Chapter 23 "The Tea Party" Following a trip to town and some other events, Ruby has a tea party with her daddy and momma.
It was a beautiful Saturday morning and the Dillon family was enjoying breakfast together. Kitty made eggs over easy, biscuits, and pancakes. Pancakes were a treat. She did not always make them. However, she had blueberry preserves she had made from fresh blueberries. Ruby loved pancakes with butter and blueberry preserves. Ruby would rather eat pancakes with blueberries, than syrup. Matt was the same way.
Being that it was a Saturday, Matt and Kitty planned on making a trip into town. Ruby had been home from her kidnapping ordeal for two weeks now. They did not go into town the previous Saturday. There was really no need for Matt and Kitty to do so. They did not need any supplies. However, this week they were in need of supplies, so a trip into town was a must.
"It looks like it's going to be a gorgeous day today," said Kitty as she observed the bright sunshine outside the kitchen window.
"Perfect weather for our trip into town and tracking day with the boys," said Matt, taking a sip of his coffee.
Each year Matt chose one day and took a group of kids, around the ages of seven to eleven, and gave them tracking lessons. He started it over ten years ago and still continued. He invited both girls and boys, but it was usually just boys that showed up. Matt wanted to be fair and that's why the invitation was extended to boys and girls. Before kids were allowed to go tracking with Matt, he made sure the kids had their parents' permission.
"The weather is perfect for tracking with the kids," Kitty agreed. "Those kids really look forward to that."
"They sure do," said Matt. "I wouldn't be surprised if they showed up if it were pouring rain outside."
Kitty laughed and then looked over at her daughter. She noticed that Ruby had barely touched her pancakes. That surprised Kitty. Ruby loved pancakes and blueberry preserves. Afraid that Ruby wasn't feeling well, Kitty asked if she felt alright.
"Ruby, honey, do you feel okay?" Kitty softly asked, her voice full of concern. "You love pancakes with butter and blueberries, and you've only taken a few bites."
Matt looked at Ruby's plate and realized that most of her pancakes were still there. He too was concerned that Ruby was getting sick. "Does your tummy hurt, sweetie?" Matt asked his daughter.
"No," Ruby quietly answered.
Kitty got up and put her hand to Ruby's forehead. Kitty was relieved when Ruby's forehead felt cool to the touch. "You don't seem to have a fever. Does your throat hurt when you swallow?"
"No," Ruby quietly answered again.
Matt and Kitty looked at one another. This behavior was not like their daughter at all. If she did not feel well, Ruby usually let her parents know. She was not quiet about it. Something was bothering their little girl enough that she wasn't eating her breakfast. Matt and Kitty knew they had to find out what was wrong.
"If your tummy and throat don't hurt, what's wrong?" Matt asked.
"Nothing," said Ruby with tears in her eyes.
The tears did not go unnoticed by Matt and Kitty. This only made them even more concerned. They couldn't figure out why Ruby wasn't telling them what was wrong. What was she afraid of? They would have to gently coax it out of her.
"Little gemstone, you know you can tell your momma and me anything," said Matt as he gently rubbed his thumb on his daughter's small hand.
"Please tell us what's bothering you," Kitty encouraged her daughter.
Ruby looked at her daddy and then her momma. "I don't wanna go to the store," she blurted out, her tears spilling over.
Matt and Kitty glanced at each other. They were not expecting that answer from their daughter. Ruby loved going into town and to the store on Saturdays.
"Why not?" question Kitty. "You love going to the store on Saturday mornings."
"I don't want no one take me again," Ruby answered. "I missed you and daddy a wot."
Matt rose up from his chair and knelt by his daughter. His heart broke at his daughter's confession. He didn't realize she was so afraid of going to the store. "Honey, I promise you that no one is going to take you. Your momma and I will make sure you are always with one of us. We won't let you out of our sight."
"That's right, baby," Kitty reassured her daughter. "Daddy and I will always make sure you're with one of us. You have nothing to worry about." Like her husband, Kitty's heart also broke after hearing her daughter's confession.
"Will you please eat your pancakes?" Matt asked. "Momma and I want to make sure you stay strong and healthy."
"Okay, daddy," said Ruby. She placed a forkful of pancakes and blueberry preserves into her mouth.
