Backup Girl No More: Adios To My V-Card and My First Love
Chapter 31

Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Though our demanding work left little time for each other .

Most of our encounters occurred in conflict zones hed be rushing to treat the wounded while I fought to save lives in the operating room .

Often , a brief touch as we passed was all we could share .

The unreliable network coverage didnt help .

Days would pass without contact , then suddenly my phone would buzz incessantly with an avalanche of messages .

They arrived jumbled and chaotic , as if they too had navigated through gunfire and devastation , yet each carried the weight of longing and unwavering devotion .

The situation in East Meridian Province deteriorated rapidly .

Our first serious argument erupted when a village near Meridia came under attack .

We arrived while the militants were still active , with security forces engaged in ongoing firefights .

We were rushing back to evacuate when Joseph suddenly leaped from the ambulance .

At the battlefields edge lay a fallen villager .

Joseph hoisted the man onto his back and carried him to safety , his own body lacerated by shrapnel .

Terror and fury coursed through me .

Are you trying to get yourself killed ? He stood firm .

Im a doctor ! I couldnt leave him there ! His leg injury was survivable if I hadnt acted , he would have died for certain ! I knew he was right .

I knew it was his duty .

But when he returned drenched in blood so much I couldnt distinguish his from the victims my composure shattered .

After confirming with trembling hands that his wounds were superficial , I broke down , clinging to him as I sobbed .

Joseph ! I cant lose anyone else ! If something happened to you , what would I do ? He held me in silence before wrapping his arms around me , his voice raw .

Im sorry … I promise to be more careful .

No more unnecessary risks .

No more making you worry .

Still crying , I pressed my face against his chest .

You have to promise ! Lets make it official , he said , extending his pinky .

Pinky swear whoever breaks it turns into a puppy ! I couldnt help but laugh through my tears .

If you really turned into a puppy , how would I introduce 17:43 Backup Girl No More : Adios To My V Card and My First Love 23.4 % Chapter 11 you to my mother ? Your puppy boyfriend ? he teased with a grin .

I hurled a pillow at him in exasperation .

He played dead , lying motionless until I frantically pulled the pillow away to replace his face unmarked , wearing that sly smile .

His expression seemed to say : See ? Im not so easy to break .

I glared until my vision blurred with fresh tears .

In that moment , I realized how precious each day with Joseph truly was .

As the conflict intensified , Ebola began its merciless sweep through this already ravaged land .

By spring , Josephs schedule grew even more demanding .

With medical staff severely depleted , he shuttled between refugee camps and the Ebola treatment center .

When armed groups launched surprise attacks on treatment centers across several cities , many doctors were forced to evacuate .

But Joseph refused to leave .

While Meridia remained relatively stable , nearly a hundred patients lay in the center .

Abandoning them meant leaving them to die in their beds .

Joseph and four other doctors chose to stay and adapt as events unfolded .

But the situation deteriorated rapidly .

Armed groups seized the outskirts of Meridia , cutting off all escape routes .

We were trapped .

Amid this tension , Joseph suddenly messaged me to come to the treatment center .

He offered no explanation , but dread settled in my stomach .

After donning protective gear , we entered the medical waste disposal area .

In a hastily cleared room , I found a group of Huronai children more than ten of them .

They had fled from the mountains , the eldest no more than twelve .

Their clothes hung in tatters , their bodies riddled with infected wounds .

I could hardly believe my eyes .

The armed groups controlling the outskirts were Tusari , locked in a generations old blood feud with the Huronais .

If these children were discovered , not only would they face certain death , but the entire treatment center could be destroyed .

Overwhelmed , I shouted at Joseph : Have you lost your mind ? What about the principles of Doctors Without Borders ? He wasnt supposed to involve himself directly in the conflict .

Only through neutrality could he help the most people .

17:43 Rackun Girl No More : Adios To My Y Card and My First Love 23.7 % Chapter 11 He hung his head , speaking softly .

I know its dangerous .

Thats why I need your help replaceing an organization that can shelter these children .

How will you get them past the patrols ? I asked , nearly despairing .

Josephs words tumbled out rapidly : Theyre small enough to hide in protective suits inside medical waste bins .

The disposal trucks come every three days , and no one inspects those bins .

If someones waiting to receive them on the other side , we can save their lives ! The audacity of his plan left me speechless .

He clenched his fists , his voice filled with conviction : Zoey , I am a human being first , a doctor second , and a member of Doctors Without Borders last .

I cannot stand by and watch these children be thrown away to die !