Secret Smiles and Three Little Words Pt. 32

He began to bite and suckle her breast while he held her body tightly to his, his grip causing the flesh in her backside to whiten under his fingertips as he erupted and filled her hot steamy sex with his molten seed.

She could feel his cock buck within her, the subtle jerk of his manhood spurting shot after shot deep within her. Pulsating with his heartbeat that also beat against his rib cage and she could feel it beat through her skin in her breast as she pulled him tighter to her.

They just held each other there, both squeezing the other tightly to them. He marking her with his mouth. Alex holding his earlobe while she cooed happily into his ear. Letting him know of her satisfaction as he marked her with her 'good girl' mark for the night. Something she would look on tomorrow with pride.

They stayed there, neither wanting to release the other as his cum leaked out around his shaft and from within her depths, to drip to the floor under them. The soft sounds of its landing under them letting them know he came a lot.

She released his ear and laid her cheek on his shoulder. For the first time in her life, she asked for a baby. She didn't just think it would be nice, like she did on the island. She prayed to God for one.

She wanted to feel Gavin's child grow within her. To watch the look on his face as he took care of her in ways she hadn't been taken care of before. To think of the ways he took care of her now but she knew that would amplify with the knowledge she was carrying his child. The pride that would fill her as she was giving him something he dreamed of when he was willing to admit it to himself.

She wanted it now. A baby. Not just any baby, but Gavin's baby. Their baby. Soon. She would broach the subject of going off her birth control once they were back in the States. She hoped he would be receptive to the idea.

***

Gavin and Alex came out of the tent the next morning and found Pavy not in the hospital. There was no one there. They left and found Pavy in the food tent.

"No patients?" Gavin asked him.

"The fighting shifted," Pavy shrugged. "Don't worry, I still need you."

"No," Gavin laughed. "I wasn't worried about that! You couldn't make it tying your shoes without me, so no, I know you will always need me."

For the first time since they arrived, Gavin and Alex were able to sit down with Pavy and enjoy a conversation. To enjoy a joke or two. To enjoy getting to know the other staff members.

Pavy took them out onto the savanna. Alex got a look at her first elephant, not in an enclosure at the Brookfield Zoo. It was a few hundred yards away from her. She stood there while Gavin took a picture with the elephant in the background.

They drove slowly in their open topped jeep, stopping from time to time to witness a free animal, not a zoo kept animal. For some reason it was more awe inspiring this way. An animal in its natural habitat. Cheetahs, rhinos, elephants and hyenas all made their appearances. Alex had pictures taken of each one.

Pavy turned into the photographer and he was quite good. Gavin and Alex would pose in the foreground and the animal in the background. Alex loved them, rotating through them on the camera, reliving each shot.

The lion pride was the most profound. The one male laying leisurely in the shade of a single tree in the middle of the savannah. His lionesses about him like a harem. They watched from a distance, she was amazed that they paid the human visitors little attention. Pavy said it was because they were the top of the food chain in the savannah. Even with the humans they did not concern themselves with things they didn't feel a threat from.

It didn't mean Pavy didn't keep his high powered rifle handy. Just in case.

"He looks like a Dom," Alex whispered into Gavin's ear. "He looks like you." Gavin shook his head with a chuckle.

"Do you need a harem of lionesses?" Alex teased.

"I don't share," he reminded.

"Hmm," Alex nodded. "But I seem to get my way with you...perhaps I want another woman to come in to help me please you."

"You please me just fine," Gavin scowled. "Don't."

"I won't," Alex assured with a roll of her eyes.

They got back to camp about midday and Gavin and Alex had thought about a nap, Emem rushing to them told them that was not going to happen.

"Hey," he said as they got out of the jeep. "Big problem."

"What's up?" Pavy asked. He looked to the group of visitors in camp looking at them.

"The Azande tribe nearby was attacked a couple nights back," Emem explained. "One of the children was injured. Their medicine hasn't worked, the child has fallen asleep and won't wake."

"Alive?" Gavin asked.

"They said he is, just that he won't wake," Emem shrugged.

Gavin gathered his medical bag and began to leave with Emem. He stopped when Alex fell into line.

"Where are you going?" he asked her.

"With you," she said firmly.

"No, you are staying here with Pavy," he said just as firmly.

