"The Test Of Time",Pt.6

                                                                             PT.6
                                                                  “The Test of Time”

Matt place both hands on the batwing doors of the Long branch…scanning the room….
Not knowing if Kitty would be on the floor ,in her office or upstairs… taking a deep breath
giving the doors a push… dreading the conversation he knew he had to have….wishing he had ,had more time to prepare for …. Well, to be truthful. .there was no preparing for what was to come…

Not seeing her anywhere…, he approached the bar…, Hi Sam, Oh, Hi Marshal… before Matt could ask..
Sam shifted his eyes.. to the upper level… then smiled and dropped his eyes.   Oh, Marshal?…. Just thought I’d let you know…. She’s…. Matt stopped him.  I know Sam …I know.    He made his way across the room
blew out his breath…then took the stairs two at a time… as he made his way down the hall… he uttered to himself… Oh Boy he we go!         Matt tapped firmly on Kitty’s door…..   Kitty, it Me…
Kitty, we need to talk… can I come in?    all he heard was silence….   Then:

It’s open!  He could tell by her tone this wasn’t going to start off good at all.   As he entered…Kitty had her back to him… she was staring out the window….   Matt stood in a firm stance, with his Hat in hand, twirling it….  Kit, look… I know your upset right now…. And I think I know what it is that your upset about…?      Kitty was stiff… her jaws tight ..she was now taking deep breaths….   Kit?… I think we should
Talk abo    she quickly spun around, OH! You think we should talk do you?   You know I’m upset…!
And you think.. You know what it is about?????    NO!!!!!  I’m not upset, I’m not upset with you…
I’m DAMN FURIOUS WITH YOU!!!!   And just so we make sure you know what this is about… well let me tell you …  17 yrs. Ago, you rode out of here, for YOUR JOB, said you’d be gone a week… Matt tried to speak.. Kit, … NO, don’t you say anything….   Matt Dillon, it was 6 weeks , no, 40 days…I know I counted them… I didn’t sleep, I didn’t eat… I waited every day for word as to weather you were lying dead
Out on some prairie God knows where?   Or if someone buried you in some hole somewhere. .and I’d never know it!   And I never Matt Never turned out that light … because, because…. Suddening along with the anger…came the tears…but she was doing her best to fight them back…..   I wanted to go looking for you..
Then that day, we got word you were alive… Kitty was now pacing…and shaking, a mixture of nerves and anger….  Then when you made it back here , and Doc said you were alright.. And you told us about what happened…   Matt tried again… Kit about that….   Don’t, I’m not finished…  when you told me the story about the rancher, Mike Yardner who found you and took care of you…saved your life….I was so Grateful to him…!    Seems you left out a little part of that story…..  Maybe how GREATFUL YOU WERE!???
Kit, Honey listen…  Matt started to move closer to her and reach out to hold her…. Kitty backed up…
Don’t touch me… come on Kit?….  Did you have to….have to…now she could no longer hold back the tears.   Matt, I have Loved you better then half my life,  and I accepted it when you said, We could have a normal family Life… I didn’t like it ,but , I loved you … so I accepted it. Then you go and play house with this Mike!?    What was it Matt ?….   Is she different?..    Was she offering you something I can’t offer you?
Oh, Now wait one minute…here Kitty!   You know I Love You.   Matt you’ve never lied to me …At least I never thought you had?    Kitty, I didn’t lie to you.   I just didn’t tell you Mike was a Woman!  And that ..
Now there were full on-spill of tears….You Made Love to her…while I was here ..not knowing if you were dead or Alive????   You forgot that part!!!    Now she was really pacing…finally Matt not able to stand her pacing anymore.. Grabbed both her shoulders…Honey Please, stand still…. Better yet ..come here sit down with me ?    He poured them both a drink….. Here drink this ,he said handing her the glass.   Kitty….
Honey , I am so sorry…I never wanted to hurt you….   It wasn’t like you think.    Oh, right! She mumbled…Kit, if you’ll let me I’ll try to explain…   Honey please..?      Kitty wasn’t saying anything…

When Mike first found me , I had no idea who I was?, where I was from,?…all my papers were gone ..my Badge was gone…no Identification at all.   You know that .  I told you all this.   Kitty sat with her arms folded and just stared at Matt while he talked…trembling inside…    Mike had no idea who I was…
She even gave me a Name… “DAN”   I helped her out around the place…as a way to pay her back.
Then Kitty blurted out … and helped yourself right into her Bed…?    No !..well yeah we did sleep together.
But Kit, all the time deep inside I knew I belonged somewhere else.. and I wasn’t sure, but, I felt as though
There even may be someone else?….   Kit I’m not gonna lie to you ..we were there alone yes… and she is
A be, Kitty arched her brow…go on say it… she’s a Beautiful Woman.   Honey , she knew I didn’t love her.
I did care about her …I was very Grateful to her for all she had done for me.   Matt sat back down next to Kitty… with both hands, he was rubbing her arms…   Honey I Love You, and That isn’t gonna change..
I can’t change what happened… But Please don’t do this ?  Please?   I need you … You’re a part of me.
Kit, Honey it was one time…  then when she found out who I was.. And told me.. she sent me Home.
She knew I wouldn’t stay, once I remembered who I was…   Oh I’m sure she wanted you too. She added.
Maybe?.. But , I told her I had to come back to Dodge… I had a Life here… then she figured it out herself that there must have been someone special…   I swear Kit I never meant to hurt you… And not telling you Mike was a Woman…well ,..   And Beth?    Matt stood silent…trying to come up with the words….. Cowboy…? I can do the Math.    The burning stream of tears rolled down her face….   Matt, pulled her close…holding her tight…. Honey, I am so Sorry… I still can’t get use to it either?  What? Kitty pulled back and looked at Matt… you didn’t know ?    No Honey I didn’t know about Beth.  I just found out a few days ago. That’s part of the reason Mike is here.  Why ? Why after all this time Matt?    Mike wants me to look after Beth.   Look after her? Why ? Kitty said .   Kit, Mike is sick… she doesn’t have long.   And since I’m her Father? Well,…  Oh , Matt!… that poor girl.. She so young.   How is she handling it?   I don’t think she knows..?       Matt looking baffled , I don’t think Mike has told her yet.     And Kit, Beth also don’t know that I’m her father yet either.     Kitty, cupped Matt’s face in her hands…  Cowboy, what are you gonna do?    First we have to tell her about me.    Then I guess Mike will tell her about her illness?

Kitty, stood took a deep breath….. Matt walked up behind her wrapped his arms around her…and held her tight.    Honey, I have to go and talk to Mike and Beth…  Will you.., Matt I need some time to sit with all of this…  Go , Go do what you must… Kitty, I don’t want to leave with things unsettled… she just turned…
Wrapped her arms around him….  I need time Matt… He lifted her chin… brushed away the tears from her cheeks… Kissed her softly… “I Love You”    then he walked out the door…..

After the door closed behind him….. Kitty walked to the window.. Watch him cross the street and enter the Dodge House….   She could feel her chest tighten..  And her eyes fill again.   She walked to the Bed, and crawled up into it and held the pillow Matt usually sleeps on …Held it close to her body .. She curled up and continued to cry……till she fell asleep.


                                                                           TBC