by Rula Sinara
She wrapped her arms around her middle and almost settled into the wicker rocker at the end of the porch. A light flickered across the camp near where the old mess tent and rustic living quarters still stood. She peered into the shadows cast by the moon and felt a spark of energy akin to a first sip of coffee in the morning. She knew that silhouette. The long back and broad shoulders hunched over like Rodin’s statue, The Thinker. Haki.
The two of them didn’t need to sit around together in the dark. It would be too reminiscent of their night in the wilderness. But they’d agreed to preserve their friendship and friends sat around or had coffee together, didn’t they? She turned back toward the porch steps, then hesitated again. What if he didn’t want company? As a kid, she used to hide in the pages of a book, and she hated getting interrupted. Maybe he did, too. His arm lifted and he moved something on a small table in front of him. Maddie warmed her palms against her jeans and stepped off the porch. If he didn’t want her around, he’d let her know. If anything, they were honest with each other. Right?
The ground crunched softly beneath her feet as she made her way toward the light. He looked up and the corner of his mouth curved up in a soft smile.
“Hey.” His voice was low and soft and welcoming, like down-filled pillows and crushed velvet. An LED lantern hung from a wooden pole that framed the left side of the mess tent and only seemed to flicker, she realized, because of the overhanging tree branch that had blocked her view from the porch. A chess board was set up on an overturned barrel, and judging by the layout, he was playing against himself. He absentmindedly rubbed his finger across his lips and sat back in his chair.
“Hey, you. Couldn’t sleep, either, I take it,” she said.
“I guess some nights aren’t meant for sleep.”
Maddie so wasn’t about to read into that.
“Too much on my mind,” he explained. “Pull up a chair.”
“If you’d rather be—”
“No, I’d like your company.”
Maddie gave a nod and pulled up a nearby stool.
“I made coffee,” he said, jerking his head toward the mess tent. Maddie knew that, even after the main house was built for Haki and Pippa’s families, they kept the old kitchen up and running for the keepers and crew. She’d noticed that Haki, Kamau and Anna often ate lunch with the rest out here, so as not to track dirt into the house. Haki had told her he enjoyed eating with everyone. He considered the keepers extended family and wanted them to feel that, too. The people Maddie worked with didn’t even come close to acting like family, let alone friends.
“Bless you. I really do need coffee,” Maddie said. She started to get up, but he waved for her to stay seated.
“I’ll get you a cup.”
She watched him through the screened walls of the framed tent as he poured a cup and headed back out.
“Who’s winning? You or yourself?” she asked, as she took the metal mug from his hands and closed her eyes as the first sip warmed her throat and the caffeine coursed through her body.
“That depends on your next move. Do you remember how to play?”
Oh, boy, the last time they’d played games, hangman had taken a wrong turn. For crying out loud, this is chess. There aren’t words involved. Maddie peered at him from beneath her lashes.
“How could I forget?”
He’d taught her how all those years ago. She’d been about twelve, if she remembered correctly. She’d tried hard to beat him and never could. Except once, but she was sure he had let her win, a fact that had annoyed her enough that she’d called him out on it.
She studied the board. Based on the number of moves made, he hadn’t been at it that long.
“It’s been years since I’ve played. You sure about taking me on?”
“Absolutely.”
There it was. One word, yet the way he said it was loaded with dangerous possibility. Maddie bit her lower lip. Neither of them said anything, but the way he looked at her said too much. She broke eye contact. Broken heart. Be careful. Haki wasn’t the cheating type—he was too loyal—but the idea of settling for only getting to be around him as a friend, for being limited to seeing his face and hearing him talk or playing a game of chess, was acutely painful. She looked down again at the checkered board that separated them. Life was complex and it all boiled down to one wrong play. Maddie reached out and moved her wooden queen one space forward.
In chess, the queen is powerful, but only when thought goes into the steps she takes.
“Hmm. Are you sure about that move?” Haki thrummed his fingers while contemplating his next turn.
“Absolutely.” Not really.
“We could start from scratch if you prefer.”
“This is fine. Make your move.” As far as she was concerned, it was too late to start from scratch. Pretty soon she’d be out of the picture altogether. Focus on the actual game, Maddie. “And don’t let me win.”
“You still haven’t forgiven me for that?” He laughed quietly and Maddie had to smile at the way his eyes relaxed and his face lit up.
“Can you blame me? We’re equals. I don’t need a free pass, even if you are more experienced at chess. I’m betting Pippa wouldn’t want you taking it easy on her, either.”
Something shifted in his face.
“Pippa can’t stand playing chess. I’ve even tried bribing her, but it didn’t work. However, cards are another story. She plays a mean game of gin rummy when she can get enough of a group playing to make it fun. She thinks chess is too intense to enjoy. Huru is learning to play, though. It’s not his favorite, unless he plays against Noah because he can beat him. I usually have a solid game against my father.”
Intense? Of course it was. Maddie had always loved it, as well as checkers, and missed having a person to play with. Computerized versions didn’t cut it. She even preferred using a real deck of cards to play solitaire. Besides, how could she not love that one-on-one time with Haki, watching his mind churn and sharing in something that brought him joy?
