Kids, thanks for choosing us to be your moms.

II. Africa

Jo was in the passenger seat of the Land Rover as Morgan drove. The two swayed and rocked as they headed to the village with a trunk full of supplies. They were supposed to meet Blyth and Arizona. The doctor couple was on one of their many campaigns. Morgan leaned over, "How did Lizzie feel about you leaving?"

Jo turned to her friend, "She thought it was great. She knows how much I love this kind of shit and with the kids being older they are more manageable for me to be gone for two weeks." Jo paused, "She also said it was part of my 40th birthday present."

"But you dont turn 40 till next year."

Jo shrugged, "It's an early gift."

Morgan gave her a quick look, "So for her 40th you threw a stunning gala but for yours, you get to spend two weeks in Somalia with me?"

"Yup!" Jo smiled,

Morgan rocked her head from side to side, "Seems fair,"

"It is for us," Jo smiled contently, "How was Chris?"

"I think poor King is parenting Chris." Morgan laughed, "But they are all at Lisa's so I am sure they are loving life."

Jo smiled, "Oh I bet!"

When Jo and Morgan arrived at the village they unpacked the car before Jo followed Blyth into one of the tents, "Where do you need me?"

"Can you help organize the people waiting and have them fill out this paper?" Blyth handed Jo a stack of paper that would ask for name, location, main complaint, and history."

"Yeah of course," Jo smiled before she went to the tent that had the waiting space. Jo walked in and spoke to the group "As-salaam Calaykum, magacaygu waa Jo. Waxa aan samaynayaa habka hubinta Mid mid baan dameer kuugu yeedhayaa teendhada aad u baahan tahay inaad tagtid.." (As-Salam Alaykum, my name is Jo. I am going to be doing the check-in process. I will call you up one by one to asses which tent you will need to go.) Jo noticed a group of teenage boys in the corner. Jo shrugged it off and went about her task. Jo was an hour in when someone burst into the tent with someone in their arms. "Maxaa dhacaya?!" (What's going on?!) Jo said,

"Al-Shabaab. 2 miles out."

"Shit," Jo murmured, Jo quickly sprang into action, Harakat al-Shabaab al-Mujahideen, commonly known as al-Shabaab, is a Sunni Islamist military and political organization based in Somalia and active elsewhere in East Africa. Jo quickly asked the man, "Joog Soo qaado turjumaan kale. Dadkan is deji." (Stay. Get another translator. Keep these people calm.) He nodded. Jo took the unconscious man into her arms. Gos he was only twenty. Jo quickly burst into one of the tents where Dr. Kepler was. "April! GSW. Al-Shabaab. 2 miles out." she laid the man down.

"I got him, Jo! Go!"

Jo nodded before she ran out of the room. Jo quickly ran to the vehicle before she grabbed the assault rifle from the back, Blyth ran up next to he throwing her a vest. Three men jumped in the back of their buggy "Jo you're not military."

"Neither are you." She said putting the vest on.

"Not anymore." Blyth corrected her,

"You were airforce." Jo climbed into the driver's side. It's not my first time in a war-torn country."

"We aren't 20-something-year-olds anymore."

Jo shrugged as she tore down the path, "We get better with age."

Blyth rolled her eyes, "You have given your wife too many scares."

"Thats why we aren't going to tell her."