The Promise of Rain

by Rula Sinara

  “Sounds to me like you’ve put a lot of thought into it. I mean, considering you have no feelings for her or anything like that,” Jack said with mock sincerity. “I’m sure this constitutes nothing but scientific analysis.”

  “I should feed you to the lions,” Kamau said.

  “No!” Pippa jumped in. His little girl was defending him.

  Jack kissed her tiny fist. “He’s kidding, honey.”

  “He’s right, Pippa. Instead, we should lock him in a pen with Ambosi and a bucket of pepper tree plums,” Kamau said, making a silly face so that she would understand the humor.

  Pippa did. She started wriggling and pawing through his hair like a monkey, and before Jack could set her down, she threw herself backward. He hung on to her ankles in a panic and Kamau grabbed her from behind, getting her off Jack’s back safely.

  “Pippa!” Anna said, running up.

  “She’s fine,” Jack and Kamau said simultaneously.

  “She could have fallen on her head,” Anna replied.

  “I had her the whole time,” Jack said. “Really.”

  “Yes, I could see that.” Nonetheless, Anna led Pippa back to where Niara stood. Jack knew he and Kamau looked like idiots standing there, staring after the women.

  “They don’t need us, do they?” he asked, but it came out like a statement. An affirmation.

  Kamau grimaced. That was answer enough.

  * * *

  WITH TOO MANY of them for Mac’s charter helicopter, Anna had booked seats to Nairobi on a plane from Amboseli National Park’s airstrip. The drive there, piled in an open Jeep, had left them coated in dust that clung to them all the way to Nairobi.

  The airport was bustling and the crowds put Anna on guard. She strapped her tote across her chest so that it hung safely in front of her. She shifted Pippa on her hip, unwilling to trust the little girl not to pull free and disappear. Anna grabbed one of Haki’s hands, while Niara took the other.

  According to Jack, he’d taken care of their accommodations. They had all packed lightly and efficiently for the brief trip. He took their carry-on bags and, surprisingly, led them through the crowd as if he’d lived in Nairobi all his life.

  Had he come to Kenya on lectures in the past? Without bothering to hunt her down in Busara? He’d known she was somewhere in Kenya. He could have pressured Miller to tell him where, if he’d actually come through here in the past. Anna thought about the possibility and decided it didn’t make sense. Then she saw a tall, dark and well-dressed man waving at them. No wonder Jack seemed on top of things. He had a beacon.

  “Over here!” The man shouldered through the crowd and closed in on them. “Jambo, Jack. Back alive, I see.” He laughed, shaking his hand and relieving him of one of the bags.

  “Did you get the other samples I sent?” Jack asked.

  “Yes. Yes. Thank you. They arrived safe and sound.”

  “Good.” Jack put his hand on Anna’s back. “Dr. Alwanga, this is Dr. Anna Bekker and my...daughter, Pippa. And this is Niara Juma and her son, Haki.”

  “Jambo. Nice to meet you,” Dr. Alwanga said, shaking Anna’s hand briefly, then holding on to Niara’s a meaningful moment longer.

  Well, well. Anna cleared her throat. “We should get out of here,” she said.

  “Absolutely. I have a car waiting.” Dr. Alwanga turned and led the way.

  Exhaust fumes ambushed her as she followed the doctor to a white SUV. Anna rubbed her nose against her sleeve. She preferred dust to fumes, although she knew from past trips that she’d adapt to the noise and smells soon enough. Especially if she got a delicious whiff of savory street food. She hadn’t had anything but her coffee all morning. She’d been too busy getting Pippa and herself ready for travel. Not that she ever ate breakfast, but since Jack had shown up, snacking had gotten the best of her. Her stomach growled and she quickly pressed her hand against it, hoping no one had heard.

  “I figured you must all be starving. We can stop wherever you like before heading to the hotel,” Dr. Alwanga said.

  Anna blushed. “Actually, it’d be easier if there’s something at or near the hotel,” Anna answered, climbing into the back with Niara and the kids. The children were getting jumpy. A warning that they were probably hungry and tired, yet excited over the change in scenery—a mix that could inevitably lead to a meltdown.

