But the Children Survived (18 page)

With Antonio, she had been ordered to bed.  With her other pregnancies, she had been caring for Antonio and would not stay in bed long enough.  In order to help women like his mother, Antonio would have to discover something that would help strengthen the cervix to keep it strong until the infant had reached maturity. 

Antonio now had a plan to follow.  He would study cervical insufficiency and find a chemical formula that would end this type of miscarriage forever.

*****

In the spring of 1987, Antonio was sitting in the university library.  He had recently graduated with a master’s degree in biochemistry and was working on his doctorate.  Antonio was closing a book when he was approached by an older professor named Dr. James Wilmer. 

Dr. Wilmer was the son of the pharmaceutical magnet Matthew Wilmer of Wilmer and March Pharmaceuticals.  Dr. Wilmer had chosen a life in academia rather than join his father’s research labs in New Jersey.  His reason for approaching Antonio was to ask him about his research into human conception.

"I was told you are determined to end the spontaneous loss of pregnancy.  Have you made any headway?”

Antonio noticed that Dr. Wilmer, while semi-fluent in Italian, would perhaps be more comfortable speaking English.  Antonio, like many of his European brothers and sisters, had been taught English throughout his years in primary school and was fluent.  He also believed that his American accent was superb. 

"Dr. Wilmer, we may speak in English.  I’ve been having little success in this particular field.”

"I’m sorry to hear that.”  Dr. Wilmer sat down on the opposite side of the table.  He had a file in his hand and he slid it towards Antonio.  When Antonio opened the file, he found a Life magazine dated April, 1953. 

"A magazine.  A very
old
magazine.  Thank you, Dr. Wilmer.” 

"Open it, Antonio.  I’ve marked the page,” Dr. Wilmer said. “I am trying to help you.”

Antonio opened to the marked page.  There was a picture of a young woman dressed in a khaki tailored shirt with buttoned pockets.  She had short brown hair over which she wore a short-brimmed hat.  She had expressive brown eyes.  Behind her was a primitive looking village with grass huts and small, brown-skinned natives.  The young woman was holding a strange looking plant with a dark green center edged in purple.  The caption read “The Miscarriage Miracle in the Rainforest.” 

"Why have you shared this with me, Dr. Wilmer?  You don’t even know me.” 

Dr. Wilmer sat and thought for a minute. 

"I heard you were a great student.  I also heard you were a decent man.  I don’t know for sure, but I believe my father had some dealing with Miss DeMorte sometime in the 50’s.  My father believed that all his kids should work a real job so we could all appreciate the value of a dollar. 

“I worked in the warehouse for three years while going to high school. I used to pack up and ship out medical supplies to a woman in Brazil named Margaret DeMorte.  One day I asked the foreman who she was and he said he had no idea, but the order came from the New Mexico labs.  This has to be the same woman.”

Antonio was looking through the article. 

"It says this plant has been taken by the natives for hundreds of years to prevent miscarriage.  Why would your father be sending her medical supplies?”

"I think he was trying to use her plants to create some sort of anti-miscarriage drug.  That means he has research somewhere at Wilmer-March.  But who knows?  Maybe he just had a thing for her, or it was a tax write-off.  I wasn’t privy to that kind of information, and he never talked about it and other than the stuff I sent her.  I never saw her name or the name of her plant anywhere else.  If he had worked on a drug, it never passed trials or we would have heard about it.  I just thought it might help you to see if this woman is still alive.”

Antonio’s eyes lit up. 

"Yes, I could ask her about this.  It’s a place to start.  I was getting very discouraged.  What a wonderful idea, Dr. Wilmer.” 

Dr. Wilmer smiled a weary smile.  He remembered being that enthusiastic until time and disappointment had taken their toll.

"I would need to go to Brazil.  I could take a sabbatical from my studies to go there.  I’ll have to ask my father to help me.” 

Dr. Wilmer looked at Antonio.  He reached into his pocket and pulled out his checkbook.  He wrote a check for $5,000 American dollars and gave it to Antonio.  Antonio blushed and shook his head.

