"I think I can get it." he said. "We could wait until we get back to town but these things can turn bad in a hurry. It might be better to do it right away." He looked at Jason. "Your call."
Jason shook his head. "Jeremy's." he said shortly.
Jeremy felt all eyes turn to him. The ache in his leg was fierce and all he could think of was that it was that bastard Rafe Holiday's bullet in there. It was a painful reminder of the hell they'd all been through in the past twenty-four hours.
"Let's do it." he said quietly.
"Jeremy...we don't have any laudanum." Jason reminded him. "Nothing to help with the pain."
"I don't care. Just get it out." Now that Jeremy had made his decision, he just wanted it over with. He watched as Aaron pulled a small knife out of his pack and walked over to hold it in the flames of the campfire. Jason took a flask out of his saddlebag, then a spare shirt which he began tearing into pieces.
Candy sat down next to Jeremy, holding his hand tightly in both of hers. Jeremy tried to smile at her, to give her some reassurance, but he knew he wasn't fooling her. He just hoped he could be as brave as he wanted to be.
Jason came back over to him with a tin cup in his hand. Jeremy sat up to take it from him and downed the whiskey he offered in two gulps.
"I'd give you more, Jeremy, but we have to save some for..." Jason's voice trailed off as he glanced down at Jeremy's leg. Then he turned and said something to Candy in a voice too quiet for Jeremy to hear; a moment later, and with obvious reluctance, she rose from her place beside him and went to sit with Joshua. From his seat on the ground, Joshua gave Jeremy an encouraging nod. Great, Jeremy thought wryly, now I have an audience.
"Ready, Jeremy?" Aaron had returned and was standing over him, the knife in his hand.
Jeremy laid back down and felt Jason's hands on his leg, ready to hold him down when...no, if he struggled. He had seen Candy's worried expression and knew that it probably matched his own. He had to be strong for her...he had to...
"Do it." He closed his eyes.
Jason was keeping a close eye on both of his brothers as they all rode home to Seattle. He could see Joshua up ahead, obviously weak and in pain from that knife wound in his shoulder. His brother rode slumped in his saddle, using his free hand both to rein his horse and to balance himself using the saddlehorn. Aaron rode next to Joshua, pretending to be unconcerned but obviously watching as closely as Jason was.
He turned his attention to the pair beside him. An exhausted Candy, riding double with Jeremy, was nearly asleep with her arms around Jeremy's waist and her head resting against his back. Jeremy, on the other hand, seemed wide awake—even after the three or four shots of whiskey they'd given him to dull the pain of Aaron's crude but effective surgery. Jason had marveled at how stoic Jeremy had been—barely a sound had escaped him during the ten long minutes it had taken for Aaron to dig that bullet out. Only Jason, holding his brother to the ground, had felt the tremors of agony that he had somehow suppressed. Right now, Jeremy showed no obvious signs of the pain he had to be feeling, although Jason recognized the stubborn set of his jaw and saw the deathgrip he had on his horse's reins. It was for Candy's sake, Jason knew, and wondered how long his brother would be able to keep up the act. God alone knew what it was costing him.
It would be another three hours back to Seattle at this snail's pace they were forced to keep. Jason sighed aloud. He was not by nature a patient man, no matter how good the reason for being so.
By the time they made it to town, it was dark. The streets looked deserted; most of the men had probably been out searching for Candy all day and the women were too frightened to be out alone. They made it to the cabin without being seen. Aaron dismounted and went to help Joshua down from his horse. Jason got down too and went to Jeremy and Candy.
"Jeremy, I'll take her to the dormitory." Jason offered.
Jeremy shook his head gently, trying not to disturb Candy who was just beginning to stir behind him. "No, let's take her to Lottie's."
"Why?"
"Jason, look at her. She's so tired she can't even hold her head up. The last thing she needs is forty-seven busybodies askin' a lot of questions right now."
Jason smiled briefly at his little brother's characterization of the brides as "busybodies". "Candy?" He called her name gently. "How does that sound to you?"
"Hmm?" She opened her eyes finally and looked at him. "Oh... Jason."
