Letters To Mama
"No! No! I don't wanna leave! It makes my heart hurt!" Jeremy sobbed as Lottie carried him out of the house. "J-J-Jason needs me!"
Jason, age 17 was seriously ill with pneumonia. He was sleeping in Dad's bed because it was the most comfortable. Dad was sleeping in Jason's bed what little sleeping he did. He spent most nights sitting by Jason's bedside.
Dad decided it was best for Jeremy to stay with Lottie for a while. He didn't want the youngest bairn to catch pneumonia. Joshua was not as susceptible to illness so he got to stay home.
Later in the night, Dad had dozed in his chair next to the bed. Jason had fallen asleep exhausted from coughing. Joshua was asleep in Dad's armchair in the front room.
It was raining and sleeting outside. It would be snowing before daylight. There was a knock at the door.
"Who is it?!" Josh yelled angry at being awakened.
"M-m-me!" Jeremy answered.
Josh opened the door. "Jeremy! Dad's gonna be mad at you! Where's Lottie?"
"In her room asleep." Jeremy answered as he walked into the house.
"You came all this way by yourself at night in this weather? Why?" Josh asked.
"I miss Jason. I wanna see him before he goes to live with Mama." Jeremy wiped away tears with the back of his hand.
"Who told you that?" asked Josh.
"Nobody. I heard people talkin'. " Jeremy replied.
"Oh." Josh whispered.
"Is J-J-Jason gone?" Jeremy was trembling.
"No, Jason is not gone. Don't worry, Jeremy. He will be alright." Josh patted his brother on the back.
Jeremy looked at Josh. "They said Mama would be alright and she died."
"Well, just because they were wrong about Mom doesn't mean that they're wrong about Jason." Josh replied.
Jeremy looked skeptically at his brother.
"Who was at the door…Jeremy!" Dad came out of the bedroom. "Why did you make Lottie get out in this weather and in the night to bring you home?"
Dad looked around for Lottie. "Where is she?"
"L-L-Lottie is not h-h-here." Jeremy whispered
Dad did not say anything for a few moments. He walked over to Jeremy.
Dad sighed and dropped to his knees in front of his youngest bairn.
"Son, you shouldn't have come home alone. You could have gotten hurt or even killed. Your old dad's heart can't take much more. Please don't do this again." Dad wrapped his arms around Jeremy.
Jeremy sobbed heartbroken. " I don't wanna make your heart hurt, Dad. I wanna see Jason before he goes to Mama."
Johnathan gasped. "Oh, sweet boy, your brother is not going to be with Mama. Jason is going to get well." Johnathan embraced his weeping child.
"T-t-t-that's w-w-what everybody said about Mama!" Jeremy wailed.
"I know, son, I know." Dad whispered hugging Jeremy close.
Dad let Jeremy have a look at Jason from the doorway. Dad decided he would not try to make Jeremy go back to Lottie's. He did not want Jeremy making the trip home by himself again. Dad would just quarantine the boy the best he could at home.
Josh and Jeremy went to sleep in the armchair. Dad went back to the chair by Jason's bed.
The next day, Jeremy had an idea. He would write a letter to Mama in Heaven. He would ask Mama to tell Jason that he couldn't come to Heaven now and he had to come back home.
Jeremy wrote the letter:
Dear Mama, Hello, it's Jeremy. I am six years old now. I still look the same as I did last year so you will know me if you can see me. Jason is going to come to live with you, Mama. Please tell him no. Please make him come back to us, Mama. I know you love him, but I can't live with no Jason. It's hard for me to live with no Mama. I can't talk right anymore, Mama. I stopped talking right when Jason prayed after they put your box in the ground. I stutter and people laugh at me. It hurts my feelings. Sometimes when they hurt me real bad, I don't talk for a long time so they can't hurt me for awhile. If Jason comes to live with you, Mama, I might get where I can't talk ever. I don't want to not talk ever but, it might happen. Dad and Josh want Jason here too. Dad has been crying and Josh is more angry than usual. Please help us, Mama. We love you. Your son, Jeremy Bolt.
Jeremy took the letter and put it on Mama's grave. He put a rock on top of it so the wind would not blow it away before Mama could read it.
Lottie sent Aaron to the house to make sure Jeremy had gotten there safely. She was worried about him when she woke up and found he was gone..
Aaron told Dad that he hoped Jason was better soon. He said he would let Lottie know that Jeremy was fine.
For two days, Jason was about the same. No better. No worse.
But, the night of the third day, Jason's fever was very high. His coughing was much worse.
