The Wedding
Jeremy Bolt walked through the woods, he hadn't taken this path in a long time
He didn't like to remember what was up ahead. But today, he wanted go there.
To the gravesite of his parents. Jeremy walked up to the tombstone of his
father, he pulled some weeds that had grown since the last time Jason and
Joshua was there. Then Jeremy turned to the grave which layer next to his
fathers. When Jennifer Bolt had died everything changed for him, it seemed like his
world had come to an end. Even though his still had his dad and brothers,
Jeremy was closest to his mother. The day of the funeral was the day Jeremy
had started to stutter.
Jonathan Bolt and his sons were at the gravesite, when the minister finished
with the services Jason had asked to read a prayer when it came time to
say amen Jeremy couldn't, instead he stuttered and started to cry very
hard that he couldn't stop, Jonathan walked over to his youngest son and picked him
up and carried him home. That was the start of all the teasing from the
other children, Jason and Joshua would try to protect him but the other children
always teased him, Jeremy would go home crying and Jonathan would pick him up and
hold him until he stopped or sometimes Jeremy wouldn't talk for days unend.
But that was now in the pasted, now that he met Candy Pruitt and he had
fallen deeply in love with her. Jeremy wished that his parents could have known Candy,
he just knew that they would of love her.
For now, the day Jeremy and Candy had wait for was just two weeks away, they
were finally going to be married!
Jeremy wished more than anything that his parents could be there, but he knew that they
would be, only in spirit. He had thought so much about his parents since they
had finally set a date, that he wanted to come the the gravesite. Jeremy
now sitting on the ground between the graves thinking about how his life was
when he had both his parents, it was a happy time in his life and he remembered
all the things that they did as a family. Jeremy then thought about how his
life would be once he and Candy were married and couldn't help but to smile!
Candy made him happier than Jeremy ever thought was possible! Even after Molly
and Christopher had come to Seattle, Candy's little brother and sister. And after
their mother had died all Jeremy thought about was Candy, and because of his
love for her, had given her the time she needed and adjust to her lost and
gave Molly and Christopher the time they needed to get used the changes.
That was a year ago, and now the wedding was finally going to happen. Jeremy
stood up and looked at the graves one last time then he heard footsteps come from
behind him. It was Jason "I had a feeling that I would find you here" he said
"Ya, I was thinking a lot about mom and dad and had to come" Jeremy replied
"With the wedding and everything, I couldn't help but to come!" " They would have loved
Candy" Jason said as if knowing what Jeremy had been thinking. "Jason do you ever think about mom and dad?" Jeremy asked "Sometimes, when things get tough, I think about what dad would have done and when one the the brides wears the perfume mom use to wear, I can't help thinking about how beautiful she was." Jason lowered his head and admitted to Jeremy that he still missed them.
" Come on Jeremy, it's almost lunch and Josh is going to be waiting
for us at Lottie's" Jason reminded Jeremy. As they left the gravesite
Jeremy loving ran his hand on top of his mother's tombstone.
At the dormitory Candy was busy making arrangements for the wedding. Biddie
was trying to help, Candy wanted the wedding to be perfect, she loved Jeremy
so much that everything had to be just right! They were sitting on the
couch in the parlor with cook books all over the table and floor. They were
trying to decided what would be the main course at the reception. Biddie thought
about roast, but Candy was thinking that chicken would be better. Then they
heard a loud noise coming from the room next to the kitchen that Candy shared
with Molly and Christopher. Candy and Biddie went running to see what happened. Molly and Christopher
was having a pillow fight, that had gotten out of hand. They knocked over Candy's
desk with her ink and writing paper and the ink had splattered all over
Candy's dress for the wedding! Candy with her eyes wide just stood there looking
at her dress, the tears rolling down her face. She couldn't even yell at
the children she was in shock. Molly and Christopher just looked at Candy
crying themselves. "Candy we are sorry!" All Candy could get out of her mouth
was "no, oh God please no" Biddie ran over to the dress, to see if anything
could be done! But Candy already knew that it was hopeless, the ink was everywhere
there would be no way to get it out. "What am I going to do" Candy cried
Molly and Christopher stood there, not knowing what to say. Candy finally
looked at them asking them why, she had told them not to play in the dormitory
but what could she do the damage was done.
