Echoes In The Mist

by Rifi Strawn

  The night sky was awash with brilliant stars. Jeremy lay next to her in the mobile unit’s flat bed. His hand slid under her shirt as he kissed her. Enjoying the passionate swirls of his tongue, he unbuttoned her blouse and kissed her neck. Her body responded to his seductive touch as he took off her shirt and bra.

  She gently stroked his hardness and unzipped his pants. He was ready to have her. Quickly, he stripped out of his clothes as she lay naked, waiting for him. His warm breath brushed against her neck as he kissed his way down to her breasts. Shudders of pleasure racing through her, he suckled the sweetness out of her raised buds.

  Unable to resist her, he entered and dove deep inside her. Enjoying her wet warmth, he moaned and whispered sweet things to her. The windows of the mobile unit steamed from the heat of their passion twice during the watch while Tutu slept.

  ~*~

  Stanley drifted to sleep in Jeremy’s arms until Lucky’s Rover drove up next to the mobile unit in the light of dawn. Quickly, she got dressed. Pulling on his pants, Jeremy winked at her. “This was the best night duty I’ve ever had.”

  He stepped out to meet Lucky. She could hear the two men talking and laughing as she pulled her hair back in a ponytail. After a quick look in the mirror, she walked out.

  “Good morning.” Lucky gave her a knowing look. “You look tired. Too much boom-boom?”

  She crossed her arms and looked toward the river. “Where’s Tutu?”

  Lucky pointed to the tiny body swimming with the big herds. “That big girl stays close to her new mother.”

  “Aw. How sweet. I already miss Tutu.”

  Lucky smiled at Jeremy. “You need to give Miss Stanley a baby she can keep.”

  Jeremy gathered her in his arms and kissed her neck. “I think that’s a great idea. She needs more than one baby to keep her busy.”

  As they started driving to Jeremy’s house, she caught glimpses of Tutu following Makeda up the river bank. It was cute how she kept close to her new mother. “I guess I’ll have to nurse another animal back to health now.”

  He kissed her hand. “You’re a good mum.”

  “I’ve never considered myself mother material.”

  “You take such good care of me, and I have no doubt you will take good care of our babies, too.”

  She smiled. “Is this another attempt to make me stay?”

  “You can’t blame a guy for trying.”

  She glanced at him. Oh, yes, I’ll have his babies any day. She cuddled next to him. “I love you.”

  He kissed her lips. “I love you more.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  A week before her trip home, Stanley stood with Jeremy, who was holding the railing of the viewing deck at Victoria Falls. The sun beamed on the powerful water pouring into the deep gorge. Her skin damp from the mist, she leaned forward to get a better look at the long, deep crevice with seemingly endless mega waterfalls.

  “This is my third time here, and I’m still in awe of this gushing water,” she said, clutching Aunt Zoie’s jar of ashes.

  “This place humbles you with wonder.”

  She took the phone from her purse. “Let’s take a selfie together with the rainbows above the falls.” He put his arm around her waist, and they smiled into the camera. She took a few pictures and then previewed them to keep the best. “We make a good-looking couple.” She put her phone away, gathered her aunt’s ashes, and then kissed his cheek. “I love how we’re standing at the end of that rainbow. I can almost see the pot of gold.”

  He kissed her cheek in return. “You’re my pot of gold.”

  “I’m so lucky to have you.”

  He squeezed her in his gentle embrace and looked at the jar of ashes. “Ready to let them go?”

  She hesitated. “I guess so.”

  They walked along the narrow deck for viewing the magnificent falls, and passed the plunging arms of the river. “I feel like a fragile butterfly trying to land in a hurricane.”

  “This place reminds you how insignificant you are in the universe,” he said.

  She held his hand. “I’m glad you’re in my world to guide me.”

  He pressed a soft kiss on her lips and kept walking toward the Rover. “We should leave our things in the car before we swim in the river. It’s a ways to the Devil’s Pool.”

  “That’s a good idea.”

