CHAPTER 2

Jason storms into Aaron's office with Candy right behind him. "All right, Stempel. I'm here. What in the world could be so important that you send Candy up to the camp to fetch me like a . . ."

"Hold up, Jason. I did no such thing." Looking straight at Candy, Aaron asks, "You mean you didn't tell him?"

Candy lowers her head and whispers, "I couldn't."

"Tell me? Tell me what? Candy?" Jason bellows.

Candy reaches into her pocket and pulls out the telegram. "Read this," she replies.

"What is it?" Jason asks as he takes the paper from her hand and begins to read. "Oh, your Mother.

I'm sorry, Candy. Is there anything I can do for you?"

As Candy begins to cry, Jason places his arm around her shoulders to comfort her. "Jason, I need. . ." she stops and can't continue.

"I know, Candy. I know you need Jeremy right now but since he's not available, I hope you know you can count on me to help you through this. Wait, what does Stempel have to do with this? Aaron?"

"I think it would be better if Miss Pruitt told you," Aaron answers.

"Well, I don't care who tells me. Just somebody do it now!" Jason shouts.

Moving away from Jason, Candy looks him in the eyes. "Jason, I have to go back home to New Bedford to take care of my Mother. She needs me."

"I understand you wanting to take care of her but to go back to New Bedford? For how long?"

"Forever," she whispers so low that no one can hear her.

"I'm sorry, Candy. I didn't hear that," Jason states.

"I said forever," Candy says as a torrent of tears flow from her eyes.

"Forever? Candy, you can't be serious?"

"I'm afraid I am serious. Mother says she's dying. I need to be there for her."

"Well, yes you do. But why stay there? Why not come back to Seattle when, uh, you know, when she passes?"

Candy sighs loudly. "I'll have to stay there to take care of my little sister Molly and my little brother Christopher."

"Why can't they come back here with you to live?"

"No, I'm not doing that to Jeremy. He'll feel like it's his responsibility to marry me and take care of the children. He's too young to have that burden on his shoulders. I don't want him to feel obligated to marry me. I think it's best to just stay there and. . .and forget about any future here in Seattle."

"Jeremy? Have you thought about what this will do to Jeremy? Candy, this will destroy him?"

"Have I thought about it? Of course, I've thought about it. That's why I came to Mr. Stempel. I've asked him to let me out of the contract so I can leave Seattle without Jeremy and you and Josh losing your mountain. I can't let Jeremy lose his mountain, too."

"Oh, and what did you tell her, Aaron?" Jason asks.

"Well, I told her I'd consider it. And I have. I don't see how I can do that. I mean, I do have a reputation to uphold," he says as he tugs down on the front of his vest.

"Oh hang your reputation, Aaron. You can do this. Think of what this will do to Jeremy. He's losing the woman he loves, the woman he expects to marry and raise a family with. Now, to come back home from his trip and find out he's lost her and he's also lost his mountain, I'm afraid that will be too much for him to face."

Candy looks alarmed. "You don't think he'll do harm to himself, do you Jason?"

"No, I don't mean that. I think Jeremy will retreat back into his shell. We may never get him back this time." Turning to Aaron, Jason asks, "Aaron, can you live with yourself for causing Jeremy to withdraw from the life he has now? Candy, can you do the same?"

"Jason, that's not fair," Candy cries. "I'm doing what I feel is best for all of us. I know Jeremy will be hurt, but I also think he will understand why I'm doing this. Don't you think he would do the same thing if it was his Mother?"

"Maybe. I don't know for sure. I know him losing his Mother at such an early age had a detrimental effect on his childhood. I just hope losing you doesn't have the same effect on him. Aaron, you didn't answer my question. You know how Jeremy was before he met Candy. And you know how much he loves our mountain. Can you live with yourself if you take his mountain from him after he has already lost the love of his life?"

After a long moment of silence, Aaron says, "Oh, all right. I'll let Miss Pruitt go and I won't take the mountain. But don't ask me to do anything like this again. If another bride leaves, the mountain will be mine."

Candy rushes up to Aaron and gives him a quick hug. "Thank you so much, Mr. Stempel. I appreciate this more than you'll ever know."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm sure you do. Now, if you two will excuse me, I have work to do," Aaron states.

"I have one more thing to ask of you, Mr. Stempel. That is if you don't mind," Candy asks.

"More? Miss Pruitt, don't press your luck. What is it?"

"Would you please put this in writing? You know, about you letting me leave without taking the Bolt's mountain. And we need to have at least two witnesses sign it. Maybe Lottie and Ben."

"Miss Pruitt! You act like you don't trust me!"

"Oh, I do trust you Mr. Stempel but I just want it to be all legal and everything. I don't want any surprises."

"Very well. I'll write it up and we'll meet at Lottie's. Have Ben meet us there in say," he looks at his pocket watch, "oh say, an hour."

"I will and thank you again." Candy hurries from the office with Jason right on her heels.

"Candy, just a minute. How do you propose getting to New Bedford?"

"I'm going to Port Townsend to catch a boat to San Francisco. From there I'll do the stage/train excursion to New Bedford."

"Candy, you can't make that long trip by yourself. You need. . ."

"A man to take me? No, I don't. I'm more than capable of doing this on my own."

"Well, at least let me accompany you to Port Townsend. I can at least do that much, can't I?"

Candy thinks about it as she bites at her lip. "All right, but only because I want you to be able to tell Jeremy that I made it there safely. Jason, please help him through this. It breaks my heart doing this to him. I love him."

"I know you do, Candy. He loves you, too. I'm going to keep my fingers crossed that this won't be the end for the two of you. Come on, we need to talk to Lottie and Ben."