The Long Branch
Kitty tilted a beer mug under the bar and filled it to the brim. "Sam." The barkeep stopped drying glasses, and looked over at his boss. She lifted her beer. I gonna go sit for a while. Business is slow." The craggy faced bartender smiled. "Signal me when you want a refill, and I'll be over in a flash. Like you said, it's a slow night."
She chose a table in the center of the room, slid into a seat and lifted her beer to her lips. The bat wing doors flap open, and her eyes darted over mid-sip. It wasn't the person she was hoping to see, but she smiled. "Hello Doc, come join me." Doc Adams sunk into the chair across from Kitty, and a frothy beer instantly appeared. He nodded thanks to Sam, and ran a hand across his mustache. "Kitty, I appreciate the nice greeting, but I know darn well Matt's the one you're looking for, not your friendly old physician. Have you heard from him?" Kitty shook her head with a shrug. "No, but you know how it is Doc. Chances are he's nowhere a near a telegraph office." She allowed a small sigh to escape her lips. "I'm sure that if he can, he'll be back in time for the sociable tomorrow night, I just wish…."
"KITTY RUSSELL, is that really you? A man in a 3-piece suit, with a sunny smile and unruly blond hair rushed across the room. She jumped to her feet, "Charlie Barker, as I live and breath." He took both her hands and they beamed into each other's eyes. "Charlie, you look great. It's been what – 16 years?" "About that, and you're more beautiful than when I last saw you in New Orleans." She laughed and slapped his arm. "You always were a flatterer. Come sit, this here's my dear friend, Doc Adams. Doc, this is Charlie Barker. He dealt poker in the first saloon I ever worked in. I was an inexperienced girl, and Charlie made it his mission to look out for me." Doc warmly shook Barker's outstretched hand; a pitcher of beer and a mug was brought over by the ever-observant Sam. Kitty filled the glass for Charlie, as he settled into the seat beside her, "What brings you to Dodge City?" Charlie took a sip and smacked his lips with satisfaction. "Well, I've been dealing cards on river boats for years now. It's been very lucrative, but frankly, I was tired of it. So I decided to take the small fortune I'd built up, and enjoy life. I'm heading to New Mexico territory, where I'll buy a few houses, live in one, rent out the others and live like a king." He smiled into Kitty's blue eyes, entranced by what had become such a womanly beauty. "Anyway, I was headed down there on the train when I started trading stories with a passenger. He told me that the best saloon he'd ever been in was the Long Branch, in Dodge City, Kansas, owned and run by a woman named Kitty Russell. Hearing that name after all these year - well – I had to stop here and see for myself." He glanced around the room. "Kitty this is a place to be proud of, and it still has potential that I'm sure you'll fulfill. You always were a smart one." He leaned across the table to Doc. "When we were working at the Golden Horse in New Orleans, I was teaching her to deal poker, and she was getting mighty good, mighty fast." He grinned at Kitty. "You deal poker here in your place? You had a gift for it." Kitty nervously fingered her glass. "No – um – as the owner I'm kept pretty busy, I don't deal any more."
Doc eyed Kitty and scratched behind his ear, wondering why she'd just lied to her old friend. Truth was she'd stopped dealing at Matt Dillon's request. He asked her to quit after violent fights at the poker table, had put her in harms way. Kitty could feel Doc's eyes, but kept hers on her visitor. "So Charlie, how long do you plan on being in Dodge?" Barker shrugged, "A few days, at least. I couldn't help but see all the posters around town, about tomorrow night's big sociable. Um – Kitty, I imagine you're going with someone – heck – men would be lined up to take a beautiful woman like you to a fancy event. But, on the off chance you're still available, I'd love to be your escort." She looked into his eager eyes. "Charlie, I – well – I don't – I …."
"MISS KITTY." Sam's call was a welcome interruption. She jumped up. "I see I'm needed." Charlie watched her hurry off and frowned across the table at Doc. "Strange, it was as if she couldn't say whether she had a date for the sociable or not. Guess I'll ask again tomorrow. Right now, I think I'll head to the hotel. It's been a long day of travel. Pleasure meeting you Doc. When Kitty's free please let her know I'll be by to see her tomorrow."
Behind the bar, Kitty signed the IOU that Sam slid in front of her eyes. An old customer wanted credit, and her approval was required. She scribbled her name, and from the corner of an eye watched Charlie leave the saloon. A smile touched her lips. She was barely a woman, all those years ago, when she lied about her experience and age, to get a job at the Golden Horse. Charlie wasn't fooled for a second, and looked out for her every which way.. He steered her clear of rough customers, taught her easy ways to keep men buying drinks, intervened, in his charming way, when she needed to get rid of a drunk. Kitty chuckled to herself. The days of needing that kind of help seemed like forever-ago. She picked a towel and wiped down the bar, still thinking about Charlie. She'd lied to him about why she gave up dealing cards. Matt asking was the reason. She could have simply told him that, but somehow didn't want to. Just like she didn't want to explain that she had a date for the sociable, if he showed up.
As she polished the bar Kitty knew a pair of wise old eyes were watching. She tossed her towel aside. Doc deserved an explanation. She headed over, and found her glass refilled and waiting. "Kitty, how about one more drink before I go home." She nodded and took a quick sip. "Doc, it must look strange. I meant the way I wasn't honest with Charlie. It's just that I ….." Doc put his hand on hers. "Kitty you don't owe me an explanation. I'm sure you have your reasons."
She met his eyes and bit her lower lip. "It's just that there's no simple way to explain me and Matt – no one word like married, engaged or courting. Frankly, I couldn't figure out what to say, that would make any sense to Charlie. It's so darn complicated."
Doc drained his glass and stood, "Like I said Kitty, you don't own me an explanation. Good night. Oh, Charlie said to tell you he'll be by tomorrow. Just so you know, he's gonna ask you about the sociable again."
Kitty watched Doc disappear into the cool night air, and slowly sipped her beer, thinking about Charlie. It was good to see him. He'd been a special kind of friend, and had done well for himself.
A Farmhouse Outside of Town
In the bedroom of her comfortable cabin, Cora Johnson opened her closet door with a pounding heart. Her eyes went past two denim dresses, and her floral Sunday best, and rested on the prettiest dress she'd ever owned. A deep, rich blue with lace trimmings, the dress was good as new, because it had never been worn. She reached out with trembling fingers, and touched the fine, soft fabric.
"You should wear it Cora. No sense in just having it hang there. Wear it to the sociable tomorrow." The woman, turned and faced her husband, eyes filled with tears. "I don't know Frank. I had it made for Janie's wedding and…." "And Janie ran off after a grifter, a few days before her wedding, leaving just a note. She left us heart broken, not to mention Ben, her fine young fiance." Frank gently put his large, calloused hands on his wife's thin shoulders. "Cora, Janie is gone from us. I can't explain why she did what she did, but she's gone. A year has passed. It's time for you to wear that beautiful dress." He gently kissed his wife's forehead and pushed her dark hair from her face, silently noting a few streaks of grey. "I'm gonna take the prettiest woman in the world to that sociable tomorrow, and by golly she's gonna wear a fine dress, and have fun." Cora couldn't help but smile at her husband, a kind, hardworking man who grew their farm into something to be proud of. "I love you Frank Johnson. All right, if it's what you want. I'll wear that dress tomorrow. It'll be our first social event since Janie left.
TBC