  Stanley put her phone in her purse, slid it under the seat, and removed her coverup. As she adjusted her string bikini, he stopped and gave her a slow overall look. “Have I told you lately, you’re the most smoking hot woman I’ve ever seen?”

  “You tell me that every day.” She scanned his healing scars. “Are you sure you want to swim in the pool with me?”

  “I’m not letting you go in there alone.” He took his pants off and adjusted his speedo.

  She scanned the nearby women giving his hot body the eye. Stroking his broad chest, she planted a kiss on his lips. Smiling, she gazed into his eyes. “Eat your hearts out, girls. I get to sleep with this hot stuff every day.”

  He puffed his chest. “Yeah, all the women want a piece of me.”

  She gently slapped his arm. “You better save it all for me.”

  Hand-in-hand, they walked across the large rocks in a shallow pool. “Be careful, there are hippos and crocs in the river.”

  She stopped in the knee-deep water and nervously looked around. “Maybe I’ll let the ashes out here.”

  “Come on, I’ll keep you safe.” He held his hand out. “As long as I’m with you, you’ll be okay. The hippos like the deeper water, but the crocs will sneak up on you. They like the Devil’s Pool. It’s a natural, giant swimming pool.”

  Her eyes fixed on the brilliant rainbow arching in the mist over the Devil’s Pool.

  “People risk their lives to pose for pictures at the very edge,” he said.

  Heart thumping, Stanley waded across the slippery rocks toward the edge. Her feet tingled after one look at the thrashing white water dropping into the deep gorge. The speeding water in the pool seem deceptively tranquil. If that wasn’t scary enough, hippos swam close by in the deeper water of the pool, blowing air from their nostrils.

  She laughed nervously. “I’m so terrified and thrilled at the same time.”

  He held on to her arm as a small croc swam by. Without alarming her, he said, “Stay close to me. The water is flowing faster than usual. It’ll carry you over the edge.”

  She held on to him with one hand and gripped the ashes with the other. “I can’t believe my aunt swam this far in Devil’s Pool.”

  “Oh, yeah.”

  “Her pictures didn’t show danger like this.”

  “She almost went over the edge, trying to get the perfect pose.”

  “That was typical of my perfectionist aunt. She’d rather die than put out a bad picture.”

  He scanned the area and glanced at the jar in her hand. “We better release her ashes before the water gets too rough.”

  She twisted the lid open and looked up at the sky. “May your thrills never end in heaven.” She blew a kiss toward the bright rainbow in the mist and poured the dark dust out. “I love you.”

  The water carried the ashes like a roller coaster over the edge and down the thrashing falls. The fast-moving water pushed Stanley against the edge of a large rock. She screamed and dropped the jar. Holding on the rock’s sharp edge, she fought the force testing her grip.

  Jeremy grabbed her leg with both hands. “Help!”

  Her grip failed, and she went under and got back up. Her screams and choking were muffled by the sounds of rushing rapids. Suffocated from the heavy weight of water, she wondered if this was her end. Head bobbing above the surface, she coughed as the current swept the jar over the edge in front of her.

  Jeremy wedged his foot in a crevice and grabbed her wrist to keep her from going over as well. A guide swam up to help him and pulled Stanley into a calm pool then secured her on a large flat rock. She vomited and coughed up water.
r />   Jeremy held her tight against his chest and sighed with relief. “Oh, God, I thought I lost you there.” He kissed her teary face over and over again, as her body trembled against him.

  “I almost drowned,” she cried.

  “You’re safe, now. You’re okay.” He looked down at her face and then at her bare breasts. “Your top came off.”

  She pulled on her bikini thong. “The bottom is still there.”

  He swam with her to the rocky river bank. On the way to the parking lot, she hugged her breasts to hide them as she passed the people in the river. Beside the Rover, he stood in front of her for privacy as she put on her swimsuit coverup.

  As he drove her home, she wrapped her arms around him and put her head on his shoulder. “I thought I was going to die.”

