Beloved by You

by Sloan, Molly

  “Nope. Not a chance.”

  They followed Janet through the cemetery skirting the graves. Andrew stayed close to and listened intently as she explained the customs of the Batswana people.

  “Their an ancestral people meaning that the elderly and the deceased are revered. Most are Christian but still practice cultural rituals. they believe that the souls of the ancestors are close to them, close enough to hear their prayers and carry them to god.”

  “Modimo,” Winston said, surprising Andrew.

  “That’s right,” she said. “Modimo is a Supreme being. A creator and a director but he’s not the sort of god that has time to intervene in the lives of the people who worship him.”

  “How do they...interact with these ancestors? Is there some sort of ceremony involved?”

  “Ritual ceremonies occur around all of the major milestones of life; birth, death, coming of age. But they are also part of their everyday life so they talk to them daily.”

  “Hm. I can see why desecrating a cemetery would be disrespectful. Not that there is ever a respectful way to desecrate human remains, but…”

  They arrived at the edge of the cemetery. The stand of trees continued for a few yards, but soon they were in the relentless midday sun. Andrew looked over at her and instantly began to worry about her fair skin. He moved a bit closer to her, positioning himself so that he stood between her and the sun, allowing her to walk in his shadow. She looked up at him. A strange expression came over her face.

  “So what about this legal action?”

  Radhika answered quickly. “The Department of Mines has offered a payout for the families that agree to have their relatives exhumed. But they won’t pay up until all three-hundred and fifty families who have relatives buried here agree to accept it.”

  “I can imagine that has caused some discord in the community and within families as well,” Winston said.

  “Yeah, it would be a hard sell to get everyone to agree to exhume an entire cemetery.”

  “It definitely has caused problems in the community. And the worst part is that they don’t even need to do it” Janet said as she tipped her chin toward a plot of land about three hundred yards away that was marked off with orange flags. “There’s the mining site.”

  “But there’s nothing else out there. There are ways to approach this dig without touching this cemetery,”

  “Precisely, right. But they want to to go through the cemetery because digging there would be easier and they wouldn’t have to build any roads.”

  “Is that what it’s all about? Roads.”

  “No, it’s really about money. The Department of Mines will always take the highest bidder, but will cut corners and do it as cheaply as possible.”

  Andrew had a look of contempt on his face as he folded his arms over his chest. “So how do I make this work? How do I get this mine and escape this corruption.”

  She sighed. “That’s going to take a while to explain.”

  Walking a few steps ahead of Winston and Radhika, Andrew replied. “Okay, let me take you out to dinner so that we can talk about it. There has to be a middle ground and you seem like you’re the person I need to talk to in order to make that happen.”

  Janet looked up at him warily. She wasn’t the naïve type. Andrew could tell that she knew that dinner to discuss the mine was just a pretext to get her alone. But he also knew that this issue was something she felt passionate about and hoped that it would override whatever wariness she felt about being alone with him.

  After looking him up and down skeptically, Janet said, “Fine. I’ll drop you back at your limo and you can meet me at Lila’s Bistro at seven,” she said then pivoted away from him to head back to the car. Andrew fell in step behind her unable to suppress his smile.

  Chapter Six: Friends and Butterflies

  Stepping into the shower, Janet could hardly believe that she agreed to have dinner with Andrew. What was I thinking? We could have discussed the mine on the phone. Or in my office at least. This is a very, very bad idea.

  Yet, the entire time she was in the shower, Janet wasn’t thinking about work. No cemeteries, no corruption, not even the orphanage. The warm soapy water running over her body as she washed reminded her of Andrew’s hands. Those big, strong hands running over every curve of her body… exploring her dark places… No, her excitement over dinner was not for business. It was purely for pleasure.

  As she was getting dressed, she tried to shake some sense into herself. “No, it’s a business dinner. That’s all. I need to make sure he doesn’t get caught up in the corruption. That’s what any decent person would do for an old friend.”

  Andrew really was a good friend, too. She’d forgotten how much care and consideration he instinctively gave her-like walking next to her at just the right distance to keep the harsh, midday sun off of her face. Or how he listened intently to her thoughts and opinions and trusted them-trusted her. It had been a long time since she had a conversation with a man where she was treated with intelligence and respect instead of being treated like a meddling woman sent to inconvenience them.

  In short, being around Andrew felt good and Janet denied herself of so many things that indulging in this one seemed harmless.

  Grabbing her purse and keys, she stopped to kiss Oba goodnight. His little brown eyes were sleepy as he said, “You look pretty. Where are you going?”

  “I’ll be back soon, little king. I am just having dinner with a friend.”

  Lila’s was within walking distance from Janet’s place, and it was a lovely evening for a stroll, so she left the Land Cruiser at home. Janet had donned one of her three dresses - the one in forest green, and paired it with gold sandals, and some gold earrings she’d bought from a street vendor. Also, for the first time in a long time, she let her hair down. While her outfit wasn’t 5th Avenue chic, she felt like she cleaned up nice, which was affirmed when she and Andrew locked eyes as she entered the bistro.

