Matt unlocked the door with the key Doc had given him and strolled through, awkwardly shutting the door with his foot since he didn't have a free hand. He balanced the pastry box and heard tiny feet hitting the hardwood floors. A grin spread over his face, hoping to see Alexandre.
"Papa! Papa!" the boy ran as fast as his legs would carry him. Luc halted in the magnificent foyer, gaping at the tall guest who most definitely wasn't his father. "You're not my Papa." He shuffled his feet on the floor, looking down while rubbing his eyes.
The gentle giant swallowed hard as he stared at the heartbroken, sniffling toddler. He was sorry he wasn't the child's father; the miracle the boy had hoped for. Matt set the box of pastries on the entryway table and knelt in front of him. "You must be Luc," he spoke softly. "I'm a friend of your Maman. I'm here to help," he offered the boy a compassionate smile as he lifted his chin to make eye contact. Matt marveled at how much Luc reminded him of Henri. "You can call me 'Marshal.' That's what your brother and sister used to call me."
Luc slowly nodded, wiping his nose on his pajama sleeve. "Bonjour, Marshal. Maman's sad."
"I know," he sighed.
"She's sleepin'."
Matt glanced at Doc as he shuffled down the stairs. "Mornin', Doc."
Luc gasped, "You know Pépère, too?"
Doc scrubbed his hand over his mouth to hide his amusement. He walked to Matt and his grandson, ruffling the boy's wavy, wild hair. "He knows everybody, Luc. You go hurry Alexandre and Vivi along," he instructed, waiting for the boy to leave. "I had to give Kitty a sleeping powder last night. She still hasn't eaten, Matt. I don't know what to do for her," he admitted. In his years of practice, he'd never learned how to treat a broken heart.
"I'm going to see her after breakfast. I brought beignets. Half are with myrtilles," he proudly grinned, certain he'd win his daughter over with her favorite fruit.
The elderly man cocked a brow at him, tilting his head to look at him. "You tryin' to bribe Vivienne?"
"Well, Doc…she's a tough customer like another redhead I know."
"You have no idea, Matt," he snickered, leading Matt into the dining room after swiping the pastry box. He poured a cup of coffee, handing it to his friend. "Since you're here so early, why don't you take Alexandre to school? Yves will drive the carriage. All you have to do is make sure Alexandre gets inside."
"Alright, Doc," he beamed, giddy at the idea of taking his son to school for the first time. He took one of the deep-fried pastries out of the box, taking a big bite while getting powdered sugar all over his shirt. "Hold on, Doc. Vivi doesn't go to school?" he wondered.
"She does," he sipped his coffee. "She loves school. Hates to miss a day."
"Why am I not taking her?"
"Matt, the twins go to separate Catholic schools. Vivi goes to an all-girls academy, and Alexandre goes to an all-boys one. Three miles apart."
"Oh," he mumbled with his mouth full, knocking sugar and crumbs off his chest. Matt heard the children before he saw them. He chuckled at Vivienne's complaints of Delia not braiding her hair like her mother while Alexandre told his sister to quit being grouchy. He pushed down his sudden nerves and shifted in his seat, nearly choking at the sight of the twins in their school uniforms. He set his eyes on his son and felt like he was looking in a mirror.
Doc made the introductions, grinning while Alexandre stuck out his hand. He mildly glared at his granddaughter since she pulled out a chair, unenthusiastically acknowledging Matt's presence with a brisk wave of her hand.
"Hi, Marshal," the five-year-old politely spoke, shaking the man's large hand. "Nice to meet you."
"Hello, Alexandre." Matt took in his son's uniform, focusing on the embroidered insignia. "Holy Cross, huh?"
"My Papa went there when he was a boy," Alexandre shared, shoving his hands into the pockets of his long pants as he stared at the floor. "Papa was killed."
The big man cleared his throat, placing his hand on the child's shoulder. "Your Pépère told me. I'm very sorry that happened to your papa, but I'm sure he's proud of you, Alexandre."
The boy raised his head, meeting the marshal's blue eyes. "You think so?"
He confirmed with an earnest nod, giving the child's shoulder a heartening squeeze. "I'd be the proudest man in Louisiana to acknowledge you as my son." Matt softly cleared his throat as if to knock away his emotions. "Do you like beignets?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Good," Matt grinned. "There's plenty. Some have myrtilles," he eyed the auburn-haired moppet, sighing at the displeased expression on her freckled face. He'd seen that exact look on her mother's face too many times.
"Did you hear that, Vivi?" Doc nudged her with his elbow.
"Je n'aime pas les myrtilles," she answered, thanking Delia for setting her plate of French toast in front of her. Vivienne covered the serving of blueberries and raspberries with her napkin.
"Oh, pshaw!" Her grandfather wasn't certain what she'd spouted off in French, but he knew by the tone that it wasn't pleasant. "Parle anglais, Vivienne Serena."
"Non."
"That's alright, Doc. I'll eat all the beignets with myrtilles," Matt proclaimed.
