In Your Dreams
Early on an October morning, before the sun had a chance to rise Jeremy once again found himself in a strange place. He could not understand why he was back in Mexico.
"This is weird." Jeremy felt the warm breeze first, then the distinct smell of the tiny shack in the village came into focus.
"Hey Gringo." Miguel junior walked out from the shadow. "You're looking not too bad."
Jeremy nodded. "Miguel. Why the visit?"
"You have not seen Gwen in days." Miguel reminded Jeremy. "You need to give your woman something to fight for. Something to look forward to!"
"Miguel she doesn't seem to be responding to the medicine." Jeremy shook his head. "We were too late!"
"No! Gringo, you are wrong!" Miguel became even more passionate than ever before. "You need to give her a reason to fight! A reason to live! Just like she inspired you to fight and to live."
Jeremy turned away from the Mexican.
Miguel angrily continued to speak. "Go to her now, Gringo! Get up! Tell her what she means to you...give her something to fight for. Be the man she needs you to be!" He walked up behind Jeremy and yelled into his ear. "Get up!"
Jeremy's eyes burst open his breath crystallized in the freezing morning air. He unzipped his sleeping bag to cool himself. A dusting of snow covered the small two-person tent that became his home for the past five weeks. He dressed before making his way to the trailer.
With the weather turning colder Pete's trailer became the only place to stay warm. Jeremy entered the crowded camper trying not to disturb the residents but the cold air woke everyone inside. He made his way to the privacy curtain before speaking. "Maddie, you awake?"
"Hey - I was beginning to think you forgot about Gwen." Madeline reached out into the dark and felt the bristly hair on Jeremy's face. "But you are welcomed here anytime." She slid the curtain aside.
"I have been avoiding this far too long." Jeremy sighed. "Why don't you go find a spot to get some sleep?"
"You've got this?" Madeline hesitated a moment. "She's ready to be bathed."
"I've got it, Maddie." Jeremy assured the doctor.
"Don't forget to talk to her. She can hear you even if she doesn't respond." Madeline patted Jeremy on the shoulder before whispering into his ear. "Be positive." She curled up on an empty bench and attempted to find sleep.
Jeremy gently pulled the comforter away from Gwen. Even with only a tiny spotlight he noticed she had lost a lot of weight. He wrung out the wash cloth and began to gently wash her shoulders before he remembered to speak to her.
"Hey. Bet you don't know what day it is? To tell you the truth, I don't even know. What I do know is I haven't been around lately and I miss your smiles. I miss your laughter, Gwen." He freshened the cloth and wrung it out again.
"Just to catch you up on things around here...Austin and I are getting along. The kid's smarter than I will ever be. Harmony and Miguel are like two peas in a pod. He's teaching her Spanish. I guess she and Pumpkin can have secret conversations now." Jeremy nervously laughed. "It seems even Chastity can put up with me. I never thought that would have been possible, but there it is."
Jeremy refreshed the cloth again. "The water seems to be getting cold. I hope you don't mind." He gently followed the curves of her body with each cleansing stroke. "I know this is poor timing but I know I love you. The kids are great kids. I mean I never knew what being part of a family was until a few weeks ago."
A whisper came from the other side of the privacy curtain. "Get to the point, loverboy! We're dying out here!"
Jeremy popped his head from behind the curtain to see everyone gathered in a tiny area. "Ah...." He covered Gwen's body then opened the curtain.
Harmony climbed up onto the bed. "You were about to ask mom to marry you...weren't you?" She smiled as she kissed her mother's forehead.
"Yeah, Mr....I mean Jeremy. " Chastity urged him on. "No time like the present."
Austin poked through the crowd. "What are you waiting for? An eclipse? Ask her! Dufuss."
Jeremy couldn't believe his fortune. "From nothing to an entire family." He shook his head then turned back to the woman he fell in love with. "Gwen, it seem unanimous. I love you and your kids. Marry me. Marry me and I will make sure you will never regret it. Marry me and I will make sure the kids will never regret it."
Funny how love inspires. Gwen found the strength to smile, then weakly opened her eyes. Gwen slowly reached out to touch Jeremy's hand.
"Do you...do you have any regrets?" The mother of three softly asked with strain in her voice.
"Of course." He looked down at the woman he loved.
"Yeah?" Gwen closed her eyes.
"Yeah ~ I regret avoiding you for twenty years." Jeremy shrugged. "Look how much time I wasted."
"No ~ no. Jeremy. No." Gwen spoke through her tears. "Appreciate what we have now."