"How does Jeremy's idea sound? Would you like to stay with Lottie tonight?" Jason's sharp eyes didn't miss the fact that her arms tightened instinctively around Jeremy's waist. Jeremy felt it and turned slightly to look at her.
"Candy?"
"Um...I think..." Her indecision was obvious. "If you think so, I...I'll do what you think is best." Jason frowned. This was not the Candy they knew and loved so dearly, he thought grimly. Holiday had certainly done a job on her. Suddenly it hit him that maybe Rafe had done more of a job than he'd thought at first. Was that why Jeremy was so worried about the brides? He glanced quickly at his youngest brother and their eyes met. He knew that Jeremy was reading his thoughts almost as easily as if he'd spoken aloud, something both of his brothers could sometimes do—to his annoyance. Jeremy's expression held a challenge: whether or not he knew the answer to Jason's question, he looked ready to kill the first person to ask.
Well, there would be time enough for questions later. Right now, his immediate concern was the well-being of the two exhausted young people in front of him. "Give me five minutes to get things set up with Lottie." Jason said, taking charge. "Then ride in the back way and I'll meet you. Once Candy's inside, we'll let everyone know we're back." There, that would put a hold on the questions for now. No one could get past Lottie when her maternal instinct was aroused.
Relieved, Jeremy nodded. "Thanks, Jason."
"What are brothers for?" Jason grinned back. He draped his horse's reins over the porch railing, glanced around for curious eyes, then headed for Lottie's back door.
Joshua groaned softly and rolled over on his back. For a moment he lay in his bed, wondering what had awakened him...until the throbbing in his arm and chest reminded him. He turned his head and scanned the room. Jason was still asleep but Jeremy was sitting on the edge of his bed, half-dressed, with his boots on the floor in front of him. Jeremy's head was down so Joshua couldn't see his expression but his brother's whole body sagged in frustration.
"Jeremy?"
His brother looked up. "Josh...did I wake you?"
"I don't think so." Joshua indicated his bandaged shoulder. "I think I woke myself."
"You want some coffee?"
Joshua smiled. "How you gonna make it? On your knees?"
"I can walk." Jeremy defended himself. He looked at the stove across the room and suddenly didn't appear so sure. "But...I can't get my boot on. My leg's too swollen."
Joshua gingerly eased himself into a sitting position and grinned at Jeremy. "I think it's time our big brother woke up, don't you?"
Jeremy grinned back. Then he picked up his pillow and heaved it across the room at the sleeping form. "Hey, Jason, rise and shine!"
"Huh? What?" Jason startled awake, then nearly jumped out of his bed. "What's wrong?"
"We need coffee." Joshua said.
"And food." Jeremy added.
Jason groaned. "You woke me for that?" He suddenly noticed that Jeremy had been getting dressed. "Where do you think you're going?"
Jeremy just looked at him.
Jason rolled out of bed, pulled on his pants and shirt, and went to the stove. "I'm sure she's still sound asleep, Brother."
"Well, I can't go see her anyway." Jeremy said, picking up his boot and tossing it in the corner in frustration. "Unless I do it barefoot."
"Try your Sunday shoes." Joshua suggested.
"Hey, good idea! Maybe..."
"Jeremy," Jason interrupted. "Perhaps I didn't make myself clear. I asked where you thought you were going. The answer is nowhere. Not until Doc Wright looks at that leg." He nodded in Joshua's direction. "And at you too, Josh."
"I have to see Candy." Jeremy said.
"I know that. But I'm sure Lottie's taking good care of her and we'll get you over there as soon as..."
"Now."
Jason stopped in the act of lighting the stove and stared for a moment at his youngest brother. Joshua saw the look of annoyance that crossed his face before he dropped the match he was holding, walked over to Jeremy and stood in front of him. Funny, Joshua thought to himself, Jason sometimes did that with Jeremy when he was trying to convince him of something. It was as though he was a schoolyard bully using size to make his point. It rarely worked with Jeremy anymore but he kept on doing it. Joshua smiled to himself and leaned back to watch the fireworks.
