by A. K. Smith
“From here on out, the rest of the trip is on foot, our real journey starts now, so take a break and get ready to cross.”
She was disappointed their conversation would have to wait until another time. Scout pointed to a small clearing up ahead surrounded by dense bush. “If you need some privacy go there, but watch out for the pizza plant I showed you yesterday. If it touches your skin, it will swell up and produce hives and blisters. Trust me you don’t want to touch it.”
After a small break, careful not to touch any pizza plants, the group prepared to cross the river. Scout took the lead with Ryder, she was in the middle, Enrique and Roberto in the back stepping slowly through the swift flowing river. At the deepest part of the river, the trekking turned into swimming as the depth, higher than their shoulders, went over their heads.
In less than ten minutes, bags and supplies made it safe to the other side, including the tanks carried on the Sherpas’ backs. Regrouping on the other side, they took a short break, dried off as well as they could, laced up their dry hiking boots, and continued onward.
****
The jungle terrain of the Riviera Maya was lush, thick, tropical vegetation, creating an illusion of Amazon jungles and primitive lands untouched by humans. Enrique, now in the lead, held a machete high above his shoulders, chopping the path with an up and down motion, two tanks on his back.
Ryder had finally become present. Still ignoring Kendall, he marched through the low canopy, fascinated with the portable GPS. For the first time on the trip, Scout was impressed with his intelligent questions.
“So, this cenote we are trekking to, is this the cenote you took my father to?” Ryder asked.
Scout’s heart rate accelerated, and with a slight hesitation, he answered, “No, your father and I went ocean diving together. We never went to any cenotes or cave systems. He planned this trip to do cave diving with you.” Scout swallowed, trying to stay as close to the truth as possible.
Soon, they faced the next river, a somewhat quiet, meandering river. The crossing went smooth. Everyone knew the drill and worked together as a team; now, they only had one more river to cross.
The trek continued with conversations regarding the hard work and pride of the local people, until they came to a dense spot of scrub in the middle of the trail. The roar of rushing water reached his ears. Enrique and Roberto helped machete their way through a particularly dense area. Their next crossing came into view.
The last river was much wider and faster with power behind it. Dark gray-blue water made up the waterway, resembling a snake twisting and crawling its way across the wild, unruly jungle, complementing the canvas of dark army greens, shiny lime-green leaves, and sage-colored scrubs mixed in with dark brown. The palette created a feeling of rough edges and toughness. Unlike the cenotes, there was nothing calm about this tributary or the masculine scenery before their eyes.
“This is the last major river crossing. Let’s go over in pairs.” Scout lowered his packs and knelt by the edge. “One part of the center has a pretty swift current. I’ll go over first with Ryder, then come back for you, Kendall. Enrique and Roberto will float the tanks.”
Kendall sat on the ground carefully taking her hiking boots off and putting her wet socks on. The muscular silhouette of her leg, accented her toned physique. He ignored the stirring in his abdomen. He tried to shake off his thoughts. “You and I go next. Leave your hiking shoes on for this one, we are only a couple miles from our camp spot, and I think the traction from your shoes will be needed for the bottom of this river.”
Kendall nodded, took her wet socks off, and put her hiking shoes back on. She wore sparkly blue toenail polish, and it made him smile. At first glance, one might get the wrong impression, write her off as a girly girl, but she was really a rare combination of a tomboy with grace and beauty, not shying away from outdoor adventure.
He was attracted to her, more attracted than he wanted to recognize, his thoughts consumed by her essence. They slowly moved through the river. It happened in a flash. Kendall slipped, and the force of the river pulled her under.
Chapter 24
Sloshing shoes, mosquitoes, and humidity added to the harshness of the last few miles. The river crossing left them quiet. Kendall was still recovering from the current that buckled her knees and knocked her down, fully submerging her under the water. In a flash Scout grabbed her tight and held her against a tree branch growing out of the river. The closeness of his embrace seemed to linger a moment longer than natural. Pressed against his warm body, she met his green eyes. The connection was electrifying, it took her breath away, the adrenaline surging through her being.
