For Jeremy's Sake Chapter Five
After his conversation with Jason, Jeremy had gone to sleep again. The eldest Bolt was sitting backwards in the straight back chair. The chair was between his siblings' beds.
Biddie had a bad crying spell about Joshua because he had been sick for so long and because that Fletcher witch would not give them any medication. All of the ladies except Connie had taken Biddie Bolt to her room to help her get a bath and some food. Lottie reminded her that she is eating for two.
Jason sighed as he took out his pocket watch to check the time. Aaron and George had been gone for a long time. It had been almost three hours since they headed for the docks. He spoke a silent prayer that his friends would find some influenza medicine soon.
Moving from his chair to the night stand, Bolt dipped a cloth in the basin of cold water. He sat down on the side of Jeremy's bed and began wiping his brother's face. Jeremy flinched a little at the icy temperature of the rag.
"Hurts." He murmured touching the bullet wound on his chest.
Jason carefully moved the youngest brother's hand and untied the bandage to look at his injury. There was no redness or swelling so there was no infection. Jason knew it had to still be painful since it had only been a week since Jeremy was shot. The oldest brother tied the bandage being careful not to tie it too tight.
Folding the damp cloth, Jason placed it on Jeremy's forehead.
"I love you, brother. Please get well." The big lumberjack whispered.
Bolt checked on Joshua placing the back of his hand on the middle brother's face. Josh was feverish but not as much as Jeremy. The eldest of Johnny Bolt's sons got another damp cold cloth and placed it on Josh's head.
"I love you, brother. Get well, please. I need you boys." Jason spoke wearily.
Suddenly, he heard a commotion in the hall. Rushing to the door and opening it, Jason saw that Aaron and George had returned.
When Candy began sobbing, Jason knew his friends had not been able to bring back any medication.
"Let's go to Joshua and Jeremy's room to talk. We just got Biddie to go to sleep. She doesn't need to hear this yet." Lottie said quietly.
Candy was the first one to step into her husband's hospital room. Jason held his arms open. The heartbroken red head fell against him crying.
"Jason! We are going to lose him this time and Joshua and Jane Ellen! Why is this happening? It's so hard to believe that three people that we know and love are going to die because there is no medicine available for them." Candy hid her face in his shoulder as she sobbed.
"It's happening because of the selfishness and greed of people like Amy Fletcher, Candy. I know that Miss Fletcher is not the only person causing this deadly shortage of influenza drugs. However, I figure she is one of the top five villains responsible." Jason replied.
"I think the other four thieves win in the ass whipping category, Jason." Aaron spoke as he and George entered the room.
Jason Bolt gaped at the two men. Their faces were black and blue nearly all over. Their knuckles were bruised and bleeding. Their shirts were torn to pieces.
"We tried our best, Mr. Bolt. We went to every ship. We offered to pay money and or property. We begged for our friends who are desperately ill. When none of that worked, we tried to steal some of the medicine. That's when we got the hell beat out of us." George explained.
"I'm sorry, Jason. We truly did everything we could think of. I hate to give up. Your brothers mean the world to you and to Candy and Biddie and …. Lottie. Jane Ellen, for heavens sake, she is just a little girl. Noble and Connie were crushed when I told them. I'm so sorry that I let everyone down." Aaron was heartbroken.
Tears burned Jason's eyes. He would have never believed that he or Aaron Stempel would consider themselves defeated especially in a life and death matter such as this.
"You did all you could, Aaron. You too, George. I'm grateful. Thank you both. It's not your fault. The greedy selfish people are to blame as I told Candy." Bolt replied.
"I have an idea, Jason. What about asking the Governor for help? You and he are friends. Surely, he has some connections or some pull somewhere." Lottie suggested.
"Lottie! That's it! Thank you! Oh, Lottie! You have saved our precious loved ones. Thank you, dear lady!" The oldest brother shouted.
Miss Hatfield smiled. "You are welcome, Jason! Those loved ones are pretty special to me too."
Jason rushed to the mercantile down the street from the hospital to wire the governor for help in obtaining some medication. While he was gone, Lottie helped Doctor Wright take care of Aaron and George.
The Governor responded immediately to Jason's telegram. He advised that he would get some of his assistants on the task of locating some influenza medication immediately. Mr. Hamilton, the owner of the mercantile promised to bring the next wire from the Governor to the hospital personally. Jason thanked him for his help.