When Lottie had heard the crash, she had come over to the dormitory, the sight
that met her eyes was the wedding dress, and she looked at Candy who was
crying. Candy looked at Lottie and said "What am I going to do, the weddings
in two weeks and there's no time to make another dress?" Lottie went over to Candy
and put her arms around her. We'll think of something" she told Candy.
Biddie took Molly and Christopher into the kitchen and gave them her " You
should have known better speech" In the bedroom Lottie and Candy was going over
the dress seeing if there was any hope. But there was none, Lottie said
"Maybe there's another dress go could wear? Perhaps the white and pale blue
striped one that you wore to Dr. Wright's welcoming party" " Lottie I had that
one made special, I wanted to look beautiful for Jeremy" Candy answered
"Candy it will not make a diffence what you wear, Jeremy will think you're
beautiful, all that matters to him is that you two are finally married"
"I guess that I have no other choice" Candy said "Don't worry everything will
be wonderful Candy!" Lottie replied.
The next day after Jeremy had found out what happened thanks to Biddie, he decided to take Candy on
a picnic to cheer her up. Half way though the lunch Jeremy took Candy's hand
in his and told her that it didn't matter to him if she was wearing her
nightgown all that matter was her saying I DO! Candy laughed and kissed Jeremy
"How did I ever find someone as wonderful as you? I love you!" " I love you
too" Jeremy replied, Jeremy feeling as he had to tell Candy what was in his
heart told Candy that " The day we met was the day that I started to live,
without you I am nothing" At that Candy with tears in her eyes hugged him,
and said "I am the luckiest of all the Brides, before you and your brothers
came to New Bedford I never thought that I would ever fine someone to share
my life with, to be truly happy. But that day when you all came into the
Firehouse was the day I knew that it could happen!
With that they kissed again and looked up into the blue skies
and dreamed about the life they were going to soon start!
At the dormitory Biddie was going through her collection of pressed flowers
she had caught the bouquet so many times, that it had to be the largest in Seattle. Biddie wonders if she will ever get married, she had dated Sam and Corky but that seemed to go nowhere and then there was Barnabas Webster she had been in love with him and she was sure that he loved her too! He had even asked her to wait for him, but she didn't hear from him since he left, another dream up in smoke she thought. Biddie finished sewing her dress for the wedding she was going to be Candy's maid-of-honor, she also thought about the ruined wedding dress, Candy had sent to San Francisco for the material and Miss Essie had helped to make it, the dress was beautiful. Biddie wished that there was something that she could do to help. But Candy decided to wear the white and blue dress after all!
Later that night The Bolts, Candy, the children, and Biddie were all gathered at Lottie's talking about the plans for the wedding. Molly and Christopher were on their best behavior since the accident with the dress.
They were sitting quietly off to the side, they even offered to bring their homework over so they wouldn't get under foot. Jason was sitting at one of the tables thinking about his little brother getting married, he couldn't believe that it was going to happen. Candy had been the best thing that could happen to Jeremy, she had bought him out of his shell, she even had gotten him the dance when no one else could. Jason was happy for Jeremy but in a way, he was sad, it would no longer just be the three Bolt brothers. His little brother had grown up. Jason had been more than a big brother, in a way he was like a father to Jeremy, he had taken over that role when Jonathan had died. Lottie saw Jason deep in thought and came over, "You're not losing a brother you know!" Lottie said "You're gaining a sister" At that Jason laughed "I know but it sometimes seems that he's too young to be getting married, I still picture him as my baby brother, even though he hates when I call him that" Jason stated. Joshua was sitting over with Candy and Jeremy asking were they planned to go on their honeymoon "I think that San Francisco would be a nice place" Joshua said "Candy and I are going camping on the Mountain" Jeremy answered " Camping?" Josh replied "Yes, Josh we are going camping, because in a way it was Bridal Veil that brought us together" Candy remarked "What do you mean?" Josh questioned " Well, if you three didn't own the Mountain you wouldn't have the logging camp, and if you didn't have the logging camp, you wouldn't have the loggers and if you didn't have the loggers none of you would have come the New Bedford for the Brides and Jeremy and I would have never met!" said Candy "Okay, you have a point, I think!" Josh replied, then Joshua looked at Jeremy and whispered "You know that, you are going to have to live with that logic you know?" " It makes perfect sense to me" Jeremy said "It
would" Josh said, at that Josh and Jeremy laughed.
