A Brush of Wings (24 page)

Marcus shook his head. “No, thank you.” He walked to the window and stared at the sky. He would walk to her if it took that. But he couldn’t carry her all the way back to the airport from the orphanage. It was a thirty-mile, difficult drive.

“I’m desperate, God.” Marcus whispered the prayer against the filmy glass. “I need a Jeep. Please, Lord . . . I don’t know what else to do.”

Marcus was used to being in control. He didn’t drink or do drugs, and he always knew what pitch to throw. Lately he’d even been memorizing Scripture so he’d always have the right verse at the right time. But here, he was completely out of options.

He needed a Jeep.

Mary Catherine’s life depended on it.

BECK FOUND THE
broken-down Jeep next to a Dumpster behind the rental agency. With supernatural speed and dexterity, Beck fixed the old Jeep in a few minutes and drove it to the back door of the office.

Beck wore coveralls, the type used by most mechanics. Same ones he wore earlier at the airport. He stuffed a grease rag in one of his pockets and with a brisk pace he walked through the back door of the office, holding the keys.

The man behind the counter spun around, surprised.

“Got a Jeep ready. Heard you had a customer looking?” Beck spotted Marcus over by the window.

“What?” At the sound of Beck’s message, Marcus hurried back to the counter. Again Beck and Marcus made eye contact. Beck expected Marcus might recognize him, especially after the brief encounter at the airport. But Marcus was too distracted. Too anxious to get in the Jeep and drive to Mary Catherine.

The man behind the counter was still confused. He took the keys from Beck and then furrowed his brow. “What Jeep is this?”

“The one out back. Behind the garage.”

Disbelief played out on the man’s face. He shook his head. “That car was broken. We planned to sell it for parts.”

“It works.” Beck took a step back.

“Who are you? I have never seen you before.” The man behind the counter looked borderline angry. “You pulling a joke on me, man?”

“This isn’t a joke.” Beck stayed calm. “I used the transcode vector and fixed the one out back.” He nodded to Marcus. “I think the customer’s in a hurry.”

The man finally gave up trying to make sense of the situation. As soon as he shifted his attention to Marcus, Beck slipped out the back and disappeared.

Mary Catherine still might not make it. There were no guarantees, as Ember had reminded them. But at least now Marcus had a Jeep. A way to get to the orphanage in a hurry.

And a way to get Mary Catherine out.

19

B
Y THE TIME MARCUS
pulled up to the orphanage gate, he felt like he’d been driving for a week. The road was worse than Janie described. He had to drive through streams and deep holes and areas that looked too narrow to cross.

But none of that mattered. He was here.

He used the gate code to enter the compound, and once he was parked, he ran into the building. A redheaded girl with pale skin was waiting for him. If he didn’t know better he would’ve thought she was Mary Catherine’s sister.

The woman held out her hand. “Marcus.” She nodded. “I’m Ember. Follow me.”

Marcus could sense the woman’s urgency. The two of them walked through a kitchen to a living area, and there on the couch was Mary Catherine. She was asleep, covered with a blanket. Even before he reached her Marcus could see how much weight she’d lost. Her skin looked gray and she was shivering.

“She’s cold?” The afternoon was blazing hot outside, and not much cooler inside.

“She has a high fever.” Ember took a wet cloth from a bowl of water on a nearby table. She wrung it out and handed it to Marcus. “Use this. It helps keep her body cool.”

“But she’s already cold.” Marcus felt desperate. Panic choked him, and he struggled to focus. Mary Catherine looked like she was barely clinging to life.

“Feel her head.” Ember stood by, waiting.

Marcus put his hand on her forehead. Ember was right. Mary Catherine was burning up. His stomach felt sick. He knew she was bad off, but he had no idea she was this sick. He turned to Ember again. “I know about her heart . . . but what else?”

“She has an infection. It’s throughout her body.” Ember looked at Mary Catherine. “I gave her more medication half an hour ago. Her fever should break, at least for a while. She’ll wake up then.” Ember paused. “The local hospital isn’t equipped for something this serious. So I took care of her here.”

Marcus felt the sweat on his own forehead. Adrenaline flooded his body. “I need to get her home.”

“Yes.” Ember’s voice was kind but laced with deep concern. “As soon as possible.”

Marcus had pictured simply getting Mary Catherine and hurrying back to the airport. This newest revelation, seeing her this way, was devastating.

He took the damp cloth and knelt by Mary Catherine’s side. He laid it gently across her forehead and then he ran his hands along her arms. The heat from her skin was unlike anything he’d felt before. He removed the cloth and dipped it in the cool water again, wrung it out, and ran it over her arms before placing it back on her forehead. Anything to stop her intense shivering.

“Hey.” He brought his face close to hers. “Mary Catherine, it’s me. Marcus. I’m taking you home.”

A weak moan came from her and she turned slightly onto her side, facing him. The wheezing she made with every breath sounded terrible. How was she getting any oxygen into her system if her lungs were that sick?

“Mary Catherine.” He kissed her cheek. “Can you hear me?”

