Love Speaks Through: Chapter 22
Kris woke up on their last day in Costa Rica feeling totally disgusting. He had forgotten what it felt like to wake up feeling nauseous on a mission trip. Katy joked and called it morning sickness, and Kris normally could laugh about it, but not this morning. Everything was a little too hot and a little too gross.
He had camped out in Adam’s bed again, and woke up with his spine pressed uncomfortably against the wall because Adam had sprawled out everywhere, and stolen all the blankets. Kris wasn’t bitter though. He knew that Adam was dealing with much worse than a sick stomach and if taking over the entire bed made him feel better after a pain pill knocked him out then Kris was glad for that.
“Good morning, Baltimore!” Joan belted suddenly from the other bottom bunk.
Adam groaned from his place beside Kris. He might have joined in, but right away in the morning was when his pain was at its worst.
“Boo!” McKenna grumbled from beside her mom, covering her head with a pillow.
Tyler, it seemed, was the only one happy about being up at 5:00 AM to pack and clean before they left. She hopped out of bed, as perky as a spring daisy, and set to work climbing up to wake Allison, who was still sleeping so hard that she snored.
--
They made quick work of getting packed and ready to go. Luckily, to Kris’ way of thinking, the guys didn’t have much to pack. He grabbed his shopping bag, made sure his clothes and pajamas were accounted for, and then dug through Adam’s bag, and took out the last repulsive polo which was horrible shade of cantaloupe orange. But Kris donned it like a trooper, leaving his own oversized tee shirt that said Costa Rica in rainbow-colored letters for Adam to wear, and hoped it was big enough.
--
The morning flew by. Before Adam knew it his bandages had been changed - and even that was getting easier every time - breakfast had been eaten, too. Kris and McKenna passed on the cereal and ate saltines and water, as they both seemed to have acquired the same stomach virus.
Adam stood by silent but respectful in Kris’ Costa Rica shirt while the rest prayed for Sandy and Patrick and later for the kids. He hung back, not wanting to intrude or get emotional. He had already said his goodbyes to Belen. Emilio was the only other child he had really gotten a chance to get to know, and he was still hospitalized and in rough shape.
Allison stood beside him, having already said her most important goodbye to Nico the day before. It was a good thing, too, because she didn’t see him anywhere around this morning.
She glanced briefly at Adam. “So, you can’t handle this either, huh?”
Adam shook his head, taking her hand, squinting in the sun. “No…” he sighed. “I mean, we’ll never see them again. Their whole lives are people coming and going. It just sucks that we have to leave them, too.”
Allison nodded, swallowing the tears that closed her throat. “At least we’ll be able to see how they’re all doing. And Emilio. Did you sign up for that newsletter, e-mail thing?”
“No,” Adam said quietly. He was so uncomfortable outside in the heat, and couldn’t imagine how he was going to face all the traveling home and make it without being in complete agony.
He watched from a distance, knowing he wasn’t as brave his fellow team members. Kris and Tyler stood in the middle of all the kids with McKenna and Joan. They gave hugs and took pictures. Adam and Allison reluctantly joined them for one last picture by a mango tree.
Finally, it was time to board a bus and ride to the airport.
--
Kris curled on a seat, all the bumps making his stomach lurch sickly. He tried to sleep and pray for Katy and Kaleb at the same time. He had given Adam his phone back already, so there was no contacting Katy right now, and that was nerve-wracking.
He could hear Adam and Tyler talking behind him, and he could see Allison’s bright pink hair in the space between the seat and the window. He couldn’t wait to get back home. Or at least to that Ronald McDonald House with Katy to be closer to Kaleb
--
Adam took his phone out and handed it to Tyler. “Okay. So there is no way I’m losing touch with you again. You have to put your number in here.”
Smiling a little, Tyler obliged plugging in her name and phone number. She didn’t expect him to actually use it. He had a crazy schedule. And there was no way she would ask for his number. She respected him too much to even attempt to invade his privacy.
“Mine’s in there,” he offered, gesturing vaguely with one hand at the phone she still held. “Write it down for yourself and call me.”
“You want me to call you?” Tyler asked, incredulous.
“Of course,” he answered, his smile going tight at the edges as the bumps in the road jostled him. Gritting his teeth, he continued, “I’m really glad you showed up here.”
She rested her against the window. “I’m glad, too. I’m gonna miss you.”
“Me, too. But we’ll stay in touch,” Adam promised, glancing out the window and losing himself in the lush green of the Costa Rican landscape.
Adam knew he was never going to see this again. So he made time to appreciate it. The mountains and the fact that everything was such a vivid green that it looked fake. The bright blue sky and the sun that shone so bright it hurt.
“I don’t want to leave,” Tyler said wistfully. “I wish the whole world was like this.”
Adam nodded, putting an arm around her. “You read my mind,” he said softly, pulling her close.
--
Allison stared out the bus window, tears rolling down her face. She was doing her best to make it look like she wasn’t crying, but she didn’t think she was doing a very good job, especially when Kris passed a Kleenex to her through the space between his seat and hers.
