“No.”
“I'm not fucking around, Tori. The bottle, give it to me, now.”
“Make me!”
He abruptly lunged forward, startling a shriek out of her. She tried to stumble backwards, but he was too quick and his arms were around her in a second. She stepped all over his feet and jerked around, transferring the bottle from hand to hand. He was so much bigger than her, though, and much too strong. She was obviously going to lose. Instead of giving up, though, she chucked the bottle sideways. It flew into the little kitchenette where it bounced off the cupboards, then shattered all across the floor.
Both of them stood still and stared at the mess, their chests heaving against each other.
“You're cleaning that up,” he informed her, turning to look down at her. She snorted and looked back at him.
“Like fuck I am. Now calm down and tell me what happened to get you so rattled.”
The ridiculousness of the situation caught up to him and the tension went out of his body. He sighed and dropped his head to her shoulder.
“Nothing,” he breathed. “Just some bullshit.”
“Talk to me,” she whispered back, and he felt her fingers combing through the hair on the back of his head.
“Do you remember what you said? In the room in Bali?” he suddenly asked.
“I said a lot of stuff,” she chuckled.
“You said I needed to break something to feel whole,” he reminded her.
“Wow, I said that? Damn, I'm fucking smart.”
He finally laughed, as well.
“Did you mean it?”
“Why?”
“Because ...” his voice trailed off for a second as he tried to figure out exactly what he was trying to say. “I'm really worried it'll happen. I do stupid shit – I did something stupid tonight. Dangerous shit sometimes. I shouldn't have let you come with me.”
“As stupid as you think I am,” she started. “I am actually a real life actual adult. You didn't let me come, I decided to come. And I know you do stupid, dangerous shit, Landon. This isn't news to me. I knew it before I agreed to go to Bali, and I knew before I offered to come here. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. Take your best shot at me, I'm not so easy to break.”
Landon took a deep breath and squeezed her tighter. Held her closer.
Honestly, Tor, I highly fucking doubt it.
13
In the morning, they went downstairs early to wait for their ride to the village. Landon had managed to find a Starbucks nearby and Tori was drinking some much needed caffeine. They were talking and laughing, trying to act like the serious moment from the night before hadn't happened, when a large army type of Jeep pulled up in front of them. When they saw who was driving, Tori started shaking her head.
“This cannot be real life,” she grumbled.
“No,” Landon agreed. “This is definitely one of my fantasies.”
“Shut up.”
“Dr. Edenhoff, it's so good to meet you!”
A curvy redhead who looked like the human embodiment of femininity was walking around the car, holding out her hand to shake Landon's. He met her halfway, giving her one of his lazy, sexy grins. Tori snorted and chugged down the last of her coffee.
“Thanks for coming to get us,” he said, gesturing behind him to Tori. “And you are?”
“Amie Forsythe,” the girl introduced herself.
“Are you a doctor, too?” he asked.
“Lord, no. I do a lot of organizing in the village, basically telling everybody where to be and when. We'll be seeing a lot of each other,” Amie warned him in a teasing voice.
“Fantastic.”
“Hi,” Tori blurted out in a loud voice, then she moved to stand next to Landon. “Tori Bellows.”
“Oh, hiya! Yes, they told me you'd be bringing an assistant, Dr. Edenhoff. Let's get you guys loaded up,” Amie replied before moving to the back of the Jeep to open it up.
Assistant was their cover, it was the easiest way for her to be allowed to stay in a tenty with him and move around the volunteer area, so Tori wasn't upset at hearing herself called that. She didn't, however, care for Amie's dismissive tone, or the approving looks she kept shooting Dr. Edenhoff.
“You're so sexy when you're jealous,” Landon was suddenly growling low in her ear. Tori smirked and pushed away from him.
“Whatever, have at it. She probably has jungle rot of the vagina.”
“Jealous and crass. Why didn't we hook up sooner?
The ride was tedious. Over three hours southeast from Bangkok, down to a sprawling village which was nestled deep in the jungly countryside. The place was for sure rural, and much poorer than any kind of lifestyle Tori was used to, yet it still looked different from what she'd expected. They were surrounded by well developed farms – where was the crisis?
“Here's your orientation packet,” Amie said, reaching between the seats and pulling out a thick manila envelope. “The Cholera outbreak is the worst we've seen in this area. The well needs to be completely ripped out and a whole new one dug, but we can't get the funding, and without another source of water, people won't stop using it. And of course, Cholera isn't the only problem – it's just the worst of them. I hope I haven't scared you.”
“I've been in a lot worse,” Landon murmured, flipping through the pages in the envelope. Tori glanced over his shoulder, but didn't understand anything.
“I guess in jobs like ours, that's a good thing,” Amie laughed. “Our funding is shit right now, you'll be staying in a tent, but I promise it's not as bad as it sounds.”
“It'll be fine.”
“I'm not scaring you off, am I, Terry?” she called out, glancing in the rear view mirror. Tori smiled sweetly as visions of punching the other chick danced through her head.
“I love camping.”
“I've put in a request for a bunk in a women's group tent. Until then, I hope you don't mind sharing?” Amie double checked. She went to respond, but Landon held up his hand.
