by Rifi Strawn
“Yes.” She waited until Lucky and Jeremy left to do some work. She pulled at the bulky fabric of her uniform. “I’ll pay you to fit my uniform. It’s too large for me.”
Tabo’s expert eyes skimmed Stanley’s body as she took visual measurements. “I’ll take four inches off the waist. Two off the bust. And three-inches off the hips.”
“You don’t need a tape measure?”
“No, my lady,” Tabo smiled. “I have lots of practice sewing clothes for people. I will have this ready for you tomorrow.”
Stanley sighed with wide-open eyes. “That’s really fast.” Her fashion designer at home required three-weeks for rush jobs and charged her double for the work.
“It’s a simple job, my lady.” She smiled. “Don’t worry about giving me your uniform. I have extra sets in storage that I can use.”
“Are they all one-size fits all?”
Tabo giggled. “Yes. Mr. Jeremy doesn’t like to waste fabric.”
“I see.” She glanced at him. “I also need you to make me a pair of curtains for my window.”
“You want one or two panels?”
“Two will be better.”
“Which fabric should I use for the curtains?”
“I like the brown and tan zebra stripe in the gift shop.”
“Good choice, my lady.”
“I’ll pay you for everything tomorrow,” she whispered.
“Thank you.”
Stanley smiled. “I have a feeling we’re going to be best friends.”
Tabo giggled. “I think so, too.”
She admired Tabo’s elegant look as she walked away. That woman had it going on. Her blue shoes and bright jewelry are just what the uniform needed.
Jeremy put the cooler full of picnic supplies in the back of the Rover and then opened the front passenger door for her. The guests sat in the two back rows.
He winked. “You get to sit with me in the front seat.”
“Oh, great. Thanks.”
Lucky sat in the small metal jump seat attached to the Rover’s front bumper. His feet nearly brushed the ground. With the best tracker and wildlife conservationist at the helm, Stanley was ready for a ride of a lifetime.
Beaming, she looked at Jeremy. “I’ve been so excited to see the animals out in the open. When I think of the African savannah, I think of the elephants, giraffes, and the zebras roaming freely.”
“Oh, you’ll see them all,” he assured her. “Do you know about the big five?”
“The big five what?”
“The big five animals in Africa. The lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and Cape buffalo. The hunters coined the term for the level of difficulty. They’re the hardest to hunt.”
“Interesting.”
Jeremy gave the guests important rules for the rides, and Stanley paid close attention. “We’ll be driving to a wildlife sanctuary close by. There are no fences between you and the animals.” He held a finger up. “Rule number one. Do not stand, wave, or make any kind of motion with your body to get the animal’s attention. This is feeding time. They will hunt you, and they will eat you.”
Nervous giggles followed by total silence.
A guest raised a hand. “What keeps the animals from attacking us in this open Rover?
“The animals are used to seeing the wheels in motion and hearing the engine. They think the Rover is just a harmless animal. If you call attention to yourself, you could break the illusion and cause an attack.”
His captivating gaze fixed on Stanley as he raised a second finger. “Rule number two. When outside the Rover, do not run. Even if you think no animals are around. I cannot emphasize this rule enough. If you come face-to-face with an animal, stand still. Raise your arms up, make noise, and throw rocks, sticks, or whatever you can find to deter it away from you. Lucky and I have loaded rifles to protect you in an emergency, but we only use them as a last resort. After each ride in the morning and evening, we’ll stop in a scenic area for a short picnic. We’ll have coffee or alcohol along with water and sodas to enjoy your snacks and the view.” He rubbed his hands together and smiled. “Now, let’s go have some fun.”
Jeremy put on his sunglasses and drove out the parking lot to the narrow dirt road into the bush. The cool, fresh breeze smelled of dirt and grass. She zipped up her jacket and tucked her hands in her pockets.
“Thanks for making me bring the jacket along. I would’ve been cold without it,” she said.
He winked at her. “See? I know what I’m doing.”
