3

Jael smoothed down her shirt and looked at the computer screen. She was mid e-mail to Kyle.

Anyway, I decided scrubs would be easier for the clinic and slacks and shirt for the rest of the home visits. I’m putting a spare set of scrubs on the plane though just in case. The people on the base are friendly enough. Oh, and guess what? The pilot here, Micah, is related to April Kincaid. Cousin or something. He has a weird sense of humor. He insisted on checking my stuff for tent pegs before we left East Timor. Shame I didn’t bring any.

Micah stuck his head around the door. “Five minutes.”

“OK.”

Better go. Leaving in five for what promises to be another riveting day of dressing changes. Jael glanced at the glass of water on the table. The liquid was moving. She had read this area was prone to tremors as was the rest of Indonesia. She just hadn’t expected them to be part of every day life.

Did you get the photos I sent by text? If not I’ll e-mail them from my phone. Give my love to Holly and Bump. Does Bump have a name yet? Love you all. Jxx.

She hit send and logged off.

“Jay—el. Today would be nice.” Micah’s voice echoed down the hallway.

“Coming.” She rose and trotted down the corridor to find him. She hated it when Kyle elongated her name like that, but when Micah did it…it was more cute than annoying. At least it made a change from honey.

He stood in the clinic with the clipboard. “Here. Same order as yesterday.”

Jael shook her head. “I promised the Blanchets we’d be there at eleven.”

“No can do.”

“Change it.”

He shook his head.

“It’s too early for them. They have cattle to tend to.” She resisted the urge to stamp her foot as she tugged the map from his pocket. “And it’s not out of your way to swap them with the Villiers, who would find an earlier time slot easier. Look.”

“The route remains as is.”

“Don’t be such a stick-in-the-mud. A change of schedule won’t kill you.” Her voice rose to match the level of his.

Danny came into the room. “What’s going on?” As both of them spoke at once, he raised a hand. “Ladies first.”

Micah scowled.

“I told the Blanchets we’d be there at eleven because nine is too early for them. Micah is refusing to change his route.”

“It means doubling back,” Micah snarled. “And I’m not wasting fuel…”

“No, it doesn’t.” Jael spoke over him, her temper getting the better of her. “Because Mr. Dominquez would find it easier if he was home to let us in, rather than having to make a special trip in from the plantation at eleven. So simply swap those two over if you don’t want to do the Villiers, although they want us earlier as well.”

“Give me the map,” Danny said. “And the list of visits.”

Micah scowled but handed them over.

Danny studied the map. “She’s right. Just swap those three around. If anything it’ll reduce your flying time by about half an hour.”

“Thank you.” Jael took the clipboard. “I’ll go pack up what I need.” She headed into the dispensary, ignoring the two men arguing behind her.

Steve, one of the other medics and a pilot as well, raised an eyebrow. “You’ve upset Micah by the sounds of it.”

Jael shoved what she needed into her pack. “Because I’m right and he’s wrong.”

“That would do it. He hates being told he’s wrong, but then who doesn’t? He’s set in his ways.”

“Well, that’s going to change,” she muttered. “Who does the visit order anyway?”

“Micah.”

“From tomorrow I’ll do it.”

Steve laughed. “Have fun with that. He’s up at five-thirty to do that and everything else.”

Jael made a mental note to be up at five and then keep the visit order with her. She picked up the pack. “OK, I’m outta here. See you this afty.” She ran down the hall, losing her balance slightly.

A hand caught her and yanked her upright. “Oops-a-daisy.” Micah’s already familiar smirk filled her field of vision.

“Thank you.” She noticed the water in the fish tank moving. “See that?”

“You must have caught it when you tripped. Let’s go.”

Jael shook her head. “I didn’t touch the tank.”

“You must have.” He took the pack from her. “Come on, time’s a’wasting.”

She rolled her eyes. She’d have to ask Danny to pay her for every time Micah said that. She’d be able to retire inside of a week.

****

Micah glanced at Jael as he flew. At least she was in more suitable attire this morning, although canvas shoes were not a good idea. At any rate not once the rains started, but she’d learn the hard way—same as yesterday. There was just no telling some people. And the shirt and slacks showed off her figure beautifully. Although it was a shame she wasn’t in shorts. She had legs that should be admired, not hidden.

He wondered if she was this stubborn with all men, or just with him. That stubbornness off-set her beauty. As it was, he wasn’t surprised she was single.

Him being the obvious exception to that.