“We're used to it. Tori knows how to deal with my bullshit. It's better for everyone this way.”
They drove through several security check points and were made to get out of the Jeep. Badges were issued and rules were read. Tori was intimidated by it all, but Landon looked bored. After they were cleared to go in and out of the volunteer area, Amie drove them straight to the field hospital, which was little more than a really long tent with open sides. Rows and rows of cheap hospital beds seemed to stretch on forever.
“Want me to drop you off at your tent?” Amie offered Tori. “You could unload the doctor's stuff while I show him around.”
“I'm fine.”
Tori was regretting it, though, about two minutes later. She held a gauzy scarf to her face as they walked along the rows. Amie pointed out various stations, introduced Landon to two other doctors and a lot of nurses.
It was hot and there were flies everywhere. The smell of vomit and feces was overwhelming. Moans and cries came from every direction. If she'd had to guess what hell sounded like, Tori would've said just like that field hospital in Thailand.
“As you can see, we're a little understaffed. I'll try to be around to help as much as possible, but be prepared to be pulled every which way, all at once.”
“I'm good at that,” Landon assured her. “It's a specialty of mine.”
“Good, because you're on the clock as of right now,” Amie sighed, patting him on the arm. “Let's go drop off your stuff, then I'll show you guys where the showers are and the canteen. After that, it's work, work, work, I'm afraid.”
“That's what I'm here for.”
Tori wanted to shadow them all day and keep a watchful eye on Amie, but their walk through the hospital did her in. Landon may been used to it all, but it was quite a shock for her. She offered to stay behind when they got to their camp site, insisting Landon could show her around later.
After the pair had driven off, Tori lowered the flaps of the army style tent she was going t
o call home for at least a week. She stared around the place and suddenly realized she was somewhat in shock.
She'd gone from a two bedroom apartment in San Francisco to some hole in Thailand. At least the tent was large, with a metal support system holding it up. A green tarp crunched underfoot and worked in place of a proper floor. There was a file cabinet, a desk, two table chairs, and what looked like a double wide cot. A cot. A prison thin mattress sat on top of it, with two pillows and a blanket curled up at the end. A bench was at the foot of the bed, a small card table was against the opposite wall, and next to it was a stack of milk crates. And that was it for furniture.
Tori sank into a chair – or more like collapsed. What had she gotten herself into!? She'd been lying to Amie, she'd actually never been camping, and now she'd committed to a week in a tent in a jungle in Thailand. A fucking tent.
She frowned and sat up straight. Of course, at least this tent was clean, and it would only be her most of the time. Landon would be spending his time in that nightmarish hospital tent, with all those sick and dying people. Those awful smells and horrible sounds. She had it better than him, really.
And at least she wasn't one of the sick and dying people. She suddenly felt horrifically guilty. Here she was, ready to break down crying because there was nowhere to plug in her cell phone, and people were dying just three hundred feet away. Dying because they'd had no choice but to drink dirty well water.
She stood up and clapped her hands together, then got busy unpacking. She couldn't do much, but she could at least spare Landon any menial tasks. She put their clothing in the milk crates, then stashed their luggage under the bed where they wouldn't take up any valuable floor space.
She found a box full of candles and realized for the first time they most likely wouldn't have power all the time. There was a generator outside the tent, Amie had pointed it out – only select people got the use of them. As a doctor, Landon would most likely need it when he was making notes and writing reports, but use was limited. There was only so much budget for gasoline. There was a lamp on the desk, and when Tori tried to turn it on, nothing happened. It was day time - no darkness, no need for light, so no need for electricity.
This is going to be a week full of learning opportunities, isn't it?
By the time Landon came back, she had their quarters set up as best she could. Fat candles had been placed on top of the file cabinet near their bed, as well as at the center of the card table across the room. She'd made the bed and dusted every surface and done literally anything she could think of to make the space seem nicer.
“Wanna go home yet?” Landon was chuckling when he came inside. He had to duck his head till he got to the center of the tent, he was too tall for the edges.
“I seriously considered running away for a minute,” she was honest. “But then I remembered I'm not a pussy.”
“We'll see about that. I'm smoking in here, get over it,” he warned her as he sat on the edge of the bed and pulled out his cigarettes. She glared at him, but didn't say anything. Instead she went to the opening and curled up one of the flaps, tying it back so it would stay open.
“Everything is going to smell like Marlboros,” she warned him.
“I can think of worse things to smell like.”
“So what about you? You happy you're doing this again?” she asked, moving and sitting down next to him. He shrugged.
“I don't know if happy is the word I'd use.”
“Then what word would you use?”
He paused for a long time and lit his smoke.
“Fulfilled?” he finally offered. “Maybe even a little ... proud.”
“Awww,” she teased in a baby voice. “Wook at widdle Wandon, growing up so fast!”
He snorted and sprinkled ashes over her bare thighs.
“You're my assistant, you have to be respectful of me,” he reminded her.
“Good luck with that.”
“This isn't going to be fun,” he said in a low voice. She'd been brushing off her legs and looked up at him.
