Chapter 47 "The Kindergarten Graduate" There's no plot to this short chapter. I figured with summer here, I'd have Matt and Kitty celebrate Ruby's last day of school with her.
Matt stood up and carried his breakfast dishes to the wash basin. "I'll get the team hitched up to the wagon and wait for you girls outside."
Ruby put her glass of milk on the table and wiped her mouth on her napkin. "Why are you getting the wagon ready?" she asked. "Me 'n momma always take the buggy to school."
"Today daddy's going to ride with us," Kitty answered as she brought her breakfast dishes to the wash basin.
"He is?" Ruby's face lit up. She looked at her daddy. "Are you gonna take me to school too?"
"Yup," Matt answered. "Take your dishes to the basin. We have to leave soon. You don't want to be late for your last day of school. I need ta get the team hitched up." Matt walked out the back door.
Ruby could not believe her ears. "Wait. That's it? School is finished? I don't think I'm done learning."
"Of course you're not done learning," Kitty reassured her daughter. "School isn't finished forever, just for the summer. In the fall you'll go back and be in the first grade."
"Oh good," Ruby breathed a sigh of relief. "Is daddy comin' because it's my last day?"
Kitty smiled at Ruby. "Yes. He was there on your first day of kindergarten and wants to be there on your last day of kindergarten. Now, you don't want to be late, so go 'n get your satchel. I'm sure daddy is waiting for us."
As Kitty said, Matt was standing by the wagon waiting for Kitty and Ruby. He had Buck secured to the back of the wagon. After dropping Ruby off at school, the plan was for Matt to go to work and Kitty to return home. She would return to town later to retrieve Ruby from school. Matt assisted his girls up onto the wagon, climbed up himself, and with a click of his tongue and a light snap of the reins, he steered the wagon towards town.
Matt pulled up in front of the jail and brought the team of horses to a halt. He set the brake. "I'm gonna tie Buck to the hitching post."
"Daddy, I don't wanna be late," Ruby anxiously said.
"Don't worry," Kitty patted Ruby's leg. "We'll get you there in plenty of time."
Less than ten minutes later Matt and Kitty were dropping Ruby off at school. While Matt was getting down from the wagon, Ruby gave her momma a kiss and hug goodbye. Matt waited for Kitty and Ruby to finish their goodbyes before he lifted Ruby off of the seat. He wished Ruby a good last day of school, gave her a hug, and set her down. The moment her feet were on the ground, Ruby took off towards the school yard to join the other children.
Matt climbed back up onto the wagon and watched his little girl interact with the other children for a moment, and then turned the wagon towards town. "Is it just me or does her satchel look smaller?"
"It's not just you, Cowboy," Kitty affirmed. "Our little girl grew a few inches these last nine months."
"Do you think she'll be taller than most kids her age?" Matt inquired.
"I asked Doc that not too long ago. He said that unless she hits a growth spurt, he doesn't think so," Kitty replied. "Doc also added that Ruby's birth size is an indicator she probably won't inherit your height."
"I didn't realize you asked Doc about Ruby's height," Matt declared. "What made you ask?"
Kitty shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I guess I was just curious. What made you ask"
Matt took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "I was hoping she wouldn't be on the tall side," Matt admitted. He looked over at Kitty and saw her raised eyebrows. Knowing Kitty was waiting for an explanation, Matt continued. "I know you remember Lena Wave from so many years ago. She came to Dodge with her husband Emmett, who was shorter than she was. When they first arrived, we didn't know they were married. It took another man giving Lena his attention and a shooting for Emmett to treat Lena like a wife. I don't want Ruby to have to face something like that just because she might be taller than the man she marries."
Kitty put her hand on top of Matt's hand and squeezed. She had no idea Matt had this concern about Ruby. "I have a feeling Lena didn't have a woman to raise her as a proper lady, but Ruby does. Lena's problem was that she didn't behave how a lady should behave, not her height. You don't have to worry. I'll make sure Ruby is brought up as a proper lady, no matter how tall she gets."
Matt was relieved by Kitty's words. "I have no doubt that you will." He pulled up in front of the jail and turned to give Kitty a quick kiss. Before climbing down, Matt handed Kitty the reins.
Kitty took the reins. "Will you be around when Ruby gets out of school? I was thinking the three of us could have lunch at Delmonico's to celebrate her last day of school."
"I have to ride out to Fort Dodge, but I'll try to be back on time," Matt replied.
"Well, if you can that's great, but if not don't worry about it," Kitty told Matt. "I haven't said anything to Ruby about going to Delmonico's. So if you're not back in time, she won't be upset." To let Matt know she was not upset, Kitty gave Matt the smile she reserved just for him, and then left for home.
Three hours later Kitty came back to town to get Ruby. As she rode past the jail, Kitty noticed that Buck wasn't out front. Slightly disappointed, Kitty continued on to the school. She still planned on taking Ruby to Delmonico's for lunch, even if Matt couldn't be there. Kitty arrived on the school property and noticed several other mothers waiting for their young children.