  “No problem,” Dr. Alwanga said, maneuvering into traffic. “We can stop at the university after you have a chance to eat and freshen up. I looked into procedure and printed off the forms you asked for when you first got to Busara, Jack. However, the embassy website asks that you send the paperwork electronically in order to book an appointment. I couldn’t get that done for you.”

  Anna caught Jack, who’d sat up front, glancing at her through the side mirror. She wrinkled her forehead at him. Planned ahead, did you? She knew he’d booked a hotel after she’d agreed to the trip. But Dr. Alwanga just said Jack had contacted him when he first arrived at Busara. He’d had his doctor friend get the ball rolling before he’d spoken to her. How had he been so sure she’d agree to the trip? What would he have done if she hadn’t? Why didn’t he just come out and say he’d planned the rest?

  It was all moot now. What he’d done partly irked her and partly...felt good. She was relieved that someone was taking care of things. Appointments for legal paperwork didn’t happen overnight here. She’d been expecting long delays. But it wasn’t all on her shoulders now, as she was accustomed to. She was relieved that the darn legalities, which had nagged at her and worried her for years, might be sorted out.

  For an emergency, she kept saying to herself. For visits. Just because she was filing forms didn’t mean she was going to let Jack take Pippa.

  Jack braced one hand on the dashboard as Dr. Alwanga came to an abrupt stop behind a truck making a turn. It chugged and exhaust billowed from its tailpipe before it regained momentum. Anna’s head was starting to hurt. Fumes, noise, an empty stomach and nerves over what they needed to get done weren’t a good combination.

  Jack turned to Dr. Alwanga. “But that could take forever. I thought we’d be able to get in by tomorrow, or by the next day at the latest. Anna has to get back to her work and I only have so much flexibility with my schedule,” he said.

  That statement caught Anna’s attention. When was he planning on leaving? Logically, she knew he wouldn’t be here forever. But he had said he wasn’t leaving Pippa behind, and they hadn’t decided what would happen yet. Had he changed his mind already? A mix of relief and disappointment settled in her gut. Her life would get back to normal—with her little angel—all because her view of men like Jack and her father held true. Career first. She’d succeeded in convincing Jack that a child needed its mother. Convinced him that he was doing the right thing once again, and this time, the right thing was leaving them. Exactly what she wanted, she reminded herself. No false pretenses. No false relationship. No one to disappoint her.

  “I know, Jack,” Dr. Alwanga continued. “I cashed in on a favor. I spoke to a colleague whose sister works with the American Citizen Services, and explained the situation. She said to send the information as soon as possible. She said to go ahead and follow the website instructions, but to call her the minute it’s done, and she’ll get you in. There’s a place I’ll take you to get photos, as well. It’s on their checklist.”

  Jack sank back, propped his elbow on the window frame and rubbed his jaw. “Thanks. I owe you,” he said.

  “You already did me a favor gathering those samples. You saved me the cost of sending a tech out. I figure after eating, we’ll head back to the university to drop off the samples you got. You and Anna can use my computer to fill out the forms, and I can preoccupy everyone else with a campus tour. How’s that sound?” he said, swiveling around and smiling at Haki, who sat in his mom’s lap.

  Wh
o was he really looking at? Niara glanced nervously at Anna, but before Anna could crack a reassuring smile, he added, “My younger sister is a student on campus. She loves children and asked if she could join us.”

  Niara gave a small smile and nodded. Anna noticed the two men share a silent understanding. What had Jack told him about Niara? And why? Wasn’t anything private?

  Dr. Alwanga turned to face forward just in time to break for a traffic stop. Anna shot her hand out against the back of Jack’s seat to keep Pippa safe, and hoped the fact that the kids were strapped against their moms rather than in car seats didn’t stand out to Jack. She peered between the front seats to see how much traffic there was. She remembered how odd she’d found the juxtaposition of goats crossing a busy street in front of modern buildings, back when she’d first arrived in Kenya. It seemed normal now, although she guessed by the look on Jack’s face it was quite a foreign scene to him.