No one else seemed to notice the intense moment in the river, but she was fiercely aware of it and certain Scout was too.
Ryder seemed indifferent, not even asking her if she was okay.
She suppressed a grin at his appearance. If any jungle trekking reality fan ran into Ryder Jackson that day, they would have thought he walked right out of a scene of a jungle adventure movie. His wet clothes stuck to his sculptured body and the dirt overlying the tan on his face intensified his blue eyes. He was striking. But, attractiveness took more than a pretty face. Ryder was sometimes cold, self-absorbed and cruel. Kendall wished he was more like his father.
****
Kendall moved in silence after the river grabbed her. Ryder didn’t wish her any physical harm, but he couldn’t deny the pleasure from her panic. A change in the air was noticeable, but he could not pinpoint it. Was she sorry she forced herself on this trip? He hoped so, she didn’t need to be here.
He liked Scout; he respected his knowledge and his diving skills. He understood why his father chose Scout to take them on this journey. Talking about his father was difficult. Going a day without any drugs was also something new in his daily ritual. He was successful in smuggling a few Vicodin in his Tylenol bottle, but he only had one left. His hands hadn’t shaken all day. He felt remarkably well without them.
He agreed to take this trip for his father. Every time he looked at Kendall he desperately wished it were his father instead of her. He’d been trying to figure out all day, why his father made that entry in the logbook. Perhaps, when he was on the boat at the Blue Hole, he was thinking about him and the upcoming trip he had planned. Did he actually have a feeling something tragic was going to happen that particular afternoon in Belize that would make him ask Kendall to take him?
He’d never know what his dad was thinking that day, but at least he was thinking of Ryder and this was the place he wanted to show him. I’m here, Dad, is this what you wanted? Why?
****
Enrique and Roberto stopped dead in their tracks, faces turned to the jungle behind them. Enrique lifted his hand and Roberto held up a finger to his lips, silencing the group.
Roberto motioned to Scout and pointed to the left.
Kendall, her long wet hair falling down her back, still looking like a drowned rat, appeared years younger than her age. A baseball cap shielding the truth in her eyes, he wondered if she felt the same electricity he did as he held her in his arms in the river.
Scout held up his hand signaling ‘stay’ and put his finger to his lips.
Several minutes passed, the background music of the jungle increasing in volume with the sound of insects and birds.
Scout whispered to Enrique in Spanish, and Roberto nodded his head in agreement.
“It’s okay.” Scout said. “It might have been an animal. Enrique and Roberto both heard something in the woods.”
“What kind of animal?” Kendall asked.
Scout cast a glance at Enrique and Roberto and back to Kendall. “Well, it’s hard to say, if it was a howler monkey we would usually hear their calls. I’m sure you’ll hear them tomorrow, they are quite communicative and travel in packs.” Scout paused. “And we would see them swinging in the tree. But there are smaller animals out there, like your raccoons or skunks. One called coatimundi can make noise as well.”
Everyone surveyed the jungle.
“It’s quiet now…so whatever it was is gone.”
He smiled and moved next to Kendall, pulling out his GPS. “We are not too far from where we will set up camp, it’s up ahead, should be an open area.”
Ryder kept walking. “There’s jaguars in the Yucatán? Right?”
He turned around and gave Ryder a penetrating glare. “There could be, but man has really chased them away to certain areas, if they were in this area, they would keep their distance…from us.”
Chapter 25
The canopy of trees formed a swaying umbrella over their campsite. They passed an amazing pumping spring spouting clear water out of the middle of a mangrove forest, and walked through thorny green scrub and low-level palms. Suddenly, a captivating clearing with a carpet of thick green moss, emanating a feeling of an enchanted forest filled with fairytale characters, appeared. A place from another world. This would be their camp.
