by Rula Sinara
“My gosh, this looks like it was so much work. I wasn’t expecting a vegetarian meal. I’ll admit, I was prepared to just eat bread and claim to not be hungry, out of politeness, but boy, am I relieved. I’m starving. We didn’t mean to bother you,” Tessa said.
“It’s no bother when it comes from the heart.” Kesi smiled and laid her worn hand on Mac’s shoulder. “Any family of Mac’s is family of ours.”
“Thank you,” Tessa said, dipping her chin. The corner of her mouth tipped into a grateful but slightly sad smile.
Mac felt her kick his boot lightly and raised his brows. Her eyes opened wide and pink spread to her cheeks. She glanced sideways at Nick, and from his abrupt thanks to Kesi and Mugi, Mac figured she’d kicked the wrong foot the first time. He couldn’t resist messing with her. He tapped hers back, anyway.
* * *
TESSA DID HER best to ignore the way the corner of Mac’s mouth lifted lazily after he kicked her foot under the table. If he added that flirty wink he was famous for in school, she’d scream. Don’t...don’t... He did it. She took a deep breath and turned her attention to the Lagats. She knew Mac wasn’t really flirting. She was a married woman. He’d never even gone out with ex-girlfriends of his buddies back in school. But he had always enjoyed giving her a hard time. If it was at all possible for a sexy wink to be aggravating, he’d just pulled it off. Why did that not surprise her?
“You look a lot like Mac did when I first met him, Nick,” Mugi said with a deep chuckle. His accent was highlighted with a different quality than Kesi’s musical voice. Tessa couldn’t place it. He sat down at the end of the table and eyed Mac to his left and Nick to his right, then scratched his graying sideburns. Tessa had no idea why, but the scene struck her oddly as one of grandfather, father and son.
“I look like my dad,” Nick said, raising his chin as if to uncover his face and prove his point. He totally had his mother’s chin.
“I’m not surprised, given your uncle carries the same blood,” Mugi pointed out. “I never met your father, but I can already see pride runs deep in your family. It makes a man strong, if not stubborn.”
“Stop giving our Mac a hard time.” Kesi laughed at the opposite end of the table, closer to Tessa. She wore pants and a white cotton top embroidered around the neck. A printed scarf was wrapped around her head and beaded earrings added beautiful traditional touches to her outfit. Her style would have made a great subject for one of Tessa’s fashion columns. Kesi couldn’t have been much younger than Mugi, yet her warm skin had such a youthful glow.
“Are you two calling me stubborn? Me?” Mac asked. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He took a piece of chapati, tore it and offered half to Nick. Nick took one bite and immediately reached for another piece.
“Oh, should I tell embarrassing stories of the first time you landed here?” Kesi smiled as she waved her hand across the table. “Please, everyone, fill your plates and don’t be shy. There’s enough for seconds and thirds.”
“I think I need to hear this story,” Tessa said.
“Yeah. Embarrass Uncle Mac. Please.” The way Nick’s lopsided smile mirrored Mac’s was uncanny. She wished she had a camera.
“Did he run out of gas and get stranded?” Tessa ventured.
“Worse. He ran out of gas on the wrong side of the river,” Kesi said. “You tell them, Mugi. I love hearing this story.”
“They don’t want to hear it,” Mac insisted.
“Yes, we do,” Tessa and Nick said simultaneously.
Mugi laughed and put his elbows up on the table. He leaned a few conspiratorial inches toward Nick and jerked his head at Mac.
“Your uncle here was out on his first flight in the area. No passengers. Just him...a fledgling.” Mugi chuckled. “So he had lost his bearings and realized he was too low on gas to make it back safely. According to him, he had been told over the radio that there was a camp nearby, but the trees had just greened up, lush enough to make spotting this place from the air difficult. So he went for a clearing...but not the one where you landed today. No, this one was across the river. Kesi and I were sitting at the edge of the camp watching the various herds make their way upstream for water when we saw him land. Now, mind you, where there’s prey, predator is not far behind.”
