Chapter 13
One month later
A VERY MOVED BEHIND the others after breakfast, heading toward their medical tents in Bajo Chiquito, the jungle village in the Darien Gap. The makeshift tent site for the Doctors Without Borders team allowed them to see and treat additional migrants every day. The settlement was only a temporary stopping point for the people as they continued on their journey north.
The medical team had been forced to up their security measures in the past several days due to unrest in the area. Avery had gotten used to the routine of the past month, the daily patterns they’d fallen into, and she felt slightly unsettled now. It was just the change, she told herself. The unfamiliar. She’d get used to the new processes and all would be well. The site she worked at was certainly safer than traveling the entirety of the dangerous, inhospitable terrain of the Darien Gap.
The local nurses, part of the staff she supervised, were chatting beside her as they walked in the early morning sun. The women talked so rapidly in Spanish, Avery had trouble catching all of what they said. While Avery had taken Spanish in high school and college, she wasn’t a native speaker. The other nurses communicated much more easily with the migrants the team treated as well. While Avery had no doubt gotten her position here due to her nursing management skills and specialty in pediatrics, the medical staff she worked with were highly capable. Efficient. Compassionate. They were also more used to the horrors the migrants passing through the jungle faced, and that thought alone sobered her.
Bajo Chiquito was vastly different than sunny California. The sterile hospital environment she was familiar with was no comparison to the harsh, brutal realities of the jungle. The patients she’d seen stateside generally had access to medical care their entire lives. They had the necessary vaccinations, nutrition, fresh water, and opportunities to receive medicine and healthcare.
The stark difference here, although not a surprise, was nonetheless devastating to witness.
Many of the children were malnourished, suffering from various ailments or tropical diseases. Even those who were otherwise healthy were sometimes in shock from the trauma of being uprooted and moved through multiple countries with little more than the clothes on their back. They’d witnessed violence. Horror. The worst of humanity. And they hadn’t even reached their destination yet.
Avery was grateful her nursing staff could treat a large amount of patients daily, but those healthy and strong enough to continue onward did exactly that, desperate for their goal to reach the United States. She wouldn’t turn their desperation into a political argument. She was a healthcare provider, and she’d sworn an oath to help and provide medical care to others. Being a pediatric nurse was her calling, and if she could provide much-needed help to those without anything and utilize her management skills in an area of the world that so desperately needed it, she would.
Her roommate, Luciana, glanced over at her, moving to walk at her side. Her long, dark hair was pulled back in a low ponytail, and her eyes were sharp and assessing this morning. “The area seems too restless today,” she commented quietly in English.
Avery’s gaze swept to the vast array of tents pitched on the outskirts of town. Families stopped here to rest, sometimes seeking medical care before continuing their trek north. “That one group of young men was causing problems yesterday,” Avery noted, hoping they’d already moved along.
“They’re not good for the families here,” Luciana agreed. “Nothing but trouble, those boys.”
Avery didn’t respond. The pack of teenagers had needed to fend for themselves to get this far north. They stuck together and didn’t seem to appreciate the village’s law and order. They’d cornered a young girl yesterday outside a shop in Bajo Chiquito, either intentionally or not. They were so caught up in their own argument, they hadn’t let the girl pass by, and she’d been trapped against the wall. It had caused quite a stir amongst the temporary settlement and greater village itself. The locals wanted the teenagers to move on. If they weren’t willing to follow the rules and respect order within the settlement, they needed to go. The village already had enough concerns with the dangerous cartels nearby, and teenage boys who thought of only themselves needed to let the families and locals be as they were.
“I saw them again after the scuffle. No one is happy they were here.”
Avery looked over at her roommate. “I haven’t seen them this morning. Maybe the others know if they’ve left already.”
“Si. It is best if they are gone.”
Avery watched a woman chase after her toddler near the outskirts of the tents, a baby strapped to her chest. The woman looked exhausted, and Avery could hardly begin to imagine how hard her journey had been. She’d seen all sorts of devastation during her first month here. Pregnant mothers. Sick babies. Fathers with fear in their eyes. There were many women who’d been beaten and raped. They’d endured the unthinkable, and medical staff did what they could to provide care.