Scout helped lay out the camping equipment from the packs, remarking Enrique and Roberto were experts at setting up a campsite. He pointed straight ahead looking at the GPS. “Just a little farther is the cenote we will be exploring tomorrow.” Scout tilted his head. “It’s still light, we could check it out now, it’s a great way to rinse off after our long hike.”
Ryder sat on the ground. “I think I have had enough walking today.” Peeling off his hiking boots, he revealed a few blisters. “Count me out.”
“You okay? I have some ointment you can use.” She dug around in her pack, brought out a tube, and handed it to Ryder.
Ryder reluctantly took the ointment from her, but then continued to look away. “I’m fine, I just want to lie down and listen to some music.” The ear buds went into his ear.
Scout turned to Kendall. “You want to go check it out?”
“Sounds like a plan, even this big jungle can feel small.” She smiled.
****
She watched him as he released his ponytail and casually ran his fingers through his hair. Grabbing her camera she followed, snapping a few pictures of the back of him walking in the jungle. She bit her lip as her heartbeat increased. She was stimulated by his presence. He was at ease in the middle of the tropics. The wildness complemented him as his energy and excitement picked up his pace.
She let out a loud sigh, a habit she had picked up from her mother over the years. It was not a sign of unhappiness or frustration, it was a sign of relaxing, taking a deep breath and letting all the stress out. Scout turned around. “Are you tired? I know it’s been a long day, but you two are great hikers, you did really well today.”
She returned his smile. “No, not really, I know I should be tired, but there’s something about this place that gives me energy…a swim in the cenote sounds refreshing.”
She hesitated. “Can I ask you something personal, Scout?”
He kept walking.
“Sure, shoot.”
“I found some confidential information about my husband before I took this trip.” She needed to tell someone. “I would’ve bet all the money in Las Vegas, I knew everything about Tim, certain he would never lie to me, would never keep secrets from me.” She paused. “But I would’ve lost, lost it all.” Another pause. “I found a briefcase of his, it has information he never told me, almost like a secret life.”
Scout stopped and turned around.
“What would you do with information like that? Would you tell anybody? Would you tell his son?”
****
Scout was unsure how to respond; he did best when he thought something through, asked questions until he knew what to say. He thought, no, he hoped the question would be about him, revealing a mutual interest on Kendall’s part. How long does it take a widow to be interested in another man; he had no idea. But, she was clearly focused on her husband.
“Well, I guess it would depend what type of confidential information it was. Is it something that involves Ryder?” Scout rubbed the back of his neck, wondering if she knew about the secret cenote; it seemed Tim had more secrets.
She kept walking. “I know I just met you, but Tim liked you, trusted you enough to arrange this trip and quite frankly, I don’t have anyone else to talk to.”
He couldn’t explain why he so desperately wanted to help her. He was compelled to be near her, but it went deeper than attraction. He pushed the untruth of the other cenote out of his head. She probably didn’t need any more surprises about her husband. He caught up with her and touched her arm, turning her around to face him. “I’m a good listener, Kendall, and your secrets are safe with me.”
Even after almost drowning and hiking through a humid jungle, she glowed with life; she had natural beauty inside and out. Even her sweat smelled sweet.
Touching her seemed electric. “The cenote is just up here; let’s sit down on the edge.”
She nodded and started walking through the clearing, then stopped still in her tracks.
He could hear the intake of breath as she took in the scene, her voice a silky whisper. “It’s incredible!”
In front of them, a scene of sensations exploded before their eyes. A bubbling waterfall flowed down into a deep clear lagoon, creating a sound of soothing water. A small river exited the lagoon, trickling over shiny brown rocks surrounded by soft, fuzzy moss-covered rocks. Freshness crawled inside his nose, a smell that always invigorated him. The depth of the colors in the lagoon were astonishing shades of blue-green mixed together but not completely stirred, creating an illusion of colors to trick the eye. The pool glowed as if there were light underneath and the setting sun hit the leaves and branches of the jungle flora creating patterns on the rocks and branches.
