AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Kendra Mallick, on behalf of one of our beloved sponsors Cheow Larn Camp.”
Kendra stepped onto the stage. She didn’t feel that the clapping was justified, and it did nothing to calm the violent storm kicking off in her stomach. She focussed hard on the ribbon to coordinate the scissors. How could a simple task be so bloody challenging? Snip. She took a deep breath, turned towards the crowd, and smiled.
“Thank you, everyone for coming. Refreshments are now available,” the man announced.
The words faded as Kendra looked out from the side of the stage, her pulse settling. Malee talked to someone animatedly, and the array of colours that had been static now floated around, while raised voices and laughter echoed across the park. She wondered what Sarah would make of it and how the hell Sarah could appear so calm and collected under the pressure of an audience. Kendra put her hand to her chest where the ache still whispered to her. It was a hint at the loneliness that came from giving up on the love she could have had, had she been willing to compromise. At times like these, Sarah’s absence hit her harder and caused her to question whether she’d done the right thing and whether she should go back and at least try. Taking in the beauty around her always gave her the answer, but that didn’t make missing Sarah any easier to bear. Maybe at some point she would send Sarah a text to ask her how the job was going. Maybe they could become friends, and after Sarah’s term in office, get together. The thought that Sarah might have found someone else by then weighed heavily in her stomach.
35.
THE SHADOWS BENEATH SARAH’Seyes would easily give away that she hadn’t slept more than a couple of hours since she’d left London. Maybe she should have stopped for a night in Bangkok, but she’d wanted to get to Kendra as soon as possible. She’d oscillated between nervous tension, thinking Kendra would reject her—though deep down she believed she wouldn’t—and the excitement that came with feeling liberated and optimistic. The announcement of her resignation, tendered not long after her acceptance speech, had initially been a side line for the press as they’d focused on her coming out story. Her deputy was more than willing and equally capable of filling her shoes now the Independent party held office. As she’d walked away with her family at her side, the weight she’d carried for as long as she could remember slid from her shoulders. She hadn’t realised how much she’d compromised herself with all that she’d done to live up to the expectations of others, especially her parents, expectations that she’d made her own. Spending time with Kendra had caused her to question her motivations for the job. Something else had touched her during her visit to Thailand, and while she’d left feeling wounded, she hadn’t been able to shake off the feeling that there was a better life to be had than the one she’d been living. No matter what happened with Kendra, she would never return to politics.
She’d promised to go back four times a year and take a family holiday with the children for as many years as they wanted, expecting that that luxury would come to an end long before she was ready to let the children go. Tears had been shed, mostly hers, and now here she was sitting on a longtail boat heading across Cheow Larn Lake with new guests preparing to experience the jewel of Thailand. She hadn’t made a reservation and hoped her presumption would draw an open invitation that she would like to take advantage of forever and a smile from Kendra’s kissable lips.
The karsts appeared as spectacular, the water as soft, and the air as stiflingly hot as it had been just two months ago. It was monsoon season now, which would bring new flora and fauna to explore and thankfully, lower humidity. As the huts above the waterline came into view, her heart raced, and her stomach fizzed. She rubbed her hands together and bit her lip. This was much harder than when she’d given her PM’s acceptance speech knowing she was about to follow it with her resignation and have to answer a barrage of questions. That had been a breeze by comparison. She pushed the idea of rejection firmly to the back of her mind, preferring to focus on the first step in her new adventure as a newly divorced woman in love. Right now, though, that love trembled in the shadow of nervous anticipation. She took a deep breath, but it did nothing to calm her.
She scanned the camp as they approached, and the guide skipped out of the boat and secured it to the pontoon. Her insides turned like a washing machine, and her breath locked inside her chest, and she still hadn’t spotted Kendra. Maybe she was in the kitchen preparing their supper, or in her hut getting changed, or working on a new carving project.
She hesitated to move along the pontoon and through the restaurant and was ushered along by the guide and Kim Cheng’s welcome. She glanced at her briefly, acknowledging the recognition in her eyes as soft crow’s feet formed at her temples.
“Hello, Sarah.” She shifted her glasses higher up the bridge of her nose and studied the paper in her hand. “You not on list,” she said and frowned.
