“I’d rather stop now. We still have about five or six hours to travel tomorrow just to reach San Benito, and then another three hours to reach the Jeep.” He had a feeling she was going to need all the rest she could get in order to make it tomorrow.
“Sounds good.” She gave him a smile, and shrugged her backpack from her shoulders. Jack took the bag and decided that no matter how much she protested, he was going to insist on carrying her backpack for the rest of the journey. It wasn’t very heavy, but he figured she would need to use all of her energy just to walk.
Hector came up behind her, his brown face glistening from perspiration. He’d at least been successful in getting Sophie to allow him to carry her tent. Since they hadn’t been able to retrieve any of their camping gear, they’d been lucky enough to have purchased two beat up tents in Paraíso, along with a few blankets and mosquito netting.
“Jack and I will get your tent up first, Sophie.” Hector slipped the straps of his backpack off and pulled out a water bottle. “Drink this, and we’ll have everything set up in a few minutes.”
“Thank you.” She reached out for the water bottle, and Jack noticed her hand was as shaky as the aged man who had sold them the tents a few days before.
He and Hector worked quickly to set up camp. Once the tents were erected, Jack motioned toward the smaller one Sophie had used the past few nights. “Why don’t you lay down and rest while Hector and I make dinner.”
Sophie only nodded and quietly slipped inside the tent. The fact that she didn’t even protest increased Jack’s concern for her.
“I wish we’d made better time,” Jack said as he met Hector’s worried gaze. “Sophie isn’t a complainer, and I’m afraid she won’t let me know how sick she really is.”
“She’s been through a lot, amigo. Perhaps she is just tired, no?” The tone in Hector’s voice implied he didn’t believe Sophie was only “tired” any more than Jack did.
“I hope that’s all it is, because we’ve got a long day of travel tomorrow.”
“Yes,” Hector said as he opened the last three packets of their dehydrated meals they had left, “but then we will be home and my Isabelle will take good care of her.” He dumped the contents of the packages into an aluminum pan and slowly added boiling water.
Home. Just thinking about it sent an unexpected rush of anxiety through Jack that nearly stole his breath. Once they left the jungle, he would be forced to make some life-changing decisions. As much as he loved Sophie, what if she decided he wasn’t good enough for her? Jack still had no idea how to go about reconciling with his brother and parents. He had no idea if they would even want to see him.
Sophie might believe she would be happy without the extended family she’d always wanted, but that could all change once she returned to Colorado. After all, Peter was still waiting there for her, and he had all the advantages Jack sorely lacked, like a secure job, a house, and a close-knit family.
Pushing back his apprehension, Jack glanced toward the tent. “I think I’ll go see if Sophie is okay.”
Without waiting for a reply from Hector, Jack quickly made his way to her tent. The zipper to the canvas door was only partially done up. He crouched down and pulled the zipper down the rest of the way. He peered into the open door and saw Sophie was already asleep.
Renewed concern for her well-being warred with the anxiety about their future as he studied the delicate features of her face. She was so beautiful, and Jack really did love her.
Deciding to let her rest, he started to pull the zipper closed. Sophie’s eyes flew open and she sat up with a gasp. “Oh.” She drew in a deep breath. “You scared me.”
“Sorry. I just wanted to see how you’re doing.”
“I think I feel better.” She raised a hand to her head. “But I must have gotten up too fast. I feel a little lightheaded.”
“Will food help?”
“Maybe.” Her hand moved to her abdomen. “Although, I’m not sure I feel like eating right now. ”
“Dinner’s done,” Hector hollered. “Come and get it while it’s hot.”
Jack held out his hand and smiled. “You better not pass up your last backpacking meal. Tomorrow it’ll just be protein bars.”
She scooted toward him and placed her palm against his. “That sounds even less appetizing.”
Jack laughed, grateful she was acting more like herself. He tugged her close and leaned down to give her a kiss. Sophie melted against him, and her soft sigh of pleasure made Jack’s pulse surge. Being near her like this made it easy to suppress the anxious thoughts. Right now, anything seemed possible.
