Stowaways

by Lily Harlem

  “And me.” He started working on the fire. “Lisa and Neil are nurses.”

  “Yes. Did you meet them already?”

  “Of course, they were at the junction to this long bumpy road from the main highway. They were stopped and looking at a map with a torch. We stopped, too, when I saw the sign on their van.” He pointed at their vehicle. “They were very pleased to see us, and to meet the village elder and his daughter.”

  The fire sprang to life, and he stood, hands on hips. “So, mi niña hermosa, they’re arrival brings a new time for us, si?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “The hospital is built now. And there is staff…we have done our work in Kaskum.”

  “Yes.” A tinge of sadness filled her. “I suppose we have.”

  “Here you go, Raul.” Evan had jogged over. “Dinner.” He offered the fish forward.

  “Perfecto, and you have gutted already?”

  “Of course, I know you hate doing that, mate.” He clasped Raul’s shoulder. “I’m gonna take a shower.”

  “Is Harry coming over here in a minute?” Olivia asked.

  “I don’t know.” Evan shrugged and ducked into the tent.

  “Oh okay.” It was strange for Evan and Harry to not always be together. Usually it would have been them who’d fished at the lake for the afternoon. Or worked on some problem with the build. It wasn’t that they were avoiding each other, they just weren’t spending time together as they usually would.

  She sighed and sat by the fire, picked up a scraper, and started on some root veg Raul had placed down. How long would it take them to put their kiss into the history books? Hopefully not too long. The other guys weren’t stupid. Soon they’d press to find out what was going on, and she wouldn’t be able to deny there wasn’t something.

  They all knew her too well.

  As the sun slipped from the sky and the fire burned bright, Olivia ate dinner with five of her husbands.

  Raul had cooked the fish to perfection and coated them in a similar spice mix to the one he’d used on Elysium. For a moment she felt like she was back there. On their own paradise island, only them, no one else. The constraints of society and ‘what other people thought’ meant nothing.

  She glanced at Harry, sitting on the opposite side of the fire to Evan. Harry’s motto was to do what felt good, and she guessed having the luxury of wealth meant he’d always been able to do that. But it went deeper. What he’d been talking about with Evan had no connection to money.

  She took a sip of water then scooped up more fish.

  “So,” Raul said, sending his gaze around the group. “Now what are we going to do?”

  “Er…eat and bed?” Mason said.

  “Si, that, but more than that?” Raul waved his hand in the air. “After this, tomorrow, day after, now, what do we do now?”

  “Tell us what’s on your mind, buddy,” Harry said.

  “We have been in Africa for a few weeks. Busy, busy, every day. Our challenge, to build the hospital, we have succeeded. Si?”

  “We sure have.” Harry glanced over at the building.

  “It’s up and running,” Mason said. “Staffed, too.”

  “This is my point,” Raul said. “It is running and up, we have finished it.”

  “Are you thinking of a new challenge?” Olivia directed at him.

  “Maybe.” He shrugged.

  “I could ask my father if he’d be willing to donate some more cash in return for us completing another charity project, like this.” Harry set aside his empty plate and leaned back.

  “He’s been generous enough,” Evan said. “Don’t you think?”

  “Aye,” Lucas nodded. “He has.”

  “So what then, Evan.” Harry shot him a glance and then Lucas. “Any ideas, guys?”

  Lucas shook his head.

  “I have idea.” Raul balanced his empty plate on his knee and sat back in his chair.

  “Go on.” Olivia was curious. What was he thinking? Clearly something was on his mind because he’d brought this conversation up.

  Everyone turned to Raul as he pulled in a deep breath and swung his gaze around the group.

  “I need to go to my restaurant.” He held up his hands. “It is calling me, it is my life’s work, it is in my blood. I need to go and see it is okay, that the food is still perfecto.”

  Chapter Seven

  “But didn’t you say you’d hired an excellent chef and kitchen manager, Raul?” Harry asked.

