The One Who Called Me Cheri
That night, I lay awake feeling a lightness I had never known was possible. Beside me, Nazir was breathing shallowly, wide awake too. Outside, it was so dark and still…
Creamy Delights
That night, we ate boiled rice, steamed vegetables and butter chicken under the warm, orange glow of a solar bulb. “This is really good,” I said between mouthfuls. “Not too…
The Firstborn
With the last embers of the sun fading behind a cloud, the trill of crickets and chirrup of a nightjar filled the air. An evening breeze picked up and carried…
The Pangolin in the Room
The morning of the October tour circuit, I ducked under the shade of a hotel lobby where my guests were staying. It was a few minutes past nine and the…
Rage
That weekend, I was supposed to take a local group on a guided day tour of Nairobi National Park but I woke up feeling fuzzy despite two days’ rest. A…
Wild Women
The first night back from the circuit, I was stiff as a brick. After trying various remedies over the years, I had found that hot lavender tea baths did the…
The Interluder
It was late evening when I returned to the familiar, warm scent of my house. I could tell Mundia had just got in as well by the stillness in the…
The Kindred Spirit
Mark returned to the room after midnight, face flushed. He must’ve drank something I couldn’t smell on him — vodka citrus or rum and coke. He took his boots off…