Part 39: Marita's Miracle

Marita watched John stoke the fire. The flames flickered with each push. The archer then looked up back into the tent to his blind friend. Tony was on his side now. He still trembling but it seemed he was no longer fighting it. His breathing was becoming erratic. It was as if he was gasping for every single breath. Marita turned and looked back at him. She wanted to comfort him, to take all his pain away. John saw her concerned face. “He’s gonna make it.” John assured her.

Marita said nothing, just shook her head agreement. Eddie sat in a corner, rubbing his kangaroo toy on the head, like petting a cat. “You hear that, Mr. Kangaroo?” he said, “Tony is gonna be okay. John said so. You don’t have to cry anymore.”

John smiled at the kid, glad he was able to cheer him up. Unfortunately it just Marita even more upset. Not wanting Eddie to see her cry, she quickly stepped out away from the tent. She walked a few feet and found herself facing McKay. “How is he?” he asked.

“He’s stopped fighting the trembling,” she sniffed, “I don’t think he’s gonna last much longer.”

“He’s not giving up yet, Marita. Neither can you.”

“But McKay, . .what else can we do?”

“It’s not over yet! For all we know the rescue boat may be here tomorrow.”

“And it may not come in a another two weeks. Tony will be dead by then.”

“You don’t know that,” McKay grabbed her by the arms, “You have to be strong. Not only for Tony but for Eddie too.”

Marita lowered her head and nodded in agreement. If Tony were to die, then Eddie would lose his father figure he has on this island. She knew John or McKay would stay up to fill that role but it wouldn’t be the same. The little boy had become attached to the blind doctor who saved his life. She would hate to see that bond broken.

Marita patted McKay on the arm and walked away from him. She felt like she could snap at any moment. The first man who ever meant anything to her life might not make it another two days. She gently rubbed her head, feeling the onset of a headache. She then paused when she heard Tony’s name. Turning to her right, she saw that Yolanda was speaking to Mandy and Taylor. “I feel so sorry for him.” Taylor whispered, “I know McKay likes him.”

“Tony was something special, “Yolanda said, “I never seen Marita fall for any man the way she did with the doctor.”

“Yolanda, “Marita whispered.

The black stewardess turned around and stood up. “Marita, Hey, “ she said, “How are you-“

Before she could finish her sentence, Marita slapped her. Yolanda held her cheek, shocked by the action. “Marita, what-“ she stuttered.

“He WAS something special?” the Latina pointed a finger at her friend, “Don’t talk about him like he’s already dead!”

“Marita, I didn’t mean-“

Marita then ran off into the jungle, finally crying up a storm. Yolanda made a move to chase after her friend but Mandy stopped her. The look she gave the black stewardess told her it was best to leave Marita alone for now. Eventually she would have to deal with the inevitable.


Marita ran as hard as she could. She felt her legs burning and her lungs aching. It wasn’t a good idea to run into the jungle alone but at that particular moment, she didn’t care. She had to run. She had to feel pain. She had to feel something other than what she was feeling.

Marita stopped near a tree, out of breath. She gasped and gasped, bringing the precious air into her lungs. She almost started to hyperventilate. Then she collapsed and started to cry. She cried and then started screaming. It wasn’t fair. She had been looking for a man like Tony her whole life. Why was he being taken away from her now? What had she done to deserve this? She cried and screamed a little more, then cupped her hands in front of her face. “Please,” she wept, “Please don’t take him from me. I want to be with him. He’s so special and he deserves to live. Please don’t take him from me.”

The wind wisped around her.

“I admit, I need him, “ she cried, “Is that what you want to hear? Yes, Big Bad Marita needs this man in her life. Without him . . .I don’t think I am gonna make it. Please, give me this. GIVE ME THIS!”

Marita cried a little more, then screamed as something collapsed behind her.

The Latina quickly stopped crying and sat up, turning around. There was a dark green suitcase lying on the ground next to her. Marita looked around to all the trees and bushes. No one was anywhere near her, so where did it come from? Then she looked up. In the tree above her was a strap to the suitcase swaying in the breeze. It would seem that the suitcase was stuck up in the tree the whole time. She then got on her knees and crawled to the suitcase.

She checked the plastic straps on it’s end. They were very soft and rubbery, like they had been in the heat too long. Marita wonder if that is what happened. The suitcase was in the true and the heat cause the plastic straps to give to the weight of the suitcase. She felt she’d worry about it later. Since it was a suitcase, and they needed supplies anyway, she decided to check it out.

