CHAPTER 3
Ben says to a stranger in his store, "I'll be right with ya, as soon as I finish up with this customer." The stranger nods his head and looks at a stack of canned goods.
As the last customer leaves, Ben is standing behind the counter putting the money in his cash drawer. "Now, what can I help you with today?" he asks.
The stranger carries four cans over and sets them on the counter. "Got any bacon or salt pork?"
"Sure do. Got both," Ben answers.
"I'll take about a pound of bacon." He watches as Ben slices off a pound of the bacon and wraps it in a piece of white butcher paper, then puts it in a small sack along with the canned items.
"Anything else?" Ben asks cheerfully.
"Yeah, you can add all the money ya got into that there sack, too," the stranger says as he pulls his handgun out from under his dirty coat.
"What? You're robbing me?" Ben asks surprised.
"Looks like it, don't it? Now, hurry up before someone comes," the stranger says as he waves the gun around.
"There's not much money in the drawer. It's early yet," Ben says.
"I don't care! Put the money in the bag!" the man yells.
Ben's wife Emily comes out of the stock room asking, "Ben, what's all the yelling about? What's hap...pen...ing?" She is aghast at seeing the man stick the gun in Ben's face.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" the man says as he looks Emily up and down with a smirk on his face.
"Emily, go back to the stock room, now!" Ben tells her.
"Forget that pretty lady. You move, he gets it."
About this time, Jeremy enters the door and says, "Morning Ben, Emily," then he sees what's happening. He tries to overtake the man and they struggle for the gun. A shot rings out. Jeremy grabs his chest and falls slowly to the floor. Ben quickly grabs his shotgun from behind the counter and fires a shot striking the man, killing him instantly. Emily and Ben run to help Jeremy.
Dr. Wright has just begun her exam of Candy when they hear a loud shot. Then shortly after, another shot rings out. Candy bolts upright from the exam table. "Jeremy!" she shouts.
They hear people run by the clinic talking and yelling. "Candy, I'm sure Jeremy is fine."
"No, you don't know that. Allyn, please go help Jeremy," Candy cries. "I'll get dressed, then I'll be there. Hurry, you have to help Jeremy!"
"All right, if it will make you feel better, I'll go see what's happening." She runs from the room as Candy quickly puts her clothes back on.
As Allyn gets outside on the clinic porch, she sees people rushing to Ben's. Is Candy right? Is it Jeremy? she thinks to herself. She runs to the store and works her way inside. Seeing Jeremy laying on the floor with a big red stain on his shirt, she gasps. "Move back! Let me see him!" She kneels down and checks to see if he's alive. "We need to get him over to the clinic and fast." Ben, Aaron Stempel, and some other men quickly lift him up and carries him to the clinic as Allyn runs in front of them.
Candy watches as they carry Jeremy into the exam room. "Jeremy! Allyn, how bad is it?" she cries.
She stands by him, taking his hand in hers. "Jeremy! Can you hear me?"
Allyn says, "All right. I need everyone out so I can check him over. Candy, that includes you."
"I'm not leaving him. He needs me." She bends down close to his face. "Jeremy, I'm here sweetheart. Please, open your eyes."
Allyn sees that Aaron is still in the waiting area. She hurries to him and asks him to persuade Candy to go out of the room so she can tend to Jeremy.
"Candy, come with me. Come on, the sooner you come with me, the sooner Allyn can find out what Jeremy needs." Aaron takes her arm and tries to pull her away from Jeremy.
"I know what he needs, Aaron. He needs me to be here with him."
"That very well may be, but he also needs for the doctor to take care of him first. Come on, you're preventing her from helping him. Come on," he gently coaxes her from Jeremy.
She bites her lip as tears fall from her eyes. "Wait!" She leans over and tells Jeremy, "Sweetheart, I'll be just outside. I'll be back as soon as I can. Hang on, okay? Jeremy, I love you." She gives him a quick kiss on the lips, then goes with Aaron.
After Allyn checks Jeremy over, she comes out and tells Candy, "Jeremy has been shot in the chest at close range. It barely missed his heart. I'm not going to lie to you Candy, he's lost a lot of blood and he may not make it. But I'll do everything in my power to pull him through. I need to operate and get that bullet out."
"Do whatever you have to, Allyn. I can't lose him. May I see him again before you operate?" Candy cries.
"Make it quick. I'll get things ready while you talk to him. It may be a long surgery, I don't know how deep the bullet is. So try not to worry if it seems like it's taking forever. Has anyone gone to get his brothers?" Allyn asks.
"I sent Harve up there. They should be here shortly," Aaron says.
"I hope they get here before I start operating. I can't wait much longer," Allyn replies.
Candy has already gone in to see Jeremy. She leans over and swipes his hair gently out of his face. "Jeremy, can you hear me? I need you to pull through. I need you and the baby needs you. Please sweetheart, come back to us."
Jeremy stirs slightly. "C-C-Can-dy, t-take care of the baby. I l-love you," he says as he goes limp.
"Allyn! Allyn! What's happening?" Candy shouts.
Allyn checks Jeremy. "He's still alive, Candy. I need to get started now."
"All right. Allyn, please help him live. I can't do this without him."
"I'll do my best, Candy. You know that."
Candy nods her head, then kisses Jeremy on his lips. "I love you, Jeremy. I'll see you in a little while." She turns and rushes out of the room as the nurse, Rachel Sullivan closes the door.
When Jason and Joshua enter the waiting area, Jason talks to Aaron to find out what happened. Josh puts his arms around Candy and asks, "How is he?"
"Not good," she answers. "He's lost a lot of blood. I'm so afraid, Joshua. I'm so afraid we're going to lose him," she sobs.
"We won't lose him. He's going to make it. He has to," Josh says while tears spring up in his eyes as he says a silent prayer for his brother.