Jingle All the Way Read online

  “As Mike said, I’m a naturalist. You are in for an exciting two weeks. I’ll be giving several talks, familiarizing you with some of the wide variety of plants and wildlife you can expect to see. You’re going to come away with a full appreciation for the beauty of this rainforest. My sole purpose is to make this one of the most memorable trips of your life.” Having said this, Asher introduced the rest of the crew, including a photographer, the chef, and other key members. At the end of his talk, the captain welcomed everyone himself and explained that he would soon be needed on the bridge. “I didn’t want to let this opportunity pass to welcome you myself. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

  A polite applause followed. Asher came to the forefront once more. “Thank you, Captain. I want to remind everyone that there will be an informal social gathering in thirty minutes. Afterward I’ll review our itinerary and some of the exciting adventures we have planned over the next two weeks.”

  Trying to be as unobtrusive as possible, Everly followed the captain into the passageway. “Captain Martin,” she said, stopping him. “If you have a few minutes, I have an urgent request.”

  “You’re Ms. Lancaster?”

  “Yes, that’s me.” Her reputation had apparently preceded her.

  “I’ve already spoken to Alex. Regretfully, there’s nothing to be done. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

  Defeated, Everly nodded. If she continued to pressure the crew they would look upon her as a pest. She returned to her room. As she replaced the life vest in the minuscule closet, she noticed a mosquito bite on her arm. It could only have happened in the taxi during her ride to the dock. The skin surrounding the red bump burned to the touch and it already itched something fierce. She had been distracted earlier, but now the bite was front and center.

  In the social hour that followed, she learned that this afternoon gathering would take place daily. The passengers and staff would review the highlights of the day with wine and small appetizers before going in for the evening meal. She quickly picked up on the fact that everyone was friendly and eager to share something about themselves. Within the first half-hour, Everly met two college professors, a psychiatrist, a chemist, several other professionals, and a friendly retired couple from Germany. She was surprised to discover there were only forty passengers along with thirty crew members.

  Her two favorites were a long-married couple, the Browns, who were celebrating their forty-fifth wedding anniversary with the cruise.

  “This has long been on David’s bucket list,” Janice said.

  “What about your bucket list?” Everly asked, thinking it must have been a sacrifice for Janice to agree to a trip on the Amazon.

  “Oh, I’ve had my springtime in Paris. It was David’s turn to choose where we headed off to next. I wasn’t sure at first, but the more I read up about Brazil and the rainforest, the more enthused I became. I think we’re both going to enjoy every minute of these two weeks.”

  Everly could only hope she would as well, although it was highly doubtful. The irritation on her arm was at the point of being painful; the sting was getting harder to ignore. She’d never had a reaction to a mosquito bite before and wondered if this was a different breed of insect than what she was accustomed to in Indiana, where she’d been raised.

  As she moved about the room, chatting with the other passengers, she learned that nearly everyone on board had taken one or more of these explorer adventures. One couple spoke of their trip to Antarctica. Another mentioned being in the Galápagos Islands. There were trips down the Nile and adventures in Iceland. It seemed every other passenger on board was a seasoned traveler. Working the hours she did, Everly had rarely left the States.

  After an hour of socializing, the purser had everyone take a seat as he reviewed the itinerary. The route was displayed on a large television screen. The first week entailed making headway down the river. At some point they would turn around and return to Manaus. As she reviewed the map, Everly noticed that what Alex had told her earlier was true. The entire voyage was made up of rainforest and jungle.

  “I hope you’ve all read the brochure that came as part of your packet. In case you haven’t had a chance to review it, the one point I need to reiterate is the environmental policies that don’t allow us to take water from the Amazon. That means water usage will be held at a strict limit while we are on the river. We ask that passengers only take two showers a week.”

  Everly gasped. She’d already taken one of her allotted showers.

  “Is that a problem, Daisy?” Alex asked.

  Unwilling to stand out more than she already did, Everly shook her head. “Not in the least. It came as a surprise is all.”

  Seeing that she hadn’t read the brochure, she hadn’t received the list of wardrobe suggestions, either, if looking at the others was any indication. Annette had a lot to answer for, and Everly fully intended to make sure she did.

  “Tomorrow morning will be the first of our lectures from Asher Adams,” Alex said. “I know you’ll enjoy what he has to say. He’ll be giving us a general review of what we can expect once we’re in the Zodiacs and on the Amazon itself.”

  Other than what she’d learned being raised on the farm, Everly had never taken much notice of flora and fauna.

  “In the next few days we’ll be taking the Zodiacs out every day. I’m pleased to share that in the second week of our exploration of the Amazon, we have the opportunity to meet with a group of indigenous people. We’ll venture into the rainforest itself to their small village and share a traditional meal prepared especially for us.”

  This was apparently a surprise, as the others responded with excited chatter. No way was Everly going to be getting into a Zodiac and walking through the rainforest in linen pants and a silk blouse. She hadn’t come prepared for this type of adventure. When the time came, she’d be staying aboard. She could read the books she’d downloaded. Perhaps, if she was lucky, there might even be a small swimming pool. She’d find ways to amuse herself until she could return to Chicago and seek out her own revenge. Annette would pay for this.