“So you called out to him?” Nick asked, chewing more slowly.
“Of course not. We just watched to see what he’d do. After all, even lions have babies to feed. He was just part of the food chain we were observing in action. There’s no television out here. A guy needs entertainment.”
At that, Nick stopped eating and stared at the older man. Kesi covered her mouth with one hand to keep from laughing out loud and squeezed Tessa’s arm with the other. Tessa struggled to keep a straight face.
“Remind me never to put my life in your hands,” Mac said, spooning curry onto the rice in his dish. He looked like he’d heard this story more times than he cared to.
“Let him finish,” Kesi said.
“Okay, so we did call out—not that it helped,” Mugi confessed. “I called and asked if he needed assistance. Surrounded by hungry, thirsty wild animals and blocked by a river that most certainly hid jaws of death, Mac answered that he had everything under control, but thanks, anyway. So we watched him strut back and forth assessing the situation and too stubborn to admit he needed help. That’s when the lion roared less than ten yards away.”
This wasn’t funny anymore. Tessa parted her lips, but Nick jumped in.
“For real? What happened?”
“He wet himself,” Mugi said.
“As in he fell in the river?” Tessa asked.
“No. As in, he wet himself,” Mugi repeated.
Everyone burst out laughing. Even Tessa couldn’t hold it in, but the best part was seeing Nick relax.
“Did not,” Mac said. “I got splashed when the herds panicked.”
“You say that if it makes you feel better.” Mugi sniggered.
“Did you kill it?” Nick asked. “The lion?”
Mac’s face sobered.
“I don’t kill anything unless I’m forced to put it out of pain and misery,” Mac said.
“Not even for food?” Nick asked.
“Not even for food anymore. I have nothing against anyone who eats livestock raised humanely and taken with gratitude, but I personally have seen so much merciless killing that I’ve lost my taste for meat. Now, if I were forced into a situation of self-defense, that would be another matter.”
“But you were in danger,” Tessa said.
“I was unprepared. No gun. No tranquilizers.”
“No way,” Nick said. “How could you be so stupid?”
“Hey. Watch what you call me, huh?” Mac said, then he grinned. “I was very stupid.”
Nick smiled right back and pushed his hair out of his face.
“So what did happen? After he wet himself,” Tessa asked, raising one brow at Mac. He’d never live that down. Indiana Jones and the Moment of Doom.
“He was rescued by a woman,” Mugi said.
“Ooooh, shame!” Nick hooted and clapped.
Tessa looked at Kesi in surprise.
“You swam across the river and rescued him, Kesi?”
“No way.” Kesi laughed. “Mugi wasn’t really just watching. He had a radio on him and had called a researcher we knew was studying elephants in the area and who we’d heard, over the air, was nearby that day. She drove up in her jeep just in time, but Mugi did have his rifle ready and aimed just in case.”
“Wow,” Nick said. Tessa shuddered at the scary, albeit funny in retrospect, situation Mac had been in. But she’d always known that he’d wanted adventure. Even in high school he’d loved adrenaline rushes. He used to skip school just to go for a swim that involved diving off cliffs; there
was the time he’d taken off in his father’s car before he had a license to drive. All of it used to fry her nerves. Especially when her sister went along for the fun of it. But Tessa knew he also took risks just to rebel against his dad and to prove he didn’t care what anyone thought of him. He’d wanted a life where he’d be putting his life at risk. The exact opposite of what Tessa had always wanted. They still were opposites, which was why raising Nick together was so impossible.
“Rescued by a woman.” Tessa folded her arms and shook her head.
“Dr. Anna Bekker isn’t just any woman, though,” Mac said defensively.
A twinge of jealously she had no right to feel pinched Tessa’s chest. More of an insecurity, really. Mac had no respect for her or her lifestyle, but this rugged, elephant-rescuing Dr. Bekker wasn’t just any woman.
