The ride back to the lodge was in darkness, as the sun had set by the time we reboarded the Land Cruiser. Ray swung a large light back and forth in search of another animal sighting. But it was in vain. There were no more animal sightings on this game drive.
A staffer greeted us upon our return with moist towels soaked in lavender. I used one to wipe the grime of the hours in the African bush off my face. I felt better and looked forward to another scrumptious meal.
“I’d like to freshen up for dinner,” Geri told Jack. She kissed him on the cheek and headed toward the wooden walkway.
He held her hand to stop her. “You look lovely, dear. Let’s just head to our table.”
“Ten minutes,” she assured him. She signaled a staff member and she took his arm to escort her to their room.
“I’ll go with you,” Sabrina yelled. She ran to catch up to Geri and the escort. Now dark, the escort was mandatory.
“Ten minutes, my ass. I’ll be lucky if she’s back in thirty,” Jack said. “Drink at the bar, anyone?”
Charlotte and I looked at each other and nodded agreement. We each grabbed a barstool. Zonah joined us, sitting between Charlotte and Jack. He smiled at her as he sat, which she didn’t notice.
Zaden sat in his post-breakfast spot, his good Wi-Fi spot, and played on his phone.
Dinner tonight was set out on the patio, where we had lunch and breakfast earlier. The tables, set for each individual party, were candlelit. No group dinner tonight. I was sure I wasn’t the only one relieved that we wouldn’t be forced to be together.
Hazel and Colin headed to one of the tables set for two and sat.
“What can I get for the ladies?” the bartender asked as he sat a bottle of beer, Castle Lager, in front of Jack. After just one day, the staff knew Jack well.
“Whatever you recommend,” I answered.
“Bitter lemon and vodka is my specialty.”
“Done,” Charlotte and I answered in unison.
“What is ‘bitter lemon’?” Charlotte asked me.
“I don’t know but don’t worry—if you don’t like it, get something else. Jack’s paying.”
Jack and I exchanged a laugh at our inside joke. Charlotte watched the staff member return from escorting Geri and Sabrina. He then took Dr. Higgins to his room. I hoped Higgins would stay there for the night.
“Why do we need to be escorted to our rooms at night?” she asked. “It’s a short walk. Not like we could lost.”
“Do we really want to know?” I answered.
“For your safety,” the bartender answered, setting our cloudy yellow drinks in front of us.
He looked to Zonah for his drink order. He looked at ours and then to Jack’s. “Beer,” he answered.
We used the swivel straw to stir our drinks before toasting. We each took a short drink. “I think we’ve found the drink of the trip,” Charlotte announced. “Delicious.”
I agreed and thanked the bartender for the good drink and recommendation before he walked away. His nameplate said his name was “Advice” and I wondered if I was the only one who had noticed.
“I mean specifically,” Charlotte asked. “What animals could get in here?”
“Hyenas most likely,” Jack answered.
“Hyenas?” she asked.
“Yep, the spotted hyena is the biggest predator in the region, behind lions.”
“Isn’t it just a dog? With a funny laugh? Right?” I asked.
Jack cackled and it sent a shiver down my spine. “Not so funny when they hunt in packs.” He cackled again and I waved for him to stop. That noise was going to give me nightmares. “What? That’s what they sound like.” He finished his beer. “They are no joke. They have powerful jaws. I’ve seen them take down a buffalo.” He signaled for Advice, who promptly brought him another Castle.
We said no to Advice when he asked us if we wanted another drink. Zonah waved him off as well.
“Ladies! I’ve never heard of anyone getting hurt at these lodges. And Geri has dragged me to several. It’s just a precaution.”
I’m sure he was right. Our mother would have warned us about it, like she did about the risks of malaria, if it were a real threat.
“I hope he’s going to get Geri,” Jack said, watching a staffer head for the rooms.
Charlotte and I finished our drinks. “Ready?” I asked her as I got up.
She nodded and Zonah jumped out of his chair to help her. Charlotte didn’t need the help and looked at Zonah quizzically. He stood awkwardly. “Have a nice dinner, Charlotte,” he finally said.
“Yeah, you too,” she answered.
“You guys should join us,” Jack said before we walked away.
Charlotte answered, “I’m sure your wife is looking for a romantic dinner with you.”
“Romance,” he spat. “That’s all that woman wants. Are all women this needy?”