She had never been to Costa Rica, and had never especially wanted to, but now she felt tied to this land. It felt like home to her. Leaving felt somehow even more unnatural than leaving his own home. Her heart felt like it was breaking in two, and nothing hurt worse than the thought that she was leaving little Nico behind. She loved him like her own little brother and she knew he had so much potential, and would be an awesome addition to any family. But instead he was left for years longer than the other kids, because all people could see were his difficulties. They couldn’t see his amazing spirit and heart.
And Allison couldn’t see how she could possibly leave him behind.
--
Kris dragged himself off the bus into the airport. He did his best to help Adam and Allison with their bags, even though he didn’t think he could even take his own little shopping bag. He had vomited so many times that Allison had started a tally, keeping track of how much he and McKenna tossed their cookies like it was a race.
Now he sat quietly on the hard plastic chairs, thinking about his own, solo long flight. He hated the fact that he wouldn’t be able to keep tabs on Adam or Alli and make sure they got home okay. They had their own flight back to California and he had his own back to Arkansas.
“Are you sure we can’t take these?” she asked, pulling some small orange fruit out of her backpack.
“You can’t take fruit out of the country, weirdo. It‘s illegal.” Adam complained. Joan was attempting to make sure he was comfortable before she, McKenna, Tyler and the rest boarded their own flight back to Texas.
“How about if I give them to you?” Allison wondered, a glint in her eye looking at Kris. “It would match your shirt.”
“Allison. You either eat them or throw them out,” Kris advised.
“Fine,” she sighed, tossing them in the trash.
--
Joan found herself not ready to leave when the time came for her, McKenna and Tyler to board. Adam, Kris and Allison had become as much her kids as McKenna was. She found herself wondering how Adam would fare on a long flight with all those germs. If Allison had remembered to pack everything, and if Kris would be able to endure whatever came next.
“Y’all take care of each other, okay?” Joan instructed, looking at the three faces in turn.
She stopped by Allison first, cupping her face in her hands. “I want you to know that I’m sorry I judged you. You didn’t deserve that at all. You’re a brave and wonderful girl, and I thank you so much for all of your help.”
“Thanks,” Allison shrugged, feeling uncomfortable at all the attention. “And thank you for all your help, too.”
“You’re welcome, sweetheart,” Joan said, kissing her soundly on the cheek.
--
“Now, are these wrapped well enough?” she asked, moving in front of Adam and gesturing to his hand and neck.
“I think so. They’ll be okay. As far as I know, my first stop is a hospital in San Francisco so I can make sure that they’re done again after we land.”
Joan nodded. “Did you--”
“Yes, I took the pain pill. Allison will have the full benefit of that the whole flight back.”
“You two take care of each other,” she repeated, looking from Adam to Allison.
“We will,” Adam promised. “Thank you for everything. For keeping the cameras back, and doing the hard stuff…” he trailed off.
Joan brushed his hair back gently. “Honey, I’m a mom. That’s just mom stuff. Now, I have to say something to you. You have taught me more about unconditional love in nine days than I ever learned in thirty years of church services.”
She saw the skepticism on his face and read it instantly. “Not in having to love you. Loving you isn’t a chore at all. But in watching the way you love others.”
“Thank you,” Adam told her sincerely, looking her in the eye. “That means a lot to me.”
“And for the record, I think capris look very nice on you,” she added, her smile growing wider.
Adam laughed suddenly, enjoying the fact that Joan had a sense of humor as big as her heart.
--
Finally, Joan crouched in front of the chair where Kris had curled up, looking pale and sweaty. He had distanced himself from everyone, and Joan thought it was like him to not want to get anyone else sick if he could help it.
“You’re making me worry a little bit here,” she admitted as Kris pushed himself to a sitting position.
“Don’t,” he dismissed waving off the concern. “I’m the worst traveler ever. I love it, but I’m no good at it.”
“Well, listen,” she said, taking his hands. “I’m praying for your family and I want to tell you something. My first baby was premature,” she admitted quietly.
Kris’ dark eyes widened and just as quickly he looked away as realization hit him. Joan had never talked about another kid. Which meant she had lost this one. He blinked angrily. “So, yours didn’t make it. Why are you telling me this?” he asked, his voice small and tight.
Joan pulled Kris in for a hug, not caring how sick he was. “I’m telling you this,” she said firmly, “Because my first baby…my only baby…is right over there,” Joan swallowed back her own emotions and gestured to where McKenna was sleeping, covered by a sweatshirt, her head resting on her carry-on.
“McKenna made it, and Kaleb will make it, too. I know exactly what you’re going through. So, if you ever need to talk, or your wife needs to talk, or you just need extra prayers for something, you call me. Or talk to Katy or your friends. Don’t take this all on by yourself, it isn’t healthy,” she insisted pressing a slip of paper into his hand.
Kris had no words, so he let the fierce hug he gave Joan do all the talking.
“You give that baby some love for me,” she told him, unable to keep the tears back.
“I will,” Kris managed.
“You’re a wonderful young man,” she told him, letting go and walking toward the gate.