Jeremy's Dream: Mrs. Jason Bolt
"Dr. Wright! Dr. Wright!" Jason Bolt bellowed as he came flying into town driving the buckboard.
His brothers were in the back of the wagon. Joshua was trying to help Jeremy. The youngest Bolt was screaming and writhing in pain.
Jason brought the buckboard to a halt in front of the doctor's clinic. He leapt from the seat and ran to the back of the wagon.
"Joshua! Go open the door!" Jason demanded as he gathered Jeremy into his arms.
Joshua opened the door and Jason ran inside carrying Jeremy. "Allyn! "Where the blazes are you?! Jeremy is sick as hell!"
Allyn Wright came running. "Jason! I was in a consultation with another doctor in my office. Take Jeremy in exam room three."
Jason rushed to the room and carefully laid his brother on the exam table. Jeremy screamed in pain.
Jason looked at Jeremy and then at the doctor. "You have to help him, Allyn!"
"Jason, I'm going to run get Candy. She should be here!" Joshua said.
Joshua ran out of the office.
Dr. Wright began examining Jeremy. When she poked his abdomen with her fingers, he screamed. He was burning up with fever.
"How long has he been sick, Jason?" Dr. Wright asked.
"It began last night. Jeremy was nauseous and he wretched twice. He thought it was caused by something he ate."
"When did the pain start?" The doctor inquired.
"About two hours ago. It wasn't this bad at first. Jeremy kept trying to work. He was making repairs to the flume. Swede found him slumped over in the flume. If one of the men had tried to test the flume before Swede found Jeremy…." Jason felt sick thinking about it.
Dr. Wright completed her examination. Joshua had returned with Candy.
"What's wrong with Jeremy, doctor?" Candy was frightened.
Dr. Wright looked at Candy and at Jeremy's brothers. "His gallbladder is infected. I think the infection has spread beyond his gallbladder."
Jason cut his eyes at her. "Allyn, what are you not telling us?"
"There is a strong possibility that Jeremy won't make it. He might not even survive the surgery." She said sadly.
"No! No! Jeremy!" Candy rushed over to the exam table. "Jeremy, you are strong. You can fight this. Don't leave me! I love you!"
Jeremy roused a bit. "Candy, I love you. Be happy. Find a nice man to love. My brothers will help you until you find someone. Jason, please help Candy. Josh, you help her too, please. I love you all."
"Jeremy! Don't say…." Jason saw that Jeremy had lost consciousness.
Joshua broke down sobbing. Candy put her arm around him."Jeremy will be alright. He has to be!"
"Jason, please help me get Jeremy into the operating room. Rachel has everything ready." Dr. Wright told him. "I will do my very best to save him."
Jason carried his youngest brother into the operating room. He placed Jeremy gently on the table. Joshua and Candy had followed, but they stood back and watched from the doorway.
Jason stepped back from the surgical table. He watched Rachel administer the ether to Jeremy. As he breathed the anesthesia, Jeremy gave a sigh of relief.
Jason swallowed hard at the sound. He looked at Allyn asking with his eyes if that was his brother's last breath. The doctor shook her head no and then nodded toward Jeremy's chest. As Jason watched the rising and falling of the youngest Bolt's chest, he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Jason! Come with us, please. It's up to God and the doctor now." Joshua said.
Jason left the operating room. He went to the waiting area with his middle brother and Candy.
While Jeremy was unconscious, this was his dream.
Jeremy was returning home from his first San Francisco buying trip. It was a successful trip as Jeremy had won the contract with Captain Silas Harmon. He was proud and excited to tell his brothers the good news.
Jeremy was also feeling sad with a sense of dread. While he was away the past two weeks, Jeremy decided that he must have that talk with Candy. The talk to let her know that it was over for them.
As the Shamus O' Flynn was docking in Seattle, Jeremy scanned the crowd waiting to meet the vessel. Candy was not there. She had not seen him off two weeks ago due to yet another argument between them.
"Jeremy, my boy, why the forlorn expression? You did an excellent job convincing me to award the contract to your company. Let me tell you as well, I don't go home with everyone I sign a contract with." Captain Harmon laughed.
"I am very glad that my brothers and I will be working with you, and I'm honored that you want to see our logging operation firsthand. I just had something personal on my mind for a minute." Jeremy explained.
"Yes well, I certainly understand that, Jeremy. I will make my lodging arrangements while you visit your young lady. Where was it that you told me I could get a room?" Captain Harmon asked.
"At Lottie's right over there." Jeremy answered.
"Oh yes, I see it. Thank you, Jeremy. I will see you later." The captain replied.