  “I thought so, too. The water was pushing so hard against me, I could barely hold on to you. And then a croc was stalking us, but it must’ve been too risky even for it. Thank God, the guide saw us, or we both might’ve gone over the edge.” He kissed her forehead. “I’m glad that’s over with.”

  She gently stroked his chest through his open shirt. “Thank you for saving my life once again. You could’ve died with me.”

  “So be it. I couldn’t have lived without you.”

  ~*~

  At home, they showered, and she got in her pajamas. He made her hot soup and babied her all night long. As she lay in bed with him, she caressed his face. “You’re my guardian angel,” she murmured.

  “And you’re my fragile butterfly. I can’t keep my eyes off you for even a minute, or you’ll get in trouble.”

  Exhausted, they slept in each other’s arms. At dawn, she woke up and held him tight. She was flying home today and leaving him behind. She covered him with soft kisses. He gently caressed her naked body and then rolled on top of her and made slow, sweet love to her. Her heart beating with his, she held on to him as if she’d never let him go. No words were needed to express the sadness of their upcoming separation.

  She whispered in his ear, “I love you with all my heart.”

  He gazed into her eyes. “Promise?”

  “I’ll be counting the minutes until I’m back in your arms.”

  Tears welled in his eyes. “Don’t forget this…us.”

  “You’re a part of me. How can I?” She gazed into his eyes. “I’m not Claire. I love you. I love elephants. I love the people and this land. I can’t imagine living anywhere else without you.”

  Jeremy got up and dressed for work as she drank her coffee with Amarula. His eyes dimmed with sadness, and his voice choked. “I’ll see you later. I’ve got a major surgery on the schedule today.”

  She put the cup down and wrapped him in her embrace. “I’m leaving my heart with you, take good care of it.”

  On his way out, he looked back at her with his moist red eyes. “I love you so much.”

  She put her hand on her chest. “I love you more.”

  Wiping her tears, she closed the door behind him and called Lucky. “I need a ride to the airport, please.”

  She packed her things and left for the airport two hours before the scheduled departure. If she stayed any longer, she might not ever go. Saying goodbye to him was like a knife through her heart. She missed him already.

  At the airport, tears rolling down her face, she looked at Lucky. “Take good care of Jeremy for me.”

  “Don’t worry, I will.”

  She held his hand. “Thank you for everything. I’ll miss you.”

  “I will miss you, too, Miss Stanley. Don’t leave for too long. I do not think Mr. Jeremy can live without you.”

  “I can’t live without him, either.” She gave Lucky a hug. “Take care of Tabo, Sepo, and the elephants. I’ll be back soon, I promise.”

  She wiped her tears, walked through the airport doors, and looked back. Lucky was still standing and waiting for her to come back. She waved and moved on.

  ~*~

  Two days later, Stanley sat in her San Francisco penthouse fully recovered from her jet lag. She took a sip of hot coffee and put it down. She vowed to stop by the supermarket to pick up a bottle of Amarula and some biscotti. Her mind on Jeremy, she checked the time. He must be making his rounds. It was a relief that Makeda and Luki had accepted Tutu into their herd. She couldn’t wait to go back and join Jeremy, watching her baby elephant grow up into a beautiful adult female.

  Ready to take care of her inheritance, she called Mr. Reed. He picked up on the first ring. “There you are.” She sighed. “I’ve been trying to get a hold of you for months.” The total silence had her staring at her phone. “Mr. Reed?”

  He cleared his throat. “Yes, princess, I’m here.”

  “Are you feeling okay?” He’d been recovering from a heart attack before she left. Maybe he had another one.

  “Stanley?”

  “Of course, it’s me.”

  His voice choked. “This is unbelievable. It’s really you.”

  “Can you meet me at the farmhouse tomorrow morning at ten? Neil is coming over to catch up on work, too.”

  After talking with Mr. Reed, she checked her prepaid phone to see if Jeremy had responded to her earlier texts. Hmm. Wonder if he got them? She turned the phone off and on. It seemed to be working. Something had to be wrong with it. She never got through to Mr. Reed on it either.

  Shifting her attention to the busy streets below, she stood by the glass window of her penthouse. The cars and trucks seemed to be standing still in the heavy traffic.

