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‘Ready for dinner?’ he asks.
I nod and we go through to the kitchen where the table is set for two. A candle flickers in the middle. I’ve been to dinner here a million times and a candle has never featured before.
‘Can I help?’
‘No, no,’ he insists. ‘All under control.’ Then he looks slightly bashful as I take my seat.
Mike dishes up and places a beautifully prepared plate of food in front of me. Among his other attributes, Mike is an excellent cook.
He pops the cork and pours me a glass of hearty red before he sits down opposite me. Lifting his glass to mine, he says, ‘It’s good to have you home.’
I want to say, ‘It’s good to be home,’ but the words just won’t come. Is it good to be home? I think the jury’s out on that one. Instead, I swig my wine and nod like a loon.
So we eat dinner together and listen to the African music and soon the wine makes me relax. If I try very hard I can go minutes without thinking about Dominic. Perhaps the African music was a mistake.
Before nine o’clock, I’m yawning and sinking lower in my chair.
‘You need an early night, young lady,’ Mike advises.
I laugh but I’m glad to have the excuse to take my leave. ‘I am very tired,’ I say. ‘Dinner was wonderful, very thoughtful.’
‘You know that you’re welcome anytime, Janie.’
‘I’ll reciprocate during the week,’ I promise.
‘I’ll hold you to that,’ Mike warns and then he moves towards me, but before he can do whatever he thinks he might be about to do, I sidestep away from him and head for the door. Was Mike planning to kiss me then? I think he might have been.
‘Good night,’ I say. ‘Thanks again.’ Then I tiptoe down my path in the dark and let myself back into my own cottage.
I get ready for bed and Archie, having done several rounds of the bed, comes to settle by my pillow. Before I slip under the duvet, I pull Dominic’s kanga around my shoulders and go to the window. I look out to the patch of cloudy sky that’s visible between the towering oak trees and think of the endless span of African sky laden with stars and wonder where my love is now. He is out there, somewhere, under the same sky as me.
‘Good night, Dominic.’ I offer up to the universe. ‘Usiku mwema. Good night.’
Chapter Thirty-Two
Monday morning. Eight o’ clock. Back at work. Meh!
Nina is already in the staffroom. ‘My God,’ she says when she sees me. ‘Look at you. A week in the Mexican sun has done you a world of good.’
‘African,’ I remind her as I shrug off my winter coat. ‘I went to Africa.’
Mexico, Africa,’ she says. ‘Is it not all the same place? Did you have a good time.’
‘Fabulous,’ I say with a sigh.
‘Hmm,’ my friend says. ‘So why the long face?’
I sit down next to her. My first client isn’t due for another twenty minutes, so there’s time for a coffee to try to revive me. I was awake at four o’clock this morning and now, just as I start my working day, I’m already on my knees with tiredness. ‘I don’t really want to be back,’ I confess.
‘That good?’
I nod.
‘You should have had another week.’
‘I don’t even think that would have done it.’
My friend nudges me. ‘Was there a man involved?’
Trust Nina to cut to the chase. ‘Yes. There was.’
‘Glad you took those condoms?’ she laughs.
‘Yes, I am, but do you know, I wouldn’t care if I was pregnant,’ I say rather rashly. Perhaps I shouldn’t have been my usual sensible self. Perhaps I should have thrown caution to the wind and let fate run its course. ‘Actually, I’d rather like to be pregnant with his baby.’ At least I would have brought part of Dominic home with me from Africa.
‘Woaw,’ Nina says. ‘Are you mad?’ She looks at me as if she’s never seen me before. ‘That’s a bit random. What happened to cautious Janie “I’m not looking for love” Johnson? Who is this strange woman before me?’
‘I hardly know myself,’ I admit.
‘Coffee,’ Nina declares. ‘Strong coffee. That’s what you need.’ She clatters about doing the honours. When she hands me my cup, she asks, ‘Have you had a blow to the head on this holiday, perhaps?’
A blow to the heart, I think.
‘Has the sun scrambled your brain?’
‘I don’t know,’ I tell her. ‘But if it has, it feels great.’
‘So,’ Nina says, ‘more about this guy that seems to have knocked you sideways, please. Photos?’
