, womanlier. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"Yes'm," the child nodded, her face serious, "Will the courses hurt?"
"You may have cramps, like a stomach ache. Some ladies get headaches, but I never did."
"I don't understand what this has to do with being pretty, Mama."
"Oh, my sweet girl," Kitty ran her hands over the length of Addie's hair, "once these physical changes take place, young men will be trying to get your attention. They'll want to spend time with you. I want you to know that not all boys have decent intentions and it's important for you t' be able to tell the difference between good intentions and bad ones."
Addie searched her mother's eyes. She bit her bottom lip, "How will I know the difference?"
"You'll know in here," Kitty rested her hand on her child's stomach, "Your gut knows the truth. And unlike me, you have plenty of loving adults around here to talk to. But for now, I'll give you some simple rules."
"Rules? What kinda rules?" the miniature version of Kitty crinkled her nose.
Kitty couldn't help but smile, "Adelaide, you look so much like me at your age, it's almost frightening. It's like you're my chance to get things right."
"Mama, I don't understand-"
"Never mind that," the distracted mother waved her hand in front of her face, "let's get back to Mama's rules."
"Okay. I'm listening," Addie grinned as Kitty held both her child's hands.
"You are not allowed to be alone with a boy, for any reason. We can revisit this in a few years, once you're old enough to be courting. Do you understand?"
"Yes'm," the young redhead nodded.
"There will be no going to dances alone with boys, holding hands, or kissing. Understand?"
"Sure, Mama. But I don't want to do any of those things, anyhow," she shook her head from side to side.
"Trust me, Pumpkin, you will. But more seriously, boys will want to," Kitty closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "and I want you to be ready to say flat out that you're not allowed by your parents to do such things. Sometimes girls think they need to do whatever a boy wants them to do, and that's just not so."
"Because good girls don't do bad things?" Addie innocently asked, unknowingly plunging a dagger into her mother's heart.
Kitty tenderly placed both of her palms on her daughter's cheeks, "There's no such thing as a bad girl, Adelaide Jane. But some girls don't have mothers or other trustworthy adults to teach them how to take care of themselves. How to stick up for themselves. How to wait for the right person to come along."
"So are all boys bad?"
"Heavens no! But not all parents teach their sons to respect girls and women. As your brothers grow, Daddy and I will continue to teach them how to treat females with respect, to understand boundaries," Kitty wiped away one run-away tear that trickled down her cheek, "I surely didn't mean to get so deep into this conversation, Baby. I just wanted you t' know the rules your Daddy and I have agreed upon. These rules will keep you safe. You're going to have t' trust us on that."
Addie spontaneously threw her arms around her mother's neck. She whispered in her ear, "Thank you, Mama. I know you tell me these things t' protect me, cause your mama couldn't protect you. I'm so lucky you're my mother. I love you so much."
"I love you, too, very much," Kitty released her daughter from her embrace and stood at her bedside, adjusting the heavy quilt, "Now you snuggle under your covers and turn down your lamp." She casually closed the thick book that Addie had left open on her side table, sighing, "I think I'll start t' read this myself. Perhaps we can compare notes," she winked at the eleven-year-old, kissing the tip of her nose.
XXXXXXXX
Kitty voraciously read Anna Karenina as she waited for Matt to come home. She'd been patiently waiting naked for two hours, hoping to give him a surprise, but sleep now seemed like the better option, with the occasional crackle of the firewood keeping her awake. Just as she'd closed the thick book, she heard Matt coming up the stairs. She quickly sat up, let the quilt fall to her waist, and ran her hands over the length of her hair, arranging some of it to tantalizingly dangle over her ripe breasts.
"Well, howdy, Cowboy," Kitty drawled as Matt entered their softly lit bedroom, "I've been waiting for you."
"Sorry I'm so late, Honey," Matt immediately made his way over to his bureau in order to empty his pockets and remove his gun belt, "The commerce meeting went long and then a few of the guys wanted t' go have a couple a drinks," he reported, concentrating on removing his hat and vest.
