Page 10 of Healing Love

“Please call me Ernesto,” he replied smoothly.

Nodding slightly, she agreed. At her compliance, he smiled, his white teeth gleaming against his tan skin.

“I noticed that you were tired yesterday, so I thought a day with the children would do you good.”

She nodded again before turning back to the next patient. She felt his presence close to her, so she glanced over her shoulder, seeing him now standing directly behind her.

“I realize you were brought here against your will, but I can help you, my dear,” he whispered. “Perhaps, we can have our lunch together and I will let you know justhow much I can be of service. How we can be of service to each other.”

He watched her shiver and chuckled. “I see you’re interested. We’ll talk later.”

She heard him walk away as she tried to focus on rolling the bandages on the cart in front of her.If he had been brought here against his will, he certainly was making himself right at home! Closing her eyes for a moment, she breathed deeply to still her pounding heart. Thinking of her brother, she pulled his words to her mind. When their sister, Hannah, had been attacked years before and almost raped, Jobe told all his sisters that they should always use whatever resources they could find to get out of a situation.Doesn’t matter if you lie or scream or fight like hell, just use anything you can. Play it smart and do whatever you need to do to get out.

Of course, he was referring to being attacked, but Miriam knew this situation was the same.I’ve got to keep my head, play their game, and work the system while looking for a way out.Licking her lips, she knew she was in over her head. Armed guards stood around, although they looked bored. The area was filled with farmland and woods, hardly a place to hide.Thank God I’ve got dark hair,she thought.I could blend if I needed.Sighing loudly, she also knew that not being able to speak Spanish would make her stand out.Jobe, I’m going to need a miracle to get out of this.

Just then, she heard Sharon’s loud voice berating one of the guards. “I have to get through, you moron.”

Miriam glanced into the other room, seeing the guards now alert, watching Sharon with undisguisedanger…and lust. Before she could intervene, one of the other nurses hustled over and quieted Sharon, moving her past the guards toward the tent with medical supplies.

Disaster prevented once more, and she wondered if talking to Sharon again would make any difference. She had tried to convince her that the way to stay alive was to play it safe, keep their eyes open for possible escape plans, but Sharon had shut her down quickly. “No way am I going to play their game,” Sharon had voiced, not seeing the rationale of staying alive until they could be rescued.

Catching the eye of Dr. Villogas once again, she just nodded as she made her way into the medical supply tent behind the others.

Once inside, she saw Sharon being lectured to by the nun. She then looked over to see Lorainne checking the supplies. Walking over, she spoke to the timid woman.

“How’re you doing?”

Lorainne nodded in answer, tears threatening to spill once more.

“You’ve got to hang in there, sweetie,” Miriam said, placing her hand on the frail woman’s arm. “We have to stay strong so that we can be ready to leave whenever we can.”

“They’ll never let us go,” the other nurse whispered, rubbing her hand over her sweating forehead.

Miriam quickly placed her hand on Lorainne’s head and felt the warmth. “I think you have a fever,” she said. “Let’s check.”

Before Lorainne could protest, Miriam whipped outa thermometer and quickly determined that the woman did indeed have a low-grade fever. “Have you been feeling sick?”

Lorainne nodded and said, “I keep going to the bathroom. I figured it was just the change in water, but…” leaning in to whisper, she confessed, “I’m passing blood.”

Miriam turned to look for the doctor, but Lorainne grabbed her arm, hissing, “You can’t tell anyone.”

Jerking her gaze back to the ill woman, she asked, “Why?”

“Don’t you see? They’ll kill me. Why would they keep a sick nurse around?”

Miriam wanted to argue but was afraid that Lorainne might be right. Licking her lips, she looked around quickly, finding the medicine that she needed. “Okay, but let’s treat you. Have you taken anything?”

“No, just trying to stay hydrated with bottled water.”

Nodding, Miriam walked to the cabinet and scanned the contents. Finding the Paromomycin and an antibiotic, she quickly snatched them. Turning back to Lorainne, she said, “Take these now. I’ll take some back to the treatment tent with me. Come find me this afternoon just before we go back to the compound. I’ll give you a second dose there and no one will know you’re taking them.”

Playing her part well, Lorainne took the pills that Miriam rolled into a bandage and, on her way out of the door, grabbed a water bottle provided for the medical staff. Rolling more pills into a bandage, Miriam shoved it into her pocket and then found the drugs she hadbeen originally looking for. Making her way back to the tent, she began her long afternoon.

That night, lying in bed unable to sleep, Miriam tried to figure out a plan for escaping, but it eluded her.Even if I could manage to escape the compound, how would I ever know where to go to find a way out?Her mind wandered back to her brother, and she sent up a silent prayer once again.I need help, Jobe. Please.

5

Cam bent over in the field, sweat pouring down his face as he shoved the dirt to the side. His stained shirt was plastered to his skin and the mud caked on the bottom of his pants made moving difficult. The mountainside was populated with poppy plants hidden with towering pines and fir trees. The creeks nearby, with the pipe irrigation system, normally kept the plants watered. The earthquake had damaged the system and one of Cam’s jobs was to dig new holes and re-lay pipes.

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