A Little Piece of Home
Chapter Three
There was a knock on her door and Candy opened it to find Jason Bolt standing in the rain. "Come on in Jason." she said quickly, "What brings you back here this morning? Did you forget something last night?" She took his raincoat and hung them by the door.
"No, I just thought I'd check in with you. After we talked about your brother last night...., well, I was worried about you Candy. I wanted to make sure you were alright."
"I'm fine, Jason. Would you like some coffee?"
Jason sat down at the table and Candy poured them each a cup. "I promised Jeremy I'd look out for you."
Candy smiled, "He made Joshua promise the same thing. You just missed him."
"Jeremy mentioned that you have another brother. One younger than yourself."
"Adam." Candy said nodding. "He's living in West Virginia. He's married, and he has two children now."
"You must miss him. Has he heard from Charley?"
"Adam and I correspond. But he hasn't heard from our brother either."
"Tell me about Adam." Jason said interested. He was trying to decide if he might be able to bring this brother here for a visit.
"Adam left home early. Lied about his age to go off to war. After Andrew died, he just couldn't bear to stay in New Bedford."
"Andrew?" This was a name Jason hadn't heard before.
"Another brother, between Adam and I." she explained.
"Can I ask how he died?"
Candy smiled at her brother-in-law, Jason believed strongly in families and held a genuine interest in anyone that was part of his. It surprised Candy that he hadn't married to start one of his own. "Andrew was a fireman, he really loved it. He was the youngest one on the crew but daddy said if it was what he wanted then we had to let him grow up. One night there was this terrible fire." Candy felt herself begin to choke up, she cleared her throat and continued, "He saved the lives of two children that night. But when he went back into the building a third time, it collapsed on him."
"I'm sorry Candy." Jason said reaching over to put a comforting hand over hers.
"It's okay, Jason." She replied. "It was a long time ago."
"That's a large family, your parents had six children then."
"Do you ever want children, Jason?"
He laughed, "Me, I don't know Candy. I have plenty of family... why, there's Joshua and Jeremy. Now you, Molly and Christopher. I'm a very lucky man." He had stood up and was now placing his empty coffee cup in the basin. Candy stood up to see him to the door.
Jason put his rain gear on and kissed Candy on the cheek as he left.
***
Molly and Christopher arrived at the Brides' home as soon as school was out. Candy had been curious about where they had been spending all their spare time, but didn't push too hard when they told her that they were working on making their Christmas present.
"Come in, you two!" said Biddie with excitement. "Just wait until you see what we've planned." She herded the youngsters inside and took their wraps, before the children could say anything.
Back in the kitchen were four of the brides. The ingredients that the children had brought over were on the table, along with the walnuts, which Ann was busy cracking into a bowl. Frannie was busy lighting the stove and Molly couldn't tell what the other two brides were doing.
"Ann used to work in a bakery in New Bedford. Do you remember?" asked Frannie.
"No," replied Christopher.
"Well, she did! And she was just wonderful at making cakes and things," said Biddie.
"I thought that if you children wanted," Ann said, "after we make these walnut-delights, we could make a gingerbread house."
"Oh, but we don't have enough ingredients for that," said Molly.
"Now, don't you worry about that," Biddie said, pushing the children further into the room. "That will be our little gift to you."
Molly looked at Ann. "Can we make it look like anything we want?"
"Well, sure, honey, I guess so. What did you have in mind?"
"Jeremy's ship should have been here by now," Lottie said. She was cleaning up, getting ready to shut down the saloon for the evening. Clancey, Aaron and the two older Bolts were the only remaining patrons.
"Aye, woman! If it'd been my ship he was on, I'da have been back by now, of that you can be sure," said Clancey, reaching for a bottle of whiskey.
Jason came over and put one arm around Clancey as he took the bottle away from him with his other hand. Lottie took the bottle from Jason. Clancey was drunk, and the act of removing the bottle from him was faster than he could follow.
"I'm sure you could have, Clancey, but until your ship is repaired, you're stuck on land for a while."
"Blast it woman! How does yas expects me ta get her fixed, when yas know I ain't got a penny to my name?"
Aaron was seated at the table nearest the bar. He poured himself another drink as he added his say, "Don't worry, Clancey. We'll get your ship fixed good as new and soon, too. We'll need it for you to transfer the lumber we're sending to New Bedford."
"Ah, Mister Stempel, sir, you're a true gentleman, and your charity knows no bounds!"
"I didn't say anything about charity, Clancey." Aaron said under his breath.