  “Si, si, but it is not me. It is not the same.” He placed his plate on the floor and stood. “It has the best reputation for miles around, it is well deserved. Customers travel to eat at my tables, they celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, weddings under my roof.” He banged his chest with his right fist. “My heartbeat is in every menu, every dish…it is time to go and make sure I can still hear my pulse there.”

  “It sounds as if this is really important to you, Raul,” Evan said.

  “Si, it is.”

  “Which means we’ll go.” Harry glanced at Evan.

  Evan nodded and reached for his drink.

  “Aye,” Mason said. “I can do Spain. Lucas?”

  “If you’re all going, and Olivia, then aye, count me in.” Lucas smiled.

  “Thank you, mi amigos. “Raul grinned and reached for Olivia. “Say, yes.” He tugged her to standing and looped his arms around her waist. “Say yes,” he whispered onto her lips.

  “I’d love to see the place you’ve put your heart and soul into.”

  He kissed her. “Good, because I want to show my new wife to my mother, she will love you.”

  “Your mother?” A flutter of panic caught in Olivia’s belly. Was she ready to meet Raul’s mother? Any of her husbands’ mothers, for that matter?

  Leaving Africa and heading to Spain would mean facing that question.

  “Si, she will be so excited to know I have beautiful English wife.”

  Olivia pressed her hands on his chest. He wore a soft-fleeced sweater. She dragged in a deep breath. “I’ll look forward to meeting her.”

  Raul’s grin spread even wider. “Though I will tell her you are only my wife, not wife to my friends, too. She will not understand that.”

  “Good plan.” Olivia nodded, and her panic slipped away, leaving just a few nerves about meeting her Spanish mother-in-law for the first time.

  “When do we leave?” Harry asked.

  “Soon.” Raul sat and positioned Olivia on his lap. “If that is okay with you all.”

  “As you pointed out,” Evan said. “The hospital is built and staffed. I was already wondering what to do tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow I’m going with Paul to help with some vaccinations,” Olivia said, curling her fingers with Raul’s and resting back against his chest.

  “Why isn’t he taking one of the nurses?” Lucas asked.

  “It’s the Jeep’s first big trip. He wants me there in case it breaks down.”

  The men were quiet.

  A log shifted on the fire, and a spray of sparks rose into the dark sky.

  “But after that…” Olivia said. “The next day, or as soon as we can get packed up, we’ll go.”

  “I vote we leave the tent for Neil, Lisa, and Paul,” Mason said. “If that’s okay with you, Harry.”

  “Fine with me. Good idea.”

  Mason nodded.

  “Thanks,” Lucas said. “Paul will appreciate that.”

  Olivia smiled at him. It was lovely how he and Mason looked out for Paul, and he looked out for them. The tent would be of great use to the hospital staff and it was such good quality it would last for years.

  “We will have to take the vehicles back to Cape Town,” Raul said. “The big one that Olivia drives, and the tent van and medical van.”

  “Yes, but that’s okay,” Evan said. “Because they’ll have the Global Medics van and the Jeep here.”

  “That should be plenty,” Olivia said, glancing through the darkness at the heavy
goods vehicle. It had sat still and quiet the whole time they’d been in Kaskum.

  “I’ll have to use Paul’s phone to contact Riley and organize the Lear,” Harry said. “It’s about a ten or eleven hour flight from Cape Town to Barcelona.”

  “I’m not fucking flying.” Evan huffed and folded his arms.

  They all turned to him.

  “I’m not, end of.” He shrugged, and a flash of determination seared over his eyes.

  Olivia sighed. He wouldn’t budge on this, no matter how much they tried to persuade him.

  “We’ll meet you there, then.” Harry frowned.

  “Suits me.”

  “But, Evan…” Olivia shot Harry a look. “How will you get there?”

  “Walk. There’s plenty of land between here and Spain.”

  “A lot of land, buddy.” Harry laughed. “It will take you months, if you even make it.”

  “I’ll make it just fine.”

  “Aw, come on, Evan,” Mason said. “The Lear is cool, you can pop a pill again.”

  “No, I don’t want to.” Evan looked at Olivia. “Sorry, babe, but I just can’t.”