Two hours later, Mr. Hamilton was in the Bolt hospital room with a telegram from Jason's influential friend. The news was not good.
Jason Bolt snorted as he read the message. "Son of a bitch!"
"I suppose that means they couldn't find any medication." Lottie said with despair. "Did the Governor offer any suggestions as to what we can do?"
"You are correct, Lottie. His assistants were unable to locate any of the much needed influenza medication." Jason read parts of the telegram aloud. "As far as what we can do, my old friend wants us to contact him if he can be of further help."
"Further help?!" Aaron shouted. "He hasn't been of any help!"
Candy was sitting on Jeremy's bed. She had been wiping his brow with cold damp cloths. She jumped up from her seat.
"I know how the Governor can help! He can preach Jeremy's funeral and choke on every damn word! I want him to choke to death on it!" She screamed.
"Candy? W-W-What's wrong?" Jeremy spoke very softly.
"Oh, Sweetheart! I'm sorry if I frightened you. I, uh, well, it's …." Candy wasn't sure what to say.
As his wife sat back down on his bed, Jeremy opened his eyes. Looking at her, he said, "It's okay, Candy. I know that I'm dying. I think Josh is too. I'm not scared but I hate to think of you, and Biddie, and Jason missing us and Josh not being able to see his baby." Jeremy coughed.
"Oh, Jeremy! This is so unfair! I wanted a lifetime with you and our children. I'm so sorry I kept putting off us getting married. If we had married when you first asked me, we could have had a baby before now." The red head cried.
"It's alright, sweet girl. It's alright. I would have loved for you to be the mother of my child, but you were enough, Candy. In fact, you were more than enough. Your love changed me. You made me a better man. Thank you, sweet girl. I'll love you for eternity." Jeremy had tears in his piercing blue eyes.
Mrs. Jeremy Bolt was squalling. "That was so beautiful, Jeremy. I'm sorry I can't say anything like that to you because I'm so terribly upset. I love you and I will love you forever."
"What you said was beautiful, Candy. Betcha I can make you smile." Young Bolt spoke.
"Now? I don't see how even you could make me smile at a time like this." Candy replied.
"Lean close to me." Her husband told her. She did as he requested. Jeremy whispered something in her ear.
Candy not only smiled, but she also actually laughed. "Oh, I'm sorry! I shouldn't be laughing now."
"Yes, you should because that's how I want to remember you when I'm in Heaven." Jeremy said gently as he twirled a strand of her hair in his fingers.
Candy kissed him softly on his lips.
Doctor Wright came into the room with Biddie. The doctor had checked on Joshua's wife and found that she was awake. Allyn told Biddie that no medication could be found and they were out of options. Biddie insisted on returning to her husband.
Joshua woke up when his wife sat down on the edge of his bed. They cried together and embraced each other tightly. They whispered sweet words of love and heartbreaking words of goodbye to each other. They shed more tears when speaking of their precious child.
"Everyone! I just remembered I still have the one vial of the real influenza drug. I could divide it between the Bolts and Jane Ellen. It might help some." Doctor Wright commented.
"How many patients does one vial of this drug usually help, Allyn?" Jason inquired.
"Usually only one patient. However, under these circumstances, I could divide it to try to give each person something of a chance." She explained.
"I appreciate you wanting to help the three, Doctor. However, isn't it most probable that dividing the drug three ways will render it ineffective to anyone?" The oldest Bolt asked.
Doctor Wright was crestfallen. "Yes, Jason. You are correct. I can't choose one patient over another in this situation. Dividing it was the fairest idea I could think of."
"I know, Allyn. Let me talk to my brothers just a minute." Jason went and sat down in the straight back chair. It was still between the two beds.
"Joshua, Jeremy, what do you think the doctor should do with the one vial of medication?" He asked.
Jeremy and Joshua each looked at his wife. Both ladies nodded. Then the two brothers looked at each other. They nodded too.
Joshua spoke, "Doctor Wright should give the medication to Jane Ellen, Jason. Jeremy and our wives agree with me."
"I agree too if my opinion counts. You heard them, Doctor. Please give the drug to Noble and Connie's daughter." Jason told her.
"I will go do that right now. Thank you all so much. You are a fine family." Allyn Wright choked up as she left the room.
Soon Noble entered the brothers' hospital room. "Jason, may I speak to you for a minute out here in the hall, please?"
"Certainly, Noble." Jason got up and headed out of the room with his friend.
