Chapter 24 "No More Little Rubies Jumping On The Bed" Ruby gets her first stitches.
Kitty shook her head in amusement as she hung up Ruby's stockings on the washline. She hung them next to Matt's socks. Matt's socks and Ruby's stockings were about the same length. Kitty's mind wandered back to a couple of weeks ago when Ruby had asked her momma if she could wear daddy's socks instead of her stockings. Kitty figured that question was prompted from when Kitty had shown Ruby that her stockings and daddy's socks were the same length. She had to explain to Ruby that even though the articles of clothing were the same length, she wouldn't be able to keep daddy's socks up on her legs. They would keep falling down. Not that she didn't believe her momma, but Ruby had to see for herself. Sure enough, daddy's socks slipped right down her little legs. Kitty finished hanging up the last of the clean clothes and started walking back to the farmhouse.
"Ruby!" Kitty called her daughter. "Momma's done with the washing. It's time to come inside."
"Comin', momma!" Ruby yelled as she ran towards her momma. She had been kicking her red ball around while momma put the clean, wet clothes on the washline.
While Kitty and Ruby walked back to the house, Kitty thought back to when she and Matt purchased this house. Matt wanted to marry Kitty and give her a house, but he was still the Marshal and he needed to be close to town. This house was the perfect location and the perfect size to raise a family. There was a larger and smaller bedroom on the main floor and two more bedrooms upstairs. The larger bedroom would be for Matt and Kitty, and the smaller one down the hall would make a great nursery. When they had another child, the first one would be moved upstairs and the new baby would have the nursery.
Kitty planned on having a few children with Matt. Of course the good Lord had other plans. Ruby was still in the small bedroom down the hall from her parents. Matt and Kitty were in no rush to move her out of that bedroom. They knew someday that Ruby would want more space and would move into one of the bedrooms upstairs. The bedrooms upstairs were slightly bigger than Ruby's bedroom downstairs. There were times when the upstairs bedrooms were used, like when Doc stayed the night or when Rosie and Mary Roniger spent the night with Ruby. Kitty wasn't quite sure what she would do with Ruby's little bedroom once she did move upstairs.
As for the rest of the house, the outside was a bright white with green shutters. Inside, in addition to the bedrooms, there was a parlor, a decent sized kitchen, and a water closet. There was a storm cellar on the north side of the house. Matt wanted to make sure the house had a storm cellar. He wanted to make sure Kitty and their future family would be safe during any Kansas storm or tornado.
When Kitty and Ruby reached the back door, Kitty placed the wash basket to the side, and she and Ruby walked into the kitchen. It was time for lunch and Kitty had decided to make Ruby and herself some roast beef sandwiches from the little bit of leftover roast beef from the other night's supper. She pulled the roast beef from the ice box and cut a few slices of bread from the loaf that was sitting on the counter. She would make Ruby a half sandwich and a whole one for herself. While she was putting the sandwiches together, Kitty heard Ruby bouncing her ball.
"Ruby, you know better than to bring your red ball in the house," Kitty admonished her daughter. "Please put it outside."
"Sorry momma," said Ruby. She opened the back door and put her red ball next to the wash basket. "Is wunch ready?"
"We'll eat as soon as we wash your hands," said Kitty. "Let's go to the water closet and do that."
Hands washed, Kitty and Ruby returned to the kitchen to eat their sandwiches. After Kitty placed Ruby on her seat, she grabbed two glasses and poured milk into them. She gave the smaller glass to Ruby. Ruby was about to take a bite of her sandwich, but Kitty stopped her.
"We need to say grace before we eat," said Kitty. "Would you like to say it?"
"Sure momma," said Ruby as she folded her hands and bowed her head. "Dear God, thank you for our wunch and pwease make sure daddy comes home soon. Pwease keep him safe. Amen"
"Amen," said Kitty.
Normally Ruby's lunchtime graces didn't involve asking God to bring daddy home or to keep him safe. But Matt had to make a trip to Hays. This would be the fifth day that he had been gone. Kitty got a telegram from him yesterday saying that he would be home tomorrow. Since she got the telegram yesterday, that meant he would be home today. Kitty thought back to the first time Matt had to make a trip to Hays after Ruby was born. Ruby was six months old.
"Kitty, I would feel better if you and Ruby stayed at the Dodge House," said Matt.
"Matt, why would we stay at the Dodge House when we have a perfect house right here to stay in?" Kitty asked. She switched Ruby to her other breast.
