“Yeah? Found someone to pour for you?” she asked, interested, as they began to walk through the ward together.
“Not only that,” she bragged, “but it’s warm water.”
“Really?” she asked, actually interested in the way the conversation had gone. “How’d you manage that?”
“Hamishish arranged it for me. Come and I’ll share the showers with you,” then she blushed deeply as she realized how that sounded. “I mean...I didn’t mean...” she stammered.
Deanna chuckled and said, “Don’t sweat it.” They both laughed at that turn of phrase. Already the sun was hot and drying up the place. There were actually several places they could walk now without encountering the mud.
They made their way to their tent, got clean clothes to change into, and then went to the showers where a small fire had been lit to warm the water for them.
“You sure they won’t mind pouring for me too?” Deanna asked, worriedly. She hadn’t thought of bribing someone to do this and wondered why Hamishish had offered to the nurse.
“Naw, I told you, they owe me,” she assured her as she went into the curtained-off area and quickly stripped out of her dirty clothes. She hung up the ones she intended to change into and carefully pushed the other curtain across to keep them dry as she saw the women carrying up the heavy buckets of warm water.
Carefully they poured half the bucket of hot water into an empty bucket and added a little of the cooler water until the water wasn’t so hot. They poured this into the shower receptacle and this sprinkled down on the two women. They quickly utilized the warm water and shampooed their hair and scrubbed their sweaty bodies with soap. The water got progressively warmer as the carriers tired of hauling bucket after bucket up the platform, but finally they were done. Both women relished the feeling of the hot shower they had received and dressed in their clean clothing.
“Oh, my gawd, that was great,” Deanna gushed as she used a towel on her short, blonde hair. The hot African sun had been bleaching it whiter, removing the various browns and reds.
“I thought so too,” the nurse answered as she gathered her dirty clothes in a ball.
“Have you eaten?”
“No, have you?”
“No, and I’m starving, but I’m going to have to eat, walk it off a little, and then collapse for a few hours,” she explained her itinerary.
“Sounds good to me,” and there was a note of absolute exhaustion in the redhead’s voice too.
They did exactly that, hurrying to shovel down the food, ignoring all attempts by their associates to converse as they wished to finish their meal in a hurry. Taking a walk on the now drying paths, they still couldn’t go far as the river hadn’t receded enough; it was too soon after the inundation they had received.
“Would you look at that!” Deanna exclaimed as she pointed out an animal.
“What is that? A cheetah?” The alarm in her voice was obvious.
“No, I think it’s a serval or what they call a bush cat,” the blonde told her excitedly.
“A serval? I don’t think I’ve heard of that...” she began as she peered at the spotted cat.
“It’s Portuguese for wolf-deer,” the brilliant doctor informed her. The tone of her voice told how excited she was to see one in the wild and not too far from their home. “They also call them a giraffe-cat, but I can see why you thought that was a cheetah. They once thought they were just a smaller cheetah.” There was no hint of superiority in her tone as she explained what she knew about the cat. She was just sharing it with her friend. “The ancient Egyptians used to worship them for their grace and power. I’m not surprised that we’re seeing them here on the plains. I’ve even read that they are called the ‘Savannah Stalker’ because they hunt on these plains.”
Just when she thought she couldn’t be more impressed by Deanna and her brilliance, she still surprised her. “Look at those ears,” she gasped. They were huge! The animal itself was long and sleek, not as big as the lions she had seen in the zoo, but still, definitely a big cat. It sat on an outcropping, just above the grass, sunning itself.
“You know, there are people that have them as pets,” the doctor said with a tone that implied she wouldn’t mind having one for herself.
“Well, you go catch one,” she teased.
“Maybe I will,” she laughed with her friend. The cat heard her laughter from far away. It looked at them momentarily before slipping off the rock and disappearing into the long grasses. “Oh, too bad,” she lamented.
