Three years had already passed. Her mind wandered back to the day she first met Terence. It was a bitterly cold May in the eastern region, with the raindrops directly hitting the plains. On her very first day of the job providing medical support in Tanzania—a short-barreled gun was pressed to her head. Beside her was another man holding a gun as well.
At first, she thought they were working together—both poachers. But then the man fired his weapon, and blood sprayed into the air. Before she could even get a hold of everything happening around her, she was pulled into his arms for protection.
“Don’t be scared. I’m the leader of Wildlife Conservation Team A,” he said.
Through the fierce rain and wind, with a bullet lodged in his shoulder, Terence carried her—sprained ankle and all—back to the camp.
That was the first time Halle performed a rescue operation. When she reached for the wound on his shoulder, he suddenly stopped her.
“Don’t worry. I’m Halle Dolton, a doctor from Washington sent to aid Tanzania,” she reassured him.
It wasn’t that she didn’t want him anymore; it was that he had never wanted her in the first place.
For three years, she had openly loved him, but he acted like he didn’t notice. Her every effort, every step closer, had been met with rejection. Whenever she moved forward, he always retreated.
Reluctantly, Captain Howell signed off on her transfer request.
Just two weeks—she had only two weeks left before she would leave this place. A place that had caused her so much pain. A place where she would finally leave Terence behind.
“Halle!”
She had just stepped out of Captain Howell’s office when a familiar, cheerful voice called her name. Turning around, she saw Darlene approaching. With a warm smile, Darlene draped an arm over Halle’s shoulder.
“Don’t take what happened this morning to heart,” Darlene said lightly. “Terence has a sharp tongue but a soft heart. He wasn’t really mad at you. He just…” Darlene trailed off.
'Just what?' Halle thought. 'Just care too much about your injury?' she bitterly continued inwardly.
Realizing she might have said too much, Darlene gave Halle’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “Don’t dwell on it. Let’s go enjoy the scenery and clear our heads. Everything will work out.”
The eastern landscape was breathtaking, but the weather changed quickly. By afternoon, the clear skies had given way to falling snow.