* * *
Sophie awoke the next morning and knew she was in trouble. Her body ached at every joint, and her head felt like it weighed two hundred pounds. It hurt to move, and she found it difficult just to sit up. Would she be able to even walk today?
A wave of nausea rolled over her as she grabbed the toiletry bag next to her sleeping bag. She took a few slow breaths until the feeling subsided and then reached inside the bag for the digital thermometer she’d brought along.
She already knew she was running a fever, she just didn’t know how high. Placing the end of the thermometer under her tongue, she waited until she heard the low-pitched beeping sound to let her know it was done.
Her hands shook as she read the numbers. No wonder she felt so bad. Her temperature was nearly a hundred and three. She put the thermometer back and found a single dose package of Extra Strength Tylenol. She hoped and prayed it would be effective enough to get her out of the jungle.
Once she swallowed the tablets, she had to lie back down again. Closing her eyes, she offered a prayer, asking for guidance about her illness. Since she was taking a broad spectrum antibiotic to prevent any infection from the knife wound to her arm, she knew she was probably dealing with a virus. And since she had just spent the past two weeks in a jungle with mosquitos, she had an idea about what virus was making her sick.
Another wave of nausea hit her, and she had to concentrate hard not to throw up the medication she’d just taken. It subsided a few minutes later, and that’s when she heard Jack and Hector breaking camp. She had hoped to have at least enough time for the Tylenol to kick in before getting up.
“Sophie?” Jack asked through the tent. “Are you awake?”
“Yes.” Her voice cracked, and she gently cleared her throat. “Yes, I’m awake.”
There was a long pause before Jack said, “Can I come in?”
She hated just lying there and knew she looked awful, but she didn’t have the energy to do anything about it, let alone sit back up.
“Sure.”
Jack opened the tent door and crouched down at the foot of her sleeping bag. “Hey,” he said, watching her with an intense gaze. Two deep creases appeared between his eyebrows. “You look terrible…er, like you don’t feel very good.”
“Nice save,” she said, giving him a small smile.
The corner of his mouth quirked up. “You’re still beautiful. It’s just obvious you’re sick.”
Without a warning, her eyes filled up with tears. “I’m sorry.”
“Hey now, don’t cry.”
His voice was so tender and so unlike the first time she’d met him that it made her even more emotional.
“And you don’t need to apologize for being sick.” He moved far enough inside the tent to take her hand. The second he touched her skin, his blue eyes widened. “Sophie, you’re burning up.”
“I know.” Her bottom lip quivered as the tears spilled over and trickled down the side of her face into her hairline. “If I have what I think I have, I’ll probably get worse before I get better.”
A look of concern etched creases across his forehead. “What do you think you have?”
Even though she was taking antimalarial medication, there was a small chance she’d contracted the disease, but she didn’t think so.
“Have you heard of dengue fever?”
“Yeah,” he said,
sitting back on his heels. “Then you probably feel as crappy as you look.”
She tried not to laugh at his blunt observation. “Thanks for sparing my feelings.”
“You know what I mean.” He shook his head and gave a low whistle. “One of the doctors in a group I guided a few years back came down with dengue. He was pretty sick.”
“I remember when I was in pre-med my dad had the same thing. I researched it fairly thoroughly, and from what I can remember, people are usually sick for about three to five days.” She was modulating the duration a little, but she was trying to be optimistic.
“We need to get your fever down.” Jack gave her hand a gentle squeeze before releasing it. “Tylenol or ibuprofen?”
“Your medical skills are getting more impressive day by day.”
“Yeah,” he said with a wry grin. “Hanging out with a doctor tends to do that to you.”
She smiled. “I already took some Tylenol. If you can give me a few minutes, I’ll be ready to leave.”
He looked at her skeptically. “I don’t think you’ll be up for travel today.”