"That's my girl," said Matt as he kissed the top of Ruby's head.
It didn't take Ruby long to finish her breakfast. When Ruby was finished, Kitty did her best to wash the blueberries off of Ruby's face. There was still a trace of blueberry on Ruby's face, but Kitty figured it was no big deal. It would come off eventually, likely when Ruby had her bath. Besides, you could hardly notice it.
With the kitchen cleaned and Ruby cleaned, the Dillons set out for town. As she did before her kidnapping, Ruby sat between her parents on the wagon seat. The ride into town took about twenty minutes. Matt parked the wagon on a side street and helped his girls get down from the wagon. He got Ruby down first and then Kitty. The three of them walked down the boardwalk towards Jonas' store.
When they arrived at the store, Matt pushed the door open and allowed Kitty and Ruby to go in first. They each had a list that needed to be filled. Matt actually had two lists. He had a small list for the jail. Jonas heard the bell ding and went to see who his customers were. He was pleased to see the Dillons.
"Hello Marshal and Miss Kitty," Jonas greeted. "How wonderful to see you! What can I do for you?"
"We both have lists for you to fill," Matt answered.
"Which one do you want me to fill first?" asked Jonas.
"Go ahead and fill Kitty's," Matt replied. "Ladies first. I'll just look around while you fill her list."
"Alright," said Jonas. Kitty gave him her list.
"Daddy, can I come with you?" asked Ruby.
"Sure, sweetie," Matt answered. "Come here." He picked her up and started walking around the store.
After about ten minutes, Jonas finished with Kitty's order and then turned his attention to Matt. "Marshal, do you have your order?"
Shifting Ruby to his other arm, Matt pulled out his two lists and handed them to Jonas. "I have two lists. One is for the jail. Please put that on a separate bill."
"No problem, Marshal," said Jonas, taking the two lists.
It did not take Jonas long to fill the order on both of Matt's lists. Matt paid the bill for the items the Dillons would take home and told Jonas that Newly or Festus would be in later to pay the other bill. Jonas wrote down the amount on a piece of paper. Matt would take it to the jail so Newly or Festus would know how much money was needed.
Matt, Kitty, and Ruby left the store, with Matt carrying the big crate of their supplies. He put the crate in the back of the wagon, and then untied Buck from the back. Knowing he was going to stay in town to track with some of the town boys, he brought Buck so Kitty and Ruby could go home in the wagon. His plan was to tie Buck around the hitching post in front of the jail.
"Are you ladies heading home?" Matt asked. "If you are, I'll help you up into the wagon."
"Not quite yet," said Kitty. "I think Ruby and I will go and say hello to Doc."
"Yay!" exclaimed Ruby. "I wuv that oed scudder."
"Ruby!" Kitty exclaimed. "That's not very nice to say!"
"Unca Festus says it," Ruby stated.
"I'm going to have a talk with Uncle Festus about what he says in front of you," said Kitty. "I don't want to hear you say that again."
"Okay, momma," said Ruby. "I sorry."
Matt went his way to go tracking with several of the town boys and Kitty and Ruby went their way to visit Doc. Matt told the boys to meet him in front of the jail and that's where they were. The boys smiled when they saw the Marshal coming their way. He had his horse with him. When he got there, Matt could see that one boy hadn't arrived yet.
"I can see that we are missing one person," Matt observed. "It's not quite time to leave yet. We'll wait a little bit."
Meanwhile, as Kitty and Ruby were about to ascend the stairs to Doc's office, it dawned on Ruby that she forgot to remind her daddy about their tea party. "Momma, I forgot to say to daddy about our tea party."
"We'll go see if he hasn't left yet and remind him," said Kitty. "Don't worry. I'm sure he remembered."
Kitty and Ruby made their way towards the jail and they could see that Matt and the other boys hadn't left yet. Kitty could see the look of relief on Ruby's face. She wanted to make sure she had the chance to remind her daddy of their tea party. Kitty knew Matt wouldn't forget. Ruby had been reminding him the last couple of days.
One of the boys saw Kitty and Ruby coming and became upset. "Don't tell me we're waiting for a little girl," he complained. "This is for boys, not girls."
