to or not,” she answered calmly.
“It’s that damn Hampton, isn’t it? That no-good bastard! You’ve been down six days. Six days! Most people don’t even get up from malaria in that amount of time, much less walk! Hell, I’d like to see you walk!”
“It’s okay, Sully,” she returned, pulling her hard hat from beneath the cot.
“Frank’s doing okay in your absence, believe me,” Sully begged.
“Not according to Brock. Listen, Sully, he’s measuring that damn road by the inch. We’re getting farther behind. Frank’s good, but he’s young. I need to get out there and be seen by the crews. Give them a pep talk, make them rally.”
Sully swore richly and then glanced guiltily in her direction. I`m sorry,” he apologized, “but look at you! You’re pale as hell beneath that tan of yours, and your eyes are still bright with fever. You tell me you ain’t got a fever.”
Mackenna stood carefully, testing her equilibrium. She was incredibly weak, but her knees locked and held. “I’ve probably still got a low-grade fever,” she admitted, shuffling to the tent flap where he stood. “Now, come on. Quit looking so mad. I’ve got Brock Hampton to deal with. He’s angry all the time. I don’t need my loyal master mechanic staring me down, too.” She gripped his wiry arm. “Give me a hand, Sully. Help me get out to the truck. I’ll take it from there.”
“Damn!” he swore softly, gripping her arm. “Okay, you stubborn woman! Just don’t come crying to me when you fold like an accordion out there this afternoon. You’ll never take the heat and humidity in this condition!”
Mackenna smiled gently at her friend. “I’ll just drive around and make sure the men see me. I’ll handle the problems from the truck. Okay?”
Sully walked in silence, being careful not to lengthen his stride. “I wouldn’t want to make a bet on who’s more bullheaded. You or Hampton.”
Mackenna felt the cloak of depression slipping from her shoulders. The sun was shining brightly this morning, and for the first time in over a year she noticed the raucous cries of the tropical birds hidden in the stands of coconut palms. It was like a new experience, and it sent a thrill through the darkness that had inhabited her heart and soul for so long. Despite her exhaustion, Mackenna was aware that a new strength was seeping through her being, entering her world, making it easier to smile for Sully’s benefit. He halted at the truck door and opened it.
“If you’re going to lay bets, Sully,” she informed him, climbing into the cab and shutting the door, “bet that I’ll win.”
His grizzled face broke into a pleased grin. “You got it, Mac. You got enough chloroquine tablets and water?”
“Yes,” she answered dutifully.
“I had the radio checked. Ought to work fine. If you get in a bind or get to feelin’ poorly, call me or Bevans.”
“How about if I call Hampton?” she teased, starting the truck engine.
Sully glared at her. “He wouldn’t rescue a baby from the path of a bulldozer,” he snorted.
A grin edged her lips. “Maybe…maybe not. We’ll see.” Waving, she drove off slowly toward the road being carved out of the jungle in the distance.
Word traveled fast, Mackenna found out. By the time she reached the head of the road, her day-shift crew had gathered to wait for her. From sun-dark faces, brown eyes regarded her solemnly. As the crew walked to her truck, her spirits rose. She realized with a surge of happiness that they did care about her, and that discovery brought tears to her eyes. She hadn’t expected such a warm welcome. Had she become so mired in depression after Ryan’s death that she had failed to respond to those around her? The thought shook her deeply. Brock was the same way. Was she a mirror image of him without the anger? Mackenna didn’t want to look too closely at the answer to that question.
The foreman stepped forward to discuss the various problems they had been
“It’s that damn Hampton, isn’t it? That no-good bastard! You’ve been down six days. Six days! Most people don’t even get up from malaria in that amount of time, much less walk! Hell, I’d like to see you walk!”
“It’s okay, Sully,” she returned, pulling her hard hat from beneath the cot.
“Frank’s doing okay in your absence, believe me,” Sully begged.
“Not according to Brock. Listen, Sully, he’s measuring that damn road by the inch. We’re getting farther behind. Frank’s good, but he’s young. I need to get out there and be seen by the crews. Give them a pep talk, make them rally.”
Sully swore richly and then glanced guiltily in her direction. I`m sorry,” he apologized, “but look at you! You’re pale as hell beneath that tan of yours, and your eyes are still bright with fever. You tell me you ain’t got a fever.”
Mackenna stood carefully, testing her equilibrium. She was incredibly weak, but her knees locked and held. “I’ve probably still got a low-grade fever,” she admitted, shuffling to the tent flap where he stood. “Now, come on. Quit looking so mad. I’ve got Brock Hampton to deal with. He’s angry all the time. I don’t need my loyal master mechanic staring me down, too.” She gripped his wiry arm. “Give me a hand, Sully. Help me get out to the truck. I’ll take it from there.”
“Damn!” he swore softly, gripping her arm. “Okay, you stubborn woman! Just don’t come crying to me when you fold like an accordion out there this afternoon. You’ll never take the heat and humidity in this condition!”
Mackenna smiled gently at her friend. “I’ll just drive around and make sure the men see me. I’ll handle the problems from the truck. Okay?”
Sully walked in silence, being careful not to lengthen his stride. “I wouldn’t want to make a bet on who’s more bullheaded. You or Hampton.”
Mackenna felt the cloak of depression slipping from her shoulders. The sun was shining brightly this morning, and for the first time in over a year she noticed the raucous cries of the tropical birds hidden in the stands of coconut palms. It was like a new experience, and it sent a thrill through the darkness that had inhabited her heart and soul for so long. Despite her exhaustion, Mackenna was aware that a new strength was seeping through her being, entering her world, making it easier to smile for Sully’s benefit. He halted at the truck door and opened it.
“If you’re going to lay bets, Sully,” she informed him, climbing into the cab and shutting the door, “bet that I’ll win.”
His grizzled face broke into a pleased grin. “You got it, Mac. You got enough chloroquine tablets and water?”
“Yes,” she answered dutifully.
“I had the radio checked. Ought to work fine. If you get in a bind or get to feelin’ poorly, call me or Bevans.”
“How about if I call Hampton?” she teased, starting the truck engine.
Sully glared at her. “He wouldn’t rescue a baby from the path of a bulldozer,” he snorted.
A grin edged her lips. “Maybe…maybe not. We’ll see.” Waving, she drove off slowly toward the road being carved out of the jungle in the distance.
Word traveled fast, Mackenna found out. By the time she reached the head of the road, her day-shift crew had gathered to wait for her. From sun-dark faces, brown eyes regarded her solemnly. As the crew walked to her truck, her spirits rose. She realized with a surge of happiness that they did care about her, and that discovery brought tears to her eyes. She hadn’t expected such a warm welcome. Had she become so mired in depression after Ryan’s death that she had failed to respond to those around her? The thought shook her deeply. Brock was the same way. Was she a mirror image of him without the anger? Mackenna didn’t want to look too closely at the answer to that question.
The foreman stepped forward to discuss the various problems they had been
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