"I just don't like the thought of you two being alone out here while I'm in Hays," Matt explained.
"Matt, don't you trust me alone with our daughter?" Kitty asked with raised eyebrows.
"You know I completely trust you to be alone with our daughter," Matt sighed. "What I don't trust is some creep finding out I'm gone, that you two are alone, and taking advantage of my absence."
"Matt, I appreciate how protective you are of us, but trying to take care of a baby in the confines of a tiny hotel room does not sound appealing," said Kitty. "If you're so worried about us being alone, then don't let too many people know you'll be leaving."
"I can see I'm not going to change your mind," Matt responded, rubbing his hand through his curls. "I'll make sure as few people as possible know that I'll be gone."
Kitty was brought back to the present by her daughter's voice. "Momma, when will daddy be home?"
"He'll be home later this afternoon," Kitty answered.
"Is Unca Festus gonna come over again?" asked Ruby as she took a big gulp of her milk.
"He won't be over again before daddy gets home," answered Kitty.
The first time Matt went to Hays Festus had stopped by the house one evening. Festus had conveniently stopped by during suppertime. He had told Kitty that he and Ruth were in the neighborhood and decided to pay a visit to the two purtiest ladies in Dodge City. Kitty wasn't fooled. She knew Matt had worked something out with Festus. Kitty wasn't angry. If sending Festus out to the house to make sure everything was okay made Matt feel better, then Kitty would deal with it. Matt didn't make too many trips to Hays. He gave more and more of those trips to Festus and Newly. But when he did, Festus usually stopped by for supper.
"Would you like some apple slices sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar?" Kitty asked Ruby as she cleared away their plates and cups from the table. She knew what the answer would be. Apple slices with cinnamon and sugar were one of Ruby's favorites.
"Oh boy!" Ruby exclaimed. "I wuv appo swices with cinnamon and sugar."
Kitty cut up an apple and sprinkled the slices with cinnamon and sugar. She and Ruby shared the apple. Kitty knew that Ruby usually didn't eat a whole apple, especially after eating lunch. Once the apple slices were gone, Kitty cleaned Ruby's hands and mouth. After she was cleaned, Ruby climbed down from her chair.
"Honey, why don't you go to your room and play with Annie and Lulu, while momma gets the kitchen cleaned up from lunch?" Kitty asked her daughter.
"Okay momma," responded Ruby. "Is awmost time for my nap?"
"It will be after I get the kitchen cleaned." Kitty replied.
Ruby pushed the swinging door between the kitchen and parlor and walked to her bedroom. Annie and Lulu were sitting on her bed. She thought about what she and her dolls should do, and then inspiration struck. Ruby climbed up on the bed, took a doll in each arm, and started to jump up and down. Ruby wasn't paying attention to where she was jumping and jumped into her headboard, hitting her chin on it. Dropping her dolls, Ruby put her hand to her chin and began to scream and cry.
Kitty heard Ruby and immediately went to the little girl. She met Ruby in the hallway and saw the blood dripping from under Ruby's hand. Kitty didn't want to panic and cause her daughter to panic. Kitty took Ruby to the water closet and grabbed a towel for her chin. She then rinsed Ruby's hand with water.
"Sweetie, what happened?" asked Kitty as she held the towel to Ruby's chin.
"I hit my chin on the front of my bed," Ruby cried.
"How did that happen?" Kitty asked. She had a feeling she knew the answer.
"Maybe I was jumpin' on my bed," Ruby sniffled.
"Your daddy and I have told you not to do that and this is why," Kitty told Ruby. "I think we're going to have to take a trip to Grandpa Doc's so he can make your chin all better."
Kitty hitched up the team to the wagon and drove her and Ruby to town to pay a visit to Doc. Since Kitty had to hold the reins while she drove the wagon, Ruby had to hold the towel to her chin. Matt could drive the wagon with the reins in one hand. Kitty wasn't strong enough to do that. It took twenty minutes to get into town.
Kitty parked the wagon next to Doc's office. She got down from the rig and then helped Ruby down. The two of them climbed the steps to Doc's office and Kitty knocked on the door. She always did. She didn't want to interrupt Doc if he was with a patient. When Doc didn't answer, Kitty knocked again.
Doc was in his private room, when he heard the knocking. He had been up all night delivering a baby and had gotten back to his office less than fifteen minutes ago. Doc was hoping to be able to squeeze in a nap. When he heard the knocking again, he knew whoever was out there wouldn't be leaving.
