Searching For Jeremy Bolt Chapter Eight
"Josh, help me sit up on the edge of the bed, please." Jason spoke.
"Jason! That's not a good idea. You are still recovering and after what just happened." Joshua looked at Jeremy as he continued to squall his heart out.
"Come on, Josh, I'll be alright, please." Jason was also watching Jeremy.
"Okay, you're the boss." Joshua helped Jason sit up on the side of the bed and wrapped a blanket around him. "You will catch a cold sitting up in your long johns without cover."
"Jeremy." Jason said quietly. "Please come sit next to me. I want to talk to you. I'm not angry or upset at you. I'm worried about you. Please, Jeremy."
Jeremy looked at Jason. "No, I can't, I'm too ashamed. I'm afraid I'll hurt you."
"You won't hurt me, brother. Come on over here and sit down so we can talk." Jason encouraged.
"Jason! I just tried to kill you! I didn't mean to, but you would be just as dead if I had succeeded." Jeremy lamented.
"Jeremy, please. We should talk, don't you think?" Jason asked.
"Yes." Jeremy replied sullenly.
The youngest brother stepped across the room and sat down next to the oldest brother. Joshua was seated on the other side of Jason.
Jason put his arm around Jeremy's shoulder. Jeremy flinched.
"Now, Jeremy! Don't be nervous. Just tell me what happened." The oldest Bolt advised.
"Well, I went to sleep and all of a sudden, I woke up because I thought I heard you yelling. I figured that you were in pain. At first when I opened my eyes, I didn't hear anything, so I thought it had just been a creaking noise or something. Then I heard you shouting again saying that I had ruined your life because I stutter and I'm too sensitive. You said that you should have put me away so you could have married Penny and had a life of your own. Oh, and you mocked me by stuttering when you said my name. My head is pounding with this terrible headache. Between your shouting which I realize now was in my head and my headache, I went crazy and attacked you with the pillow. I know that saying I'm sorry isn't any good, but I am sorry, Jason. I hope you can forgive me one day." Jeremy explained.
"Jeremy, I forgive you. Don't feel guilty. I'm worried about you having those severe headaches. You need to talk to Doctor Wright about that. As far as the things you heard me saying in your mind, we both know I never said or thought anything like that. Have I done or said anything to upset you that we haven't discussed, Jeremy?"
"No, Jason, you haven't made me angry or upset in a long time. Have I made you angry or hurt lately?" The youngest sibling asked. "I mean, well, before the pillow…."
"Like Jason holds back his feelings!" Joshua scoffed.
"Take it easy, Josh. No, Jeremy, you haven't made me angry or hurt recently even about the pillow. I just forgave you, remember? And that was for the sake of your feelings, not mine. So, are we alright about this pillow situation?" Jason looked at Jeremy.
"Yeah, Jason, thanks." Jeremy smiled sheepishly.
"I'm glad that's settled! Let's all get some sleep." Jason spoke.
"Jeremy, why don't you go back to Lottie's? I can stay with Jason. You need some sleep for that headache." Joshua advised.
"You're sure you don't mind, Josh?" Jeremy asked.
"Of course, I don't mind! What are brothers for?" Joshua questioned.
"Okay, thanks, Josh. What did you come back to the clinic for, when you came in and caught me?" Jeremy wondered.
"Oh, I came back to get my book that I've been reading. I was gonna read some more before bed." Joshua spoke.
"It must be a good book. See you tomorrow, brothers. Good night." Jeremy said as he walked out of the room.
Jeremy returned to Lottie's. Candy was asleep when he got into bed with her. He kissed her lips and brushed her hair out of her eyes with his fingers. He gently touched her face to see if she was feverish. It worried him when she didn't feel good. There was no fever. Jeremy sighed in relief and went to sleep.
Candy woke up early the next morning. She sat up in bed and stretched and yawned. Jeremy was not there. He must still be at the clinic with Jason she thought.
The young Mrs. Bolt got out of bed and got dressed. When she walked to the dresser to brush her hair, she saw an envelope with her name on it. It was Jeremy's handwriting.
"Oh, dear!" Candy exclaimed.
