Our Name is Bolt
"Joshua, wake up!" Jason pounded the bedroom door. "Something bad happened to Jeremy! The stage just came in with him, Candy, and a doctor! Grab your pants and come on!"
Joshua sprang from his bed. He snatched on his pants, grabbed his boots and ran out of the door of the cabin .
"Is Jeremy alive?" He shouted as he chased his oldest brother down the street to the hospital.
Joshua was terrified when Jason didn't answer him. He caught up with his big brother at the hospital door.
"Jason, tell me please, is Jeremy alive?" The blond Bolt shivered in the cold night air.
Jason Bolt looked his brother in the eye. "Yes, Joshua, Jeremy is alive. He has endured a horrific emotional trauma. Ben met the stagecoach. Candy told him briefly what happened and sent him to get us. Let's go inside."
Joshua sighed in relief as he followed Jason. They found their youngest brother in a room.
Candy was sitting on the side of the bed. She was hugging her husband to her tightly as he cried his heart out. As Jason and Joshua entered the room, Jeremy looked up from his wife's shoulder
"J-J-Jason! J-J-Josh!" He stammered through his tears.
Candy and Jason changed places. Jeremy clung to him as sobs shook his body. Joshua sat down behind Jeremy and placed his head on his little brother's back.
Jason gulped unable to speak for a moment as he held his nearly hysterical sibling close. Finding his voice, he spoke gently.
"We love you, Jeremy. We love you more than we can say. Joshua and I are here. We are here, Jeremy. We love you with all of our hearts. It's going to be alright. Easy baby brother easy." Jason comforted.
"We love you, Jeremy. You are the best brother we could ever have. You are a blessing to us. Mama always said that and she was right. We love you and we are here for you always, Jeremy." Joshua hid his face against his brother's back and cried.
Jeremy's crying began to taper off. He took some deep breaths as he remained in his brothers' embrace,
When he began to hiccup, Jeremy ended the embrace. "Stay close to me, please." He told his brothers as they stood up.
"We will, Jeremy." Joshua placed his hand on his shoulder.
Candy brought her husband a cup of cold water. She gave it to him. He drank it in one swallow to stop his hiccups.
Jeremy sighed as he leaned back against his pillow. He turned his head to look out the window.
"What time is it?" The youngest Bolt asked.
"It is three thirty in the morning." Jason looked at the clock on the wall. "Do you want to talk about what happened?"
"I am not sure I can, J-J-Jason. This afternoon, I s-s-stuttered so badly that Candy couldn't understand me." Jeremy responded looking up at Jason.
"Whenever you are ready to tell us, brother, it's okay." Joshua told him.
"Thanks, Josh." Jeremy coughed. "Maybe I can talk about it now. I need to try, I guess."
"Alright, Jeremy. You can stop anytime you want to. Don't try to push yourself. Remember, you and Candy are safe now." Jason spoke kindly.
"Thank you, Jason. I will remember." Jeremy held his hand out to Candy. She rose from her chair, took his hand and sat on the side of his bed.
Doctor Wright and Doctor Henry Hobart, the physician from Olympia came into the room. Joshua told them what was about to happen. Both doctors glanced at their patient as they each took a seat.
Jeremy took a deep breath. "Candy and I were planning to spend this weekend in Olympia. We wanted to get away for a few days, see a show, and eat at some great restaurants. When we arrived in Olympia this afternoon, we went by the bank first. I had to deposit next week's payroll and I needed some cash."
Pausing for a moment, Jeremy took a drink of water from his cup on the nightstand. He continued speaking.
"The bank was not crowded there was only a w-w-woman and her little b-b-b-boy in there which was unusual for a Friday afternoon. Candy and I thought we would only be there a few minutes and then we could go to the hotel. We certainly were mistaken. I was talking to the bank teller about our payroll deposit and signing the forms when I felt a gun in my back." Jeremy stopped to catch his breath.
"Sweetheart, do you want me to tell some of what happened? Let me help you, please, Jeremy." Candy leaned close to him and kissed his shoulder.
