CHAPTER 1

Jeremy and Candy are back from their romantic trip to Alaska. They have had a fabulous time, but their trip didn't go as smoothly as they hoped. For one thing, Candy was seasick a lot and that made her irritable so her and Jeremy had some arguments. They also had the pleasure of making up afterwards. Even though they're home now, Candy is still irritable and her mood swings are sometimes affecting their tranquility.

Leaving the town hall where the town council meeting just adjourned, Candy takes Jeremy's arm and says, "Well, that went better than expected. I really thought they would make us wait weeks before giving us their decision."000

"You must have impressed them with your speech. I told you, you had nothing to worry about. You can talk anyone into doing the unexpected." He raises her hand to his lips and kisses her fingertips. "Come on, let's go home."

"Oh Miss Pruitt, I want a word with you," they hear in an unfriendly voice.

Turning around they come face to face with Billie. They can see the anger etched on her face.

"What is it Billie?" Candy asks.

"You know damn well what I want to talk to you about. How dare you! You may have won the battle, but I will win the war. Just you wait and see what I have in store for you, you self-righteous bitch."

"Hey now Billie, you need to calm down and accept the decision by the town council. There's no need for that kind of talk," Jeremy tells her.

"Jeremy, you need to stay out of it. This is between me and your goody two shoes wife. She's never liked me. She was jealous of me way back when too, especially when you showed interest in me and left her standing there with her basket of fried chicken. Oh, the look on your face Miss Pruitt. I wanted to laugh, but I thought Jeremy might change his mind and not go with me on our walk. But believe me, I was laughing hysterically on the inside."

"You're right Billie. I have never cared for you. But I was never jealous of you. I don't approve of your profession and I don't think Seattle needs another brothel. Now, if you'll excuse us, we're on our way home," Candy says.

"Well, you run along to your little castle, but this is not the end of it. If I were you, I'd be afraid. Mighty afraid," Billie laughs.

"Billie, are you threatening Candy, because if you. . ." Jeremy states before being interrupted.

"Not a threat, just a warning, dear Jeremy. Just a warning." Billie pats Jeremy's cheek. "I'll see you later, handsome," she says as she bats her eyes at him. Looking at Candy she says, "And as for you, if I never see you again, it'll be too soon." Billie turns and stomps back to her not-to-be brothel.

Candy asks, "Jeremy, what do you think she means by I need to be afraid? Do you think she would really do something?"

"I don't think she would Candy, but you need to be extra careful when you're out and about away from home. Just keep your eyes and ears open." Jeremy takes her arm and they climb into their buggy. He drives home with a worried mind.

Several weeks go by and Jeremy and Candy have forgotten all about Billie's warning. They do wonder why she is still in town though.

Jeremy goes into Perkins' General Mercantile to call Christopher on the public telephone. He wants to urge him to come home to Seattle for Thanksgiving. Seeing there is a line waiting to use the telephone, Jeremy opts to send a telegram instead. Now home, he thinks to himself.

"Oh Jeremy, can I speak to you for a moment?" Billie calls.

Jeremy notices that Billie is still in her robe as he walks reluctantly over to her. "What do you want Billie? I was just on my way home."

"Well, I was cleaning out some of the rooms and I found a large trunk with some of Lottie Hatfield's personal belongings. I heard that you were very close to her."

"Yes, I was, all the Bolts were close to Lottie. She was like a mother to us," Jeremy answers.

"I thought maybe you would like to go through the trunk to see if there was anything you'd want. Do you have time that you could come inside to look at her things?" Billie asks.

"I really need to get home, I've had a rotten day so far. Nothing has gone right. But I guess I can take a few minutes to see if there's anything I'd want."

They go in Lottie's old room where an opened trunk sits on the floor by the window. Jeremy picks up a journal and begins flipping through it. "Wow, I never realized Lottie kept a journal. There's some interesting stuff in here." He looks around for a chair and not seeing one, he sits on the edge of the bed.

Billie brings another journal over to him and sits next to him on the bed. "Here's another one and there's even a few more still in the trunk."

"I can't believe she did this. This one has when I was a little boy. I've got to take time to read some of this," Jeremy says as he skims over the pages.

They start reading aloud some of the entries and get carried away forgetting about the time. Billie raises her head and looks out the window seeing Candy ride up to the store next door. She says, "We've been at this a long time."

Jeremy looks up and notices the sun is no longer visible from the window. "I really need to go, but I do want to read these. They bring back so many memories, some good and some bad."

"Well, why don't you take that one with you now. You can bring your wagon back tomorrow and take the trunk home. I'm sure your brothers will want to see them too."

