Chapter 8- What's in a Name? (1)

Kitty struggled to sit up in bed. She'd somehow entangled herself in her light summer quilt and she desperately needed to visit the water closet. She laboriously rolled onto her side and pushed herself up, using her arms as leverage.

"Kitty," Matt sleepily grumbled, covering his eyes with his forearm, "do ya have to shake the whole bed?"

The nearly eight-and-a-half-month pregnant redhead socked him with her pillow after hoisting herself off the bed, hissing, "You carry the next one, why don't ya?!"

"Next one?" he murmured, burying his head under his pillow as she waddled across the room, "Fat chance we have more than three."

She whipped her head toward the bed, "What did you say about fat?!"

The big man responded with a soft snore.

After relieving herself, Kitty threw on her free-flowing, brown dressing gown to head downstairs. As of late, it had been her routine to rise both before the sun and everyone else in the house, as she'd been uncomfortable sleeping in any position.

Kitty pushed up her sleeves and lit the stove, eager to have her first cup of coffee. She opened the front door and a couple of windows to let in some fresh air before pushing a trunk full of baby things into the sitting room. She leaned back to lower herself onto the settee, letting out a resonant grunt once she'd settled.

"Oh, my," she sighed, pulling out the sweet, pink dress Addie had been wearing when Bear Sanderson had formally introduced her to Dodge City on the balcony of the Long Branch four years prior. "Are you a girl?" Kitty quietly asked as she gently rubbed her belly, "I hope so. It would be easier if you're a girl," she lowered her gaze, letting her mind wander.

"And why would that be?" Doc whispered as he ambled into the barely lit room, carrying two cups of piping hot coffee.

"Doc, you scared me," Kitty whisper-yelled, clutching the tiny dress to her chest.

"Sorry, Honey. Didn't mean t' do that," he sat in his large, overstuffed chair. He studied the pensive redhead before him as she rifled through the trunk, seemingly only pulling out the girls' clothes. "Kitty, why are you only pulling out girls' things?"

"Because this is the trunk where I put all of Addie's baby things. I already pulled out boys' things a month ago."

"Ah," he nodded before taking a careful sip of the piping hot brew, "You never answered why it would be easier if the baby were a girl," he held his coffee cup high, staring at the redhead over the rim.

"Well," she studied her folded hands atop the swell of her belly, "I just think it would be easier to raise a little girl that isn't Matt's as opposed to a little boy that isn't his," she curiously looked at her dear friend, "Don't you?"

The elderly physician placed his coffee cup on the side table and sighed, "Now, Kitty, you know-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know, Curly. Matt says he'll love the baby no matter what and I believe him," she sighed, sorting through a pile of clothes she'd placed on the settee, "I just think it would be easier if it's a girl."

"Perhaps," Doc tugged on his ear, "But you do know that no matter what, first and foremost, this is your child."

"How could I forget?" she stated sarcastically, concentrating on folding the tiny dresses.

"What'cha gonna call her?" he'd decided to change the subject.

"Do you like Amelia?" the redhead asked, continuing her task at hand.

"Oh, yes. Very pretty."

"Then again, my mother was Louise," Kitty closed her eyes, leaned back and rested her head against the camel back of the settee.

"It would be lovely to name her after your mother. What are the contenders for a boy?" Doc crossed one leg over the other as he reached for his cup.

Kitty righted herself and slurped a sip of her coffee, "Matt likes Frank."

"Ah, after Reardon. What do you like, Mama?"

She shrugged, yawning, "I don't know. I figure I have two or three weeks to figure it out."

"Say, I have an idea," Doc snapped his fingers, "Whadda ya say I make you a big plate of eggs and toast and you go back t' bed."

"Sounds heavenly," she awkwardly stood, "but I have two little ones that will be up soon. I'll take you up on the eggs and toast, though."

XXXXXXXX

"C'mon, Kitty, push! I can see the head," Doc instructed as he rested one hand upon the laboring redhead's knee.

Kitty replied with a grunt before she held her breath and pushed with all her might.

Matt sat poised behind his wife, using his chest as leverage. "Atta girl, Honey," he encouraged, pushing her hair off her sweaty brow, "You're almost done. Pretty soon we'll have another little Dillon."