He prided himself on the fact that no woman ever wanted him. Or he would if pride weren’t a sin. He’d asked a couple of women on dates in the past, because he felt he had to. But the ‘dates’ had been cold and if he were honest, he had more fun going out with his sister. She at least understood and accepted him for who he was and didn’t expect to be kissed goodnight at the end of the evening.

Neither did he ‘bat for the other side’ as his father so quaintly put it. No, siree. Marriage and kids weren’t for him. He was thirty-four, single, and happy. And planning on staying that way. And stubborn. Too stubborn for his own good according to his mother.

Jael was right about visiting the Dominquez plantation first. If they didn’t have to sit and wait for Mr. Dominquez to get back to the house, they’d be in and out much faster. But when the rainy season started they’d have to switch it back.

Jael tapped his arm. “Micah, down there. Someone’s waving.”

He looked down and frowned. “Doesn’t look good.” He dipped the wings. “I’d better land, see what they want. I’ll circle and aim for the strip.” He nodded to the radio. “Tell Danny. We’re at the Tomsytt Farm.”

While Jael spoke into the radio, Micah concentrated on bringing the plane down safely. The strip seemed to be at an odd angle. Most likely it simply needed re-laying like the one at the base did.

As soon as the plane landed, he and Jael jumped out. Not knowing what to expect, he grabbed one of her boxes as she took the pack.

Mrs. Tomsytt came running over. “Thank heaven you came so quickly. I’ve only just radioed. A tree fell. My husband is trapped underneath it. The men are trying to free him, but there is a lot of blood.”

Micah translated for Jael.

“Tree’s don’t just fall,” Jael said. She sounded matter of fact, but concern etched itself into her brow.

“This one did. Quickly.” Mrs. Tomsytt ran towards the tree line.

Micah kept pace with Jael as they followed. He didn’t want to picture what they’d find when they got there. It was worse than he imagined. The tree was huge and leafy. It didn’t look dead or decayed at all. There was no reason he could see for it to simply fall. Several men surrounded the tree, trying to saw pieces off it to free Mr. Tomsytt.

Jael looked at him. “Tell them to stop while I examine him.” She knelt beside Mr. Tomsytt and took his wrist.

His eyelids flickered and opened.

She smiled as she snapped on the gloves. “Hi. I’m Jael, a nurse. Just going to see how you’re doing.”

Micah translated, watching her every move.

She caught his eye. “His pulse is thready.” She felt along the length of his leg, reaching as far under the tree as she could.

“What are you checking for?”

“The pulse along his legs.” She pulled out her hand, her face falling as she caught sight of the amount of blood on her gloves. “There’s no longer a pulse, and he’s bleeding out. We need to move him, now.”

Micah nodded. He looked up and spoke rapidly in Tiampian. “There isn’t time to cut the tree. We need to lift it.” He glanced around and picked up one of the branches. He slid it under the tree to show them what he meant.

****

Jael turned to the man, speaking hesitant Malay, hoping he understood. “What’s your name?”

“Wilhelm.”

“Unusual name,” she said.

“My grandfather was Dutch,” he replied in English.

She caught her breath. “You speak English?” That would make everything so much simpler for her.

He nodded. “I do. I know my leg is bad. I can’t feel my foot.”

“Nothing we can’t put right. They’re going to lift the tree off you and then we’ll slide you out.” She glanced over at Micah, trying not to ogle him too much. He’d taken off his shirt. His muscles rippled along the length of his arms and across his shoulders. Sweat beaded his brow.

“Are you OK to pull him out?” he asked.

Jael nodded. “Yes.”

“OK. On three. That’s treigo.” He looked at the other men and revered back to Tiampian.

As he said treigo, Jael grabbed Wilhelm’s shoulders and pulled. He moved, gasping in pain, but not enough to be clear of the tree trunk. “Need more,” she called.

The men grunted as they pushed harder.

Jael pulled Wilhelm free. His leg immediately gushed blood, and his head fell to the side. Jael glanced up. “Micah…need some help.” She clamped one hand over Wilhelm’s leg, the other frantically feeling for a pulse, and was relieved to find one. That meant he’d passed out rather than crashed.

Micah grabbed a pair of gloves and pulled them on. “What do you need?”

“Put pressure on this.”

He slid his hands under hers. “OK, got it.”

Jael wiped her hands on her slacks and pulled open the pack. She pulled out what she needed. “We’re going to have to airlift him to the base.”