When the two men got about halfway down the hall, Hawkins stopped. "Jason, I wanted to say thank you. This is the finest most unselfish thing anyone has ever done for me and Connie, helping save our precious Jane Ellen. I know I should say thank you directly to Joshua and Jeremy, but I can't. I would cry like a big baby. So, I'm telling you and asking you to tell them for me. Connie and I are also grateful to you, Jason and to Candy and Biddie. It can't be easy for the three of you to support their decision to let our daughter have all the medicine."
"Noble, I hope with all of my being that this dose of medication helps your dear child turn a corner toward getting well. I sincerely do. But you and Connie don't owe my brothers or any of the Bolt family any thanks. The doctor said the one vial wouldn't really do anything for three people." Jason explained.
"Yeah, Doctor Wright told us that too. Jason, you don't understand what I mean. Your brothers gave up their last chance for even the smallest opportunity of getting better so that Jane Ellen would have as much of a chance as she could. That's the reason Connie and I are so grateful, Bolt. Your brothers are fine men. You can surely be proud of them." Hawkins grinned.
Jason blinked back tears. "Thank you, Hawk. I agree that Joshua and Jeremy are outstanding men, and I am proud to be their brother."
Noble walked Jason back to his brothers' hospital room. The friends agreed to pray for each other's families as Noble left to return to Connie and Jane Ellen.
As the day turned into night, Jeremy's fever spiked. Joshua's temperature also went up. Candy and Biddie steadily wiped their husbands' faces with cold wet cloths. Jane Ellen's condition did not change.
Around 9 p.m., Jeremy's coughing grew so much worse, Dr. Wright told Candy and Jason that he did not have much longer. Lottie was so distraught at the doctor's words she had to leave the room for a time.
Miss Hatfield went into the hospital chapel. She prayed earnestly for Jeremy, Joshua, and Jane Ellen. After she finished praying, she walked to the lobby of the hospital. Lottie sat down to rest before retuning to the brothers' room.
As she was sitting there, she began sobbing as she had done during her prayer. Her face was covered by her hands.
"Lottie, darlin, why are ye cryin?" A familiar voice startled her.
"Fish face! I mean, Clancy. What are you doing here?" Lottie inquired.
"Well, I was on me way home from Alaska and I remembered that young Joshua was here in the hospital with the influenza. So I stopped to find out if he is still here. From your tears, I can see that he is and not doing too good, I imagine." Clancy answered.
"You're right, Clancy. However, it's not only Joshua now. Jeremy is sick here too. In fact, both of them are dying! Allyn told us a little while ago that Jeremy hasn't got much longer." Lottie said.
"Why, darlin? Why are two young men dying from a treatable illness?" Clancy was shocked.
"The hospital ran out of medication and couldn't get anymore because thieves are stealing it. They sell it at horribly high prices that hardly anyone can afford and that's if you can even find some. A group of us from Seattle went through hell just trying to find some. Of course, we offered to sell them everything except the moon to get some." Lottie spoke.
"Medicine is it!" Clancy shouted. "Why I have crates of that there influenza medication on me ship, darlin!"
"Clancy, are you sure it's the real thing and not tinted water? Some of the thieves have been selling tinted water as the drug." The saloon owner spoke.
"This ain't no tinted water, woman! It's the real drug. Let me hurry to me ship and get some. Young Bolt can't wait and neither can Joshua."
Clancy rushed out of the hospital headed for the docks. Lottie ran after him. When they got to the Shamus O'Flynn, Lottie told him about Jane Ellen. The Captain and his lady love each carried a crate of the medicine to the Bolt hospital room.
Doctor Wright was in the room. Jeremy and Joshua were still holding on. Lottie got the doctor's attention fast and told her about Clancey's shipment. Doctor Wright immediately got several vials of the drug. She ran down the hall to test it to make certain it was not tinted water.
A short time later, Allyn Wright ran back into the room shouting, "This is real medicine!"
Jason, Candy, and Biddie were startled by the Doctor's shouting. They were so despondent that they had not even realized that Lottie and Clancy were in the room.
"Oh, Doctor Wright, can you give Jeremy some now? Please don't say that it is too late!" Candy spoke nervously.
"We can give him the medicine, Candy. But I'm not sure if it will save him at this late stage in his illness." The Doctor replied.
"You mean he might be too close to dying for the drug to help him." The red-haired girl said fearfully.
"I'm afraid so, Candy. Hopefully, I am mistaken. Don't forget how resilient Jeremy is and how much he loves you." Allyn spoke.
