Jingle All the Way

by Debbie Macomber

  It helped that she was gaining strength each day, getting out of the room and walking more. She was almost ready to join the others for meals and probably should have, except she cherished being alone with Asher.

  By the end of the sixth day, she decided it was time to sit in on the lectures and join the other passengers. By then she was thoroughly sick of remaining in her stateroom. The fever was gone, and she felt almost like her old self.

  Everyone aboard the Amazon Explorer had heard about her troubles. The first ones to approach her were Janice and David Brown.

  “It’s so good to see you up and about,” Janice said, squeezing her hand as she took the seat next to Everly.

  “I’m happy to be out of that stateroom, that’s for sure.”

  “I’m so sorry you’ve had to miss going out on the Zodiacs,” Janice continued. “We have seen the most amazing birds along the way, and the foliage is magnificent.”

  During his visits, Asher had often spoken with enthusiasm of the ecology system of the rainforest. Although she hadn’t been the least bit interested when she first boarded the ship, he’d piqued her curiosity. After spending nearly all of her first week of the cruise in bed, she was eager to get out and explore the rainforest for herself.

  She remembered Asher’s comment about people being so busy in the fast pace of life that they missed out on the amazing and the spectacular that was right in front of them. Here she was in the middle of the most incredible ecosystem on earth and she fully intended to enjoy it, to open her eyes and see the things Asher spoke of with such energy and passion.

  * * *

  —

  After a full seven days, all her symptoms had disappeared, and she felt like a new woman. Asher declared her healthy and fit. Everly was almost sorry that she wouldn’t be seeing nearly as much of him. She spent the entire day with the other passengers, sat in on the lecture, and attended all the meals.

  That evening it was announced that in a couple days the passengers would be taking the long-awaited trek into the rainforest to meet with the indigenous tribe. At dinner that night, it was all anyone would talk about.

  “If you feel up to it, you really should go,” Asher encouraged her after his lecture.

  “I’d like that, I really would. Unfortunately, because of the mix-up, I didn’t pack the appropriate gear.”

  Everly wasn’t in her room more than fifteen minutes when there was a knock on her door.

  She opened it to find Asher standing there. “As it happens, the ship has a limited gift shop with Explorer shirts and pants. Many of our passengers like to collect these as keepsakes, since the name of the ship is embroidered on the shirts. I had to guess your size. No worries if these don’t fit, they can be exchanged in time for you to go on the excursion.” He handed her a bag.

  For half a second, Everly was speechless. “How thoughtful. Thank you, Asher.”

  A smile lit up his handsome face. “I would hate for you to miss it,” he said. “I know once you’ve had the chance to explore the rainforest, you’ll never be the same.”

  That was exactly what Everly expected would happen.

  CHAPTER SIX

  At six-thirty, as had happened all week, Everly was abruptly woken by a loudspeaker announcement stating that breakfast would take place in thirty minutes. She bolted upright in bed and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. In many ways this cruise was like summer camp for adults, a reminder of a happy childhood. She stumbled out of bed and reached for the clothes Asher had delivered the night before. He must have been paying attention, because everything he’d chosen fit perfectly, as if specifically designed for her.

  After breakfast, Everly and her fellow passengers gathered in the general meeting area. Asher stood before them. “This morning, I’m going to tell you about two of the most dangerous insects and spiders in the world. I imagine most of you can guess the first one.”

  The German professor, Gunther Kotz, raised his hand and looked sympathetically toward Everly. “The mosquito.”

  “Right on. Mosquitoes thrive in hot and humid environments, and the Amazon rainforest provides ideal conditions. If you didn’t think to bring bug repellent with you,” he said, and looked pointedly at Everly, “there is some available in the gift shop.”

  Everly knew she’d be making a trip there as soon as the lecture was over. Bugs, even the most benign, gave her the willies, especially after her most recent ordeal.

  “Mosquitoes carry a variety of diseases, including yellow fever and malaria. So please be sure to use plenty of insect repellent anytime we are off the ship.” Again, the remark seemed to be aimed at her. Everly had learned her lesson and intended to slather enough repellent on her to bring down every insect within a two-mile radius.

  “And then there is the wandering spider.”

  Everly cringed. Spiders, by far, were one of her absolute worst fears. The thought of them sent chills down her spine.

  “It is the most venomous arachnid in the world. The scientific name is the Greek word for ‘murderess.’ ”

  Everly’s hand shot into the air.

  “Yes, Daisy,” Asher said, giving her his attention.

  “How likely are we to see one of these killer spiders?”

  His smile was all-knowing. “Not likely. They mostly prowl around the jungle floor during the night, seeking out prey rather than building nests.”

  “Is that why they’re named wandering spiders?” Professor Kotz asked.

  “Makes sense,” someone else called out.

  “During daylight, they like to hide in various places, like in the leaves of the banana plant.”

  Everly gasped.

  Asher sent her a reassuring glance. “The likelihood of us getting close to one is highly improbable. You can rest easy, Daisy.”

