The Next Morning
Kitty tiredly trudged up the steps to Doc's office and pushed through the door without knocking. Doc paused from pouring coffee. "Kitty, I'm glad you stopped by. I wanted to tell you how sorry I am about the way things played out with Charlie. And, you should know that after hearing about your description of what happened, everyone in town wishes you well. "I appreciate that, Doc, but I really stopped by to ask how Janie is going. I feel terrible about how she got shot, and last night Matt told me that her father is still dead set against taking her back." Doc nodded thoughtfully. "Physically Janie's doing fine. She asleep right now, but I have a feeling Cora could use some company. You should go in." Kitty shook her head. "Doc, Cora Johnson and I barely know each other. I don't..." Doc pressed two warm cups of coffee into Kitty' hands. "I'm sure she'd appreciate having the company of a woman. For a day and a half she's just had me, and you know how tedious that can be." He pushed open the door. "Go on."
Marshal's Office
Matt sat behind his desk staring down at a frayed deck of card, bound tightly with a thick string. Yesterday, he returned from Frank Johnson's farm with a heavy heart, and when he reached the Long Branch and saw Kitty's anguished face, and his heart grew even heavier. Still shaking with shock, Kitty uttered one word, Charlie. So he led her upstairs to her suite, where he closed the window and got rid of the stool, while she shakily poured them some brandy. They sat side-by-side on the loveseat, and with gentle prodding, Kitty gave a detailed, official account of the death of Charlie Barker. After that they talked, and talked, and talked some more, until the wee hours of the morning, when Kitty finally began to accept that nothing that happened with Charlie was her fault. Barker was not the man she knew when she was young. His heart and mind had become twisted beyond reason. Sometimes in life, there is no explaining how or why that happens.
Deep in thought, Matt tapped the bound up poker deck with a finger. It was in Charlie's pocket when he died. Faded and frayed around the edges, no dealer would use such a deck. Charlie must have kept it for sentimental reasons. Matt leaned back in his chair. Kitty might want the cards as a memento of those early days with Charlie. On the other hand the deck might only serve as a dark reminder of the way things came to a terrible end.. Matt grabbed the tied-up deck and shoved it in his pocket. There was no point in idle musings. The decision to keep the cards or not was Kitty's to make. He'd ask her next time they had a quiet moment together.
Doc's Back Room
Holding warm cups of coffee in their hands, Kitty Russell and Cora Johnson sat side-by-side watching Janie in peaceful slumber. The women had exchanged few words, over the years, when crossing paths in town, but under these strange circumstances fell quickly into using first names. Kitty sipped her coffee, "Cora, I know your husband is firm on not taking Janie back, so do you have thoughts on what she might do?" Cora slowly nodded. "Janie and I talked about an idea I had, but we see no way to make it real." She tore her eyes from her sleeping daughter and looked at Kitty. A question rose up in her mind, and she could not resist asking. "Kitty, what's it like? I mean, what's it like to have your own money, to spend or save like you want - or, to travel somewhere without asking permission. What's it like to make a decision for yourself, and know no one can over-rule you. I only ask because your life seems so different from mine, or any other woman I know. I was 18 when I married Frank, so I went from my daddy to my husband being in charge. I don't mean I've been abused, or anything like that. I've always been loved. In fact Frank's showing his love by letting me sit here with Janie for a time. Kitty, I don't mean to be pushy or rude, I just can't help but wonder what it's like to be free the way you are." Kitty put her hand on Cora's. "You're not being rude at all. It's just not an easy question to answer. My life is just my life. I was still young when my mother died, and my daddy was a drifting gambler. Because of him I saw saloons, gambling tables and other things most girls or even women never see. I had no intention of sticking with him and I always had a big ol' independent streak, so I set out on my own. I don't know why, but I believed in myself. When I got to Dodge I got lucky and found friends who believed in me too, so I built a good life for myself. I can't say what it's like to live that life, it's just me." Cora nodded thoughtfully. "Ever want other things too – a husband and family?" Kitty smiled. "I do, some day. I hope it all works out, when I'm still young enough to have children." Cora squeezed Kitty's hand. "If there is a woman who can find a way to have all of it, in a way that suits her, it will be you."
Jane moaned softy, drawing the attention of the women. Cora kissed her forehead, and the young woman settled back to sleep. "Cora, when we started talking, you said something about an idea for Janie's future. What was it?" The farm woman shrugged. "I have a cousin who was widowed in the war. She has a dress shop in San Francisco. It's small but she makes out all right. I wired her and asked if she needed an apprentice. I said my daughter is looking or work, without going into details about the situation. Anyway, my cousin said that she's actually looking for a helper to train, and would accept Janie. She'd have to work the first year for nothing but room and board, but after that if she caught on well, she'd be hired." Kitty's face lit up. "That's wonderful." Cora shook her head blinking back tears. "You don't understand Kitty. That means buying traveling clothes, a train ticket, and providing pocket money for things she'd need beyond room and board. Before I do that I have Doc's bill to pay. He won't push for it, but I believe in paying debts. I even had to borrow money from Doc, so I could send that telegram. I'm not like you, I don't have my own money, and Frank's not about to spend anything on Janie."
A knock interrupted their conversation, and Doc stuck his head in the door. "Cora, Frank is here." She jumped to her feet and hurried into the front room, where Frank stood stiffly waiting. "Cora, it's gettin' dark, so I come to bring you home." She wrapped her shawl around her shoulders. "Frank, I'll want to come back tomorrow." He looked into her eyes for long moment, while deciding what to say. "I guess there's no harm in you coming to town after breakfast is all taken care of. You'll have to get yourself here. I can't drive you, I got chores." He took her arm and ushered her out.
Kitty remained by Janie's bedside, thinking of her talk with Cora. The woman had cleverly figured out how to give Janie a new start, in a place where no one knew her story. The problem was money. Kitty's eyes rested on Janie's sleeping, unlined face. "Sweetheart, in some ways you're still a child, but life has already taught you hard lessons. I know what that's like, but you've proven how brave you are. Never lose that feeling." Kitty pushed herself up from the hard, wooden chair, with a heavy sigh. Janie needed money to give her a new start. Under ordinary circumstances she would simply have withdrawn money from her bank account and insisted that Cora accept it, but that account was close to zero. She'd just replaced broken chairs, made improvements to the Long Branch, and unbeknownst to Frank, paid for a good part of the broach he gave Cora, before Jane's return. There was no chunk of money to spare and Janie needed to start her new life now, while the opportunity was there.
TBC