Sydney Airport, Australia, the present day
‘What are you doing here?’ Susan said, eyes and smile wide when Nick tapped her on the shoulder from behind as she queued at the Business Class check-in counter for the Qantas flight to Johannesburg.
‘I’ve decided to come to South Africa,’ he said.
‘You’re crazy.’
‘For once in my life, yes.’ He realised it had been too long since he had done anything spontaneous. Following Susan to Africa was gold standard flying by the seat of his pants. He smiled to himself.
She gave him a light punch on the arm. ‘You know, that note of yours that you left next to me on the bed this morning was nice, promising you’d see me again some time soon, but it still felt a bit like you were sneaking out on me while I was sleeping.’
‘I wanted to surprise you,’ he said.
‘Well, that you have.’
They checked in and after passing through security and immigration went up the escalators to the Qantas Club. Susan scouted ahead for two free lounge chairs and Nick went to the bar and returned with two glasses of champagne.
He joined her and they raised their glasses. ‘To living in the moment,’ she said.
‘Bloody madness, more like it,’ he said as they clinked glasses.
Susan sipped her sparkling wine. ‘Nick, where are you planning on going in South Africa?’
He held up his free hand. ‘Don’t worry. I don’t expect to be tied to your apron strings while I’m in Africa. The truth is, I don’t really know and, you know what? I don’t care, either. I’ve got an idea that I’ll go and have a look at some of the places where Cyril Blake served. From what you said, that’s mostly around the Kruger National Park, right?’
She nodded and sipped her champagne. ‘Yes. It’s a great place to visit in its own right if you want to go on safari. You can hire a car and drive yourself around if you like.’
‘Sounds a bit daunting,’ he said.
‘Relax, Nick.’ She reached out and touched his hand. ‘Your average South African family goes to the Kruger Park and drives the family sedan or people mover around the bush on safari.’
‘I’ll be brave. You’re going on to Cape Town, right?’
Susan sighed. ‘Yes. I have to go see my client, but to tell you the truth I’m planning on ending our business relationship.’
‘Sick of writing press releases?’
‘Something like that,’ she said, looking out the lounge window over the aircraft coming and going. She looked back at him. ‘And after Kruger?’
Nick shrugged. ‘By that time I’m hoping Lili will have translated more of the papers my aunt found. With a bit of luck they’ll tell the full story of how Blake ended up travelling to South West Africa and how and why he fell in with the Nama rebels. I think it’s going to be a fantastic story.’
She nodded. ‘It is.’
‘What’s on your mind, Susan? You were excited at first.’
She finished her drink. ‘I didn’t expect things to work out the way they have, Nick.’
He looked into her eyes. ‘You and me?’
‘Yes.’
‘Do you regret it?’ he asked. He had just wanted to get away, somewhere, anywhere, but Susan was a big part of his impetuous decision to travel to Africa on a whim. He didn’t want to feel like a complete fool, but was worried he would if she told him that what they’d done meant nothing and that she didn’t want to see him in South Africa.
Instead she reached for him again and took his hand. ‘Nick, no, I don’t regret what happened. It’s just, well, things are complicated for me in South Africa.’
A sudden realisation dawned. ‘Oh. Do you have a partner, Susan?’
‘No, no, nothing like that, but the PR work I do in Cape Town, it has a way of tying me down. I’d love to be able to hit the road with you, but the client wants me around when I’m in South Africa. I might not be able to walk away immediately, but I’ll touch base with you as soon as I can.’
‘Gee, it does sound complicated,’ he said, though he was mildly relieved.
‘It is. As I said, I’m going to ditch the client and finish up, as soon as I get to Cape Town, so maybe your crazy timing is good. Maybe . . .’
‘You could join me, somewhere on the road?’
She smiled. ‘Maybe, yes.’ Her mood appeared to brighten.
‘Would you like another drink?’
She seemed to mull the idea over. ‘Possibly. I need to go to the bathroom first.’
‘OK.’ Nick picked up a copy of The Australian someone had left behind and flicked through the news section.
His phone buzzed.
Nick took it out of his pocket and saw that Susan had just sent him a message, which struck him as odd. He opened it.
Shower room at end of the corridor, on the left. Knock three times.
He grinned, finished his drink, took his bag and went to join her.