She rushes into her parent’s room and finds their condition to be worse than the twins. “Summer girl… Alex,” her father calls out to her.
“Shhh, I'm here.” He is agitated, and so she tells him what he wants to hear. “I will write Alex as soon as I can.” As soon as she gives her word, he calms back down.
“Money and papers, keep them with you, promise me!” He demands. She puts a cold cloth on her mother’s forehead and turns back to her father.
“I promise, tell me what to do? How do I help you?” But he is asleep; finally, the morphine has taken hold.
The next twelve hours passed in a blur of activity. Summer is living a nightmare. The morphine kept them calm, but the wails of pain and coughing were relentless. When Jung returned at eight in the morning, he brought with him a tray of food, coffee, and fresh rags. Summer was so relieved to see him that she actually smiles at him.
She sits, and sips on her coffee while he administers a second dose of medicine to her family. “Miss Denning, your mother lost the baby. I’m sorry.” Summer drops her head and struggles not to cry.
“Does she know?” Summer asks quietly.
“No. I think it would be best for you to move to another room. Let me handle this for you.”
“No.” Summer is adamant. She fights to be with them and in the end, he agrees and promises to return with food. Nursing is not her strong point, but she loves them, so she does what she has to do.
“Tell me, Dr. Rudolph, how is it possible for them to be in the final stages already! The pocks have shown up already, and that takes at least two days, not twelve hours. I still don't understand what's happening. Their fevers are not breaking. How long until they get better?”
Jung looks at her and decides to tell her the truth. “I’m sorry. I don't have any easy answers for you. It is the same all over the ship. Those that have come into contact with Danny and his family are all infected. None quite as badly as your family.” He stands and grabs his bag. “I’m afraid I’ve done all I can for them.”
He leaves quietly, and Summer refuses to believe what he is telling her. “They will be fine!” But in her heart, she fears he is right.
Chapter 9
As morning breaks on the seventh day of travel, Natalie passes away. Summer sobs and rings for the doctor when the twins breathing grows shallow. She runs to the door and finds she is locked inside! Hysterical, she beats on the door before calming herself to sit with them. With a gentle hand, she bathes their fever, flushed faces and holds their hands until the last breath sighs out.
Stumbling to her father's room, she drops by his bedside and grasps his hand. “Proud of you daughter, be strong Summer girl.”
Her weeping rips from the depths of her soul, he is gone. They’re all gone. “This can’t be happening!”
When the knock comes on the door, Summer opens it and stares. “You’re too late.” She whispers and falls to her knees. The Captain catches her and carries her to her room, followed by Jung.
They put her on the bed, and Jung snaps a smelling salt under her nose. She jumps, and her eyes grow wide. A few crewmen have moved inside the cabin with large white sheets, and they begin to gather all of their belongings.
“Miss Denning, I am sorry for your loss. I need you to listen to me now. You will have five minutes to gather your papers and one change of clothing. Do you hear me? Five minutes.” Jung says.
Behind him she sees the crew throwing everything into the center of the sheets. His voice fades as she watches the protocol begin. He stands and speaks to the Captain.
“Burn it all. Nothing stays.” He returns to her room and throws a bag to her. Summer stands slowly and stumbles to her closet to gather her things. She is allowed one change of clothes and her papers. She is given a small leather purse from the gift shop with the ship name on the side for her documents.
“My papers are in my father's room.” Summer stumbles into the living room, and all activity stops. The bodies are wrapped in white sheets and lined up by the door. She rushes past them into her parent's room. The desk is open, and Dr. Rudolph is holding her father's journals.
He tosses her papers on the desk and stares at her with pity. Rage fills her heart, and for a moment neither one moves. “What do you think you are doing?” She gasps.
“Only what your father asked me to do, Miss Denning. You are under quarantine for the next five days. If you show no signs of the disease, you will be cleared once we reach Boston.”
“You will not take my father's journals. It's all I have left of him, please give them to me.” She holds out her hand, and he smiles, and steps close to her body, backing her into the desk.
“Miss Denning, you are in no position to demand anything. You are in shock.” He stomps past her into the outer room and Summer stares at the empty bed and struggles not to vomit. She turns and grabs the documents and cash her father kept and stuffs it in the stocking of her boot. In the other room, she can hear
