New Orleans
Dodge - Kitty couldn't get the word out of her head. Could Mathilda somehow be acting on her crazy idea to become saloon girl? She took Vivi by the shoulders. "Is there any chance at all, that Mathilda had access to enough money for a train ticket?" "No." Vivi paused. "Well maybe. My girls are sometimes given money for trinkets and such, on birthdays and other occasions. Unlike the three younger girls, Mathilda never spends hers right away. She says she'd rather save for something good. I guess she could have enough saved for a ticket. Why do you asked?" Kitty grabbed Vivi's hand and pulled her out the door. "Take me to the telegraph office. Run, run. Mathilde went to Dodge, I have to wire Matt."
Dodge City
Inside the Lady Gay Saloon, Jewel's bright orange lips formed an encouraging smile, and she tightened her fingers around Mathilda's wrist. "Come on honey. I'll paint your face, do your hair up good and get you into a dress that shows off your good parts." With growing panic, Matilda kept her feet planted firmly on the floor. She didn't know exactly what was happening, but had a growing feeling it wasn't good. Wanting to be a saloon girl was one thing, the details of what that actually meant were something else. Behind the bar, Bill Barker puffed smoke into the air. "Get her upstairs, Jewel. A customer's waiting." "I'm trying, I'm trying." Jewel tightened her grip even more and yanked. The young woman staggered forward, heart pounding in her chest.
"EVERYONE HOLD IT."
Matt Dillon paused outside the batwing doors before pushing through. Bill Barker nervously ran his fingers through his greasy hair. He didn't want trouble with Dillon, but for once, he was doing nothing wrong. The little lady came here on her own, looking for a job. "Hello Marshal. I can't believe there's any kinda problem here. You know I run a lawful establishment." Matt threw Barker a sour look."Yep, when I don't catch you rolling a drunk or running a crooked table, but that's not why I'm here." He pointed to Mathilda. "I need that young lady to come with me." "Marshal Dillon, that lady came here askin' for work." "That may be so Barker, but she's leaving." Matt fixed his eyes on Jewel. She quickly let go of Mathilda's arm, only a fool would argue with Dillon. Mathilda took one small, tentative step towards Matt. A big part of her was relieved at being rescued, but another part resented interference with her plan, even if that plan was clearly not a great one. Matt pointed to the door. "After you Mathilda Claymore." Stunned he knew her name, she hurried past him out the door and stood waiting on the walkway. He followed close behind. She turned. "How do you know my hame?" Matt gently took her arm and guided her down Front Street. "Kitty Russell. I just got a telegram from her, saying that you took the train to Dodge to fine saloon work. Lady Gay's the first saloon a person comes to, walking from the train depot." Mathilda narrowed her eyes. "I suppose I'm glad you found me, but you can't force me to go back to New Orleans. I'm 18 - an adult. I can do what I want." "I see, so you think running off and worrying the folks who care about you is an adult way to act." Her eyes shifted away. Matt's voice softened. "Mathilda, I'm taking you to the telegraph office, so I can send a wire to New Orleans and let folks know you're all right. After that I'll take you to lunch. Then, like you said you're 18, you can do what you want." He lengthened his strides. She hurried to keep up.
New Orleans
After sending a wire to Matt, about Vivi's 18 year old, bride-to-be, runaway daughter, Kitty watched her friend nervously walk circles inside the telegraph office. "You'll wear out your shoes. Let's go sit on the bench and wait for an answer." Vivi followed Kitty to the windowless waiting area. "Do you think Matt Dillon will find her?" Kitty nodded. "If she's in Dodge he'll find her. Heck, if she's anywhere in Kansas he'll find her." Vivi managed to chuckle. "Your confidence in that marshal makes me feel a whole lot better." She looked thoughtfully at her friend, "Kitty, until this telegram, you haven't brought up Matt Dillon's name at all, since you arrived. You've been mentioning him in letters for years, and I figured when we finally got together, you'd be bursting to tell me more. Since clearly you're not, I have to ask, are you two breaking up?" "No, no - it's just that being with Matt can be complicated. It can require - well - require a lot of a person in many different ways. I wanted and I needed to set it all aside for a while - clear my head, a take a look at life from other angles. But, leaving Matt is not a thought that's anywhere in my mind." Vivi looked into Kitty's eyes. "In that case, I'll ask what I've been dying to know. Why haven't you two married? Do you value your independence that much?" "Well - at this point, the biggest reason is Matt's belief he has no right to have a family while he wears the badge. He's unshakable on that. His father, a Texas Ranger, was killed in the line of duty. It devastated Matt's mother and she died within the year. He was sent to live with strangers on a ranch. The one thing in this world that scares Matt Dillon is leaving a widow and children behind." Vivi nodded slowly. "What do you think? I know you enjoy being a business woman with the independence it affords, but do you want a family?" "Oh Vivi, I have a good life, and for a lot of years Matt's stand on marriage was fine, in fact I didn't think about it much. But, as I've grown older, the pull to motherhood has grown stronger and stronger. So, I very much hope, that when Matt takes off that badge, some child bearing years will still be ahead of me." Vivi leaned in, striving to understand a relationship so much more intricate than her own. "Ever tempted to give him an ultimatum - take the badge off now so we can marry, or it's over." Kitty shook her head. "I'd never do that." "Are you scared he'd say no?" "I'm more scared he'd say yes." Kitty watched confusion take hold of Vivi's face, and paused to find the right words. "Vivi, I learned a long, long time ago that most men couldn't handle Matt's job. He's the best at what he does and it's a job that needs doing. For him it's also calling - the thing he was meant to do. If he takes off that badge before he's sure he's done his duty, and it's time to pass the torch, something inside him will change. Something very big and very deep. He'll become a different person. I know Matt Dillon to his very core and I love every piece, every part, every fiber. I don't want a different man, I want Matt Dillon, and that means all of him."
"Mrs. Claymore, Miss Russell a telegram from Marshal Matt Dillon." The balding clerk held out a square of paper. Kitty grabbed it and read aloud: Found Mathilda. She is fine. Will wire again when I have more news. Matt.
The woman hugged. "Vivi, I told you he'd find her. Let's go back to the house and give everyone the news. The clerk will deliver the next telegram there. In the meantime, Matt will keep Mathilda safe. That's what he does."
TBC