"You're welcome. I'll see you later." Jeremy grabbed his trunk and left the ship.
Jeremy took his trunk to the cabin. Then he went to find Candy.
Jeremy found her sitting on their boulder in the woods. "Hello, Candy."
She was startled. "Hello, Jeremy. I guess you're wondering why I didn't meet you at the ship,"
"No, not really. Do you mind if I sit down?" Jeremy asked.
"No, I don't mind." Candy slid over a bit to make room for him.
"Thank you." He sat down next to her. "Candy, we need to talk."
"About what?" Candy asked.
"Candy, you know about what. About us." He said gently.
"Oh, is there still an us?" She asked as she began to cry.
Jeremy put his finger under her chin and turned her head to face him.
"I don't think so. And I don't think there has been an us for a while now. That's the reason you didn't see me off or meet me today when I got home after two weeks." Jeremy said sadly.
"Oh, Jeremy! I hate to say it, but you're right. I have been taking walks with Ward Kimberly every day. I wouldn't do that if things were good between us. I'm so sorry, I really thought we would get married and live happily ever after." Candy sobbed.
Jeremy put his arms around her holding her close. He began humming softly to comfort her.
"Jeremy, you are so kind and loving. Here you are trying to make me feel better about us breaking up. Thank you." Candy whimpered.
"You're w-w-welcome, C-C-Candy." Jeremy had not stuttered in a long time.
"Will you be alright, Jeremy?" Candy inquired.
"Yes, I will, Candy. I will miss you. There is something else I need to tell you." He said.
"What is it? Did you meet a girl in San Francisco? It's okay. Well, you don't need my permission or my approval. I didn't mean it like that. I just meant I won't be upset." Candy told him.
"No, Candy. I didn't meet anyone. Captain Harmon offered me a job at sea. I'm thinking seriously of accepting it." Jeremy replied.
"How long would you be gone?" Candy was surprised.
Jeremy looked into her eyes. "Forever, Candy. I would be gone forever. We would be circumnavigating the globe Captain Harmon said."
"It sounds very exciting. What about Jason and Joshua? The three of you are so close. It's going to be hard for you to leave them, isn't it?" asked Candy.
Jeremy took a deep breath. "Yeah, it's going to be the hardest thing I have ever done. But I think it's the right thing for me to do. I can't be the baby brother forever."
"Oh, I believe that your brothers will differ with you about that." Candy smiled a little.
"Yes, they will." Jeremy smiled too.
"Goodbye, Candy. Thank you for the wonderful years we had. I will always remember you." Jeremy kissed her gently on the cheek.
"Goodbye, Jeremy. Thank you for loving me. I will always remember you too." Candy gave him a kiss on his shoulder.
"Would you like for me to walk you back to town? "Jeremy asked.
"That's very kind, but I'm going to stay here a bit longer." Candy answered.
"Okay." Jeremy said softly. He slid off the rock and headed back to town.
That night, Jeremy told his brothers that he was taking a job with Captain Harmon. He also told them that he and Candy had broken up for good.
"I'm sorry, Jeremy. I thought you and Candy would get married and be together for the rest of your lives." Jason said.
"Yeah, that's really sad, Jeremy. I'm sorry. Joshua told him.
"Thanks, brothers. Candy and I thought we were forever too." Jeremy looked at his boots.
"Your new job sounds great, Jeremy. We will miss you something awful though." Joshua choked up.
"Yes, it certainly won't be the same without you here, Jeremy." Jason wiped his eyes with his sleeve.
"I w-w-will m-m-miss you too." Jeremy looked away from them.
"What the blazes are we doing!" Jason opened his arms wide.
The three brothers shared a big tearful hug.
"You will have to stay in touch, Jeremy. Letters, telegrams, a visit sometimes." Jason said.
"I will, Jason." Jeremy agreed.
The days went by quickly. Soon it was time for Jeremy to leave.
The youngest Bolt stood stoically on the deck of Clancy's ship as it pulled away from the dock in Seattle. Candy was there this time. She waved goodbye. Jeremy waved back. His brothers were there too. Tears stung Jeremy's eyes as he realized he might never see them again.
When the Seattle shoreline was no longer visible, Jeremy went to the wheel room. Clancy was the only one in there. Captain Harmon was in his room.
Jeremy stood silently looking out the portal for a few minutes. Suddenly, he burst into tears. He turned from the portal and slid down the wall to sit on the floor. He covered his face with his hands.