  “Thank you.” That was encouraging, but it didn’t give her a lot of confidence when it came to traipsing through the jungle, which she would be doing soon enough.

  To Everly’s surprise, the day flew by quickly. She had to admit the information given was enlightening and interesting. After lunch she took a short nap, found a research book in what passed for the library—she found a total of five fiction paperbacks; everything else were well-read nonfiction titles. Seeing that the only available space in her room to relax was on her bed, where she’d spent the majority of five full days, she curled up in the meeting area of the ship instead. She was soon joined by Janice Brown.

  “I’m so pleased you’ve recovered,” she said, “and even more so when Asher told us you’d be joining us tomorrow morning for the excursion.”

  “I’m looking forward to it. When I first came on board, I didn’t have the right attitude, but hearing about the wonders of the rainforest from Asher has given me a change of heart.”

  What Asher had said continued to play in her mind, about having the beauty of nature directly in front of her and passing it by without noticing. Years ago, Everly had read a story about a classical musician who played at Carnegie Hall with tickets that cost as much as five hundred dollars each. He set up in the subway station and played his violin for free and collected thirty dollars. People walked right past without recognizing they were listening to a virtuoso.

  “Yes, Asher’s lectures have been inspiring. One can’t listen to him speak and not hear his passion. It’s contagious.”

  Asher had made the Amazon and the rainforest sound intriguing…much as the man was himself. He put her at ease and had seen her at her worst. She liked him, enjoyed listening to him. Not that she had any great expectations of anything lasting from their friendship. He wasn’t exactly the Latin lover she’d dreamed about while on the long flight to Brazil.

  In many ways he was better. Asher had awakened something inside of Everly, something that had lain dormant since she’d joined forces with Jack Campbell to create Easy Home. She was s
trongly attracted to Asher, drawn in by his passion and knowledge for a world that she had basically ignored once she’d moved away from the farm. He was lighting up a dark area of her life with the thought of family, friends, relationships that she had pushed aside in her drive to prove herself and make a success of the business. He made her wonder what all she’d lost out on because she’d walked through the last six years wearing blinders.

  “Don’t allow the reaction to that mosquito bite ruin your vacation,” Janice advised. “Make the most of this opportunity. I strongly suspect you’ll be able to look back at this trip as one of the highlights of your life.”

  “I think it just might be,” she admitted. Annette had arranged this cruise as revenge; little did Jack’s niece realize she’d done Everly a huge favor.

  “If it will help, you can sit with me on the Zodiac,” Janice suggested next. “I’m not exactly graceful when it comes to climbing in and out of those rubber rafts.”

  “I don’t imagine I will be, either.” Sitting behind a desk all day wasn’t exactly conducive to leaping in and out of watercrafts. Other than when she was a kid, she wasn’t much of an outdoors person. Her siblings had all been active in sports, but not Daisy. She was always the last one to be chosen for a team. Her mother insisted she had other talents, different ones. And she did.

  * * *

  —

  The next morning, lathered up in mosquito repellent, dressed in her new clothes, Everly joined the others as they left the Amazon Explorer and settled into the Zodiacs. Asher was in the same Zodiac as Everly. He seemed to be keeping an eye on her, and she was grateful, although she knew the reason. He wanted to be sure she was up to this after being sick.

  Hanging on tightly, she and Janice linked their arms together in support and rode for a good twenty minutes along the murky waters of the Amazon. The Zodiac slowed as the watercraft entered a tributary. As the boat came to a near crawl, Asher pointed out several species of birds, providing names that quickly flew in and out of her head. He was knowledgeable and entertaining, adding tidbits of information. Everly found herself enjoying what he said as well as the sound of his voice, which was rich, mellow, and familiar after all the time they’d spent together.

  The Zodiac entered an area where the water was still, where they happened upon lily pads as large as a child’s swimming pool. The flowers were gorgeous.

  “They are known as Victoria amazonica,” Asher explained. “They are the world’s largest lily pads and routinely grow to over ten feet in diameter and are stable enough to support the weight of a small child.”

  Her companions grabbed every opportunity for picture taking. Several in the Zodiac had professional cameras with a variety of lenses. She hadn’t even thought to bring her phone, which she now regretted.

  As if sensing her disappointment, Asher leaned toward her and said, “I’ve collected a number of amazing shots over the years that I’ll be happy to share with you.”

  “Thank you,” she whispered back.

  One of the women frowned, as if annoyed by the special treatment Everly got. To be fair, Everly felt a bit guilty about it as well, although she appreciated Asher’s kindness and attention. It seemed Everly wasn’t the only one who’d taken notice of how attractive Asher was, even if the woman was twenty years older.

  With so much to see, Everly lost track of time, but it had to have been forty minutes or longer before the Zodiacs reached the spot where they were to disembark. Asher got out first and lent a hand to each one as they stepped off the rubber lip of the watercraft and onto the land.

  Everly was one of the last to depart behind Janice. Asher placed his hands around her waist and half-lifted her onto dry ground so she could avoid getting her tennis shoes wet. Everyone else had boots.