A few days later Jeremy and his brothers were working on the cabin Jeremy was building for Candy. It was finally almost finished; it was a two-story cabin with enough room for Molly and Christopher to have their own rooms. Jason was finishing up the roof when Candy came up with Biddie and the children. It was the first time Candy saw the cabin, because Jeremy wanted it to be a surprise. Jeremy walked up next to Candy and asked "Well what do you think" Candy stood in front of what was to be her new home, it was better than she had dreamed of! "Oh Jeremy" she said "It's wonderful" "Do you want to go inside" Jeremy asked at that the hole crew a headed inside Candy walked into a big hallway that led to the living room and dining room, from the dining room you could get to the kitchen. Candy slowly walked through the house looking at everything she loved the big kitchen that Jeremy had built her it even had an indoor pump! Candy then started up the steps to the second floor she looked into all the bedrooms ending with the room that would be hers and Jeremys. Molly and Chiropter asked which room would be theirs and Jeremy pointed out the two smaller bedrooms down the hall "You mean we each get our own room?" Molly asked "You sure do" Jeremy answered "Oh boy" said Christopher and they were both off to calm their rooms. Jason, Josh, and Biddie left Candy and Jeremy alone in their room. "Candy what's wow...wrong" Jeremy asked "You haven't said a word since you came into the house?" "Nothing's wrong, it's just the most beautiful cabin I've ever seen!" Candy said with tears in her eyes, she then wiped the tears from her eyes and said "But it does need a woman's touch!" Jeremy pulled Candy close and gave her a kiss "Do anything you want, after all this is going to be your new home" "No, Jeremy this is going to be OUR new home!" Candy corrected him. In just nine days Candy was going to be Mrs. Jeremy Bolt and this was going to be their home, built by the hands of the man she loved, and his brothers who will very soon be her brothers also. Jason and Joshua had already taken Molly and Christopher in as part of the family, and she loved them for that, for once you were part of the Bolt clan, it was a bond for life!
A couple days later, everyone was at Lottie's for a late dinner! As everyone was enjoying the meal, they heard the bells from Capt. Clancy's ship. At last Clancy, was back Jeremy and Candy were afraid he was going to miss the wedding. Everyone ran out of Lottie's to greet Clancy's ship. Everyone was yelling hello to the old Captain as he walked down the gangplank. They exchange hugs. Clancy then turned to Candy and said "Lassie, I got a surprise for you" "For me!" Candy said "What is it?"
At that an old man appeared on the deck of Clancy's ship, he looked at Candy and said "Hello Poppet" Candy looked at her grandfather and ran up to hug him
"Oh Grandpa, I missed you so much I'm so happy you are here, the weddings in a couple days and you being here makes it perfect"
After everyone exchanged greetings, they returned to Lottie's to finish supper. Candy was happy to have her grandfather there and it was decided that he would give her away. Benjamin was surprised at how well-behaved Molly and Christopher were being. Molly told their grandpa about the accident with the dress and how bad she and Christopher felt. "Oh, I'm so sorry about the dress" Benjamin Pruitt stated "So what are you going to wear?" "I have another dress I'm going to wear it's not as beautiful as the wedding dress but it would have to do" Candy answered. At that Grandpa Pruitt got out of his chair and went to his suitcase that was sitting by the stairs, he pulled out a box and handed it to Candy "perhaps you will like to wear this" he said
Candy opens the box to see her mother's wedding grown! " I brought this from New Bedford, I thought that you might want to have it, and now perhaps you will wear it when you marry Jeremy, I know your mother would have love you too!" Grandpa said. All Candy could do was cry, when she was a little girl, she had dreamed of wearing her mother's wedding dress, but after she moved to Seattle, she thought that it wouldn't happen, but now here it was. Her dreams were coming true. She gave her grandfather a kiss and thanked him for the special gift.
As the evening went on, there was a lot a laughing everyone what having a wonderful time, tomorrow Biddie and Lottie would fit the wedding dress on Candy, she was so happy to be wearing her mother's dress. How she wished that her mother could be there. Candy thought about when she had told her mother that she was going to Seattle.