"Okay. Thank you, Candy." He answered.
" You're welcome. As Jeremy said there was a gun in his back. He turned around and I did as well. There were three masked men with guns. The one right behind Jeremy said they were robbing the bank. The little boy in the bank looked like he was about three years old. When he saw the masked bandits, he said bang bang! That brought him and his mother to their attention. Two of the crooks grabbed them and pulled them across the bank a few feet from the teller windows. The man with his gun on Jeremy told him to give him his money or they would kill the mother and the little boy." Candy sobbed.
"Perhaps we should wait until tomorrow to finish this. It it has been a long harrowing day." Jason suggested.
"I would rather finish it now that we have started it. I can tell the rest of it if you don't feel up to it, sweetheart." Jeremy responded as he held Candy close to him.
Candy raised her head to look at her husband, "That's fine with me, Sweetheart. I can talk about the rest of it. I think you should rest. You have been so upset."
"I'll be alright, sweet girl." He replied.
"Well, Jeremy, it's fine with us if you and Candy want to continue." Jason advised.
"When the thief made his threat, I handed him the saddlebag with the payroll in it. I thought they might leave then and it would be over. I was wrong. The guy wanted ten thousand dollars. The teller said eight thousand was all they had. The bandit had our fifteen hundred too so he had almost the amount he wanted. At first he appeared to be satisfied. I asked him to let the lady and her boy go. I pointed out that the child was crying because he was scared. Maybe I shouldn't have said that. Now I will always wonder if I set him off." Jeremy looked out the window.
"Jeremy, that scoundrel made his own decision. You shouldn't blame yourself." Jason spoke calmly.
"You're right, Jason. I'll try not to blame myself." Jeremy gazed at his oldest brother.
"Oh, no, you won't blame yourself! Jeremy, you always blame yourself!" Joshua exclaimed.
"Oh, yeah, Josh? Well, how would you feel if you saw a three year old kid get killed right before your eyes and there was nothing you could do to prevent it? Huh? You tell me, brother!" Jeremy shouted.
"Oh, hell, Jeremy! I'm sorry. I had no idea that happened to you and Candy." The blond Bolt apologized.
"Thanks, Josh. I'm sorry I shouted at you. I'm really tore up about that little boy. His mother was out of her head screaming and crying as you can imagine. Me and Candy and the two bank tellers were so busy trying to help her that the robbers got away with no problem." The youngest Bolt replied. "After we got the poor mama quieted a bit, I went to pick up the boy to get him off the floor. When I looked at his precious little face I thought he looks like he is only sleeping. I burst into tears. I couldn't stop crying. That's why they had to take me to the hospital along with the mother."
"Jeremy, I'm so sorry for the suffering of everyone involved in this terrible tragedy. I don't mean to sound macabre but how was the little boy killed?" Jason asked quietly.
"The thief snapped his neck. The child never knew what happened. It's just so cruel and senseless." Jeremy answered. "I don't think I wanna talk about it anymore tonight. I'm pretty tired and so is Candy."
"That's quite understandable young man. You and your lovely wife need some rest. I can give each of you a mild sedative to help you sleep." Doctor Hobart advised.
The young couple agreed to the sedative hoping it would help prevent nightmares of the awful day. Jason and Joshua spent the night at the hospital. They set up another bed for Candy in Jeremy's room.
Jeremy and Candy spent two nights in the hospital. Then they went to Jason and Joshua's cabin for a week. The older brothers insisted that they stay with them to allow themselves a little more time to rest and get their bearings before returning to everyday life.
During the visit, there were a few outbursts of temper, nightmares, and crying spells for Jeremy and for Candy. They went to see Doctor Wright. Doctor Hobart returned to Olympia when the Bolt couple left the hospital.
Doctor Wright prescribed some anxiety medication for each of them. She reassured them that they would recover.
On their last day with Jason and Joshua, Lottie and Biddie cooked a big dinner. They along with Clancy brought the meal to the cabin. There was lots of laughing, smiling, and pleasant conversation as the Bolt family dined with their close friends.
