Rainy Day Secret Saving Jeremy Bolt Chapter Two
"Oh, my sweet boy!" Maggie Bolt reached down and lifted her child from the floor. "Lottie, we must hurry as Jeremy said. I've never heard him speak like that before. He must have had a convulsion due to his fever."
"Let's go, Candy." Lottie said with a slight shake of her head.
Candy followed Lottie and Maggie silently out the door. She was still in shock at the way Jeremy had spoken to her. It was almost like hearing his adult voice coming from him at age three.
The ladies got into Lottie's buggy. Lottie made the horse run hard and fast. When they arrived at Maggie's Meadow, she unhitched the horse.
Candy quickly led the others to the tree door. "Candy, you and Maggie walk through the door side by side, and I will follow right behind you." Lottie told her.
"That's a good idea, Lottie. With so many of us going, we want to be sure all of us get there." Candy agreed.
Before they walked through the tree door, Candy read a prayer out loud. This is what she said:
A Bolt my true love will ever be.
Live among these trees with me.
Merciful God, I ask of Thee.
Heal our sweet Jeremy.
Dear Father, You are never late.
Grant us passage to 1968.
When they walked through the tree door, they came out in a parking lot. Candy looked around in confusion. Where was the set of Jeremy's tv show?
As she continued to look around, Candy realized that they were outside the tv studio. Just then she heard a familiar voice.
"Candy! Hello! Candy, is that you?"
Candy turned around searching for the person calling her. She saw him across the parking lot.
"Bernie! Yes! It's me! We desperately need help!" Candy called to him.
Bernie ran quickly to them. "How can I help, Candy? Where's Jeremy?"
Candy motioned toward Maggie holding young Jeremy in her arms. "That's Jeremy. He is three. If he doesn't get medical treatment fast, he is going to die, Bernie."
Bernie had a lot of questions about what was going on, but he knew this was not the time to ask them. "There is an ambulance around the back. It takes people to the hospital very fast. Mrs. Bolt, please let me carry your son. I can run quickly with him." Bernie held out his arms.
Maggie looked at Candy. "Bernie saved Jeremy and me from being murdered. You can trust him, Mrs. Bolt." Candy said.
Maggie gave Jeremy to Bernie. "Thank you for helping us."
Bernie smiled and nodded. Then he took off running like hell.
The ladies ran as fast as they could after Bernie. As Bernie was running with Jeremy, he shouted, "Fred! Fred! Open the back and tell George to crank it up! We have a critically ill boy! Move!"
When Bernie got to the ambulance, Fred was waiting right inside the open back door with outstretched arms. Bernie gave Jeremy to him.
Fred placed Jeremy on a stretcher and began the emergency medical procedures. The ladies got to the ambulance right after Bernie. When the women were in the vehicle, Bernie climbed in slamming the doors shut behind him.
"Haul it, George!" Bernie said urgently.
George hit the siren and the gas. They were off to the hospital.
When the ambulance arrived at Saint Mark's Hospital, George and Fred rushed in with Jeremy. Bernie helped Maggie with the admission process.
With the modern medications and the oxygen tent, Jeremy began showing some improvement within two days. Maggie, Candy, and Lottie were amazed at the medical procedures and at the medical staff.
The third day of Jeremy's hospitalization, the doctor said that Jeremy would make a full recovery. Everyone was relieved and happy. That afternoon, while Candy and Maggie sat with Jeremy, Lottie went shopping to buy the Bolt ladies and herself some modern but modest clothes. Betty Hamby accompanied Lottie on her shopping trip.
Later that evening, Sally Toledo, who had played Biddie on Jeremy's tv show came to sit with Jeremy. Betty and Bernie took Maggie, Lottie, and Candy out to dinner. It was a small, secluded restaurant that served home cooking.
After the meal, the ladies wanted to talk to Maggie. Bernie offered to excuse himself so the women could talk in private. They told him he was welcome to stay, and they preferred that he did. So, Bernie remained at the table.
"Maggie, I have been thinking that while we are here, you might be able to find a doctor to help you." Lottie told her.
"What do you mean, Lottie? I'm just tired from worrying about Jeremy while he has been so sick." Maggie replied.
"Now, Maggie, you are one of my dearest friends and I don't mean to dispute you, but you haven't been well for some time now. I was thinking that you could take advantage of us being in 1968 and perhaps…." Lottie wasn't sure how to finish her thought.
