Jeremy's Bigfoot Tragedy Chapter Two
Jeremy looked at Raven Rochester with a sarcastic smile. "You're not my fiancé. My fiancé is dead."
"It's true, darling that your first fiancé is deceased unfortunately. However, I am your beloved now and I am very much alive and very much in love with you." Raven smiled sweetly.
"I have no idea who you are. I've never seen you before today." Jeremy spoke firmly.
"Oh, my sweet Jeremy, darling, I had no idea your concussion was this bad. Jason or Joshua should have told me." Raven sobbed.
Jason and Joshua looked at each other. They shook their heads indicating that they didn't know Raven Rochester.
"Miss Rochester, may I ask where you and Jeremy met each other. He says he's never seen you before and Joshua and I find ourselves in the same situation." Jason told her.
"Jeremy and I met a few months ago before the tragedy with Candy. He was on a buying trip in Olympia for your company." Raven said.
"I see." Jason replied. "So, I take it that you are or were a, well, uh, you know, what people call, uh, a fancy lady." He whispered.
"How dare you! I most certainly am not a lady of wandering affection. My father is Robert Thomas Rochester the founder and owner of Rochester Furniture Company in Olympia. He is one of your biggest clients. Daddy was quite impressed with Jeremy and his presentation that day, so he invited him to lunch after the meeting. Daddy and I had already planned to meet for lunch that day. So, when I arrived at the café, Jeremy was there with my father." Raven told them.
"Miss Rochester, I apologize for assuming the worst about you. I am going to possibly put my foot in my mouth again. However, could you perhaps have misunderstood Jeremy's feelings for you? He is kind and loving with most everyone. Could you have mistaken his tender-hearted nature for love?" asked Jason.
"No, Jason. Jeremy told me he loves me, and he didn't mean as a friend or like a sister. I understand it is awkward with regards to Candy. Jeremy and I tried to fight our feelings for each other. We couldn't do it because our feelings are real. We are in love." Raven answered.
"Jason, I think she truly means it." Joshua said. "What could be her ulterior motive? Certainly not money or property. Her father has more money than we will ever see."
"I understand your reasoning, Joshua. How about the fact that Jeremy says he doesn't know her?" Jason asked.
"Well, Jeremy has been through a recent tragedy. He was badly beaten and suffered a concussion. Could his head injury have caused him to forget Miss Rochester?" Joshua asked.
"No! I'll tell you why Jeremy forgot his little hussy! He is a dirty rotten scoundrel who cheated on my best friend and ended up getting her killed!" Biddie shrieked as she came into the saloon.
Everyone watched in stunned silence as Biddie stomped over to Jeremy's table. She drew back her hand and slapped his face so hard that his chair almost fell backwards.
Jeremy automatically put his hand to his cheek. "I'm sorry, Biddie. I know you loved Candy like a sister. I know it's my fault that she is gone. Biddie, I promise that I don't remember Miss Rochester. I never cheated on Candy as far as I can remember."
"Well, I just don't know, Jeremy. The night that you and Candy went to the lake, you had told her ahead of time that you had something important to discuss with her. Candy was worried and she told me right after you left that afternoon." Biddie responded.
Jeremy was shocked. "I don't remember that either, Biddie. I guess I need to go see the doctor and try to find out why I am forgetting so much."
Biddie looked Jeremy in the eye. "You really don't remember, do you?"
"No, Biddie, I don't remember." He answered.
"Oh, Jeremy! I'm so sorry that I yelled at you and slapped you. What happened to Candy is not your fault. I miss her so much! Sometimes I have to remind myself to breathe, that's how much I miss her." Biddie cried.
Jeremy stood up and hugged Biddie close. "I know, Biddie. It's hard for me to breathe without her sometimes too." Both of them cried for a few minutes.
When Biddie and Jeremy stopped crying, Biddie apologized to Raven. "I'm sorry, Miss Rochester for calling you an ugly name. It's not your fault that my dear friend is gone. Please forgive me."
"I know how terrible it is to lose a close friend. I accept your apology." Raven replied.
Biddie left the saloon. Raven took Jeremy aside to speak to him privately.
"Jeremy, I promise that we are in love. I am worried about you, darling. Please let me go to the doctor with you." Raven asked.
"Well, okay. I have forgotten a conversation with Candy on the day that we were attacked. I suppose I could have forgotten you. My recent concussion was pretty bad. And Joshua believes you. He is almost as hard to convince about something as I am." Jeremy answered.
Raven smiled. "Thank you, Jeremy. I love you, darling."
There was something slightly familiar in the way she said she loved him. It wasn't a memory of Candy saying it. It was something different. Jeremy thought as he took Raven's hand.
Jeremy and Raven went to see Doctor Wright. They explained to her about Jeremy not remembering Raven. The doctor said it is possible for a person with a head injury to forget certain people and situations. She said the memories should return over time.