It made her stomach churn to even think that everyday more women and girls were enduring unspeakable horrors in the jungle.
The heat in the Darien Gap was already sweltering despite the early hour, and she swatted at a mosquito buzzing around her head. The humid and rainy environment was home to all types of infectious, tropical diseases. She’d had all the required vaccinations to take the position here and doused herself in mosquito repellent every day. The living conditions were harsh, however, but she knew she had it infinitely better than the patients she treated.
“Looks like the doctors are here early,” Luciana commented.
The mid-thirties, American doctor who worked at Bajo Chiquito with them was an arrogant, know-it-all, white male. He had little bedside manner, and more than once, Avery wondered what had instilled him to take this position. The doctors she’d worked with in the past while she was on assignment in a volunteer capacity were humble, caring people. Giving. He was abrupt, demanding, and less-than-patient when giving orders.
Luciana didn’t like him because he’d hit on her on several different occasions. His interest in her was ill-received, and Avery got the impression he thought the local nurses should be flattered by his authority and attention.
The reality was far from that.
While Avery had noticed him watching her as well, she’d mentioned Ryan’s name on multiple occasions so he’d know she wasn’t available. He’d eased off, but Avery still wasn’t fond of the man. She didn’t know the second doctor as well as he was constantly busy, seeing as many patients as he could.
“I didn’t see Dr. Walters at breakfast,” Avery noted, watching several of the other nurses file into another tent. They’d set up to see patients in a triage type of area. Avery and Luciana would be focused on preventative medical care today, vaccinating children and any others who needed it.
“No big loss,” Luciana said dryly. “I caught him following us the other day after dinner. When he saw us watching, he quickly turned around and headed another way.”
“He’s single,” Avery told her. “He’s mentioned that more than once to me. He certainly came to the wrong place if he’s hoping to hook up with the nurses every night.”
Luciana scowled. “Men like him are trouble. He arrived only days before you did, and I wish he’d hop on the first plane back to the States.”
Avery huffed out a laugh. “His assignment is a year-long one like mine.”
“How unfortunate for us.”
Avery didn’t disagree. She’d dealt with plenty of overly flirtatious doctors back in the hospital in L.A. They’d hit on her because she was young, blonde, and single. Some of them were even married with families but figured since she was on long shifts at the same time as them, she might want to hook up.
It happened between other hospital employees, no doubt, but she took no part in any such thing.
The two women walked into the tent, the dimness inside a sharp contrast and welcome relief to the bright morning glare of the sun.
“Good morning. We’ve got a lot to do today,” Dr. Walters said as he looked over at them, rubbing his hands together. “A large group with young children came through in the early morning hours. I’d like to get them examined and vaccinated before they continue north.”
Luciana nodded. “Do we have an estimate on numbers?”
He cocked his head. “I’m not sure. Maybe fifty kids? Dr. Brennan spoke with some of them earlier. They know to come over to our tents this morning for medical care.”
“I’ll get the supplies ready,” Luciana told them.
“Thank you, nurse,” he said, effectively dismissing her as he turned toward Avery. She felt his gaze on her as she flipped through the papers on her clipboard, making sure each station was covered for the morning. One nurse was off today, and they rotated through the nursing staff to ensure everyone had at least one rest day. There were too many patients to afford any extra time.
“Avery,” Dr. Walters said, crossing the tent toward her. It didn’t miss her notice that he always addressed her by her first name, yet he simply called the others, “nurse.”
“Yes, Dr. Walters?” she asked, pointedly addressing him more formally.
“Brandon. Call me Brandon. It’s been a month,” he said, flashing her a toothy grin. “I certainly think we’re on a first name basis by now. We’ve got nearly another year together here.”
“Of course,” she said smoothly, looking back at her papers and making a note. He’d be annoyed that she didn’t immediately stop what she was doing the second he spoke, but guys like him needed to realize the world didn’t revolve around them.
Luciana came back a moment later, a frown on her face. “I opened the storage locker, and it looks like a box is missing.”
“Impossible,” Dr. Walters snapped. “I was here myself earlier doing inventory. Go back and check again. I’m certain it’s all there.”