Maggie smiled sadly. "And perhaps I won't die two years from now when Jeremy is only five years old, and he won't begin stuttering by my grave and be plagued by it until he is a young man. Is that what you were thinking Lottie?"
"Yes, all of that and that you could live to raise your boys and love your husband for many wonderful years like people are supposed to be able too. Maggie, I swear I'm not trying to hurt you. I love you and your beautiful family, and I want you to be happy. I guess I overstepped. I'm sorry." Lottie hung her head. "Wait, who told you about two years from now and Jeremy stuttering at your grave?"
"I'm afraid I did." Candy spoke timidly. "Jeremy will be so upset with me when he finds out."
"Candy, why in the world…...?" Lottie asked.
"It's not her fault, Carlotta. I backed her into a corner, and she had to tell me. I needed to know. It helped me to decide to make an appointment with one of the doctors here to find out if he can help me. I'm praying so hard. I would love to be able to see my boys grow up and to grow old with my Johnny." Maggie said.
There were tears and smiles all around the table. Everyone was hopeful and happy as they left the restaurant.
Later that night, Candy heard Maggie whispering to Jeremy as she rocked him in his hospital room. "Oh, my precious boy, Mama wants so much to see you grow up and to spare you from being treated cruelly because of stuttering. Oh, if Mama can only do that for her sweet boy."
Jeremy was continuing to improve. The doctor was pleased with his progress. Since he had been in critical condition when he came into the hospital and he had a history of having pneumonia, the doctor wanted Jeremy to remain in the hospital for another week.
Maggie got an appointment with a doctor in the hospital. A series of tests were done over several days. On the Monday of Jeremy's last week in the hospital, Lottie and Candy went with Maggie to find out the results of the tests. Sadly, it was not good news.
On Wednesday morning, Maggie woke up early. She had slept in the rocking chair in Jeremy's hospital room.
"Good morning, Jeremy. How is Mama's precious boy today?" She said as she turned to look at him in his bed.
Jeremy's bed was empty. Maggie was shocked and frightened. Had something happened to him? He was doing so well. Jeremy was supposed to leave the hospital in just a few days. Maggie ran out of the room to find her son.
Maggie saw one of her boy's nurses, Jackie, in the hallway. "Jackie, Jeremy isn't in his room. Have you seen him? Did something happen to him? Please, Jackie, he is my child. I must know."
"Oh, Mrs. Bolt! They haven't told you yet, I guess. Uh, well, I'm not sure how to explain it to you. I've never heard of anything like this before. It would probably be best for you to talk to the doctor. He should be here in about two hours." Jackie said.
"Two hours? I can't wait two hours to find out about my son. Where is Jeremy? What's happened to him?" Maggie pleaded.
Maggie began sobbing. Her sweet Jeremy was gone in spite of all the healing brought about through her prayers and this so-called modern medicine. Maggie wanted to go home to her time, her Johnny, their sons and their mountain.
"Oh, Mrs. Bolt! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. Let me help you back to the room. I'll get someone to come talk to you immediately." Jackie said gently guiding her back to Jeremy's room.
Jackie helped Maggie sit down in the rocking chair. Jackie got her some tissue and a cup of cold water.
"Someone will be here in just a few minutes, Mrs. Bolt." Jackie said as she left the room.
"Thank you, Jackie." Maggie replied.
Maggie sipped the cup of water. She dabbed her eyes with the tissue and tried to pull herself together. It was impossible. Her sweet Jeremy was gone. She wanted the ground to open up and swallow her.
After about five minutes, no one had come to talk to her. Maggie wondered where Lottie and Candy were. They were probably dealing with red tape as Bernie called it so she wouldn't have to be bothered.
Maggie got up and walked out into the hallway. She saw a chair a few feet away. She went to the chair and sat down.
In a few minutes, Maggie saw Candy coming toward her. Bernie was with her. They were engaged in conversation. When they got to Maggie, they stopped. Maggie noticed that Bernie wasn't dressed in his usual spiffy manner. He was wearing a plaid shirt, tan corduroy pants, and boots.
"Mrs. Bolt," Candy said.
"Mama," Bernie corrected.
Candy looked at Bernie. She smiled and said, "Mama."
"Mama, we have a wonderful surprise for you!" Candy exclaimed.
"Oh, Candy! How can you and Bernie say it's wonderful? My sweet boy is gone! Jeremy died! He's gone!" Maggie sobbed heartbroken.
The young man in plaid and corduroy knelt down in front of her. He placed his finger under her chin lifting her eyes to meet his.