She panted, looking over her shoulder at her supportive husband, "I know, Matt. I know."

"Next contraction, I want you to push with all you've got. This baby's got a lot of hair. I can see that," Doc smiled brightly.

"Is it red, like her brother and sister?" Kitty asked, licking her cracked, dry lips.

"No, it's dark," the physician quietly answered, choosing to add, "just like Matt's."

Neither Dillon responded, but Kitty reflexively squeezed both of her husband's hands, a sign the next contraction was starting.

Matt whispered in her ear, "This is it, Kathleen. Just one more good-"

Kitty growled, closed her eyes and leaned forward, pushing as hard as she could.

"Here it comes," Doc announced, smiling from ear to ear as the baby glided into his waiting hands, "Well, I'll be. You've got another boy!"

"I told you it was a boy!" Matt kissed his wife's forehead while Doc carefully wiped the howling baby clean.

Kitty kept her eyes closed and tilted her head back against Matt's chest, tears slowly trickling down her cheeks. She had wished for time to stand still, but she knew she needed to ask.

"Who does he look like?" she hesitantly choked out, her eyes still closed.

Matt propped his wife up with pillows, waiting for Doc to answer.

The gray-haired man quietly spoke, ignoring his surrogate daughter's question, "Matt, come hold your son while I deliver the after-birth."

"Sure, Doc," Matt approached, holding out his long arms to receive the child.

Kitty watched as her husband's eyes grew wide and filled with tears after he'd adjusted the receiving blanket to view their new addition.

"Matt?" she whispered; her tone full of dread.

"He's a handsome boy, Honey," he furrowed his brow, caressing the baby's barely there dark tufts.

"Matt?" she whispered, "His eyes? What color are his eyes?"

The big man's pale blue eyes sorrowfully met his wife's hopeful sapphire orbs, "Deep brown…already."

"No!" Kitty shrieked, "No, no, no! It can't be!" she thrust her head back onto the pillows.

Doc spoke softly, "Kitty, I need you t' settle down for a bit. You should feel the urge t' push any second now."

Kitty continued to cry as she lightly pushed when the urge came.

"Let me clean you up, Sweetie," Doc patted her bent knee, "then you can feed your son."

All Kitty could do was cry, turning her head from side to side on her pillows.

Matt slowly approached the pained redhead, biting his bottom lip so hard it had begun to bleed. He silently placed the tiny version of Jude Bonner in his wife's arms. "Here's your boy," he flatly whispered.

Kitty had immediately noticed her husband's choice of words.

"Matt?" her ginger brows arched as she watched the love of her life slowly back away from the bed they'd shared for the last eighteen years.

The marshal of Dodge City folded his arms across his chest as he studied their braided rug, "I'm sorry, Kitty. I thought I could do this, but I don't think I can. For the sake of everyone, of course the child can carry the Dillon name."

"Wha-what are you saying?!" Kitty sat up as she clutched the hungry, crying infant, "You begged me t' keep him!"

"I'm sorry, really I am. I'll be back in a couple of days t' gather my things," and with that, Matt Dillon turned on his heel and walked out the door.

"Matt!" Kitty shouted, "Come back! You promised! MATT!"

"Miz Kitty," Festus gently shook her shoulder, "ya need t' wake up."

"Wha-what?!" Kitty bolted upright, her eyelids fluttering as she tried to get her bearings, the sound of a hard, steady rain hitting the windows.

"You was havin' a bad dream," Festus quietly spoke, squatting next to the settee where the redhead had succumbed to her need for sleep after putting Matty and Addie down for their naps, "Doc tol' me t' let ya sleep as long as ya wanted. But I figured I should wake ya if ya was scared."

Kitty slowly rocked herself into a sitting position, resting her hands atop her rounded belly. She swallowed hard, wiping the back of her hand across her eyes, "I'm glad you woke me, Festus," she croaked, looking around the darkening sitting room, "Where are the children?"

"They's still asleep," he gestured with his thumb over his shoulder, "I guess the rain is helpin' with that."

She lowered her gaze as she caressed her belly, "Where's Doc?"