Micah rolled his eyes. “No can do. There is no doc and no main hospital here either. So you’re it.”

“I can’t.”

Micah looked at her hard, speaking in English. “Yes, you can. You have to. Now find your needle and thread and whatever else you need to stop him from bleeding out.”

Jael tried to push down the panic filling her. “I haven’t done anything like this in a long time. Not without the machines and doctors and really high tech stuff. Not to mention a sterile environment.”

“ITU nurse, you said.”

“And theatre, yeah.”

Micah held her gaze, lowering his voice. “Then you’ve seen this being done a hundred times. Jael, these people need you. If you show any hesitation, no one will trust you. However, you fix him up and word will get around, and you’ll never have a problem on the island again. Now, you have an assistant who has never done this before, but I’m willing to do everything you tell me. Just let God guide your hands.”

Jael ripped open the gauze with shaking hands. “Then let’s do this.”

Micah shot her a slight smile before glancing up at the distraught woman beside them. He spoke rapid local dialect.

“What did you say?”

“I told her everything was going to be all right. Because it is.”

Jael sent up a succession of telegram prayers as she worked to set the broken bones. As she finally finished, one of the workers brought her water to wash with and a pitcher of ice cold juice to drink.

“Thank you. He needs complete bed rest for at least a week.” She paused as Micah translated. “And we’ll be back tomorrow to check on him.”

She drank about half the pitcher of juice, leaving the rest for Micah who was overseeing the men carry her patient back to the house. Then she washed her hands and did her best to get the blood off her shirt and slacks.

“Losing battle,” Micah told her. “But I put five sets of scrubs in the locker in the plane. Figured they might come in handy after yesterday.”

“Thank you.”

****

When they got back to the plane, the radio was buzzing. Micah picked it up. “I’ll keep my back to you while you change.” He thumbed the mic. “OK, I’m here, keep your hair on.”

“One of the women on the Franz ranch has gone into labor—I’m assuming its Mrs. Franz although the message didn’t specify. Can you assist?”

“I assume you don’t mean me personally,” Micah snorted. “Give me the co-ordinates.” He scribbled on the paper as Jael strapped in beside him. “OK. Babies can take all day. Better warn everyone else we’ll be delayed, or come tomorrow.”

“Just delay them,” Jael told him.

Micah raised an eyebrow. This woman never ceased to amaze him. “Are you sure?”

“Steve can handle the clinic. And you can land in the dark, right?”

“Of course I can,” he snapped.

“Then we keep going until we’re done.”

“OK. Danny, Jael has spoken. Just tell everyone we’re coming, but I’m not sure when we’ll get there. Out.” He took off and flew towards the Franz ranch. “Please tell me you’ve delivered a baby before.”

“During my training,” Jael said quietly. “Not much call for that in ITU or the OR.”

“I guess not.” He sighed. Why did he have to end up with a nurse who seemingly knew nothing and wasn’t prepared for the unpredictability of emergency medicine? In fact, why hadn’t they just sent a doctor out instead?

He brought the plane into land. The strip was closer to the ranch house than he liked. If he ever lost control on landing he could quite easily end up on the front porch.

Mr. Franz ran down the steps to greet them, panic etched on his face.

Great. First time father in meltdown mode.

Jael grabbed her pack. “Micah, can you bring the box?”

Muttering under his breath, he did as she asked and followed her from the plane.

“Please, hurry. She’s in pain,” Mr. Franz said.

Micah resisted the urge to say the stupid comment that came to mind. “Panicking won’t help,” he said instead. “It’ll just upset her more.”

Mr. Franz led them into the house and pointed to the stairs. An agonized scream echoed down the hallway.

“I need hot water and clean towels…” Jael broke off as Mr. Franz ran from the house. “Fine. Don’t then. Micah, can you get them for me?”

“Sure.” He gave her the box. “It sounds like she’s upstairs.” He turned and headed down the hallway in search of a kitchen. Overhead he heard footsteps and screams as he boiled water and assembled clean linen. Balancing the linen over his shoulder, empty bowl under his arm and jugs of hot water in his hands, he made his way upstairs.

The screams came from behind the only closed door. Figures. He put one of the jugs down and tapped on the door.

“Come in.”

He opened the door and picked up the jug. He took three steps, then gasped.

Jael hissed her displeasure. “For goodness sake, don’t be such a prude. Put the stuff over here then come and help.”

He couldn’t move. It was all he could do not to throw up. Blood he could deal with, but this…this was something else. No longer would he snap at men who couldn’t deal with their wives in pain. The woman was pale, covered in sweat and her legs… No way was that normal.