Like she was coming out of a coma, Mary Catherine blinked a few times and opened her eyes just a bit. She looked at him and after a few seconds, as she gradually woke up, she gasped. “Marcus.” Just saying his name seemed to take all her strength. Her eyes closed again. “You’re here.”

“I am.” He flipped the cloth so the cooler side would be against her skin. “I came as soon as I heard about your heart.” He had a dozen questions for her, but they would have to wait. The only thing that mattered now was getting her out of here. “I’m taking you home.”

Mary Catherine managed a slight nod. “Okay.”

“You’re going to get better.” Marcus ran his thumb along her burning cheek. “The medicine is working.”

Another weak nod, and over the next ten minutes, Mary Catherine stopped shivering. Her breathing still sounded awful, but Marcus was pretty sure her temperature was dropping. He looked over his shoulder at Ember. She was still there a few feet away, her hands outstretched, eyes closed.

Praying, no doubt.

Marcus was grateful. He needed a miracle if he was going to get Mary Catherine home in this condition. Ten minutes passed, then another ten. Moment by moment, Mary Catherine’s fever left and she gathered strength. Marcus found some water and mixed in the hydration packet he’d brought from home.

He helped Mary Catherine sit up. “I have something for you.”

Now that she was up, she looked more like herself. Too thin and pale, still very sick, but better than when she was asleep on the couch. Her eyes met his and in an instant Marcus could see straight into her soul. “I missed you.” He whispered the words as he held the cup to her lips.

She took some of the liquid, her eyes never leaving his. “I’m sorry. I . . . should’ve . . .”

“Shhh.” He brushed her hair back from her face and kissed her forehead. “It doesn’t matter now. I’m here.”

Her eyes glistened with tears and her chin quivered. But she didn’t cry. It took all her energy to get the drink down—which she did, one sip at a time. Along the way he could almost feel her gaining strength.

Ember left the room and when she returned she handed Marcus a bag of pill bottles. “She needs these every three hours. Two of each kind.” She motioned to the glass Mary Catherine was finishing. “And as much of that as you can get down her. The protein drink, too.”

Marcus looked long at Ember. “How did you know I brought protein powder?”

For a split second Ember looked nervous. Then she smiled. “I saw them in your backpack. When you got the hydration powder.”

“Oh.” Marcus blinked a few times. That didn’t actually seem possible from where Ember had been standing. But it didn’t matter. He nodded at the woman. “Thank you. For everything.” He had no idea where Ember had come from or how God had provided just the right person for this ordeal, but he was beyond grateful.

“Marcus.” Mary Catherine was more alert now. “Thank you . . . for coming here.”

“I told you I would.” He smiled at her. “I’ll build my orphanage on the other side of that gate.”

The lightest bit of laughter came from her. “Build it back in LA.”

“Right.” Marcus looked around. “Where is your suitcase?”

“By the door.” Ember pointed to a tall blue suitcase. “She came with four bags, but mostly filled with supplies for the children. That’s all she’s taking back.”

Marcus stared at the suitcase. He could’ve sworn it wasn’t there before. But again he had no time to debate the fact. He searched Mary Catherine’s eyes and put his hand alongside her face. “You ready?”

“Yes.” She still looked frail and sick, but there was a strength in her eyes that hadn’t been there before. “I can do this.”

Marcus made her a quick protein drink, ran her suitcase and the bag of pills to the car, and came back for her. She made an effort to stand, but then fell back against the couch. Marcus bent down and picked her up. “Just rest, okay?” He spoke straight into her eyes. “I’ve got this.”

Ember followed him outside and after he had Mary Catherine buckled into the passenger seat, he shook her hand again. “This wouldn’t be possible without you.”

“Of course. It’s part of the job.” Ember walked to Mary Catherine’s side of the Jeep. “Believe, Mary Catherine. God is working in this. He’s going ahead of you.” Ember put her hand on Mary Catherine’s shoulder. “I’ll keep praying.”

“I need your contact information.” Mary Catherine attempted to find her laptop but Ember stopped her.

“I’ll email you. Just rest. I’ll see you again. I promise.”

Marcus had no time to waste. The last flight out today was scheduled to leave in two hours. He waved once more to Ember, handed Mary Catherine the protein shake. The gate opened automatically as he pulled up and the moment he was clear he took off. “Let me know if I need to slow down.”

The Jeep kicked up dust and rocks as they sped away. It had a soft top but no windows, so Mary Catherine would be shielded from most of the dust, but not all of it. Marcus tried not to worry about the fact. They needed to make the flight.

“Marcus.” Mary Catherine reached for him. “Hold my hand. Please.”

It was the single best moment he’d had since he heard the news about her heart. He took gentle hold of her fingers and brought them to his lips. “I won’t ever let go.”

“Okay.” She smiled, her eyelids heavy. “Me, either.”

He kept his eyes on the dangerous road, but every few minutes he caught a glimpse of her. She finished her drink and fell asleep. Marcus felt her hand in his as keenly as his own heartbeat.
Lord, give her strength
.
Let her survive this trip, please. And let us make this flight.
If they missed it, the next plane out wouldn’t be until tomorrow morning. Marcus had a terrible feeling that tomorrow wouldn’t only be worse for Mary Catherine.

It might be too late.