“Ah well, you’ll just have to try again next time,” she teased some more. Maddie smiled up at the blonde, noticing how white her hair had become in the African sun. The roots were definitely darker where they were growing in. “You need a haircut,” she said when she noticed, and without thinking, her hand came up to run her fingers through the spikey locks.
Deanna froze where she stood as she looked down at the redhead. The feel of her fingers through her hair felt wonderful. She forgot to breathe for a moment and they locked eyes.
Maddie realized her mistake as soon as their eyes met. In that moment it was just the two of them out on the plain, within sight of the village, but far enough away that they couldn’t be seen clearly. She took a step forward, hesitated for a brief moment, thought about stepping back, and then leaned up for a kiss.
Deanna wasn’t sure she should, but at the same time she knew she had been attracted to the redhead for quite some time. It wasn’t that she was attracted to all women, but Maddie and she had spent a lot of time together and she considered her a friend, a good friend. To take this step might ruin their friendship, but, she hadn’t been the one to take it. She leaned down to allow Maddie’s lips to capture her own.
The first thought Maddie had was that Deanna’s lips were softer than any man’s she had kissed. Deanna had been right about that. They were warm, supple, and slightly moist. They invited her to taste further and her tongue hesitantly snaked out.
Deanna didn’t want to scare the smaller, robust woman off, but she so badly wanted to pull her against her own body and feel it full length, to enthrall all the senses. As she explored her lips, inhaled her essence, and her tongue began to taste, it was a near thing.
The kiss went on for a while and finally Maddie pulled back, looking up at the blonde for reassurance. Quietly, she asked, “Was that alright?”
Not trusting herself to speak, Deanna nodded. Her eyes glimmered. Her face was deadpan, showing no emotion. She didn’t want to encourage Maddie, but she didn’t want to discourage her either. It had to be the redhead’s decision.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have,” she began and her body started to pull back.
‘The hell with it,’ Deanna thought and her hands quickly snaked around Maddie’s shoulders. “It’s okay,” she breathed, leaning down with her forehead touching the other woman’s. Her lips hovered above Maddie’s. “I’ve been wondering what you tasted like too,” she admitted.
Maddie pulled back marginally, but only so she could look into the blue eyes of the doctor. “You have?” At Deanna’s nod she asked, “Why didn’t you say anything?”
Deanna grinned ruefully. “I didn’t want you thinking just because I’m attracted to women, that I hit on all women.”
“But, you are attracted to me?” There was an almost hopeful note in the nurse’s voice.
Deanna nodded. “So, why did you kiss me?” she whispered, her lips hovering again.
“I was curious,” she admitted. “I wanted to know what it was like.”
“And now?”
“I want to know more,” she said as she pulled Deanna in and kissed her again, harder.
They explored each other’s lips. Deanna got her wish as she pulled Maddie’s body into her own, wrapping herself around the shorter woman. Maddie was surprised at how different and how right Deanna’s body felt against her own. The kisses, the tongue, and even the nibbling went on for a while. Their hands began to soothe, caress, and wander. It began to b
ecome heated and finally Deanna sensed that Maddie was becoming overwhelmed and calmed herself to reluctantly pull away. “Are you okay?”
Maddie nodded, bemused. “I didn’t know. I didn’t know it could be like that.”
“Like what?” she asked, pulling back far enough to hold Maddie in place, but not far enough to let her completely go.
“Like a romance novel,” she responded inadequately. She felt shy now that she had admitted her attraction to the doctor, had felt her mutual attraction, and knew that she was interested. Her body spoke to her and she hadn’t even known it could feel like that.
“Not all romance novels have a happily ever after,” Deanna warned.
Maddie smiled, showing off the dimples that rarely appeared on her face. “No, they don’t,” she shook her head, “but I’m willing to turn a few pages and find out.”