Jeremy leaned back against a stack of clothes and drew in a deep breath.
"Jeremy?" Gwen's hand touched his knee. She moved!
Jeremy paused, leaned forward again. "Did you just touch me?"
Gwen offered a small laugh through her smile, "yeah."
"Ah..." Jeremy could not find the words to express how he felt.
"Come, lay beside me." Gwen offered. "I want to feel you next to me."
Jeremy slowly laid down on the foam cushion and gently wrapped an arm around Gwen's shoulder.
"I haven't smelled you since the day you came to the clinic." She paused. "Remember that day?"
"Uh-huh."
"Thank you for that day." Gwen breathed in then smiled. "You smell like a cave-man."
They both softly laughed.
"Living in a tent for a couple months will do that."
"Go take a shower. Please." Gwen softly laughed again but this time she playfully pushed Jeremy. He slipped off the foam mattress and onto the camper floor.
Her strength began to return. Jeremy knelt at her side. "Gwen?"
"Yeah."
"I love you."
"I know."
"Will you marry this caveman?"
"Where's the ring, Buddy?" Gwen inquired.
Jeremy felt a nudge on his back then a hand on his shoulder. Madeline slipped the pinky ring off her finger and with tears streaming down her cheeks handed it to him.
He did not hesitate and took the ring from Madeline. "Will this do?"
The ring flickered in the morning sun dancing into the camper through the window. "Uh-huh!" Gwen smiled and reached out for Jeremy.
Jeremy leaned in. "That's a yes?"
"Yes, it's a yes! Now kiss me!"
Just as Jeremy leaned in for the timely kiss, Pete could be heard from a distance yelling at the top of his lungs but no one could not make out a word. He whispered to Gwen, "Pumpkin really knows how to spoil the mood. Just giving you full warning."
"Go." Gwen gently pushed him away. "Go."
Jeremy kissed her. A moment passed before getting to his feet. When he turned and noticed everyone apparently listening in on every word. "It's official..." He did not need to finish the sentence as the kids quickly made their way to Gwen who seemed like a different person than just the night before. Harmony crawled in beside her mother as Chastity and Austin leaned in close.
Everyone heard Pete getting closer to the camper. They looked at each other believing the law had caught up to the family.
Jeremy sighed before attempting to calm the family. "Okay, I will go out. Everyone stay here." Chastity and Austin looked frightened as he quickly made his way the length of the camper. "It'll be okay. Madeline, want to come with me?"
"Yeah, sure."
As the two stepped down from the trailer Pete ran around the cottage yelling and waving his cellphone. Neither Madeline nor Jeremy could make any sense of his ramblings.
"Pumpkin!" Jeremy watched his friend trip on his final approach to his friends. "Pumpkin, are you okay?"
Madeline rushed to Pete while his best friend just shook his head. "Did you hurt anything?"
"Just my pride...crap!" Pete looked at Jeremy. "A little help, Boss?"
Jeremy helped Madeline get Pete to his feet. "Pumpkin, what the heck were you yelling?"
Pete looked around. "My cellphone!" He pushed Jeremy to one side. "Where is it?"
Madeline noticed a small break in the fresh snow. "Hang on, I think I have it." She pulled it from its snowy landing spot.
Pete rushed to her, grabbed it and wiped it down. "You've gotta see this. You won't believe it!"
Pete opened his Instagram feed and played the local news.
Top stories we are working on this morning are the early snowfall causing havoc on our highways...
"Really, Pumpkin?" Jeremy rolled his eyes. "Road conditions?"
"Shut up!" Pete shoved his friend.
...and the family that has been eluding law enforcement for the past thirty-seven days can finally come out of hiding. Charges against the head oncologist and a former patient have been dropped. A news conference is scheduled for noon today...
"I guess I better call Stanley." Jeremy pulled the officer's business card from his jeans pocket.
"I don't know, Boss. Why not wait until the press conference." Pete questioned his friend's timing.
"Better to know than not, Pumpkin." Jeremy looked to his friend.
Madeline stood with Jeremy. "I agree."
"Hand me your phone, Pumpkin." Jeremy held his hand out.
"I'm not sure about this, Boss." Pete reluctantly offered Jeremy his cellphone.
Stanley answered his cellphone. "Good morning, this is Officer Stanley."
"Stanley, Jeremy Fartham."
"I was wondering how quickly the news would travel." Stanley laughed. "It took me a little longer to get to the truth at the clinic. I hope everyone is safe and may I add - healthy."