"Oh, Young Bolt! I know it's hard leaving ye home and ye brothers especially when yore young as ye are. But you will see, it will be alright. Yes, it will. There now, lad." Clancy tried to comfort him.
"That's not why I'm crying, Clancy. It's Candy! I love her and I will love her forever and always." Fresh tears flowed from his eyes.
"Well, if ye still love the lass, why did ye leave?" Clancy asked.
Jeremy looked at Clancy. "Candy doesn't love me anymore. She loves Jason."
"Jason? Jason who?" Clancy was perplexed.
Jeremy shook his head. "Clancy, Candy loves Jason, my brother."
"Well, that son of a sea hag! Stealing his own brother's sweetheart!" Clancy shouted.
"Jason didn't steal her, Captain. She fell in love with him." Jeremy advised.
"Did she tell you that, lad?" Clancy inquired.
"No, Candy didn't tell me." Jeremy sighed. "One day two months ago, I couldn't find Candy. I went into Lottie's to ask Lottie if she had seen Candy. Lottie said Candy and Biddie were upstairs cleaning some of the rooms. I went upstairs to tell Candy something."
Jeremy paused for a few moments.
He continued, "Candy and Biddie were in a room with the door closed. I accidentally overheard Candy tell Biddie that she is in love with Jason. She went on to say that Jason loves her too, but he wasn't ready to admit it because he didn't want to hurt me."
"I'm very sorry, Jeremy. Did they ever tell you outright?" Clancy asked.
"No, they didn't. I never said anything either. Candy and I started having more fights soon after that and I knew it had to be true." Jeremy looked up at the ceiling of the ship.
"Jason didn't say anything to you about her?" asked Clancy.
"Not a word, Clancy. But I started noticing things that I hadn't before. When I would get home at night after seeing Candy, Jason would leave just a few minutes later. Sometimes he wouldn't get back until very early the next morning. He would say he had been at the camp and fell asleep. There were times when Josh and I would sleep at the camp and Jason at the cabin. Several of those times, I would get home and find Candy's quilt somewhere in the cabin." Jeremy shook his head.
"I am truly sorry. But at least ye found out before you and the lass got married." Clancy advised.
"You're right. Clancy. I can be grateful for that. I am going to my room. Thanks for listening." Jeremy told him.
"You are welcome, Young Bolt." Clancy replied.
Two weeks later in Seattle, Jason and Candy were at the Bolt family home place. They were still in bed after making love. Jason had been loving and gentle at first, but he became a little more aggressive than usual. Certainly not abusive by any means. More like guilty.
"Jason, It's okay. You don't have to feel guilty. Everything worked out." Candy whispered as she ran her fingers thru his thick wavy hair.
"I suppose it did. I just don't like the idea of Jeremy being hurt." Jason smiled his gorgeous smile at her. He gazed hungrily at her lovely body.
"Do you think he knew about us?" asked Candy.
"Of course, he knew. Why do you think he broke up with you and left Seattle?" Jason asked her.
"I thought he just realized that it wasn't working with us and that he wanted a new job." Candy answered.
"Now is that true, Angel?" Jason smiled.
"No, I realized that Jeremy knew about us. I just hated to admit it even to myself." Candy replied.
"Well, it's done. Jeremy dealt with it in an adult way. So…" Jason grinned at her.
"Oh, you are awful." Candy laughed as Jason began kissing her from head to toe.
Jason and Candy began seeing each other openly but only after Jason told Joshua about them.
"I knew, Jason. And no, Jeremy did not tell me. You broke his heart, Jason. I mean breaking up with a sweetheart is one thing but losing that girl to your own brother. Especially a brother like you were to him, Jason. Couldn't you have found another woman to love? There are 99 other brides and what about Allyn?" Joshua told him.
"Joshua, I truly love Candy and she loves me. We didn't do this to hurt Jeremy. We denied it for a long time. Then we fought it when we couldn't ignore it anymore." Jason answered.
"Alright, you are still my brother and I love you. I just can't help but worry about Jeremy. I mean you have been everything to him since he was nine years old, Jason." Joshua was concerned.
"I know, Josh. All we can do is pray that Jeremy handles his anger at me as well as he dealt with Candy and the new job." Jason said sheepishly.
"You should have talked to him, Jason. You know that." Joshua said sternly.
"Yes. I failed him, Josh. I'm sorry." Jason said.
Jason and Candy went on a picnic. Jason took her to Maggie's Meadow. It was a beautiful spot on the mountain that Johnathan Bolt named after his wife, Mary Margret McKinnon Bolt.
It was a beautiful day, Candy and Jason laughed and talked. They exchanged sweet kisses and whispered sweet nothings in each other's ears.
