Chapter 8 And Reconciliations

Neither Matt nor Kitty heard Beth come into the house. They didn't know she was there until they heard her yell. They quickly separated. Matt looked back and forth from Kitty's shocked and angry face to Beth's shocked and angry face. He absolutely despised that word and could not believe Beth had used it.

"Beth, you apologize right now," Matt's voice was deep and stern. "I will not have that word in this house."

"As long as she's in the house, that word is fair game," Beth spat back.

Kitty could see Matt was about to respond to Beth. She grabbed his arm. She wanted her chance to speak. Kitty looked directly at Beth.

"Look missy! How dare you call me that!" Kitty exclaimed. "Your mother obviously didn't raise a respectful daughter. A daughter of mine would never use that word."

"Leave my mother out of this," Beth told Kitty. "Not that it's any of your business, but she never used that word."

"Then why would you?" asked Matt.

"You and mom told me about her," Beth answered. "You told me that Kitty was a saloon girl when you met her. We all know what saloon girls do to earn a living."

"I told you more than that," Matt reminded her. "I told you about her buying half the Long Branch and eventually the whole thing. I told you that she was a respectful and successful business woman."

When Matt and Mike told Beth about Kitty, they told her that Kitty was a saloon girl when he met her. Matt made sure that Beth knew Kitty was only a saloon girl in Dodge City for a couple of years before she bought half interest in the Long Branch. He did the same thing when he told Mike about Kitty. Matt loved all of Kitty with all of his heart. In his mind, not sharing everything about her, made it as though he was ashamed of her. That was not true.

Kitty recalled Mike's letter. Mike had mentioned that Matt told Kitty about the two of them. Kitty had wondered how much Matt told Mike about her. She now had her answer and was pleased.

"I don't care what you told me," Beth said, shaking her head. "I can't stand looking at her. Excuse me." Beth shoved passed Matt and Kitty and ascended the steps to the second floor. She wasn't about to let them see the tears that were forming.

Josh had been a silent observer the entire time. He had no idea what to say. His wife's outburst was unexpected. Beth had never referred to Kitty as a whore before. Josh looked at Kitty.

"I'm so sorry," Josh apologized on behalf of Beth. "I want you to know that she's never used that word when she has mentioned you. Let me go and talk to her." Josh walked over to the staircase.

Kitty walked over to Josh. "No, let me."

Josh looked up towards the second floor. "Are you sure? She can be quite headstrong and stubborn."

"Trust me. I have what it takes to handle a stubborn girl," Kitty assured Josh.

Matt had no doubt in Kitty's ability to deal with Beth. Being a stong-willed person herself gave Kitty an equal advantage. Kitty would be able to get through to Beth. At least that's what Matt hoped. He did not want the love of his life and daughter to be at odds with one another. Matt did not want to be forced to choose between the two of them. He prayed it would not come to that.

Kitty walked upstairs and saw the second door on the right was closed. The other two doors were open. Kitty concluded that Beth was in that bedroom. She walked over to the door and knocked.

"Come in," Beth said as she stared out the bedroom window. She could see the small cemetery that her mom was buried in.

Kitty walked into the room and shut the door behind her. "Beth, we need to talk."

Beth turned around. She was not expecting to see Kitty standing there. Kitty was the last person she wanted to see. Beth turned back towards the window.

"Well, I don't want to talk to you," she said. "Leave me alone."

"Fine. You don't have to talk, but you're going to listen," said Kitty. "I'm going to tell you a story. I'm not sure how long it's going to take. You might want to sit down." Beth reluctantly sat down on the bed. "Over twenty-three years ago Matt went after a man who shot and killed another man in the Long Branch."

Over Twenty-Three Years Ago

"What happened here?" Matt asked as he entered the Long Branch and saw gambler Brock Mayer dead on the ground.

"Les Dean accused Brock of cheating and shot him," Kitty answered. "But in Dean's defense, Brock was going for his gun."

