For Jeremy's Sake
Jeremy was returning home from San Francisco on the Shamus O' Flynn. He had been gone for three weeks on a buying trip for the logging company. He was tired. He missed Candy and his brothers very much.
Jeremy told Clancy goodbye and headed to the cabin. Jason and Joshua were not home. They were probably at the camp.
He had dressed in his work clothes this morning on the ship, so he walked up to the camp. Young Bolt received a surprise when he got there. There was not another person on the whole place.
The youngest brother called out, "Jason! Josh! Corky! Anybody?"
There was no answer. He was quiet a minute listening. He did not hear any voices or footsteps from a distance. Jeremy did not hear any work being done.
Young Bolt checked the office tent and the medical tent. There was nothing different or out of place in the office tent.
In the medical tent two of the beds were unmade, there was a basin of water and some used cloths on the nightstand. The medical tent was usually kept straight and neat. Jeremy wondered who was sick.
A scary thought struck him. What if someone had died?! That could explain why no one was here. Young Bolt was scared. He ran back to town.
Jeremy knocked on the door of the dormitory. Candy would know what was going on. When no one came to the door after a few minutes, he became more afraid.
"What the hell is going on?!" Jeremy Bolt shouted.
The young lumberjack stepped off the porch. Before he ran to the saloon, he took a last look at the dormitory door.
Bolt sighed and hurried over to Lottie's. When he found the bar room empty, he screamed, "Lottie! Lottie! Where are you? Help me, please!"
Running upstairs, he found that every room was empty. This was crazy. Where would everyone go and why?
Jeremy hurried back downstairs. He went into the kitchen just to be sure Lottie wasn't there. She was no where to be seen.
Getting more worried, the young logger returned to the ship. As he went aboard, he shouted for Clancy.
Soon, the wise old sea captain appeared. "Why are ye shouting, Young Bolt?" He asked.
"Clancy, I can't find anyone in town or at the camp! I'm frightened, Clancy! Where could they be?" Jeremy wondered.
"Now, lad, try not to be upset there now!" Clancy was shocked by what he heard. "Do you think maybe one of those brothers of yours could have left you a note at your cabin?"
Jeremy looked at his boots as he pondered what Clancy said. "I didn't see a note earlier, but I wasn't looking for one either"
"Well, go have a look, lad. While you do that, I'm going to quench me thirst at dear Lottie's." Clancy remarked.
"Okay, Captain! I'll be back soon!" Jeremy replied.
As he stepped off the ship, he heard Jason calling his name. "JEREMY!"
He turned toward the sound. His brother was sitting on his horse. Jeremy ran toward him.
"Stop, Jeremy! I mean it, brother! Stop!" Jason yelled.
As he stopped, Jeremy shouted, "What in hell is going on, Jason? Where is everybody? Where's Candy and Josh?"
"Candy is fine, Jeremy. She is in Bridgewater at the Baptist Church with several other brides." Jason explained.
Placing his hands on his hips, he asked, "what are the girls doing there, Jason?"
Jason swallowed hard. "There was a severe Influenza outbreak here while you were gone, Jeremy. Doctor Wright advised that we had to evacuate Seattle and split up into groups. Well groups and sick groups. Several people have died which is awful. Fortunately none of our close friends are gone."
Jeremy bit his lip. "Is Candy in a sick group? And where is Josh?"
"Candy is in a well group, Jeremy. Josh is in the hospital in Tacoma. The outbreak started with him." Jason's fear showed on his face.
Jeremy broke out in a cold sweat. "Jason! What if Josh dies? How did this start with him?"
"Joshua and Biddie went to Clearwater to get married. Did you know they were in love? I didn't know it. Anyway, while they were there, Josh got sick and brought it back here unknowingly. Biddie is well. She is insisting on staying at the hospital with Josh. Oh, you and I are going to be uncles next spring." Jason explained.
"I had or rather Candy had a suspicion about Biddie and Josh. What do the doctors say about our brother's chances, Jason? Damn! I hate to imagine life without him. And Biddie! A young widow with a baby!" Jeremy worried.
"Today, the doctors said they still are not sure if Joshua will recover. They said his fever was down somewhat. We will have to wait and see. The doctors advised me to pray if I'm a praying man." Jason said.
"What did the doctors advise if you happened not to be a praying man?" Young Bolt asked.
Jason looked sad. "They told me to become a praying man right away for Josh's sake."
"Jason!" exclaimed Jeremy. "Listen, I think I'm gonna go to Bridgewater to be near Candy. I'm well and I haven't been close to anyone who is sick. Staying here in town alone is not a good idea. I'll go crazy by myself. Clancy is leaving for Alaska in two days."
