The bags were packed and they were all ready to go to the Safari. Jackson and his family were supposed to meet Arthur at the airport. Mark was waiting home to be picked up by the limo when Mandy went to the airport because his house was on the way and it was easier to do that. George was supposed to pick up Akinyi, Marie and Makena at their place. Arthur´s assistant was going on the Safari with them because Arthur wanted this trip to be perfect and George was great at solving problems and arranging last minute-needs. Many bodyguards also were going along as usual. But Carol didn´t think it was necessary to take her own assistant, then she said to Gray. “Consider yourself on vacation. Relax a little while I am away. We will get busy preparing Mandy´s birthday at my island when I get back.” “Oh. I thought that I was going with you.” “It is not necessary for you to go with us. Arthur is already taking George and he has practice arranging things.”

Both of Arthur´s jet planes were used to take their group to the Safari in Kenya. One for the family and friends and the other for the staff, composed mostly of bodyguards and assistants. The planes´ destiny was the Amboseli National Park, where the visitors expected to have the wildlife viewing of the tour of their dreams. Two swamps and a dried-up lake completed the view of this piece of semiarid vegetation land. The contrast between the arid areas of the lake bed and the oasis of the swamps made the beauty of the landscape to be astonishing. As the first jet plane approached African land, Carol thought about how much her life had changed. In the past, because she was a working mother and the only adult responsible for her daughter, Carol had to keep the visits to the farms like an annual event. But since her wedding, things had changed and they visited often. Sometimes every month. Due to the practicality offered by having a jet in your yard, the g

Akinyi and her daughters join Mark and Mandy for breakfast. They love to see that the buffet was set outside and small tables of four places were spread all around the grassy floor. Jackson, Becca and the boys waved from their table. Louis went quickly to greet his grandma. As he kissed her cheek he couldn´t help himself but had to say, “Sleepyhead.” “Don´t mind me if I am. The bed was so comfortable that I am considering getting back there after breakfast.” “Nooooo, grandma. You can´t do that. You will delay our group.” “She is only messing with your head, Louis. Calm down, our guides aren´t even here yet.” “Do you mean your boyfriend, aunt Marie? “He is not my boyfriend, Louis. Don´t be silly.” “But the way he looks at you, I think he wants to be.” As Louis walks along Akinyi to the self-service buffet, pretending to help her choose her food, but filling a big plate with cakes and lots of sweet bread, Mandy questions

That night, after the show, Steph could hardly get any sleep. The girls´ dormitory was separated from the boys´ dormitory by a huge cement building. They were like in the opposite side corridors of the main building where the classrooms were. Even so, Steph knew that she was closer to Brian than she had been in the last years. At least, she thought, they were under the same roof. It was so nice to see his beloved face and see him moving around. If he didn´t use a cane, few people could tell that he was blind because he showed confidence. She loved his body, his hair, his breath, his heartbeat. And thinking about it Steph finally went to sleep, only to have dreams about her beloved Brian. TALKING TO ALICE In the morning, Steph was feeling very energetic and optmistic. She put on some jeans, a pink blouse and comfortable tennis shoes. When she entered the cafeteria, she saw Alice sitting at her regular table with her brother. On her way there, Steph felt deligh

According to Arthur´s request, George had made reservations for dinner at a very sophisticated restaurant. It was going to be a couples-only night.Mandy was looking forward to trying the pilau that they served there. It is a very popular Kenyan dish served at social gatherings and consists of rice cooked in a deliciously flavored broth with meat, vegetables, or chicken. There was a variety of spices to be chosen to make it still more flavorful.The night was going to be romantic because there was going to be live music for slow dancing and Mandy decided to use a gown that had small flowers hand-painted on it.Rebecca and Carol were going to use social clothes too because that dinner demanded them.Marie and Makena were not joining them for the evening due to their previous engagement. Chiumbo and Barasa were supposed to pick them up and take them to a birthday party where other young people would gather to eat, dance and be happy.Akinyi dec