Venetia breathed a sigh of relief. She really wanted to cry, but that would only take energy she couldn’t spare. Now if they could only keep his fever down until the medicine got here, there might be a chance. Ronnie must have read her mind because she was already carrying in another container of cold water and some rags.
Together they worked for hours to keep Lewis hydrated and as cool as possible. As day turned to night, other women from the village came and gave them a rest. Venetia refused to leave the hut but accepted the food and drink they brought her, watching as they worked.
This went on for the entire night, Venetia only catching a few minutes sleep at a time, afraid to close her eyes for very long. Early the next morning, as soon as the sun cleared the mountain, the sound of a small engine could be heard in the village. One of the men came to report that the drone was on the way.
The entire village stood on the crest of the hill, waiting for it to come into sight, ready to grab the medicine and rush it to Lewis. Venetia was sobbing with relief, leaning against the wall where one of the women had gently pushed her while they changed Lewis’ bedding once again.
Ronnie sat down beside her and wrapped her arms around Venetia, letting her free herself of some of the worry she’d been carrying the last few days. She wondered if she should have told her about the baby, but it had been the only way they’d been able to make her eat and rest.
“It’s going to be okay. The medicine will help, you’ll see. Lewis is a strong man, he’ll pull through,” Ronnie said, rubbing her back.
“I was afraid to tell you, but he squeezed my hand before the last round of fevers started. I didn’t say anything because I thought it was a goodbye.” Venetia sobbed.
Ronnie gently rocked her and her sobbing began to subside. Just then a huge roar when up from the crowd in the village. Venetia was on her feet and out the door immediately, meeting the man carrying the medicine half way there. Relieved to see that it was already mixed, she tore back into the hut and raced over to her supplies.
Grabbing a syringe, she filled it with the clear liquid and with shaking hands pushed it thought Lewis’ IV. This was only the first injection, there would be several more, each spaced four hours apart. Venetia knew that the medication would take hours to work, but she knew deep down that Lewis was going to be okay.
Throughout the day and long into the night, she continued to administer the drug, praying that each dose would be the one to knock the malaria right out of Lewis. In her mind, she saw little soldiers beating back green monsters; it was silly but she’d become so tired it amused her.
Finally, as dawn was breaking, Lewis stirred on the bed, and his eyes came open just a bit. The effort must have been too much because he was asleep again almost immediately. Venetia didn’t care though, he’d opened his eyes; nothing could have been better than seeing those blue eyes looking at her.
She fell into an exhausted slumber, wedged up against Lewis and slept for eighteen hours. When she awoke, Ronnie was sitting in the corner of the hut, sorting plants into a bag. “About time you decided to join the world again,” she said, handing Venetia a cup of tea.”
“How is he?” she asked, heart beating wildly in her chest.
“He opened his eyes a few times, but as soon as he realized that you were right next to him, he went back to sleep,” Ronnie said, then got to her feet. “You need to eat, I’ll be right back.”
Lewis was conscious of Venetia waking up beside him. He wanted more than anything else to pull her down next to him, but couldn’t find the strength to do more than move his hand. Seeing the movement, Venetia grabbed his hand and placed it on her stomach. It was a strange gesture, but he was too tired to figure out why. Instead, he fell into a dreamless sleep, his hand resting on her belly.
The next time he woke, he was felt stronger, he was able to move his entire arm and open his eyes. The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was Venetia’s beautiful face looking down at him, tears rolling down her cheeks. He started to speak, but she covered his lips with her fingers.
“Save your strength, you’ve been really sick. You’re getting better, but it was close. Go back to sleep, I’ll be right here,” she said, tucking herself up close to him.
Over the next few days, Lewis’ strength returned slowly, much too slowly in his opinion. But his opinion didn’t seem to count for much. Venetia ruled his sickbed like a lioness overseeing his recovery. Most of this he experienced from behind closed eye lids, it took too much effort the first few days to even open his eyes.
But as he got stronger, the sight of Venetia bustling around the hut, her cheeks glowing kept him from losing his mind. He’d never been so completely debilitated and it was quickly becoming embarrassing to have even his most intimate bodily functions public knowledge. Each day he got stronger until he was finally able to make it outside alone.
Venetia was so excited that she jumped up and down when he made it back into the hut. “Tomorrow you’re going to leave for a while so I can clean this place up. We’ll have a special night just the two of us,” she said, adding silently, so I can tell you about the baby.
Venetia knew that Lewis was completely in the dark about her pregnancy. She’d asked everyone to keep it a secret until she could tell him herself. Now, she’d decided was the time, she’d waited long enough and holding her secret in was becoming harder and harder.
The next afternoon with some help, Lewis made his way to the fire pit while she cleaned their hut. With some help, she removed all the medical equipment and swept the floor, put down fragrant plants then covered them with a new pallet, covered with the soft blanket they’d been given the night of the heart ceremony.