Jeremy and Candy returned to their cabin on the mountain the next day. They settled into their daily routine and enjoyed being together.
The following week, the Bolt couple along with Jeremy's brothers, Lottie, Biddie, and Clancy went to Olympia. They attended the memorial service for Thomas Brown, the little boy who was killed in the bank robbery. His mother, Mary Brown was not able to have the service earlier due to her shock and horror over losing her son. Her church friends had conducted a burial service for Tommy shortly after his passing.
"Mr. Bolt, I am so pleased that you and your wife plus your family and friends came today. It's very kind of all of you. Thank you." Mary Brown said.
"You are welcome, Mrs. Brown. We wanted to give you our condolences and let you know if there is ever anything I or my family can do for you, please let us know. I'm serious, alright?" Jeremy clasped her hand lightly in his.
"I know your offer is sincere, Jeremy. Is it okay for me to use your first name? You may call me Mary." Mrs. Brown gazed into his beautiful blue eyes.
"Yes, it's fine for you to call me Jeremy and my wife is Candy." Jeremy responded as he put his arm around Candy. He gave her a tiny squeeze signaling that he needed her help.
"Yes, it's perfectly fine for you to call my husband and me by our first names, Mary." Mrs. Bolt smiled.
"Thank you. You two are such a beautiful sweet couple. You remind me of Roger and myself when we first married. Sadly, Roger was killed when he was part of a posse searching for some bank robbers. That's sort of ironic, isn't it? My husband and my son both died at the hands of thieves." Mary said despairingly.
"Oh, Mary! We are so sorry. Do you have family here in Olympia?" Candy inquired.
"No, I don't. My family is back east. I'm seriously thinking of returning to Boston. It's been many years since I came out here with Roger. But my sisters and their families are in Boston. I'm sure they would make room for me." Mary replied.
"Yes, I'm sure they would like to have you with them so they can help you through this difficult time and be a part of your daily life." Candy encouraged.
The Seattle group soon said goodbye to Mary and returned home. That night Jeremy held his wife in his arms as she cried about the tragic loss of Tommy Brown. He shed several tears as well.
A few weeks after Jeremy had returned to work, Jason was hiring some new loggers. The youngest brother was approaching the office tent where the new prospects were in line.
Walking past the line, one of the men caught Jeremy's attention. Jeremy grabbed the man by his arm. "You're one of those robbers from the bank in Olympia!" Jeremy shouted.
"I don't know what you are talking about, mister! I just come up here to get a job! If I had robbed a bank, why would I want a back breaking job like this?" The man shouted back.
Jason ran out of the tent. "Jeremy! What's the trouble here?"
"He looks like one of the men who robbed the bank in Olympia, Jason!" Jeremy spoke angrily.
"I am not one of them, Mr. Bolt. I swear! What day did that hold up happen?" The man asked.
"It was the fifteenth of January. Two months ago." Jason answered.
"I got proof that I didn't have nothing to do with it. My name is Jack, by the way." Jack reached in his pants pocket and pulled out a piece of paper.
He handed the paper to Jason. The eldest Bolt unfolded the paper and read it. "Get here as soon as possible. Mama does not have much longer. Hopefully a day or two so she can see you one more time. Don't disappoint her now, Jack. Signed, Melvin."
Jason looked at Jack and then at his brother. "This is an actual telegram, Jeremy. It was sent from Port Angeles to Tacoma on January fifteenth."
"I was wrong. I'm sorry. I hope you still want to work for us." Jeremy apologized.
"That's okay. I heard about you and your wife being there and seeing what happened to that poor kid. I can't imagine something like that. And I sure do wanna work here! Do I get the job, Mr. Bolt?" Jack inquired.
"Yes, Jack! You have a job here! Welcome!" Jason smiled.
The two brothers shook hands with their new employee. Hopefully, he would soon be a new friend.
The Bolt family and their friends were surprised to see Mary Brown and a gentleman at their church about a month after Tommy's memorial service.