"Listen, kid, I’ve got more money than I know what to do with.  Besides, if you can kick my brother in the ass with this money, that would make my day.”

James Wilmer got up and reached across the table.  Antonio took his hand and shook it. 

"Let me know what happens, kid.” 

Dr. Wilmer turned and walked out of the library, leaving a very excited Antonio shaking from head to foot.

*****

Antonio arranged his leave from the university.  When he told his nona, she cried and told him she would die while he was in the jungle.  Antonio hugged the old woman, trying to reassure her that he would come back and she would see him again.  He kissed her goodbye and, taking his suitcase in his hand, left the old apartment and headed to his papa’s bakery. 

Papa was pounding dough when Antonio arrived at the bakery.  His papa was covered with sweat and flour.  The older man looked at his son and tears filled his eyes.  He knew his Antonio was on his way to a new life, even if Antonio didn’t know it yet. 

Guido walked him to the sidewalk outside the bakery and lit a cigarette.  They stood there a few moments contemplating what to say to each other.  They hadn’t had much contact over the years, but they still loved each other.  They just didn’t have much in common anymore.  After a few minutes of silence, Guido looked into his son’s eyes, took his face between his hands, and kissed him on each cheek. 

"I’m sorry I left you so long, Antonio.  I missed your mama so much.  Please don't forget your papa.  You come back soon, you hear?” 

"I will, papa, I have to finish my studies at the university.  I will not leave you, Papa.”

Guido cried and hugged his son.  Antonio held his papa tightly.  When they parted, Guido went back into the bakery and Antonio, brushing bits of flour off his jacket, walked to the train station to catch a train to Roma and the airport.

Chapter 22

Brazil

Antonio landed in Manaus, Brazil and headed for the Porto Flutuante, where he bought a ticket on a boat heading up the river.  He hadn’t been able to contact Margaret Demorte; however, he had found someone at the Italian Consulate in Rio De Janeiro who had heard of her and knew where he needed to go to find her. 

The gentleman had also arranged for a guide to take him there.  All he had to do was get to Itacoatiara, where the guide would meet him and take him the rest of the way.  Antonio was thrilled when he reached Itacoatiara and he saw the guide standing by the dock with a sign that read “Russo.” 

They paddled up the river for several miles.  Just before nightfall, the guide docked the boat at what appeared to be a dirt path leading into a dense forest.  Antonio felt apprehensive, but he had no choice but to follow the small man, who seemed to be in an awful hurry.

They walked through the darkening jungle until they saw lights ahead.  Antonio was swatting insects and trying to keep up while hauling a large duffle bag.  Finally, they emerged into a clearing where several huts lined one side, with two larger huts on the other side.  There was a really old Quonset hut at the end of the row of smaller huts. 

The guide walked over to the first large hut and climbed the steps to the door.  He knocked and entered the door and Antonio, who was waiting at the foot of the stairs, could hear him talking to the hut’s resident in Portuguese.  Then the little man turned to Antonio and waved at him.

Antonio left his duffle and went up the stairs.  As he entered the door, he was greeted by a larger man.  The guide indicated the big man could help him.  The guide made a small bow and left Antonio with the large gentleman.

"You want to see Maggie.  Why do you want to see her?”

The man looked to be in his late 60’s, early 70’s.  He looked like one of the villagers Antonio had seen in the Life photo, but much larger.  Antonio was glad to hear him speak English. 

"I’m a student from the University of Florence.  I read an article in Life magazine about Miss DeMorte.  I wanted to meet her.”  Antonio was noticeably nervous. 

 "Life magazine, when the hell was that?”  The man had a big face with small, oval brown eyes that were looking Antonio up and down.

"I believe it was dated 1953.”  Antonio waited for the man’s reaction.

"1953!  Are you crazy?  What makes you think she’s even here after all that time?”

Antonio sighed.  He looked at the man and indicated with his hand that he would like to sit down.  The man nodded.

"I’m here to ask her about her Mortevida plant.  The article said she had found a miracle plant that helped women hold a pregnancy.  I’m working on the same thing.  I really need to talk to her.  Please, is she still here?” 

"There's a cot over there.  You sleep there tonight.  We’ll talk about this in the morning.” 