"Thanks, but I still need ta go after him," said Matt. "Some of you men get him outta here. Take him to Percy Crump." Matt left the Long Branch. Kitty followed him outside.

"Are you leaving now or are you gonna wait until morning?" she asked.

"Now. I don't want Dean to get too far ahead of me," Matt answered. "I'll go back to the jail, pack up my saddle bags, and take off."

"How do you know what direction he went?" Kitty questioned.

"I saw him ride off towards the southwest," Matt replied. "I'll start off in that direction."

"Do you plan on riding through the night or are you gonna stop at sleep out on the prairie?" asked Kitty. She was going somewhere with her line of questioning.

"I'll bring a bed roll and find a place to sleep," Matt answered. "Why?"

"Well, if you're gonna stop and sleep anyway, you might as well get a good night's sleep here and leave early tomorrow morning," Kitty suggested. She looked at Matt with her sapphire eyes. "Besides, do you think Dean will ride all night or will he find a place to sleep?"

"Well, I reckon he might stop if it occurred to him that he wasn't being tracked," said Matt.

"Are you saying you'll take off early tomorrow morning?" asked Kitty.

"Yes," Matt responded. He had to admit Kitty's warm bed was more tempting than the unforgiving prairie. "Let me go to the jail and get my gear around. I'll be in your room 'round midnight."

"Perfect," said Kitty. She looked around and gave Matt a quick peck on the lips. "See you then."

Matt had been gone for three days. His three day absence did not phase Kitty. She was used to Matt being gone for a stretch of multiple days when he was on the trail of an outlaw. It was not uncommon for him to be gone for a week. But when two passed, Kitty couldn't stop the uneasiness she was feeling. He had never been gone this long without sending some sort of word.

Festus had offered to go out and look for Matt, and Kitty greatly accepted the offer. Doc on the other time didn't agree. He decided to use common sense. Doc knew there was no point in Festus traipsing across the prairie looking for Matt. He had no idea where to look. Festus may be the best tracker around, but after two weeks Matt's trail would be impossible to track. Doc suggested sending out wires to locate Matt. Festus and Kitty knew Doc was right.

Two weeks turned into four weeks, and four weeks turned into six weeks. There was no sign of Matt. Most people in Dodge City started to assume their Marshal might not be returning. Kitty was not one of those people. She refused to believe her Cowboy wasn't coming back to her. Every night she would send her love to him. Every night she put the lamp in her window. Kitty wanted Matt to know she never gave up on him.

Eight weeks after Matt left to go after Les Dean, he returned to Dodge City. Kitty had been sitting at her vanity, removing her hairpins, when she heard the unmistakable sound of Matt's footfalls. She could hardly believe what she was hearing. Her heart was beating in anticipation as she waited. When Kitty heard the key in the doorknob, she knew Matt had returned. Matt opened the door and saw Kitty's face in her vanity mirror. Their eyes met. Kitty got up and walked over to Matt. She took one step closer and fell into his arms. Matt embraced her like he would never let her go.

"Matt, I… I ," Kitty cried. She was having a hard time catching her breath."

"Oh Kitty, I'm so sorry," he whispered into her hair.

"You have nothing to be sorry about," she told him as she looked into his eyes. "You're alive and you're back. That's all that matters."

"Kitty, we need to talk," said Matt.

Matt shared everything with Kitty about his eight weeks away. He was not going to hide anything from her. She deserved to know the truth. Kitty took the news in her usual way. Matt was about to leave, but Kitty stopped him.

"Matt, wait." Kitty took a deep breath through her nose and slowly exhaled out of her mouth. "Don't leave. You've been gone for eight weeks. Please don't leave. You didn't have to tell me about Mike, but you did. That shows how much you trust me. Do you have any idea how wonderful that makes me feel?"

"Are you sure you want me to stay?" asked Matt. "If you need more time to digest all of this, I completely understand."

"I'd rather discuss things further," Kitty answered.

"Whatever you want to do, we'll do." Matt was willing to do anything to make Kitty happy. He knew his news about him and Mike had broken her heart. Matt hated to see Kitty with a broken heart. He hated it even more when he was the cause.