"I'm coming!" Doc yelled. "Hold your horses!" He opened the door and saw Kitty and Ruby standing on the other side. He saw the bloody towel Ruby held to her chin. "By golly! What in thunder happened?" Doc stepped aside so Kitty and Ruby could enter.
"Well someone decided to jump on her bed and ended up hitting her chin on the headboard," Kitty answered.
Doc lifted Ruby up onto the examining table. "Let grandpa look and see what we have here." He took the towel away and examined Ruby's chin. "It's going to need a couple of stitches. I'll need to clean it and give it some medicine before I start. Honey, this may sting a little." Doc got to work on Ruby's chin.
"Ow!" Ruby cried. "That stings a wot!"
"Sorry sweetie, but grandpa has to do this," Doc apologized. "If I didn't it would really hurt when I did the stitches and it might get infected."
Doc had Ruby lay down while he put three stitches in Ruby's chin. After he was done stitching Ruby's chin up, he taped some clean cloth over the wound to keep it clean. He gave Kitty some extra tape and cloth so she could make sure clean cloth was always on Ruby's chin. He wanted to make sure Ruby's chin stayed clean. Doc didn't have to give Kitty instructions on how to keep Ruby's stitches clean. She's had plenty of experience keeping Matt's wounds cleaned. Before leaving, Doc warned Ruby not to jump on any more beds.
Kitty was about to pay Doc, but he wouldn't accept. Ruby was his granddaughter and he would make sure that she stayed healthy and was all fixed up for free. Since he wouldn't take the money, Kitty insisted he come over for Sunday dinner. Doc graciously accepted the dinner invitation.
"Momma, what do you think daddy is gonna say about my stitches?" Ruby asked her momma.
"He'll probably be sad that his little gemstone got hurt and he'll probably tell you not to jump on the bed anymore," Kitty answered as she and Ruby walked down the steps of Doc's office.
Kitty put Ruby up on the wagon seat and climbed up. She was maneuvering the wagon from its parking spot and out on the street. Kitty had just started down Front Street, when both she and Ruby spotted Matt and Buck coming from the opposite way. Matt saw his girls coming his way. The closer they got, Matt was able to see Ruby's chin. He became concerned.
"Hi daddy!" Ruby waved. "Grandpa Doc had to sew me up." She pointed to her chin.
"What happened?" Matt asked. His question was directed towards Kitty.
Kitty looked at Ruby. "Why don't you tell daddy what happened?"
"I hit my chin on my headboard," Ruby replied.
"Tell daddy how you hit your chin on your headboard," Kitty told Ruby.
"Me, Annie, and Wuwu might have been jumpin' on the bed," said Ruby.
"There's no might have been about it. You were jumping on the bed," said Kitty.
"Well, young lady, no more jumping on the bed," Matt said in a stern but soft voice.
"I know, daddy," Ruby sighed. "Momma and Grandpa Doc awready said that to me."
"That's good. I hope you listen like a big girl. Daddy doesn't want to go away and come back to see his little gemstone got hurt. It makes daddy's heart sad." Matt then spoke to Kitty. "Let me drop these saddle bags off in my office and then hitch Buck to the back of the wagon. It'll take me no more than ten minutes, and then I'll drive my favorite ladies home."
"Sounds good," said Kitty. "I'll move the wagon over there, so it's not in the middle of the street."
Kitty moved the wagon, and she and Ruby waited for Matt. Ten minutes later Matt had the saddle bags in the office and Buck tied to the back of the wagon. He hopped up onto the rig, next to Ruby, and took the reins from Kitty. Matt clicked his tongue and gently snapped the reins and steered the team towards home.
"Daddy, did you bring me anything?" Ruby asked. The times when Matt did leave overnight, he usually brought a little surprise back for Ruby.
Matt brought the wagon to a halt. "I sure did. Why don't you check my vest pocket?"
Ruby reached in her daddy's vest pocket and pulled out a lollipop. "Oh a wowipop! Wook momma! Daddy bring me a wowipop! Can I have it now?"
"You can have it after supper," Kitty promised.
As promised, Ruby was allowed to have her lollipop after supper. Considering she did not get her nap that day, Ruby went to bed earlier than her normal time. This gave Matt and Kitty more private time together, where Kitty could give her Cowboy a private welcome home celebration in their bedroom. Matt hated to be away from his girls for an extended period of time, but he always looked forward to Kitty's welcome home celebrations, celebrations full of lovemaking and holding one another.
TBC