Raven and Jeremy returned to Lottie's. Raven rented a room. Jeremy offered to take her bags upstairs. Raven wouldn't allow him to do that because of his broken ribs.
"Raven, my ribs are almost healed. I can carry your bags." He spoke.
"No, sweetie. Almost healed is not completely healed. I don't want you to hurt yourself by doing too much too soon." She insisted.
"Alright, why are you so concerned about me?" Jeremy wondered.
"Jeremy, I love you with all of my heart. That's why I'm concerned about you." Raven had tears shining in her eyes. "I want to marry you and give birth to your children."
"You mean that, don't you?" Jeremy whispered.
"Yes, I do. Come upstairs with me, please." Raven looked deep into his eyes.
"Okay, I will." Jeremy's voice was full of emotion. Was he starting to remember her or was this a reaction to months of grief and loneliness?
They went upstairs to Raven's room. She latched the door.
"May I kiss you, Jeremy?" Raven asked softly.
"Yes, sweetheart, you may." Jeremy replied.
Raven kissed him hard on the mouth. She held the kiss until Jeremy gasped. They gazed into each other's eyes.
"Jeremy, I want to make love to you. Please, darling?" Raven asked tenderly.
"I want to. But I have this ugly scar that shows what a failure I am. You might not want me after you see how awful it looks." Jeremy was ashamed.
"Jeremy, no, sweetheart. Your scar doesn't mean you are a failure. Your scar is a badge of honor that shows how hard you fought to save Candy. You put yourself between her and danger as much as you could." Raven assured him.
They sat down on the bed. They were facing each other.
"Yes, I fought to save her. However, I failed, Candy died. That makes me a failure." Jeremy looked down at the floor.
"Oh, please don't think that about yourself. It is definitely not true. Sometimes even our very best efforts aren't enough. That doesn't mean you are a failure. I realize you are heartbroken about Candy, and I want to help you cope with that pain. You don't have to carry the weight of the world all alone." Raven implored.
Jeremy looked up and smiled at her. "What are you smiling about?" She asked.
"My brothers and Doctor Wright have told me the same thing you said." Jeremy answered.
"You, see? Everyone who loves you is in agreement. You should listen to us." Raven kissed him on the cheek. "Let me see that badge of honor."
They stood up. Raven unbuttoned Jeremy's plaid shirt and took it off of him. She gently pushed Jeremy onto the bed. She laid on top of him and began at his neck kissing his scar very tenderly.
As Raven worked her way down his scar, Jeremy gasped and sighed with pleasure. When they made love, their pleasure continued to the point of almost being more than they could bear.
Raven cried out Jeremy's name with pure sweet bliss at the height of her pleasure. A few seconds later, Jeremy cried out as well with ecstasy, Candy's name.
"Oh, my gawd! Raven, I'm so sorry! Please forgive me. I promise I was not thinking of Candy. I swear I was thinking of you. Do you hate me?" Jeremy asked.
"No, I don't hate you. I was surprised, but I understand because you and Candy were engaged, and you have been grieving since her death." Raven said.
"Thank you for being so understanding." Jeremy said.
"You're welcome, sweetheart. Will you stay and actually sleep with me for a few hours, please? I'm exhausted and I don't want to be alone." She asked.
"Yes, I will, Buttercup. I don't want you to feel lonely." Jeremy replied sweetly.
"Thank you, darling." Raven smiled. Jeremy was beginning to remember her. Buttercup was his pet name for her not long after they met in Olympia.
When they woke up hours later, they planned to meet for lunch tomorrow. Jeremy went home.
The next day at lunchtime, Jeremy was not at Lottie's as they agreed. Raven went to the Bolt cabin. No one answered when she knocked on the door. Raven opened the door and looked inside.
"Jeremy? Are you here, sweetheart? Jeremy? Where are you?" Raven called out.
Raven went inside and looked around. Jeremy was not there. Raven left the cabin heading for the logging camp.
When she arrived at the camp, Raven went to the office tent. Jason and Joshua were in there.
"Hello, Raven, come in. What brings you all the way up here?" Jason asked.
"I'm looking for Jeremy. We were supposed to have lunch at Lottie's. He didn't show up. I went to your cabin. He wasn't there. I took the liberty of going inside to look for him. I hope that was alright. I'm concerned about Jeremy." Raven told them.
"Sure, that was fine, Raven. We are concerned about our brother now as well. He told us this morning that he was having lunch with you and spending the afternoon with you. Jeremy seemed happy about it then." Joshua said.
"Where do you think Jeremy could be? You don't think he would hurt himself or anything, do you?" Raven was worried.
"No, Raven, we don't think Jeremy would harm himself. Why do you ask? Has he said anything like that to you?" Jason was alarmed.
"No, Jeremy hasn't said anything about hurting himself. But he has called himself a failure because he couldn't save Candy. Jeremy told me that the scar on his neck and chest is a sign that he is a failure. I told him that his scar is a badge of honor showing that he put himself between Candy and danger as he did all he could to try to save her." Raven said tearfully.