“He’s right,” Kesi added, turning to Tessa. “There’s nothing ordinary about Anna. Around here, her orphaned elephant rescue camp is becoming legendary. Mac should take you two to visit Busara. I’m sure she and her wonderful husband and adorable children would love to meet one of Mac’s relatives.”
Tessa had no rights over Mac—neither did she want any—but she couldn’t help but feel a little relieved that Anna was married. Nonetheless, a part of her wished Mac could see her as “not just any woman,” too. Then another part of her wondered if any of those baby elephants had been orphaned because of Brice. If they had been, then she was living off his blood money. Markets were all about supply and demand. That made her part of the pain and injustice Mac devoted his time to fighting. She rearranged the food on her plate, suddenly losing her appetite and unable to meet his eyes.
She needed to find evidence and stop what was happening...or she was as good as an accomplice to murder. Murder of the very lives Mac was so intent on helping to save.
* * *
TESSA SCRUBBED A dish in the soapy water, rinsed it and passed it to Kesi to dry and put away. She’d insisted on helping clean up while the guys went outside to do some maintenance on one of the guest tents. Kesi explained that they did whatever they could to conserve water. Although they had a well, they also used a cistern to catch rainwater. The couple also had some solar panels in place to take advantage of the plentiful sunlight. Tessa admired the gorgeous mosaic backsplash behind the sink and the unique strands of wooden beads that hung to the sides of the kitchen window instead of curtains.
“Your kitchen is beautiful and so...” She fumbled for the right word, realizing belatedly that anything she said might be taken the wrong way.
“Unexpected?” Kesi offered.
“Well, yes, but I don’t mean it in a bad way. You have incredible taste in design and decorating. It’s just that I expected anything out this far to be more basic, only because I’d imagine getting some building items and finishing touches out here would be difficult.” She hoped Kesi understood. She never intended to sound rude or snotty. After all, she’d grown up in a house no bigger than this cottage. Maybe that’s why she liked the atmosphere here. “Your home has so much character. There’s a welcoming comfort about it.”
Tessa meant it. There was a spirit to the place that, despite all the luxuries that had become hers when she’d married Brice, she’d never felt in her own home. Mac was right. Their place was a little on the sterile side. Like her and Brice’s modern, minimalist style, there was no clutter here, yet the wood and stone, with splashes of color from woven pillows and practical accents like the herbs Kesi had hung to dry along one of the kitchen walls, gave the cottage an earthy warmth. She pointed to a stunning painting on the far wall. She’d seen a couple of others in the living room that looked like they’d been done by the same artist. The lighting in the kitchen made it easier to see Kesi’s name at the bottom. “You painted that?”
“Yes. I like to dabble in water colors. It’s relaxing,” she said.
“You have a gift. It’s beautiful. I should have known you had an artist’s eye from how nicely you designed the entire place.”
“Thank you,” Kesi said. “Some of the touches were indeed special ordered, and some we brought out here ourselves. Most of the wooden furniture was handmade and carved locally, but a few pieces were from before we lived here. I’m a retired architect. In fact, when Mac’s friends, Anna and Jack, decided to upgrade from the tent Anna had raised their first child in on her own at Busara, I helped them out.”
A dish slipped from Tessa’s grip but she saved it from breaking.
“You’re an architect?” She needed to work harder at keeping the surprise out of her tone. Kesi didn’t seem fazed.
“Yes, and Mugi is retired from law. I met him in England, where he went to school. I wanted to see the castles, and he happened to be on the same tour. The rest is history. No pun intended.”
That explained the hint of something different in his accent.
“Why would you decide to retire here?”
Tessa handed her the last dish and dried her hands.