"I can inoculate the children there," Alex told him. "Pavy said they won't come here as they don't trust him because he is an outsider, but the fact that they came to us says they are desperate, hopefully we can do some good and they will begin to trust Pavy and that will make saving the children easier!"

"What happens if I fail," Gavin pointed out firmly. "Not exactly going to endear us to them."

"You don't think they would punish you for that, do you?" she asked him in a gasp.

"I don't know," he shrugged. "But there is no way in hell I'm going to let you find out first hand."

"No," she said firmly as he turned and began to leave. "You go, I go. That was the rule you set up on the plane. Remember? When I asked if I could look around while you worked?"

"I meant that you couldn't wander off, not that I couldn't go off," Gavin told her.

"You know for a man who chooses his words carefully, you sure do suck at it sometimes," Alex shook her head. "You said...you go, I go. I'm fucking holding you to it! Let's go!" she growled. He stared at her for a few seconds angrily.

"Gavin," Pavy said. "They have never threatened us, they know we aren't the enemy, she will be fine."

"Un-fucking believable! This shit isn't over by a long shot young lady!" Gavin barked. He stomped his way towards where the tribe messenger was waiting.

"Well, you got him wound up," Pavy warned.

"Isn't the first time, won't be the last," Alex frowned. She wanted to be submissive, but he should have known there was no way he was going to leave her behind.

They walked for two hours before coming to the village. The people looked upon them with wary suspicion. They were taken to the tribal leader's home. Emem and the tribal leader talked back and forth, sometimes angrily, sometimes softly but always quickly. Their words firing back and forth like machine guns. It was rapid and a short burst of words.

"Well," Emem said coming to Gavin and Alex. "They were out hunting when the soldiers came. The boy is his son and next in line to lead, he was protecting a woman from a soldier who was attempting to rape her."

"Oh my God," Alex gasped as she closed her eyes at the horror of it.

"The boy was struck in the head with a rifle butt," Emem continued. They said he was awake for a few hours after the attack, but fell asleep and hasn't woken in two days.

"Will he let me look at the boy?" Gavin asked.

"He's leery," Emem pointed out.

"Tell him, his son is probably suffering a subdural hematoma, which is bleeding on the brain. If not treated he will probably die," Gavin explained what he thought it was just based on the injury reported.

"Do you know that for a fact?" Alex asked him when Emem left to talk to the leader again.

"No," Gavin frowned. "That would take a CT scan...which they don't have! But the symptomology is right."

"How do you treat it?" Alex asked him.

"I will have to drill a hole to relieve the pressure of the bleeding," Gavin explained.

"You are going to drill a hole in his head?" Alex gasped.

"Just in his skull," Gavin corrected. "It will release the blood that is trapped between the skull bone and the brain. The bruise will heal and the boy will recover. If the pressure isn't released...he will die."

"Oh my God Gavin that sounds complicated!" Alex argued. "With no medical equipment? No hospital?"

"They have been doing this procedure for hundreds of years," Gavin assured her. "No hospitals." She slid her hand into his and he squeezed it.

"How long will it take?" she asked.

"The procedure? A few minutes. But we won't be able to leave for a couple of days, not until he wakes up," Gavin explained. "He will need to be closely monitored."

"Ok," Alex nodded. "That will give me time to inoculate the children of this village."

Emem returned and led Gavin and Alex back to the boy with the village leader showing them the way.

"Tell him exactly what I say," Gavin told Emem after examining the boy. "Tell him I need to put a hole here." Gavin said showing where he would drill the hole. "It will release the pressure and the boy should wake up in a day or two."

Emem explained and the Chief looked to Gavin sternly as he thought about it.

"Tell him if I don't do this, he dies," Gavin repeated staring at the Chief. "If I do it, he lives." Emem translated. The leader looked to Gavin then spoke to him directly, not to Emem even though he knew Gavin couldn't understand him, whatever he said it was meant to be serious. It was meant to be said man to man, not through an interpreter.

"He asks if you are willing to wager your life on it," Emem said softly. Gavin never broke eye contact but gave a single nod. The leader then gave a single nod back, giving his consent.

"Are you out of your mind?" Emem asked as the tribal leader left them.