"Yeah, they would." Jeremy turns his head to look at Billie and sees that she has let her robe fall off her shoulders onto the bed. She is sitting there in a sheer negligee that exposes most of her large breasts.

Seeing Jeremy staring at her breasts she asks, "See something you like? You know you can touch them."

"I, uh, I c-can't do that. Uh, Billie I-I-I have to go," he says as he begins to rise from the bed.

Billie pushes him back down on the bed. "Now Jeremy, you don't really have to go, do you? I mean, I won't bite. And Miss Candy Pruitt won't even know what happened unless you tell her," she says as she takes his hand and places it on her breast.

Hearing Candy's name brings Jeremy back to his senses. "Candy! I have to get home to Candy. Gotta go!" Jeremy jumps up and hurries out of the room with Billie following closely behind.

As they exit the building, Billie is putting her robe back on when she sees Candy coming out of Perkins' General. Seeing that Candy spots them, she goes into action to make Candy think that she and Jeremy just spent an afternoon in bed together, "Jeremy," she says as she turns his back to Candy and has him facing her. "Jeremy, I really enjoyed our time together upstairs. I hope you did too."

"Uh yes, I did enjoy it. I'll try my best to come back tomorrow. Uh, thanks Billie for everything. I feel a lot better now."

"My pleasure sweetie. Doesn't Miss Pruitt ever make you feel better when you feel down?"

"Most of the time, she does. But today was different. Can't wait to come back tomorrow. Now I have to go tell Candy all about this."

"You don't have to tell her anything," Billie says with a big smile on her face.

"Yes, I do. Candy has to know about this," Jeremy replies.

Leaning forward and giving Jeremy a kiss on the lips which catches Jeremy off guard, she answers, "No, you don't understand. I mean Miss Pruitt already knows. She has eyes and ears after all."

"What?" Jeremy asks puzzled as Billie turns him around to see Candy standing there with tears in her eyes and biting her lip.

"C-C-Candy! It's not what you t-think," Jeremy stutters.

Candy turns, puts her small box of goods in the buggy, and climbs on board. Taking the reins, she drives off as Jeremy calls her name and tries to stop her.

Jeremy turns towards Billie and asks, "You set me up, didn't you? You knew she was standing there all along and you kissed me just to hurt her!"

Laughing Billie says, "Of course. When I looked out the window, I saw her ride up so I called your attention to the time. What luck! I was just hoping someone would tell her they saw you go inside with me, but this was even better. The look on her face when she saw us come outside together and me putting on my robe. Well, maybe she'll remember this and not act so high and mighty now. I mean she thinks her husband just betrayed her in the worst way. And with a beautiful, sexy lady that has been trying to get him in her bed. She thinks you slept with her rival."

"You may be attractive, but you're not beautiful or sexy. Not like Candy is anyways. Now, Candy is a beautiful sexy lady. You're just a cheap wh. . .you know, who will stop at nothing to hurt my wife," Jeremy says bitterly as he hurries towards home.

When Jeremy gets home, he doesn't see the buggy or Candy anywhere. He looks in the barn, but then moves on to the house. He searches inside and outside. Seeing that supper is cooking on the stove, he has little doubt that Candy will be home soon. So he freshens up to be sure he has none of Billie's lipstick and perfume on him. Then he goes outside to wait on the porch for Candy to arrive home.

After an hour or so has passed with no sign of Candy, Jeremy goes in the house and tells Josie, Joey, and Jamie they might as well eat.

Jamie follows Jeremy back outside. "Dad, is there something wrong? It's not like Mama to go off at meal time."

"I know Jamie. She's upset with me. I've disappointed her again. When am I ever going to learn?" Jeremy turns towards Jamie. "It'll be all right once we talk things out. She'll be home soon. Now go on and eat."

"Aren't you going to eat?" Jamie asks as he starts inside.

"No, not right now. I'll wait for Candy." He sits down in the swing, bends over, and places his hands over his face using his fingers to rub his forehead. "Candy, please come home," Jeremy whispers.

It gets late and still no Candy. Jeremy knocks on Jamie's door, opening it a little ways. "Jamie, I think I better go look for your Mama."

"You mean she's still not home? Want me to help you look?"

"No Son, you stay here and if she comes home, be sure she stays here. We really need to talk," Jeremy answers. "The thing is, I don't know where to start looking."

"Maybe she's at Molly's or Biddie's. I don't think she would go to Jessie's or any of the others. You know Mama. She wouldn't want to worry them."

"You're probably right, but I might stroll over by their places just to see if her buggy is there. I'll check back here after an hour or two to see if she has come home." Jeremy starts for the door then stops. "Jamie, if she comes back, tell her I love her with all my heart."