“Why not?” Kesi said, ushering Tessa out to the front porch where they could enjoy some tea. “I take in this scenery and it reminds me of what home is all about. All the rush, demands and pressures of careers and city life fade away out here. We lived that life. Had our fill of it, and yet, left it feeling empty. I never had children—though we did try—a fact that took my parents forever to get over. Our lives had been about our careers, but neither of us felt settled. We never felt like we were making a difference or that we’d achieved our purpose, despite some of the pro bono cases Mugi used to take on. This place seemed like it had been waiting for us. It started as nothing but a couple of tents, but we wanted to build an environmentally conscious experience. A family-friendly camp where, if children came along, they could learn about water conservation, wildlife habitats, endangered species, solar energy...you understand the idea.”
“Ecotourism,” Tessa said, recalling an article she’d read not long ago in the very paper she worked for. The one Brice practically owned. Ironic.
“Exactly. Kenya is our home. Our ancestors walked this land. We figured if our purpose wasn’t to raise our own children, then maybe it was to help educate others. To save the land left to us by past generations. Then, out of the blue, Mac landed in our lives and it was as if all the pieces had fallen into place. He’s like a son to us.”
The pieces of a puzzle.
Tessa nodded and looked over at the men patching a hole on one of the tents. Kesi had wanted children but couldn’t have them, and now she saw Mac as a son. And Tessa never wanted kids for fear of the risks involved—the worry, the potential failure to give them what they needed—and now she had Nick. Kesi followed her gaze.
“Those look like mere tents, but they’re quite nice inside. Each is raised on a platform because of the rainy season, so there are carpets and beds with linens and even water. It makes it easier with children. I suppose we’re kind of like a Serengeti bed-and-breakfast. Our next guests aren’t booked for a few weeks, so Mugi has been wanting to take care of repairs before they arrive.”
No guests for that long? So much for Mac telling her they couldn’t use the camp’s jeep to get back. Liar. She had to admit, she was kind of glad about it. She’d needed to slow down. Catch her breath. Plan. The past few hours had indeed given her a breather. But she was also anxious to find out what was on those computer drives.
“So this place isn’t as rustic as it seems at first. It’s like the best of everything.” Tessa chuckled. “Does that mean you have electricity?”
“A generator we only use as needed.”
“A television?” Tessa asked, wondering if Mac and Mugi had been telling Nick the truth or if they had been messing with him, too.
“No. No television. It just wasn’t a priority for us and we want guests taking in their surroundings. Getting lost in the experience.”
“Ah, then no computer.”<
br />
“Of course we have a computer and basic internet, for safety reasons if anything, and so we can keep up with news as well as letting the world know we’re here. Mugi, being a lawyer, insisted.”
So Mac knew all along that they could lie low and still check out the flash drives she’d taken. When was he planning to let her in on it? She was starting to wonder if she could trust him at all.
“Is it safe here? I mean, with all the wild animals...and I’ve heard that poachers aren’t really as under control as some think,” Tessa ventured, not wanting to give her real concerns away.
“Wild animals? We have to use common sense. We take precautions similar to most safari groups. Poachers? We haven’t had a problem near us, though it’s true—unfortunately, they’re out there. Busara and some other reserves deal with the orphans left by poachers all the time. All the more reason to provide places where the public can get educated and in touch with nature. The more memories they make here, the more likely they’ll be to care, even after they return home. One person can make a difference.”
One person. Was Tessa one person making a difference?
“Life’s funny, isn’t it?” she said in a near-whisper.
“What do you mean?” Kesi asked.
“Just that you’ve been so generous and kind. We crashed your day and took it over unexpectedly. If you need us out of the way, just say the word.”
“Nonsense. Stay as long as you like.” She motioned to Mac, who was involving Nick in the repair. “It’ll be good for them. See? Male bonding. You were hoping they’d get along. Weren’t you?”
“How did you know?”
“I’m good at reading people.”
A moment of silent understanding passed between them.
“Everything happens for a reason. Even airsickness,” Kesi said.
She was right. Everything did happen for a reason.
It was the reasons that always eluded Tessa.