  Dinner followed and Everly made her way into the compact dining area. There was no assigned seating and she was tempted to skip, seeing that her arm itched something fierce from the mosquito bite. Just as she was about to excuse herself, Janice Brown invited her to join her and her husband. The exploration team followed behind and Alex and his wife chose to sit at a table with space for two.

  Asher Adams stepped up to the table. “May I join you?” he asked the three of them.

  “Of course,” David said.

  “Please,” Janice confirmed. “It would be our honor.”

  Asher looked to Everly. “By all means,” she concurred. She suspected he saw her as a troublemaker and wanted to curtail any discontent.

  Asher pulled out the chair and sat next to her.

  “How wonderful that we’re going to be able to walk through the rainforest,” Janice said, as she passed the freshly baked bread to Everly. “I can’t imagine we could have a better guide. We were with Asher in Antarctica,” she explained to Everly.

  As if he sensed her reluctance, Asher turned to Everly. “I hope you’ll join us when we explore the rainforest.”

  “I’ll see how I feel when the time comes,” she said before sinking her teeth into the bread.

  “Oh, you must!” Janice insisted. “You can’t let this opportunity pass you by.”

  Everly knew she needed an attitude adjustment. It would take time, but she was determined to do her best. Turning to Asher, she asked, “There doesn’t happen to be a swimming pool of any kind on board, is there?”

  He looked surprised by the question. “Sorry, no.”

  “That’s what I thought.” Growing more uncomfortable by the moment, she squirmed in her chair. She debated on excusing herself and checking the bite again. It seemed to be getting wo
rse.

  “You will join us for the excursion, won’t you?” Janice pressed.

  “I’d like to,” Everly said, unwilling to discourage the other woman’s enthusiasm. “Unfortunately, I don’t have anything to wear that’s appropriate…there was a miscommunication and I didn’t realize this was the cruise I’d booked.”

  “That’s a shame,” David added, sounding genuinely sorry.

  “It is,” Janice agreed. “I’d be happy to loan you a few of my clothes, but I fear you and I are nowhere near the same size.”

  “That’s generous of you,” Everly said, sincerely touched by the other woman’s thoughtfulness. She rubbed at her upper arm; this bug bite was driving her insane. It ached as badly as it itched.

  “You would be willing if you had the proper clothes, though?” Asher asked.

  Her three dinner companions awaited her response. She didn’t want to disappoint them, seeing that they each were anxious to include her.

  “Of course, but as I said, I didn’t pack anything suitable.”

  Janice turned her attention to Asher. “I’m anxious to hear your talk tomorrow morning.”

  “Thank you. The rainforest is bursting with life. Millions of species of plants and animals make their home here, along with several unique tribes. The group we’ll be meeting are the Caribs.”

  “The Caribs,” David repeated, nodding toward his wife.

  “Yes, there are scattered remnants of ethnic groups with their own distinctive language and culture that remain in the tropical forests. At best estimate there are as many as seventy-seven groups living there with no contact with the outside world.”

  “That many?”

  “The majority come from Brazil, with twelve to fifteen such groups in Peru. I’ve met several contacted groups over the course of my time. Virtually all have been affected by the outside world, although many men continue to wear traditional garb of loincloths and the women go topless. Some have chosen to dress in Western clothes, but the people we have the opportunity to meet have stayed true to their traditions.”

  “That’s amazing in this day and age,” Janice commented.

  “You’d be surprised by how adaptable these people are to the world. Many use metal pots, pans, and utensils for everyday life. Some make handicrafts to sell to tourists and routinely venture into the city to bring food and wares to market. In Manaus, I was able to purchase a dart gun for my nephew, Morgan.”

  Janice laughed. “I bet he loved that.”

  “I haven’t given it to him yet, but I plan to on my next trip to Chicago.”

  “Chicago?” Everly repeated, as she reached for a second dinner roll.

  “Yes, my brother and his wife live there.”

  “Oh. That’s where I live.”

  He smiled at her before returning his attention to the Browns.

  “Are the indigenous people able to grow their own food, or do they forage for it in the rainforest?” Everly asked as their dinner was served. Her father would be interested in that sort of information, seeing that he had worked the farm all of his adult life.

  Asher continued the dinner conversation, giving them tidbits of information about the hunting and cultivation of crops. He spoke of how they grew rice and a variety of bananas while Everly listened as best she could. Her arm grew more uncomfortable by the minute, making it difficult to focus. She could hardly wait to get back to her room and check out the problem. She’d been bitten before, and while it was mildly irritating, it’d never affected her like this.

  The meal was good, despite her discomfort, but then she hadn’t eaten in more hours than she could remember.

  Dinner was followed by an announcement that a movie would be showing, detailing life in the rainforest. Eager to return to her room and look at her arm, Everly decided to forgo the movie. From the conversation during the social hour, she learned that several of her fellow passengers had arrived a few days earlier and had adjusted to the time difference. The couple from Germany, who spoke excellent English, had arrived a full week earlier and had the opportunity to tour Manaus and Rio before boarding the Amazon Explorer.