  He stood to greet her, a slow appreciative smile spread across his lips. “Janet, you look great.”

  “Thank you…”

  They fumbled through an awkward greeting-Andrew went in for a kiss and Janet thought they might hug which ended in a combination of both that made Andrew blush hard.

  “Sorry, about that,” he mumbled as he pulled out her chair.

  “It’s fine,” she said tucking behind her ears, realizing that her face was probably beet red, too. She grinned and shook her head. “Why does this feel so awkward?”

  “I ordered us a bottle of wine. Do you still drink chardonnay?”

  Janet didn’t want to let on that she hadn’t been to dinner with a man in nearly three years, so she smiled and said, “Of course.”

  Andrew poured her a taste, and she nodded, and then he filled her glass before filling his own.

  After a few minutes, the awkwardness subsided and they fell back into the comfortable repartee from years ago. They caught up while they drank the first glass and surveyed the menu. Janet told him about her time in Southeast Asia where she had lived for several years after she left New York.

  “I just needed to get away, you know? Far away from anything that looked or felt familiar or reminded me of home and-” She stopped short of saying what she was really running away from.

  “Anything that reminded you of me,” Andrew finished for her.

  Janet didn’t answer, but she really didn’t need to; they both knew that what he said was true. “Either way, I needed to get away. I found myself and my real purpose when I left New York. I don’t think I would have if I had stayed.”

  “How ironic. You found yourself during those years and I lost myself in ways I would have never predicted.”

  “Are you talking about the modeling and working with Atherton Diamonds? It seemed like you liked it.”

  “Hm.” He drained his glass and took a moment to gather his thoughts while refilling it and topping hers off. “To be honest, I don’t know if I liked modeling all that mu
ch. I did like the attention that came with it,” he said honestly.

  Janet always knew that was true, but it felt good to have that affirmed.

  “Red…” He reached across the table and cover her hand with his. She looked up at him; met his earnest eyes. “I didn’t treat you right in those last few days. you were right to leave the way you did. I just wish…”

  Janet flipped her hand palm side up and laced her fingers through his. “I know what you mean.” She stroked her thumb along his, a small, sad smile graced her lips. “For months after I left, I hoped you would just show up, engagement ring in hand, and an apology on your lips.”

  Andrew frowned, confused. “But no one knew where you were-”

  “I didn’t say the daydream made any sense,” she said with a laugh. I just always hoped that you would come find and me and rescue me from myself and then you show up here.”

  “To be clear, I didn’t rescue you. If anything, you rescued me. I almost killed you and that boy.”

  “But you’re here. Of all the diamond mining sites in all of the world, you end up in Francistown. It could have been anywhere, but you’re here.” She gave his hand an affectionate squeeze. “You’re here.”

  It seemed improbable that years of hurt could be washed away with a simple exchange but Janet felt that some of it had.

  They ate and drank another bottle of wine. As the evening progressed, their chairs moved closer and the smiles came easier until finally, it was time to pay the bill. Andrew paid the tab end offered to walk her home.

  “So you live at the orphanage?” he asked.

  They were on the sidewalk outside of the restaurant, Andrew maneuvered her to the inside, away from the street and tentatively took her hand.

  “Yeah, I have a little cottage out back. It’s cheaper and I’m still renovating and working out the particulars with this one. It presents a different range of problems. Sickness, war, displacement, all of that is at work here. It’s a puzzle that is hard to solve, but I think that I’m getting close to a solution.”

  “And mining plays a big part in that.”

  “It does.” She nodded but was reluctant to dig deeper. The night was so good. she didn’t want to darken it with all the negative bits she fought to overcome every day. But on the other hand, he did ask her to dinner under the pretense of learning the particulars about the mining site. “What we really need is a mining company that makes a true effort to integrate into the community. The Department of Mines is supposed to facilitate that, but as I’ve explained they aren’t too keen on doing that. In a perfect world, a portion of your proceeds would be invested into hospitals, schools, and the like.”

  “Are you receiving any funding from the local mines?”

  “We had a little something going for a year or so with the company that runs the gold mine, but that fell through.”

  “So, how are you funding everything?”

  “The Girard Foundation carries most of the weight, but my mother is always finding ways and reasons to make that difficult. I have a few really phenomenal brand ambassadors that raise money and collect shoes and clothing. We do all right, but we could always use more funding. “

  Janet and Andrew were nearing the orphanage, and she found herself instinctively slowing down. She wasn’t ready for the night to end.

  “The site by the cemetery...its part of a land parcel that they have been trying to acquire for years now. I’ve helped in the fight to keep them from acquiring via imminent domain, but it’s a struggle when so many people would benefit from the payout. Not only that...there aren’t any other cemeteries close to here. It would leave families without a place to lay their dead.”

  “Like that boy...the one you saved.”

  “Oba?”

  “Yes, Oba. What’s his story?”

  “His mother’s name was Gouta. We spent most of that day visiting his mother in the hospital. She’s succumbing to the final stages and symptoms of AIDS. It’s any day now, actually. Gouta came to us over a year ago. No family, no support system and a tiny boy to take care of. She signed over custody, but we allowed him to stay on with her while she was still well enough. She wanted him to have a home when she left this earth. Just recently, we moved him into A Place for Grace so that he wouldn’t have to deal with the double trauma of losing his mother and his home.”