"Well, we are safe and working on the healthy part." Jeremy smiled for his friends to see. "Thanks for your help, Stanley."
"Oh, that's not all!" The officer continued. "The insulation company came clean after the two workers sued them. The judge heard the preliminary case and added you and Miss Printin to the list of complainants."
"What does that mean to us, Stanley?" Jeremy shrugged. "Should I get a lawyer?"
"I don't think you need one. The company is offering a substantial compensation package for all four involved." Stanley cleared his throat. "To keep their good name from being dragged through the court."
"Hmmmm, good name, eh?" Jeremy huffed.
"So, when you get back to the area, drop by the detachment for the information package on the settlement."
"Ah, Stanley, we never left the area." Jeremy let the officer in on the location. "We're about ten minutes from the cottage you found us at."
"In that case see you in fifteen minutes!" The genuinely happy officer ended the call.
Madeline could not read the expression on Jeremy's face. "What - what is it, Jeremy?"
Jeremy laughed.
"Boss?"
Jeremy smiled that wry smile of his. "Let's see how Gwen is feeling."
"Jeremy?" Madeline questioned her friend again. "What is it?"
"Let's go inside and I will tell everyone at the same time." Jeremy lead the way back to the trailer.
Once he sat beside Gwen he let everyone in on the conversation with Officer Stanley. Then he turned to Gwen "But it will mean nothing to me without you."
Gwen seemed even stronger after hearing those words from Jeremy. "You will find that I am a fighter." The mother of three managed to smile before Jeremy leaned in for another kiss.
"Why don't we get everyone to a nice warm place?" Jeremy suggested.
Gwen looked around at the people in the trailer. "I have never been in a better place in life." She smiled. "But maybe a little bigger place wouldn't hurt!" Everyone laughed.
The children converged on their mother and when Jeremy tried to move out of the way Harmony held onto him as if to say he belonged. Madeline witnessed that small gesture from the youngest child and knew something very special had just been created.
Charlie slowly made her way past Miguel, Pete and Madeline and rolled a soft yelp at Jeremy.
"Hey girl!" Jeremy scratched her between the ears then she turned away. "Right now, Girl?" Charlie yelped then exited the trailer.
"It's time!" An excited doctor called out to Gwen's youngest child before following Charlie out the trailer. "Let's go, Harmony!"
Harmony struggled getting off the bed, but quickly put her shoes on and ran out in pursuit of witnessing the birth of puppies. "I have to take care of the other love in my life."
Gwen smiled. "Go...go." She gently pushed Jeremy towards the exit. Once again he kissed the woman he loved before hurrying outside.
He followed the tracks to the small two-man tent he called home. Inside Charlie laid on his sleeping bag and Harmony knelt beside her on the air mattress comforting Charlie.
The magic began and life emerged from within the border collie. Charlie yelped with each pup, taking time to lick each pup clean. Exhausted, Charlie laid her head down unable to clean her last pup.
Madeline motioned for Harmony to help the puppy. Gently the young girl cleaned the last puppy and placed her with the rest of the puppies suckling on Charlie.
Pete spoke from outside the tent. "Hey Boss, someone here to see you."
Jeremy sighed, "Stanley!" He unzipped the tent and stood to greet the large man. He shrugged. "Stanley. I kinda forgot when my dog started having her puppies."
Stanley shook his head before asking. "Really?" Jeremy nodded and the officer knelt down to look inside.
"Officer Stanley?" Madeline smiled.
"Uh-huh. Dr. Corber, I presume." Stanley smiled back. "And you must be Harmony!"
"Have you come to take my puppies away?" Harmony held a puppy close to her chest.
Stanley laughed. "There is not a chance in the world I would take these puppies from you!"
"Yay!" Harmony kissed the puppy and the officer retreated from the tent.
"Walk with me, Mr. Fartham." Officer Stanley led the way past the trailer and back to the cruiser. He grabbed two manilla envelopes and handed them to Jeremy. "Any questions, call me."
Jeremy held his hand out for the officer. The mountain of a man accepted it. "Thanks for believing in me."
Stanley nodded. "It's easy to believe in the truth. Good luck with your future, Mr. Fartham."
"It's Jeremy and I'd like to invite you to our spring wedding." Jeremy waited for the officer to respond.
"You set the date and I will bring the missus." Stanley smiled. "You actually did what I told you to do!"
"Yep!"
"Well, I'll be. My wife told me I would make a difference one day. I guess she was right." Stanley gave a tip of his cap and drove away shaking his head.