She didn’t want to alarm him, but she felt an urgency to get back to San José. “Jack, I’m in the first few days of the virus, so we should leave while I can.”
“Okay,” he said rising. “We’ll leave as soon as you feel like you’re ready.”
* * *
Jack wasn’t sure how much longer Sophie could go. She was almost too weak to travel anymore. Her steps faltered, but Jack kept her upright, holding onto her elbow. “Do we need to stop and rest for a minute?”
She looked up at him, confusion written all over her face. “I need to find my dad.” She tightly gripped his arm. “Please help me find my daddy.”
Jack and Hector exchanged worried expressions. Sophie had been acting a little out of it for the past couple of hours. “How much longer?” Jack mouthed to Hector.
“Maybe thirty to forty-five minutes.”
Jack shook his head. He didn’t think she would make it another five minutes. “Let’s keep moving.”
“Peter,” Sophie said, looking up at Jack. “I have to go by myself.”
“Okay,” Jack said going along with her. “But why don’t you take another drink of water.” He handed the bottle to her, growing more and more concerned.
“Thank you.” She took a sip and made a face. “Do you have anything colder?”
“Not right now.” Jack looked sidelong at Hector. “We need to get her to a hospital.”
Hector solemnly nodded his head in agreement. “Sí, let’s go.”
It didn’t bother Jack that Sophie had called him Peter. She’d also called him Camille. What bothered him was the delirium itself. He knew it wasn’t normal. Taking the bottle of water from Sophie, Jack noted fresh bruises on her arms. For the life of him, he couldn’t figure out where the bruises had come from.
“Come on, Sophie. We’re almost there,” Jack said, taking her arm and pressing forward. Each step brought them closer to San Benito—closer to getting Sophie help.
Under Jack’s fingers, her skin felt clammy and cold. The fever had broken earlier, but her bizarre behavior had him more worried than the high temperature. Looking down at Sophie, he wished she could at least clue him into what was going on with her.
He kept his arm firmly around her waist, practically dragging her. Only thirty more minutes, he repeated over and over in his head.
Her steps faltered, and she started to sink to the ground. “Jack?” she asked, her voice cracking with emotion as he kept her from falling.
“What, honey?” She seemed to know who he was, but her eyes were clouded with confusion.
“What’s wrong with me?” Her words slurred together like she’d been drinking.
“I don’t know, but we’re almost home.” He met Hector’s concerned gaze. Neither one of them knew what to do for her.
Sophie moaned in pain and pressed a hand to her stomach. “I don’t feel very good.”
Jack was afraid she was going to throw up. Instead, her knees buckled and her body went limp. He gripped her arm, catching her before she hit the ground.
Chapter Twenty-Four
“Sophie,” Jack said as he eased her body to the ground. “Come on, Sophie,” he said again, grasping her by the shoulders and gently shaking her. “Wake up, honey.”
She remained deathly still, her face without any color. Trying to recall basic first-aid, Jack made sure she was breathing. Then he placed his fingers against her throat and felt for a pulse. It seemed a little too fast. Please, God, help me know what to do.
Hector rushed over. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know.” Jack felt utterly helpless and knew she needed immediate medical care. He discarded his backpack and scooped her up in his arms. She weighed practically nothing. “Let’s just go. She needs to be in a hospital.”
The terrain was difficult and seemed to slope uphill the entire time. Although she wasn’t heavy, his arms and legs burned. With each step, Jack prayed for a miracle—prayed for her to wake up, but Sophie remained unconscious.
Perspiration dampened his T-shirt, and his lungs heaved from the exertion. Several times he had to pause and readjust his hold on her. Finally, after what seemed like hours, they reached San Benito.
A small group of children were playing soccer and grew very quiet when they saw the strangers enter their village. Jack heard some of the children whisper, “Es muerta.” He didn’t have time to reassure them Sophie wasn’t dead.
When they came to a grassy area, Hector turned around. “Wait right here. I’ll go find help and get the canoe ready.”
