Page 16 of Jeremiah

“Hello, my dear.” He didn’t kiss Caitlynn even though he really wanted to. His excitement for this evening was too high for him to curb. He looked at her and saw that she was going to be the crystal ball reader again tonight. He knew that she loved that job as much as he did his. She could help people without them even being aware. One of the children in line didn’t have a ticket but held a scrap of paper that someone must have handed him. He said that he’d forgotten to take it from his mom. “Let Caitlynn the magnificent have that young sir.”

After fixing his ticket, turning it from just a piece of paper to a real ticket, he handed the stub back to him when Caitlynn moved on. Christ, this was the most fun he’d had in decades.

Jeremiah and Lexy ran the circus full-time now. Peabody had passed away, much to the heartbreak of everyone who knew her, one night after having a hard fall when she tripped over a goat. She’d gone out the way that she wanted, enjoying life all the way to the end. He thought that Jeremiah had been the most heartbroken when it was announced, and he didn’t want to go on anymore now that she was gone.

For two weeks out of every four months, one of them, with their entire family, would come and work the circus with his little brother. It was a good way to see him, as he was seldom home now, and a way for the rest of them to blow off steam. Right now was his third day here, and he thought that he was already sleeping better and knew that his appetite was better too. Something about the fresh, clean air is what each of them needed. He also got to spend time with his lovely wife and their three children and eight grandchildren. There were more grandchildren than he could remember right off the top of his head, but it was wonderful to see them all having so much fun. Especially since there was no pressure for them to be working all the time. He’d seen one of his many granddaughters just this morning feeding the goats. Her parents couldn’t get her to feed their dog at home, so her doing this was a huge treat for him.

When the line began to slow down, and he could see the end of patrons, Joel put out the sign that they were filled up and enter at their own risk. He wanted to be there for the opening act. It was his favorite. Watching Jeremiah and Lexy getting the crowd ready, him as his wolf and Lexy as her elephant could wow crowds like no other. He was always amazed and wowed by it, even though he’d seen it dozens of times.

His clown was next. Joel and four of his brothers were to appear on the center stage to help with the netting under the trapeze artists. As he was terrified of heights, Joel still had fun when the artist flipped and turned just in time to capture the attention of the people. Their bright costumes were the perfect backdrop for the swinging ropes. Joel was also happy that he’d been cleared of having to help hang the ropes because as soon as he was at the highest point, he would have to be brought to the ground in magic. Hanna and his brother would tease him for days on end before he convinced Jeremiah that he couldn’t do it anymore without throwing up on everyone below him. He was glad when his son was able to take over for him in climbing ropes on this trip, too. This was indeed a family-run business in that every one that came to help out in their two weeks did more than their fair share and enjoyed every moment of it. At least he did.

When the circus closed down, he sat with his brother and his wife while they talked about the issues that had come up during the performances. Joel, of course, had thought it was perfect, but some things happened that he wouldn’t have noticed. Not because he didn’t care but because he didn’t have as much experience as the others. Plus, he thought that Jeremiah and Lexy ran a tight circus and ran it so smoothly that when there was a glitch, it had been taken care of so well that very few would have noticed. Joel figured that was the point of practicing all the time.

~*~

Layton was glad that he had a bit of an overlap to see Joel and Caitlynn. Not that he didn’t see them at home all the time, but being able to see them in the circus setting was much more relaxed and fun.

Usually, they were all either coming or going. However, with this trip, they’d been asked to come a couple of days early so that they could see how Joel and his wife performed with the cars and tricycles. Mentally rubbing his hands together, he couldn’t wait to try something new for his time here. He thought that his baby brother was doing a bang-up job in running the circus. He thought that he ran it much like he did the school. Keeping on time and making sure that everyone was safe while having fun.

He also wanted to hand over the book he’d been putting together for them. Layton daily scoured the internet for pictures and information about the Peanut. It had surprised him that the trip to Paris had been such a success. In fact, everywhere they went, people had nothing but good things to say about the time they spent at the Peanut Circus. And Layton truly did love the name of it. It was owned by Peanut Gallery Productions. A name that he came up with when his brother wanted to branch out into different things.

“The stuffies that we sell now are a huge hit. You had a great idea in coming out with one seasonal one each year.” Jeremiah was quick to thank you for your help and made sure that no matter how shitty the show went, he, like most of the people that sat in the audience, knew nothing of the issues, which were very few that went on. “Lexy and I were talking about the employees, and she thinks that we should make trading cards for them. The profits would go to them, of course and it could be written up in any style they wanted. I guess there are several styles to choose from. Anyway, we were thinking that you could take the pictures. Peanut will pay you for them and—”

“Yes, I’ll do it.” Jeremiah laughed and said that he didn’t know how much it paid. “I don’t care. A chance to be in on the ground floor of this is great. Of course, I’ll take them. I’ll even figure out how to make them into cards, too. This is going to be fun. Thank you, little brother, for thinking of me. The others will be so jealous.”

The rest of his time there was taking pictures. They had a show tonight. All the actors were in costume early enough that he’d been able to get a lot of them today. Also, while he was snapping pictures, he managed to get a really good shot of Jeremiah and Lexy. The two of them exuded love from everywhere, and while he did love his mate with all that he was, Jeremiah and Lexy seemed to have the perfect relationship. They were friends and lovers. And they didn’t care a fig who knew it.

