Their Miracle Baby

Chapter 7

Venetia was more than a little relieved when they topped a rise and she saw the little village perched high on a little vista on the side of the mountain. She’d been told that it would be a difficult trip to the village, but that hadn’t even begun to describe what it had been like. Even with a group of seasoned villagers who had been sent to escort her, it had taken days to travel only a few miles.

It hadn’t helped that they’d been loaded down with not only her supplies but a solar panel of all things. Somehow, her trip had been hijacked by a scientific foundation who was experimenting with solar energy in the rainforest. The stupid thing had been following her all over Brazil, from the airport all the way here to the village, hundreds of miles on just about any kind of transportation you could think of.

She couldn’t wait to meet the scientist it was being delivered to; he could have at least met them before they started the trek through the jungle. But, now with the village in sight, she felt much better. When she’d started this trip, her energy level had been high, but after three weeks of travel her reserves were all but depleted. She knew the accommodations wouldn’t be great, but at least there would be hot food and a place to sleep.

Best of all, she was home. Or at least what would be home for the next six months. That thought brought a fresh wave of nerves, but she knew that she’d be fine. She was here to help, and she wasn’t the first doctor that had been sent into this area. The villagers who had been sent to escort her the last few miles had seemed happy to see her, if a bit restrained.

But any worries about how she would be accepted were quickly proven silly when they got close to the village and the children came running to greet them. At the top of the path, a woman in ceremonial robes stood patiently as they made the last steep climb to the village. As rude as it was, when she reached the top, she turned and looked out across the valley.

The sight that greeted her was mile after mile of pristine wilderness, the likes of which she’d never seen. The only evidence of humans here, miles from any real civilization, was the trail they had just been on. It was like she’d gone back in time, to a time before humans began to destroy the planet. Here there was no smog, only the clear air that smelled of both life and death.

Coming back to reality, she realized how rude she must seem. “I’m sorry, it’s just so beautiful,” she said with a small bow to the woman who waited patiently for her to address her. “Thank you for allowing me to come here and learn from you.”

Venetia had carefully planned what she would say when she met the village leaders. Since there had been other doctors here, she knew that there was a medicine woman in the village who was really the leader and keeping her happy was important. Besides, the jungle was full of plants that modern medicine had only begun to understand, she might really learn something from her.

“You are welcome. Come, you look tired, it’s a long way from your home to ours. We’ll eat and then I’ll show you where you can sleep,” the woman said, holding out her hand. “I’m Veronica Hernandez[rachael k1] , but you can call me Ronnie.”

Venetia took her hand, feeling an immediate connection to the woman who led her to the center of the village and a feast that had been set out there. Without hesitation, her guides dropped the gear, including the solar panel, and eagerly lined up for the food. Knowing that they would only begin once she had, she bravely stepped up to the array of food that looked as foreign to her as if she’d suddenly arrived on a different planet.

Sensing her problem, Ronnie came over and helped her fill her plate, then led her to a grouping of pillows on a colorful rug spread on the ground. She sank down wearily, then gingerly began to taste the food on her plate. By the time Ronnie and some of the other villages joined her, she’d discovered the food while strange looking was excellent. Slightly spicy but full of flavor and texture.

When she’d finished her meal, a young girl took her plate, then led her to a thatch hut where there was a pallet laid out for her. “Aunt Ronnie said you should rest for a while, then later you can meet the village. She’ll make sure your things are put in the medical hut.”

Venetia had been so tired, she’d forgotten about her gear, but since she felt that she could trust Ronnie, she laid down and was asleep in minutes. She must have slept for a few hours when a big commotion in the center of the village woke her up. Sitting up, she stretched her sore muscles; it was going to take her a little time to adjust to the physical part of her new life.

She found that she was still thirsty, but to her pleasure there was another cup of that wonderful tea she’d had at dinner sitting by the pallet. Once she’d finished it, she felt ready to face what lay outside the hut. The commotion had calmed down, but she could still hear excited voices and laughter. When she emerged from the hut, she saw the girl who had brought her there waiting outside; she had some kind of needle craft in her hands and was diligently working on it.

But when she saw Venetia, she jumped to her feet and tucked it behind her back. “I’m just learning,” she said, clearly embarrassed.

“Good for you. I’ve never been very good at making things. Maybe you can show me when you’re done, but until then it’s our secret,” she said, winking.

It must have been the right thing to say because the girl gave her a big smile and said, “You look better. It’s a difficult climb to the village for outsiders, but you’ll get used to it after a while, most do. Ronnie’s at the fire ring with the man from the foundation.” The girl, Venetia would later learn, was Ronnie’s niece, Maria.

“Well, I’d like to meet the man who made us drag that thing all the way out here,” Venetia said, feeling more like her old self. She hadn’t thought about Lewis in days; in fact, when she did think of him it didn’t hurt so much.

It seemed impossible that she could have gotten over him that quickly, but with so many new experiences occupying her mind, it had been easier lately. But she knew that deep in the night, he’d be in her thoughts again. That was always when it was hardest for her, late at night, when they would have been tangled together in bed.