  The moment she returned to her stateroom, Everly peeled off her shirt and looked in the bathroom mirror. The bite that had been a small red bump before dinner had grown to the size of a bread plate, covering nearly her entire upper arm.

  Everly bit into her lower lip, unsure what to do. It was clear she was having an intense allergic reaction to the bite. She’d been in her room only a short time when there was a knock on her door. Remembering that there were no locks, she didn’t risk not answering. She quickly buttoned up her blouse.

  “Yes?” she said, opening her door.

  Asher stood in the passageway outside. “I’ve come to check to see if you’re all right. I noticed you seemed uncomfortable at dinner.”

  Everly’s head started to swim. “I’m okay,” she said. “Really, it’s nothing.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Oh yes, I’m quite sure,” she said, right before she slumped forward into his arms in a dead faint.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Everly woke to find herself on top of her bed with Asher Adams looking down on her. She blinked several times, wondering how she’d gotten from the door to her bed.

  “You fainted,” Asher announced.

  Rising on one elbow, Everly blinked at him several times. “I fainted?” She shook her head, finding that impossible to believe. “Must be an adverse reaction to the sleeping pill I took on my flight here.”

  He frowned as if he wasn’t inclined to believe her. “I doubt a sleeping pill would cause you to faint.”

  “Or it could be the mosquito bite I got on the ride between the airport and the ship.”

  “Would you mind if I took a look?” Asher asked. “I have some advanced training and the captain calls upon me when there’s a medical issue.”

  “I suppose that would be all right.” She sat up and unbuttoned her blouse enough to free her arm. “It feels hot and itches like crazy.”

  Asher gently held her arm. “Have you ever had a reaction to a mosquito bite before?”

  “No. I was raised on a farm and was bitten a hundred times. I’ve never had anything like this happen.”

  Asher carefully examined the bite, and Everly had to admit the redness and swelling around the area were impressive. It had spread to the entire upper part of her arm. “The mosquitoes in the Amazon carry a number of different viruses.”

  “Will you need to amputate?” she asked, mainly to lighten the mood, seeing how serious Asher looked.

  Asher didn’t even crack a smile. “Some of these viruses can be serious, Daisy. How are you feeling generally?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Headache? Nauseated?”

  Now that he mentioned it, she could feel a humdinger of a headache approaching. “I think if I get a good night’s sleep, I’ll be fine by morning.”

  “I’ll check in with you then,” Asher said. “But first I’m going to get you something to take down the swelling and help you rest comfortably.”

  “Not another sleeping pill.” This time she wasn’t joking. She appreciated his concern, but she had a tough constitution. The bite didn’t overly worry her. She had malaria pills and had gotten the required shots, so she should be fine. A tiny mosquito bite wasn’t going to do her in.

  “No sleeping pill,” he promised.

  Asher left and returned a few minutes later with two capsules. He explained what they were and how they would help before she swallowed them down.

  Not long afterward, Everly fell asleep. It was hard to believe that less than twenty-four hours earlier she’d been in Chicago in the middle of a blizzard. She woke in the middle of the night with her stomach roiling. Her head pounded and she felt dizzy as she rushed into her bathroom. S
he arrived in the nick of time to empty the contents of her stomach. With her hand pressed against her midsection, she stumbled back to bed. She felt wretched, worse than she had in years.

  At eight the following morning when she was a no-show for breakfast, there was a knock against her door.

  “Daisy, it’s Asher.”

  “Come in,” she called, her voice weak.

  The instant he stepped into the room she saw his eyes darken with anxiety. She felt certain she was burning up with fever, and her head pounded like someone with evil intent had taken residence inside her.

  “You don’t look any better,” he said, coming to sit on the side of her mattress. He pressed his hand against her forehead. “You’re feverish.”

  Everly felt like she was about to burst into tears. Her bottom lip quivered. So much for a robust constitution. This was worse than anything she could remember; she wanted her mother and Mom’s homemade chicken soup.

  “Everything hurts,” she whispered, leaning back against her pillow. “My hair hurts. My teeth hurt. My fingernails are throbbing.”

  “I guess you were serious,” he said, grinning.

  “What?”

  “You really will die without the Internet.”

  “Very funny,” she grumbled. “How long is this reaction thing going to last?”

  Asher pulled the chair up next to her bed and sat. “Some people don’t feel sick or suffer any symptoms.”

  “Not what I wanted to hear.”

  His eyes were sympathetic. “You should be right as rain in five to seven days.”

  Everly flopped back against her pillow. “That long?” She couldn’t imagine feeling like this for an entire week. Covering her face with both hands, she groaned aloud.

  Asher left only to return a few minutes later with more medication and liquids. He sat with her until she drank it all down. By this point, Everly was feeling beyond being heroic. She sniffled several times and reached for a tissue at her bedside, loudly blowing her nose. The drugs Asher had given her seemed to make her woozy and talkative at the same time.