After their delicious lunch of cold roast beef sandwiches, potato salad and Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, they stretched out on a blanket and looked at the sky.
"I love you, Candy." Jason rolled on to his side. He stroked Candy's hair.
Jason leaned down and pressed his lips ever so gently to her lips. Candy put her arms around his neck. After a few more kisses, they were quickly removing their clothes.
As they made love, it seemed as if they were the only two people in all the world. Candy loved how Jason could be so strong and yet, so gentle with her at the same time. As their lovemaking ended, Candy screamed with abandon declaring her love for Jason.
Jason smiled at her as they heard many bird and animal sounds coming from the woods surrounding the meadow.
"Angel," he whispered, "I believe you have frightened every creature in the forest." He softly stroked her cheek. Candy reached for his hand. She tenderly pressed her lips to his fingers.
Clutching his hand in hers, she gazed into his eyes. "I have something else to declare. Something that I hope won't frighten you, my love."
"What is it, honey?" Jason asked.
"I'm pregnant. Are you angry, Jason?" Candy asked.
"Why would you think I might be angry? Our child belongs to both of us. It took both of us to create our son or our daughter. Wait, the baby is mine, correct?" Jason asked.
"Of course, Jason! Your brother has been gone for four months. And so has Ward Kimberly." Candy answered.
Jason had tears in his eyes. "A father. I am going to be a father."
"So, you want our child?" Candy inquired.
"Yes, honey! Oh, yes, I do! And I want my child's mother to marry me." He responded.
"I want that too. Can we wait until we are dressed before you propose?" Candy laughed.
Jason grinned. "Yes, honey, we can wait."
The following night, Jason arranged for a private candlelight dinner at Lottie's. After the meal, Jason proposed and recited Browning's Sonnet 43, How Do I Love Thee.
Candy loved it all. The dinner, the proposal, the poetry and most of all she loved Jason.
One month later, they had a beautiful church wedding. Joshua was the best man. Biddie was the maid of honor. Jason and Candy were a striking couple dressed in their wedding finery.
Jason sent Jeremy a telegram telling him about the wedding and the baby. Jeremy wired back offering his congratulations and best wishes for both events. He said that Jason and Candy would have to be sure to tell the baby about Uncle Jeremy.
Jason noticed that Jeremy's telegram came from Mobile, Alabama. He wondered what business Captain Harmon had in the southern state.
"Jason! Are you sure you are alright? That is the third time you have thrown up this morning." Candy called from the kitchen. "Come on, so I can eat breakfast! I'm starving!"
Jason walked rather unsteadily into the kitchen. He looked pale. "What is that horrible smell?"
"My love, I don't smell anything except this great breakfast that I cooked. We have bacon, eggs, fried potatoes, biscuits and gravy. I cooked the eggs just like you like them, over-easy. I know how you like to break the yoke and let it run on your plate and then sop it with your biscuit. I like that now too. See, my love?" Candy held her plate so Jason could see the yellow runny yolk going all over the dish. Some of it mixed with the gravy on the plate.
Jason took one look and ran back to the washroom. Candy gobbled up her food and then wondered what to cook for lunch.
Jason's morning sickness continued for two weeks. He lost so much weight that Candy made him go to the . Wright examined him. She said he had sympathy morning sickness. She said expectant fathers often shared their wives' pregnancy symptoms.
Jason laughed. "We are not sharing this symptom. While I'm sick as a mule, she's eating like a horse!"
After a few weeks, Jason got over the morning sickness. The months went by and soon it was time for the baby to be born.
Jason and Candy were staying at Lottie's waiting for the baby to be born. The weather was cold and snowy. Jason wanted to be sure they weren't trapped at home on the mountain when it was time for the baby.
On a snowy moonlit night, Candy went into labor. Jason stayed by her side. He wiped her face with cold cloths and tried to encourage her through the pain.
During the worst of the pain, Jason cried seeing his dear wife suffer so badly. Lottie gave Candy some Laudanum to ease her pain.
After many hours, Mary Catherine Bolt was born. She had dark hair and bright blue eyes. She was named after her grandmothers.
While Candy slept, Jason took his daughter downstairs to meet Uncle Joshua and Aaron.
"She is beautiful, Jason." Joshua beamed at his newborn niece.
"Yes, Jason, Katie is quite lovely. Just like her mother." Aaron slapped his friend on the back.
"I thank you and my adorable perfect daughter thanks you as well." Jason was so proud. "Josh, did you send the wire?"
"Yes, I sent the message. I didn't receive a response yet." Joshua replied.
