AN: Thank you readers, especially those who took the time to comment. Your plot ideas, predictions and thoughts are amazing and inspiring. On with the show.
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Melody Merriweather pushed her dark, silky hair away from her large brown eyes and stepped out of the cabin she'd rented for herself and her father. Weeks ago, when he told her about a secret trip to have extended meetings with Marshal Matt Dillon, she thought the whole thing quite foolish. There were lots of capable men in the country, why fixate on one man as the successor to the job of Director of Marshal Services? She looked out over vast horizon. Turns out father was right. Matt Dillon was special. He had a way of looking at you, and seeing right inside. His physical strength was obvious, his speed with a gun legendary, but it was his mental strength and quickness that most fascinated her. A smile pulled at the side of her mouth. Like her, Dillon didn't suffer fools, yet there was a deep kindness to him. The way he showed up yesterday with a basket of the foods her father craved, and wine to help him sleep, spoke volumes. Matt Dillon was the right man for the job. It was a shame he didn't seem to want it. No matter what happened, she wished him well. Men as fine as Matt, her father and her fiance were rare.
The sound of an approaching wagon roused her from her reverie. She cup her hand over her eyes to block the sun, and was surprised to see Matt driving a buggy with a woman by his side. She stepped off the porch for a better look, and recognized Kitty Russell from seeing her in town. The attractive red-head's looks and confident air had piqued her curiosity, so she asked a shopkeep about her. What she learned was a delightful surprise. Kitty Russell owned and ran the most successful saloon in Kansas, proving that a beautiful woman could play a man's game and win.
Matt climbed out of the carriage, and extended a hand to help Kitty step down. "Melody, this here's Kitty Russell, I know your father wanted absolutely no-one to know he was here, in case word slipped out accidentally, but Kitty..." Matt paused, he didn't want to explain what Kitty thought was happening in the cabin, and cleared his throat. "Kitty, figured some things out, so there's no reason not to involve her at this point." He looked at Kitty. She returned his gaze and tilted her head with the slightest of nods.
Melody watched them intently. The shopkeep who'd answered her questions had failed to mention that Kitty was in love with Matt, and he in love with her. It was blatantly obvious, on first sight, they were a couple, strong and real. She smiled warmly. "I'm so happy to meet you Kitty. Folks in Dodge speak highly of you, please come right in. Father's awake, alert and ready for business. She led them into the cabin and Kitty glanced around. "Melody, this was a bare-bones, shell of a house. You've done wonders in such a short time. It's lovely, and feels so welcoming."
"Thank you, I do my best to make my father comfortable." She led them to a gaunt, gray-haired man seated in a large cushioned chair, a pillow at his back. "Father, Kitty Russell came with Matt today. I'm sure she'll be welcome addition to the conversation. I know you want to get started. I'll go get us all some coffee and biscuits."
Silas Merriweather straightened up in his chair and nodded at Kitty, "Miss Russell, I mean no offense when I say your presence here is a surprise. I've been exercising the most extreme caution, because I know how easily secrets can get out. An innocent slip of the tongue that's overheard, can spread like wild fire. I hope I can trust your absolute discretion."
Kitty looked him in the eye. "I assure you, you can." As she spoke a thought occurred to her. Hours of meetings with Silas had not convinced Matt to accept the job, yet he saw no good alternative. Maybe a woman to woman talk with Melody would clarify some things. Kitty leaned closer to Silas. "Perhaps I'll begin by allowing you and Matt to continue your conversation, while I ask your daughter to catch me up." She pushed through the kitchen door and found Melody putting a pot of coffee on the stove. "I wonder if we could talk. I know your father's eager for Matt to take over his job. I also know that Matt doesn't want to accept it, yet he doesn't want to not accept it." Kitty stepped in and got 4 cups down from a shelf. Melody sighed. "Just so you know, I think Matt's very much needed in the position, but he seems to disagree."
"Well, the way he sees it, he'll being stuck behind a desk shuffling papers. Paperwork has always been his least favorite part of being a marshal. He likes to be actively helping people, working with them, taking hold of situations. That's just him, and we both know how much he's accomplished." Melody opened a tin of biscuits, but paused and seemed deep in thought. "Kitty, you saying that makes me remember the way my father used to be, when I was growing up. It's funny – I just realized, what he's been describing to Matt is the way he does the job today, but that's changed a lot over time."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, he has a lot of things to oversee, for example training camps for federal lawmen. When I was younger he was very hands on. He went to the camps, gave demonstrations, interviewed men for admission, made changes to the curriculum, even went to auctions to choose horses to buy. When it came to paperwork, he hired clerks to sort through reports, summarize them, and flag important or unusual ones." Melody paused and nodded to herself. "Kitty, the aspects of the job Matt would be attracted to, are things my father hired others to do, when his health began to fail. Now he does all the paperwork himself, but hires assistants to go to training camps, horse auctions, and visit trouble spots." Grinning from ear to ear, Melody took Kitty by the shoulders. "Matt could remake the job for his own gifts, and I think make changes for the better. He'd be an inspiration. It's a win-win."
