M.S. F. Chapter 4 Families
She wakes to him looking at her. Jamie, Dr. Fraser. He blushes a bit at meeting her eyes but doesn’t turn away.
“What? Do I have bed cover creases or something?”
“Nae, just beautiful refreshed eyes. I mean,” his blush moves to the tip of his ears, “You finally look like you have had enough sleep.”
“I do feel a bit better.” She looks around. They are the last two on cots. “What time is it? We should be relieving someone.”
“It is 2:06 in the morning and all is under control. You needed the sleep. How long have you been here, on site?”
“Four months. How long were you watching me sleep?” she counters.
“Ten minutes or so. I was glad to see you getting real rest.”
“Thank you.” She sits and stretches, striving to relieve the ache in the center of the spine from sleeping so still for so long. “But, you hardly know me.”
“Then tell me about yourself.” At her startled look, he adds, “We will be working together for a bit. I like to know who I am working with.”
“Makes sense. I am an only child. My parents, Julia and Henry, they tried after me but.. Well. The also worked with MSF. I grew up all over the world. In dangerous outbreaks or places, they would send me to stay with my Uncle Lambert. Uncle Lamb lives in London. He is a professor In Archaeology. I learned a lot from him also. I completed my last year with him then on to university. My parents saw me graduate from both before they perished in a small plane wreck on the way to Rwanda. I am so grateful for that.” He reaches for her before dropping his hands back in his lap.
“I am so sorry.”
“Thank you. I knew I wanted to be a doctor from the time I could say the word. Knew I wanted to work for MSF. So, I studied science, mathematics, and languages from 6 year on. I can speak French, Spanish, Italian, Hebrew, and Arabic. None fluidly but all enough to get by.” He whistles.
“That is impressive. I've only a bit of French and Spanish. I can speak Ghaildhig fluidity.”
“Well, I've no Ghaildhig.”
“That means I can curse in it without offending you.” She giggles.
“My parents didn’t raise a shrinking violet. I can handle profanity, in whatever language. Anyway, completed my studies, and started working in the labs. It is only in the last few years, I have been in the field.”
“You didn't want to work with people?”
“I wanted to kick the arse of the diseases I spent my childhood watching my parents battle. With the resurgences of Ebola, I knew I needed to be in the field. So, here I am.”
“Have you worked any Hot Zones outside Ebola?”
“No, but experienced Marburg, Tuberculosis, Small Pox, AIDS, and other Level 3 and 4 diseases in the lab. Now, tell me about you?”
“I do have siblings. A sister, Janet, who is three years older, and two brothers, Willie and Robbie, twins who are four years younger. I was raised in the Highlands of Scotland. Our family home is over three hundred years old, a working farm. I worked the land and thought it was all I ever wanted to do. Until I was two and ten and my mam got sick. They dinna ken what it was at first. Turns out she had a rare form of cancer. Sae rare that the local doctors had never seen it. She was sent to a specialist in London. A blood cancer it was. They fought it aggressively. She lost her hair, most of her weight, her spark, well most of what made her, her.” He stops and takes a deep breath. Claire, moved by compassion, slips on to his cot and lays her hand over his. He smiles down at their hands.
“She passed a month after I turned three and ten. I vowed then to do something that honored her, make a difference in the world. A nominal student before then, I cracked down and pulled my grades up. I, like you, focused on science and math. I first thought I would focus on cancer but, epidemiology allows me to, like you, fight the many different diseases. I thought I could do more good studying the less researched diseases. Cancer has a ton, eh? So..”
“So MSF and the poor underserviced patients?”
“Aye. My da he supported me. Jenny stayed on the farm. Willie and Robbie are still in university. Jenny is recently married. Just found out she is expecting.”
“Congratulations. No lass has caught your eye then?”
“Until you?” he thinks but doesn’t say. Instead, “Well this lifestyle makes dating a bit tough. How about you?”
“No one. I agree, moving from place to place, your live in danger from a host of exotic diseases isn't conducive to finding the one. I think like my parents, I will find my other half, in this field.”
“I tend to agree.” He starts to say more when Joe walks in.
“Hey sleepyheads. Glad you are up. Ready to rejoin us?”
“Yes.” She says standing up. Jamie stands with her. He wishes they weren’t interrupted but, he will find more time to talk with her later. Time to rejoin the war.