"I wonder why? Jeremy usually replies quickly to our telegrams. Of course, we don't send that many." Jason speculated.
Candy and Jason were doting parents. Katie was constantly being held, hugged, and kissed. Jason got up several times during the night every night to check on her.
"Jason! The baby is fine. You don't have to keep running back and forth so much." Candy told him.
"I have an idea, honey. Let's bring the baby and her crib into our room. What do you say? Please?"
Candy smiled at her handsome husband. "Oh, alright! If it will make you happy."
"Thank you, honey! I love you!" Jason was ecstatic. He got up,and almost ran to the nursery.
Candy could hear him talking to the baby. "Mommy said okay! Isn't Mommy wonderful?" Candy smiled and counted her blessings.
Two months later, Candy had an idea. "My love, would you like to have a picnic in Maggie's Meadow again? It's been a long time."
"That sounds fine, Angel. Josh will keep Katie for us." Jason said.
"Alright, how about this Sunday?" asked Candy.
Jason hugged Candy close. "Sunday will be great!" They shared a passionate kiss.
On Sunday afternoon, Candy and Jason were on a blanket in Maggie's Meadow. This time they skipped lunch. They drank champagne and removed each other's clothes.
"Jason!" Candy gasped as he kissed her all over.
"Oh, Angel! You are exquisite!" Jason sighed as his lips touched her silky skin.
As they made love, Candy thought their maddening desire would cause them to devour one another. When their passion reached its height, both of them screamed in ecstasy.
When Jason and Candy went to Joshua's cabin to get Katie, they got quite a surprise. Jeremy was there with his new wife.
"Well, hello, brother! I have missed you! Who is this lovely lady?" Jason was close to tears.
Jeremy grinned. "Hello, Candy, Jason! This is my sweet wife, Lisa. We met in Alabama earlier this year."
"Hello, Candy. Hello, Jason." Lisa smiled.
Candy and Jason said hello to Jeremy's wife.
"You won't believe how we met. Captain Harmon has a friend who is an Italian sculptor. He gets his marble from a small town in Alabama. It is beautiful marble. This tiny town has a marble quarry. Well, the captain's friend contacts him to ask if he will get some of this marble and meet him in San Francisco. The captain agrees. So we sail to Mobile Alabama and then travel by buckboard to this little town called Buzzard's Roost. That's the name of this town, honest! After we get the marble loaded on the buckboard, we decide to get some supper." Jeremy told them.
He paused and smiled at Lisa for a moment. She smiled back.
Jeremy continued. "We find a nice little restaurant and we are eating our supper. The stagecoach pulls up to the restaurant. Lisa jumps out of the stage and runs in the building. She says she has been kidnapped and needs help. I stand up and tell her I will help. Just then, Lisa's father who is the police chief in Buzzard's Roost came in. He had caught the kidnapper as he got off the stage. You won't believe who the kidnapper was…. Rafe Holiday! Isn't that strange? Anyway, we stayed in Buzzard's Roost for a few days. Lisa and I went out together and we fell in love." Jeremy smiled.
"Wow! Jeremy! Who would have ever thought you would hear from Holiday again?" Joshua asked.
"Certainly not me, Josh." Jeremy answered.
"Well, Lisa, we are all glad that your father rescued you and that you became part of our family. Welcome, dear." Jason said.
"Thank you. I'm happy to be part of your family. I love Jeremy very much."
"Yes, I'm sure you do!" Candy shouted.
"Candy, what's wrong with you? You are married to Jason. Lisa is my wife and I love her."
Jeremy woke up murmuring "I love Lisa, I love Lisa, I love Lisa."
"Jeremy? Jeremy? Can you hear me? Please wake up, sweetheart." Candy was holding his hand.
Jeremy opened his eyes. He saw Candy and his brothers and Dr. Wright.
"Where is Lisa?" He asked.
"Who is Lisa, Jeremy?" Jason asked.
"My wife." He answered.
"Excuse me?" Candy asked.
"You can't be upset, Candy. You and Jason are married and you have a baby." Jeremy said.
"What?" Jason laughed.
"Dr. Wright, I think Jeremy got too much ether when he had surgery." Joshua shook his head.
"Surgery?" Jeremy was confused.
"Yes, Jeremy. I removed your gallbladder. You were very sick for a few days, but you are going to be fine." Dr. Wright told him.
"Yes, you are going to be alright. And I am the one who loves you. Not Lisa." Candy said softly. "I love you, Jeremy."
"I love you, Candy." Jeremy whispered as they shared a sweet tender kiss.
The End