"He went inta town. Doc Brooker needed him t' stay at the office fer a while."

Kitty looked into her dear friend's concerned eyes, cupping her hand against his whiskery cheek, "I'm fine, Festus. Honest. It was just a dream."

"If ya say so," he stood to his full height, "Can I get ya anythin'?"

She sighed, "No, thanks. I'd best get supper started. Can ya help me up?"

"I shore can," he took her hand and gently pulled her into a standing position as a crack of thunder shook the whole house.

"That was a scary one," Kitty commented as she slowly made her way to the kitchen, referring to both her nightmare and the rumbling thunder.

XXXXXXXX

"Mama, where's Daddy?" Addie asked as Kitty uncomfortably leaned over the tub to rinse her daughter's hair.

"Still working, I suppose," the weary mother answered through gritted teeth, squinting as a twinge hit her lower back.

"Dad-dy, Dad-dy," Matthew chanted as he slapped the top of the water in the bath he shared with his big sister.

"Matty, please quit splashing so much," the redhead pled as she wiped her forehead with her forearm, "Adelaide, tilt your head back for Mama."

"Yer getting water in my eyes," Addie whined, rubbing her eyes with her tiny, balled-up fists.

"Addie, please just tilt your head. Matthew, I told you to stop!" Kitty grabbed the toddler's arm in midair as he was about to splash more water onto the wooden floor, "You're making a mess."

"Owwww," the boy howled, jerking his arm trying to free himself, "Mama hurt me!"

"Young man, Mama's gonna hurt your bottom if you don't listen to me," she released her hold on the boy, "Addie, just one more quick rinse. Baby, please help me." Thankfully, the four-year-old complied, realizing her mother wasn't going to take any more nonsense.

"When's Daddy gonna come home?" Addie asked as she held up her arms so Kitty could wrap a fluffy, white towel around her.

The exhausted redhead sighed as she hoisted her daughter from the tub, "I don't know, Honey. I really don't." Kitty dried her little girl and unceremoniously placed a short-sleeved pink, cotton nightgown over the child's head.

She instructed, "Head on into my room and wait for me there. Then we'll try and detangle your hair." She redirected her attention toward her son, "C'mere, Matty," she leaned over the tub to reach the boy who clearly didn't want to be done frolicking in his watery playground.

"No, Mama! Play in da wadder," he pulled his shoulder just out of his mother's reach.

"Matthew James," Kitty sucked in a breath as another twinge hit her back, "I don't have time for these games. Give me your hand, Son," she awkwardly stretched her arm across the tub. At that instant she felt a gush of fluid expel itself from her body. "Oh, no…no, no, no," she implored, closing her eyes in frustration, "not now."

"What's wrong?" Addie stared at her mother from the doorway connecting her parents' bedroom to the water closet.

Kitty glanced over her shoulder at her little girl, "Nothing's wrong, Honey. But I need you t' do me a favor. Please go to the top of the stairs and call Uncle Festus."

The redheaded girl quickly obeyed her mother, unlike her uncooperative brother, who kept narrowly escaping his mother's grasp as he walked along the rear wall of the tub.

"Matthew, I swear-"

"Miz Kitty?" Festus entered the bathing room, "Addie said ya needed me."

The matriarch of the Dillon clan slowly turned to face her dear friend, "Can you please grab your nephew out of the tub?"

"Yes, Mum," Festus leaned over and snatched the two-year-old as if he were a feather. "Boy," he admonished, setting the dripping, naked toddler down on the soaked, wooden floor, "you don't never not listen t' yer mama again. Understand me?"

Matthew shivered as Kitty enveloped him in his towel, "O-o-kay," his little teeth chattered as his tiny lips turned blue.

Kitty stood upright and arched her back, rubbing the lower section with one hand as the hillman commented, "Look at all this here water on the floor, Matty. You done made a mess."

He'd grabbed a towel and began to clean up when Kitty murmured, "I made some of that mess, Uncle Festus."

Festus squinted his right eye as he glanced up at Kitty while squatting to wipe the floor. "Whadd'ya mean?"

The redhead slowly leaned over and whispered into his ear, "My water broke."

TBC