Matt also saw his girls coming. "No, she's not coming. She's too young. If she were older and wanted to come, I would let her. Girls are invited to come along as well."
"Daddy, I so gwad you didn't weave yet," said Ruby. "I want to make sure you 'member our tea party."
"I wouldn't forget a tea party with my favorite little girl," said Matt. "I'll make sure I'm not late."
"Thanks, daddy," said Ruby. Pleased with her daddy's statement, Ruby left with her momma to go and visit with Grandpa Doc.
"You're a Marshal," said another boy. "Do you really like tea parties or did you just say that?"
"I love tea parties with my little girl," Matt replied. "Now let's get going. It looks like everyone is here now."
After visiting with Doc for a little bit, Kitty and Ruby headed home. When they got home, Kitty made Ruby and herself some lunch. Once lunch was eaten and the kitchen was cleaned, Kitty put Ruby down for a nap. Kitty told Ruby they would have the tea party after Ruby's nap. She just hoped Ruby wasn't too excited to go to sleep.
Kitty worried for nothing. Ruby took her usual nap. When Ruby woke up, she noticed that her daddy still wasn't home. She was afraid her daddy forgot all about the tea party. Kitty had to reassure that it wasn't quite time for the party and that he would be there.
"We have to set up for the party so that way it will be all ready when daddy gets here," said Kitty.
Ruby agreed. They got Ruby's tea set out. Kitty put water in the teapot. They always used water for tea. Ruby's job was to put a little saucer and a teacup on top of it at each person's seat. She put another saucer in front of each teacup. Kitty took a small saucer from the cupboard and placed small chunks of biscuits on it. The biscuits were small enough to fit on Ruby's small saucers. They would have biscuits and butter with their "tea." The last thing Kitty and Ruby did was put on fancy hats to wear to the tea party. Once all that was done, they sat down and waited for Matt to come home. They wouldn't have to wait too long.
When Matt came home, he walked past the kitchen window. He could see that Kitty and Ruby put on fancy hats for the tea party. Kitty and Ruby didn't see him come home. Seeing that he wasn't dressed properly, he decided to walk around to the front door. He quietly sneaked in the house and went to the bedroom to change. He put on his Sunday pants, a white shirt, a jacket, and a string tie. Satisfied that he was now dressed for a tea party, he walked towards the kitchen.
"I hope I'm not late," said Matt as he opened the kitchen door and walked into the kitchen.
"You're right on time," said Kitty. She smiled when she saw that Mat had changed his clothes. "We didn't hear you come home."
"I was walking past the kitchen window and saw my favorite girls were dressed so nicely and I decided I needed to change," said Matt. "So I quietly came through the front door and went to the bedroom to change."
"Wet's start the tea party," Ruby impatiently said.
Matt and Kitty smiled. Their daughter had been waiting to have this tea party for a few days now. They weren't going to make her wait any longer. Kitty poured the "tea" into each of the cups, while Ruby put a piece of biscuit on each saucer. Matt buttered the biscuit pieces. During the tea party, Matt told Kitty and Ruby about tracking with the boys and Kitty and Ruby told Matt about their visit with Doc. When the tea party was done, everything was cleaned up. Matt changed out of his clothes and Kitty and Ruby took off their hats.
Later that night Matt and Kitty put Ruby to bed. She was still excited about the earlier tea party. It took a little longer than normal for her to fall asleep. A couple hours later Matt and Kitty retreated to their own bedroom for the night. As Matt always did when they got into bed, he gathered Kitty into his arms.
"Cowboy, I want to thank you for coming to Ruby's tea party," said Kitty, tracing lazy circles on Matt's chest. "I'm sure tea parties aren't on the top of a Marshal's favorite things to do."
"Of course they are," said Matt. "Especially when I can have them with my favorite girls."
"Matt, you're a wonderful husband and father," said Kitty.
"You and Ruby make it so easy," said Matt. "You and Ruby deserve me to be nothing but wonderful to the two of you."
Kitty leaned up and gave Matt a kiss. That kiss led to foreplay, which eventually led to a round of lovemaking. While Matt and Kitty were basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking, a thought crossed Kitty's mind.
'Yup,' she thought. 'Such a wonderful husband.' She was sure that Ruby would agree on the wonderful father part.
TBC