The move exhausted him, but he was pleased with the fresh new look of the hut. He’d been staring at the same mess for days and was glad to see it gone. He couldn’t help but sleep for a few hours, but when he awoke, Venetia had dinner waiting. They shared the meal in silence, but Lewis could feel that she had something on her mind.
After she cleared away the plates, she cuddled up next to him on the fresh bed, loving the sound of his heart beat in her ear. “How much do you remember from the day before you got sick?”
“Not a lot. I remember feeling slightly off, but that’s about it. Why?” he asked, worried he’d forgotten something important.
“Well,” Venetia said, pulling his hand onto her stomach. “I stopped taking my birth control about a month before you got sick. I never thought it would happen that fast, but we’re going to be parents.”
Lewis sat stunned for a moment, trying to take in Venetia’s words, then he realized where his hand was resting and looked down at her stomach. Sure enough, her stomach was slightly rounded where the baby must have been resting.
Looking into her eyes, he pulled her to him and kissed her until she had to pull away to breath. “I don’t suppose the doctor has cleared me for more than kissing,” he said, trying to take off her shirt.
“The doctor thinks that as long as you’re careful that would be perfectly acceptable,” she said, just as eager as he was. “But I think you had better reserve your strength,” she added, helping him out of his clothes before taking hers off.
She mounted him just as she had all those days ago, before she almost lost him, the tears streaming down her cheeks mixing with the ones on Lewis’ face. Taking control, she rode him until with a strangled cry he spilled himself inside her, pulling her over the edge with him. Later as they lay, limbs tanged together, Lewis felt as if he’d been given a gift that was precious.
“I love you, Venetia. I promise to always take care of you and our child. Don’t ever let me forget to live in the present.”
“I love you too, Lewis.” she said, putting his hand on her belly, where the slight swelling held the promise of a happy future.
She knew that it wouldn’t always be perfect, but with the lessons they’d learned in the Amazon, they’d be able to survive all that life would throw at them. Their foundation was str
ong, forged in the pain that they’d caused on another. For two people who gave out cures for a living, it had taken a lot to cure them of their pain and disappointment. But tomorrow was a new day, a new opportunity to live life and love one another.
Epilogue
Venetia felt like her insides were being ripped out as the new life inside her fought to get out. Once again, she questioned her plan to do this naturally; an epidural was beginning to appeal to her. But then Lewis squeezed her hand, bringing attention back to him.
“Hey, look at me. Squeeze my hand, you can do this. You’re almost there,” he said, smoothing the hair back from her sweaty face.
She been in labor for almost eight hours, long hours that had at first been charged with the excitement of finally seeing their baby, but as time had worn on with little progress, she’d become tired and grumpy. Lewis had been at her side the entire time, coaching her and taking her abuse with a huge smile on his face, which had infuriated her even more.
“I want an epidural,” she said, though clenched teeth. “Now!”
“Sweetheart, you’re really almost there, just a few more contractions and you can push.”
“I don’t have the energy,” she wailed, horrified to hear the screech coming out of her mouth.
“Yes, you do. I know because that strength saved my life.”
Lewis’ words floated through the haze of pain, and she focused on his eyes. “That’s right. Look at me, I’ll tell you when to push. Not long now and we’ll have our baby in our arms. Hang in there, love.”
Venetia closed her eyes and breathed like she’d learned, then tensed as another contraction squeezed her body. Lewis held on to her, whispering soothing words in her ear until the doctor give him the signal.
“Okay, it’s time for you to push. On the count of three,” he said, looking to the doctor again.
In less time and with more pain that she’d ever imagined, their daughter fought her way into the world, screaming loudly when the cold air hit her skin. The doctor put her on Venetia’s chest while Lewis cut the umbilical cord, tears streaming down his face. Their daughter was perfect in every way, but they allowed her to be taken away for a few minutes to be cleaned and examined.
Venetia was exhausted, her legs shaking with the effort to give their daughter life, but she was already completely in love with the little bundle who was placed in her arms only moments later. Lewis stood back awed by what he’d just witnessed; it had been moving bring life into the world in the Amazon, but nothing compared to seeing his own child enter the world.
He already felt fiercely protective of the little bundle in Venetia’s arms, but he was also afraid to get too close. She was so small that even he, who was known for his steady hands, was afraid to hold her.
“Come meet your daughter, my love,” Venetia said, her eyes meeting his. “She’s been waiting to meet you for a long time.”
“I’m afraid I’ll drop her,” he said, surprised when the baby turned at the sound of his voice.
“Look, she already knows you,” Venetia said, grinning at him.
Lewis took the small bundle from her hands, his eyes meeting his daughter’s blue ones, and he knew that of all the times he’d lived his life in the moment, this was the best moment so far. He knew that there would be many more moments like this one, but he’d live this one now, so that he would remember it forever.
The End.
Marrying My Childhood Sweetheart
She left her childhood sweetheart, but now wants him back...
Sara and David were childhood sweethearts.
