“Yeah, tell me about it,” I mutter.
“My offer still stands,” she says. “If you need to come back to my place, you can. I’m not trying to make more of it than it is, either—just a friend offering to help.”
“Thanks. I’ll be all right.” I give her a half smile. “Want me to drop you off at home? Or I could take you to the lodge—whatever you want.”
“No, that’s okay.” Margot nods toward the house at the end of the street as she opens the door. “I was on my way to see Mom.”
“Okay.” I nod slowly and then look back at her. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”
“Don’t thank me yet,” she says. “You may not like what I find.”
“I appreciate it anyway.”
Margot gets out of the Jeep and stands there with the door open, staring at me with her dark eyes.
“You seem to have hooked yourself quite a fish there, Bishop,” she says. “I hope you can land it.”
“Cute,” I mutter. “Always a fishing metaphor.”
“It’s a talent.” She smiles and starts to shut the door.
“Margot?”
“Yes?”
“I…I like her. I really like her. I don’t care that she’s a bit fucked up.”
“You can’t help who you love.” She grins at me. “Leave it to you to find someone more broken than yourself.”
Chapter 20
The medicine works. The next day, Seri has her color back and is able to keep down fluids but spends the day in bed while I haul the metal basin from the bathroom to the fire to do some laundry. Washing clothes by hand takes most of the day, and every surface ends up covered with drying shirts, pants, underwear, and socks. I hope the humidity will help Seri breathe easier through the night. It’s very dry inside the cabin.
The following morning, Seri is much better and ready to try some solid food. I chop up a few potatoes to cook over the fire, figuring bland food is a good place to start. If she keeps that down, I can always make something more substantial.
“How are you doing?” I ask after she takes a few bites.
“Okay, I think. My stomach is still sore, but I don’t feel like I’m going to puke, so that’s a plus.”
“Yeah, I’d say so.”
“So how did I get this parasite?” she asks.
“From the marsh water, I guess. Amanda said it was pretty common.”
“Is that the woman who was here? I barely remember seeing her.”
“Yeah, she’s a nurse.”
“Is she the one who cuts your hair?”
“That’s her.”
“I’m kind of surprised you brought someone here,” she says. “I thought you didn’t like visitors.”
“I don’t. It was the only way to make sure you got the medicine.”
She looks at me with a small smile on her face.