Chapter 5 – Defib
"Do you really think that it's a good idea to ask her to marry you in front us?", she asks cautiously.
"Yeah", he says. "I mean I can't take her to a fancy restaurant because there aren't any here. And getting down on one knee in the moonlight seems too cliché for either of us, so this feels like a good option", he says with a good-natured shrug of his shoulders. "Besides, I want to share this moment with friends who are like family."
Angelique smiles briefly as John mentions how emotionally close he feels to her and some of the other workers at the clinic, but her smile is quickly replaced by her former look of concern.
For the first time since he's entered the room, John really looks at Angelique and he sees her discomfort.
"What?" he asks.
"Well, it may be nothing", she says cautiously. "It's just that Kem never seemed like she wanted to settle down."
He is caught off guard by that comment. "Ah…what…what do you mean? She had a baby, and…"
"Yes, but that was an accident. Your proposal isn't the same thing."
John stares at her in disbelief, uncertain of how he should respond.
He draws his eyebrows closer together and he asks slowly, "Has Kem said anything to you?"
"No. It's just that it seems as if she enjoys being," Angelique shrugs her shoulders as she searches for the right word. "Unencumbered", she says finally.
"Unencumbered," he says almost disbelievingly. He had never thought of Angelique's scenario as a possibility, but then again it might explain all of Kem's earlier refusals.
He is about to ask Angelique another question, when a familiar voice with a faint German accent moans, "Oh, God."
John turns and sees that Charles is back from his morning run for supplies, and he has brought a guest.
Debbie follows Charles into the room. She has pulled her blond hair back and it is clasped in its customary location. She is also wearing sensible clothes for the climate: a pair of khakis and a light brown linen shirt.
"Don't listen to Angelique", Charles tells John wearily as he walks to a cabinet and adds something to its contents. "After her personal experience with a failed arranged marriage in Calcutta, she doesn't believe that any sane, educated woman would bother with marriage unless she was forced to."
Angelique crosses her arms over her chest, raises her eyebrows and says defiantly, "Well, they wouldn't. What desirable woman would want to allow herself to be imprisoned in a cage of society's expectations when she can live life free and still enjoy the benefits of a relationship without the stereotypical expectations of a marriage?"
John looks at her aghast for a moment, and then gives her an annoyed look as he lets out the breath that he has been holding since their conversation began.
He is greatly relived that Angelique seems to be speaking about her fears and not Kem's.
He gives Angelique one last menacing look, before he walks over to Debbie, and kisses her on both cheeks.
"Deb", he says happily.
"Well, I see they've made you into a Francophile for some things", she says wryly referring to his use of the French manner for greeting people.
"Um…well, I like that custom," he says as he shrugs his shoulders innocently. "I didn't think that you were going to be able to make it."
"The government convinced the ICRC to do a last minute emergency food run to Kisangani, so here I am. Besides, I couldn't miss tonight. I am partially responsible for getting you guys together in the first place."
As she says this, John blushes a little and runs a hand through his hair. He's embarrassed as he remembers how he spent most of the evening staring lustfully at Kem even though Debbie was sitting right beside him.
Debbie smiles at his embarrassment and says, "Buy me a beer tonight and we can call it even."
"Deal", he says firmly.
"So I assume she doesn't know", Debbie says.
"No, she doesn't suspect a thing. That reminds me…She's coming over here this afternoon to pick up some files. So, none of you," and he uses his index finger to indicate everyone in the room, "can act suspiciously or differently. She's very observant. If she sees that something's different, she'll lay into you with a million questions, and the jig will be up."
"Well, I guess that means I'm gone this afternoon," says Charles perkily, "I'm terrible at keeping secrets and playing innocent."
Everyone grins at this.
"Why don't you come with me?" offers Debbie. "You can help me supervise the unloading of the plane's supplies."
He shakes his head in assent, and everyone starts to disperse and get to work.
As John starts to make his rounds, he can still only get half of his mind to remain focused on his job. The other half is focused on trying to calm his heart which is beating faster in nervous anticipation with every passing second.
When Kem walks into the clinic later that afternoon, she finds John playing a memory game with some of the younger patients and children.
She taps him lightly on his shoulder, and he looks at her briefly in surprise. John quickly returns his concentration to the game, but not before he puts an arm around her pulling her gently to his side.
One of the children answers the question correctly, and the others, including John, groan in mock disappointment as they lose the round.
As the children get ready to play a new round, John turns to Kem and asks, "Is it 2:00 already?"
"Afraid so. Apparently time flies for the memory challenged", she says as she jokingly refers to his recent loss.
"Ha", he says dryly.
"Sam", he calls out. "Take over for me while I get some things for Kem." A lanky boy of about 13 or 14 responds and eagerly runs over to the group of children.
John and Kem walk down the hall to the office.
"You know, I forgot to ask you this morning if you had any additional John Does," she says.
"Ah…two more," he says sadly as he stacks the files together and hands them to her.
She gives him a bittersweet smile and says in a firm tone, "One day there will be no more."
He smiles at her attempt at optimism knowing that they both understand that such a day may never come during their lifetimes. Even so, it's still nice to dream.
She takes the files and places them in her bag. "Well, I'm off."
"Do you want some help?" he says shyly as he shuffles his feet and puts his hands in his pockets.
"With filing?" she asks. She recognizes his little boy begging tactic and refuses to let herself be charmed by it this time. "Hmm…It must really be a slow day here", she says derisively. "Thanks but no thanks. I'm pretty sure that I can manage."
"You sure you don't want the company? It's an hour's walk," he says as he tries to charm her one last time.
"I'll be fine", she calls out as she leaves the room. John stares after her.