She looked ahead at the sun-lit distant horizon. The sound of thunder from the waterfalls and the mist added magic to their scenic ride. Lucky’s eyes searched the ground for animal tracks. She grabbed the handle on the windshield frame to keep from bouncing in her seat as Jeremy drove over the deep ruts in the road.
“Sorry about the rough ride,” he said. “The rain has messed up the roads. Hang in there, this will smooth out soon.”
Lucky easily handled the bugs. Only the top of his green bucket hat moved up and down. They arrived at the wildlife sanctuary. Stanley nervously eyed at the roaming animals too close for her comfort. Jeremy stopped in front of a giant mound—the size of a one-story building.
“What is it?” she asked.
“It’s a termite mound.”
“Really? It’s something like ten feet tall.” She took a picture.
“Oh, there’s some three times the size of this one.”
“What holds them together?”
“Soil, termite salvia, and termite dung.” He smiled at her cringing face. “The queens and kings live inside the royal chamber of these hollow mounds, while the worker termites cater to them. The queen’s sole purpose is to produce new termites to build and protect the mound. She can lay a thousand eggs a day and live up to forty-five years, in which time she could grow to the point where she can’t move. The worker termites keep feeding her so she can keep laying the eggs.”
“I was born in the wrong species,” she joked.
His gaze lingered on her face. “You want to be fed until you can’t move?”
“No. I’m not the type to sit in one place.”
He chuckled. “I didn’t think so.”
Her heart leapt as she looked around. This rugged landscape was beyond her wildest dreams. She had a hot tour guide pointing out camouflaged animals in the grass and trees that she could’ve easily missed. This was better than any nature shows on TV.
“I can see why my aunt loved it here.”
“How about you? Do you like it?”
“Yes. This place is amazing and is growing on me beyond my expectations.”
His eyes switched from her to the road ahead and they started driving again. “This place has a way of making people fall in love with it.”
Aware of his silent attention, she sat looking up at the vast blue sky. If it weren’t for her aunt’s ashes, she would’ve never seen this beautiful scenery and met him. As they drove along to the next stop, Lucky held his hand up to signal Jeremy. He stopped the Rover and turned off the engine.
Stanley grabbed the door handle as the ground shook. Eyes wide open, she sighed. “I didn’t know they had earthquakes here.”
She still hadn’t gotten over the last one in her San Francisco penthouse. She’d sought shelter under the dining table and prayed the wildly swaying chandelier wouldn’t crash and hurt her. Even worse, the floor under her feet seemed to be caving in.
Heart racing, she felt the gentle squeeze of his hand. He knew just what to do to calm her. “You okay?” he asked.
Her voice quivered. “Is it an earthquake?”
“No. It’s a stampede. Keep your arms inside. It could be a herd of cape buffalo or wildebeest.”
Lucky pointed toward some brush just off the road ahead. “Lion.”
Stanley’s fingers gripped Jeremy’s hand a bit tighter as she looked at the large, crouching cat about fifteen yards ahead, facing away from them. Caution in his eyes, he started the Rover and pulled o
ff the road.
“It’s a huge herd,” he warned. “They could kill us if we’re in the way.”
Her heart sank from the cloud of dust coming toward them.
“Zebra,” Jeremy yelled.
Countless racing legs sprinted by her in a zig-zag pattern. The black and white stripes blurred as the herd ran a few feet in front of the Rover into the open grassland. The lion sprang into action, running after the slowest in the fleet. His long leap missed his prey by an inch. A loud, frustrated roar rattled her insides.
The distance between the lion and its prey grew wider and wider as his legs slowed, and he gave up. Tongue hanging out and panting, he stared at the one that got away and sat in the middle of the road to catch its breath. A breeze caressed his gorgeous mane. The chase had worn him out.
Jeremy drove slowly past the tired lion licking his paws. Everyone in the Rover sat speechless until he parked in a safe spot. “That was a close call,” he said.
Stanley looked at him. “I thought a lion could outrun a zebra.”