Candy nodded as Jason stepped over to Jeremy's bed.
"How are you going to get the medicine down his throat? He is too weak to take it by himself." Jason spoke.
"You are right, Jason. I need for you and Candy to help me. You hold his head, Jason and pinch his nose so he will open his mouth. Candy, you gently rub Jeremy's neck as I pour the medication down his throat." Doctor Wright instructed.
The eldest brother got down on one knee at the head of the bed. He had placed his youngest brother on the floor. He held Jeremy's head tilted back in the crook of his arm and pinched his nose shut with his other hand. Doctor Wright stood on the other side of Jeremy opposite Jason carefully pouring medicine down his throat. Candy was beside her husband on her knees rubbing his neck.
"I'm going to give him two doses now and see what happens." Allyn Wright said.
"Okay, Allyn. Candy and I will do our part until you tell us to stop." Jason responded.
Jeremy's only reaction to all of this movement was to open his mouth to breathe. He did not flinch or resist in any way.
In about two minutes, the doctor told the Bolt in laws that they could stop. She had given Jeremy two doses of the medicine.
Doctor Wright gave Joshua two doses as well. It was easier for him to take the medicine. Biddie only had to hold the spoon for him.
Next, Allyn went to Jane Ellen's room to give her one dose since she had the dose earlier. Noble and Connie cried when the doctor told them that Clancy brought some medication from Alaska.
There was much laughing, crying and gratitude directed at Clancy in the Bolt hospital room as well. There were also several kisses on the cheek from the ladies. Clancy enjoyed those a great deal.
"Clancy, I owe you a debt I can never repay! You saved the lives of my brothers and the life of my friend's little girl." Jason smiled.
"None of ye owes me a thing. I'm happy that I could help. You know I love you Bolt lads like me family." Clancy replied.
A few hours passed. The doctor examined Jeremy. His temperature had dropped significantly. His coughing had improved a great deal.
"Well, I have good news. Jeremy is almost out of the woods. I am going to give him two more doses of medication in another hour. I believe he will be on his way to recovering then." Doctor Wright smiled.
Candy, Jason, Lottie, and everyone was thrilled.
After examining Joshua, the physician gave them the great news that he was out of the woods. She even speculated that he could go home next week.
Biddie burst into tears. "I have waited so long to hear you say this, Doctor Wright. I was so scared that I was going to return home as a widow."
Candy and Biddie hugged tightly for a long moment. Biddie sat down on her husband's bed.
"Joshua, darling, the doctor said you are going to get well. You might get to go home next week. I love you, Sweetheart." Biddie whispered.
"I love you, Biddie." Joshua murmured. "I'm too sleepy to get up now. Jason, make Jeremy stop kicking me."
The Bolt wives smiled at Jason. He smiled too.
The oldest brother dropped to his knees by Joshua's bed. He stroked Josh's hair.
"Thank God you are going to get well! I love you, Joshua! I have been scared out of my mind, brother." Jason felt as if he could breathe for the first time in weeks.
Later in the night, Jeremy began tossing and turning. It had been several hours since Doctor Wright gave him the two additional doses of medicine.
Jeremy opened his eyes. He saw Candy looking at him. "Sweetheart, I'm hungry. May I have something to eat, please?"
"Oh, yes! You certainly may have some food. It will have to be light. Some soup or broth." The red head was ecstatic.
"I'll run to the kitchen and find something for you, Jeremy. Biddie, do you think Joshua would like something to eat?" Lottie spoke.
"Oh yes, thank you, Lottie. He would like some soup and some bread, please." Biddie replied.
"I would like that as well, please, Lottie." Jeremy said.
"Alright, you two." Lottie answered happily.
While Miss Hatfield was in the hospital kitchen, Doctor Wright came into the brothers' hospital room. She examined Jeremy.
When the doctor finished, she was beaming. "Jeremy, you are going to recover! You are out of the woods!"
Candy cried out, "Thank You, Lord!" as she fell to her knees sobbing
"Please get up, Sweetheart, and come over here so I can kiss you." Jeremy spoke eagerly.
The red head dried her tears as she got up from the floor. She sat down on her husband's bed and leaned close to him.
Jeremy and Candy shared a sweet tender kiss. Tears streamed down their faces.
A week later, the group from Seattle including Joshua and Jeremy went home to Seattle. Dr. Wright said the town had been vacant long enough that influenza was no longer a threat. Burning the saloon and the church was unnecessary.
