Adelaide
“Care for a pick-me-up?”
I open my eyes and take a minute to get my bearings.
Ford is standing next to my bed with a mug in his hand. He’s smiling.
When he said ‘pick me up’, I thought…well, never mind what I thought.
He shouldn’t know anything about my dream.
Quickly, I look down to make sure the thin cotton sheet is covering me. I’d hate for him to see more than he should.
We might have broken down some barriers last night, but that was all. It’s not as if we’re suddenly going to jump into bed together.
“Strong black tea with a bit of sugar.” He’s grinning at me. “I’m told it’s a really good pick-me-up, or something like that.”
Something’s different about him.
I can’t pick up on it just yet.
But I think even his grunting is a little clearer this morning.
I take the mug and hope my hands are not shaking too much. When the tips of my fingers brush against his, millions of tiny electric sparks ignite within me.
My eyes find his.
Is he happy?
As strange as it sounds, it certainly seems so.
Where was the efficient bodyguard? The cool, calm, and collected non-smiling man I’ve gotten used to over the last few days?
“Thank you,” I mumble and take a sip. “How’s the back this morning?”
“Thanks to the wonders of one young amazing doctor I know, very good.”
He’s still smiling, and it’s unnerving me.
My insides are practically melting at his compliments. They make me smile.
“Well,” I start, but don’t quite know what else to say.
For a while, we simply sip our tea.
Something’s changed, but I can’t work out what it is—at least not yet.
“I thought I’d come with you this morning when you do your house visits,” he announces, and I’m taken aback.
“Why?”
It’s not as if I don’t want him to.
Holy shit, I want him alright, but I’m not sure about having him follow me like a lost puppy all morning.
“To protect you,” he replies and smiles. “Have you already forgotten why I’m here?”
I sigh.
“How could I?”
He grins.
“But I think I’ll be fine on my own, thank you.”
I watch him throw a hand to his forehead, as if mortally wounded by my words. “You sure know how to hurt a guy, you know that?”
I laugh. “Here’s some more wounding, Ford. Can you please wait outside while I get dressed?”
Now his eyes lighten up. “You sure I can’t help you with that?”
His words turn my knees to jelly.
Luckily I’m still lying down, otherwise I might have collapsed right now.
“I’m sure.”
When I emerge fully dressed and ready for rounds, I see Ford waiting outside.
For the briefest of seconds, I hesitate.
Should I say something? He looks so keen, eager, and so darn handsome.
“Let’s go.” Purposefully, I stride away from my hut toward my first patient.
As much as I can, I try to ignore the flame of desire flickering inside me.
The way my heart beats faster when he looks at me, and the way the palms of my hands feel sweaty whenever he’s within arm’s reach.
At this rate, this is going to be a long day.
My first visit is a quick one. I need to dress the wound of one of the village elders who was bitten by a donkey.
The wound is infected and taking longer to heal than I would like.
“Need me to do something?”
I shake my head. The retort ‘leave’ remains at the tip of my tongue.
It’s not that I don’t want him here. It’s the opposite.
I want him. Man, I want him now more than I did before.
My insides are tingling.
“Have you been taking these?” I hold up the bottle of antibiotics, and notice how the old man won’t look at me.
I have to force myself to focus.
My eyes tend to drift to Ford who’s standing close to me—too close.
He’s so close that if I move just a little to the left, my shoulder will be touching his leg.
As if sensing my thoughts, he shifts his position and brushes against me.
Millions of electric sparks ignite within me, and I give an involuntary shiver.
“Look,” I lean forward. Focus, I remind myself. You’ve got patients to look after. “You need to take them to get better.”
The man gives me a toothless grin and I leave. Ford is hot on my heels.
“How about morning tea?”
I laugh. “I don’t know what hours you keep, but we’ve only just started.”
When I finally finish my house calls, Ford orders me to take a break.
“Let me treat you to a picnic.”
It might be the heat, or the residual feeling from the night before, but I don’t offer any resistance.
Ford leads me to a Flamboyant tree.
“Wait here,” he commands, and I smile as I watch him scoot away.
I’m not sure what to make of this new Ford.
The other question, of course, is, will it last?
Is this new Ford here to stay, or is it a passing phase, like the moon?
The Flamboyant tree is aptly named, with its massive umbrella-shaped span. It provides ample shade during hot days. Of course, it does nothing to reduce the dust, but you can’t have everything.
Shade is important.
“Voila, madam.” Ford reappears and plops down next to me.
He’s so massive I feel the earth shudder a bit as he sits down.
“The snack is served.”
His attempt at a French accent is adorable.
Where was the reserved, cool and distant Ford?
Had the bad spirits come overnight and whisked him away?
Probably not, since it would have to be the good spirits that did the whisking, not the bad ones.
“And what, my good sir, do you have to offer?” I decide to humor him and play along, although I don’t do the French accent.
“Ah, I’m pleased you ask.” He takes a little bow, and waves his hand from left to right, like one of those sales people on television. “We have dried biscuit, dried fruit, and if you’re after something extra special, we have dried biscuit.”
I burst out laughing.
Ford reels back and does his best attempt to look wounded.
“You laugh at my delicacies?”
With a shake of my head, I put my hand on his arm.
Instantly, the temperature turns up a few degrees, from fifty to a hundred.
His eyes are serious, and he stares at me with such intensity that I think he’s looking directly into my soul.
Suddenly, it is as if we’re all alone in this universe.
We’re two ships sailing in a vast ocean; whereas before, we were sailing in opposite directions, our course has changed, and we have joined forces.
We are travelling as one.
A commotion at the village perimeter goes unnoticed by Ford. He keeps his eyes on me.
He leans toward me, and I mirror his movement.
We’re inches apart. I can feel his warm breath on my cheek.
The breeze tugs at my hair, and Ford’s hand reaches forward to tuck the stray bits behind my ear again.
The gesture is so gentle, I’m surprised his big hands are capable of such a tender movement.
In anticipation of the kiss we’re bound to share, I pucker my lips.
Thud.
I reel back. My heart beats a million miles an hour in my chest.
Holy shit! What was that?
I look around, half-expecting injured bodies strewn on the ground all over me. But there’s nothing.
My eyes look for Ford.
He’s in exactly the same position he was in a few seconds ago.
Except now, he’s holding a well worn ball in his hands. And then I hear the village kids running to get their toy back.
Ford laughs.
He stands up and spends a few minutes kicking the ball with the kids.
I shake my head. My breathing is back under control, as is my heart.
For a second, I’d thought Ford’s prediction of an attack had come true.
“Look at them.” He laughs when he comes back.
This really is a new Ford.
“What?” he asks.
I shake my head.
“Thanks for the break, but I better get back to it.” I smile at him, and quickly finish my tea and biscuit.
If I don’t get back to work now, I might start something I’ll regret later.
I mean, I told him last night how I felt about him during our school days.
He, on the other hand, made no such admission.
It might have brought us closer and led him to relax a little—but the fact that he doesn’t feel for me what I feel for him remains.