  Maybe he’d decide to stay longer. Go sightseeing. She’d been wanting to tour the historic home of Karen Blixen. Funny how tourists tended to visit more attractions than folks actually living in a place. Out of Africa was yet another movie she and Jack had seen together. He might be interested.

  Jack glanced at his watch. “Sounds like a plan,” he said to Dr. Alwanga. “Let’s get this done.”

  * * *

  JACK STRUGGLED TO maintain his focus on the computer screen, but the fact that Anna’s chair was practically glued to his distracted him no end. Although the lab was pretty average in size, the stacks of books and bulging folders occupying every wall and nook in the adjoining office had shrunk it considerably. And that meant Anna’s slender arm inevitably kept brushing his. Focus.

  He turned to his right just as Anna turned left with the next document in hand. His nose collided with her head and she jerked back in surprise, the file folder she’d brought slipping off her lap onto the floor.

  “I’m sorry,” Jack said, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Talk about hardheaded. “I’ll get that.”

  “No. Stay put. I’m smaller.” She sounded annoyed, but she was right. It was a lot easier to fold her five-and-a-half-foot frame under the desk than it would be for him to do so with his six-foot one. She squeezed down, brusquely handing papers up to him. She was annoyed. And he couldn’t blame her for being defensive. Clearly, if there had ever been trust and friendship between them, it no longer existed on either end. They had a task at hand and it was their parental responsibility to get it done. That’s what he’d told her and that’s what he kept reminding himself.

  “Do you have her birth certificate?” he asked, flipping through the papers.

  “Of course I do,” Anna said, settling into her chair once more. She smoothed her hair back and took the stack from him. He did the typing and she located the papers and information. That had been their system for the past hour. An efficient one, too.

  “I’m just running down the checklist. I had to ask,” he said.

  She didn’t answer. She didn’t even look at him.

  “What did you tell Alwanga about Niara?” she finally asked.

  “Nothing personal,” Jack said, then dropped his hands to his knees. Was this all that was bothering her? “Kamau told me just enough to know she’s not that comfortable around guys. I simply warned Alwanga that she was really shy and to chill on the charm he’s notorious for. Is that okay with you?”

  She shrugged and rubbed her nose against her wrist, leaving her hands free to sift through the stack.

  “Anna...”

  She looked at him then, and although her cheeks were dry, the rims of her eyes and tip of her nose were tinged with the redness of someone fighting not to lose control. It stung his heart.

  “What, Jack? You want me to enjoy this? Smile and joke around as we fill out forms? I know it’s necessary, but to be honest, I have warning bells deafening me with every keystroke. You had Alwanga looking up procedure before I even agreed to come out here. How do I know you haven’t already booked her a plane ticket? That you haven’t schemed with him to take her back to the U.S.?”

  “There’s no ticket booked for her, Anna. Be reasonable—”

  “Be reasonable?” Her voice hit a pitch he didn’t think was possible—except maybe in the wild.

  “Just stop. Of course I asked Alwanga to look into it. How were we supposed to get all this paperwork processed in the time frame of my trip? I’ve already extended my stay, and Miller’s already sent me several emails about it. Not happy ones, either. I keep this up and my track to tenure will be irreparable. This isn’t easy, Anna. None of it is. But wake up. Busara isn’t some place in a movie. There are real dangers there. You want to hide out? Play out some fairy tale with no happy ending? Fine. But you don’t have a right to isolate Pippa with you. You may be a heroine to those elephants, but the reality is you’re a coward.”

  Anna flinched and nearly dropped the file again. “I can’t believe you just said that. You can’t show up out of the blue and act like you have my life figured out. If you try anything—”

  “Don’t worry. The only ticket to the States that’s booked right now is mine, but that doesn’t mean this is over.” Jack rubbed his eyes. He’d sworn he wouldn’t vent—not today. It wasn’t constructive. And he didn’t want to deal with tears.