That was not a discussion either of us wanted to get into. Fortunately, it was a rhetorical question. He pointed to the awaiting tables. “It’s more for your benefit than mine.” Only three tables remained. One set for two, for the Wallaces, and the other two set for three, one for the trio and one for us and, much to our horror, Dr. Higgins.
I headed toward the Wallaces’ table and was surprised when Charlotte hesitated. “Won’t he think us rude?” she asked.
“Who? The king of rude?” Jack asked as he sat down at their table. I sat down across from him. “You’re on vacation. You do what you want.”
She hesitated and then acquiesced.
The waiter moved our place settings to the Wallaces’ table and Advice brought us another round of drinks, including a white wine for Geri. The waiter brought the Vankeys their main courses.
Sabrina returned, with an escort. Jack sighed when he saw Geri was not with them. Dinner would have to wait.
Sabrina headed over to the table set for three. Zonah walked over, beer in hand, and sat across from her. The best seat for a view of Charlotte. Sabrina called out, “Zaden. Dinner.” Zaden was still in the lounge area, fiddling his phone.
“I’m trying to call Dad.”
“Your father is at work. We’ll try to call him after dinner.”
I heard him mumble, “He doesn’t want to talk to you anyway.”
Zonah got up to get him. “Now, Zaden,” he ordered. They wrestled over the phone.
“I just want to talk to my dad!” The tug-of-war over the phone continued. “I hate this place!” Zaden shouted.
“Zaden!” Sabrina rebuked and made to get up. Zonah waved her off. “I’m very sorry,” she said to the waiter.
Zaden and Zonah continued to struggle over the phone. “You should be thrilled you’re out here. Most kids would kill to be on safari. They wouldn’t be wasting their time trying to call their father,” Zonah yelled at him.
“You don’t have a father, so what do you know!” Zaden yelled back.
Zonah reacted as if he’d been slapped. But he had won the tug-of-war over the phone, and held it in his hand.
“Zaden!” Sabrina rebuked. “Don’t talk to Zonah like that!”
Darn it! That would have been an ideal time for her to clarify their relationship. Don’t talk to your brother like that? Or cousin? Or my special friend? Or whomever? Charlotte was right. Watching the humans was fun.
If I learned one thing on this trip, I was going to find out who they were to each other.
I had no idea entertainment at dinner was a part of the all-inclusive package. I also had no idea the real floor show was only moments away. I was torn away from the boys’ drama when Jack spoke.
“What the…” Jack said, staring over my head, in the direction of our rooms.
“Uh-oh,” Charlotte muttered.
I turned around to see Geri and Dr. Higgins walking up the walkway together. She had her arm wrapped around his. She seemed to be always touching someone, especially the men.
Jack slammed his drink down. Beer spewed out of the bottle. “What the hell is this?” he asked, charging toward the pair.
Geri smiled broadly and waved him off. “Oh, it’s nothing, dear.”
Dr. Higgins answered, “She tripped on the walkway. I just steadied her.” He thanked the staffer for escorting them back to the common area. “Probably shouldn’t have had the second glass of wine.”
Geri missed the insult but Jack didn’t. “Who the fu—”
“Oh, Jack, please don’t be jealous. Dr. Higgins here was just helping a lady in need.” She placed her hand on her chest, only bringing more attention to her low-cut dress. She looked at Dr. Higgins and fluttered her eyes at him.
“Oh my,” I mumbled. She was enjoying it. It was the most attention Jack had given anything other than his beer the whole trip.
“You keep your hands off my wife,” Jack ordered him.
Dr. Higgins ignored him and walked to the empty table, now set for one. Everyone watched him, but he seemed oblivious to the attention he was drawing.
“Now I’m not so sure where it’s better to sit,” I said.
“Who would have thought we should have sat with the old couple,” Charlotte answered.
Jack escorted Geri to our table, holding her by the elbow firmly. He was scowling, while she could not contain her smile. Charlotte and I didn’t know where to look. Hazel and Colin finished their dinner, passed on dessert, and were escorted to their room.
The first course arrived, a salad with beets tossed in a honey balsamic vinaigrette. Not wanting to linger at the table with the Wallaces, I dug in. So did Charlotte.
Zonah and Zaden sat with Sabrina and also ate their starters, in silence. Zaden stared at his phone, probably willing it to ring a call from his father, unsuccessfully.
The second course arrived and the uneasy quiet on the patio continued. Sabrina pushed her sautéed chicken around her plate, while Zonah took his frustrations out on the rare steak, using his steak knife with more force than was necessary.
Dr. Higgins ate his dinner and drank his red wine quietly and kept his head in his book.