Gently, she unzipped the medium sized luggage. Opening it up, she looked into the contents. Nothing so far but several pairs of shirts and several pairs of pants. Looked like it belonged to a business man of some kind. He also left his day planner in the bottom of the suitcase. Along with eight packets of portable tissues.

She smiled as she held one of the packages. Marita giggled at finding them. It was one of the few good things they needed, since they also didn’t have toilet paper. This gentleman must have thought he would run out on the plane or in his hotel. The stewardess then blinked. Why would someone need eight packets of tissues? Why would they need this much . . . . .unless they were sick?

Marita then began to feel to the other sections of the suitcase. Feeling along the side pouch, she felt some cylinder like objects. She quickly unzipped the pouch and yanked out the contents. It had a tube of toothpaste, toothbrush, comb, a bottle of Nyquil, a small packet of Benadryl, and two medicine bottles. She looked them over and didn’t recognize a single one. But Tony would, that was his job. She quickly left everything behind and ran back toward the beach as fast as she could.


Back at the tent, Tony was huddled into his blanket. His face was bright red from the infection. Then he felt a coolness caress his left side of his head, then his right. “Huh?” he moaned.

“Easy there, mate,” McKay smiled, “It’s just me.”

Tony tilted his face into the coolness. “What is this?”

“I found two airline vomit bags and filled them with ocean water. I thought the cold water might give you some relief.”

“It does, thank you,” Tony moaned.

“We’ll see if we can’t find you some more bags then,” John chuckled.

“Has he come for me yet?” Tony coughed.

“Who?”

“The Grim Reaper.” The blind doctor chuckled.

John laughed, patting him on the arm. “Don’t worry, Tony. Me and Eddie will hold him off.”

“I knew you would.” He sighed.

“TONNYYY!!!” Marita screamed from the distance.

“Marita?” Tony leaned up.

“Tony! I found Medicine!” she screamed as she ran into the camp.

“How the hell did she . . .Never mind. John, lean me up.”

John grabbed Tony by the arm and hoisted him up. McKay leaned in and pushed him by the shoulders. The Latina stewardess quickly kneeled down beside the blind doctor, catching her breath. Outside other people gathered around, upon hearing what Marita was screaming. “Tony, I . .” she gasped for air, “I stumbled onto a suitcase. It had two vials of medicine.”

“Read them to me.” Tony told her.

“This one says Psuedo . .de . .fe drine.”

“Pseudoephedrine?” Tony asked.

“Yes!” Marita smiled.

“That is a nasal decongestant. Try the other one.”

“Aug . . .mentin.”

“AUGMENTIN?” Tony gagged, “That’s an antibiotic! Quick, how many milligrams is it?”

“It says . .uh . . .800.”

“I need two!” Tony held out his hand.

Marita couldn’t stop her joyous laughter as tilted out two of the huge pills. John quickly came back with a bottled water to wash them down with. As Tony placed the first one in his mouth, McKay marveled at the size of the pills. “Those things are the size of Tootsie Rolls, mate,” he said, “Is it really a good idea to take two of them?”

“I need an emergency dose.” He said, swallowing the second one, “Now I see some food. Augmentin is strong stuff. If I don’t eat, it’ll tear up my stomach.”

“Eddie, get Tony some coconut.” Marita smiled.

The little boy ran off to get Tony some food. The blind doctor then grabbed Marita and brought her face to his, kissing her. Marita laughed and cried as she then embraced him. The blind doctor held onto her, not wanting to let her go. Provided the Augmentin was able to fight the infection, she then would have saved his life.


Later that evening, Tony was asleep. He was still trembling but now that he had the antibiotic in his system, everyone was hopeful. Marita checked in on him, seeing him fast asleep with Eddie. Then she walked away, enjoying a nightly walk on the beach. Then she saw her black friend coming to talk to her. “Marita, I owe you an apology.” Yolanda said.

“No, Landa, I owe you one,” Marita said, taking her hands, “I shouldn’t have slapped you. I was upset.”

“It’s okay.” Yolanda smiled, “I shouldn’t have been talking about Tony in the past tense. You were right.”

The two friends hugged, as their bond was strengthened once again. As they parted, they found themselves walking along the beach together. “That was amazing how you found that suitcase.” Yolanda then paused, “How did you find it?”

Marita smiled, rubbing her chin. “I prayed, “ she whispered.