CHAPTER 6

Jeremy walks in the door of his house. All is quiet except for the faint crying sound he hears. He finds Candy crying, all curled up sitting on the settee in the parlor. She doesn't notice that he's there.

He clears his throat. "Ahem."

Candy glances up at him and straightens herself up into a sitting position. "What are you doing here, Jeremy? Did you come back for round two?"

"No, I came to a-apologize. I'm sorry, Candy. I should have known that you wouldn't do what I accused you of doing."

"Yes, you should have. I guess this shows us what a sorry state our marriage is in. Maybe we should end it all right now," she sniffles.

"End it? Is that what you really want?" Jeremy is alarmed as he goes over to sit down beside her. "Candy, I don't want to end our marriage. I know I was wrong and I threw some vicious accusations at you. Please forgive me. Please don't end our marriage. We have fought so hard to get here."

Candy wipes her eyes on her handkerchief that she keeps tucked up in her sleeve. "No, it isn't what I want. But Jeremy, I don't know if I can ever forget what you accused me of, how cruel you were to me. That was not the Jeremy Bolt I married."

Jeremy presses his lips together and closes his eyes. Opening his eyes again he says, "I know and I'm so sorry. I'm not asking you to forget it. What I am asking is for you to please forgive me. I want to be the Jeremy Bolt that you fell in love with and married. I will find him again for you. . . for me. . . for us. Please give me that chance."

Candy sighs, "Jeremy, I need to know what you meant when you said, 'Two can play this game'? Where did you go? You were so angry. I was so scared of what you were going to do."

He gulps. "I'm ashamed to tell you, but I know I have to. Candy, just know that I love you and I didn't go through with what I intended to do because of my love for you."

"Jeremy Bolt, what did you do?" Candy asks while dreading to hear his answer.

"I. . .I-I went to the. . . . . brothel."

"The brothel! Oh no! Why?"

"I wanted to hurt you the same way that I thought you hurt me." He looks into her wide open eyes. Tears are forming there again.

"So, you went to get revenge. Who with? As if I don't already know." She starts to rise from the settee when Jeremy places his hands on her arms forcing her to remain seated.

"Please Candy, stay. Hear me out."

Candy leans back into the settee. "Fine. I'll listen but just so you know, if you tell me that you had sex with one of those women, especially Billie, then we're through."

"I understand and I don't blame you."

"I want the truth, Jeremy. Please don't lie to me. Did you have sex with Billie?"

"All right, I'll tell you and this is the honest truth." He wipes his sweaty hands on the legs of his brown corduroy pants. "I went into the brothel and found Billie. We went upstairs to her room. We both removed my shirt. We kissed and fell onto the bed. We kissed again. All I could think of was you. The way you smell, the way you taste, the softness of your skin. She was none of that. I realized I didn't want Billie, I wanted you. So I got up and put my shirt back on. I told her it was a mistake for me to come there. That I loved you and I was through hurting you."

"You removed your shirt? Is that all that was removed?"

"Yes, my shirt was all that I took off."

"And Billie? Did you remove any of her clothing?"

"No, I did not. She kept her clothes on the whole time."

"The whole time? Just how long did you stay in her bed?"

"Only a minute or so. I couldn't stop thinking of you. I knew it was wrong and I couldn't go through with it. I'm so sorry, Candy."

Candy wipes her tears from her eyes. "I'm sorry too, Jeremy. And to think this all started from just a big misunderstanding."

Jeremy takes her hand and kisses her fingertips. "So, do you forgive me?"

"How do I know you won't do anything like that again?"

"I won't. I promise. And you can take this promise to the bank."

Candy stares at him while biting her lip. "I bet Billie didn't like you ending it the way you did. What did she say?"

"She said she knew I didn't have the. . . the balls to go through with it. She called you a name and I left," he gulps.

"You've been gone a long time, Jeremy."

"Well, I went to see Harve and made him tell me what was going on. Damn, I wish I had known the truth so I wouldn't have acted so irrationally. I hate myself for what I did." Tears fall from his eyes. "Again, I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, too. I should have tried harder to stop you from leaving. I should have told you why Harve was here."

"Don't. Don't blame yourself for any of this. It's all my fault. I know I haven't been the ideal husband to you. But if you give me. . .us another chance, I promise I'll change." Candy starts to say something but Jeremy holds his hand up and says, "Wait. I know I haven't been keeping my promises lately. But that's going to change, too. Starting right now."

"I hope so Jeremy, because I want my dependable, honest, loving husband back. But I do have one condition."

"What's that? Name it and it's done," Jeremy eagerly agrees.

"You're not going to like it, but this is the only way. For right now, that is. You're going to have to earn your way back into our bed."

"What? Candy, you don't mean that, do you?"

"Yes Jeremy, I do mean it."

"For how long?"

"I'm not sure. Could be days, weeks, or even months."

"Months? But Candy. . ."

"Jeremy, you hurt me deeply when you accused me of having sex with Harve. It was like you were calling me a cheap. . .a cheap whore. I can't forgive and forget so quickly."

Jeremy hangs his head in shame. "I'm sorry, Candy. What I did was so wrong. A man should never treat his wife like that. I don't deserve a second chance."

Candy takes his hand in hers. "Everyone deserves a second chance, Jeremy. Just make the most of it, all right?" She stands and smooths down her dress. "Now, I better get supper started."

"No!" Jeremy protests. "I'm going to take my wife and my little in-laws to Lottie's for supper. Then, maybe we can all go for a walk before we have to turn in for the night."

"That would be wonderful. Thank you."