It was right after the meeting at the New Bedford town hall, Candy was so excited about going to Seattle, it was a new adventure and now maybe she'd find the man of her dreams. She walked into the parlor of the house she shared with her mother and little brother and sister, "Hello Candy how did the meeting go" asked Mrs. Pruitt "It went wonderful Mother, I decided that I'm going to Seattle" Candy replied "Seattle? Where is this Seattle?" asked Mrs. Pruitt "It's in Washington territory, Mother!" "Candy that on the other side of the country! Are you sure about this?" her mother asked "Yes, Mother I'm sure, if I'm ever going to get married, this may be my last chance. Since the war there is no men around here!" Mrs. Pruitt knowing how headstrong her daughter could be, knew that once she had made up to mind about something, it was made up. Something Candy had inherited from her late father. "When will you be leaving?" asked her mother," In a couple of days, we all be leaving."
Candy said "How many is we all?" asked Mrs. Pruitt "100" Candy said "100?" Mrs. Pruitt said
Candy was off to start packing, all the time thinking about the young man she first saw at the Firehouse and then again at the meeting, she thought she heard Jason Bolt call him Jeremy. Two days later Candy stood on the dock saying good-bye to her family, she kissed her mother and gave her a hug. Candy was going to miss them, but she had a new life waiting for her. Candy's mother wished her daughter all the happiness in the world and kissed her good-bye for the last time. Candy would never see her mother again!
Jeremy looked over at Candy and touched her arm to put her back to the present, Jeremy knew by the look on her face that she was thinking about her mother, he knew that she missed her mother as much as he missed his mother.
The rehearsal was held the day before the wedding, everyone was at the church. Candy had decided that she wanted Jason and her grandfather to both give her away, the family member that meant everything to her and the man that brought her and Jeremy together. Candy walked down the aisle with Jason and her grandfather on each side of her, Molly was her flower girl and Christopher was the ring bearer, but no matter how hard they tried Molly and Christopher kept going too fast. finally, Grandpa pull them aside and told them to pretend that their shoes were tried together. That worked and everything went off great! Now the only thing that remained was the wedding itself.
When it dawned the day of the wedding, Jeremy and Candy couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day. The sky was so blue and the smell coming down off of the mountain was heavenly. Jeremy woke up very early, he couldn't believe his wedding day had finally arrived. He put water on the stove to heat for his bath, he tried to be quiet in order not to wake his brothers. After Jeremy took his bath, he dressed in his normal clothes so he wouldn't get his suit dirty, he went outside and was looking up at Bridal Veil it seemed more beautiful than ever, he thought back to the day that they wagered the mountain to bring the Brides to Seattle he was nervous that they would end up losing it, but he did it anyway. But Jeremy knew the first time he saw Candy that he would have done it all over again if he had to, he didn't think when they left for New Bedford that he would find anyone. He was shy and he stuttered and who would want anyone like that, but Candy did he felt so much at ease with her that he had told her that he stuttered in their first conversion. Something started to grow inside him that he never thought would he was falling in love. Now in a couple of hours she would be his wife, "his wife" that had a beautiful sound to it. When Jeremy returned to the cabin Jason and Joshua were up and getting ready "Couldn't sleep ah" Asked Josh " No, I guess I was too excited to!" Jeremy replied "Don't you mean to nervous" Josh teased "After all there's the wedding and the wedding night, I would be nervous" "Josh leave Jeremy alone!" Jason said. Jason, Josh and Jeremy had the breakfast it was to be their last meal together as that were now, Jeremy will be married in a couple of hours, and Josh was getting closer to Callie Marsh. Jason sat there thinking about all the meals they shared here at this table, even though the bond the brothers had could never change in itself, things were changing but it was for the better, who knows maybe sooner than he thought he would be Uncle Jason. At that Jason smiled, Jeremy looked over at his oldest brother and asked what he was thinking about, "Oh nothing just the future!" Jeremy gave Josh a funny look as Jason got up and cleared his plate from the table.
