CHAPTER 6

After checking in at their hotel, Jeremy and Candy go up to their room. Jeremy sees an envelope on the table addressed to Mr. Jeremy Bolt. While Candy checks out the room, he opens the letter and reads.

Dear Mr. Bolt,

We have scheduled your appointment for10:00 tomorrow morning, June 5th. Please try to be on time. The tests should take approximately 2 to 4 hours.

We look forward to seeing you.

Sincerely,

Lisa

San Fran House of Medicine, Director

Jeremy's hands begin to shake and he feels dizzy as his head begins to hurt. He staggers over to the bed to sit down.

Candy notices his behavior and rushes over to help him. "Jeremy, what's happened? Are you okay?"

He hands her the letter and she reads it. "Tomorrow morning? They don't mess around, do they?"

"N-No, they don't. I wasn't expecting it to be so soon."

Candy tries to be cheerful, "Well, it's a good thing. The sooner we get your tests done, the sooner we can go home. Although, I was hoping we'd have a few days to explore the city. Maybe have a romantic night out on the town."

"Let me lay down and rest a bit and we'll go out and do whatever you want. Then we'll have supper somewhere. I just need a little time."

"Don't you worry about it. We'll have plenty of other times to see the city. You just lay back and rest. Can I get you anything for your head?"

"Candy, do you really think so? That we'll have other times to spend here?"

Candy sits on the bed by his side. She brushes his hair from his eyes, "Of course, I do. Right now there's no reason to think otherwise." She begins to bite on her bottom lip.

Jeremy gives a slight grin at her. "You're my angel. Always here to lift my spirits. What would I ever do without you?"

"Well, that Mr. Bolt is the million dollar question," she replies as she leans over to kiss him gently on the lips. "And you will never have to find out because I'm not going anywhere without you. Now you rest while I unpack."

Later that afternoon, a refreshed Jeremy and Candy stroll down the street towards the shopping district. Jeremy stops outside of a little boutique. He says, "Remember this place?"

"I do remember. You brought me back a lovely blue shawl from here when on your first bidding trip," she turns her head and kisses his shoulder, "and several other items over the years."

"Well, let's go inside. I have a special surprise for you." He holds the door open for her and they enter the shop.

"Jeremy Bolt, as I live and breathe!" a middle age woman calls out to him. "So good to see you again."

Jeremy smiles real big. "Norma, good seeing you again, too," he says as they give each other a quick hug. "Norma, I'd like you to meet my beautiful wife, Candy. Candy, this is Norma. She's the one that sold me all those presents I've bought you."

"Nice meeting you, Norma. I love your little shop," Candy says as she shakes hands with Norma.

"Nice meeting you too, Candy. Jeremy has told me so much about you. I'm glad to hear that the two of you finally got married. We haven't seen you in quite a while, Jeremy."

"Well, I've stayed close to home lately, you know, been busy getting used to being married. But I do want you to help Candy pick out some things. She can buy anything she wants. Dresses, capes, petticoats, corsets, perfumes. Like I said anything she wants," he chuckles.

"Jeremy, this isn't necessary," Candy says in a low voice.

"It absolutely is necessary. I want to shower you with presents."

"All right, let's get started, shall we?" Norma says as she sweeps her arms out bidding Candy to come with her.

"Jeremy?" Candy asks.

Jeremy takes Candy in his arms and whispers, "Candy, please let me do this for you. I ask only one thing?"

"What's that?" she asks in return.

He whispers in her ear, "I want you to pick out some sexy lingerie. For me? Okay?"

Candy blushes, "I'll see what I can find."

He kisses her lips quickly. "All right, then. While you do this, I'm going to go send Jason and Josh a telegram, letting them know we arrived safely. Then I need to stop at the bank. There use to be a hardware store close by that I may want to check out, too. I'll be back later. You enjoy yourself and buy lots of pretty things."

"Jeremy, will you be all right?" she asks anxiously.

"I'll be fine. Don't worry." He kisses her cheek and leaves.

Jeremy goes down the street to the telegraph office and sends a wire to his brothers, letting them know about his tests the next morning. He makes his stop at the bank withdrawing some money from their Bolt Logging account that they have set up for when they travel to San Francisco. Back on the street, he looks around to see what else is there. He sees a photography studio and goes inside to inquire about having some photos made. On his way back to the boutique, something catches his eye in a jewelry store window display. So he enters and after much deliberation, he makes his purchase.

Arriving back at the boutique, he sits and waits for Candy who is in the dressing room. She finally appears carrying two dresses. Seeing Jeremy, she holds the dresses out to him, "Which one do you like best?"