"Dad, I don't know what the problem is, but you must have really screwed up this time. I hope you two get everything worked out."

"I do too, Son. I do too."

About an hour after Jeremy has left, Candy arrives home. She sees Joey and Jamie sitting out on the front porch talking. "Joey, would you please put the buggy in the barn and tend to the horses for me?" she asks.

"Sure Mama. Be glad to. Mama, are you all right?" Joey asks.

"Yes, I'm fine," Candy answers with a quivery voice. "Just tired. I think I'll go to bed. It's been a long day." She watches as Joey goes down the steps and climbs in the buggy.

Jamie bites his lip. "Mama, I know you're not fine. Dad said you were upset with him and that's why you've been gone so long. Anything I can do for you?"

"No, but thank you for asking. Is your Dad inside?" Candy asks.

"No, he's out looking for you. He said to tell you, he loves you with all his heart."

A few tears fall from her eyes and roll down her cheeks. Wiping them away with her hands she says, "Oh really! Well, he has an awful way to show it. I'm sorry, Jamie. I need to be alone. See you in the morning. Good night."

Jamie gives his Mama a hug. "Good night. I love you, Mama."

"I love you, too." She goes inside to her room and sits on the bed thinking about what to do next.

After walking by everyone's places that he thinks Candy might be at with no luck, Jeremy decides to go home. Jamie is still sitting on the porch waiting for his Dad to tell him that Mama is back.

"Any news? Is she back yet?" Jeremy asks.

"She came home about half an hour ago."

"Thank God! Is she all right?"

"Well Dad, she looked all right. Just sad. I told her you loved her with all your heart like you told me to," Jamie says.

"And?" Jeremy asks.

"And she started crying. She said you have an awful way of showing it, then she went upstairs."

Jeremy shakes his head. "Well, she's right. I guess I better go up and see if she'll talk to me. Thanks Jamie. See you in the morning."

"Night Dad." Jamie watches his Dad go inside, then says a small prayer that his parents can get this worked out quickly.

Jeremy quietly opens the bedroom door and goes inside. Not seeing Candy, he thinks she may be in the washroom. Tapping gently on the door, he calls out, " Candy? Candy, are you in there?" Getting no reply, he opens the door. Candy is not there "Where is she?" he whispers.

He starts to go downstairs to look for her, when he hears crying. He listens to see where the sound is coming from. Walking over to the door of the spare bedroom, he can hear her inside crying. Jeremy knocks on the door and the crying stops. He knocks again and getting no response, he opens the door to see Candy in bed. He walks over to the bed and sits down on the edge. Placing his hand on her back he asks, "Candy, are you all right? I'm so sorry. I didn't do what you think I did."

Candy just lays there and doesn't answer.

"Candy, please talk to me. I can't fix this if you won't let me. I know you think I was unfaithful to you, but I wasn't. I promised you I'd never cheat on you and I didn't. I know I looked guilty, but Candy I'm not guilty. Candy, please Sweetheart! Please talk to me."

Candy pulls the covers up over her head to cover her ears.

"Candy, I'm not leaving until you answer me. If I have to sit here all night, I will. We have to talk about this. Come back to our room so we can straighten this out. Please Candy. I love you."

"Jeremy, leave me alone," Candy finally says.

"No, I won't leave you alone. I love you. I want to explain everything to you. Once you hear what I was doing there, I know you'll understand."

"Jeremy, it's late, I'm tired, and I have an awful headache. I just want to be left alone."

"Candy, please don't do this," Jeremy begs.

"I'm not the one that did this, Jeremy. You did. You did it again." She begins sobbing. "How could you do this to me again? How? And with her, of all people."

"Candy, you have to believe me. I didn't do anything."

"I kept my eyes and ears open, just like you told me to do. I saw you, Jeremy. I heard you tell her you had fun and would be back tomorrow for more. That sounds like you did a lot of something. Go Jeremy. Just go and leave me alone," she says as she continues to sob.

"Look at me, Candy! Turn over and look at me." He waits for a response. "I'll go if you'll look at me."

Candy turns over and looks at him. "Now go."

He takes his hand and brushes her hair from her face, letting his hand rest on her cheek. "I love you, Candy. Always have, always will."

Candy just stares at him.

"All right. I told you I'd leave if you looked at me. I'm going to keep my word. Can we please talk in the morning?"

Candy continues to stare at him.

Jeremy takes her hand and kisses her fingertips. "Good night." He slowly gets up and walks to the door. He turns to look at her as she continues to stare at him. "Candy, I'm sorry." He shakes his head and leaves the room.