He moved his bishop and took out one of her pawns, leaving her queen exposed.
“I hear you’ll be leaving Busara to take care of business in Nairobi. Will you be coming back here?”
The question caught her by surprise. Haki rarely took his mind off a game of chess in progress. She took another sip of coffee. A sliver of pink outlined the horizon and the crow of the camp’s only rooster rang through the air.
“Not unless the office asks me to find out more from the villagers. I suspect they’ll have me quite busy at the office. I am here for work,” she reminded. She moved her queen to the left and out of immediate danger.
“I have something for you. I think you should have it before you leave. Give me a second.”
He pulled a small flashlight from his pocket and headed into the tent that had once served as the shared living quarters of Niara, Anna, Pippa and himself, back when Busara was in its infancy and he and Pippa were toddlers. Within a minute, he came out holding a book. Maddie frowned.
“That couldn’t be what I think it is. I’ve always wondered what happened to it.”
“Your first copy. My only criminal act. I...liberated it, from your backpack the last time you visited us before leaving for college. I sort of thought I was hanging on to a memento of you.”
He handed her the book and their fingers brushed as Maddie took her copy of Watership Down and ran her hand over the spine. She loved this book, with all its animals, and she used to read and reread it. It was her go-to story on the trip from Busara to Nairobi and back. She’d looked everywhere for it when she was packing for her overseas trip to college.
“I’m sorry,” he said. She shook her head and held the book to her chest.
“Don’t be. I’m glad it was safe with you. I hope you had a chance to read it again, too.”
He’d wanted a keepsake that reminded him of her? Maddie swallowed back the lump in her throat. “As a lawyer, I must say, this was a very touching criminal act.”
“Forgiven?”
His hand rested on his knee and she reached out and held it.
“Forgiven. Thank you for returning it. I’ll never be able to read this again without thinking of you. I mean, the story does involve a battle and, if you’ve forgotten, we’re playing chess and you’re trying to kill my queen. Don’t think I’ll take it easy on you because I have my book back. It’s your move,” she teased, letting go of his hand. The sound of footsteps and the flash from a camera had them both turning their heads.
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t resist. You two looked so cute holding hands over a game of chess.” Pippa walked up and put her hand on Haki’s back. She pressed her lips together as if at a loss for words. “Who’s winning?”
“No one, yet,” Maddie said. “I was just thanking Haki for giving me my book. I’d forgotten it here a long time ago and he just remembered where he’d put it for safe keeping.” She hated lying. Even white lies had a way of coming out. Yes, she was protecting Pippa, and the part about thanking Haki was true, but all lawyers knew that lies revealed themselves eventually. Criminals almost always tripped up.
“Cool. I remember you loving that story. And chess, boy, anyone who skips sleep for chess must be...very motivated.”
Oh, boy. Whatever Pippa was implying, this had to stop.
“We actually haven’t been out here long, although, I do believe I’m winning,” Haki said, reaching up and taking Pippa’s hand in his. The action seemed to console her and the furrow between her brows softened.
The sky swirled with bloody hues of crimson and rust and the yawning sun stretched its first rays out like arms after a deep slumber. The dream was over. There’d be no more waking up before dawn and sitting around with Haki. They needed to be careful.
The door to one of the pens swung open and Ahron carefully led a baby elephant out toward the grassy area, where the others would soon congregate for their morning bottles. Kamau stepped out of the house and gave them a quick wave as he made his way to the clinic.
“Well, I’m heading out to Hodari Lodge with my dad for one of his lectures,” Pippa said. Hodari Lodge was one of the luxury accommodations farther south, near Amboseli National Park, where conferences were sometimes held. As a well-known geneticist, Jack was often called on to give lectures at science conferences held there. The lodge catered to the wealthy and had a safari-resort atmosphere. It had been the original home base of Mac’s one-man company, Air Walker Safari, because of access to the airstrip there. Although Mac now lived at Camp Jamba Walker, everyone had connections at the lodge and went there often. “Our moms were asking about you two. They have breakfast on the table. I guess you won’t be finishing this game of yours.”
Maddie’s hands went cold. She knew Pippa well enough to know she wasn’t referring to chess. Not with the way her tone changed and eyes narrowed. Pippa was suspicious.
There was no doubt about it. She was giving them a warning.
Checkmate.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
HAKI TORE OFF his stained shirt and splashed cool water on his face. He’d had long days before, but somehow, today had been worse. He and his team had saved an elephant and her child. The cow had an arrow injury on her back leg that looked infected. They had had to dart her and keep the baby safely close by as they cleaned necrotic tissue from the wound, packed it and treated the mother for infection before administering a sedative reversal. He’d saved a life—two, because the little one wouldn’t have survived if the mother had died before they were found—yet he felt like the scum of the earth. Pippa’s tone of voice that morning had been eating away at him.