He closed his eyes. Actually, he’d never look at a woman the same way again.

“Micah!” Jael’s harsh voice made him jump. “Get over here. I need you to go to the top of the bed and translate for me. What I don’t need is another panicking male!”

“OK.” He put the things next to her and sat by the woman’s head. She gripped his hand tightly.

“OK, tell her I can see the head.”

“Already?” he asked, though rather relieved as that explained what he’d seen, however swift the glimpse had been.

“Yes, now tell her.”

Micah translated as Jael delivered the baby. He couldn’t believe the amount of energy it took, or the way the woman crunched the bones in his hand.

“It’s a girl.” Jael wrapped the baby and offered her to the woman who accepted the child.

Micah rubbed his hand. “That it?”

“Have to wait for the placenta, but…” Jael broke off as Mrs. Franz screamed again. “Take the baby and put her in the crib. Something’s wrong.”

Micah did so and looked at her. “What’s up?”

“I don’t know…” Jael put a hand on Mrs. Franz’s stomach. “Another contraction…”

“Twins?” he asked.

“Looks that way.” Jael glanced at him. “Translate for me?”

He nodded, doing as she asked as she delivered not one more baby, but another two.

She glanced at him again as finally Mrs. Franz leaned back exhausted, surrounded by three tiny babies all swaddled in the clean linen. “That’s why it was so fast. Want to go and find Mr. Franz and tell him he’s a father of three? Give me a few minutes to clean up in here?”

Only too grateful to escape the overheated room filled with the stench of sweat and blood, Micah stood and hurried to the door. He ran downstairs and out onto the porch. He rubbed his sleeve over his damp brow and sucked in several deep breaths. If he never saw another birth again it’d be too soon. But, wow, that girl was cool under pressure when it came down to it. She seemed to be coming into her own. He leaned against the railing, a new found respect for her growing within him.

“Well?”

He looked up into the anguish and anxious gaze of Mr. Franz. “All girls,” he said holding up three fingers. “Triplets.”

“Is Sybil all right? Can I go and see her?”

Micah nodded. He headed over to the plane and sank wearily into the pilot’s seat. He picked up the mic. “Achor base, this is Micah, come in.”

“How’s it going?” Danny asked.

“Triplets—three girls. Jael was amazing, but I’m not an assistant. Next time we’ll need two of the medics. Give us another half hour or so and we’ll be ready to continue as scheduled. But we don’t have time for the full list.” He grabbed the clipboard, checking off numbers. “We’ll do one, five, seven, eight, ten and eleven on the list and call it a day. Let them know for me.”

“Jael won’t like it.”

“I don’t care. She was the one who insisted we prioritize. Out.” He leaned back in the seat and closed his eyes for a moment.

The plane beneath him moved ever so slightly. His eyes jerked open. Then Jael appeared beside him.

“Are you sleeping?”

He shook his head then reasoned the movement that startled him was simply her climbing aboard and closing the door.

“I revised the list,” he said giving her the clipboard as she sat down.

“What?” she snapped. “We have the whole list to do yet.”

“We don’t have time, barely half a day if that. Those two emergencies ate into the schedule and kyboshed it. Besides, you were the one who wanted to prioritize yesterday. So do it.”

“Fine.” She looked down the list and marked some off in pencil. “These.”

Micah looked and grinned as her marks exactly matched his alterations. Another plus for her. She was finally on the same wavelength as him. “That’s the one’s I already gave Danny.”

“You already radioed?”

“I did.” He saw irritation flare in her gaze, but he ignored her and instead chose to concentrate on taking off without hitting either house or trees. As he flew towards the next visit, he noticed a section of dying trees covering the hillside to his left. Strange. They’d had the usual amount of rainfall.

“I don’t get you.” Jael’s voice dragged his mind back to the present.

He sighed. “Is that a good thing?”

“You can be so pleasant at times. When I needed your help, you were there. You did what I asked, no questions asked, even if you didn’t want to. Yet you can be so off-handed and just plain rude with me and everyone else at times.”

Micah shrugged. “Just blame my father and the lack of parental love and affection.”

She shot him a half smile. “Then maybe you should copy your Heavenly Father instead.”

He focused his gaze out of the window. Why had he brought up his father? He tried not to think about him. His fingers whitened on the controls as his mind filled with the sounds of a slamming door, footsteps on the stairs and a man calling his name.