Deanna smiled in response. She liked the dimples. They added an almost fairly-like quality to the redhead’s pointed face. “Let’s just take it slow and easy,” she promised. What she wanted to do was take the redhead right there on the wet ground. Her body had been a long time without the touch of another human being and she knew she wanted Maddie’s touch.
“What now?” Maddie asked, unsure.
“We see if this is really what you want to pursue.”
“What I want?”
Nodding, Deanna smiled slightly. “I’ve been here before. I think I know what I want.”
“Do you want me?” Her shyness and indecision was endearing.
Deanna heard a sound from camp and let her hands fall from the now steady Maddie. Turning slightly, she glanced to see others taking advantage of the sunny evening and taking a walk. She tried to make it look natural as she turned Maddie so they could walk back to the camp. “Yes, I want you, but, Maddie, this is a big decision for you. I don’t want you to get hurt. I don’t want to get hurt. If you are just curious....”
“Yes, I was curious, but, it was like it made so much sense once we kissed,” she explained, her hands emphasizing what she was trying to say.
Deanna nodded. It had been that way for her too at one point as she realized her attraction to women. It just...fit. It just...felt right for her. No one could have told her that, she had to find out for herself. Maddie had to find it out for herself. “Think about it. Do you really want to get involved like this?” her voice lowered as they walked by others making their way towards the river. “Good evening,” Deanna said cordially and smiled.
“Is it wetter over there?” one of the relief workers asked.
“No wetter than camp, and it’s drying out fast,” she answered as they continued walking. Once out of earshot she turned to Maddie again. “Think about it,” she repeated.
“I will,” the redhead promised.
They returned to their tent. Not another word was spoken, but both had a lot on their minds. Each changed clothes and got ready for bed. Each took a lot longer than she should have to fall asleep despite their fatigue.
CHAPTER TWELVE
“Lenny is gone,” the whispers abounded.
One of the camp cars was missing, and so was the chief’s daughter, Emmanulla. When it was discovered that Lenny and her things were gone as well, people put two and two together.
Doctor Wilson had no choice but to send out inquiries. He didn’t want to, but with Burton watching him and conspiring behind his back, he had to. He took the time to write to the people who had supported Burton in the past, explaining the doctor’s paranoia, and his own position regarding the Doctor Cooper situation. He didn’t reveal what he knew about the brilliant young specialist, but he made it clear that she had been highly vetted and recommended by Doctors Without Borders and it was no one’s business but theirs about their personnel. He was not happy with the Lenny situation. They were now without a teacher. Worse, the chief was angry about his daughter’s defection. This was incontrovertible proof of their liaison. He couldn’t deny it any longer. He was embarrassed and had lost face.
The car that Lenny had stolen was eventually found in Lamish. One of Lakesh’s contacts had found it for him, stripped and gutted. However, a letter addressed to Doctor Wilson and left at the hotel, told how she had left it at the hotel for him to reclaim. It must have been stolen from there. Wilson had his own opinions of Lakesh and his friends and didn’t doubt that the car had been taken from the hotel. Lenny had tried to make good on a bad situation and simply left. Taking the chief’s daughter had been only logical on her part. The aftermath was nothing she could have foreseen.
“You think that dyke sold the parts for money to finance her flight?” Harlan was overheard saying with relish to one of the relief workers. He was very busy these days, teaching the locals to use the equipment that he farmed with. A new tractor had been donated and between that and the other equipment, they were plowing fields on the plains for food. He only had another month to teach them in Mamadu before he rotated out and another farmer came to replace him.
Deanna overheard the ignorant redneck and wanted to defend her friend Lenny, but knew it would be a mistake. Her own burgeoning relationship with Maddie was too new and too raw to allow something like rumors to destroy it.