“Yes, but it doesn’t have the stamina of outrunning the zebra’s forty-mile-per-hour sustained speed. The lion must attack in the first few seconds or he goes hungry.”
“I could barely see the zebras. They run so fast,” she said.
“Their stripes and zig-zag running pattern are a defense mechanism. At high speed, the stripes can make the lion dizzy.”
“And I thought their coat was just pretty.
He smiled. “The striped coat provides a built-in cooling system. The zebra’s dark stripes attract the light, and the white repels the heat. This creates tiny swirls of air to keep its skin cool and deter flies. The zebra’s cooler body helps it outrun the lion and other predators who can easily overheat in a chase. Did you know that no two zebras are alike?”
“Really?”
“Their stripes are like barcodes. Scientists identify each animal by its stripes. Depending on the region, they can be brown or black.”
Stanley’s mind churned with creative ideas as she looked down at her monochromatic outfit. That zebra stripe fabric in the gift shop would look great on her uniform’s collar and cuffs.
She gave Jeremy an assessing look. Asking his forgiveness would be easier than getting his permission. If he really gets angry with me, I’ll give him a scientific explanation for breaking his rules. Maybe he’ll buy into my argument that I added the zebra stripes to keep employees cool and to repel flies. Now I just need to learn how to sprint in a zig-zag pattern without attracting a lion.
A sudden, loud roar silenced the guests. A lion’s wide-open mouth yawned just a few yards from her. Shit. It’s staring right at me.
“Don’t move,” Jeremy whispered.
Three adorable lion cubs came running out of the tall grass toward the intimidating lion. Without fear, they jumped on him and pulled on his long mane in a playful wrestle. A lioness lay low on her belly in the grass keeping an eye on her cubs. Ears up, her roaming gaze fixed on the Rover. She stood up, corralled her cubs, and disappeared into the tall grass. After a bone-rattling roar, the lion ambled after them.
Stanley exhaled. “Oh, my God, I’ve never been that close to lions, with or without a fence.”
Jeremy looked at her nervous face. “Since this is your first ride, relax and enjoy the view. Lucky and I will take care of the picnic.”
She smiled. “Aw. Thank you.”
They stayed next to the road. Lucky set up a white, linen-covered table with coffee and snacks. Jeremy filled her mug with steaming liquid and offered her coffee liquor.
“A bit of Amarula calms the nerves and makes your coffee taste better,” he said with a smile.
“What’s it tastes like?”
“Like Baileys, but better.”
“Pour it in. I could use the whole bottle after that encounter. The lion was staring right at me. I thought it was going to pounce.”
“No. It was looking at the guy in the seat behind you.”
“Really? Was he teasing it or something?”
His jaw tensed. “Something like that.”
She took a hot sip after his generous pour. “Amarula, huh. I like it.”
“I told you it’s good stuff.” He dipped his biscotti into the mug. “This is how I like my coffee.”
She copied him and enjoyed moist, sweet bites. “Mm…biscotti has never tasted better.”
He grinned. “You’re quickly catching on to the ways of the bush.”
She glanced at his handsome face. “I love your informative nature talks.”
“Sometimes I get carried away with too many facts.”
“I’ve learned so much from you in the short time I’ve been here.”
He looked past her shoulder at a harried guest pacing and looking at the bushes. “Where can I take a leak?” the man said.
Jeremy pointed to the closest bush. “Do not run.”
“I’ll come with you,” said another male guest.
Stanley eyed another big bush. Should she go or not? She crossed her arms and held on to her full bladder. The risk of her running from a scary sight with her mosquito-bitten bare bottom was high.
Minutes later, the two men came running toward them with stunned faces. One of them had a dark patch running down his left pant leg.
“There’s—there’s a buffalo after us,” he said.
“I said, ‘do not to run,’” Jeremy snapped.
“I know. I know. I made a mistake,” the nervous man said, zipping up his pants. “That thing came out of nowhere and was practically breathing down my neck.”