"I'm not Bernie. Mama, it's me, Jeremy." His voice was raw with emotion.
"What?! How in the world?" Maggie touched his hair and his face.
Jeremy gently helped her stand up from the chair. He wrapped his arms securely around her as if he was afraid, she would disappear.
"Oh, Mama! I have missed you so much!" Jeremy sobbed.
"Sweet boy! Oh, my sweet boy!" Maggie cried into his shoulder.
Candy wiped tears from her eyes. "Jeremy let's go back into the hospital room. You and Mama can have some privacy."
Jeremy looked at his wife. "That's a good idea, sweetheart. Come on, Mama."
Maggie smiled at her beautiful son. "I just can't believe it! How did this happen? Last night when we went to sleep, Jeremy, you were three years old. Now you are a grown man."
"I don't understand it either, Mama. I just woke up here this morning. When I saw you asleep in the rocking chair, I hoped it was you, but I didn't want to scare you, so I let you sleep. I found Candy and Lottie. They told me about my being sick as a child and coming to 1968 for treatment so I wouldn't die."
They went into the hospital room. Jeremy and his mother sat down next to each other on the bed. Candy sat in the rocking chair.
"Speaking of Lottie, do you know where she went, darling?" Candy asked.
"She said she was going to talk to Bernie about helping her arrange a surprise for us. I told her that was very nice, but the last thing we need right now is another surprise!" Jeremy smiled.
Candy and Maggie chuckled. Mary Margaret Bolt could not take her eyes off her handsome adult son.
"I'm sorry to keep staring at you, Jeremy. I just can't believe it. You and I are here together talking like this. It's a miracle! That's all it can be is a miracle!" Maggie exclaimed.
"Oh, don't apologize, Mama. I can hardly believe it myself. You're right. It has to be a miracle. And you know, Mama, I've been thinking since I woke up here today. Maybe, maybe, God will give us another miracle. One that will change all of our lives forever."
Maggie held Jeremy close to her. She felt his breath on her ear and the beating of his heart against her chest. She knew what he was going to say. How she hated to know that the miracle her sweet Jeremy wanted was not going to happen.
"Jeremy, precious, I know what you are thinking about. I would love so much for us to have that miracle too. In fact, I have already seen a modern-day doctor and had lots of medical tests." Maggie said carefully.
Jeremy was excited, Candy had not told him about this. "What did the doctor say, Mama? He can help you, can't he?"
Maggie looked at Candy. The young Mrs. Bolt left the rocking chair. She sat down by her husband on the side of the bed.
Sitting between his wife and his mother, Jeremy glanced from one lady to the other. "What did the doctor say?"
Maggie squeezed Jeremy tightly with one arm around him. "He said there was nothing he could do. I'm sorry, Jeremy. I wanted so very much for this to change things for you, your brothers, your father, and me."
"Mama, we are in 1968. We are more than a hundred years in the future after I was born. How can there still be nothing that they can do for you? What have doctors been doing all of this time?" Jeremy was breathing hard.
Candy began rubbing circles on his back. "Sweetheart, I know you are hurt and upset. I don't blame you. But you need to try to calm down, please. You don't want to have a spell just when you are recovering from pneumonia."
"I'll try, C-C-Candy." Jeremy closed his eyes and tried to calm his breathing as he and Jason did when he had these spells at home.
Jeremy couldn't focus on his breathing. All he could think was that Mama was going to die still. With all the new medication and treatment there was nothing they could do for his mother.
"H-H-Help me! C-C-Candy!" He gasped.
"Let's take a deep breath together. You can do it, Jeremy. Do it with me." Candy took a deep breath.
Jeremy managed to draw some air into his lungs. He held his breath for a few moments and released it when Candy said breathe out.
"Good, sweetheart, let's do it again." His wife told him.
They repeated the process and Jeremy was able to fill his lungs with air and breathe out easily this time.
"Take one more deep breath for me, please, Jeremy." Candy rested her head lightly on his back.
Jeremy took a deep breath and let it out as she asked. "Thank you, Candy for helping me. I feel better."
"I can certainly see that you two love each other. You work together like a hand and a glove. Jeremy, do you have these spells often?" Maggie asked.
"Only when I get seriously upset, Mama. Please don't worry. I'm okay. I just…..., well, I just wish there was a way to change our past so that we could have a lot more time together." Jeremy answered.
"I understand, sweetheart. Five years old is awfully young to lose your mother and then have to cope with a speech impediment too." Maggie said sadly.