They were taking their time. They were ‘dating’ such as it were…taking walks along the now normal river that had subsided considerably from its flood stage. They looked at the fields that Harlan and the tribe members were plowing and planting, discussing it in great depth, and enjoying spending time together. And the kisses…they spent plenty of time exploring those. Deanna could sense the frustration in Maddie that they weren’t taking it further, faster. She didn’t want this to be a quick romance. She wanted more. It was a natural progression to her that someone she had so much in common with might be her soulmate. They were both in the medical field. They both enjoyed helping people. They both wanted to see more of the world. It was obvious they were meant for each other…at least to Deanna.
“Why are you here?”
Deanna looked at Maddie from where they were sitting in chairs, looking up at the stars. They were alone around the fire, having outlasted the others. They were all tired from a full day in the clinic. Lakesh had come back that day from Lamish with a Rover full of supplies and Doctor Wilson was pissed because half of them were ‘missing.’ They had to make do with what they had left. They had been sitting around the fire discussing the current lack of supplies and the possibility that Lakesh had been robbing them blind. “Here?” she asked as her foot snaked out and gently rubbed along the back of Maddie’s leg.
Maddie was enjoying the buildup. She was so curious about what came next that Deanna distracted her admirably. Knowing that she wanted sex so badly with this woman wasn’t easy. She’d felt conflicted for days, and frustrated. Her mind couldn’t stop thinking it all over, analyzing how she felt, and why. She tried to focus. “I meant here, in Africa. You’ve spoken about the Amazon and South America before. Why did you leave?”
Deanna turned from looking at Maddie to looking into the fire as she contemplated how to answer. “It was time to move on,” she said musingly as she shrugged. “I felt I was needed elsewhere.”
“Africa’s a vast continent. Doctors Without Borders works all over. How’d you end up here?”
Deanna looked up from the fire, blinked a few times to clear the glare of the fire from her eyes, and answered. “I let them choose. I’m at their disposal, but it was nice to feel needed again.”
“Again?” she probed, sensing a story.
The doctor swallowed, deciding what she could share and what she shouldn’t share. She’d not been this close to a woman in so long. She had to roll the dice and see if this relationship was going to go anywhere. “I’d outlived my usefulness in the Amazon, at least in that section.”
“You? I can’t imagine your skills wouldn’t be in demand...” she objected.
“It wasn’t my skills that had been used up,” she sounded bitter.
“Then what?” she asked softly, sensing it
hurt.
Deanna was looking down at the dirt so as not to have any more night blindness from the fire’s glow. Glancing up, she sighed and began to share. “I loved it there,” she answered nostalgically. “Everything about it was fascinating, even the animals and the bugs,” she smiled wryly. “You can’t imagine how much is hidden in the jungle. Turn over a leaf and you stumble upon a new discovery. They know more in that jungle than we have learned in four thousand years.”
Maddie watched as Deanna enthused about the place she had lived. She’d seen this enthusiasm before when she talked about South America.
“I was so young and naïve when I went there. I thought I’d find something to cure the ills of the modern world.”
“And did you?”
Deanna smiled at her potential lover. She shook her head. “There is so much to be learned there. So much that we are too blind to see. The people who have lived there all their lives have it as common knowledge. We Westerners are stupid.”
“You are not stupid,” she pointed out.
The doctor shook her head. “No, I’m not stupid, but I was young, immature.”
“What happened?”
“I was fortunate. The tribe we were studying with had a witch doctor.”
“Like Hamishish?”
Deanna nodded. “And yet, not like her,” she grinned wryly. “It’s different with each culture.”
“No wonder you made friends with her so quickly.”
She nodded again. “Yes, that friendship with the shaman proved to be an invaluable tool.” She glanced at the fire and for a second her eyes were drawn to the flames again before she blinked and looked away. “She taught me so much.”
“Did you speak her language?”
“No, but pantomime and time cured that as she seemed fascinated with a female doctor. All the researchers who had come before were men. White men. She had never seen a white female doctor before. She took me under her wing and began to teach me. Really teach me.”
“That must have been fascinating,” Maddie commented knowing how much Deanna loved to be challenged and learn new things.
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