Page 22 of Worlds Apart
She blinked and he saw glassy tears in the corner of her eyes.
“No, no, no.” He kissed her forehead. “No crying.”
“Is this…” She blinked hard. “Is thisit? I mean, I know people have holiday romances and things like that but I didn’t think—”
“This is not that for me.” He gripped her hair in his hand and held her steady. “Sunny, no. This is not the end unless… you want it to be.” The thought dug into his brain. Maybe it was only a holiday romance for her. Maybe he was nothing more than a part of her vacation.
“Martin, you’re not the holiday romance type of person.” She blinked glassy eyes at him. “You’re the real romance type of person.”
He smiled and felt the fist around his heart relax. “So this isn’t the end.”
“But I live in America.”
“And I live in Kenya.” He tucked her hair behind her ear. “And we both have access to the internet. We can talk every day.”
She nodded. “Okay. You’re right.”
“And we can visit each other.”
“Yes! I would love for you to come visit me in the US. You’ve never been, right?”
“Never.” He’d never had the urge to visit and he still didn’t, but if that’s what it took to see Sunny again, he’d pull out his passport and apply for a visa.
She let out a long breath. “So this isn’t goodbye.”
“No.” He ignored the lump in his throat. “Of course not.”
This isn’t goodbye.
* * *
Martin repeatedit to himself over and over again as he watched Sunny and Alice take off from the dirt airstrip that served the North Mara. Mingati was standing beside him.
“I thought you were smart.”
Martin turned to his spotter. “What was I supposed to do? Tie her up and keep her in my tent?”
The old man shrugged. “She was happy here.”
“That’s illegal, Mingati.” He turned and watched the plane disappearing into the distance. “This is not goodbye.”
* * *
Sunny watchedthe airstrip disappear behind her, Martin standing near the dusty Land Cruiser. She watched until everything she’d fallen in love with had disappeared, then she looked to Alice and tried to force a smile.
“Do you want to go back?” Alice’s eyebrows were up. “We don’t have to go to the beach.”
“Don’t be silly, this is your vacation too.”
“You look like a pathetic puppy.”
“I’m not a pathetic puppy.” She forced a smile. “I am an excited friend who is ready to party with her friend on her vacation.”
Alice smirked. “You’re a pathetic puppy.”
“I’m not.” She felt her phone buzz and she pulled it out. “Martin texted me.”
“Does he miss you already?” Alice batted her eyes.