Jeremy had written two more letters to Mama since he wrote the first one. He put each letter on her grave under a rock. Jeremy knew Mama was reading the letters because every time he wrote a new one, the previous letter was gone.
"Joshua, your brother is not doing well at all. I must go get the doctor. Please keep cold cloths on your brother's forehead while I am gone. I will be quick. If Jason….no…I won't say that. Just keep the cold cloths on him."
"Okay, Dad. I will watch over Jason. What about Jeremy?" Josh asked.
Jeremy was taking a nap in the boys' room.
Dad pondered for a moment. "Joshua, I don't like putting pressure on you. But if you think Jason is…. Then, let Jeremy see him." Dad thought another minute. " Oh, son, just go ahead and let Jeremy see Jason when he wakes up. That's the best thing to do. I've got to go. Jason needs the doctor."
"I will Dad. Jason's gonna be alright, isn't he, Dad?" Josh asked worriedly.
"I pray so, son." Dad answered.
Dad left to go get the doctor.
Josh went in Dad's room. He sat down in the chair by the bed. He kept putting cold cloths on Jason's forehead.
Josh prayed for his older brother to get well.
About half an hour after Dad left, Jeremy woke up. He came in Dad's room.
"Where's Dad?" Jeremy asked.
"He went to get the doctor." Josh answered.
Jeremy burst into tears. "I told you Jason was going to live with Mama!"
Jeremy got on the bed on the other side of Jason. He put his head on his brother's chest. Jason felt hot and cold and clammy at the same time.
"I love you, J-J-Jason. Please don't go to Mama. Stay here with Dad, and Josh and me. I guess you are going cause Dad hasn't been letting me come in here cause he's scared I'll get the 'monia and go to Mama too. And now Josh is letting me come in to see you. Josh wouldn't do that unless Dad said it was okay. I don't guess I can catch it if you will be gone soon." Tears ran down Jeremy's face..
.
He listened to Jason's heartbeat. Ba dum, Ba dum, Ba dum. Jeremy thought this was probably the last time he would hear his oldest brother's heartbeat.
Jeremy cried loud heartbroken sobs. Josh got on the bed on the other side of Jeremy. Joshua put his arm around Jeremy and cried heartbroken sobs too.
A few minutes later, Dad and came in the room. Lottie had come back with them. She was making some coffee.
"Oh, my sweet boys, you have done good watching over your brother. Now I need for you to go in the other room so the doctor can examine Jason." Dad gave Joshua and Jeremy a brief hug as they got off the bed.
Joshua and Jeremy went in the front room. They were glad to see Lottie. She gave each of them a big hug. Lottie had tears in her eyes.
"What would you boys like for supper?" Lottie asked them.
Both brothers said, "Nothing."
"Well, I will make some stew. You might be hungry by the time it's done." Lottie replied.
Joshua sat in Dad's armchair and stared at the fire.
Jeremy got a piece of paper and his pencil. He sat at the table to write one more letter to Mama.
.
This is what he wrote:
Dear Mama, Hello, this is Jeremy again. Jason is coming to you real soon, Mama. The doctor is here. Dad went to get him. Lottie is here too. Lottie is crying. Joshua is crying. I am crying. I'm only six, but I know what it means when the doctor comes and everybody cries. It means somebody is going to Heaven. Mama, please tell Jason, no! when he gets there. Please Mama make him come back to us. We can't live without you and Jason too. Please, Mama! Please! I don't wanna not talk ever again. Dad says his old heart can't take much more and Joshua is getting where he don't talk much. Help us, please, Mama. Make Jason come back! Thank you. Love, Jeremy Bolt.
Jeremy ran outside. He put the letter on Mama's grave under the rock. As always, the previous letters were gone.
Lottie was trying to encourage Joshua and Jeremy to eat some stew.
Suddenly, Dad cried out, "Oh! My son! My beautiful boy! No! No!"
Lottie ran into the bedroom. In a minute, she came back out. She motioned for Joshua and Jeremy to come to her. Joshua looked like he was going to run out of the house, but he did not. He and Jeremy went over to Lottie.
"Joshua, Jeremy. Oh, sweet boys, I'm afraid it's time to say goodbye to your brother, Jason. The doctor can't do anything to make him better. His poor body is too sick for him to go on like this." Lottie said gently as she put her arms around the frightened brothers.
Joshua and Jeremy went with Lottie into their father's bedroom. She guided them next to the bed.
Jason was barely able to speak. "Josh, Jeremy, I love you both. Be good for Dad."
"W-W-We w-w-will. W-W-We love you, J-J-Jason." Jeremy stammered.
"I love you, Jason." Joshua said in a tiny whisper.