Several months later, Biddie had her baby. She was a beautiful healthy little girl. Her parents named her Bridget Irene Bolt after her mother and her Great-Aunt Irene. Biddie and Joshua decided to call their daughter, Reenie.
When Reenie was three months old, her whole family and some friends sailed for San Francisco. It was her mommy and daddy's honeymoon as well as Uncle Jeremy and Aunt Candy's honeymoon.
Reenie's Uncle Jason and Aunt Allyn went on the trip for fun just like Aunt Lottie and Uncle Clancy. Uncle Aaron even came along with Aunt Veronica who he had met at the hospital in Tacoma.
Rounding out the group were Uncle Tony and Aunt Tammy and Uncle Noble and Aunt Connie. Jane Ellen came too so she could take care of Reenie. Uncle George was on the trip as well.
Late on the first night of the voyage, the Shamus O' Flynn docked in Port Angeles. Lottie knocked on the front door of a home. Clancy and the Bolt brothers were with her.
"Carlotta, what in the hell do you and your friends want now and at this hour?!" Amy Fletcher demanded.
"Well, Amy, let us come inside and I will tell you." Lottie spoke firmly.
"Come on in." She said angrily.
Lottie and the four men entered the house.
"I wanted to let you know, Amy, today is your lucky day. I came here with plans to crimp you on a slow boat to China. That was gonna be your payback for refusing to help us and almost killing Joshua and Jeremy. However, Jeremy is such a kind soul, he talked us out of it. So we are going to leave you alone, Amy. Goodbye." Lottie told her.
"You and your friends are doing a good thing for me after I treated you so terribly. Is that it?" Miss Fletcher asked.
"No, Amy, we are not doing this for you. We are doing this for Jeremy's sake." Lottie replied.
Carlotta Hatfield turned on her heel and flounced out the door. Clancy and the three brothers followed her.
Amy Fletcher went back to bed. An hour later, there was another knock at her door.
When she opened the door, she saw Candy and Biddie Bolt with a large burly man.
"Hello, Miss Fletcher. Biddie and I along with our friend, George have come to take you on a little ride." Candy smiled.
"At this time of night?" Amy asked.
"Why, yes, indeedy!" Biddie exclaimed.
"What if I refuse to go?" Miss Fletcher groused.
"You have no choice." George informed her.
Amy reached for her purse. Candy pulled her pistol from her skirt pocket.
"Put it down." Candy Pruitt Bolt spoke angrily. "We know all of your tricks."
"We certainly do, Miss Fletcher." Biddie also had a pistol pointed at the old crimper.
"Alright, you win." Miss Fletcher admitted.
George escorted the three women by buggy to the docks. Just before George took Amy aboard the New Moon which was bound for China, she asked a question.
"Why are you doing this to me? Carlotta came to see me earlier tonight. She thought about doing this . But she let me go for Jeremy's sake."
"Lottie did that?" Candy inquired.
"Yes, she did." The older woman replied.
The red head looked at her friend. "Oh, Biddie! Jeremy wouldn't want me to do this."
"You're right, Candy. Joshua would feel the same exact way about me." Biddie agreed.
"Alright, Miss Fletcher. We will let you go. For the sake of our husbands." Said Candy.
"You know your way around the docks, you can find your way home." George told her.
The Bolt wives and George left on their way back to the hotel.
Amy started walking to her house. She hadn't gotten to far from the dock when she felt a gun in her back. What now? She thought.
A diferent angry female voice said, "Turn around. You are going to be an employee on the New Moon after all."
Fletcher did as she was instructed. When she and the angry female got to the ship, Amy turned to face her.
"Why, you must be Doctor Wright. I have heard of you, dear. I suppose you are putting me on this boat to China for darling Jeremy's sake too. I just don't understand why everybody is so attached to that young man." Amy spoke.
"You are correct. I am doing this for Jeremy's sake and for Joshua as well. They are two fine young men who almost died along with a lovely little girl because of your selfishness. If you ever had a thought for someone else, you might grasp why people are so attached to Jeremy and to his brothers." Doctor Wright glared at her. "Go on up the gangplank. Maybe some backbreaking work will turn you into a human being."
Amy Fletcher walked up the gangplank. Before she got to the door of the ship she turned around. "Goodbye, Allyn."
"Goodbye, Mother." Doctor Wright replied.
The End
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