"You'll see the doctor first if I have to sit on you until she gets here." Jason said firmly.
"I have to see Candy." Jeremy repeated, uncowed by his brother's imposing presence. "I need to see her this morning."
"Why?"
Joshua could see that Jeremy was torn. There was obviously something bothering him, something he needed to take care of. It was equally obvious he didn't want to share it with anyone except his fiancee. "I...I...just do, that's all!" he said fiercely, scowling up into his brother's face. "And you can't keep me here, Jason!" He tried to stand up...then thought better of it and sat back down. He tried again, calmly. "I have to see Candy before...anyone else does. It's important."
Jason folded his arms. "How you gonna get there?"
"I...I can...well..."
"You can't walk on that leg."
"Then I'll need a crutch."
"And who's gonna get that for you?"
Jeremy looked directly into his oldest brother's face, his eyes flashing fire. "You are!"
They stared each other down for several long moments. Joshua yawned. At this rate he'd see that coffee about noon.
"Excuse me?" Startled, both his brothers turned to look at Joshua. He knew they'd forgotten he was even in the room. "I have a suggestion. How about if Jason sends Doctor Wright over here while he goes to Lottie's to make sure Candy is alright. Then, Jeremy, you can follow him over. I'm sure Allyn has a cane or something you can borrow for now until Jason can make something."
They thought about that for a moment. Jason smiled first. "Ah, Joshua, the voice of reason."
Jeremy was quiet for a moment longer, then he too nodded his agreement. "Alright. But only if Doc Wright comes right away. If she's out delivering a baby or something...I'm going anyway. Agreed?"
Joshua suppressed a smile. Jeremy was sounding more like Jason every day.
"Agreed." said Jason. He sat down to pull on his boots. "Well, I'd better get moving then. I'll get my coffee at Lottie's." Before anyone could say anything else, he was grabbing his coat off the rack and heading out the door.
As the door banged shut behind Jason, Jeremy and Joshua slowly looked at each other, then at the still-cold stove in the far corner of the cabin. To Joshua, who was finding it an effort just to sit up, it might as well have been a hundred miles away.
"Uh, Jeremy?"
"Yeah, Josh?"
"You s'pose if we stare at that thing long enough it'll spontaneously combust?"
Poor Lottie, Jason thought, watching her bustling around making coffee. He knew it had been a late night for her, as it had been for all of them. Now here he was dragging her up at the crack of dawn. It was going to be a long day, too; he could feel it.
"So, how is she?" he asked from his place at the table in Lottie's back room.
"Candy?" Lottie cocked her head to look at him, then shrugged. "Pretty well, considering all the girl's been through." She set a cup of coffee down in front of him and brought another cup to the table for herself.
"No...injuries?" Jason silently cursed himself for prying like this. It really wasn't his business.
"Physically, she's fine. Oh, there are some bruises...on her arms mostly. Nothing that won't heal in a few days." Lottie watched Jason over the rim of her cup. "But that isn't what you're asking, is it?"
He looked down at his coffee and was silent.
Lottie sighed. "According to Candy...nothing happened. She's still..." she hesitated, realizing how indelicate this conversation was. "He didn't touch her...that way." she finished.
Jason quietly let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "Good."
"How's Jeremy with all of this?" Lottie asked him. She absently stirred her coffee. "Maybe he didn't want to ask her. Do you want me to talk to him?"
Jason looked up at her. "Lottie," he said with more than a hint of pride in his voice, "I honestly don't think he cares."
"Hey, sleepyhead."
Candy opened her eyes to see Jeremy sitting on the side of the bed. She blinked a little to clear the sleep from her eyes, then smiled.
"Good morning."
Jeremy smiled back. "Yes it is."
They were quiet for a moment...then both spoke at once. "How are you?" they said in unison, then laughed. Candy reached for Jeremy's hand.
"Really...how are you?" she asked.
"Doc Wright says I'll be okay. Aaron did a good job. I just have to stay off my leg for a few days."
Candy eased herself up against the pillows, folded her arms and gave him a stern look. She could see how exhausted he was and briefly wondered why Jason had even let him get out of bed. She tried to sound firm. "So what are you doing here?"