  “That’s okay.” She smiled at him. “We’ll figure it out.”

  “Si,” Raul said. “We will and I know how. There are ports in Cape Town, we get boat and sail to Spain, it will be like the old days, back on Temptress.”

  “Hopefully without the dodgy electrics.” Mason grinned. “Good idea.”

  “Yeah, good idea.” Harry stood and held his palms to the fire. “I’ll get us a yacht, something smart, fully stocked, and we’ll sail to Spain.”

  “That’s just so typical of you, Vidal.” Evan stood and picked up a stick.

  “What is?” Harry said.

  “To use money to solve a problem.”

  “We need a boat; well we don’t, but you do.” Harry tutted. “So I’ll buy one.”

  Evan poked the fire with the stick. “Don’t buy a bloody boat on my account. I can get myself there.”

  “How?”

  “If I don’t walk I’ll hitch a lift.”

  “You’re not walking or hitching a lift, Evan,” Olivia said, standing from Raul’s lap. She slipped her arms around Evan’s waist. “Well, not unless we all do.”

  “Oh no,” Raul said. “It is far yes, but it is too dangerous. Not from just from animals, but from people.”

  “He’s right,” Lucas said. “There’s some countries at civil war we’d have to get through. None of us want to put Olivia in danger.”

  “Which is something we all agree on,” Mason finished for him.

  “I don’t want our wife in danger, of course I don’t.” Evan kissed her cheek.

  “I’m not a delicate little flower,” she said.

  “We know that.” Evan’s breaths were warm on her cool skin. “But there are some risks not worth taking. We’ll sail, that’s the answer.” He looked at Harry. “But not on a boat Harry’s bought with his billions. We’ll get ourselves to the port, offer ourselves up as crew, and work our way to Spain. There’s bound to be a container ship that needs staffing. Everyone here at least has some experience of working now.”

  Harry bit on his bottom lip.

  Olivia studied him through the shadows. The light of the flames danced on his cheeks, and his hair had flopped low toward his eyes. Evan had poked Harry in the past about his lack of work experience, and they’d nearly come to blows. It seemed foolish to poke him again about it, especially given their precarious relationship at the moment.

  “Everyone up for working?” Evan asked, his attention on Harry.

  Olivia gave him a squeeze. “We can all work, you know we can.”

  “Sure, we can all work.” Harry pulled in a deep breath and looked at the twins. “Can’t we?”

  “Aye.” Mason and Lucas nodded.

  “And I will be galley chef, head chef.” Raul stood. “This is good plan. We drive to Cape Town in two days, then go to port and get jobs. Sail to Spain, and I will make you all a beautiful three-course meal in my Barcelona restaurant, complimentary, of course.”

  Olivia slept cuddled up with Evan. They didn’t make love, just enjoyed each other’s body heat. She could feel the tension in him, though, even as he slept. He was battling demons, and his dreams were fitful; a few times he murmured sharp words she didn’t quite catch.

  Was he dreaming of flying, or was he thinking of Harry? Maybe it was the stories of the leopard which were haunting him.

  When she woke, he was finally sleeping peacefully. The canvas was flicking in a light breeze, and she slipped from the bed without disturbing him.

  Raul was in the kitchen area tending to water boiling on the stove.

  “Good morning,” he said with a smile. “Your tea is here.”

  “Thank you.” She kissed his cheek. “I should take some food today, when I go with Paul to see this sick child. It will take us a few hours.”

  “Yes, and plenty of water, too.” He nodded at the tent door. “It is windy today, the turbine is working well.”

  “That’s good.”

  “Lucas and Mason are there, at the hospital with Paul.”

  “And Harry?”

  “He is still asleep.”

  “Oh, okay.” Had he had a night of disturbed dreams too?

  She made a bowl of cereal. After eating, then showering and putting on her cream chinos and a pale blue t-shirt, she pulled on her boots and dragged her hair back into a ponytail. She swiped on sunscreen, grabbed her shades and the Jeep keys, and went in search of Paul.

