Read Over the Waters for Free Online Page A

European pharmaceutical company on the desk.
    Back in Josh's room, she flicked on the flashlight from his bedside table, and pulled a straight-back chair up to the side of his bed. "Okay. Shoot."
    He was quiet, and for a minute, she thought he'd fallen asleep. But when he started talking, an unexpected urgency seemed to push through his weakness and the words poured out like water from a dam.
    "My dad--he doesn't understand why I'm here--in Haiti, I mean. He thinks it was a foolish mistake. That I should have finished my residency and opened my own clinic and made a bazillion dollars like he has. Or maybe...I'm not sure what he wanted for me, but not this. For sure not this. He's going to be mad as blazes about...about how this all turns out. I've got to make him understand that I loved what I was doing, that I was doing what God made me to do--"
    "Josh--"
    "No. Let me finish, Sam." He silenced her with a shake of his head.
    She made herself look into his eyes.
    "I don't really understand--" he shrugged and looked around the room "--all this. Why it's happening. But I had a good life, Sam. A really good life." He looked up at her through thick lashes, as though just realizing that he'd been speaking in the past tense.
    Her breath caught. "Stop it. Quit talking like this. You're not going to die."
    A sly grin came to his face. "We're all going to die someday."
    She cuffed his arm playfully, trying desperately to recapture the easy way they'd always had with each other. Trying to make him snap out of this melancholy talk. But he winced at her touch and sucked in a sharp breath.
    "Oh, Josh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you." She was alarmed at his reaction. She'd barely touched him.
    He seemed to struggle to catch his breath and she was afraid he would fall into another coughing fit.
    "I'm okay," he said finally. "But, Sam...I want my dad to know I'm sorry. I want him to know I love him. He...he had his faults, but I wasn't exactly the best son either. I should have given him more respect. I should've at least listened to his ideas. I wish I could take back some of the things I said." He looked up at her, misery written on his face. "I didn't know the Lord then."
    "He knows that, Josh."
    He shook his head. "No. He doesn't. My dad never had any use for my faith, never understood it. And even after I gave my life to the Lord, I wasn't a very good example of what the Christian life is supposed to be. Dad never understood me." He gave a low harrumph. "But then I didn't understand him either. I realize now that he only wanted the best for me. We just...had different ideas about what that was. I want him to know I wish I could do things differently."
    "Then you've got to get well so you'll have another chance to show your dad what you're really like." Samantha swallowed hard and took his hand gently between hers. A lump came to her throat and her words warbled over it. "You're the finest man I've ever known, Joshua Jordan."
    Josh smiled sadly. "Oh, great, now you tell me."
    "What do you mean?"
    "All this time I've been crazy about you and you haven't given me the time of day."
    "What?" She looked askance at him.
    "You're a beautiful woman, Samantha. Inside and out."
    "Josh. Stop. Now I think you're delirious."
    "I assure you, I am perfectly coherent."
    A sob welled in her throat. She just wanted this night to be over. She wanted to prove Josh wrong. He had all the time in the world. He'd probably outlive them all. Forcing a smile, she reached out to rub his hand. "You need to get some sleep."
    He looked at the empty paper in her hand. "You'll tell my father, won't you? And tell my mom I love her."
    "You'll tell them yourself," she said with a resolute bob of her chin. "But if not--" the thought nearly strangled her "--yes, I'll tell them. Now I'm going to check on Kala and try to get her to eat something. You get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow."
    To her surprise, he grabbed at her hand, and though his grip was pitifully weak, he