Luciana flinched but walked away, heading to check the supplies once more. They had a storage locker for things like plastic gloves, alcohol wipes, and the like. There were extra boxes taped up that Avery hadn’t gone through. Some things had been here long before she arrived, so she simply used what she needed and disregarded the rest.
Solar powered refrigerators and freezers for use in the field kept the vaccinations cold. Additional closets and cold storage were in the buildings where they were housed, but the solar powered units just outside the tents were useful for day-to-day operations. Vaccinations needed to remain at a certain temperature and couldn’t be left out for hours in the heat while the staff saw the day’s patients. And they simply didn’t have enough manpower for someone to be running back and forth all day long.
“I bet the nursing staff took anything that’s missing,” he muttered to Avery. “They’re all locals.”
She tried not to roll her eyes. Plenty of the locals in the village actually had done well for themselves. Business was in fact booming thanks to the vast numbers of people passing through as they migrated north. There were Internet cafes, grocery stores, and even little shops selling clothes or supplies. It was nothing compared to bustling American cities or towns, but it wasn’t exactly ramshackle shacks in a tiny little fishing village either. There was even construction going on, with contractors driving down from Panama City.
She was a bit surprised by the disparity here. While as Americans, she and Dr. Walters were no doubt better off with what they had back home, the villagers in Bajo Chiquito were now doing well for themselves, especially compared to the droves of people coming through who had little to their name.
“I’m going to go see what’s taking the nurse so long,” he suddenly said, hurrying toward the supply area. Avery watched him go and saw Luciana gesturing to what apparently was missing. Avery pulled her phone from her pocket as she watched them, frowning at the lack of signal. Cell service was less than reliable here, and she often used the Internet to stay in touch with family and friends back home.
And Ryan.
She’d spoken to him all of once since arriving in South America. His team had been sent out on an op, and he’d been out of contact for more than a week. She’d worried like crazy and couldn’t express her profound relief when he’d finally sent her an email. She was used to their texts before bed, their quiet phone conversations at night. Sending him a random picture. She’d write him long emails, but it wasn’t the same as shooting off a text whenever she thought of him.
Ryan seemed to have no trouble sending her flirty messages via email, but again, he was at home. She was in a foreign land, surrounded by strangers who’d slowly become friends. It was different, and she couldn’t deny that.
Even though she felt relatively safe, she was more on guard than she’d ever needed to be in California. It was difficult.
“We don’t have time to keep discussing this,” Dr. Walters said, moving over. “The patients are already lining up outside, and we have a large number to get through.”
The three of them got into place and quickly began moving through multiple families that morning. A few of the women seemed terrified of Dr. Walters’ poor bedside manner, and she wondered what they’d endured in the jungle. They’d denied needing examinations, but Avery began to wish he wasn’t here this morning so she and Luciana could speak to them alone.
Several hours later, they took a short break. The days had practically begun to run together with the endless amounts of people. Dr. Walters returned to the tent shortly after Avery and Luciana got themselves organized to continue taking patients. He was holding two cups of coffee and took a sip of one himself.
“Avery, I brought you a dark roast coffee. I noticed you liked the ones that they sell in town.”
“Oh,” she said, taken aback. She exchanged a glance with Luciana, who was across the tent, pulling on a pair of gloves to resume work.
“Sorry, nurse,” Dr. Walters said brusquely as he seemed to remember she was there, too. “This one is just for us ex-pats, right Avery?” His gaze wandered over her, too familiar, and a feeling of queasiness washed over her. He continued to hold out the coffee, and she finally crossed the tent to thank him, reluctantly taking the steaming cup. She had to admit it smelled fantastic. It also felt wrong to accept it. When Ryan surprised her with coffee, it was sweet. Genuine. He liked to make her happy. Coming from the doctor, however, it felt like he was singling her out, far more interested in Avery than he should be.
She took a sip of the steaming coffee, seeing Dr. Walters’ eyes on her mouth. “It’s good, right? I knew you’d be pleased. Nurse!” he barked at Luciana. “Tell the families to begin coming in.”