"Look, this is the only way we save him," Gavin explained as he prepared his tools and then the boy. "If we save him, Pavy's life becomes easier."

"And if you don't?" Emem asked.

"Make sure Alex is protected," Gavin said softly not wanting to think about failing.

Alex and Emem watched Gavin work. As did the medicine man of the village, as did several elders who were fascinated. It took Gavin the better part of an hour to complete the procedure. He was thankful he wouldn't have to remove the skull piece entirely. That would make the procedure much more complex.

Wrapping the boys head in gauze Gavin nodded to Alex they were done.

"Is he going to be ok?" Alex asked him.

"Should be," Gavin nodded. "It may take a couple days for the pressure to release, I will keep him on a pain killer which may make him drowsy, but I would expect him to be awake tomorrow, which will make sure we live another day."

"Not funny," Alex pointed out.

"It seems complex, but really, this is routine. The procedure isn't difficult. It's the primitive conditions here that bother me," Gavin explained. "Infection is our biggest worry now."

Alex watched him from the corner of the room that night, she was propped up in the corner while Gavin sat near the boy. He would check him from time to time. She knew he wouldn't get any sleep tonight. Not that he was sleeping much anyway. She drifted off just watching him.

The soft chatter of voices woke her the next morning. Emem was smiling as he talked to the village leader.

"How is he?" Alex asked sleepily.

"He opened his eyes," Gavin smiled. "He is still recovering but it's a marked improvement."

"That's fantastic!" Alex beamed.

The village leader patted Gavin on the shoulder.

"Well, that's a good sign," Gavin shrugged with a smile.

"Emem," Alex called out as she stood. "Ask him if he will let us inoculate now. He wasn't receptive yesterday but now he should know we are trying to help."

The boy's mother came to her and hugged her warmly. Alex shook her head, she had nothing to do with it, but the woman still hugged her. Emem translated and the man seemed hesitant still. His wife, one of many, growled something at him and then he looked to Alex and nodded at her.

Alex then thanked him, in his native tongue, which made him smile as he left. The rest of the day Emem and Alex would immunize the children of the village, while Gavin kept tabs on the boy.

Alex and Emem stepped out into the bright, hot African heat. It was supposed to be springtime in Chicago, with its March unpredictability. Rain and sometimes cold days and nights. Here in Africa, it was fall, but even the fall temperatures would hover in the 80's, sometimes higher. Today it was upper eighties. With the sun beating down on them as well, the upper 80's would feel more like 90's.

"Emem," Alex said looking around. "We need to be thorough. I want all the kids inoculated properly."

"Ok," he agreed with a nod.

"Let's set up over there," Alex said pointing to a tree. "The shade will keep us cooler."

"Sounds good," Emem agreed.

They walked over towards the tree. Emem brought a chair over with him as they went. There were curious onlookers who followed them over at a safe distance. Interested in the two strangers in their village. The mother of the boy Gavin was taking care of went over to them after they set up.

"Emem?" Alex asked drawing his eyes to her. "See if she will help us with the other mothers. They will not trust us, but perhaps they will trust her."

Emem spoke to the woman, she looked to Alex from time to time. Emem explained the benefits of the shots. She nodded with a smile. She then looked to Alex and asked her a question. Alex looked to Emem for a translation.

"She wants to know if your child has had these shots," Emem said to her.

"Tell her God has not blessed me with a child yet," Alex said softly. "But my child will have these shots." Emem translated and the woman said something to Alex that of course she didn't understand and walked to her and put her hand on Alex's stomach. She spoke some words with her eyes closed. Alex looked to Emem with a curiosity in her smile.

"She is the daughter of a witch doctor, she is giving you a fertility blessing," Emem smiled. "She said she read your desire for a child in your eyes, she wanted to thank you for all your help. Consider it a gift." Alex thanked her, again in her limited Swahili, but the woman smiled that Alex made the effort.

Emem and the mother gathered the village around the tree. Emem explained what they were doing and why. Many looked on Alex suspiciously. A question was asked and Alex looked to Emem.

"They want to know if it will hurt," Emem frowned.

"Tell them it will feel like a bee sting," Alex said. "But, it will keep them from getting the diseases that kill children before they become adults."

Emem translated, which led to more questions.

"They want to know what diseases," Emem said to her.