Clancey tried to spin around to face him, but with the drinks he'd had, it was not a graceful move. Fortunately, Jason was close by and held him up by the arm. "I'm not worried, m'lad. Me ship's a good one."
Jason signalled over to Joshua, who was drying the dishes that he and Lottie had been washing. "I think we'll be heading home, Lottie." And then, looking at Clancey, he said, "and we'll walk with you to your ship, Clancey." Joshua set down the dishcloth and came round the bar. But Aaron rose suddenly. "That's alright, Bolt. I'll take Clancey home tonight. You two help Lottie close up." He took Clancey by his arm and the two men headed to the door.
Lottie called after him, "Don't forget the Christmas party's at six-o'clock tomorrow, Aaron!"
It was a cold and snowy Christmas eve, which only added to the gloom Candy had fought all day. Their first real Christmas as a family, and no sign of Jeremy. Molly and Christopher knew Candy was worried, and lonely too, and they tried their best to cheer her. And Candy tried her best to keep her spirits up, for their sake. Christmas was for children, she told herself. Then her thoughts would trail back to the long-ago Christmases she'd enjoyed with her own family in New Bedford. She could see them all, before Molly and Christopher had arrived. She saw them all, sitting around the tree, singing carols. Her parents, Adam, Andrew, and Charley. Then she'd feel sad again. Well, she thought, if I can just get through the day until the party tonight. Maybe that will keep my mind off Jeremy. But Candy knew better.
The Christmas party was held in the brides lovely new home, with the tiny Christmas tree as the centerpiece of the festivities. Biddie's prediction had come true - there was a profusion of presents under the table on which the miniature tree sat. Nearly everyone in town was there. The Bolts, of course, and many of the original brides with their new husbands, and those who'd already started families. Lottie was there supervising the kitchen detail, and Ben Perkins was playing the piano while nearly everyone was singing carols. But the children were getting antsy.
Jason went to the kitchen and pulled Lottie aside. "Where's our Santa Claus?"
"I don't know! But he better get here soon, or else those kids'll be fit to be tied. And I'll be the one to tie them!" Jason laughed as Lottie rolled her eyes.
Just then they heard a ruckus on the front porch. "Ho Ho Ho!" was followed by the sound of heavy boots on the porch. Lottie and Jason exchanged a knowing smile, as they both headed for the front door.
Joshua reached the door first, and opened it to reveal Santa Claus himself, looking much more the part than Jason had seen him last. The children, including Molly and Christopher, Tommy Blake and Paulie Barrows clamored around St. Nick. "Ah, there, darlin's. Now don't be steppin' on Santa's boots there, or I might drop this fine bag of gifts I've got for yas."
Lottie and Jason looked sharply at each other, then at "Santa." "Clancey!" said Jason in a whisper.
Just then, Aaron appeared in the doorway. As Santa was whisked away by all the children, Jason pulled him aside.
"Chicken out, did you, Aaron?"
"Hardly, Bolt." Stempel smiled. "I just saw an opportunity. Clancey needed to pay for the ship repairs, and I, well..."
"And you just saw a way to bribe him into doing your dirty work," Jason said.
"Dirty work?" said Aaron, "Is that what you call it? Playing Santa is dirty work?"
"To you perhaps. Aaron, I'm disappointed. I thought this might just be your chance at learning the true meaning of the holiday season."
"And you thought I had to dress up in a red suit to do that?" Aaron smiled. "I gave Reverend Adams some money for those hymnals he's been wanting."
Jason couldn't help but smile at his friend. "So, that salvaged your conscience, then did it?"
"No, Bolt." Aaron grimaced. "It salvaged my dignity."
Santa Clancey was busy handing out the presents underneath the brides' tree. Christopher had opened a fine new fishing pole, one that Jeremy had picked out for him weeks ago. Molly was given a beautiful doll, one that had been Candy's when she was little. And Candy had made it a beautiful new blue dress. By now the parlor of the house was littered with paper, boxes and ribbons.
Biddie, who had been helping "Santa" with the gifts, came across a rather odd shaped, but rather large parcel, with a tag attached bearing her name.
"Oooh! Look what I found!" she said. Corky, who had been standing nearby, came shuffling forward. "Why, Corky! This is from you!" Biddie lowered her chin and looked over at him through fluttering lashes.
"Go ahead! Open it! Said the stocky fellow, hands stuffed deep into his pockets, chest held high.
Without ceremony, Biddie began ripping through the brown paper covering the strange package, Inside, a bow saw, nearly half as high as she!