“After he ran off, the buffalo was running toward me, so I ran, too,” the other man said.
Jeremy held onto the dart rifle, while Lucky quickly rounded up the guests into the Rover. Stanley helped pack and load the picnic supplies into the Rover. The engine revved to take the guests back to the lodge.
A big, black buffalo ran from behind the bush and stood in front of the Rover. Its black eyes peered at the Rover’s front grill. Oh God, Lucky has lost his mind. With an intense gaze, he was taking slow steps toward it instead of backing off.
Her fist clenched. The buffalo backed off from Lucky’s imposing, dark figure in the standoff. Slowly, it turned and ran into the bush. If Jeremy was the elephant whisperer, then I just met the buffalo whisperer. God only knows what kind of whisperer I’ll become by the time I leave.
She exhaled. “Oh, my God.”
“I don’t know how Lucky does it, but his stare-downs work every time,” he said.
The ride back to the lodge had the guests in a heated debate.
Jaw clenched and hands gripping the steering wheel, Jeremy stopped the Rover in the lodge parking lot. “Your safety is a priority here. However, there are risks in taking these rides,” he said.
“Would you have killed the buffalo to save us?” asked the man with the soiled pants.
Jeremy paused. “Yes, but I would’ve been sick about it. I’m also here to protect the animals from humans.”
He took the man aside. “I’m going to ask you and your wife to check out of here. You have an hour to pack your things and leave.”
The man stuck his chest out. “Why?”
“I saw you tossing pebbles at the buffalo and showing your teeth to the lion to get their attention. And later, you ran, which caused another guest to run. Your behavior put the entire group at risk.”
Stanley followed Jeremy into his office and closed the door. “You don’t give warnings here?”
He sighed. “Maybe that couple is not here for the rides and is a plant to ruin my good reputation.” He rubbed his face in distress. “If multiple complaints are filed, we could lose our license to operate this lodge. I recently got another warning from the authorities for not safeguarding my guests.”
“What will you do if this place shuts down?”
He pursed his lips. “I’ll will have to find another job, I guess. I wish I had the money to buy the land around the lodge to keep the animal
s safe and concentrate on my job.”
She bit her lower lip. “You need to report the couple to the police before they make a complaint.”
“I wish it were that simple. Corruption is everywhere. I don’t have bribe money to get what I want.” He checked the time. “We need to get back to work.”
Stanley ushered the guests to the swimming pool to enjoy the view and noticed Jeremy pacing the porch and talking with someone on his phone. Who worried him like this?
Chapter Nine
The next day, Stanley took a deep breath before knocking on Jeremy’s office door. She could only hope her marketing proposal to drum up new business for this place didn’t offend him. She needed to do something quick, or she could lose the license to operate the lodge before getting her inheritance. Aunt Zoie never made a bad investment.
From what she’d seen so far Jeremy was not a good resort manager. Maybe she could combine his wildlife expertise with her marketing skills to turn this place around. Whatever she did, she’d better not piss him off before the transfer of ownership.
After a gentle tap, she stuck her head through the door. He sat behind his desk, staring at his phone. “May I talk to you for a minute?”
He gestured to the chair across the desk and put the phone face down. “Have a seat.” he said. “I trimmed the trees and the wild shrubs around your hut this morning.”
“Yes, thank you. The whole place looks nice. You’re doing a superb job, by the way.” She cleared her throat. “I have some marketing ideas that I think would attract more business here.”
He leaned back in his chair. “Let’s hear them.”
Stanley began her spiel. “This lodge could look more inviting. Its vibe is like a storage warehouse for extra furniture rather than a functioning vacation property. The empty tables and chairs in the dining hall only attract attention that the business is struggling. I propose a thorough cleanup and rearranging of furniture to give this place a facelift.”
“We don’t have the money to hire extra people for that.”
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I have nothing but time on my hands. I can start today, and by the time my term is up, this place could look great. You could use the increased revenue to buy the extra land around the lodge for the elephants’ safety.”