"I had to see you." he said simply.
She softened. "I'm glad you did."
"So how are you?"
"I really am fine, Jeremy." She was glad of the long sleeves on the nightgown Lottie had loaned her. She was a bit afraid of his reaction if he saw the bruises she'd gotten from struggling with Rafe. "Have you seen Molly and Christopher? Do they know I'm back?"
"Everyone knows," he assured her. "But we thought you should get some rest before you saw anyone. It's still pretty early anyway." Jeremy looked down into his lap, apparently searching for words. "Um, Candy. There was a reason I wanted to see you now..." His voice trailed off and he sat there in silence for several long moments.
Candy reached for his hand again and he gave it to her. She hated when he was like this...with something on his mind and no way to get it out. It reminded her too much of the stuttering he had finally overcome. "Jeremy?"
"Look...uh..." He was still struggling but he forced some words out. "Candy, I know we told each other we were alright but...well, is there anything you might have left out...for my sake or...?"
"No!" she assured him. "Jeremy, I am alright, thanks to you." She smiled softly. "I knew you'd find me."
He still wasn't looking at her. "I'm just glad I...found you in time." He looked up and she felt his eyes searching hers, looking for the answer to a question he hadn't voiced. Puzzled, she watched him, trying to read what it was that he really wanted to say. All at once, it hit her.
"Oh." She said softly as his meaning suddenly became clear. Her hands went to her mouth in a startled gesture. "You thought...oh!"
She had worried him with her stunned response, she could tell. "Candy, I'm sorry. I d-don't want to upset you."
She just stared at him, wide-eyed. He was right, of course. She didn't know why she'd been so stupid not to realize it. Who wouldn't believe that after spending the night with Rafe against her will that Rafe had...that he had...Oh dear God, Candy thought to herself. That was why Jeremy was so concerned...why he couldn't talk to her. "Jeremy." she nearly whispered. "Nothing happened that night." She found herself willing him to believe her. "It's the truth."
Jeremy was visibly relieved. "Thank God." he said quietly.
Candy looked down into her lap, satisfied that he believed her but wondering what it meant for them now. She tried to finish his thought for him. "...because otherwise we...wouldn't have been able to marry." she said dully.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jeremy raise his head quickly. "No, Candy," he said, sounding surprised and somehow wounded, "...because we might have wanted to marry sooner."
There was a long silence in the room. You fool! Candy told herself as she sat staring at her hands, feeling humbled and even a bit ashamed. How could she have ever doubted him? Slowly, she raised her eyes to his, reading in them all the love and trust that she should have known would still be there.
"Jeremy." she whispered and held out her arms to him. He leaned over to draw her into a fierce, protective embrace as her grateful tears began to fall.
Joshua was dozing on his bed when he heard his brothers' voices outside as they approached the cabin. They seemed a little louder than usual, almost as if they were arguing...but he decided it must be his imagination.
"So, how's Candy?" Joshua asked as they came the door. He smiled a little as he watched Jeremy awkwardly maneuver using the crutches that Dr. Wright had loaned him. Once, Jason reached out to help him but Josh was a little surprised to see his younger brother shrug him off.
"She's fine." Jeremy said. "Molly and Chris were there when we left."
"No Biddie?"
Jeremy sank down onto his bed with a sigh of relief or pain—Joshua couldn't tell which—and it was Jason who answered.
"No, Lottie's making everyone else wait for awhile."
"Candy needs to rest." Jeremy finished.
"So do you." Jason told him sternly. He was standing at the stove, pouring the coffee that Jeremy had finally managed to make that morning. He took a sip, watching his youngest brother over the rim of his cup.
"I'm okay." Joshua heard the irritation in Jeremy's voice. There was definitely tension between his brothers.
"And we're gonna keep it that way. I want you in that bed the rest of today, you hear?"