  She found him on the hospital ward with Lisa and Neil. They were with a male patient who was supine on a bed, holding his belly and grimacing.

  “Hey,” Olivia said.

  Paul looked up. “Ah, good, you’re here.”

  She nodded at the man. “Do you still want to go today?”

  He dumped something in a bright yellow sharps bin. “Yes, it needs doing.”

  “Are you happy to leave your patient?”

  “Aye, for a few hours. I’ve just given him some pain relief, and Neil is going to put up a drip.”

  “Okay then.” She paused. “What’s the matter with him?”

  “I think he has a kidney infection, at least I’m hoping that and not a kidney stone, that’ll be harder to deal with out here.”

  “Yes, let’s hope it’s easy to deal with.”

  Paul turned to Lisa. “Can you give him a cef and met combo? I’ll write it up on the drug chart.”

  “Sure.” She went back to checking the patient’s temperature.

  “And I’ll be as quick as I can, you can call me if you need to.”

  “See you later, Doc, and don’t worry, we’ve got it here,” Neil said.

  “Thanks.”

  “Olivia, this way.” Paul strode from the ward.

  Olivia followed him into the clinical room and watched as he opened a cupboard and began to fill up a small leather bag with medical equipment. He then reached into the fridge and gathered up several vaccinations.

  She glanced out of the small window. The wind turbine was just visible, and she could see it spinning. “That’s going well today.”

  “The turbine, yes. Mason and Lucas are checking it, to make sure it can handle this wind.”

  “It should be fine, don’t you think?”

  “Aye, it’s what it was made for, and this refrigerator is running very efficiently, which is great news as it’s jammed full of more vaccinations.”

  “I’m glad.”

  He straightened and picked up some paperwork from the desk. His movements were swift and efficient and reminded her of how he’d released his passion the night they’d first been in this office together.

  She studied the desk, remembering how he’d placed her on it, stripped her then made them both come spectacularly. He’d been so urgent, so damn sexy, and she hadn’t been able to resist.

  “Olivia…”

  “Mmm? What?”

  Paul was at the doorwa
y, frowning. “Come on, I need my best engineer with me.”

  “I’m all set.”

  “Good.” He smiled.

  They headed out of the hospital, Paul studying a small scrap of paper with pencil lines on it. “Anya has drawn us a map; it’s crude but she said as long as we head west and don’t go beyond the huge canyon with orange rocks, we’ll find it. Shouldn’t take more than an hour in the Jeep, and there’s a bit of a track, apparently.”

  “That’s helpful.” She rushed to keep up with him. “And it’s also good you have two nurses to staff the hospital now.”

  “Aye, that really takes the pressure off.” He climbed into the Jeep.

  Olivia did the same.

  “You got enough fuel?” he asked.

  “Yes, I filled it up with one of the cans. We can do several hundred miles easily.”

  “Good.”

  She started the engine, waved to Raul and Harry who were standing by the tent, then headed west.

  Soon they were on the track Anya had mentioned. It was full of potholes and mounds, and the going was slow. Olivia opened the windows in an effort to keep cool. The Jeep had no air conditioning.

  “Look over there,” Paul said.

  “Oh yes, a dirt devil.” The wind was curling the sandy earth upward in a spiral. The spout was easily thirty feet high.

  Paul took a sip of water. “It’s been still and dry since we arrived. I wonder if this wind means rain is on the way.”

  “I guess that’s a good thing if it is.”

  “Aye, I agree.”

  She navigated around a particularly large hole, then, “Lisa and Neil seem really nice.”

  “They are, and damn good nurses, too. They both trained in London and did tropical medicine for a while. Perfect for Global Medics and this sort of work.”

  “And perfect they can stay together.”

  “I guess.”

  “I’m sure they wouldn’t like to be split up, one here and one in Borneo, for example.”

  “No, but Global Medics wouldn’t do that, they know how important it is for married couples to be together. It just wouldn’t work otherwise.”

  “The marriage?”

  “Aye, the marriage and then the work, too. Makes sense for them to get posted to the same location. Can you see that?”