This fanfiction is
intended for mature readers due to the vivid depiction of a consensual adult
relationship. The setting is First
Season, post-The Preacher. Do NOT attempt the patient care described in
this chapter without first attending medical school or at the very least taking
a correspondence course in practical nursing.
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Matt carefully fluffed Kitty’s pillows behind her back and
smoothed a napkin under her chin so he wouldn’t drip steaming hot chicken soup
on her.
“You made this?” Kitty croaked.
One corner of his mouth turned down as he answered dryly, “I
wish I could say I did.” He dipped up a
spoonful, blew on it for a few seconds, and then held it gingerly to her
mouth. “But nope.”
Grimacing a bit, she swallowed painfully. “Doc made it??” At the very idea, her expression turned
incredulous.
“Nope. Him neither.”
“Isom... Isom Dewey.”
He carefully scraped the bottom of the spoon over the edge of the bowl to
catch the drips before giving her another bite.
“Seems you’ve inherited more than a ranch. You’ve got a faithful employee to go with
it.”
“He cooked this?”
“Well, it wouldn’t taste so good if me or Doc had made
it. Apparently, Isom has cooked for your
uncle for years and has been taking care of things around here since Solomon Pierce
died.“ Matt wiped a drop of broth from
the corner of her mouth with the napkin.
“Otherwise, who would’ve kept the chickens alive so we could have this delicious
soup?”
She coughed and then cleared her throat. “Hadn’t thought of it that way.”
Matt explained, “Pierce provided for Isom’s pay for a while
in his will, but it’ll be up to you whether you keep him on or not.”
“Oh…” Kitty’s voice
was concerned. “You mean if I sell the
ranch he might be out of a job?”
“I suppose…”
“Oh no, Matt…”
“Now, Kitty, don’t you worry about that right now.” He hurriedly spooned another bite into her
mouth before she could continue. “You
just need to eat and get some more rest.
I think Doc will be bringing your medicine pretty soon, too.”
Kitty placed a gentle hand on his arm. “I don’t think I can eat anymore, Matt.”
“But you’ve hardly eaten anything.”
“I wasn’t hungry to begin with, really.” Her tired eyes fluttered closed for a
moment. “I just ate so Doc wouldn’t fuss
at me.”
“Just take two more bites.”
He gave her a beseeching look.
“That’s what you told me, remember?”
She gave a tiny sigh.
“Yes, my words are coming back to haunt me.” But she dutifully opened up for two last
bites. “It is very good though,
Matt. Please tell Isom Dewey I said
‘thank you very much.’”
“I will… Hey, haven’t
you noticed anything?” He turned his
head to one side, then the other, for her to admire his shaving job.
“Yes, I most certainly did, Marshal. What smooth cheeks you have, granny...”
Matt’s answer was a deep rumble that gave her gooseflesh. “All the better to kiss you with, my dear…”
She gave a small, gravelly giggle as Matt hurriedly put her
napkin over the soup bowl and lay the tray on the bedside table. He leaned toward her just as Doc walked in
with a medicine bottle full of some foul-looking substance.
Matt gave a small, disappointed sigh and Kitty eyed the
medicine askance as she whispered hoarsely, “Aw, Doc…”
Doc remonstrated, “Now is that any way to greet your faithful
physician?”
Matt stood and grabbed the tray to whisk it away to the
kitchen before Doc peeked at how much Kitty had eaten.
Looking a little chagrined, she reached her hands toward
him. Doc took them and sat in Matt’s
abandoned place beside her on the bed. She said in a small, teasing voice, “I’m
sorry, Doc. I’m always glad to see you,
you know that.”
“Did you eat your dinner, young lady?” Doc looked over his shoulder at Matt who was
walking out the door with the tray toward the kitchen. “Did she eat?” Doc called.
Matt raised his voice in response, “Yep, Doc, she did.”
“Good girl.” Doc
patted her hand. “You’ve got to eat to
get your strength back. That Isom is a purty
darn good cook, isn’t he?”
“Yes, Doc. And you’re
a pretty darn good doctor, too.”
Doc raised his bushy eyebrows in surprise.
Squeezing his hands, she continued, “And a good
friend.” She pulled him toward her for a
quick peck on the cheek. “Thank you for
coming all the way from Dodge just to take care of me.”
Doc’s face turned pink.
“Aw, shucks, Kitty. Just doin’ m’job.”
“I know, I know.” She
pulled one hand to her lips and kissed his knuckles. “But you don’t fool me one bit, you old
softie.”
He tried unsuccessfully to smother a smile. “So, uh…”
Doc tugged at his ear. “How are
things goin’ between you and the marshal lately?”
Kitty’s lips twisted wryly as she acknowledged, “So, you
noticed, huh?”
“Who me?” Doc’s hand went to his chest in mock surprise,
then he replied pithily, “It was hard not to.”
It was Kitty’s turn to blush.
Doc’s face turned serious.
“Young lady, you just let me know if he doesn’t treat you right, you
hear me?”
“Oh, Doc, it’ll be alright.”
She smiled a bit shyly. “Matt’s a
good man.”
“I know he is, but I’m just worried about you.” Doc patted her arm. “Gettin’ hurt. You’re all alone in this world, Kitty. You don’t have anybody to look after you the
way a woman should.”
“No I’m not, Doc.”
He looked at her questioningly.
“I’m not alone. I got
you.”
She noticed his eyes misting with tears at her words and she
added, “And Matt.” She grabbed his hands
and held them tightly. “I love ‘im,
Doc.”
Doc nodded and looked away.
“I know you do. Well, my offer
still stands, honey. If he doesn’t treat
you right, you just let me know. I may
be old, but I still got some fight left in me.”
His eyes twinkled at her and she sat up slowly to wrap her arms around
his neck and squeeze him as tightly as her frail body would allow.
tbc
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