His every breath today had been burdened with guilt. He hadn’t done anything overtly wrong, but his feelings for Maddie weren’t fair to Pippa. His feelings, though unspoken, were a silent betrayal and he couldn’t forgive himself for that. Returning Maddie’s book had been an act of closure. It had been meant to help him let go and move on. But that private moment was now caught on camera. Pippa’s camera. He pumped more water into the basin, cupped some in his hand and drenched the back of his neck, then grabbed a towel off a nearby supply rack.
“Haki, Pippa isn’t answering her radio again.” Anna marched out of the clinic with Maddie close behind. He scanned the grasslands beyond camp. “You won’t see her. I tried, even from the lookout, with my binoculars. She must have gone beyond the ridge,” Anna added.
“It’s getting late.” Haki muttered a curse. “Why does she do this?”
Maddie stared at her boots. They both knew why she’d done it this time. Anger? Attention?
“I saw her take off in her jeep right after she and Uncle Jack returned from his conference. That was over an hour ago,” Maddie said.
He snatched a clean T-shirt off the rack and pulled it over his head. “I’ll go. Keep calling her, but I have a feeling I know where she is. If I don’t touch base within thirty minutes, send the others out to search.”
“That girl is going to make me lose my hair,” Anna said.
“You and me both.” He took long strides toward his jeep and within minutes was flooring it toward the northern side of the ridge, which was the only way around it.
They still had a little over an hour before dark and there was a good chance Pippa was already on her way home, but given what had happened that morning, he couldn’t say what state of mind she was in. It didn’t take much to bring out her reckless side and the savannah at dusk or after dark was not the place for a lone person to take risks.
He raised dust as he cleared the ridge and slowed as he maneuvered downhill toward a rocky outcropping that overlooked one of the few watering holes that wasn’t completely dried up. He radioed Anna as soon as he spotted Pippa’s jeep, then pulled up alongside it.
The air shook with the sound of a gunshot and his blood rushed to his ears.
“Pippa!” He couldn’t see her. He ran toward the outcropping. “Pip, answer me!”
She stepped out from behind the rocks and put her rifle back in safety before slinging it over her shoulder. Haki stopped dead in his tracks.
“It was a black mamba and I had no choice but to take the shot.”
“Why would you sit here at this hour? You know it’s not safe. And you haven’t answered your radio. Pippa, you can’t do this.”
She glanced back at the dead snake.
“Obviously, I didn’t need rescuing. And the shots I captured are priceless,” she said, patting her camera. “It’s been a great day for taking pictures, don’t you think?”
He held on to her arm as she tried to walk past him.
“You misinterpreted what you saw this morning. Neither of us could sleep. We played some chess over coffee. I returned her book. That’s it. We’re friends. All three of us are.”
“You’ve been spending a lot of time together. Alone.”
“Do you hear yourself? Do you even realize how you were acting this morning? You have no idea how much Maddie cares about you.” She really didn’t. She had no idea how adamant they were about not letting whatever was between them go beyond friendship...because of Pippa. She had no idea how hard it was to be so in-sync with someone and turn your back on it for the sake of doing what was right. He was putting Pippa first. He always had.
“Please, tell me. How was I acting?” Pippa set the rifle in her jeep. A small reassurance, given the fire in her eyes.
“Just...stop being territorial.”
“Territorial? I can’t believe you. I have every right to be territorial. This is my home. The land I grew up on. My life. And you’re supposed to be—”
“Supposed to be what? Don’t you see, Pip? That word doesn’t belong between us. Whatever we
have shouldn’t be because of expectations or routine or because we’re supposed to be together. It should be because we both want it with our every breath. It should be because it just is and we can’t explain or define it.”
Tears welled in Pippa’s eyes and she shook her head.
“I didn’t mean it that way.”
Haki swiped his hand across his face and stepped up to her.
“I know. Pip, we love and care for each other. We’ve tried to be true to each other, but have we been true to ourselves? Has either of us escaped the current of this life we’ve been living long enough to figure out who we are and what we want, as individuals?”
“Of course we have. We lived in Nairobi for college. We haven’t always been here.”
“We’ve always been together.”
“What’s wrong with that? What are you saying, Haki? You don’t want to be around me anymore?”
“Heck, no. Don’t think that, Pip. I’m asking if you really know what you want in life. You weren’t sure what you wanted to major in and you ended up in geology because you were determined to be in Nairobi when I was there, and now you barely do anything with your degree. I’m saying that two people need to be strong and secure apart if they’re to be strong together. Don’t you want to leave your own footprints on this land you call home? I’m asking if you know what you want.”
“No, I don’t!” Tears streamed down her cheeks and he wiped them with his hands. “I only know that we’re meant to be, Haki. I can’t lose you. I can’t see my life without you. I can’t see it.” She buried her face in his chest.
He wrapped his arms around her and pressed his lips to her hair.
“I just want you to be happy, Pippa. I don’t want you to have regrets.”
Her sobs shook him to the core and ripped at his heart. Can’t see it. Blinding sun. The words hit him like the first thunderbolt after a dry season. No one could tell what the future held. Not even the Laibon and his stones. Even Pippa knew that stones weathered the elements and changed over time.