"Tell them we are giving them shots for malaria and Diarrhoeal disease. We are also trying to fight of some respiratory infections...I mean breathing infections, as well as some parasites they can't see but is in the water they drink."

Emem translated and they looked to one another skeptically.

"Emem, warn them that over 760,000 children die from diseases we can prevent with these shots," Alex said recognizing the doubt. "They all have seen children die, we can help. We want to help." Emem spoke and they whispered softly.

"I told them whole villages of children have died from diseases we can stop, right now the lady speaking is telling of a village from her youth where the entire village had no children live to five summers," Emem told her. Emem broke out in laughter which had Alex turning her eyes to him.

"They wonder if you are Ture," Emem laughed covering his mouth. Alex's eyes told him to explain. "In their culture, Ture is a mischievous trickster. Typically one who goes against the norm. If I remember right, you have a similar character in your culture." Emem told her thinking back.

"The missionary that came to my village as a boy equated our Ture with your Br'er rabbit from Uncle Remus stories of your South," he explained with a furrowed brow trying to make sure he told her right.

"Oh God, if they only knew!" Alex laughed thinking of her lifestyle.

She recalled the one story she could think of with the Br'er rabbit fable. That of the Br'er rabbit and the Tar Baby. She loved it as a child, so she knew it wasn't an insult to have this story equated to her. It was just they didn't know how to take the beautiful woman in their midst.

"What shall I tell them?" Emem asked her.

"Tell them I have a sense of humor, but dying isn't funny. I'm here to make sure their children live long, happy, laughter filled years," Alex said firmly. "With these shots, their children will grow old." Emem translated. They spoke to Emem and he turned.

"They want to know how you want to do this," Emem smiled.

"Tell the children, I need a brave volunteer," Alex said relieved. Emem made the request.

A boy, about nine, took a step forward. Alex smiled at him as his mother stood behind him her hands protectively on his shoulders. Alex waved him over and patted the chair. He looked up to his mother who nodded at him reassuringly and the boy sat.

Alex knelt in front of him and held his hands. Her white skin enwrapped his dark.

"Translate for me," Alex said never taking her eyes off the boy. "I'm going to use this needle." She told the boy showing him the needle and waited for Emem to translate. "It will hurt...but only for a second." Emem explained. "Have you ever been stung by a bee?"

The boy rattle off a long conversation, Emem translated.

"He said he was once out with friends, they came upon a hive. They dared him to hit it with a rock. He didn't want to look afraid so he struck it with a rock. The bees swarmed, he was stung several times before they were able to get away," Emem laughed. Alex laughed with him.

"Tell him that was very brave, but very foolish too!" Alex said running her fingers over his face. "Sounds like I'm not the only Ture here!" Alex smiled at him and he smiled back. Emem told him and he nodded with a laugh.

"This won't hurt like that," she promised. The boy nodded.

Alex wiped his arm with alcohol, showed the boy the shot and he looked to her with a nod. Alex was quick, the boy winced but didn't call out. Alex covered the injection site when she was done with gauze. She winked at the boy who smiled.

Reaching into a box she pulled a sucker out for him and held it out. He took it apprehensively and Alex took one out for herself and pulled the wrapper out and put it into her mouth. The boy did the same and the sweetness of the treat caused him to pull it out and look at it.

Alex then picked up the boys hand and kissed it, showing she was really appreciative of his bravery and help. Following their custom of showing the boy high praise. The boy nodded and hopped off speaking to the group.

"What did he say?" Alex asked.

"He said it didn't hurt too bad, and he was willing to get another shot for the candy! He also said you were a beautiful angel." Emem laughed.

The women and children formed a line and Alex and Emem began working. Each child got a sweet treat and each mother smiled happily that there was no real harm. Alex wished there was some way of showing what these shots could do. But they would have to trust these strangers, and in particular, this Ture.

Alex walked in tiredly, the sweat causing her shirt to stick to her. She smiled at Gavin as he sat on the bed with the boy who was talking rapidly at Gavin who was nodding along, he wasn't understanding the boy but it didn't matter. The boy was happy to be alive. That was getting through.

"He's awake!" Alex smiled.

"And talking like a high pressure salesman!" Gavin teased. "I don't have the first clue what he is saying, but he is happy."