She opened the envelope and removed the note. She unfolded the paper and read it:
Dear Candy, I love you with all of my being. I'm sorry to do this now, but I had to leave. Don't be alarmed, but I tried to kill Jason last night. He is okay. He and I talked about what happened. We are not angry at each other. However, I'm terrified about what I did. If Joshua hadn't come back and stopped me, I might have killed my oldest brother. I'm going to be by myself awhile where I can think about what I need to do. Maybe some time alone will help these awful headaches. I know I should have talked to Doctor Wright like you said. I'll let you know what I decide to do. Candy, I love you so much and I want to stay married and have a family with you, but that might not be the best thing for you. Please don't hate me. Please remember that I love you forever and always. Jeremy
"Jeremy!" Candy shouted as she hurried out of the room.
Candy rushed to the clinic. Jason was eating breakfast. Joshua was still there. She showed them the note from Jeremy. They told her what happened the night before. Candy was frightened.
"Why on earth would Jeremy do something like that? Jason, he loves the ground that you walk on." She spoke.
"It was a combination of the things he thought I was shouting at him in his head and those horrible headaches. I'm really worried about him, Candy. I don't think he is going to hurt me. But his having these untrue thoughts and these headaches is scary." Jason told her.
"Oh, dear God! Jason! Joshua! You don't suppose that Jeremy has a brain tumor, do you? I've heard about them, and some people have symptoms just like Jeremy. No! It can't be that! It just isn't!" Candy exclaimed.
"No, Candy, it's not that. Don't let your imagination run away with you." Joshua replied.
"You're right, Joshua, I'm just so worried about Jeremy. I wish he wouldn't leave like this. Why can't he understand that we are happy to help him because we love him?" She asked.
"Jeremy knows that, Candy. He's a stubborn mule and wants to try to fix his problems on his own before letting anyone help him." Jason answered.
"Yes, I wonder who he gets that from." Candy looked at the two brothers.
The Bolt brothers smiled. "Yes, all three of us are stubborn mules, Candy." Joshua agreed.
"I wonder where Jeremy went. Do you have any ideas, Candy?" Jason asked.
"I'm not sure, Jason. I don't think he would go back to the cave. I'm wondering if he went to Olympia. Doctor Harper told him to come back if he continued to have headaches. I think I will go to Olympia to look for him."
"Please take Biddie with you, Candy. Olympia is much bigger than Seattle. It's not safe for a young woman alone there." Joshua told her.
"I'll go talk to Biddie. We can be on the noon stagecoach." Candy replied.
"Both of you be careful. I will search for Jeremy up on the mountain and I might go back to Rock Canyon just in case." Joshua responded.
"Candy, please wire us as soon as you and Biddie arrive to let us know that you ladies are alright." Jason requested.
"I will, Jason. Thank you, Joshua." Candy responded.
After leaving the clinic, Mrs. Bolt went to the dormitory to see Biddie. She was in bed with a terrible cold, and she couldn't go with Candy to Olympia.
Candy went to Lottie's and packed her bags. Lottie offered to go with her. Candy assured Lottie that she would be careful and that she would be fine. She said that she would stay at the Olympia Hotel and Assemblymen's Grille where she and Jeremy had gotten a room before. Lottie promised to say lots of prayers for her and Jeremy.
Candy left Seattle on the noon stagecoach. At about three o' clock, the vehicle arrived in Olympia.
Candy went straight to the hotel. Percy Brown was relieved to see her.
"Oh, Mrs. Bolt! I am so glad that you are here. Your husband arrived here very early this morning. I was asleep in my room in the back, and I heard someone knocking on the front door of the hotel. When I answered it, Jeremy was standing there. I let him in, of course." Percy Brown explained.
Candy was excited. "Jeremy is here?"
"No, I'm afraid not, Mrs. Bolt." Percy frowned. "We talked a long time and I tried my best to talk him out of it. However, he said his mind was made up."
"Mr. Brown, you are scaring me. What is my husband planning to do? You must tell me!" Candy exclaimed.
Mr. Brown looked at her with tears in his eyes. "I am sorry, my dear, Jeremy is going to commit himself to the asylum."
"No, Jeremy! No!" Candy shouted. She burst into tears.
Percy Brown walked around the desk and put his arm around Candy. He guided her to his office where they sat down in some chairs.
Candy cried for a few minutes before regaining her composure. Mr. Brown gave her a cup of cold water and she drank it.
"Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Brown. I must go look for my husband. Hopefully, I can find him before he does this terrible thing. I suppose I would need to talk to the judge first. That's where Jeremy would have to start." Candy said.