Corky was proud of his gift. "I figured, next year, you could cut your own tree!"
Things got suddenly silent as everyone watched Biddie's reaction to Corky's present. "Why, Corky, you shouldn't have!" she said, but you could tell that Biddie was pleased to get a present from him, no matter what it was.
Molly gave Christopher a nudge, then the two ran toward the kitchen. Shortly they emerged each carrying a carefully wrapped package.
"Candy! Candy!" The two were pushing through the crowd of children and parents, and trying to be heard above the singing and laughing. Candy was watching them move toward her when suddenly her attention was drawn away. Candy had always had a sixth sense where Jeremy was concerned. So, when the voice inside her told her he was close, she turned to find him.
She saw Jeremy standing in the door of the Brides' house. Without another thought, she ran through the crowd, and found herself in her young husband's strong and eager arms. She took his face in her hands and just stared at him a moment. Jeremy tenderly caressed her cheek and pulled her even closer for a kiss. They were surrounded by a room full of people, but to them, no one but each other existed at that moment.
"I thought you wouldn't make it in time for Christmas. It just wouldn't be Christmas without you." She whispered to him, her voice choked in emotion.
"I'd be here for you Candy, no matter what I had to do," he answered her in a quiet voice. She felt so wonderful in his arms, that he couldn't let go.
But suddenly they both became aware of little hands tugging at their clothes.
Jeremy let go of Candy now and turned towards the young voices.
"Jeremy! Candy!" Molly and Christopher were looking up at them, excited. "Look what we made you!"
Molly placed her parcel in Jeremy's hands. He removed the paper to see the gingerbread house Ann had helped them to make. "It's just like our house here!" Molly said, full of pride. "It's our new home."
Jeremy looked at Candy, then at the children, beaming. "You're right, Molly. It IS our home."
"Here, Candy," said Christopher, handing his sister a plate wrapped in tissue. Candy removed the covering to see the beautiful walnut-butter cookies. "This is to remind you of home."
"Oh Christopher, this is wonderful!" she said reaching for one. "When I was little, these were my favorites!"
"They were my favorites, too." An unfamiliar hand reached in among them for a cookie. Candy followed the arm up to the face of a red-haired, bearded young man. She started to pull the plate away, and looked at Jeremy confused. He had obviously brought this interloper with him. She'd been aware that someone had been behind her husband from the moment he entered the room, but as usual, she only had eyes for Jeremy. Now she stared at the young man, and was nearly ready to snap at him. Suddenly, though her hands flew to her mouth as the plate came crashing down upon poor Christopher. Her voice let out a high pitched little squeal as she threw her arms around Charley, her brother.
"Hey, Candy!" cried little Christopher. "You dropped the cookies all over me, and you nearly broke the plate!"
Jeremy kneeled down and put his arm around his tiny in-laws. "Kids, I want you to meet someone. Someone very special."
The two young faces looked up at the stranger. Candy spoke through her tears. "Molly, Christopher. This is your big brother Charley." Charley knelt down to see the kids, and held his arms out wide to hold the two youngest Pruitts. Molly and Christopher went into the arms of their brother for a loving embrace.
Candy started introducing Charley to everyone. To Jason, Joshua, Lottie, Aaron, the Perkins. Before he knew it, he was being treated like the honored guest at the party.
Candy watched Charley as he animatedly spoke to the group of people now gathered around. Inside she felt overwhelmed with her emotions. She placed her arm around Charley's and kissed him on the shoulder, trying to convince herself that he was really there. Charley placed that same arm around her and hugged her tightly to him, he added to his affection by kissing her lightly on the top of her auburn locks.
Candy remained at her brother's side, but glanced around to find Jeremy. She saw him standing across the room with Jason . Her gaze caught his.
"Merry Christmas," she saw, but couldn't hear his lips say. A simple "Thank you," she mouthed silently in reply. Jeremy nodded at her and smiled.
Jason smiled watching his youngest brother and his wife exchanging loving glances from across the room. He placed a strong hand on Jeremy's shoulder, causing Jeremy to look at him.
"Well, Jeremy, how did you pull off this Christmas miracle? New Bedford's been on her mind since you left. Did you know?"
"All I knew was I wanted to get her a little bit of home. I thought these would have to do." He took the cards from his pocket, and placed them on the table under the tree.
Jason smiled and gave Jeremy a slight slap on the shoulder. They walked over to where Candy and Charley were. Joshua began playing the piano as the entire group of merry-makers broke into a song of Christmas cheer.
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