At the dormitory Candy woke up, she laid it her bed for a couple of minutes thinking this will be the last time waking in this bed and in the dormitory today she was starting a new life with Jeremy. She loved him so much and even more after Molly and Christopher had come. Some men wouldn't have wanted to take on a ready-made family, but Jeremy did, he gave the children the time they needed to adjust. Candy felt it was unfair to Jeremy to wait, but Jeremy would hear nothing of it. He said let him decide what's fair. Candy heard her brother and sister in the other room and got out of bed and joined them, Biddie was getting the kids breakfast when she saw Candy enter the room "Goodmorn, Mrs. Bolt!" Biddie said Candy smiled "That's not for a few more hours Biddie" Candy answered "I just practicing" Biddie replied "What something to eat" "Just some coffee right now, Biddie" Candy said "Nervous?"
"No, just not hungry!" Candy replied. Benjamin Pruitt knocks at the door and entered "How's the Bride today he said" giving Candy a hug a then Molly and Christopher. "Fine, Grandpa" Candy said "I better start getting the children and myself ready" Candy said "Just get yourself ready, I'll take care on Molly and Christopher" Biddie offered " Our you sure?" Candy asked "Yes, in deedy, I would have it any other way" Biddie said, and with that Candy started up to the washroom.
A short time later Candy stood in front of the mirror wearing her mother wedding dress, Candy had put flowers in her hair and her veil flowed down to the floor, the dress was made from Victorian lace with pearls sewn into the scoop neckline and sleeves, it was full at the waist and flowed out from there down to the floor and it had a small train. Candy came out of her bedroom and as her grandfather looked at her tears formed in his eyes, Candy was so beautiful, his little poppet was a grown woman, were had the years gone too! It seemed like yesterday she was a little girl begging for him to read her a story. Jason knocked at the front door; Biddie went over to let him in "My don't you look very pretty today" Jason remarked Biddie was wearing her grown for the wedding it was a pale pink with puffed sleeves. Jason then caught sight of his future sister-in-law. "Oh Candy you look radiant, Jeremy is getting the most beautiful of all the New Bedford brides" He said "Thank you Jason" Candy said Jason then pulled a small box from his pocket and handed it to Candy, As she opened the box she saw a locket she recognized as his mother's "My mother wore it on her wedding day, it was a gift from my father, I thought you would like to have it" Jason said Candy gave Jason a hug, "Yes I would, thank you!" Candy said, and placed the locket around her neck. She was now wearing the dress her mother wore and the locket Jennifer had worn on their wedding days, something of both families, that were now going to become one!
A short time later everyone was at the church waiting for the wedding to begin, Jeremy was in the back room with Josh and Lottie. Jeremy was combing his hair for about the hundredth time. Lottie came over to Jeremy and took the comb and fixed his hair, "Okay that looks great" Lottie said "Are you sure?" Jeremy asked "Jeremy if you combed your hair anymore, you will have a bald spot, and Candy wouldn't want to marry a bald man" Josh said "Now you stop that" Lottie said hitting Josh on the arm. Jeremy heard the music start, it time to begin. Jeremy and Joshua took their places in front by the alter, and Lottie took her seat next to Clancy. As the wedding march started Candy entered the church with Jason and her grandfather, as Candy walked down the aisle Jeremy could not take his eyes off her she was beautiful! As Candy joined Jeremy in front of the minster they joined hands, Jeremy mouthed "You are so beautiful!" He looked at the locket around Candy's neck and he carefully touched it and smiled he knew Jason must have given it to her it seemed to make everything perfect. Then the Revenard asked "Who giveth this woman to be married" "We Do" said Jason and Benjamin and backed away to their seats, Jeremy's eyes never left Candy as they exchanged their marriage vows, it seemed that there was only the two of them in the world, Jeremy found himself saying I Jeremy take thee Candy to be my lawful wedded wife. To love till the day, I die. Before Jeremy knew it, he and Candy were husband and wife, and it came time for the wedding kiss, he said "I love you, Mrs. Bolt" And Candy replied "I love you, Mr. Bolt" And they kissed after their long wait they were finally married.
Meanwhile outside a lone rider enter Seattle square, he saw that there was no one around but heard music from the church he started over when everyone came bursting out, with Jeremy and Candy behind them. The townsfolk were drowning rice, and everyone was shouting for Candy the throw her bouquet. As Candy did Biddie caught it again, Biddie looked at Lottie and said "I guess I will always have the biggest collection of pressed flowers in Seattle, I wish that I could be the one to throw them instead of always catching them"
"Perhaps next time you will!" came the voice of the lone rider "Biddie turned around to see who said this, her mouth dropped and for once in her life she was speechless. It's was Barnabas "Barnabas?" Biddie finally said Biddie looked up where Candy was stand on the church steps, Candy gave Biddie a smile she had heard what Barnabas said and saw the look in his eyes, the look Jeremy had given her so many times. She knew there would be another wedding soon!