It didn't appear to Joshua that his little brother had any fight left in him. He just sighed again and laid down on his bed. Joshua grinned at him. "Looks like you and I are gonna have time to play some chess, Jeremy." He tried not to sound too gleeful at the prospect of a captive opponent. Joshua had taught both of his brothers the game in hopes of having some competition but it was like pulling teeth to get either of them to play. Jason hated losing too much and the game wasn't fast enough for Jeremy who would fidget in his chair the entire time and throw off Joshua's concentration.
Sure enough, Jeremy just groaned.
"Josh," Jason said from the stove, "The brides are going to bring lunch by for you boys so I'm gonna head up to camp. Before I go, I...we'd like to ask you something."
Out of the corner of his eye, Joshua saw Jeremy raise his head up from the pillow and look at their oldest brother. Joshua waited, curious. Jason seemed to be talking to him—but his eyes were locked with Jeremy's.
"I was going to wire the marshal—about Holiday. Jeremy here doesn't like the idea."
"Why not?" Joshua looked at Jeremy too but before his brother had time to answer, Jason did it for him.
"Jeremy feels that we ought to leave well enough alone."
"What?" Joshua was still looking at his little brother who had laid his head down again and had thrown his arm across his eyes—almost as if he knew what was coming. "Jeremy, that doesn't make sense! He's a kidnapper...almost a murderer!"
"I know." Jeremy said quietly.
Joshua stared at him, confused. "But you don't think we should wire the marshal?"
"No, I don't."
Joshua had another idea. "Jeremy, you're not thinking this whole thing was somehow your fault, are you? Because you brought Holiday here?" When Jeremy didn't say anything to that, Joshua thought maybe he was on the right track. "Besides," he went on, "it's not like you handed the guy the keys to Ben's store and Aaron's stable and said 'Oh, and by the way, feel free to take my fiancee.' We need to contact the marshal!"
"That's not it, Josh." his younger brother said finally. "And no, I don't think we do."
Jason crossed the room and went to the window, looking outside for a moment before he turned back to his brothers. Joshua could see his agitation... and hear it in his voice when he spoke. "A man we put in a position of trust steals from several businesses, holds three women at gunpoint, kidnaps your future wife, tries to kill both of my brothers and very nearly succeeds...what do you think we should do, Jeremy?"
Jeremy finally uncovered his eyes and pulled himself up to rest on one elbow. He looked at both of them and asked, "How 'bout nothing?" When they were silent, he sighed heavily and went on. "Don't you see? I don't think he should get away with it either. But he's never comin' back here. And I don't want Candy to have to see him again or to have to tell everyone the whole story—maybe even in front of a judge and a roomful of strangers. I won't let her be put through that."
"Even if it means Holiday goes free?" Joshua asked and then watched his brother think about it for a moment.
"Even then." Jeremy said finally.
Jason sighed in frustration and shook his head. "You're asking a lot, brother."
"I know."
Jason shook his head again. "Anyone want to call for a family vote?" He didn't sound very enthusiastic.
Joshua had been watching Jeremy and had read the conflicting emotions in his brother's eyes. With all that had happened, he was sure that Jeremy wouldn't mind at all if Rafe Holiday rode off a cliff and broke his neck. Yet here he was, asking them to not only spare the man's life but to ignore their own personal feelings (and physical pain) to do it. It was asking a lot. But Jeremy's concerns were valid. It was for Candy's sake; he was asking for her—and as their brother. Joshua looked at Jason, wondering if these same thoughts were running through his mind as well.
"Do we need to take a vote?" Joshua asked him.
Jason looked hard at both his brothers, then smiled ruefully and shook his head as if he couldn't believe what he was about to say. "Alright, Jeremy, you win. We do nothing."
"Thank you, Jason. You too, Josh."
"Don't thank me," Jason said as he went to the coat-rack. "If it were up to me, we'd be out there right now, hunting him down with every man we've got...and he'd be lucky to get a trial when we found him!"
Joshua was surprised to hear the vehemence in Jason's voice. His big brother had a temper, it was true, but he rarely expressed a wish to do violence to anyone. This whole experience had brought out sides to each of them that were rarely seen. Maybe Jeremy's idea of letting Holiday ride on was a better idea than Joshua had thought at first. Things needed to get back to normal around here.