"It's hard to believe that we've made it to the last day of school," Miss Grey told her class. "I have enjoyed my first year of teaching here in Dodge. You are all great students. I hope you have a wonderful summer."
"Thank you, Miss Grey," the class said in unison.
Miss Grey got up from her desk and had three diplomas in her hand. "I would also like to congratulate our graduates. They worked hard this year to reach this accomplishment." She handed out the diplomas and started a round of applause.
"I'm just glad I don't have to think for the next few months," one student remarked.
"Billy, just because you won't be in school, it doesn't mean you can forget what you learned," said Miss Grey, returning to her desk. "And that goes for the rest of you. Summer is a time to rest our brains, but not to forget what you've learned. Alright, it looks like it's time to dismiss you. I'm going to let the older students out first so they don't trample the younger ones." She rang the bell on her desk. "Class dismissed."
"Yay!" the students cheered as they scrambled out of their seats and headed for the door.
Kitty and the other mothers saw the doors burst open and the excited children flow out. They could see that the older children were leading the way. Kitty patiently waited for her daughter to come out of the school. Once she saw Ruby, Kitty had a lump in her throat. It suddenly occurred to her that her baby girl was no longer a kindergartner. Not wanting Ruby to see her upset, Kitty took a few deep breaths and was able to dam up her tears.
"Momma!" Ruby exclaimed, running up to the wagon. "I'm done with school for a few months. Now we can spend more time together."
Kitty waited for Ruby to climb into the buggy. She didn't know why she hadn't thought of that. Ruby was no longer a kindergartner, but Kitty would get to spend more time with her during the summer months. "I'm looking forward to that. Since it is your last day of school, I thought we'd go have lunch at Delmonico's."
"Oh boy!" Ruby clapped her hands together. "Is daddy coming too?"
"He had to ride out to Fort Dodge," Kitty replied. "But we can go and see if he's back." Kitty did not want to get Ruby's hopes up.
Up ahead Kitty could see Matt riding towards the jail. Ruby also saw her daddy. Kitty maneuvered the buggy down a side street and parked it. She instructed Ruby to leave her satchel under the seat of the buggy. With her handbag in one hand, Kitty used her other hand to take hold of Ruby's hand. They strolled to the jail.
"Perfect timing, Cowboy," Kitty greeted Matt. "Are you ready to take our kindergarten graduate to lunch?"
"Of course," Matt smiled. He stepped in between Kitty and Ruby, taking both of their hands.
Matt escorted Kitty and Ruby into Delmonico's and to the table where he and Kitty usually shared a meal. Being the gentleman that he is, Matt pulled out the chair for Kitty and then did the same for Ruby. Once they were situated, Matt sat down. He removed his hat and placed it on the empty chair.
Joe came up to their table with a pad of paper and pencil in his hand. "Hello. What can I get you to eat?"
"I saw your sign outside said beef stew and biscuits were today's special," said Matt. "I think I'll have that." Joe wrote down Matt's order. He turned to Kitty, but Ruby spoke up.
"If daddy's getting beef stew and biscuits, that's what I want," she said. Joe nodded and wrote down Ruby's order.
Kitty couldn't help but smile. Ruby adored her daddy so much that she wanted to eat the same meal as he did. Matt could order catfish stew and Ruby would do the same. "Joe, make those three specials." Joe left the table to give their order to the cook.
The Dillons ate hardy beef stew and biscuits for lunch. Matt and Kitty listened as their daughter told them that Miss Grey said the class could give their brains a rest, but they couldn't forget what they learned. She then went on to tell them that some kids were graduates and were given a piece of paper.
Seeing that the Dillons were finishing up, Joe returned to their table. "Can I get you folks any dessert?"
Ruby's eyes lit up at the sound of dessert. This did not go unnoticed by her parents. "What kind of pie do you have?" Matt asked.
"Today, we have apple," Joe replied. Apple was Ruby's favorite.
"We'll take three slices of apple pie with a scoop of ice cream on each slice," Matt told Joe. Joe left to go and get the desserts.
"Only one scoop?" Ruby pouted. "This is a celebration. I should get two."
"One scoop is plenty," said Kitty, in what Ruby described as Kitty's momma voice. When Kitty used her momma voice, Ruby knew there was no arguing.
Joe returned with the pies and the bill. He set them on the table. As they were eating their pie and ice cream, a thought occurred to Ruby. She was pretty sure her momma called her a graduate.
"Wait a minute," said Ruby as she put down her fork. "You said I was a kindergarten graduate. How come I didn't get a piece of paper?"
"I just called you that because you finished kindergarten," Kitty explained. "The kids who graduated from school won't come back in the fall. Miss Grey gave them a diploma."
Ruby nodded her head in understanding. "When I graduate, I want a diploma and two scoops of ice cream on my pie." She continued to eat the apple pie and ice cream in front of her. Matt and Kitty turned towards each other and smiled. Only their daughter would make a request like that.
The end of this story.