With the Wind | A Short Novel
Page 8
“God bless you, Doctor.”
“Misty. I’ll take you, but prepare yourself. You’ve never seen anything like this before. Not in your worst nightmares.”
“My worst nightmare is that I’ll never see him again.”
“Come with me.”
CHAPTER TWENTY NINE
Misty could not believe her eyes.
Everything was gone.
A giant bulldozer had smashed all the buildings.
A water bulldozer.
She threw up, again.
It was the smell.
The smell of rotting flesh.
She had Daniel’s address.
But an address wouldn’t do her any good.
There were no addresses in Phuket anymore.
Only rubble and bodies.
So many bodies.
The children. There were thousands of dead and injured children here.
She wanted to help.
She promised herself that she would after she found Daniel.
They would help these poor people.
Together.
Misty went from hospital to hospital.
They weren’t really hospitals.
They were tarps set up to cover the dead and dying.
But that is where he’d be.
He would be helping all these desperate souls.
That was Daniel.
That was the man she loved.
She had been searching all day.
It was Saturday now, four days after the wave hit.
She had not slept much during the last week.
One more hospital, she told herself.
I’ll go to one more, and then I’ll find a spot to curl up and pass out.
“Have you seen this man?” Misty shouted, waving a picture of Daniel.
“Anyone, have you seen him?”
This is what she did. She stumbled through the litters.
Searching, desperately searching.
A young nurse approached her. She was Caucasian.
“May I see the picture?”
Misty showed her Daniel’s photo.
“I’m Tiana.”
“Misty Buffett.”
“Misty you look terrible. May I get you a cup of coffee?”
“I’d love one. Bless you.”
“Please. Wait for me over there,” Tiana said, pointing at an aide station.
Tiana returned with the coffee and an envelope.
Misty’s heart raced. Had Tiana seen Daniel? Was he here?
CHAPTER THIRTY
“Misty, I have to tell you. I recognized you as soon as you walked in,” Tiana said.
“Daniel? Is he here? Tell me what he …”
“Honey, Daniel was here. He’s dead, Misty. Daniel died in my arms two days ago.”
No, it couldn’t be true. She was lying, or mistaWilson, or…
Misty didn’t cry. For the moment she was beyond tears.
All she could do was look desperately at this woman.
This woman who had told her the worst news she could imagine.
“Daniel was severely injured in the tsunami. He should have died immediately. Something kept him going. It was you.”
“I couldn’t sit with him all day, of course,” Tiana continued. “There are so many people here who need attention. But I talked with him for a few hours. He told me all about you. Daniel loved you Misty, very much.”
“He held on as long as he could because he knew that you would find him.” Tiana handed Misty the envelope. “I asked him if I should mail this letter, but he said no. He told me to give it to you when you arrived.”
“I’m amazed that you found me. How did you get here? I mean no one is being allowed into the country…”
Misty wasn’t listening.
She was reading.
Misty, my love. I am so sorry for what has happened. I could not get out of way of wave. I try, I try so hard but it was too much. I was smashed into concrete wall by water. Doctor told me that there is nothing he can do, I am bleeding too much inside.
I know that you will come for me. I give your picture to nurse, Miss Tiana. She will keep a look out for you.
Please take my body back to Russia. I want you meet my parents. I tell them night before wave, on Christmas Day, that we re-unite and all about our plans. They send you money to take me back. I tell you how to find them on other side of letter.
Now I feel no pain. I take no medicine, but I feel no pain because when I close my eyes I am with you in our wonderful bedroom making love all night long. Then I think about our days spent talking. I see your eyes. You have most special, beautiful eyes. You have most special soul.
Please remember what I tell you now. I love you from moment I first saw you. It is true. You are most beautiful woman in world, but even more beautiful inside than out. You are my wife forever, even though we never get to be married. Love never die, Misty, it lives on. I live on through you.
Someday another man come into your life. I hope and pray he love you as much as I do. Marry this man, Misty. Be happy and have many children. Keep place for me in your heart, but do not stop living because I am gone.
Be happy. That is all I ever want for you.
We be together again someday. In next world. I know this is true.
Help people in Thailand. I want you do this. For me.
I love you. I am yours forever,
Daniel
“Misty? Hey honey, did you hear what I said?”
“What? No, I’m sorry.”
“God I hate to ask, but I need your help. They just brought in fifty more patients. They’re all kids from the orphanage. It was completely destroyed.”
“Yes, I will. I’ll do whatever you need me to do.”
“Look, I can see that you’re exhausted. Rest for a while…”
“No, Tiana. I will help you. Right now, not later. Tell me what to do.”
“Daniel was right. You are a remarkable woman.”
“I didn’t deserve him. He was way too good for me.”
“Grab that case over there. I need you to move…”
Misty became a medic that day.
The suffering of others took her mind off of her own loss.
But whenever things slowed down, even for an instant, she could see him.
She could see him standing over her in the barn, begging her not to end her life.
She could see him standing in the corral with Sweet Pea with his shirt off all covered in dust and hay.
She could see him in bed with her.
She could see him laughing.
She could see him alive and well.
Misty knew that she would never lose Daniel, they were one.
Once she had done what he asked and helped these people as much as she could, she would try her best to be what he wanted her to be.
Happy.