"I've got to get up to camp." Jason was shrugging into his coat. "Anything you boys need before I go?"
Joshua thought a moment, then let a slow smile spread across his face. "Yeah, Jason," he said, grinning in Jeremy's direction. "Could you get out the chess set?" He and Jason both laughed at the muttered expletive they heard from the youngest Bolt. Jeremy hadn't uttered a word of complaint while Aaron was digging that bullet out of his leg; apparently, being trapped in their cabin with Joshua and a chess board was the more painful proposition of the two.
"Well, of course, Josh." Jason said with exaggerated cheerfulness, "I know how anxious you both are to get started on that game!"
Someone was calling to him, calling for help. Jason squinted through the blackness, straining to see. Whose voice was that? Josh's? Jeremy's? He could barely hear them over the howling of the wind. Why couldn't he move? What was happening? He could hear his name, could hear the fear in his brother's voices. He felt the panic rising in him. His brothers needed him...they were in trouble...he had to help them ...why couldn't he move...?
"I'm coming!" he called out. "Hold on! I'm coming!" But the wind swirling around him seized his words and carried them off. The voices were gone. His brothers were gone...
Suddenly, he was awake, sitting up in his own bed, breathing as hard as if he'd been running for miles. He felt the cold sweat on his body as he sat there in the dark, the only sound in the room the clock ticking on the fireplace mantel. The moonlight coming through the window made it just bright enough to make out the shapes of his brothers, still in their beds, sound asleep. At least he hadn't woken them up. He glanced at the clock to see that it was just after four in the morning. Jason exhaled sharply and shook his head as he swung his legs over the side of the bed. It had been years since he'd had one of these dreams.
Getting up off the bed, Jason walked to the table and lit the lamp. He knew from experience that he wouldn't get back to sleep easily; sometimes it was better not to even try. He touched the coffeepot on the stove and found it still slightly warm; the fire must have just burned itself out. He got a cup from the sideboard and poured himself some coffee. It wouldn't be hot but he would make too much noise re-lighting the stove.
Jason settled himself into the armchair in the corner, took a sip of lukewarm coffee and laid his head back. After a moment, it struck him that he was doing something he hadn't done in years—listening for his brothers' even breathing. How many nights had he done this when they were younger? He remembered the first time well; it was the evening of the day they'd buried their father.
It had been an emotional day, of course, but everyone had been stoic. Even Jeremy hadn't shed a tear—that Jason knew of, at least. Jason had gone to bed well after his brothers that night but hadn't been able to get to sleep. His mind had been filled with the hundreds of details and responsibilities that had suddenly become his. Even with Jonathan's will, would he need to find a lawyer to hold onto the mountain for the three of them? Could he support his brothers? Josh was almost a young man now but Jeremy was still a child. How was a man supposed to be both father and brother to someone? He'd never thought of himself in those terms before but that was what he would have to be.
Jason smiled to himself, remembering those rough first few months with each of them in a new role. Josh had been at a difficult age and had made things hard on all of them. At times he had tried to emulate Jason, even going so far as to copy his mannerisms and his speech patterns. Other times, the two of them went at it like two mad bulls with Josh challenging Jason's authority at every turn. Josh had appointed himself Jeremy's protector as well, and second-guessed many of Jason's decisions regarding their youngest brother. Jeremy had been caught in the middle on a lot of those, playing peacemaker even then. But the two oldest brothers had come to an understanding over time and Jason had grown to appreciate, and now rely on, Josh's intelligence and abilities, as well as his loyalty.
Then there had been Jeremy. Too-sensitive and painfully shy, with a speech problem to boot, he had been an even bigger challenge for an older brother who only knew how to attack life head-on. Jason had been constantly afraid of doing or saying the wrong thing around Jeremy. It had only gotten worse when it became obvious to anyone with eyes that the boy worshipped his oldest brother as if he could do no wrong. Jason had sometimes wished that Jeremy was more like Joshua. He had been more sure of himself when faced with Josh's outright rebellion; that he could handle. But having to worry about destroying some image that Jeremy had built up in his young mind was a lot more frustrating to him. There had been days that he'd wanted to yell at his little brother that he wasn't perfect...no one was...and Jeremy would just have to get used to it. But he hadn't dared then; no one ever knew what would drive Jeremy into that protective shell he had constructed for himself and where he would often stay for days at a time. It had taken years for Jason to realize that his little brother possessed the same stubborn strength that was often considered by those who knew them to be a Bolt family trait.
