"No Laughing Matter" (Part 2)
Matt and Festus had been sitting in the jail. Matt was listening to one of Festus' stories about his Aunt Isadore. If anyone else had been telling this story, Matt would not have believed it. However, Festus was telling this story and this was the kind of story that would happen to a Haggan.
Matt was about to ask Festus a question, when he heard Kitty's agonizing scream. It was a scream that sent shivers down your spine. Both Matt and Festus quickly jumped up from their chairs to see what was wrong. When they opened the door, Matt and Festus saw Kitty standing there, staring down the street and Ike Marden laughing hysterically.
"Kitty, what's wrong?" Matt frantically asked. He had a feeling he knew what was wrong, when he saw the horse and buggy race down the street and his daughter nowhere to be seen.
"This man slapped the back end of the horse, sending him and the buggy racing down the street," Kitty replied. "Ruby's in the buggy!"
Matt quickly loosened Buck's reins from around the hitching post. "Festus, lock him up!" Matt yelled as he took off after the buggy.
Festus grabbed Ike, who was still laughing at the situation. "Git in here!" Festus yelled.
Kitty waited outside. She could not go inside until she knew that her little girl was safe and sound. She didn't doubt that Matt would be able to stop the horse and buggy. Kitty knew Matt would do anything to get his daughter out of danger.
As Matt rode after the buggy, he wanted to yell to Ruby to hang on, but he was afraid the little girl would try to stand up on the seat or something to see how close her daddy was. Instead of yelling for his daughter to hold on, Matt silently prayed that she would. Matt had Buck sprinting like he never did before.
It did not take Matt long to catch up to the runaway horse and buggy. He was able to get hold of the horse's reins about two miles out of town. Holding the reins in one hand, Matt brought the horse and buggy to a halt.
"Whoa there," said Matt. He turned and looked in the buggy. Matt panicked when he didn't see Ruby sitting on the seat. "Ruby?" After calling her name, Matt could hear Ruby whimpering. He realized Ruby must be on the floor of the buggy.
Matt dismounted Buck and made sure the horse was not going to take off again before he let go of the reins. Once he was confident that the horse was not going anywhere, he let go of the reins and walked to the buggy. He saw Ruby huddled on the floor, shaking. The sight of his daughter sent an array of emotions through him. His heart broke for his little girl, but at the same time anger coursed through him. She never should have been put in that situation. He would have words with Ike Marden when he returned to town, but right now Ruby was his top priority.
"Ruby, honey, it's daddy," Matt said as he carefully lifted her from the buggy. "Shhh, it's okay. I've got you. Everything is gonna be alright." Matt's voice was soothing as he rubbed Ruby's back.
Ruby had her arms wrapped tightly around her daddy's neck, as if she had no plans to let go anytime soon. "Buttercup went reawy fast. I kept saying, 'Stop Buttercup!', but he wouldn't stop. Why did he go so fast?"
"I'm so sorry, sweetie. A man hit Buttercup on his backside, and that made Buttercup go really fast," Matt explained. "Are you okay? Does anything hurt?"
"My side hurts," Ruby answered, pointing to her ribs on the left side of her body.
Matt was instantly concerned once more. Ruby didn't complain when he lifted her from the floor of the buggy, but Matt wasn't sure if he caused more harm to his daughter when he did that. He knew he had to quickly get Ruby into town so Doc could examine her.
"We'll have Grandpa Doc look at you when we get back into town," said Matt. "I'll tie Buck to the back of the buggy."
Matt was about to set Ruby on the seat, but she clinged tightly to him. "I don't wanna sit there by mysowf," she said.
"Alright, I won't put you in the buggy until I'm there with you," said Matt.
Matt could easily tie Buck's reins to the back of the buggy while he held onto his daughter. He securely tied Buck's reins to the bar on the back of the buggy. When he finished, Matt walked to the front of the buggy, gently placing Ruby on the seat. After making sure Ruby was situated, Matt sat down next to her.
"Did you tie Buck to the back tightwy?" asked Ruby. "I don't wanna woose him."
"I made sure to tie Buck's reins tightly," Matt reassured Ruby. "We won't lose him." Matt then looked down and noticed Ruby's stocking feet. "Ruby, where are your shoes?"
