He stood fumbling in his pockets, not once looking at his daughter.
‘And,’ she took a deep breath, ‘I was hoping that you and I could maybe start again? It’s not too late, you know. It’s never too late.’
His head slowly turned. His face was ashen grey and, as Abbey looked into his eyes, she got the distinct feeling that an inner struggle was going on inside.
‘Look, I’ve no intention of walking away from you. This isn’t the end,’ she said quietly. ‘This is the beginning of a new era, for both of us.’
She walked towards Darren, and looked back at her father. ‘Oh, and Dad, I love you. Just so you know.’
They drove to the airport, Abbey finally with a sense of peace that had eluded her since the disjointed phone call from her father informing her of her mother’s death. Darren sat close to her with his arm around her shoulder.
‘I’m so proud of you Abbey, I really am. I know how difficult that must have been for you.’
‘I know this sounds awful,’ she replied, ‘but when I think about it, he’s never had the opportunity to express his feelings, or become the person he had the potential to be, and perhaps still could be. It’s like he’s been cocooned, not really living, if you know what I mean. In fact, they both have. They created an existence that not only seemed to stifle them emotionally, but actually encouraged them to behave in quite a destructive way.’
The tree-lined roads and gardens flashed past outside the car window.
‘Do you think what I said to him will do any good and he’ll keep in touch?’
‘We’ll make sure of it. But like you said, this isn’t the end, it’s a new beginning.’
She placed her hand on his arm. ‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘For everything,’ and kissed him on the cheek.
Chapter Thirty
Abbey descended down the steps of the small Botswana aircraft and onto the runway at Kasane Airport, looking around at the expanse of wilderness. The heat and the dust seemed to envelop them as they walked towards the airport building; but rather than it being uncomfortable, it gave her a feeling of familiarity, of being back home. Phil had driven Darren’s bakkie up and was waiting for them in the airport car park, leaning against the cab, smoking a cigarette.
‘Home James,’ joked Abbey, after the bags had been thrown in the back. She looked out of the window as they made their way towards the town. She felt excited to be back amongst people she knew, and smiled to herself as they drove up to the bungalow.
‘I’ll walk back,’ said Phil, throwing the keys to Darren. ‘And, I’ll catch up with you both tomorrow, not that you’ve missed much. Although!’ he paused for a second. ‘Nah,’ he laughed, ‘it can wait.’ He waved and disappeared down the drive.
Abbey was about to embark up the front steps when Darren took her arm.
‘I think Mrs Scott,’ he said, ‘there is something I have omitted to do.’
‘Oh, and what might that be, Mr Scott?’
He scooped her up into his arms and carried her over the threshold into the lounge. She giggled as he put her down, falling onto the sofa, feigning breathlessness. She looked around her house. Everywhere was spotless and there was a huge bouquet of flowers, beautifully arranged in a vase on the table. Abbey had a sneaking suspicion that Mary had been behind that idea.
She walked out onto the veranda and surveyed her garden and beyond. Darren came out and stood by her side, putting his arm around her waist. The sky blackened and large raindrops started to fall onto the parched ground. Abbey breathed in the cool, refreshed air.
‘Put your shoes back on,’ said Darren suddenly.
‘What? What for?’
‘Honestly woman, will you ever just do as you’re told without holding a judicial review?’
Abbey laughed, slipped her sandals back on and followed Darren to the bakkie. They drove out of town along the familiar road, heading south, the heavy rain splashing onto the windscreen.
‘Darren, are you going to tell me where we’re going?’
‘No, is the simple answer to that.’
As the bakkie approached the Crossroads, Darren pulled over into the café car park.
‘Why on earth are we here?’ she asked, jumping down out of the cab. Without answering, he took her hand and led her to the door. She looked at him puzzled.
‘Open it.’
‘What?’
‘Abbey, open the door.’
She opened the door and walked inside. The cheers and laughter nearly knocked her off her feet. The room was full of people. Mr Kobe, Phil, Boitachello, Mary, Alfred and lots of other faces she knew from the town.
Behind the counter stood Isaac, a huge smile lighting up his face. Abbey ran over to him and hugged him.
‘My god Isaac, where you’ve been?’ she asked, half laughing, half crying.
‘They got me Miss Abbey, they came for me. I knew they would.’
‘Is everything OK? Are you going to have to go back to Zim?’
‘No, and thanks to your husband, you’re going to have to eat my burgers for some time yet!’
Abbey looked around the café. It had been painted and the furniture had been replaced. She took Darren’s arm and led him to an unoccupied table.