“I know that.”
“I'm serious. If you're not out there helping, then you need to be in here, staying out of the way, making things easier for me,” he insisted, glancing at her. “I'm gonna be tired, I'm gonna be a dick to you. I'm gonna do drugs in front of you.”
He was trying to scare her, she knew. So instead of giving him what he wanted, she smiled and grabbed his hand. Held it between her own.
“And it's all going to be exciting as fuck,” she replied, finally getting him to laugh. “You do what you came here to do, and I'll do what I came here to do, and everything will be fine.”
“And what did you come here to do?” he asked. She rolled her eyes.
“Take care of you, obviously.”
“God, any more of this cheese, and I'm going to puke all over you. C'mon, let me show you around this place. Wait till you see what we'll be eating.”
He stood up and walked away from the bed, but still held onto her hand, forcing her to follow. And though they were in a new and scary situation, she couldn't help but smile as she followed him wherever he went.
FOUR DAYS INTO HER week long challenge, and Tori was proud to say she hadn't been scared off by anything she'd seen.
She had been given a new appreciation for life, though, and she'd been surprised at the things she was not only able to do, but more than willing to do, as well.
Sitting and doing nothing wasn't in her nature, so day one saw her leaving their tent and seeing where she could be most useful. She spent the next couple days helping to prep lunches, serving up meals. Went into the village and helped pass out water bottles.
On day four, she decided she was finally brave enough for the hospital. Landon was on his way back from lunch and when he saw her getting briefed with the other volunteers, he'd simply pulled her out of the group and told her to follow him around.
“Do anything I tell you to do, understood? If you hesitate, you'll kill someone, and then I'll kill you, got it?”
She knew just how much he meant that statement, so she'd thought for a moment before saying she understood and falling in line behind him.
And she really meant it. She held gauze over bloody, infected wounds. Her shoes were continually puked on. She was yelled at in a multitude of languages – mostly by Landon. She fetched water and blankets and disinfectant and antibiotics. She took temperatures and wiped down vomit soaked chests. She did absolutely anything and everything she was told to do.
By the end of the day, she was too tired and too gross to even think about food. She dragged herself into the showers and stood under the spray forever. It was dark in the room and the water was cold and the space was communal, but she didn't care. She just concentrated on scrubbing other peoples' bodily fluids off her skin.
When she got back to their tent, she'd never imagined she could be so happy to see some shitty cot. She fell on her face on it and didn't move. Not even when she heard the tent flaps being pushed in and footsteps crunching across the tarp.
“You alive?”
Landon's voice was low and hoarse.
“Barely,” she grunted, not even bothering to open her eyes when he sat down next to her. She couldn't smell sweat or cigarettes and realized he must have showered, as well.
“You did good today,” he said softly, and she felt his fingertips against her back. Gently sliding down her tank top to the slice of skin showing above her shorts.
“Really?” she managed a laugh. “Because I distinctly remember a disgruntled doctor yelling at me that if I didn't move my 'fat ass' a little faster, he was going to shove a speculum up it sideways.”
“Hey, got you moving, didn't it?” he chuckled, his fingers stroking back and forth over her skin.
“My ass isn't fat,” she mumbled before yawning and curling onto her side.
“It's perfect,” he sighed. “You were perfect today, Tor. I'm ...”
“You're ... ?” she asked through anothe
r yawn.
“I'm proud of you,” he whispered.
But she didn't get to hear it. She was already asleep.
14
Landon stood next to a hospital bed, his arms folded across his chest. He was staring down the length of beds, trying to decide where he was needed most. There really weren't enough doctors to deal with the patient load, which meant nurses and poorly trained volunteers were all stumbling over each other to try and make up the deficit.
One volunteer in particular had his attention. Tori was about halfway down the room, chewing out another volunteer. He wasn't sure what had happened, but he didn't doubt the guy had earned her wrath. He almost felt bad for him. Tori was in full-on work mode and the same skills that had gotten her an assistant manager promotion were coming in handy. She was a natural leader when she had to be, and people also just gravitated towards her.
She had come up with the ingenious idea to wrap plastic bags around her shoes, which kept them vomit free, but also made her look insane. Her hair was a ratty knot on top of her head, her special conditioner long since forgotten. She was sweaty and she was dirty and she was so fucking amazing, she actually took his breath away a little.
“Hey, you!”
He turned and found Amie standing close behind him. She always seemed to be hovering around him. He wasn't surprised – he was one of the few people in the camp relatively close to her age and not hideous looking. She'd been there a long time, he must have looked like fresh meat to her.
And normally a redhead with double Ds would be allowed to take as many bites out of him as she wanted, and she'd made it very clear she wanted to, but he hadn't gone for it. Not this time.
“Hey, any luck with the budget?” he asked. She groaned and shook her head.
“No, can you believe it? I mean, I know Cholera doesn't sound bad on paper, but I wish they could just see this,” she said, gesturing to all the sick people. “And then understand that it even goes beyond all this. So many sick people not being able to do their jobs makes it easier for gangs to come in and take over. It's only a matter of time before we're run out of here.”
Neighborhood Watch Page 13