Matt looked down at the floorboards of the buggy, but didn't see anything. He knew the shoes weren't on the seat. Matt didn't remember seeing any shoes fall from the runaway buggy. Then again, he wasn't paying attention to shoes falling from the buggy. His focus was making sure his daughter didn't fall.
"Mama and I put them in the shoe box. My toes were skushed," answered Ruby. "I gonna get new ones at Mr. Jonas' store."
"First we're gonna take you to see Grandpa Doc, and then we'll get you some new shoes," said Matt.
Matt gently snapped the reins and turned the buggy towards town. He wanted to hurry up and get Ruby back into town so Doc could examine her. Matt also knew that Kitty would be anxiously waiting. As much as Matt wanted to quickly get back to town, he knew it would be better to take things slowly. Ruby complained that her side hurt, and Matt didn't know the extent of her injuries. The last thing Matt wanted to do was cause more injury.
Back in town, Kitty was waiting outside of the jail, sitting on one of the chairs on the front porch. Doc had heard of Ruby's plight and immediately came to join Kitty, offering her his support. He also wanted to make sure he was readily available when Matt and Ruby returned in case Ruby had been injured. Dear God he hoped his granddaughter was alright.
Several minutes later Kitty and Doc saw the buggy returning to town. Buck was tied to the back and Ruby was snuggled close to her daddy. Both Kitty and Doc stood up and walked off the jail's porch, eager to see if Ruby was okay. By this time, Festus had also joined Doc and Kitty. Matt pulled the buggy up in front of the jail. Kitty was about to grab her daughter, but Matt stopped her.
"She says her side is hurting her," Matt told Kitty. He then turned his attention to Doc and Festus. "Doc, I'll carry Ruby up to your office. Festus, can you take care of the buggy and Buck? Is Ike Marden in jail?"
"Don't ya fret none, Matthew," said Festus. "I'll take care of things out here. And yes, that yayhoo is in jail."
"Thanks, Festus," said Matt. He was already out of the buggy, holding Ruby.
"Matt, let's get Ruby to my office so I can examine her," said Doc.
"Of course, Doc," said Matt.
"Ruby, are you alright?" Kitty asked her daughter.
"Yes, mama," Ruby said. "Buck went reawy fast and daddy stopped Buttercup."
Matt, Kitty, Doc, and Ruby went to Doc's office. When they walked inside, Matt placed Ruby on Doc's examining table. He wanted to have a look at Ruby's ribs, and to do so Ruby's dress had to be removed. Doc asked Kitty to take Ruby's dress off. Kitty went behind the little girl and unbuttoned the dress. Kitty was then able to remove the dress. Once the dress was removed, Doc told Ruby to lie down. She had some undergarments on, but Doc easily pushed that up. When he did so, Doc saw an angry bruise on Ruby's left side. He gently touched the bruise, causing Ruby to flinch.
"Grandpa's sorry, sweetheart," Doc apologized. "I have to make sure nothing is broken. I want you to take a deep breath, like you're getting ready to blow out candles." Ruby did as she was told. "Does it hurt when you do that?"
"No Grandpa Doc," Ruby answered.
"That's good," said Doc. He turned towards Matt and Kitty. "There's definitely some bruising, but I don't think anything is broken or out of place. If that were the case, taking deep breaths would be painful."
"Oh thank God," Kitty sighed. Her daughter had a big bruise, but at least nothing was broken.
Matt was also grateful that Ruby's injury was nothing more than a bruise, but he was still livid. His daughter should have never been put in a situation that caused her such a bruise. He would have words with Ike Marden.
Kitty put Ruby's dress back on her. "Is it okay to take her?" she asked Doc.
"Of course," said Doc, rubbing his mustache. "There's no need to keep her here. If there are any problems, bring her back here."
"Matt, will you carry Ruby?" asked Kitty as she buttoned the last button on Ruby's dress. "She doesn't have any shoes and we need to go to Jonas' store to buy her a new pair. I would like for you to come with us."
Kitty saw the look on Matt's face when he saw Ruby's bruise. She didn't want him going to the jail and doing something he would regret. Matt knew exactly what Kitty was doing. He knew she saw the look on his face. She was trying to keep him away from Ike Marden.
"Alright," Matt agreed. "Let's get Ruby some shoes. I'll stop by the jail later."
TBC
*Author's note: I originally planned on this being a two part story, but I have enough ideas to make this a three part story. Plus, I'm sick, either influenza or bronchitis, and I don't have the energy to write more.