"Hello, Mary! It's nice to see you and your friend. We are happy that you both are joining us for our worship service today. To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?" Biddie asked as she smiled at the man.
"Good morning, Biddie. Thank you for your warm welcome. Miss Cloom, may I present, George Foster. George, this exuberant young woman is Miss Biddie Cloom." Mary made the introductions with a sly smile.
"Good morning, Miss Cloom. It is a pleasure to meet you. Your little town of Seattle is quite charming." Mr. Foster spoke politely.
"Thank you, Mr. Foster. I hope you and Mary enjoy your visit to our little town." Biddie smiled as she curtsied.
Mary saw Jeremy and Candy coming into the church. "Excuse us, please, Biddie. I want them to meet George."
"Certainly, I must find Reverend Adams before church begins," Biddie replied as the visitors walked away.
"Hello, Mary! It is lovely to see you! We are happy that you are with us for our church service today." Candy smiled.
"Thank you, Candy. I want you to meet George Foster. George, this beautiful lady is Candy Bolt and the young man with her is her husband, Jeremy Bolt. He and his brothers own a mountain and a logging business. Jeremy, this gentleman is George Foster." Mary said.
It's nice to see you, Mary. I'm glad to know you, George. Welcome to Seattle. We hope both of you will feel at home here with us." Jeremy grinned at the couple.
Later, George complimented Lottie on her cooking. "That's the best meal I've had in a long time, Lottie." He smiled at the proprietor.
"Why thank you, George. I'm glad you are pleased with my culinary skills." Lottie returned the smile.
"Well, Jeremy, I have a favor to ask of you, please." Mary spoke after drinking the last of her coffee.
"What can I do for you, Mary?" Jeremy asked cheerfully.
"Please take George and me along with Candy, for a buggy ride to look at your beautiful mountain. It would be such a treat for us. The perfect ending to a perfectly grand day." Mrs. Brown replied.
"I will be happy to do that. I enjoy talking to folks about Bridal Veil and I like showing it off too!" Jeremy was enthusiastic.
"Bridal Veil?" Mary inquired.
"Oh, that's the name of the Bolt brothers property, Bridal Veil Mountain." Candy explained.
"That is charming, Bridal Veil Mountain." Mary smiled at the young Bolt couple. "It sounds like something from one of my old fairy tale books. And the two of you are such a striking couple. You look like a prince and a princess. Gorgeous absolutely gorgeous. Do you ever feel like you are living a fairy tale?" Mary questioned.
Jeremy and Candy glanced at each other with a chuckle.
"We are blessed to have each other and a good life here with our family and friends. We have been told at times that we lead charmed lives which is a friendly exaggeration. However, when your back is aching from swinging an axe all day or the rain keeps you from working for a week, fairy tale is not the phrase that comes to mind." Jeremy told them.
George and Jeremy got Brownie and Annabelle from the livery stable and hitched them to the buggy. When everyone had said their goodbyes, the two couples left in the vehicle heading up the mountain.
They rode for awhile enjoying the scenery and Jeremy's stories of growing up on the mountain. Mary and George laughed and smiled. They appeared to be having a good time.
When the buggy reached a fork in the road, things changed.
"Go that way, Jeremy." George pointed to the road to the left.
"If you are ready to go back to Seattle, I'll turn around. That road leads to Tacoma." Jeremy advised.
"I know that. We are going to Tacoma. You and Candy are going with us." George pulled a pistol from his pocket. He pointed it at Candy.
"Okay, George. I will take you and Mary to Tacoma. Please put your gun away. You are scaring my wife." Jeremy turned the horses to the left.
"I'm going to keep my gun on the red head to make sure that you don't try anything foolish. Oh, and you aren't just taking us to Tacoma. You and Candy are going to live there too." George smiled wickedly.
" I don't understand this! What's going on?" Jeremy demanded as Candy cried.
"It's very simple, Jeremy. You and Candy are being kidnapped." Mary sneered.
TBC