Matt and Kitty talked throughout the night. They both decided to keep Matt's involvement with Mike to themselves. Doc and Festus would also be kept in the dark. People would be told that a rancher named Mike took care of Matt while he had no memory. They would be led to believe Mike was a man.

Present Time

"Put yourself in my shoes," Kitty told Beth. "I knew Matt for nineteen years when he went missing. We were together for nineteen years. I'm not some woman that came into Matt's life after he left Arizona. I was already a part of his life. What if the same situation happened between you and Josh? Wouldn't you want him to come back to you?"

"Of course I would want Josh to come back to me," Beth said. "But now put yourself in my shoes. My whole life I was raised believing Johnny Yardner was my father. A couple of years ago I was taken by an Apache brave named Wolf. He wanted me for his wife. Chalk Brighton and a man who said he was my father rescued me. You can imagine my shock when I found out that my father had been alive the whole time. I was angry at my mother for not telling me. But after hearing why I wasn't told, I forgave her. She died several weeks after I found out about Matt being my father. I lost my mother. I can't stand the fact of losing a father I've only known for a couple of years. There's so much time I missed with him. I don't want you to take him away from me."

Kitty could put herself in Beth's shoes. She knew exactly what time without Matt felt like. "Beth, what makes you think I'm going to take Matt away from you?"

"Why are you here?" Beth responded with a question of her own.

"I had questions and needed answers," Kitty replied. "I have no intention of taking Matt away. I know him too well. He would never be able to live in New Orleans. He needs open space."

"Would you consider staying in Arizona?" Beth inquired.

"That really depends on some things," Kitty replied. "Would it be a problem if I did?"

Beth bit her bottom lip. "Yes," she whispered.

"I don't understand." Kitty was confused. "I wouldn't be taking him away."

"True, but I can't help but to see you in the place where my mother should be," Beth said. "I guess you're a reminder that my mother is gone."

"Beth, I have no plans of replacing your mother," Kitty reassured her.

"I'm sorry for what I called you downstairs," Beth apologized. "I was really upset when I saw you and my father kissing."

"Apology accepted." Kitty patted the top of Beth's hand. "We'll just chalk it up to being pregnant. Women can experience a range of emotions when they're pregnant."

Matt and Josh had been waiting downstairs. "They've been up there for a while. Do you think everything is alright?"

"I'd say it's a good sign they've been up there for a while," Matt replied. "It probably means they're talking to one another. We haven't heard any yelling, so that's another good sign."

A few minutes later Kitty and Beth came downstairs. Josh and Matt looked at them with anticipation. Both women looked to be at peace with one another.

"Is everything okay?" Josh asked. He didn't want his pregnant wife to be upset.

"Yes," Kitty replied. "We had a good talk while we were upstairs. Matt, can you take me back to the hotel?"

"Sure." Matt was surprised Kitty wanted to go back to the hotel. He thought she would stay a little longer at the house. He planned on asking her to stay permanently with him.

"Thank you." Kitty grabbed her reticule. She turned to Josh and Beth. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye," they said in unison.

Matt drove Kitty back to the hotel. The way Kitty said goodbye to Josh and Beth didn't sit right with him. It was as if she was saying goodbye permanently. He hoped Beth's outburst still wasn't affecting her.

"Kitty, I'd like to buy you lunch," Matt offered.

"I'd like that," Kitty said as she accepted Matt's offer.

Matt and Kitty sat in the small cafe enjoying each other's company. Matt thought it was the perfect time to ask Kitty to stay in Arizona. "Kitty, I want you to stay in Arizona. I don't want us to spend any more time away from each other."

"Matt, I'm not sure." Kitty's voice was hesitant.

"Kitty, we've been apart for too long. Please stay," Matt pleaded. "What's keeping you in New Orleans?"

"It's not what, but who," Kitty quietly said.

"Who?" Matt speculated who in Arizona could possibly keep Kitty from staying in Arizona.

"Rebekah"

TBC