  “Wow,” Andrew said simply. “I can’t even imagine.”

  “Anyway. I have a soft spot for that kid. I try really hard not to get attached, but there’s something about this little boy.”

  “He’s pretty cute, so that’s totally understandable. Will his mother be buried in that cemetery?”

  Janet nodded. “More than likely, yes. We’re gathering the funds to give her a proper burial now.”

  “I’d like to contribute,” he said. “In any way I can. How is Oba doing?”

  Janet shook her head. “Not great. But we’re doing what we can to help him grieve. I know from experience that the funeral is going to be the hardest part for him.”

  He squeezed her hand. “He’s lucky to have you to help him through this.”

  “I hope I’m enough,” she said. “Sometimes I wonder if I’m doing the right thing with the little ones like Oba.”

  “Have you ever thought about adopting any of them?”

  “I have, but not right now. Maybe when I’m a little older and a little more settled. I want to be able to give a kid a real family. Most of them have already gone through so much before they even get here, that I don’t want to add more problems.”

  “I don’t know, Red. You’ve always been a nurturing soul. I think you will make a great mother.”

  She looked up at him and smiled. “Thank you for saying that.”

  “It’s the truth,” he said with a shrug.

  “Well, here we are,” she said. Janet turned to face him at the foot of the orphanage’s stairs and was surprised to find that she wasn’t ready to say goodnight. “Do you want to come in for a cup of coffee or tea? The kids are probably getting ready for bed, but I could give you a tour.”

  “Can I take a raincheck?” he asked. “I want to get back to my hotel and talk to Claudia about all of this. She’s establishing a relationship with a friend of ours that’s an investor and I want to see how much of this we can make happen.”

  “Right. Of course,” she said with a nod. “Actually...I have a new group of volunteers coming in tomorrow to help paint some newly renovated rooms and set up bunks and bureaus for the kids. One of them is actually an old friend of mine - a magazine publisher who is doing a write-up on A Place for Grace. Why don’t you stop by then?”

  “An old friend, huh? Do I need to bring my boxing gloves?” Andrew smiled.

  “Hahaha, no, it’s a woman. Nicole.”

  “Oh, okay then. I’ll definitely be there. Is it alright if I bring Winston along?”

  “Sure. We need all of the help we can get.”

  “Okay, then. It’s a date.” Andrew smiled at Janet. “We had a good time tonight,” he said. It wasn’t a question. It was a statement. A statement that she couldn’t help but agree with.

  “Yes, we did,” she said with a smile.

  “I don’t want to fumble my way through a goodbye that will probably be as awkward as our hello so, I’ll settle for this.”

  He brought the hand that he was holding to his lips and gave each of her knuckles a sweet kiss. It shouldn’t have affected her, but those sweet kisses sent a thrill through her as if he’d brushed his lips across her lips instead of the back of her hand.

  “Goodnight, Janet.”

  “Goodnight, Andrew.” With warm cheeks and belly full of butterflies, she went inside.

  Chapter Seven: Once Bitten, Twice Shy

  “So how are things going over there?” Claudia asked.

  Andrew had spent several hours “working” (really daydreaming about his dinner with Janet) when he suddenly remembered that New York was seven hours behind Francistown. Luckily, it was ea
rly evening in New York and Andrew had caught his sister just as she came in from the office.

  “Things are going pretty well. Winston and I toured a couple of mining sites in the area and we’ve narrowed it down to one of two.” For some reason, Andrew didn’t want to mention the issue with the Department of Mines just yet.

  “Wow, that was fast. But that’s good. Real good.”

  “How’re things going with Cole?”

  Cole had been Andrew’s roommate in college and was actually Claudia’s fiancé. But Andrew wasn’t referring to their personal relationship. Cole was also deciding on whether or not to invest in Atherton Diamonds, and without the infusion of his capital, it would be very difficult for Atherton to purchase one mine, let alone buy the land around it. In other words, Cole’s decision to invest in the company would make or break this deal.

  “He’s a bit…” Claudia paused for a moment. “Unconventional,” she said finally. “But I guess things are going all right.”

  Andrew nodded. “Good, good. You know how you guys are. Just keep working on him.” Then casually, ever so casually, Andrew mentioned, “Hey, you’ll never guess who I ran into over here.”

  Claudia sounded confused and slightly suspicious of her brother’s overly casual tone. “Ran into? It’s Botswana. Who could you have possibly run into in Botswana?”

  “Janet.”

  “Janet?” Claudia sounded shocked.

  “Yep.” Andrew could practically see the look on his sister’s face right now.

  “Janet Girard?”

  “Yeah, she lives here in Botswana. She runs an orphanage out here.”

  Claudia groaned. “Of course she does. So did you let her have it? Did you demand to know why she disappeared without a word?” She sounded angry, but then again, she also watched her brother fall apart from the heartbreak.

  “No, I didn’t let her have it. But I did take her out to dinner and apologize for how I treated her.”