Scout silent, allowed Kendall that special moment he had when he first came upon this beautiful cenote. It was as magnificent to him this time as on his first trek; he was in awe of the sheer beauty of the Yucatán.
He fought the urge to put his arms around her, so instead he crossed them tightly over his chest. For a brief minute, he wondered how it would feel to share exquisite beauty like this, with another human being whom you loved. He contemplated this was the reason Tim requested to take his son to the unexplored cenote, sharing this stunning experience with someone you loved was incredible. He wanted to touch her.
He perched on the flat rock along the edge of the lagoon facing the waterfall. “Come sit down, this is a great spot to take it in.”
Her eyes reflected the colors of the beautiful water. It was evident she appreciated this outstanding canvas of nature’s work.
“I understand now…I understand why Tim would want to share this with Ryder.” She paused. “It may be one of my favorite places on earth.”
It seemed the moment had passed for her to confide Tim’s secrets. Not wanting to break the spell, he started undoing his hiking boots and taking off his shirt and hat.
He could feel her watching him and she laughed, a happy sound that warmed Scout’s heart.
“I finally figured it out; I know who you remind me of.”
He stopped, unsure if he wanted to be a reminder of anyone to her. He waited, not looking at her.
“Have you ever seen the series Lost?”
“Well, I don’t have satellite and I’m not much of a TV watcher, but I have watched a few episodes about the plane going missing on the island. My sister sent me the box set for Christmas.”
“Then you know who I’m going to say you look like?…Sawyer.” She came closer. “Your sister said the same thing and that’s why she sent you the series, am I right?”
He flung his body into the cenote. “Sawyer? Which one is that, the handsome con artist?” He laughed before he went under the water. When he came up, she was walking away toward the group of palms.
“Turn around, I’ll be right in.”
She emerged from the trees with her bathing suit on, a sight Scout witnessed for the last few days diving in the cenote. It stirred something inside him. This moment seemed more intimate. It was the first
time the two of them were alone together, and to top it off a gorgeous waterfall cascaded into a clear pool, heightening the experience.
She hesitated at the ledge, catching his eyes, her mouth turned up. He wished she was his.
Treading water, half floating on his back, he inched closer. He didn’t want to break the spell. He was going to let her say the first word. His heart was racing.
She emerged, her eyes catching the sparkle of the water. The moment lingered in the air, with the silence of their voices surrounded by the pounding of the falls and the birds singing in the trees. He didn’t want to be anywhere else but here in this moment. He hoped he wasn’t misreading her feelings for him.
She broke the seconds of quiet. “You know I was always a Sawyer fan, I much preferred him over the doctor Jack, something about his rugged hard exterior covering up a soft big heart.” She smiled. “You saved me today in the river, thanks for catching me.”
It seemed natural as he encircled her with his arms and brought his face next to hers. Their lips met. The kiss soft and tender left him wanting more. She kissed him back. The sound of the waterfall was mixed in with their heavy breathing.
She pulled back, went under the water, swam toward the large flat rock on the edge of the waterfall, and pulled herself up. No words were spoken.
He slowly swam toward her. Tears slid down her cheeks. “It’s okay, Kendall…”
She continued to look at the waterfall. “I think we let the magic in this place get the best of us. The sun’s going down. We should probably get back.”
****
Kendall had not kissed another man since Tim. Confusion and feelings of betrayal consumed her pounding heart. She couldn’t look at Scout.
The walk back to the campsite passed quickly even though few words were uttered. Scout tried to make small talk about the next day’s dive, she knew he sensed her discomfort.
When the trail ended at their campsite, she was struck with the intimacy of the cozy scene in front of her—two small fires in the center of three tents and six tiki sticks in a circle around the perimeter. The smell of sautéed onions teased her senses, she was starving even though her stomach was a tight knot. Scout gave her a smile as if everything would be okay and started speaking in Spanish to Enrique and Roberto.