“Oh, nothing,” Karina explained. “So you learned how to shoot a gun, did you?” she asked wryly.
I bent my face toward the tile floor. “Yes.”
“I’m glad.”
My head whipped up. “Yes, I am glad. Every adult here should be able to. Though I wished I’d been informed,” she chastised.
“I’m so sorry, Karina,” I began, but she cut me off, wrapping her arm around my shoulders.
“Stop. I know you’re sorry. That’s the last you’ll hear of it from me.” She kissed my temple and I felt so incredibly loved.
“Karina?” I asked after a few minutes of silence.
“Hmm? Just a moment. Christine! No, dear,” she said, stopping Christine from splashing Kate, whose back was to her. Christine frowned. “I’m sorry. What, my love?”
“Oh, I was just curious about something.”
“What about?” she asked, distracted by Christine again.
“Why is Dingane so interested when I shower? I thought maybe you might know.”
Her answer shocked me speechless. “He sweeps all the bugs out for you. He heard you say how you hated them,” she absently remarked. “Excuse me, dear,” she continued, heading for Christine.
I walked away in a daze, not believing it. But he hates me. He may be attracted to me, that’s obvious, but he doesn’t care for me.
I hit the dirt outside and made a beeline for the showers, the small outside light illuminating it in the middle of our makeshift village. When I rounded the corner, I shone the flashlight I carried with me into one of the rudimentary stalls. Insects. Everywhere. The wood walls were covered with them. I almost couldn’t believe my eyes. Every inch seemed infested. I accidentally dropped my light and bent to pick it up. That means he’s been waking up extra early every morning and sweeping them out. Why would he do this?
“He likes you, dumbass,” I said out loud.
My lips twitched at the corners and I stood. I practically sprinted to our huts but just stopped myself from banging my fist on Ian’s barely-there door. My hand fell to my side. I couldn’t bring myself to confront him with the evidence. If he’d wanted me to know he was doing it, he’d have let me know. My teeth couldn’t fight the smile plastered on my face. It was time for bed.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
It was the best night’s sleep I’d had since I arrived. I awoke early, grabbed my shower bucket and I ran across the cool morning air to the wood stalls and stared inside.
Clear.
I searched the grounds and spotted Ian’s back on the other side of the baobab tree. His head raised as if he felt my stare and turned around, scouring the landscape around him. His eyes caught mine and the morning sun glinted off his bright blue eyes, making them even more vibrant. I inclined my head toward him and he nodded subtly in return. Butterflies drowned my empty stomach in flutters.
I showered, not even recognizing how cold the water was that morning like I did every other morning. When I dressed in my room and began plaiting my hair, my hands felt clumsy and nervous. I was so flabbergasted at myself. I couldn’t believe I was acting the way I was. Me, the queen of control. The queen of attraction. La Fée Verte. The old name crept into my conscious and I dropped my hands, studying myself in the mirror. The prior giddy feeling I was so happy to enjoy a moment before felt terrible now. I realized I didn’t deserve Ian. Recollecting all the terrible things I did back home made the wonderful butterflies die and nausea take their place. I steeled my hands, fighting back the feeling I was being swallowed by a black hole and finished my hair.
Karina’s knocking at my door reminded me I was there to do a job.
“Sophie, my love, are you dressed?”
“Yes,” I said, opening the door for her. Her face was white as a sheet. “What’s wrong?” I asked, my stomach dropping to the floor.
“Mercy has measles.”
“Measles? How? I don’t understand.”
“A nurse confirmed it late last night. She will live, I’m certain, but the young ones, none of them are vaccinated and two of the children have fevers,” Karina explained, wringing her hands.
“Why couldn’t you vaccinate?”
“We lack the resources.”
“Okay, well, what does this mean? What do we do?”
“We call Pembrook.”
This surprised me.
“What can he do?”
“There are a few options, but we have little time. He’d have to work with short notice.”
I grabbed my satellite phone and checked the battery. It was nearly nonexistent. I dialed anyway and sat at the edge of my bed while Karina paced back and forth on my creaky floor.
“Hello,” a shaky Pembrook’s voice sounded.
I took a deep breath. It was so good to hear a familiar voice. “Pembrook!” I screamed into the bad connection.
“Sophie? Is that you?” The connection broke. “...are you?”
“I missed that last bit, Pemmy. I’m fine, if you asked. Listen, I need a favor. I’m running on low battery here and I need you to arrange for a shipment.”
“What...for?”
“Measles has broken out here at Masego and none of the children are vaccinated. Karina says there are several options available to us. Can you get in touch with Ford and arrange something?”
Several seconds of silence followed and I feared we lost him. “...I’ll contact you tonight. Charge....if you can.”