Jeremy looks them over and says to Norma, "She'll take both of them."

"Jeremy, no, that's too much," Candy protests.

"Nothing is too much when it comes to you. Norma, wrap up both of them."

"Yes, sir. Be glad to," Norma says as she takes the dresses and goes to ring up the purchases.

"Are you finished here? Do you need to look at anything else?" He leans in close to her and asks, "Did you get what I requested?"

Candy looks around to be sure they can't be heard and whispers, "I did. I hope you like it."

"Good. You can model it for me later," he says as he winks at her.

"I hope I didn't spend too much. I can put some of it back if I need to."

"We're fine. Come on, let's pay for this and have them delivered to the hotel. There's somewhere I want to take you."

After paying the bill, Jeremy takes Candy down the street to the photography studio. "I want us to have our picture taken. Together and separate. I want you to remember me if things don't turn out right for us."

"Oh Jeremy, please don't think that way," she says as tears fill her eyes.

"I'm sorry, but I have to think that way. Candy, this may be our last trip together and I. . ."

"Is this why you bought me all those clothes? To ease your conscious because you're giving up already," she says with an edge to her voice.

"I'm not giving up, I promise. It's just that I may never have another chance to buy you things and I want to give you the moon and the stars. I want us to have this day and night to remember for the rest of our lives. However long that may be. I love you."

Candy fights back the tears as she gets her quivering lips under control. "I love you, too. But Jeremy, you don't need to buy me all these things just so I'll remember you. I'll always remember you. I could never forget you. Don't you know that?"

Jeremy sighs heavily, "Candy, please let me do all this for you. It means a lot to me to be able to show you how much you mean to me." He looks into her eyes and adds, "Please."

She gives a big sigh. "Oh all right. Let's get those pictures taken." She gives him a big smile and takes his arm.

Afterwards, they go to a little intimate restaurant where they have a most romantic candlelight supper. They return to the hotel and Jeremy goes over to the desk and whispers something to the desk clerk. Then they go upstairs to their room.

As soon as they enter the room, Jeremy locks the door and then grabs his wife around her waist crushing her to him. He breathes in her scent and runs his fingers through her hair. "Candy, I love you so much. I can't leave you."

Candy is surprised at his actions. "I love you, too, Jeremy. You're not going to leave me."

"But. . ." he begins before she shuts him down.

"We're going to stay positive, all right? And pray. We're going to pray like we've never prayed before. And if things don't go our way, then we'll cross that bridge when we get there. We've had a glorious day, Mr. Bolt, and we're not going to ruin it by thinking the worst. All right?"

"You're right. I'm sorry. It's just I'm having a hard time not thinking about it." He places his lips on hers and they have a deep passionate kiss. "Candy, I want you."

"I want you, too. But you know Allyn said we shouldn't."

"I don't give a damn what Allyn says. We've tried it her way and I still get headaches." Jeremy sighs, "Headache or no headache, I want to make love to my wife. It's been too long already, and tonight is our night to be together."

"Do you have a headache now?" she asks.

"Just a little bit. Not bad," he lies as his head is pounding. "Why don't you go put on that sexy lingerie to model for me?" He nuzzles her neck.

"Okay, if you're sure you're up to it."

"I'm sure. I can't wait to see what you picked out," he grins.

As she goes into the washroom, Jeremy takes the bottle of laudanum from his pocket and takes a small sip. He sets the bottle on the table next to the bed when he hears a knock on the door and someone calls out "Room service". He quickly opens the door and retrieves the cart, giving the waiter a tip. He rolls the cart into the room and checks that everything he asked for is there. Then he undresses except for his long john bottoms.

Candy comes out and stands in the door opening. "Well, what do you think?" she inquires.

Jeremy turns around to face her and his mouth drops open and his eyes widen. He tries to talk but can't. "I-I-I. . . you-you-you're. . ."

Candy giggles like a schoolgirl. "I hope you being speechless means you like it."

Jeremy nods his head and clears his throat. "I-I love it. You are so beautiful."

"Thank you, Mr. Bolt."

Jeremy hands her a bouquet of daisies, her favorite flower. She smells them and eyes the cart. "Hmm, I see you went all out, didn't you? Strawberries, whipped cream, and champagne."

"Well, I just want this night to be special. A night we'll always remember." He takes the bouquet and lays it on the cart. Taking her in his arms they begin to kiss and slowly work their way over to the bed. Jeremy does exactly what he said he wanted to do. He makes passionate love to his beautiful wife. The pounding in his head has been replaced by the pounding of his heart. Lord, how I love this woman, my wife, my Candy.