Catching up with Joel before he left and giving him a hug, the two of them talked about how much it meant to them to come to the circus. It wasn’t anything that he would have thought that he’d like to do. Joel said the same thing. It was just being here, with all their families, and making memories that would last them several lifetimes. He knew that his kids loved it and knew too that since they’d been children, they’d been collecting and saving things that they picked up around the world to this day. It was his best part of all this, being able to, in a few weeks, pull out something that he picked up while out and put it in his Peanut Circus box. One that he’d gotten longer ago than he could remember.

“We should do something for them.” He asked Cody what she meant. “Have you ever once asked them what they needed? I don’t mean for us to help them with but what could you do for the two of them? I know that they miss their daughter and granddaughter, but they’ll be joining them soon. I think Lexy said in a few weeks. We need to do something just for the two of them so that they know just how much we appreciate everything they’ve done for us as a family to make it so that we could have this downtime as a family. I don’t know what it would be, but we need to do something.”

“I’ll ask around. These people here would more than likely know better than we would. And I can about tell you right now that they’re going to tell everyone that they have all they need right here. And honestly, I believe them. I was just thinking about how much they love each other. It’s almost like they…well, I think that they love one another about as much as the rest of us do all together. Our five families can’t even compare to what those two have.” She leaned against his chest and told him that she loved him. “Not that I don’t love you too, but what did I do? I want to have that in reserve the next time I’m in hot water.”

“You are a true romantic.” After saying that, she walked away. While he was standing there, trying to remember what he’d said, she turned and blew kisses at him. Smiling, he thought that she’d given him a reason to smile every day since he’d met her. He did love his mate. Maybe he’d go and find her so that they could have some hanky panky in the woods before going to bed. Yes, he loved that idea, too.

~*~

Cliff laughed every time he thought of his brothers climbing out of that little car while dressed as clowns last night. He didn’t particularly care for clowns on the whole. They creeped him out more than snakes…shivering and looking around, he smiled again about Joel falling on his ass and Layton and Jeremiah trying to pick him up.

The things that they did to get laughter directed right at them were astounding. Back at home, he would have died of embarrassment if someone had caught him falling down and them laughing at him. Even Joel, who is straight-up bad assed, would have knocked him on his ass if he’d only let a little of his humor show through. But there they were, vying for laughs from each and every person in the seats. Cliff thought about this morning’s trip to the hospital that they all, dressed as clowns, had gone to.

It was Shade, his own mate, who had asked if Jeremiah could send a few clowns to the children’s hospital in Columbus when they’d been in the area a few years ago. Her dear friend’s little boy was dying, and it had been on his list to see a real clown.

His brother had pulled out all the stops to make the children, all over the hospital laugh and have a good time. They’d even had a very good time with some of the staff, giving the nurses a good long laugh, too. It was right then and there that he knew the saying that laughter was the best medicine. And his respect for his brother had gone up so high then that Cliff was humbled when he was near him.

This morning, they were with about twenty-five ill children. Most of them were very sick. Just looking at them broke your heart. But not only did the clowns have something for each and every one of them but they received some magic to make whatever they were going through just a bit easier. The parents received much-needed gift cards to enjoy with the rest of their family. Special treats magically appeared under the trees that year for every person they touched.

And it wasn’t just the physical touch either. There were hugs that lasted a bit longer than they’d had. Coloring books and readers appeared in toy boxes that hadn’t been there before. Anything and everything that could be given away, the children and a good many adults received something. Every day, Cliff thought, his brother and sister-in-law helped ease someone passing over with a gentle touch and a big one.

Wiping at the tears he was shedding, he thought of all the times he’d been standing with his brother at the funeral that he’d been notified about. The words that people shared with them about the youngest member of their family made him feel like he was only beginning to scratch the surface of what they did while no one was around. Then he thought of their mom.

Jeremiah was only a child when their mother passed away. But he would bet his last nickel that she’d be more proud of her little boy than they were. She’d be handing out flyers that had his picture on it that told people—No, he thought, she’d just have in her heart, not bragging about the good works that they were doing simply because it would embarrass Jeremiah. But boy, oh boy, when she got them in a quiet place, she’d be raining kisses all over the two of them like she wasn’t going to miss an inch of them. Right now, he thought that he missed his mom more than he ever had. Simply so that Jeremiah could have her helping like they were.

“Cliff? You all right?” Turning, he pulled Jeremiah into his arms and hugged him as tightly as he’d allow him to. “Are you all right? That was a powerful hug.”

“Yes. Never better. I love you, Jeremiah.” He laughed when he said that he loved him too, but he couldn’t breathe. Letting him go enough to allow him to take in a breath, he held his brother tight again and echoed how much he loved him, too.

“Thank you. Sometimes, I forget that I’m not alone in the world. That I have you guys to lean on.” Cliff touched beyond anything like this before, only nodded. “You do know that if one of the others sees you, you’re going to be dog meat. They’ll never let you live down being all mushy and stuff.”