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“I’m scared.” My lip quivers. “Scared he’ll never make it out of the jungle, never make it home to me.”
“Samuel have maps. Samuel good man.”
A sob escapes my lips. I want to say his merit will not save him. Instead, I say, “He is. I hope he knows what he’s doing.”
“Samuel loves you, Miss Eden. He’ll come to you.”
“Thanks, Asoo. Stay in touch, please. You’re the only person I can contact.”
The line goes silent. Holding the phone to my chest, I take a moment to compose myself, willing all the tears cascading over my cheeks to stop.
I’m none the wiser about Samuel’s safety—I only know that people believe in him. With no other choice, I pray for him to be safe and get out of the jungle alive.
I strap Rose into her baby seat and drive the ten minutes it takes to reach Yasmine’s apartment.
Before I reach the front door, it swings open, and both girls scream with excitement. I giggle and check they haven’t startled Rose. Yasmine gives me a quick hug, then takes Rose from my arms.
“She’s just gorgeous,” she coos and heads inside. “Let’s get you out of this heat.”
“She was born in the jungle. It’s the winter months I’m worried about.” I hug Amy and almost have to pry her arms from my neck.
“I missed you,” she whispers. “So damn much. I can’t say I’m sorry you’re home even though I know you wanted to stay with him.”
“Before.”
She steps back and gives me a quizzical look. “What happened?”
“Shit went down.” We both follow Yasmine inside and sit on the couch beside her. For the next ten minutes, I give them a rundown of my last days, the latest shitstorm, and how Samuel is now wandering the rainforest with a bloody paper map. The more I repeat the story, the more frustrated I become. “So now I just wait and hope he comes out alive.”
Both girls’ eyes bulge.
“You’re kidding me.” Amy shakes her head. “Does he want to die a fucking hero?”
I shrug one shoulder. “His loyalty is something else. I haven’t told you the story yet of how he ended up there.”
“We’re eating first,” Yasmine quips. “You need your sustenance for this little princess.” She stares down at Rose as though she’s the most beautiful thing she has ever seen.
“I do. And I have several appointments in the next few days for us both to be checked over.”
“Well, she’s perfect.” Yasmine smiles at Rose. “I can’t wait for you to move in with Aunty Yas.”
“We can discuss that when I’m back at work and earning money again.”
“Which is why you’re not paying for dinner.” Yasmine eyeballs me.
“Thank you.”
Amy sits sideways on the couch, so she’s facing me. “Surely, you don’t have to go back to work for a while. I mean,Ethanis still there. You could look for something else now like you originally planned.”
“I haven’t thought about anything. The paperwork is being processed, and then I have to apply for maternity leave. It’s on my long list for this week, although I’ll probably work one day here and there to get back in the swing of things and as they need me. As for changing careers, being a new mum is challenging enough for now. Until life calms down, I’m not considering anything else. I want things to be easy and to do what I know, so it doesn’t take time away from Rose.”
“Absolutely.” Yas runs her nose over Rose’s cheek. “I love how Rose just stares as though she knows who we are. Already knows heraunties.”
We all chuckle.
It feels good to be home with my girls.
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