  She startled from the sudden sounds of police sirens and a chasing ambulance. It would take some getting used to living in the city again. She’d take the roars of the lions, and the trumpeting elephant calls over these heart-stopping sounds any day.

  That afternoon, Stanley studied the latest analysis of Neil’s financial reports on her home computer. He’d proven his worth. The sales couldn’t be better. He really knew how to run this company. Now that Aunt Zoie was gone, she’d need his help even more.

  A soft tap on the door interrupted her work. She smiled at the large bouquet of lilies. They were her favorite. How sweet of Jeremy to send them. He was the best.

  “You can put them on the dining table.” She tipped the florist and sent him off.

  Excited, she read the attached card. Her face dropped. The welcome back flowers were from Neil. Heart sinking, she checked her phone again. Still no word from him. What’s wrong with this damn thing? She tapped the phone on her desk. It never worked when she wanted it to.

  ~*~

  The next day, Stanley called Jeremy again on the way to the farm. No answer. She tried calling his number from her landline at home, but it went to his voice mail. She could only hope he didn’t get abducted or hurt again.

  She called the rehab center. Denise answered her call. She said he was working out in the field where there was terrible reception. “Okay. Let him know I called. Take care.”

  Stanley put the phone down and looked at her casual pants and shoes. It was tough getting dressed this morning. Nothing in her closet looked comfortable. How did she ever live in those tight-fitting clothes and high-heeled shoes? She almost decided to wear her safari clothes.

  Impatiently, she looked at the taillights of a large delivery truck in front of her on the winding road. Her black Porsche seemed so cramped and low to the ground. She glanced at the bank envelope in her purse. Mr. Reed had frozen her bank accounts. It was kind of the bank manager to loan her his personal money, or she wouldn’t be able to eat or put gas in the car.

  After a quick glance at her prepaid phone, she bit her lip. What was up with Jeremy’s silent treatment? Maybe he was upset at her for leaving for the airport without saying goodbye to him. She thought she was sparing him some heartache when she asked Lucky to take her to the airport.

  She rubbed her head. The sudden throbbing headache could be from stress or allergies. After popping a couple of pills, she glanced at the passing vineyards and thought of Jeremy. He’d love these
but would say the ones in Stellenbosch were better. She smiled. To him, everything in South Africa was better.

  Two hours later, she arrived at the farmhouse and parked on the gravel driveway. She stepped out of the car with her tote full of important papers and her purse. Tears welled as she admired the herb garden in the clean, crisp air. Aunt Zoie was always in it working. The plants looked well-kept but seemed lonely without her aunt.

  Her attention turned to the smoking chimney. Neil’s parents must’ve lit the fire and gotten the house ready for her. It was nice to have dependable people taking care of the place. A For Sale in the front yard was from the same company Mr. Reed had recommended. Pulse racing, she clutched her tote. He had some explaining to do. She hadn’t broken any rules.

  After admiring the newly painted door, she walked into the house. The smell of baking bread filled the air. In the kitchen, a wide-eyed elderly woman stirred a pot atop the gas stove.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m Stanley—the owner of this house.”

  The woman turned off the stove and gave her a good look. “I recognize you from the pictures.”

  She scanned the house. Everything was just as she’d left it, except for this stranger looking her up and down with curiosity.

  “Hi. I’m Anna, Neil’s aunt.”

  “Nice to meet you.” Her body tensed. “How long have you been living here?”

  “Um. About three months.”

  “You must’ve moved in just when I left.”

  Anna adjusted her glasses. “Neil told me to stay here until the house sold. I think they might have a buyer. I’ll be moving out soon.”

  Stanley put her tote on the kitchen table and checked the time. In ten minutes, she’d find out from Neil and Mr. Reed what the hell was going on. Impatiently, she sat at the table as Anna packed her things to leave.

  “I’ll be back to finish my cooking,” Anna said.

  “Thank you, Anna. It smells so good in here.”

  “Bye.”

  “See you later.”