Dad knelt by the bed stroking Jason's hair. Tears flowed down his face. "I love you, precious boy. I love you."
Jason looked at his father. "I love you, Dad." He said in a very faint whisper.
Jason gasped.
Dr. Cooper examined Jason. The doctor looked at Johnathan and shook his head. Jason was gone.
Johnathan burst into tears. Joshua ran out of the house. Jeremy sobbed loud gut wrenching sobs. Lottie was crying too as she tried to comfort Johnathan and Jeremy.
A few minutes later, the doctor was doing his final examination of Jason's body.
"I don't believe this." Dr. Cooper said.
"What?" asked Johnathan.
Dr. Cooper smiled and shook his head. "Jason is alive."
"But a few minutes ago, you told us he was dead!" Dad exclaimed.
"Johnathan, a few minutes ago, he was dead." Dr. Cooper replied.
Lottie gasped.
Jeremy grinned. " Thank you, Mama!"
Jeremy ran over to the bed. "Jason! Thank you for coming back! I love you! I gotta go tell Josh!"
Jason spoke softly, "Jeremy, look in my coat pocket. Mama sent you something."
"Okay, Jason. Thanks." Jeremy told him.
Dad, Lottie, and Dr. Cooper were so astonished that Jason was alive, they did not hear Jason and Jeremy's conversation.
Jeremy went to the hooks where they hung up their coats. He put his hand in Jason's coat pocket. Jeremy pulled out a letter from Mama.
Jeremy ran outside and found Josh. He told him that Jason came back from Heaven. Josh looked at him like he was crazy. Jeremy told him to go see. Josh and Jeremy ran into the house together. Josh ran in Dad's bedroom. Jeremy could hear Josh yelling and laughing when he saw that Jason was back.
Jeremy got his letter from Mama. He sat down in Dad's armchair to read it.
This is what Mama wrote:
Dear Jeremy, Hello! This is Mama. I have loved reading your letters, my sweet boy. I'm sorry that you have a problem talking. And it hurts my feelings too that some people laugh at you and make you sad. But, my sweet Jeremy, please don't let the cruelty of others make you stop talking. You have so much kindness and love to give, son. Please share it everyday. The world needs it so much. I'm sorry that Dad, Joshua, and you have been so sad and worried about Jason. I talked to The Lord and I showed Him your letters. He gave me permission to tell Jason to go back home to all of you. I love you, Jeremy. Please tell Dad, Joshua, and Jason that I love them too. Love each other well. (I know all of you do.) Be happy, my sweet Jeremy. Love, Mama.
Jeremy was so happy that he got a letter from Mama. He would put it in a safe place and keep it forever. For right now though, he laid it on the table.
Jeremy went back in Dad's room. Everyone was laughing and talking. Jeremy sat on the side of the bed and held Jason's hand.
Jason raised his eyebrow a little at Jeremy.
"Yes, I got it, Jason." Jeremy told him.
"Got what?" Josh asked. He was on the other side of the bed holding Jason's other hand.
"I will tell you later, okay?" Jeremy replied.
"Okay." Josh agreed.
Later, Dr. Cooper told everyone that Jason needed some rest. Dad and the brothers said goodnight to Jason.
Dr. Cooper went back to town. Lottie said she would stay to help out for a few days.
Joshua and Jeremy went to bed.
Lottie and Johnathan were sitting at the table. They talked about what a miracle it was that Jason was still alive. Johnathan figured the doctor was mistaken when he had told him Jason had died. Johnathan was not upset about Dr. Cooper's mistake. He was just grateful to still have Jason. Lottie agreed that was certainly the most important thing.
Johnathan picked up Jeremy's letter off the table. It was folded. He did not look at what was written,
"What's that, Johnathan?" asked Lottie.
"Oh, it's probably a letter that Jeremy wrote to his mother." He replied. "The wee bairn has been writing to his mama asking her to tell Jason to come back home if he came to heaven. Jeremy has been so scared that Jason was going to die." Johnathan sighed.
"I wonder what the sweet boy said to his mother in this letter." Johnathan said.
"With small children there is no telling." Lottie smiled. "Jeremy is so much like his mother. Maggie was tender hearted and kind…and stubborn."
Johnathan smiled at Lottie's words. He unfolded the letter and began to read it. He gasped.
"Oh, what's wrong?" Lottie asked.
"This letter isn't from Jeremy to his mother. This letter is from Maggie to Jeremy." Johnathan whispered.
"Oh, my goodness, Johnathan! How can that be?!" Lottie exclaimed.
"I don't know. But it is." Johnathan showed Lottie the letter. "That is Maggie's handwriting."
The End