Jason looked at Raven and sighed. "You really love Jeremy, don't you?"
"Yes, I truly love him. I want to be his wife and the mother of his children." Raven cried.
"Jason, don't you imagine that Jeremy is up at the old family cabin?" Joshua asked.
"Yes, I think that's where our brother went, Joshua. He likes to visit Mom's and Dad's graves when he has something pressing on his mind." Jason agreed.
"May I go with you to see Jeremy, please?" Raven inquired.
"Yes, we will be glad for you to go. You can help us talk to Jeremy. As Jason said, he goes up there when he has something difficult on his mind." Joshua replied.
The two Bolts and Raven traveled to the old home place. When they arrived, they saw Brownie in the corral.
The three of them went to the cabin door. Jason tried to open the door. It was latched. He knocked on the door. "Jeremy! Let us in please! We are concerned about you, and we want to help you. It's me and Josh and Raven. She really loves you, Jeremy. She is worried about you like your brothers are worried about you. We want to help you. Jeremy, please?"
The three of them listened at the door. They didn't hear any noise or any movement inside the cabin. Joshua ran to the back to look in the bedroom window. He returned to the front porch quickly.
"Jeremy is lying on the bed in the bedroom. He looks like he is staring up at the ceiling. He doesn't look sick or anything. However, that doesn't mean that he is doing well emotionally." Joshua told them. "What do we do, Jason?"
Jason thought for a moment. "We get inside and take care of our brother."
Joshua ran to the buckboard and got the screwdriver out of the toolbox.
He removed the hinges on the front door and he laid the door in the front yard.
Jeremy turned his head to look at the three of them as they walked into the cabin. Then he moved his head where he could stare at the ceiling again.
Jason, Joshua, and Raven walked inside the bedroom. Jason sat down on the side of the bed. Joshua and Raven sat in chairs close to the bed.
Jeremy continued to stare at the ceiling. He sighed deeply.
"Jeremy, why didn't you let us in?" Jason asked.
Jeremy glanced at his oldest brother. "You got in, didn't you?"
Jason leaned his head back and he stared at the beams in the ceiling for a minute.
Joshua shook his head and looked out the window.
Raven closed her eyes as she blinked back tears.
Jason spoke firmly. "Jeremy, tell me what's going on with you and I want a straight answer."
"Alright, Jason, I'll give you a straight answer. I'm waiting on Candy. I figure since it was my failure to save her that caused her death and our separation then my death will put us together again. Problem solved." Jeremy smirked.
"My gawd! Jeremy Shaddix Bolt, have you done something to harm yourself?" Jason bellowed. "Grab him, Josh! We have to check for bleeding or knife or bullet wounds. Jeremy! Did you take Laudanum or something?"
"No, Jason. I didn't hurt myself or take anything. I'm just not going to eat or drink anymore, and Candy will come to get me in about two or three weeks." He explained.
Joshua remained in his seat. Jason calmed down a little.
"Jeremy, what do you mean, Candy will come get you?" Joshua asked quietly.
"In church, last Sunday, Reverend Adams said that when a person dies, his or her loved ones come to meet them and escort them to Heaven. Doesn't it make sense that when I go, Candy will come to meet me?" Jeremy smiled.
"Jeremy! What you are planning doesn't make sense! I know you are heartbroken over Candy. But throwing your life away is not the answer. That's wrong! I know you are hurting. Let us help you, please, brother!" Joshua begged.
Raven left her chair and laid down on the bed on the other side of Jeremy. "I love you, Jeremy." She whispered as she laid her head on his chest. She put her hand inside his shirt and began tracing his scar with her finger.
Raven continued talking to Jeremy. "Candy would agree that your scar is a beautiful symbol of how much you loved her and how you tried to save her. She wouldn't agree with your plan to stop eating and drinking to end your life. Jeremy, please let us help you. There are much better ways to deal with your pain. It won't be easy; however, it will be worth it."
Jeremy sat up on the side of the bed. Raven sat up next to him. Jeremy motioned for his brothers to move their chairs closer to him. They did so.
"I don't want to die. This pain is eating away at me. I can't bear it any longer. Theirs is so much hurt inside me that I'm scared that I will drown if I try to cope with all of it. I'm actually afraid that I will lose my mind and end up in one of those asylums where some people wanted to put me when I was a child. I know I can trust the three of you." Jeremy hesitated.
In a few moments, Jeremy spoke again. "As I was saying. I know I can trust each of you. So, I'm placing my heart in your hands and counting on you to help me through this, please. My heart is shattered. Help me put it back together again." Jeremy sobbed.
Jason and Joshua wrapped their arms around their brother. Raven rubbed Jeremy's back.
"We will help you, Jeremy. Like you said in the past, brothers are to help pick up the pieces." Joshua whispered.