Jack had no idea who could help, but at this point, he would welcome the village shaman. Carefully, Jack laid Sophie’s limp body on the grass. Alarm swept through him when he noticed a small trickle of blood seeping from one nostril. Had he inadvertently injured her somehow?
He wiped at the blood with his thumb, fighting the feelings of despair and frustration. “Please,” he begged God in a broken voice. “Please, let her be okay.” Silently, Jack prayed for help and promised God he would do whatever he could to make Sophie happy, even if that meant moving to Colorado without knowing how he would support a wife.
A crowd had gathered around him, some murmuring prayers of their own. Jack pinched the bridge of his nose, the tips of his fingers growing moist from his desperate tears. Suddenly, the group parted, and Jack looked up to see a tall, balding man walking toward them. Hector was right behind him.
“What do we have here?” the man asked in perfect English as he knelt down next to Sophie. He was an American, probably in his early sixties, wearing khakis and a loose fitted, white cotton shirt and had a stethoscope hanging around his neck.
“Please tell me you’re a doctor,” Jack said, hardly able to believe his luck—no, an answer to his prayers.
“That I am, son.” He placed his fingers at Sophie’s throat to feel for a pulse and introduced himself. “I’m Mark Webster.”
“Jack Mathison.” Jack gazed at Sophie. “This is Sophie.”
“Tell me about the onset of the illness and what the symptoms have been?” Dr. Webster asked as he opened Sophie’s eyelids and shone a small penlight in each eye.
“Sophie’s a doctor and suspected she had dengue fever.” Jack told him about her elevated temperature and the delirium and then pointed out the bruises on her arm.
The doctor saw the faded bruises on her cheek and raised a questioning eyebrow. “It looks like someone hit her in the face.”
Jack read the accusation, but couldn’t blame the man. “Someone did hit her. A few days ago we were both abducted by some men so Sophie could try to save their injured comrade.” Jack pointed to the bruises on his own face. “That’s where I got these from.”
“I heard about that from the villagers.” The doctor offered Jack a friendly smile. “You’ve evaded one kind of tragedy. How about we see if we can avoid another one?”
Jack exhaled
heavily. “That’s what I’ve been praying for.”
The doctor unwound his stethoscope. “Is she your wife?”
“Not yet.”
Dr. Webster smiled. “Well, we better get this young lady better so you can make that happen.” Dr. Webster put the stethoscope tips in his ears and concentrated on Sophie.
As the man listened to her lungs and heart, Jack looked up to see Hector. “Do you have the canoe ready?”
“Sí. Everything is all set to go.”
Winding the stethoscope around his neck again, the doctor asked, “Has she had any fluids or medication today?”
“I’ve tried to get her to drink water and this morning she had some Tylenol.”
Dr. Webster nodded his head, continuing his examination. “And the bruises on her arm appeared this morning?”
“I actually noticed them this afternoon,” Jack answered.
The doctor lifted Sophie’s shirt slightly, and Jack couldn’t even appreciate her toned stomach. It was covered with tiny red spots. “Is that a rash?”
“Although that’s what it looks like, it’s not actually a rash.” Mark palpitated her abdomen and Sophie groaned slightly. “The tiny pin-point spots are caused by blood leaking out of the capillaries under the skin.”
That didn’t sound very good to Jack. Before he could ask more questions, he heard a commotion. Jack raised his eyes to see a trim American woman with long, silvery hair, rushing toward them. She wore jeans and a colorful T-shirt with the logo of a Christian humanitarian organization.
“Mark, what do I need to get?” she questioned, kneeling down.
“Honey, we need to get an IV started as soon as possible,” Mark said, pulling Sophie’s shirt down.
He looked up at Jack. “This is my wife Jane. She’s also my nurse.” Mark stood up. “Jack, can you carry Sophie to the bungalow?”
“Sure.” Adrenalin coursed through his body as Jack scooped Sophie up. He followed Mark and Jane, thanking God for putting them in this village.
Discovering Sophie Page 24