CHAPTER 3

The next morning, Candy awakes early to get dressed before the other brides wake up. She needs to do something that's important to her before she faces all the goodbyes. Picking up an envelope, she quietly leaves the dormitory and heads to her and Jeremy's favorite spot, the large boulder by the water. She had to see their spot one more time before she leaves. She sits down and begins to reminisce about her life ever since she met a handsome young man, the love of her life, one Jeremy Bolt. What were the chances that she would fall in love before she even got to Seattle? But that's exactly what happened. Jeremy swept her off her feet on board the Shamus O'Flynn. All he had to do was look at her with those beautiful sparkling blue eyes, that million dollar smile, and stutter. She was then his forever. Forever? She thought she would be his forever. And he hers. But life got in their way. She knew she was doing the right thing by going to New Bedford to take care of her Mother, but she couldn't help resenting the fact that she was being made to choose between her Mother and Jeremy. She hopes he understands.

Candy knocks on the door of the Bolt cabin. Jason is just finishing up his cup of coffee as he opens the door. "Candy? What are you doing here? I thought I was going to pick you up at the dormitory."

"I know that's what we said, but I just wanted to see the Bolt cabin one last time. There are so many memories here. Pleasant, beautiful memories."

"Well, come in. Would you like a cup of coffee or something to eat?"

"No, thank you. If you don't mind, I'd like to just look around," she answers as her eyes fill with tears.

"You look around all you want while I pack my things in the wagon."

Candy picks up a picture of the three Bolt brothers that is resting on the mantle. She stares at Jeremy. "Oh Jeremy. I'm so sorry," she whispers. She goes over to the door to Jeremy's room and touches the knob, trying to decide if she should go inside. Finally, she opens the door and goes in. Walking around his room, she picks up little objects just to be holding on to something of his. When she sees his work shirt laying across a chair, she picks it up and hugs it. The tears fall from her eyes as she smells his wonderful scent left on the shirt. She sits down on the edge of the bed and rubs her hand over his pillow. "I really thought we would share this bed someday. Jeremy, please forgive me." Laying down on the bed with his shirt, she cries into his pillow.

"Candy? Candy, are you all right? We should be going," Jason interrupts.

Candy sits up wiping her eyes with her hands. "I'm sorry. This is so hard to do." Standing now she continues, "Jason, I love Jeremy so much. Please, take good care of him."

"I'll do my best, Candy. He loves you, you know."

"I know he does. And. . .hmm, I'm ready to go, now. Oh Jason, do you think Jeremy would mind if I take his shirt with me? It smells so much like him."

"I think Jeremy would be pleased if you took it. Anything else you want to take with you?"

"No, this will do. Thank you." They walk back into the front room.

Taking the envelope from her pocket, she hands it to Jason. "I wrote Jeremy a letter. I know it's not what he intends to see when he gets back, but it will have to do. Jason, I told Jeremy I would be here waiting for him to return. I lied to him," she cries.

Jason puts his arm around Candy's shoulders. "You didn't know all this was going to happen. I think he'll understand that you really didn't lie to him. I have a feeling that when Jeremy finds out you left, he's going to chase after you. He's going to go to New Bedford."

Candy straightens. "No! You mustn't let him do that."

"Why not?"

"Jeremy belongs here on his mountain. He would never be happy living in a town like New Bedford. Oh, he would pretend to like it just for my sake, but no, he would never really like New Bedford. I'm not going to uproot him from his beloved home. Please, keep him here."

"I'll try my best, but you know Jeremy. He gets his mind made up about something and there's little chance of changing it."

"Yes, I know. He can be stubborn, can't he?" Candy giggles.

"Come on, let's go. I bet there's lots of friends waiting to tell you goodbye."

After telling the brides and some other friends goodbye, Candy begins to tell the ones she's closest to goodbye. "Goodbye, Mr. Stempel and thank you again for all you've done."

"Goodbye, Miss Pruitt. Have a safe trip and I hope your Mother will recover."

"Ben, Emily, I'm going to miss you. And Ben Jr. too. Take care."

"We'll miss you, too. Candy, when I told you to get out of Seattle, I didn't really mean for you to go," Emily says crying.

"I know. Funny how things happen, isn't it? We can write each other."

"All right. We'll do that."

"Lottie, oh Lottie, I'm going to miss you so much. Thank you for everything you did to help me here in Seattle. I do have one more thing I'd like for you to do for me."

"Name it. I'll do all I can for you. You're the daughter that I always wanted."

"And you're my Mother away from home. Lottie, please help take care of Jeremy. He's going to need his Mama Lottie."

"Oh Honey, I'll do what I can, but it's you he'll really need. I love you, Candy."

"I love you, too. You take care and tell old Fishface bye for me. I'll miss you both."

Candy stands in front of her best friend, Biddie. "Biddie? Biddie, how do I say goodbye to you? You're not only my best friend, you're my sister. I love you so much." They hug each other and cry.

"Candy, I've never had a sister or a best friend before. I hardly had a friend. Now, I feel like I'm losing part of myself. I don't want you to go!" Biddie cries.

"I know, Biddie. But we can stay in touch. Goodbye, and please don't forget me. And Corky, I'm counting on you to be here for Biddie. Keep her out of trouble."

"That's a lot to ask of me, Candy. You know Biddie. Trouble is her middle name," he laughs.

"Corky, will you please help Jeremy, too. I know how close the two of you use to be, before I came alone. I'm hoping you can recapture that closeness. Goodbye," she says as she kisses him on the cheek.

Walking over to Jason who is waiting by the wagon, she says, "Let's go before I change my mind."

He helps her up into the wagon and climbs aboard himself. Waving bye to her friends and her home, she cries as her heart breaks while the wagon rolls out of Seattle.