  Anna stared at him, then sniffed and straightened her back. She reached for her purse and pulled out a travel-size packet of tissues with a picture of a giraffe on the plastic covering.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  She wiped her nose, then pulled out a container of allergy medication and popped a pill.

  “You’re taking allergy meds?’

  “Dust. Allergies. Put two and two together, Jack.”

  “Right. Dust.” Jack turned back to the screen. Dust, my foot. She was used to the dust. Not once had he seen her sneeze, and she hadn’t looked like this his entire trip. Dust. Fine.

  “Just type, Jack.”

  He got back to work. “One more form and we can track down Alwanga to make that call. With any luck, we’ll get an interview tomorrow.”

  Anna read the screen, then hung her head in search of the next document on her lap. Jack wished he could tuck her hair behind her ear for her. Tell her it was okay to let go and cry out all the stress, the way he’d done years ago. Make it right. But that wasn’t possible, because time changed things. It changed people. There was no happy solution. Two different people. Two different sides of the world. One child caught in the middle.

  He accepted the paper from her and finished up the online application.

  “Anna, wait,” he said, as she gathered her purse. He reached into his back pocket and handed her an envelope with the vouchers he’d printed while Dr. Alwanga showed the group his department.

  “I had reward miles,” Jack admitted, realizing a second too late how stupid that sounded. He couldn’t help being a little nervous. This had to work. “These vouchers are enough for two tickets. I meant it when I said that I hadn’t bought Pippa a ticket out of here yet. These are for both of you. Round trip.”

  Granted, round trip tickets were more economical, but it was also the only way Anna would give him a chance to prove life with him would be better for Pippa. Maybe they could do this without a fight.

  “You know I don’t want to leave her here, but I don’t have much choice,” he added. “Miller wants me back and there’s no way her passport and documents will be ready before I leave. It’ll probably be a few weeks, even if they’re expedited, but I want you to bring her to Pennsylvania. I’m asking you to bring her. Alwanga said he could get temporary help from the university’s vet program to cover for you with Kamau.”

  “Is this some sort of sick joke? Use your charm to lure me this far, then get me to put her right in your hands, knowing power will be on your side once she’s in the States?”

&n
bsp; “No! Anna, if the situation was any different, you wouldn’t hesitate to let her visit her grandparents and cousins. I realize you’ve found the perfect spot to hide out, pretend your life never happened, but you can’t do that to her. She’s not a secret anymore. Keep doing this to her and you’re the one she’ll grow up resenting. Pippa has a right to meet her relatives. My family has a right to meet her, as much as your parents do.”

  “My parents? You have no right to tell me how to handle my parents.”

  “No more right than you had to keep my daughter from me.”

  Anna glared up at him, her face mere inches from his. Then she turned abruptly and left. And Jack knew in spite of the deep-seated feelings he still had for her, they could never be a family with Pippa. Building a family required trust and forgiveness, an ability Anna had lost...and Jack had never had.

  * * *

  ANNA TOOK A DEEP BREATH and did a slow mental count as she released it. She and Jack sat patiently in two chairs flanking a desk at the American Citizens Services, waiting for the woman behind it to check the paperwork. She pushed another sheet toward Anna.

  “I’ll need your signatures on this one, too, please.”

  Anna let Pippa climb off her lap and onto Jack’s, then leaned forward and signed, holding extra tight to the pen to keep her hand from shaking. She passed the sheet to Jack, who had no problem reaching over Pippa’s head and scrawling his name.

  “Let’s see,” the woman said. “I believe I have all I need. I’ll try to expedite this, but I can’t promise anything.”

  “We appreciate it,” Jack said.

  She placed her hands on her desk and smiled. “They do unique and beautiful ethnic ceremonies in many of the lodges near where you live, Dr. Bekker. Are you two planning to get married there?”

  “No,” Jack and Anna said simultaneously.

  Anna hoped the woman would assume they just meant not specifically there. She was in no mood for judgment or an awkward social situation.