The man turned back to the desk he’d been working at and finished his paperwork.  Antonio went outside and got his duffle bag and brought it inside the hut.  He placed it beside the cot, and the man got up to leave. 

"Goodnight,” he said and closed the hut door behind him.  Alone for the first time, Antonio could hear the sounds of the jungle surrounding him.  It felt like the loneliest place on earth.

In the morning, the scent of coffee wafted through the windows of the hut.  Antonio sat up and threw his legs over the side of the cot.  Then he saw the tall, thin, elderly woman sitting at the desk.  She was looking at him.

"I spent many a night on that cot waiting for a mother to give birth,” she said.

Antonio looked around and noticed the table in the corner with stirrups.  This was a makeshift hospital room. 

"Are you Miss DeMorte?” he asked.

"I am indeed.  And who might you be?”  Her hair was white now, but the hat shown on the cover of Life still sat on her head and her brown eyes sparkled mischievously. 

"I am Antonio Russo of Florence, Italy.  I read an article in Life magazine about your amazing plant and I came to ask you about it.” 

Antonio was looking at the floor the whole time he was speaking.  Maggie was watching him with a benign little smile on her face.

"Why, that was a very long time ago.  Where on earth did you find that magazine?”

"A professor at my university knew of my work and he gave it to me.”  Antonio looked up at Maggie.

"You have very nice eyes, Mr. Russo.  Why don't you come outside and have some breakfast with me?” 

Maggie got up and left Antonio alone to collect himself.  He got off the cot and looked into an old mirror on the wall above the desk.  He took a brush out of his duffle and worked it through his thick black hair.  He looked around and was grateful to see a small bathroom with a door in the corner of the room.  When he was done, he walked outside and down the stairs. 

He could see Maggie and the big man from the night before sitting at a picnic table near one of the huts on the other side of the clearing.  They were talking when Antonio walked up to them.  Maggie indicated the spot next to her and Antonio sat down.  A young girl brought him a plate of food and left. 

"Do you need some coffee Mr. Russo?”  Maggie asked.

"Yes, please,” he replied.

Maggie called the girl and asked her to bring some coffee.  Then she turned to Antonio.  “What makes you think I’d give you my plants?”

Antonio was surprised by Maggie's candidness.  He hadn’t told the big man that he wanted to take her plants.  He was going to work up to that.  Antonio knew he had to be as persuasive as possible.  He wanted her to believe his sincerity regarding his mission.

"My mother died on the floor in front of me when I was 8 years old.  She bled to death waiting for an ambulance.  It was her fourth miscarriage.  I have all my life wanted to help women so this would not happen again.”  Antonio managed a very sincere expression on his face.

"That’s a very tragic story, Mr. Russo.  I genuinely feel for you.  However, I trusted someone with my plants many years ago, and I will not do so again.  I’m sorry you came all this way.  You’re welcome to stay for a few days if you like.”  Maggie had finished eating and she got up to leave the table.

“This is my friend, Mateo.  If you need anything, he can assist you.  Goodbye, Mr. Russo.”

"Please, Miss DeMorte, please wait.”  Antonio followed her while Mateo jumped up and blocked his way.  “I want to work with you.  I want to learn from you.” 

Mateo was looking down at Antonio.  Maggie kept walking away.  Antonio went back to the table and sat down.

"Why won't she listen to me?”

"She didn't invite you here,” Mateo said and walked in the direction Maggie had gone.  Antonio sat dejected at the table.  The girl came out and gestured towards his breakfast.  He gave her the plate but kept his coffee. 

That day Antonio watched for any opportunity to talk to Maggie.  He saw her occasionally through the window of the other large hut, but she didn’t come out again.  He was very disappointed by her lack of understanding of his plight.  He also couldn’t understand why she hadn’t taken to him the way other women had. 

Antonio saw Mateo walking towards the jungle.  He followed him and caught up with him just inches from the foliage.  He grabbed Mateo's arm to get his attention.

"Please, sir, please, I just want to talk to her.”

"You heard her.  She doesn’t trust you.” 

"But she doesn’t know me!”