  “Thanks,” she said, enjoying the feel of his arms as he set her down. He might have held on to her a bit longer than necessary, but maybe she was imagining that—not that she was complaining.

  He held her gaze before he released her. “My pleasure.” As if uncomfortable, he hurried to the front of the assembled group and led the way into the lush forest. Everly was the last passenger in the single line that snaked through the thick foliage. Jimmy, the crew member who’d manned the Zodiac, held up the rear. A light mist started to fall on them, followed by a deluge. It was as if she was standing under a waterfall, which made it nearly impossible to see. Water poured off the brim of the hat Asher had provided.

  Keeping her head lowered, Everly trudged on, following Janice and stepping into her muddy footprints. She tired quickly and had trouble keeping up with the group. Jimmy was somewhere behind her. Everly paused when she came upon a fork in the path, unsure which way to go. She’d gotten confused and could no longer see Janice, who was well ahead of her. She sighed with relief when she saw footprints. She took the path and continued on, determined to catch up with the rest of the group.

  After about ten minutes of walking as fast as she could in the downpour, she called out to Jimmy. “How much farther is this village?”

  Her question went unanswered.

  She tried again, louder this time, thinking Jimmy must not have heard her.

  Again, she got no response. Lifting her head, she turned, only to realize that Jimmy wasn’t there, nor could she see Janice.

  She was alone and lost in the rainforest.

  “Hello,” she shouted, her voice shrill with panic. “Can anyone hear me?” She couldn’t possibly have wandered too far away. She’d been following Janice’s muddy boot prints, stepping into the same spot her friend had taken. Looking down, she realized that it wasn’t a boot print she’d been blindly tracking—it was a bare footprint.

  “Help,” she tried again, but she could barely hear her own voice above the sound of the pounding rain. She stood under the shelter of what could well have been a banana tree until she remembered Asher’s talk about the wandering spider. One could easily be hiding in the leaves. She preferred getting drenched over being bitten by a murdering spider.

  Frozen, she was almost afraid to breathe. The downpour had returned to a mist, but by this point her clothes were sopping wet and clung to her.

  “Why is this happening?” she cried out to the universe. If Annette had sought revenge, she’d gotten it in spades. She could see the headlines now: “Chicago Executive Lost in Amazon Rainforest.”

  The leaves rustled behind her and for a moment she was convinced she’d been found. Quickly she surmised that the movement might not be human but that of a wild animal. Asher had said that the jaguar made the rainforest its home. The jaguar was the third-largest big cat in the world, he’d said. He’d also mentioned they were killing machines.

  “Nice kitty,” she whispered.

  The bush moved again. Her breathing stopped entirely as fear gripped her lungs. Never had she been more afraid in her life. She thought about her mother and siblings and regretted every holiday she’d missed with her family. Silently she pleaded with God that if He let her survive, she’d make it up to her family if it took her the rest of her life, which she sincerely hoped would last many years.

  The brush parted. Everly’s eyes widened. This was it. Either she was being rescued or she would be left for dead on the muddy floor of this jungle.

  Only, it wasn’t a jaguar that was behind the vegetation. It was a short man with a dark face smeared with red paint. He wore a loincloth and carried a spear.

  Everly immediately relaxed. One of the Caribs, the indigenous people they were meeting, had found her. He would take her to the others.

  “Oh, thank heavens,” she said, smiling at him. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you finding me. I don’t know what happened. I was right behind Janice and then I wasn’t.”

  He stared at her and remained silent.

  “It must have been your footprint that I followed. How that happened is a mystery t
o me. Maybe not, as there was that fork in the path. I must have chosen the wrong one. Thankfully, Asher noticed and sent you to find me.”

  Again, he remained silent.

  “I can’t imagine where Jimmy is. Have you seen him?” She was grateful when the sun broke through the canopy of trees, providing enough light for her to see.

  The little man, who was no taller than five foot three, turned and indicated that she should follow him. He was amazingly agile and quickly made his way through the foliage. Everly blindly followed and did her best to keep pace.

  After several minutes at this grueling pace, she badly needed to rest. Asher must have forgotten to tell him she had only recently recovered from a lengthy illness. “Would it be possible…for you…to slow down?” she asked, in a desperate effort to catch her breath. She was eager to join the others, but she wasn’t sure how long she could maintain this killing pace.

  The man made a grumbling sound. It amazed her how adept he was at walking through the rainforest. He might be small in stature, but he was quick and strong. Keeping up with him was difficult.

  After thirty minutes, Everly found it nearly impossible to move at the same rate as her rescuer, and once more, she began to slow down. She’d assumed the village, where Asher planned to take them, would be relatively close.

  How had she really gotten so far turned around?

  Breathless, she stopped and planted her hands on her knees, hoping to even out her breathing. If she’d had the wherewithal, she would have explained her circumstances, but it didn’t seem like the man understood a word she’d said. Every time she tried to communicate, he cocked his head to one side and gave her the strangest look.

  “I need to rest,” she said calmly, and pressed her hand over her heart and breathed hard, hoping he would understand.