Melody's excitement was contagious, Kitty's eyes were sparkling. "You're onto something. Let's talk to the men. Washington DC could be…." Kitty's voice drifted off, she grew serious. "I have to ask you something first, this time with a selfish motive." She took a deep breath. "This is real personal, but if Matt goes to Washington DC, he'll want me to go with him. If I went we'd marry. What would life be like for me? Melody, I've spent years building and running a successful business, with everything that entails. I like what I do, and am proud of it."
Melody sighed, "Well, in Washington DC, wives of professional men, or in my case, the daughter of a widower, are judged by the parties they give, and also, by their appearance and behavior, at parties given by others. Society gossip is the coin of the realm – who's popular, who's ostracized, who's in or out of fashion." She sighed again. "I grew up with it and always found it soooo boring. Working for a salary, or doing anything to earn money is out of the question, BUT I'm proud to say I found a way around that for myself. I started a charity. Kitty, there are rich and powerful people in Washington, but there's a lot of poverty too. My charity provides food and clothing for the needy, especially in the hard, cold winters. We also offer classes in reading and writing to adults who never learned, so they can better themselves. I run fundraisers to keep the whole thing going – auctions and raffles – and it's grown enough that I employ 5 people." She shook her head, "Truthfully, leaving my charity is the one reason I'm sorry I'll be leaving Washington when I'm married. I can't find anyone to take my place, so it will close down when I leave."
A smile crept across Kitty's face. "Not necessarily, Melody. Like I said, I have considerable experience running a successful business." Feigning calmness Kitty lined up biscuits on a tray. Melody laughed out loud. "Kitty, I think we've figured this whole thing out. Now, let's go talk to the men."
The sun was setting when Matt Dillon climbed back into his rented carriage and took the reins. Kitty, seated beside him, waved a hand in fond farewell to Silas and Melody Merriweather. They drove in comfortable silence, both sorting out what they'd discovered and agreed to over the past 8 hours. Kitty looked up at Matt. "It's gonna be hard keeping our plans a secret until Silas gets back to Washington and announces you as his successor."
"It'll just be a couple of days. Then things will move real quick. We're due in Washington in 3 weeks. Kitty, that doesn't leave much time to plan a wedding. I'm sorry about that." She shrugged. "Don't be, Matt. Our wedding will be perfect. Dear Judge Brooker will perform the ceremony in front of our closest friends, then I'll open the saloon to one and all for the biggest celebration the town has ever seen. I'm more worried about finding the right buyer for the Long Branch. I know a new owner will make changes, to put their own stamp on the business, but I want to sell it to someone who values the history and traditions of the place. Owning the Long Branch is not just running a saloon, it's being part Dodge." Matt glanced at Kitty as she stared off across the prairie. He knew they were both thinking about the people they'd be leaving when they started their new lives in Washington DC. Folks who were family, trusted friends, and people they were bonded to by droughts, fires, and hard winters. He thought of the crowds that kept vigils outside Doc's office whenever he was wounded, or the men who joined posses when he needed them, no questions asked. "Kitty, we'll visit Dodge from time to time, we'll both need that. And we'll get Doc to visit us." She squeezed his hand, "And we have exciting and busy times awaiting us. You as head of US Marshal's Services and me running a growing charity."
She looked up at him with a glint of mischief in her eyes. It amused her now, that despite the gossip spreading around town, Matt never thought she'd believe he was interested in another woman. "Matt, have you noticed that over the years I've – my body has – well - I've changed."
Panic grabbed Matt's heart. If he answered no, she'd know he was lying. If he answered yes there could be more questions that could lead to a misunderstanding. He looked at her warily. "Kitty, we all change over time."
She laughed. "One thing's changed for sure, you know a lot more about women than you you used to." He chuckled and she snuggled closer. "Some things change, Matt, but others never do, like my love for you."
"Even that changes, Kitty. I loved you the moment I saw you, but I love you more now."
"Me too, Cowboy, me too.
The End.