The reception was outside of Lottie's. Everyone was so happy, Biddie kept dancing with Barnabas. Candy had never seen Biddie so happy in her life! Jeremy and Candy were dancing closely in each other's arms "Are you sure you want to go camping on our honeymoon" asked Jeremy "Yes Jeremy, I'm sure" Candy replied "Are you sure you don't want to go to San Francisco?" "No, I don't want to go to San Francisco" Candy said, "and that's final!" After the cake was cut and Candy made sure that Jeremy had a lot of it ended up on his face. It came time to change and leave on their honeymoon, where they were changing Jason and Josh made sure that the horses were packed and they had everything they would need. Candy and Jeremy said their goodbyes to their family and friends and left. Molly and Christopher were going to stay with Jason and Josh while they were gone. Jeremy had this beautiful spot by the lake picked out, it only took an hour and a half to get there, and when that did Jeremy setup the tent while Candy unpacked some food. After all was done Jeremy and Candy found a large rock by the lake to sit on. They looked up at the stars, it was a clear night, and Candy sat there in Jeremy's arms. There was a shooting star Jeremy asked Candy if she made a wish, she said "No, I have everything I ever wished for right now". Jeremy kissed Candy and they looked into each other's eyes. That night was the beginning of a long and beautiful life together.
Biddie had made dinner for Barnabas, in to week since the Jeremy and Candy's wedding, she and Barnabas had spent a lot of time together, Biddie kept thinking she dreaming and that she would wake up to be alone. But she never woke up this was real. Barnabas was there and he wanted to marry her. Barnabas sat next to Biddie on the couch after dinner holding her hand. "When do you want to set a date?" he asked "Well we have to made arrangements and I got to get a dress, and I must wait for Candy to come back!" "Okay" he said "We'll start getting everything ready and when Candy gets back, we'll be married, is that okay" "That will be wonderful" Biddie answered, Biddie couldn't wait for her best friend to come back.
It was another two weeks before Jeremy and Candy came back, it was around lunch and Jason and Josh was getting the kids their lunch when Jeremy came in through the door "Little brother, welcome home" Jason exclaimed Josh gave Candy and Jeremy hugs and the children were happy to see their sister and new big brother. During lunch and Jason told them about the plans for Biddie's wedding, it was set for in another two weeks. Candy was so happy to hear that her best friend was getting married. For a while there no one thought that she ever would!
The next day, Candy was unpacking their things and settling in to the new cabin. She loved the cabin more eveytime she saw it, Candy took some things upto her bedroom, Jeremy was hanging some curtains Candy had picked out. He was whistling he was so happy, Candy gave her husband a kiss and sat down on the bed, she watched as he finished putting them up and then came over sitting next to her. They loved their quiet time together and Molly and Christopher seemed to already know when they wanted to be alone. Jeremy loved Molly and Christopher and didn't mind having them there.
In the next couple of weeks Candy helped Biddie with her wedding, it had to be postponed once because Biddie's Aunt Irene wired to say that she was coming and it would take her another eight weeks to get there. But finally, the day of the wedding came and Biddie and Barnabas said their wedding vows. Biddie was finally married! And Aunt Irene who cried all during the ceremony caught the bouquet. During the reception Candy wasn't feeling well, and Jeremy had to take her home. "Candy, I wished that you would go and see Dr Wright" Jeremy said "You might have the fever that's been going around" "I don't have the fever" Candy answered "How do you know that if you don't go to the doctors" Jeremy stated, "I just need a little rest" Candy said "Okay is there anything I can do for you before I go downstairs?" Jeremy asked "Well maybe one thing" Candy answered "What's that" Jeremy said "Well you could build me a cradle!" "A cradle, you mean that you're going to have a ..." "Baby, Jeremy" Candy finished for him. Jeremy held Candy in his arms and cried this time not the tears he cried as a child but tears of a man who was happier than he had ever been in his life, a man who had more than he ever dreamed of and now his was going to be a father.