CHAPTER 4

Candy is sitting in the parlor when Jeremy and his brothers walk in. Jeremy notices her red puffy eyes, but she seems to be cool, calm, and collected. So he turns to his brothers and says, "You can go on home now. I'll be fine."

Jason replies, "We can wait outside if you want us to."

Shaking his head, Jeremy says, "Thank you, but no. I'll talk to you tomorrow." Jason and Josh both nod their heads to Candy and she does the same, before they leave.

Jeremy faces Candy and shyly says, "Hi."

Candy replies, "Hello."

Wiping the sweat from his hands onto his brown corduroy trousers, he sits down beside her. "Candy, we need to talk."

"I agree," she replies calmly. "What kept you? I thought you'd be home way before now."

"I would have been if it weren't for the bad headache I got. Jason and Josh insisted I take some laudanum and lay down for awhile." He frowns then says, "I'm sorry."

"Are you all right now? How's your headache?"

"It's better. Just a dull throb." Jeremy is surprised that she is so calm, no tears, or no anger showing on her face, just those red puffy eyes. He takes her hand in his and she quickly jerks it away. Aw, here it comes, he thinks to himself before saying, "Candy, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I wanted you to know, but not like this."

"What did you want me to know, Jeremy?" she asks curtly. "Do you mean you wanted me to know you're going to meet your girlfr. . . you're meeting Lisa in San Francisco? Just how long. . ." she stops and closes her teary eyes for a few seconds, then opens them to finish her question. "How long have you and Lisa been seeing each other?"

"Candy, it's not what you think. I don't know her. I've never even met her."

"Jeremy, please don't. . .please be honest with me. I deserve that much, don't I?" she asks of him as the tears start to fall and she quickly wipes them away.

"I am being honest with you. I don't know Lisa. Lisa is a friend of Allyn's and she works in some medical place in San Francisco. Allyn and Lisa think I should have a series of tests done to see why I'm having all these headaches."

"If that's all there is to it, why didn't you just tell me. Why all the secrets?" she asks.

"Because I didn't want to worry you."

"You didn't want to worry me? Hrmph," she grunts. "So you think it's better for me to worry about our marriage more than about your health? Jeremy, I can't understand you sometimes," she cries.

"No, I don't want you to worry about anything. Candy, you're my wife and it is my job to protect you. Please understand." He takes a handkerchief from his pocket and starts to dry her tears. "I love you and I wouldn't ever do you wrong. Please believe me." He moves his hand to the back of her head and pushes her head forward to where their foreheads are touching and he closes his eyes. "Candy, there is one thing I haven't told you yet. I don't want you to worry about it though. Allyn says she doesn't think there's anything to worry about."

Candy leans back putting some space between them. "What is that one thing you haven't told me, Jeremy?"

Jeremy sits up straight and looks into her eyes. "Allyn says. . .uh, she says there is a possibility that, hmm,. . . I may have a brain tumor." Tears spring to his eyes.

"Oh, dear God in Heaven," Candy gasps as she places her hand over her mouth.

"But she doesn't think that's what it is," Jeremy says quickly. "That's why she wants me to have these tests done so they can rule that out. She still thinks it's coming from all the concussions I've had."

She sniffles. "Are you sure you're telling me everything?"

"I promise. I promise on my parents' graves."

"When are you leaving for San Francisco?" Candy asks.

"In a day or two, whenever Clancey is ready to set sail."

She bites on her bottom lip and thinks, then says, "I'm going with you."

"Candy, you don't have to do that."

"Yes, I do. You're my husband and I'm not letting you go through this alone," she replies as she puts her arms around his neck and holds him close.

He wraps her up in his arms. "I don't know how long I'll be there. Could be a month or more."

"That's all right. I'll stay with you as long as it takes. Biddie can keep Molly and Christopher. She won't mind doing that."

"Thank you." He kisses her lips. "I'm worried, Candy. I'm worried that I may die and I'll never get to see your beautiful face, or hold you in my arms, or make love to you, or. . . ." he cries.

Candy holds him tight. She then cradles his face in her hands. "You listen to me, Jeremy Bolt. Whatever is wrong that is causing your headaches, the doctors will fix it. We'll go there and get you all fixed up and return here to our home, where we'll spend the rest of our lives together. We'll have a long happy life. You hear me? I need you to stay strong. We're going to put this in God's hands and I know he'll make you well again. Please, don't give up. I need you. We need you." She gives him a long tender kiss.

"I need you, too. I love you."

"I love you, too. I love you so much," she answers.