"You're welcome, my dear and yes, the judge would be the place to begin searching for Jeremy." Mr. Brown replied. "The name of the asylum is The Olympia Hospital for Insanity and Immorality."
Candy Bolt cringed at the name of the awful place her precious husband was planning to go. Candy left the hotel on her way to Judge Everett Terry's office.
To get to the judge's office as fast as possible, she hired a carriage. On the way, Candy prayed that she wouldn't be too late.
In the office, there were several people waiting to talk to Judge Terry. Unfortunately, Jeremy was not one of them.
Two hours later when it was Candy's turn to meet with the judge, he remembered her from court hearings in Seattle. She explained the reason for their meeting today.
"Mrs. Bolt, I spoke to your husband very early this morning not long after my office opened. I understand your concern about Mr. Bolt committing himself to the asylum. However, I must say that he had a valid reason. Trying to commit murder is a very serious offense. In addition to that, your husband said he heard his brother's voice in his head shouting at him and ridiculing him. As terrible as it sounds, Mrs. Bolt, I believe that Jeremy is doing the right thing," Judge Terry explained.
"Judge Terry, Jeremy didn't mean that he actually heard Jason's voice in his head. You know, sir, how you remember the sound of someone's voice, and you can hear it in your mind as a memory, but you don't think you are actually hearing that person speaking to you. That's what my husband meant." Candy told him.
"I'm not too sure about that, Candy. Also, I am gravely concerned about the headaches Jeremy said he has been having. Anger and pain can be a deadly combination."
"Oh, Judge Terry, if you will please help me undo this, I will take Jeremy home and take care of him and help him get rid of those headaches. We have an excellent doctor in Seattle. She can find a remedy for that horrible pain. Jeremy and Jason have already made their peace about what happened last night. Oh, please! I promise that Jeremy will never hurt or try to hurt anyone ever again." Candy pleaded.
"Candy, I understand that you love your husband very much and would do anything for him. However, you can't promise that he wouldn't try again to kill his brother or perhaps someone else. Jeremy realizes that too or he wouldn't have done this." Judge Terry replied. "I'm sorry but I can't undo this commitment. The order has been filed. Jeremy was transported to the asylum this morning."
Candy could barely speak. "If you can't put an end to this, who can?" She whispered.
"Governor Salomon could help you if he believes that it is safe for Jeremy to live in society." Judge Terry replied.
"Very well, Judge Terry, my family and I will contact the Governor. My brother-in-law is a friend of his. Wait, what if Jeremy changes his mind? Since he had himself committed, couldn't he just leave the asylum?" Candy inquired.
"No, he can't do that. The commitment order has to be dismissed." Judge Terry answered.
"I understand, Judge. Goodbye." Candy said as she walked out of the office.
She hired another carriage and went to the asylum. It was huge and old and ugly.
Candy made her way inside the front of the building. There was a lady sitting behind a desk writing on a piece of paper.
"Excuse me, please. I am here to see Jeremy Bolt. I am his wife." Candy spoke.
The woman looked at her skeptically and then searched the names in a ledger on her desk.
"I don't have a Bolt listed." The woman looked up at her.
"Well, he just got here today." Candy advised.
"That explains it. They haven't gotten all the papers completed yet. They must be having too much fun processing him." The woman laughed cruelly.
Candy stared at the secretary for a moment. "Where can I find my husband, please?"
The secretary called out to a man who was mopping the other side of the lobby. "Hey, Ralph! This lady is looking for a new patient, he just came in today. His name is Bolt. Where can she find him?"
Ralph walked over to the desk. "Hello, ma'am, I can take you to Mr. Bolt. He should be in his room by now. He will be on the second floor."
"Thank you, that's kind of you." Candy replied.
"How do you know he is in his room? They haven't even given me my papers yet!" The woman at the desk snarled.
Ralph laughed. "Relax Gertrude! You will get your precious papers. And I know where Mr. Bolt is because I know everything!"
Ralph motioned for Candy to follow him, and she complied. They proceeded through the double doors at the end of the lobby and then down two flights of stairs.
At the bottom of the stairs, there was a single door. Ralph pulled a key from his pocket and unlocked the door.
"May I tell you something before we go in?" Ralph questioned.
"Yes, what is it?" Candy asked.
