“I am now.Damien didn’t say anything about you being here.”
“He didn’t know.I didn’t hear about the tsunami until the team got back and said you were in danger.Command dragged me in when they couldn’t get a hold of Mum.”He stepped into a bathroom and handed her clean army fatigues.“Take a shower and then I’ll get you to the infirmary.”
“Does Mum know I’m safe?”
He nodded.“Mum eventually got in touch with the Major-General and he’s kept her informed as a matter of courtesy.”
He closed the door as he left and she looked around the small room.Safe.Finally.
She closed her eyes as the tears welled and her chest squeezed.
Damien had promised he’d get her out, and he had.
She took a long, shuddery breath and stripped off her clothes, stepping under the steaming shower.
The heat melted away the rest of her resistance and she slid to the floor and cried.
A knock on the door had her heart racing.“You alive in there, Milly?”
She smiled at her brother’s voice and swallowed hard, brushing away the tears.“Yeah.Won’t be long.”She washed her face and the rest of the dirt from her and switched off the shower.
When she wiped the steam from the mirror, her red eyes exposed she’d been crying.No matter.Her brother would understand.
She dressed and opened the door.Jared took one look at her and his expression grew pained.He dragged her into his arms.“Milly, I can’t imagine what you’ve been through.”
Tears threatened again, and she swallowed them down, hugging him back.“I’m OK.I’ll be OK.”It might take her a while to realise it was the truth, but it was the truth, nonetheless.
He seemed reluctant to let her go.“Hungry?”
“As long as it’s not an MRE,” she said.
He laughed.“You got the real experience, didn’t you?”
She nodded.
“I’ll organise something for you, but you need to be examined by the doctor first.”Jared helped her to a large infirmary and waited while all her cuts were sanitised, and her ankle was examined.
“How did you get the cuts?”the doctor asked.
“Most were from getting caught in the tsunami,” Mila said.
“What?”Jared’s shout made her jump.
She frowned.“Didn’t they tell you?”
He shook his head.“All they told me was you were on the island with one of the team.”
The doctor frowned.“Did you swallow any water?”
“Yeah, but I vomited it up.”
“How long ago?”
“It must be about twenty-four hours by now.”
“I still need to scan your lungs and stomach.”The doctor gave an order to the nurse in the room.
In no time Mila was being scanned and the doctor was checking the results.He smiled.“There’s no cause for concern.It doesn’t appear as if any of the water damaged your lungs.”