"Be careful, Jeremy. I don't want you getting sick too. I don't have to remind you how sick you get. I'm not trying to scold you as if you were a child, brother. It's that I couldn't bear it if something happened to Josh and you. Please be careful." Jason pleaded.
"I'll be careful, Jason. You watch out too. Josh and I love you just as much as you love us. Send me a telegram at least every other day to let me know how Josh is doing." Jeremy replied
"I will keep you informed, and I love you , Jeremy." Jason smiled sadly.
Jason turned his horse to head back to Tacoma. As he rode away, he looked back over his shoulder. "Bye, Jeremy! Stay well!"
"Goodbye, Jason! Don't get sick!" Jeremy shouted.
Jeremy returned to the ship. He talked to Clancy about what Jason told him. He told Clancy that he would go to Bridgewater tomorrow. Clancy said he would pray for Joshua and all of Seattle.
Jeremy slept on the ship that night. The next morning, he left for Bridgewater.
He went directly to the Baptist Church when he arrived in the small town. Candy was frightened at first wondering if he had brought bad news about Joshua.
"I talked to Jason at a distance. He said the doctors told him to pray for Josh. Biddie's okay." He reassured her.
"I'm glad to know that Biddie is well. I will remember your brother in my prayers. How are you feeling, Jeremy?" She placed her hand on his head checking for fever. She was glad that his face was cool.
"I'm fine, Candy. Are you okay?" Jeremy looked at her anxiously.
"Yes, sweetpea, I'm alright. Before we left Seattle, some of the men were saying they might have to burn down the hospital and the church and rebuild them when we go back. They said it might be necessary to prevent another outbreak of Influenza." Candy told him.
"Damn! I had not thought of that." Jeremy replied.
Jeremy and Candy hugged. They were grateful to be well and to be together again.
"Listen, honey, I have been thinking on my way here. Let's get married. We can find a preacher and do it tonight. Later on next spring or summer, we can have the big church wedding that you have always wanted. What do you think?" Jeremy gave her a gentle kiss on her lips.
"Let's go outside." Candy took his hand.
They went across the street from the church to a small park. They sat down on a bench. Candy looked around to make sure there were no people close by before she spoke.
"Jeremy, I'm not pregnant if that's what you are worried about." She reassured him.
"It's not that, Candy. It's, well, it's sort of hard to explain." He closed his eyes as he sighed in frustration.
"I think I know what you mean, Jeremy. You are worried that one of us might not make it through the influenza outbreak and you want us to at least be able to get married. Am I right?" Candy brushed back his bangs with her fingers.
"Sort of. This sounds stupid but I feel if we were married, I could protect you more. If we have a permanent claim on each other, maybe it won't be so easy for something to hurt us." Jeremy smirked. "I told ya it was stupid."
"It's not stupid, Jeremy. I think it's sweet. However, you know it won't work against this terrible illness." Candy whispered.
"Yeah, I know." He replied.
"I still want too though! Let's go right now to find a minister. I love you, Jeremy. I want to be your wife." Candy said breathlessly.
Jeremy grinned. "Thank you, Candy! I love you; honey and I want to be your husband. Let's go!"
The couple searched through the town for a minister. They could not find one until they came to a small community called Papertown just outside of Bridgewater. In Papertown, there was a minister named Jack Frost. Jeremy and Candy smiled at the name.
Candy and Jeremy were united in Holy Matrimony by Reverend Jack Frost. He was pleasant and cheerful. His wife was a sweet lady who seemed pleased that they were getting married.
Jeremy took his new bride to the Bridgewater Inn for their wedding night which was filled with love, tenderness and sex so hot that it made their bone marrow smolder.
A few days went by. Jeremy and Candy were still at the hotel. He woke up with a fever and a headache. Candy was afraid he had influenza. Jeremy tried to reassure her that it was probably just a cold.
When his headache got so bad that he could barely see, Jeremy had to admit that he had influenza. Candy was frightened. She helped Jeremy get dressed to go to the doctor.
They went to the Presbyterian Church where Doctor Cochran was treating patients. The doctor gave Jeremy some medication. He told him to stay in bed for at least a week. He advised that they could not return to their hotel.
"We must do everything we can to avoid the spread of this horrid sickness. I am out of beds here. You must go to the Horse Trough Saloon. They are housing patients there." Doctor Cochran explained. "Linwood Stewart is the owner. Talk to him and he will get Mr. Bolt a bed there.
"Doctor, my husband gets seriously ill with a fever. A few years ago, he almost died from a fever and a concussion." Candy explained.
"I know you are worried, Mrs. Bolt. Make sure that Mr. Bolt takes his medicine and gets lots of rest. He needs lots of liquid too. Make sure he does all of that and he will be fine." The doctor told her. "Make sure your husband eats too. He must build up his strength."
"Yes, I will do all I can to help my husband including making sure that he does his part." Candy replied.