Vivienne crinkled her freckled nose, wrinkles of consternation showing on her forehead. She glared at the giant sitting across from her, pursing her lips while she stabbed her fork into her pain perdu. "Bien."
Matt raised his mug to his lips, hiding his smirk. Just like her mother.
The redhead stumbled out of the bathroom, gripping the edge of the dresser as she hunched over. "Oh God," Kitty murmured, smoothing circles over her rounded belly, slowly breathing in and out until the dizzy spell passed. She straightened and carefully made her way back to the cherry oak sleigh bed, sliding onto the freshly laundered sheets. "Quatre, I'm sorry," she placed her hands on her belly, rubbing softly. "You're not getting the best of me, and you won't ever know how wonderful your Papa was," she whimpered, letting her head fall back against the button-tufted leather of the headboard.
She heard the snick of the door and expected to hear Luc's hasty footfalls. Kitty lifted her head, setting her eyes on him, blinking furiously as she questioned her sanity. She had to be hallucinating if she was seeing Matt Dillon in her bedroom. Her eyes looked him over, starting at his dusty boots traveling upwards. She lingered on the miniscule pinholes from the years of wearing a badge and finally settled on his suntanned face, studying the crow's feet around his piercing blue eyes.
Matt chewed the inside of his cheek, locking onto her scrutinizing gaze. He could smell the lavender from her bath. He sluggishly exhaled as he stepped deeper into the suite to get a better view of her. His eyes roamed over every detail of her face, still stunning although cloaked in grief. Her auburn tresses were messily pinned, ends damp and curling. "Kitty," he quietly murmured, wincing as her mouth set in a straight line while her inflamed eyes turned icy.
"Leave, Matt."
"No," he rumbled, focusing his eyes on her slender hand cradling her belly, reminding him of his newfound purpose. In a blink of an eye, he decided he wouldn't let his resolve waver no matter what she said to him.
Kitty huffed in exasperation, adjusting the pillows behind her back. "Go on and leave. You shouldn't have any trouble. You're real good at leavin'."
He ignored her jab and sat down on the end of the chaise lounge. "I might have been in the past, but I'm not leaving now, Kitty."
"Why are you here? I never sent for you. In fact, I do believe I told you we'd never bother you again."
"I came to help. You need to pull yourself together. You need to take care of yourself. I'm worried about you."
"Matt, don't concern yourself with me. I haven't been your concern for a long, long time. Go on back to Dodge."
He shook his head. "Not until you start eating and get out of bed. You can't go on like this, Kitty."
"You don't understand, Matt. My world fell apart that day," she sucked in a shuddering breath as tears welled in her eyes. "I lost my best friend, and my babies lost their Papa. I don't know how to raise these babies without him," Kitty closed her eyes, putting her hand over her mouth, terrified of her confession. She sniffled and licked her lips, tugging Henri's smoking jacket over her. "Not only do I have one heartbreak…I have three more. I don't know how to be strong enough for that many. I don't know how to live in a world without him. I'm trying so hard…you just don't understand…"
Matt stared at her, resisting the urge to comfort her. "I don't understand?!" He emphatically scoffed. "I lost everything six years ago. Everything, Kitty! My best friend, my lover, my children!"
She wiped her eyes with the sleeve of the jacket, anger replacing her anguish. Kitty pushed herself up, heatedly narrowing her eyes on the lawman. "That was your choice! You walked away! You walked away from me after I begged you to stay. You quit comin' to see Alexandre and Vivi. I begged you then to keep seeing them. But Matt, I'm done begging you."
"I'm not asking you to beg for anything from me. I'm here, Kitty. I'm here for you and them."
"I don't know why. I don't need you. I can't rely on you. I'm doing just fine on my own."
The big man cocked a brow, barking out a laugh. "You're not. Not at all, Kitty. Your children need you. You have an empire to run…a legacy to preserve. Hell, you won't even eat to feed the baby you're carryin'. You need to do what Henri would want you to do. To hell with what I want you to do…if that's why you're being so damn contrary." Matt took a breath, rising to his feet. He dropped onto the foot of the bed. "Listen to me, Kitty," he softened, tentatively placing his hand on her leg. "I took Alexandre to school this morning. He doesn't think you love them anymore." He heard her sharp intake of breath, knowing it was a knife to her heart. It had been to his own heart when the boy suddenly blurted the statement while Matt told him he'd known his mother before her life in New Orleans. "Until you get ahold of yourself…maybe I should pack their things and—"
Her eyes flashed with outrage. "The hell you will! They're my children! Mine! You're not tak—" Kitty clutched the swell of her abdomen, gritting her teeth while uncomfortably shifting from the pain.
Matt sprang from his spot at the end of the bed. His heart nervously beat in his chest, observing her blanched complexion and the fearful look in her eyes. "Kitty, what…what do I need to do?" he asked, watching her shakily smooth her hand over her belly as she grimaced, doubling over. He rubbed his palm across her back.
"Get Doc. Please," she moaned, grasping his hand, tugging him back to the bed as he stepped away. "Matt," she clasped the front of his shirt. "I…can't lose her…I can't."