"Get your husband out of here. He doesn't need to be here. He isn't crazy. But he will be if he stays here too long. I saw him when they first brought him in this morning. About halfway through the lobby, he realized he made a mistake coming here. He told them he changed his mind and wanted to leave. The guards told him he couldn't just walk out. Your husband turned around and made a run for the door." Ralph paused.
"Oh, no! I wish Jeremy had made it out!" Candy groaned.
"So do I, ma'am. Jeremy almost got to the door before the guards caught him. I hate to think what happened to him for being combative as they call it." Ralph told her.
"Do you think they beat Jeremy?" Candy cringed.
"Yes, ma'am. You need to be prepared. Jeremy won't look much like you remember him." Ralph sympathized.
"I just saw him last night." She was frightened.
Ralph held the door open for Candy. She walked into a dimly lit long cold hallway. She could hear people in the different rooms yelling, crying, moaning, or cussing.
Ralph took her to Jeremy's room which was the last room on the left. There was no sound coming from his room. Ralph unlocked the door and then he slipped Candy a key. She smiled at him and quickly put the key in her purse.
Ralph opened the door and Candy walked inside. Jeremy was sitting in a chair. His chin was on his chest. He appeared to be asleep.
Candy rushed to her husband and knelt by his chair. "Jeremy." She touched his arm.
Jeremy raised his head and squinted at her. "Don't h-h-hurt me! I will b-b-behave, I p-p-promise!"
"Oh, Jeremy!" Candy exclaimed.
She helped him stand up. The look of fear in his eyes broke her heart.
Ralph was right. Jeremy didn't look like he did just one night ago. His face was bruised, and he had a black eye. His lip was busted.
Jeremy's hair looked like it had been cut by a two-year-old with a pair of scissors and a bowl. He was dressed in a gray shirt and gray pants. He was wearing black slippers on his feet.
Candy held Jeremy's face in her hands. "Jeremy, sweetheart, it's me, Candy. Do you recognize me?"
Jeremy gazed into her eyes. There was no spark of recognition.
"Please don't hurt me! I will behave! I promise! Don't make me go back in the icy water! No! I can't breathe under the water! Don't! Don't!" Jeremy shouted.
Candy glanced at Ralph. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
"They put him in the icy bath as a so-called treatment. They duck the patient's heads under the water so long that the patient thinks he is going to drown." Ralph explained. "They doped him up with something too. It will wear off but they will keep giving it to him. We had better go."
"No, Ralph, I can't leave him. Please help us. Please call me Candy." She spoke.
"Okay, Candy. You can stay here tonight. When you hear someone coming, hide in the closet. I will come back early in the morning and help you get out." He replied.
"Can you help Jeremy get out tomorrow too?" Candy inquired.
"No, not tomorrow, it's too soon and we need a plan to get him out. I will help you. It's going to take some time." Ralph replied.
"You're not going to run to the boss and get us in trouble, are you? This isn't a trick, is it? "Candy growled.
"No, I promise! I'm not fooling. I can tell that you and Jeremy are good people. I'm going to help you. You can trust me." Ralph implored.
"Alright. My husband has two older brothers. They will come after you if something happens to us." Candy warned.
"Believe me, they won't have a reason to hunt me down. Good night." Ralph left the room.
"Goodnight, Ralph and thank you." Candy called after him.
It was dark outside now. Candy had to hide in the closet when a guard brought Jeremy's supper. After the man left the room, Candy looked at the food. It appeared to be a bowl of mush and a very hard roll.
Jeremy was not hungry and he went to lie down on his cot. Candy covered him with the blanket and kissed his cheek.
"I love you, Jeremy. Everything is going to be fine." She whispered.
Jeremy did not reply but he smiled slightly and did not seem to be frightened.
Candy sat in a chair next to the cot until Jeremy went to sleep. Then she moved her chair in front of the rather large window and sat down. Candy worried about her husband as she peered out the window.
A while later, Candy was awakened by the sound of Jeremy setting a chair next to her chair. He didn't speak as he sat down in the chair.
Both of them gazed through the window for a few minutes.
Suddenly, Jeremy turned his head toward her. "I s-s-stutter."
"I bite my nails." Candy replied. She held up a chewed fingernail so he could see it.
Jeremy smiled and said, "You better quit that, you bite too hard, you'll bleed to death."
Candy giggled. "You stutter too much, you'll choke."
They looked deeply into each other's eyes.
TBC