But while things had been perfect between them for so long, Sara soon began feeling she needed more out of life.
So leaving David and her family behind, she went out to search for adventure in the big city.
But as many have found out, the grass isn't always greener on the other side.
Soon discovering she has made a mistake, she returns to her previous life and tries to reconnect with David, the only man she's ever really wanted to marry.
But does David still feel the same about her?
And can Sara do what's needed to rekindle the love of a lifetime?
Find out in this touching Christian marriage romance by Shannon Gardener of BWWM Club (search us).
Suitable for over 18s only due to sex scenes between a loving Christian couple.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 1
Sara applied her make-up with painstaking care; her movement methodical. She had chosen charcoal gray for the eye shadow ; she had always been told that it brought out the gold flecks in her dark brown eyes and made them look bigger than their normal size. She needed to look her best because she would be facing the people she had run out four years ago. Twenty seemed a hundred years ago and she felt like she had grown up so much in those years. Next, she applied the rose lip gloss, which highlighted her full pouty lips. She passed a hand over her short cropped hair, sometimes it felt so strange to her not to have the familiar curls brushing against her shoulders but she had acquired this look when she had been in the big city and it suited her small heart shaped face. Apart from looking a little thin she guessed she looked all right, not the worst for wear, she thought grimly.
There was a discreet knock on her room door which was partially open. It was her father and he looked at her gently, good old Dad, or Deacon Williams as he was known fondly to those at church – no judgment dad as he was known to her. “Ready to face the cavalry?” he asked teasingly. He was already dressed in his old fashioned tweed suit and broad red tie; his salt and pepper hair brushed ruthlessly back from his lined chocolate colored face.
She had wanted to stay home and bury herself in self-pity but her father had told her gently but firmly that she was going to have to face people sooner or later and sooner sounded a lot better. He had told her that our mistakes do not define who we are and as long as we learn from them, then we are on our way. “Not quite,” she told him wryly, “But I am hoping to garner strength along the way,” She stood up and brushed down her black and white dress with the flared waist; a red belt cinched in her small waist.
“That’s the spirit and you always look beautiful, can’t get used to your hair being so short though,” he told her with a little frown.
“You’ll get used to it,” she told him cheerfully, walking over to him, red earrings dangling at her lobes. “Let’s go,” she looped her hand on his arm and they went downstairs together. The house was old but charming and had been in the Williams’ family for three generations. Her Dad had added a porch, complete with a swing and had done little renovations here and there. He had moved out of the master bedroom when her mother had left them when she was only seven years old and had taken a smaller bedroom several doors down from hers.
They went in his old Chevrolet that had seen better days. Her car was a little red sport car and was not appropriate, nor the right fit for her father anyway. She was going back to church where she had been so active before she left; a Sunday school teacher and an organizer of the youth department and she had left her friends and church family without even saying goodbye; now she was back home to face them and she was quaking inside. They were all going to witness how much she had failed; not quite the success she had thought she was going to be.
“Don’t worry, my dear, people can be very forgiving,” her father said kindly, reaching over to give her hand a pat. “Soon they will be welcoming you back inside the fold.”
Sara smiled but did not respond.
When they reached the church, people were milling outside, getting ready to go but as was the usual procedure; they had to catch up on what had happened since the last time they met. This was what had annoyed her before she left and it was
what she had come to miss when she was away. How ironic life was, she thought wryly. She knew that practically everyone knew she was back home even though she was only home from Friday. She had seen the elderly Sister Thorpe who did housework for her dad and she was the church’s grapevine.
She found herself searching; ignoring the eyes on her as her father took her hand and they walked through the yard; greeting people politely but not stopping to engage in conversation; time enough for that later. She did not see him; at least not until she had gotten inside the building and her heart turned right over in her chest. There he was; on the pulpit with the other choristers; he was director of the choir now; her father had told her. David Graham; the man she had left broken hearted on her quest to seek something better for her life. He was still so achingly handsome and as Sara stared at him furtively she saw him laugh at something Holly McKenzie said to him; his white smile flashing. She looked away quickly; not wanting him to notice her staring; she had moved on and she was sure he had too.
She sat in the back seat, near to the exit – it was a small church and everyone knew each other. Parents came out with their children and the tradition continued so the familiarity was kept constant. That was what she had wanted to escape – she had wanted anonymity – for a while.
The service was conducted by the same Pastor, Leroy Phillips and he was still going strong even though he had to be close to seventy now. Her father had gone on up front to sit near the pulpit in case he was needed. She remembered days gone by when she had been so eager to reach church; not only to be with David but also to meet up with her friends and how in love with Jesus she had been. Her best friend then had been Callie and looking up front she saw her – she was married to Brother Paul Blake now and have a son. She had not kept in touch with her either and Sara knew there was a lot of hurt there; and fences that needed mending; but not now; first she had to concentrate on her own healing.
Their Miracle Baby (BWWM Romance Book 1) Page 13