‘How?’ she said looking at him.
‘After you told me what had happened to Isaac,’ replied Darren, ‘I went to see Sergeant Lephepe in Kasane. I knew you had enough on your mind after the news about your mother. Anyway, he found out Isaac had been taken to Francistown and was being held there whilst the police waited for a deportation order. I enlisted Mr Kobe’s help and sent him with some money and told him to take Isaac back to the hotel. They arrived in Kasane just after we had left for your parents’ house. Whilst we were away, I made a few phone calls and found out who this place belongs to. Apparently, it’s on the deeds of the Savuti Lodge, which essentially means it’s in Mr Kobe’s hands.’
‘Does this mean Isaac can stay? I mean in Botswana, legally?’
Darren nodded. ‘Yes. Mr Kobe appointed Isaac as the café manager and has given him a written contract. That means he can apply for a resident’s permit now. Not only that, but Mr Kobe decided that this café could be a thriving business and an asset to the hotel. He has invested money modernising it, including all the kitchen equipment.’
Abbey stared at her husband. ‘You know, you never cease to amaze me! Just when I think I know you, you go and do something else that makes me realise I still have so much to learn.’ She made her way around the table and sat on his lap. ‘Mr Scott,’ she said, putting her arms around his neck. ‘Will you marry me?’
Darren looked back at her, slightly confused. ‘Aren’t we already married?’
‘Well yes, but I want to get married again. This time in Kasane, at the church, with all these people present.’
Darren smiled. ‘Oh course I’ll marry you, Mrs Scott. It would be an honour.’
They arranged to get married, again, two weeks later in the small church in the town. Darren’s family flew over from New Zealand, as they were determined not to miss out second time around. They had been booked into the Savuti Lodge at the personal invitation of Mr Kobe. Darren and Abbey decided to stay at the bungalow and sleep in the same bed, ignoring any superstition about the groom seeing the bride the night before the wedding. Phil arranged a quiet, or so he promised, stag night at the President’s Lodge, and Mary invited all the ladies to a BBQ at the house she was renting in the town.
Despite the fact Abbey was already married to Darren and had been so for some months, she could not remember being so excited or nervous. She remembered the short ceremony in Francistown where they first got married without one invited guest, and the drive back to the bungalow the same day.
As she sat daydreaming in the garden at Mary’s house, she felt a hand touch her on the shoulder. Darren’s mother, Penny, smiled and sat down beside her.
‘I’m sorry about your mother, Abbey. I know you would have liked to have her here today.’
‘Thank you. I just wish my father could have made it over. It’s too far, though, and I know he isn’t strong enough at the moment.’
Penny touched her arm. ‘You probably realise I am very proud of Darren and I just want to say I am so happy he has found you. I think you make a wonderful couple, and I’m thrilled for the pair of you.’
She gave Abbey a small ring box. Abbey opened it and inside was a diamond engagement ring.
‘Darren’s father gave me this ring when we got engaged. The diamond comes from one of the mines here. I think it is fitting that you have it now.’
She kissed Abbey on the cheek before walking away. Abbey felt the emotion beginning to well up inside her and knew that it soon would embellish itself into a flood of tears. She hastily walked over to the riverbank and looked towards the horizon. She took a deep breath and then let the tears fall. Tears of sadness mingled with tears of sheer joy. She looked up into the starry sky.
‘I’m so sorry Mum, I really am. Be happy for me, please.’
Abbey had asked Boitachello to be her maid of honour. Phil, for once in his life, relented about wearing formal dress and agreed to wear a suit and walk Abbey down the aisle. Stuart, Darren’s brother, was to be the best man. Mr Kobe and Mary organised the reception buffet, which was to be held in the Savuti Lodge gardens.
On the morning of the wedding, Darren left the bungalow early to change at the Hotel. Abbey sat on her bed looking at the dress, hanging up by the window. Mary and Abbey had flown to Johannesburg to buy the dress at Mary’s insistence, who was determined that Abbey would not walk down the aisle in her cargo pants and Levi top.
The dress was a soft turquoise colour. Abbey had chosen it for its simple but classic style, trying to bring together the Abbey from England and the Abbey of Botswana, a combination that now resulted in a much wiser and contented woman.
A soft tapping on the bedroom door broke into her thoughts. She opened the door and found herself standing face to face with her father. Words escaped her momentarily and she clasped her hand over her mouth. Her father smiled and held out his hand. She suddenly regained control and hugged him warmly.
‘You have chosen a very persistent man for your husband, Abbey,’ he said, holding her close for the first time that she could ever remember.
