Mary Kate patted her stomach as it rumbled. Sleep had won the battle over hunger the night before, but now she was rested and starving.
When she had closed the door to her room last night, she was struck by a remarkable realization—it was her first night ever to be alone in a hotel. It was hard not to feel like a hick from the sticks, because that’s what she was.
The room had twin beds, pushed together so the large mosquito net suspended from the ceiling enclosed both. There was a small bedside table and another table by the door. Each held a candle and a box of matches, the only light available once the electricity was turned off for the night.
The bathroom had a toilet, a sink and a tiled shower stall with no curtain. She had worried at first that she would splash water all over the tiny room, but the joke was on her. At full force, the water poured only in a small stream, and its temperature fluctuated randomly between tepid and cold.
For a fleeting moment, she imagined Bobby at the front desk asking—politely—for other accommodations. She, on the other hand, appreciated the adventure.
At the restaurant downstairs, she found her three comrades already seated. Breakfast was buffet style and featured standard Western fare of scrambled eggs, bacon and bread.
“Somebody got her beauty sleep last night,” Drew said.
Mary Kate smiled slightly, trying to figure out if he was flirting or just teasing her about sleeping through dinner. “I only meant to rest my eyes, but my head hit that pillow and that was all she wrote.”
Two college-age girls and a young man wearing a Penn State T-shirt checked out the buffet before settling at a small table beside them. Neal leaned back and addressed them. “Are you guys with Summit?”
Their faces lit up and they excitedly moved to the larger table. They were Courtney, Rachel and Kirby, all public health majors who would be heading off after the climb on a four- week internship in a Tanzanian village. Mary Kate envied their experience. She would have loved the chance to work abroad during college, but Savannah State didn’t have many opportunities like that for students in the special education department. Besides, that probably would have meant staying in school for an extra semester, which would have kept her from graduating in time to take the job in Mooresville. Her whole life would be different if—
“Mary Kate’s been sleeping since we got here,” Drew told them.
“That’s right. Just four more days of that and I’ll be caught up.”
Courtney said, “You should have seen Rachel. She slept all the way from Detroit to Amsterdam, then from Amsterdam to here.”
“I think I have necrophilia or something,” Rachel said.
Everyone in the group exchanged quizzical looks until Kirby said in a gentle but nonetheless patronizing voice, “Honey, I think the word you’re searching for is narcolepsy…unless you’re trying to tell us that you enjoy having sex with dead people.”
Rachel blushed furiously as the group erupted in laughter. Mary Kate liked the new arrivals immediately.
Neal jerked his thumb in Drew’s direction. “Drew’s bags didn’t come, so if you girls can spare him some of your underwear, he’ll be ever so thankful.”
“Let’s see who we’re missing,” Mei said, pulling out her document folder. “Ann and Nikki from Minneapolis…Addison, Cyn and Javier from Miami…and Jim and Brad from Dallas. I guess they’ll get in this afternoon from Amsterdam.”
From the way Kirby had called Rachel honey, Mary Kate guessed they were a couple. That meant Courtney might be up for sharing a tent. She seemed nice, and this was her first trip abroad as well. That would give them a lot to talk about after they turned in.
Drew stood and stretched. “Anyone up for a walk into town? I need to pick up a few things…obviously. And they said there was an Internet café a couple of blocks off that circle where we switched buses.”
Everyone seemed eager to send a message to home, and they set out together for the short walk into town. They passed a small stand where an enterprising local was selling sodas and candy. Mei pointed out that locals depended heavily on tourism for their livelihood, so they all stopped for a snack, even though they had just finished breakfast.
Mary Kate was still fascinated by the details she gathered as they walked by the simple shacks that served as homes for whole families. Women, some with babies strapped to their shoulders, scratched in scraggly gardens while older children played nearby. “Wonder where the men are?”
“It’s Sunday,” Drew said. “They’re on the couch drinking a beer, watching the game.”
She kicked at him playfully.
Mei walked closer so she could keep her voice low. “Don’t laugh. That’s probably not far off, at least for the Tanzanian equivalent. The women do all the work at home, even if the husband doesn’t have a job.” She smacked Neal in the stomach as he nodded. “Don’t get any ideas.”
Mary Kate loved the lighthearted way Mei and Neal interacted. They had spontaneity, precisely what was missing from her relationship with Bobby. Not only were all her activities with Bobby painstakingly planned, so was the way they communicated with each other. Anything that went outside the lines—like her refusal to take the engagement ring or her interest in coming to Africa—disrupted their flow. Hell, it wasn’t just Bobby, she realized. It was practically everyone in her life, with the exception of Deb and her Aunt Jean. No wonder she always felt so hemmed in. The whole path of her life was already drawn, just waiting for her to walk down.
“Earth to Mary Kate.”
Startled, she stopped and realized she had continued on past the Internet café.
“It’s probably not a big deal, but it might not be a good idea to go off by yourself,” Drew said.
“I kind of zoned out there.”
They went inside and took a seat on the window ledge. The tiny shop had two tables with computers, four in all. One was occupied by locals, three young men who crowded around the monitor. The others in their group were already logging on.
Mary Kate’s thoughts drifted again. To whom would she write, and what would she say? The first answer was clear. No one in her family had e-mail, so that left only Bobby and Deb. When she finally got her turn at the computer, she was surprised to find an e-mail from Bobby already waiting.
Hello, sweetheart! By the time you get this, you’ll probably be home, back from “conquering” that big old mountain of yours. I just wanted to send this so you would know how soon I started missing you. Can’t wait to have you back in my arms where you belong. Love, Bobby
She read his message three times with growing irritation. The quote marks around the word “conquering” were his little joke, another patronizing putdown. And the idea that she belonged in his arms made her feel like a piece of property. Two could play that game, she thought, hitting the reply key.
Hi, Bobby! I’m writing from an Internet café here in Moshi, the village where we’re staying before we start our climb tomorrow. I made it here without any problems at all, just as I knew I would. I’ve already gotten to know some of the people in my group, including a couple from Seattle. Mei was the one who really wanted to come, but her husband Neal came along to give her moral support and share the experience. They’re so nice. I’ll write again when I get back down. Tell Mom and Dad I got here okay. Love, Mary Kate
She revised it a couple of times to make it seem less bitchy and sent it off. Then she wrote a quick note to Deb, officially announcing her intention to break up with Bobby as soon as she got home.