Jeremy and Candy were in for a shock when they arrived at the saloon. Mr. Stewart refused to allow Jeremy to stay there. He said that he had heard that a Bolt was responsible for starting the outbreak which was getting close to being an epidemic.
"Mr. Stewart, you must let Jeremy stay here to recover. Joshua couldn't help it that the outbreak began with him. He caught the illness unknowingly from someone else. Blaming my husband for something that his brother had no control over is not right. Turning a dangerously sick man out into the street is cruel. Please, Mr. Stewart, help us!" Candy pleaded.
Linwood Stewart eyed the pretty Mrs. Jeremy Bolt closely. He looked her up and down. When he tried to touch her face, she recoiled in disgust.
"Hmph! I wouldn't be too proud, Missus. Not if you want your sick husband to have a bed to rest on. If you go to work for me, I will let you and your outbreak spreader stay here." Stewart told her.
Candy was afraid of this awful man and this nasty stinky saloon. Why was the doctor allowing patients to stay here? She wondered.
"Doctor Cochran is letting sick folks stay here because no other place will help. They are too scared." The owner said as if she had asked.
"How did you know that's what I was thinking?" Candy asked the man.
"It shows on your face and every female that comes in asks me." Stewart replied. "Are you gonna work here or not? A pretty girl like you could get a lot of business."
"No! I am not a fancy lady. Are all the wives with sick husbands working here?" She questioned.
"Of course not, some of them are dogs. I don't see how they ever got a husband." Linwood sneered.
"My husband and I are leaving. I will find another place for him to recover. Perhaps the hotel. We have a room there." Candy spoke firmly.
"You can't do that, missus. The hotel can't expose other paying guests to sickness. It's here or the street." He looked at Jeremy slumped over the table.
Candy followed Stewart's eyes. Jeremy was seated in the chair with his upper body almost halfway across the table. He was awfully sick. It would be impossible for him to survive out in the cold.
If she agreed to the owner's request, how would she ever explain it to Jeremy. He would be angry and hurt that she allowed other men to touch her. Knowing him he would try to hunt the men down and beat their asses for messing with her. He would probably kill Mr. Stewart.
As frightening as her thoughts about Jeremy's reaction to her being a fancy lady were, they were no where near as scary as the thought of her precious husband dying. Candy Oruitt Bolt knew what she had to do.
"Okay, Mr. Stewart. You win. But I get Jeremy settled in a bed with someone dependable watching him before I go to work." Candy told him.
"Sure, Missus. I might even get me a free hour of love one night." He gawked at her.
Candy's stomach churned. "Help me get my husband upstairs to a bed."
Linwood Stewart complied. Jeremy was so weak and sick that the slimy owner had to carry him up the steps to a room. As Stewart placed Young Bolt on the bed, he made an observation.
"Missus, I really hate to say this, but I don't think you are gonna be working for me too long. It don't look like your man is gonna be with us much longer."
Candy looked at Jeremy as she swallowed the lump in her throat. Sadly, she worried that the disgusting man was correct. No! She could t think this way. Jeremy would live. He had to. They had too much love to share with each other and with baby Bolts for their life together to end so soon. Oh, how she wanted those baby Bolts and their Daddy!
"My husband always gets terribly sick when he is ill. He is strong. Jeremy will pull through." She replied.
"I hope so." Linwood remarked. "When you get him settled, go to room fifteen. Your first customer will knock on the door five minutes after you enter the room."
"I understand." Candy responded.
Stewart left the room. Candy got her husband undressed and under the bed covers. He was able to wake up enough to take his medicine. He drank a few extra sips of water and fell back on his pillow. She kissed his lips tenderly. Then she whispered, "I love you." In his ear.
While Candy was changing into her work clothes, there was a knock at the door.
"Who is it?" She asked.
"Jane Ellen. I am supposed to sit with Mr. Bolt."
"Come on in." Candy said.
The door opened and a girl about thirteen years old walked slowly inside. She closed the door behind her.
Candy was shocked to see a child so young in this place.
"How old are you, dear?"
"I'm fourteen, ma'am. My parents are here sick with influenza. This is how I pay for their care. I sit with other sick people." Jane Ellen told her. "I will take good care of Jeremy. I want to be a nurse one day. Mr. Stewart told me your names. I hope it's okay for me to use them."
"Yes, Jane Ellen, that's fine." Candy reassured her. "I have to go now. I'm not sure when I will be back."
Candy kissed Jeremy on his lips. He gasped a bit. She placed a cold cloth on his forehead after brushing his bangs aside. "I love you, Jeremy."
In room fifteen, Mrs. Bolt waited nervously. When the knock at the door came, she thought I can't do this! Then another thought occurred to her. She spoke it aloud.
"I can do anything for Jeremy's sake."
Story will continue…