Darren, not content with Abbey’s disappointment at her father’s initial refusal to come to the wedding, had telephoned him several times and eventually persuaded him to change his mind.
‘I’ll organise everything,’ he had tried to reassure him. ‘All you need to do is turn up at the airport and someone will assist you every step of the way.’ Her father had flown in to Kasane on the first flight, and Abbey suddenly realised why Darren had left so early that morning.
At midday, Abbey walked down the aisle on the arm of the man she had secretly admired all her life. Apart from her mother’s absence, the day was as perfect as she felt it could be. Phil, knowing full well that Abbey’s father would be present at the wedding, had quickly changed his role to that of usher.
The whole town turned out to wish them well, joining in with the singing and dancing to the traditional wedding songs. The day seemed to fly by and, at times, Abbey felt as though she was a spectator in a dream. When Darren slipped the ring on her finger for a second time, she could hardly contain her excitement, waiting for the moment she could finally wrap her arms around him. Her newly acquired nephews, armed with cameras, captured the day’s events, and Abbey made sure there were plenty of photographs to send home with her father. She hoped he would put one of them on the wall in the lounge, to show three generations of the Harris’ family weddings.
That night, when all the celebrations had finished and the town had gone to sleep, Abbey woke her husband.
‘What is it? Are you alright?’ he asked, turning on the light.
‘Come with me,’ she said, pulling him out of bed.
‘Where? Come with you where?’ asked Darren, as he pulled on his jeans and shoes and followed Abbey out of the bungalow and down the drive. She led him by the hand into the President’s Lodge and across to the pool.
She stripped in front of him.
‘Going to join me or just going to watch?’
He took her into his arms. ‘I’ve waited a long time for this particular dream to come true,’ he said, before kicking off his shoes.
Epilogue
Darren and Abbey continued to live Kasane for the next five years and had three children. Abbey gave up her position with AVP after the birth of her second child and, despite her fears, she adapted into the role of being a mother quite easily, and consciously worked on building a good relationship with all her children.
When their eldest child turned four years old, they both decided that it was time to move on and introduce their children into a different culture. They sold their seventy per cent share of the safari business to Mr Kobe. It had been a resounding success, expanding across the country and into Namibia, making a substantial profit for the three partners.
Abbey’s father visited Abbey on two more occasions after the wedding. She had watched him as he held his first grandchild with a look of complete adoration on his face. She had been right about one thing. It really is never too late! He died exactly three years to the day after her mother and, although Abbey didn’t see him as often as she would have liked, they spoke regularly on the phone on a much deeper emotional level.
The death of her father left Abbey with an inheritance of half a million pounds. Financially secure from her inheritance and the sale of the business, Abbey and Darren Scott left Botswana and settled in Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand, living in the same district as Darren’s brother and his family.
Phil decided to stay in Kasane and carried on working for AVP. He married Boitachello and, although they didn’t have any children of their own, they adopted two local orphans. Phil became the football team coach and was known as an honorary Motswana in the town. As his daughter Lucy grew older, they communicated regularly by letter and email and, by the time she was eight years old, she had started to call him Dad.
Mary Jenkins also stayed on in Kasane and married Mr Kobe. She had five blissful years with him before she was admitted to hospital with malaria and never recovered. She left seventy-five thousand pounds in her will to be used to build a new wing onto the hospital to accommodate patients with malaria and Aids. The ward was named after her. As per her wishes, she was buried in Kasane.
Mr Kobe sold the safari business to an American travel company one year after Abbey and Darren had left Kasane. He stayed on as manager of the Savuti Lodge Hotel until he retired on his fortieth birthday, when he realised a lifelong dream and went on a world tour. This was the first time he had ever travelled outside of Botswana.
Prisca died peacefully in her sleep, one month after her daughter’s marriage. Abbey paid for the funeral and a small headstone in the town’s graveyard.
Alfred left AVP and became the head gardener at the Savuti Lodge Hotel.
Isaac stayed at the Crossroads Café until he retired. By then, his application for citizenship had been approved, and he could end his days in the country he now felt very much a part of. He moved into a small house in Kasane where he spent his final years.
Mr Permelo was sentenced to ten years in prison for a number of offences. He opted to do his sentence in his native South Africa and was deported immediately.
Richard was never seen or heard of again.
Other titles by Julie Sandilands include:
Finn’s Tale
A Gypsy’s Tale
Please visit: www.juliesandilands.com for further information.
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The Perils of Skinny-Dipping Page 20