Sarah’s stomach tightened and her hands shook. “I know. I wanted to talk to Kendra.”
“Kendra not here.”
Her stomach lurched. She scanned the camp frantically. It hadn’t occurred to her that Kendra might have moved on. Sarah racked her brain for any memory that would suggest Kendra had been thinking of making a change. Maybe it was something she’d decided after Sarah left. She should have maintained contact with Kendra, damn it. Her mind went blank. “What do you mean?”
“Kendra not here. She at elephant park with Malee.” She looked across the lake in the direction Sarah had just travelled from.
Sarah dropped her shoulders, looked down, and released a long breath. She fought off a wave of nausea. She just wanted to be held by Kendra and know that everything would be all right between them. She needed the certainty, the security, of staring into her eyes and studying her smile. Then she would be able to relax.
“You can wait. You want drink? Or you want go to elephant park?”
Sarah looked back across the lake. “The elephant park.”
Kim Cheng nodded. “You catch boat quick to pier, then taxi take you from there to park.”
Sarah nodded. “Thank you.” She looked up as the sky became black as night, and a thundering sound descended from above and echoed around the site. She’d seen tropical rain before, but this was another level of spectacular. It was as if the water from the sky hit the lake so hard it bounced back into the clouds again. It drowned out the jungle’s song, and the fresher air cooled her skin. And then it was gone, and the jungle’s chorus started up, with more to say about what had just passed. A white mist steamed from the limestone karsts and drew patterns that obscured the partially blue canvas. She would easily get used to this and whatever else living here might throw at her.
“You need to go to boat, quick. Run.”
Sarah ran. She climbed into the boat and sat, impatient to get to the pier. Excitement rose up, and she swallowed it down and set her hands in her lap. “I love you, Kendra,” she whispered and felt calmer, although the boat moved too slowly for her liking.
Sarah tugged at the shirt that clung to her as she stepped out of the taxi. Her mouth was dry, and her heart thundered as she made her way into the elephant park and towards the gathering in front of the podium. She spotted Kendra and watched her step down from the stage. She craned her neck to see her around the people rising from their seats, not wanting to lose sight of her in the crowd. Kendra looked stunning in cotton trousers and a white shirt, and Sarah couldn’t stop staring at her. Warmth blossomed in her chest, and she felt as though she was walking on air as she made her way through the gathering. It was too much to take in, too much to give up on. No matter what Kendra said, if she had to, she would find a way to fight for her again. She had to hope it wouldn’t come to that. Kendra looked a little lost, standing at the side of the stage on her own, and Sarah had the urge to run to her and hold her. She stopped and stared, willing Kendra to see her, to assess Kendra’s first response, and give them a little time to adjust. She clasped her hands in front of her, took a deep breath and stood taller.
A frown played across Kendra’s brow as she locked eyes with Sarah. She put her hands on her hips, tilted her head to the side, and gave a quizzical look that touched Sarah with tenderness and longing. Sarah stared at her, and as the smile played across Kendra’s lips Sarah ran towards her. She held Kendra in her arms and kissed her full on the lips.
Kendra jolted at the flash of a camera. “What are you doing? There are people here, the press.” She touched her lips and looked around skittishly. “How did you know I was here?”
“Kim Cheng told me.” She couldn’t make out Kendra’s expression, and a hint of doubt raised the question, what if Kendra sent her away? She took a deep breath to pace her nerves. She needed to keep the conversation light, not desperate, and she had to tell Kendra she was in love with her. “I’ve just travelled for the best part of two days to find and win over the love of my life, and that included a return trip to the camp.”
The corners of Kendra’s lips hinted at a smile, and her eyes narrowed. “And did you find her?”
Sarah nudged Kendra’s arm, relieved by her playfulness. “Yes, I did.”
Kendra released a long slow breath. “Well, I didn’t expect this. Especially after…” She bit her lip and lowered her head. “I should’ve contacted you. It was just that it was so hard. And I had to let you go so you could—”
Sarah lifted her chin and pressed her thumb to Kendra’s lips. “I resigned, Kenny,” she whispered.