But the nightmares were the worst part. They had started soon after Jonathan Bolt's death, when Jason had begun to fully realize the extent of the responsibility he had taken on. The dreams were always the same; one or the other of his brothers was in some kind of danger but Jason could never get to them. He was helpless...and that was a feeling that Jason had more trouble with than perhaps anything else in life.
He took another sip of coffee and grimaced at its bitter taste. Helplessness. He'd certainly felt his share of that over the last seventy-two hours. He'd first felt it when they'd returned to town to find that Rafe Holiday had done the unthinkable and kidnapped Candy. The look on Jeremy's face when Lottie had given them the news had been almost more than Jason could bear.
But his feelings of helplessness then had been nothing compared to the moment in camp a day later when he had been forced to make a choice between his brothers. Josh's injuries from the knife wound had made it imperative that Jason stay and help Aaron but Jeremy was insisting on continuing the search for Candy alone. It had taken everything Jason had in him not to physically restrain Jeremy as he rode off...to force him to stay so he could keep him safe. He smiled at the thought; the days when he could have demanded that Jeremy get down off that horse or get his backside kicked were long past. His baby brother was a man now...and watching him handle himself the last three days had only driven that point home more thoroughly.
It was hard to accept sometimes, Jason thought to himself, but his brothers were both grown men now and would someday have families of their own. He wondered, not for the first time, how that would be. They were such a part of him...of each other. Jason could count on one hand the number of times he had even considered finding a bride for himself and building a family. Somehow, as the years had gone by, it had never seemed all that important. In a way, perhaps, he had already raised a family.
And he had just come close to losing them both. Jason found himself staring down into the now-empty cup in his hand. It didn't surprise him that he was in such an introspective mood this morning. These last three days had been a nightmarish experience...for everyone. Aaron Stempel often said that the Bolt brothers led charmed lives. Jason didn't feel charmed right now, he just felt relieved...and grateful. Grateful that the knife in Josh's shoulder had missed any vital organs. Grateful that Holiday's rifle bullet had found its mark in Jeremy's leg instead of his head. Grateful to have his family here, with him, safe and alive.
Just then, Joshua moaned softly and rolled over in his bed. A moment later, he opened his eyes and saw Jason sitting in the chair. He pulled himself painfully to a sitting position, looked at the clock and then back at Jason.
"Jason? It's barely five o'clock. Is everything alright?"
Jason nodded. "Fine, Josh." He was a little surprised to find he'd been sitting here for an hour. He hadn't even noticed it was getting lighter outside.
Joshua glanced over at Jeremy who was still sound asleep and then lowered his voice a little. "You're just doin' some thinkin', huh?"
"Yes."
"'Bout what?"
Jason rose from his chair and walked over to the stove. It was time to get that fire going again and begin the day. "Oh...just about how lucky we are."
"Lucky?" Josh seemed confused. "To be alive, you mean?"
"That...and to have each other." Jason placed some kindling in the stove and looked around for the matches. Joshua hadn't said anything else but he knew his brother was watching him. Jason smiled to himself; he'd probably really confused him with that last comment. "So, Josh?"
"Yeah?"
"Sunday's coming up. If you boys are up to it by then, we're goin' fishing." Jason saw Joshua open his mouth to say something but he cut him off with a smile. "And no backtalk. Understood?"
Joshua grinned at the authoritative tone in Jason's voice, especially in light of the 'order' he was giving. "Fishing, Jason? We haven't done that together since we were kids."
"True." Jason struck a match, held it to the kindling and watched it slowly catch fire. He closed the door to the stove and turned back to his brother.
"I'd say it's about time, then...wouldn't you?"