It did not go unnoticed by Kitty that her husband had yet to realize her state of undress. This had never happened before. Mainly because he had always addressed her directly.
"I hope you had a good time," Kitty offered, tucking the quilt under her armpits, continuing to study her husband's movements. Something isn't quite right, she thought.
"I didn't want t' go to the Oasis, but I sure am glad I did," he made his way to his side of the bed, keeping his back to his wife, "I ended up getting orders for three horses. Turns out, saloons are great places t' sell livestock," he tucked his boots under the bed.
"Uh-huh," Kitty grumbled. She folded her arms atop her now bent knees, tapping her pointer fingers on her elbows, "Matt?"
"Yeah?" he finally looked over his shoulder at her.
"I waited up for you," she whispered, her eyes becoming narrow, her lips seductively twitching.
"That was sweet, Honey, but you shouldn't have. It's late," Matt peeled off his pants and stood to pull down his side of the bed.
"Think again, Dillon," his disgruntled wife splayed one hand over his side of the bed, blocking his admittance, "You smell like cheap whiskey, cheap cigars and cheap perfume. The tub still has some water in it. If you want t' sleep in this bed, ya better go wash it all off," her expression let him know she was not joking.
After he'd been in the tub for a few minutes, Kitty sashayed into the water closet. She stood naked in the doorway, her arms folded across her chest, studying her husband furiously scrubbing his face and hair. Something was definitely wrong, but she couldn't put her finger on the exact issue.
"May I join you?" Kitty softly asked, not really intending to do so.
The big man quit his splashing and stared at his wife as she slowly approached the tub.
"You don't want t' get in this dirty water, Honey," Matt quickly answered, "Why don't you wait for me in bed?"
Kitty bit her bottom lip as she studied the sight before her. Matt sat in the middle of the tub, water streaming from the tips of his hair. He appeared like an overgrown boy, who'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
She slowly turned and exited the water closet, closing the door behind her. She knew her silence had spoken louder than words ever could have when she'd heard her husband grunt, "Damn."
When Matt entered their bedroom, dried and sporting a clean union suit, he'd been surprised that Kitty hadn't been waiting for him in bed. The ex-lawman headed downstairs in search of his missus, surmising he was in for one heck of a tongue-lashing.
He was surprised to find her sitting on the leather chaise in the dimly lit library, slowly sipping some Tennessee Walking Whiskey, reading a very thick book. She wore a flannel nightgown with a matching dressing gown, woolen socks covering her feet. Quite a transformation from the porcelain skinned seductress that had been awaiting his homecoming.
"Kitty," Matt said softly, "I thought you were gonna wait for me in bed?" the big man cautiously approached his wife.
"I already did that, Matt. For hours I waited for you in our bed. Naked," she snapped the book shut with one hand, downing her drink with the other.
"Honey, I told ya, some of the men wanted t' go out for a couple a drinks," he sat facing her on the edge of the lounger, "I'm not the marshal anymore. I've got to fit in somehow, if I want t' win their business and be seen as just another business man. I can't always say 'no'."
Kitty's curious eyes searched her husband's. She took a deep breath, explaining, "My anger isn't about you being out late. Not really. It's about a feeling I have, deep in my gut that something's not right. Our scales are way outta whack, Matt. They have been off and on since Angela died."
Matt firmly placed his hand upon her shoulder, "Now, Kitty, you know that's not true."
"Matthew James Dillon, you haven't lied t' me in twenty-five years, until this very night. I know something's wrong," her blue eyes flickered with fury, her voice shaking, "You couldn't even look at me when you entered our bedroom. You've always greeted me with your eyes before your words or your body."
The nervous expression on the ex-marshal's face didn't match his plea, "Kitty, don't you think you're being a little dramatic?"
The wounded redhead sprang to her feet, turning her back to her husband. She folded her arms over her breasts, whispering, "You haven't touched me in weeks. Weeks, Matt," she studied the rug beneath her feet, "It's never been like that with us. Never. Don't you dare tell me everything's alright."
TBC
