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My God, I hadn’t even considered half of these things. We’re going to need a serious shopping trip as soon as possible. I gratefully take the clothes from Mike. ‘This is brilliant.’
‘If there’s anything else you need . . .’
‘Come through,’ I say excitedly. ‘Meet Dominic.’
Mike looks uncertain.
‘Please . . .’
With a tired smile, he follows me through to the kitchen. Dominic stands as we enter. He hits his head on a beam again.
‘I’m going to have to cover all the beams in foam, if you keep doing that.’
Dominic grins.
I turn to Mike to introduce him and find that my neighbour is standing, staring open-mouthed at my lover.
‘Mike,’ I say. ‘This is Dominic Ole Nangon.’
Mike keeps staring.
‘Mike?’
‘Sorry, sorry.’ He snaps himself out of his trance and holds out his hand. ‘I’m Mike. From next door. Very pleased to meet you.’
Dominic shakes his hand and I see Mike wince at his grip. ‘Thank you, Mike. I am very happy to be here.’
‘I brought some clothes,’ Mike says, ‘to help you out. But, bloody hell, I don’t think you’ll get anywhere near them, man.’ He looks Dominic up and down. ‘How tall are you?’
‘Very tall,’ Dominic says.
And that breaks the ice and we all laugh together.
‘Look, if you need anything,’ Mike says to Dominic, ‘I’m only next door. You only have to ask.’
‘Thank you, Mike.’
They shake hands again.
‘I hope you’ll be happy here.’ Then, Mike says, ‘I won’t stay. I’m sure you’ve got things to do. To get settled in.’ He’s embarrassed now and I don’t want him to feel like that. ‘I’ll be off.’
‘We’ll catch up with you in the week, Mike. Come round for dinner one night.’
‘I’d like that.’
As I show him to the door, Mike turns to me, a concerned frown on his face. ‘I think he’s going to need some help settling in, Janie’ he says. ‘He’s a bit like a fish out of water here.’
Bristling slightly, I say, ‘He’ll be fine.’
‘It wasn’t a criticism,’ Mike adds hastily. ‘I just want you to know that I’m here for you. For both of you.’
I relax at that and kiss him on the cheek. ‘Thanks, Mike. Catch you later.’
Back in the kitchen, I make Dominic some more hot milk and another packet of Oatso Simple. I’m going to have to stock the cupboard up with this, I can see.
‘Well,’ I say to Dominic as he eats, ‘what would you be doing at home now?’
‘There are no guests in the camp,’ he tells me, ‘so I would be practising my jumping with my friends.’
‘Oh.’ I’d forgotten about the jumping thing. ‘You can do that here if you want to, out in the back garden.’
Then the doorbell rings and, through the spyhole, I see Nina standing there.
‘Hey, lady,’ she says when I open the door. ‘Thought I’d just drop by and see if everything’s OK.’
Nina never just drops by. She’s either she’s come by way of apology or she simply can’t wait to see what Dominic’s like. Whatever the reason, I’m happy to see her as things haven’t been right between us for weeks.
‘It’s fine,’ I tell her. ‘Dominic’s flight was on time. Come through and meet him, he’s in the kitchen. Poor thing is half frozen to death here. He’s left twenty-nine degrees in the Maasai Mara.’
Dominic stands as Nina comes into the kitchen. This time, he doesn’t bang his head. His broad grin spreads over his face.
‘This is Nina,’ I say. ‘My best friend. I’ve told you all about her.’
‘Yes,’ Dominic says. ‘I am very pleased to meet you.’
My friend stares at him too, but not in a good way. She takes in his height, his red shuka, his colourful blanket, his bare feet and it’s clear that she doesn’t like what she sees.
‘Tea’ I say. ‘I’ll make tea.’ I nudge my friend in the ribs. ‘You sit and talk to Dominic.’
Lowering herself into the chair opposite him, Nina says, ‘HELLO. HOW. ARE. YOU?’
‘Dominic’s not deaf, Nina,’ I snap as I make a cup of tea. ‘And he speaks perfectly good English.’
‘WHAT. DO. YOU. THINK. OF. OUR. COUNTRY?’
‘I. THINK. IT. IS. VERY. NICE,’ he shouts back and I can see the mischievous twinkle in his eye.
‘There’s no need to talk to him like a Spanish waiter.’
‘SORRY,’ she says.
