Chapter 6: Rough Times

The cold and wet cement penetrated his camouflaged uniform as if it was paper-thin. Seth already had given some thought to retiring from the business. He was just getting too old to go running all over the world anymore. Forty-five and divorced, Seth found himself missing something in life. His friends envied the way he could travel, do as he chose, and answer to no one. It wasn't that great, he reminded himself again.

Of course, no one knew about Gabriela yet. It still surprised him that he'd replied to her dating service ad and that she'd answered him. Fate put them together, he decided. He needed to get this job done and get back to her, he told himself.

Men lay hidden all around him, part of the team here to rescue the kidnapped senator and his wife. Bugs swarmed in front of him and tried to penetrate the protective netting that covered his face and neck. Nothing else moved in the sweltering jungle. Seconds later, it all changed. Seth heard the explosions and gunfire and knew they were in trouble. An agonized scream near him was the last thing he remembered.

He wasn't sure where he was or even what day it was. Searing pain shot through his shoulder when he tried to sit up. The effort to think caused his head to pound. Seth closed his eyes and fell into a fitful sleep.

A nurse stood next to his bed when he next woke up. Small bits of the attack came to him in the following days. Several of his team received injuries but not as severe as Seth's. They all went to other hospitals. They didn't feel he was stable enough to travel with them. It took well over two weeks before he could get a laptop in his room.

She cried herself to sleep for the third night in a row. Gabriela felt empty and alone once more. So far, there'd been no word from Seth and he'd been gone two weeks already. He'd warned her it could be a while but she still had hopes. She drifted off only to dream.

The horrific dream brought her awake in a tangle of the sheets. Her heart thudded at the violence she'd seen. She worked her way out of bed and went into the kitchen for some water. The cool liquid eased the tightness in her throat enough that she could take a deep breath.

Reason told her it was only a dream. Yet, she hadn't heard from Seth for so long. Gabriela watched the first rays of sun streak across the sky and hoped for word soon.

Gabriela knew he might not be able to contact her for days at a time. Now, though, he needed her. It only took a few minutes to turn the computer on and log in. His heart raced when he saw her name.

"Baby!"

"Seth, ohh," she typed back.

"I miss you. Not sure how long I have to talk today."

"That's all right. I miss you, too. Are you okay?"

He grimaced at her innocent question. Of course, she didn't know about his injuries yet. How to tell her without having her panic was the issue, he knew.

"I had a little problem."

"Can you tell me about it?" Gabriela wanted to ask more but didn't.

"I'll be okay. I got hurt a little bit. The doctor's make sure I have pain meds and they help. I should be home soon."

"I'm glad the drugs help then. That's important. Are they good to you there?"

Seth read each word and knew why she was becoming more important to him all along. Her compassion for others astounded him.

"Yes, it's okay here."

He asked her how things were before a nurse came in with his meds again.

"Hold on a minute."

"I'll be right here," she wrote.

Gabriela felt the air rush out of her lungs. She wanted to get on a plane and go to...

"I'm back. They said I have to rest again. I'm not sure how often I can get the computer but I'll try every day."

His words told her that the injuries he suffered must be serious. She also realized that she had no idea where he was.

"Don't worry about anything, Seth. Just get better and come home."

"Gabriela, thank you. Bye for now."

He signed off but stared at the words she'd typed at the end after he'd gone offline.

"I'll be here whenever you need me, Seth. Know that I'm strong and you can always lean on me. I think you're very special and want to help you however I can. Smile when you think of me. Look above you and see me watching over you. I'm right there with you, baby, and never forget it."

Seth closed his eyes and heard her voice. He swore he felt her next to him as he drifted off to sleep.

She wasn't going to cry. Forty-two was too old to cry, Gabriela told herself even as the tears rolled down her cheeks. An almost physical pain took over her heart as she looked at the empty screen. This was day six without any more word from Seth and she was afraid.

A restless sleep left her weary the following morning. Thankful it was Saturday, she went to the computer in hopes of seeing a message. Gabriela didn't leave the house all day waiting but one never came.

Sunday morning she sat at her desk and read back over the last time she'd talked to Seth. Everything was going fine between them and he seemed to be doing better. So why hadn't he been back, she kept asking. Mid-afternoon she was still there, looking at a blank screen, and trying not to panic. She didn't even have a way to check on him because of what he did.

She sat in her pajamas and forced herself to stay awake. The will to be there for him was so strong she swore she saw the screen pop up with his name on it. Gabriela rubbed her eyes to erase the vision only to see a message appearing as well.

"Hi honey. Are you okay?"

"Seth?"

"Gabriela?"

"I was so worried when you were gone so long."

"You don't have to worry," he typed as a vague answer.

"It's been a week."

"Damn, I'm sorry."

Gabriela waited for some kind of reason or answer but nothing came. "Okay."

She pushed down the fear and the irritation that went with it. Seth was a good person but at times, he could be aggravating. He had to realize she'd wonder why he was gone for so many days. Couldn't he at least give her some small answer, she thought to herself.

"How was your week?"

She took as few seconds to think how to reply. "It was horrible."

Again, she watched for something from him. Gabriela decided to go on when nothing came through.

"I know you don't want me to worry, Seth. Could you go a week if you were me and be happy about it?"

"No, I'd be upset."

She read the short answer and sighed. Then he began typing again.

"I had a reaction to some medications. They changed drugs now and I'm doing better," he told her.

"I'm glad you're doing okay now. Seth, I missed you so much."

"Baby, I dream about you so many times."

"Tell me," she said.

"I felt your hands on me. You were taking care of me almost like a nurse."

She read his words and felt his need. Yes, he'd been gone a week. Now she knew the reason why and that he was doing better. He'd promised he would always come back and he did. Gabriela wiped away her tears and imagined being in his dream with him.

There's a time in everyone's life they can look back to as a turning point for them. Seth knew what that was for him. He saw the day he'd replied to Gabriela Bartolome on the dating service as the beginning of his life.

He was forty-five and never realized how alone he felt. Work, family and friends all kept him busy. It was only after finding her did he discover there'd been a hole in his life all along.

Now he knew the real meaning of love. She'd taught him that in so many ways. Gabriela gave but didn't demand anything in return. Seth felt a tear in his eye at the thought of never seeing her.

He looked down at his injured body and tried to forget that awful day of the ambush. The team he worked with knew their jobs well. Shit happened, as he said before to one of the nurses.

The doctors only told him that his shoulder took a bullet. They'd removed what they could during the operation and hoped for the best. Seth remained optimistic even though there were times the pain almost made him pass out. An MRI showed they missed bone chips and he went back in for more surgery.

That only led to an infection and more drugs. Seth's body became resistant to the medications and he had to fight hard to gain ground. At times, he slept around the clock. Gabriela only knew a small portion of this, of course. He didn't want her to worry.

His shoulder throbbed despite the medications dripping into his veins. Seth tried to use his training to take himself to another place but it didn't work anymore. The fever seemed to take all the fight from his body and he fell into a fitful sleep.

Monday became Tuesday and soon it was Friday. Seth picked at the bland diet they brought him and wished he had real food. Yet he knew his stomach couldn't handle anything heavier than the few things he had in front of him. He pushed the bedside table away and attempted to find a comfortable position.

A short nap restored a bit of his energy and he flipped the computer on. Too many days had gone by since he last talked to Gabriela and he needed her. Seth didn't think about the pain when he was with her. She took it away and gave him hope. He didn't question his need for her or the way he longed to let her take control. His strength just wasn't there. However, she had enough for both of them, she reminded him. His spirits lifted when he saw she was online.