"The stuttering was hard to live with and as you heard it still comes back sometimes. The main thing Mama was being without you. We missed you so much. Even Jason cried himself to sleep a lot of nights."
Jeremy saw the deep sadness in his mother's eyes. Suddenly, he felt ashamed for being angry at the doctor and for telling her how much her death hurt them.
Jeremy got up from the bed. He stepped to face his mother. He took her hand and knelt down in front of her.
"Mama, please forgive me. Here we are together through a miracle from God and all I have done is complain and feel sorry for myself. I love you, Mama. I'm so overjoyed to see you that my heart could burst. Let's not talk about sad things anymore. Let's be thankful and enjoy our time together." Jeremy leaned forward to kiss her on the cheek.
"I agree, son. I was hoping like you to change my past like we changed yours. It just wasn't meant to be. However, we have now, and we are going to enjoy it." Maggie smiled.
Lottie and Bernie walked in. "I'm so happy to hear you say that, Maggie. I have a lovely surprise for you. With Bernie's help, I found a beautiful mountain cabin for you, Jeremy, and Candy to stay in for at least a week. The three of you can stay there longer if you want. It's my gift to you. I mean it and I won't listen to any protests. All of you can swallow that Bolt pride."
The Bolts looked at each other. They knew that Lottie was serious. The idea of spending time together away from the hospital was so appealing.
"Thank you, Lottie. That is very generous. We will enjoy it so much." Maggie told her.
Jeremy was released from the hospital two days later. None of the staff other than the doctor said anything about Jeremy coming to the hospital as a three-year-old child and leaving as a grown man.
When the doctor came in to sign Jeremy's discharge forms, he looked at his patient and smiled. He said, "My grandmother was right. The Lord works in mysterious ways."
Jeremy smiled too. "Thank you, doctor. They shook hands and Jeremy left the hospital.
Lottie and Bernie took the Bolts to their mountain cabin. Bernie told them that there was a meadow close by with a tree door. He said the realtor told him and Lottie about it earlier today. The realtor explained that legend has it that people can supposedly time travel through the tree door. Everyone had a good laugh about that.
Bernie showed them how to use the telephone. He gave them his phone number and Betty's phone number in case the Bolts needed them.
Lottie had rented a car for Jeremy to drive during their stay at the cabin. Bernie went over the basic operating procedure for a vehicle and the traffic laws with him. Jeremy put the car keys in his pocket.
Lottie returned to 1872. She said she wanted to give the Bolt family some privacy and she needed to get back to her business.
Bernie left early saying he had a busy day tomorrow. He was filming a guest role on a popular crime show.
Candy and Maggie cooked supper for Jeremy. He ate sparingly. He apologized saying he was tired. Jeremy assured them that the meal was delicious, and he would have a better appetite tomorrow night.
Maggie insisted on cleaning up the kitchen alone so that the young couple could sit on the terrace enjoying the beautiful night sky. Candy and Jeremy took her up on her offer. They snuggled together on the terrace spending more time kissing than star gazing.
"Mama, who was the doctor you saw at the hospital? The one who told you there was nothing that he could do?" Jeremy asked when he and Candy came inside.
"You're not still upset about that are you, sweetheart? I thought we had talked through that." Maggie looked worriedly at him.
"I'm not upset. I just wondered. What's his name?" Jeremy asked again.
"His name is Harrison B. Conway. Doctor H.B. Conway." His mother replied. "Jeremy, are you sure you are alright? Please talk to me, son. You have been through a lot lately. I'm your mother. I'm here to help you. Please let me. You don't have to struggle alone, sweetheart."
"Jeremy, you should listen to her. And to me as well, let us help you, please." Candy told him.
"I'm fine. Really, there is no need for you two to be worried." Jeremy yawned. "I'm tired. Let's go to bed, Candy. Good night, Mama."
Jeremy went into the bedroom. His wife and his mother looked at each other.
"Jeremy is a terrible liar." Candy said.
"I agree, Candy. I'm afraid of what he has in mind." Maggie worried.
Jeremy was on the telephone in the bedroom. "Hello, is Doctor H.B. Conway in his office tonight? He is? Thank you." Jeremy hung up the phone.
Candy was in the shower. His mother was in her bedroom. Jeremy slipped out the door.
Jeremy got in the car and left going toward Saint Mark's Hospital. He had to stop at a store to purchase a gun on the way.
"Doctor H.B. Conway, you will be sorry you ever met Jeremy Bolt." An angry growl escaped Jeremy's throat as he drove on into the night.