The Engagement of Corky and Biddie
"Candy, Caaaaandyyyyy, Oh Candy!" Biddie screamed as she ran up the stairs of the dormatory looking for her friend.
"Biddie, calm down. Whatever happened" Candy answered with great concern.
"I'm fine, well better than fine. But it's Corky."
"Oh my is he alright? Did he get hurt?"
"No Candy it's nothing like that...well he may have hurt himself when he took that fall at the logging camp, but no he's alright I think."
"Biddie will you please tell me what happened?"
"Well we were having lunch in the woods and oh Candy...HE ASKED ME TO MARRY HIM!" she screeched, grabbing Candy's hands, jumping around.
Meanwhile, back at the Bolt base camp, Corky was walking with his head down muttering to himself. Not paying attention to where he was going, he walked head on into all of the Bolt brothers. While all three were attractive men, in personality Jason, Joshua and Jeremy Bolt couldn't have been more different. Jason, the eldest, was tall with a take charge attitude. Joshua, the middle one, had blonde hair and was a self-professed ladies man. Jeremy, the youngest and shortest of the three brothers, was dark and tried to be unasuming but was forever battling his brothers just to show them he was their equal. They all had the same piercing blue eyes, as blue as the sky in the Washington Territory where their mountain and logging operation was.
"Whoa Corky...watch where you're going" said Joshua.
"What? Oh hello Josh.., Jason, Jeremy" said an utterly confused-looking Corky.
"Corky...uh Corky...is everything alright?" asked Jason.
"Uh well I think so, I mean...I..."
"Now slow down Corky...take it easy..." said Jeremy, looking at the young man, who looked like he was going to pass out at any minute.
"Uh yeah okay, Jeremy".
"Now Corky, why don't you sit down and tell us what happened?"
The logger stared and stared and stared at the stump of wood in front of him. Josh walked behind him, placed his hands on his friend's shoulders and pushed down. "Sit, Corky."
"Okay now Corky, tell us all about it."
"Well, uh, it's about Biddie. Ya see we were having lunch in the woods and oh Jason, she brought all my favorites-fried chicken, bisquits, and strawberry rhubarb pie...and well we got to talking and I-I-I"
"Corky, you what? Keep talking man, you're beginning to sound like Jeremy", Josh laughed, ducking just in case his younger brother connected with a right cross.
"Oh very funny Joshua. Will ya let him talk?
"Now brothers...so Corky, continue...you and Biddie were having lunch together and talking and ….what happened?"
"Well like I was sayin', we were just eating lunch talking and all of a sudden I... well it just came out Jason"
"What came out, Corky?"
"Well I, I just...I just asked her to marry me."
Jason smiled. Joshua and Jeremy spit out the coffee they were drinking, coughing as they choked on what was already in their mouths.
"You did WHAT, Corky?!" Jason, the voice of reason exclaimed.
"I-I just said it...I mean I-I wasn't meaning to but it just-it just came out. Oh man", said Corky, wringing his hands together.
"Well did she answer you?" asked Josh.
"I think she did. I mean she jumped up and down and was running around screaming. Then she just took off for town."
"I hate to tell you this Corky" began Jeremy as he put his hand on the man's shoulder, "But Biddie answered you".
"Sh-she did?"
"She sure did, Corky. In Biddie-speak, she answered you", laughed Joshua.
"You're sure? I mean, what did she say? I couldn't understand a word she said through all that infernal yelling".
"Corky" Jason said, looking at his brothers who were grinning," Let me put it this way...congratulations are in order!"
Josh went to the alarm bell and sounded it. "Men, come quick...hurry...we're all going down to Lottie's...Corky and Biddie are getting married!"
Word spread fast around the camp. Corky and Biddie were engaged! It meant a celebration was in order and so was a half day off the mountain, as the loggers ran fast into Seattle and burst into Lottie's.
Lottie heard the good news and said to Jason" Watch the place for me will you Jason? Just make sure Old Fish Face over there doesn't drink up all my good whiskey. I have to go see how Biddie is doing." Jason laughed and nodded his head.
Lottie marched over to the dormatory. All the brides were crowded around Biddie, laughing and giggling...all except for one. Lottie looked at Frannie.
"And what is wrong with you, Frannie?" asked Lottie.
"Well I just can't imagine Biddie getting married, especially before Candy. Candy and Jeremy have been engaged forever it seems."
"That's between Candy and Jeremy I would suppose. Something else on your mind, Frannie?"
"Well who would want to marry Biddie?"
"It seems Corky does. And if I were you I would be over there with the rest of the girls, congratulating her and being happy for her, instead of over here with my nose stuck up in the air"
"Well I never..."
"And with the way you're behaving, Frannie, I doubt you ever will", sneered Lottie. Taking Biddie and Candy by the arm she ushered them to the door. "If you ladies will excuse us, I am taking these two beautiful girls over to the saloon so we can see when Clancy is going to San Francisco"
"Why ever for Lottie?" asked Biddie.
"So I can take you two with me, of course...we're going shopping for the most beautiful wedding gown this town has ever seen, my treat!"
"Well in that case we will need to find a gown for Candy too. I mean that's if you will be my maid of honor?" Biddie looked at Candy, eyes pleading.
"I'd be honored to, Biddie" she said, smiling and hugging her friend.
When Lottie, Candy and Biddie got to the saloon, it was a madhouse. Even Aaron Stemple was getting in on the action, much to the amusement of all there.
Whenever Aaron Stemple and Jason Bolt were in the same room, it seemed to be a game of one-up-manship...who could out do the other. So when Jason announced that the Bolt Brothers were going to donate the lumber needed for a new cabin for the newlyweds as a wedding gift, Aaron gave them an extra acre of land to add to the acre Jason had given the brides as a dowry. Jason then gave Corky a raise...Aaron offered to pay Captain Clancy for roundtrip passage to San Francisco for a honeymoon...on and on it went.
Corky grabbed Jeremy's arm and led him to the door.
"I uh I need to talk to you, Jeremy"
"Sure Corky, what about?"
"Well, it's about this wedding business...what do I need to do?"
"What?" said Jeremy, looking confused.
"You know...what do I need to do?"
"Oh, well first um uh...first, you need to get a suit."
"A suit? I haved to wear a suit to my wedding?"
"Uh yeah sure you do, Corky."
"Well if I have to. Uh Jeremy?"
"Yeah Corky?"
"Can I ask you a favor?"
"Sure...what is it?"
"Will you be my best man? I mean you and your brothers are the best friends a man could have so I was just wondering..."
"Sure I will Corky"
And so the wedding party was set. While Corky and Jeremy were outside, Biddie had asked Jason Bolt to give her away. With Lottie throwing both the engagement party and reception, Jason giving the bride away, Candy's brother Christopher and sister Molly as ringbearer and flower girl, Candy and Jeremy as the attendants, and Captain Clancy doing the ceremony aboard the Shamus O"Flynn, Seattle was getting ready for the wedding of all weddings...the wedding of Corky and Biddie!