Zara's Safari

Chapter 6

I dreamt that two big warm hands came and lifted me up. That they wrapped around my body tightly and cradled me. I dreamt that I could feel the warmth of someone else’s body against mine and that I could hear the beating of another heart. Warm breath on my check. I dreamt that the big hands carried me up the embankment and back to my room and that they lay me down gently on my bed.

“Just relax” It was Riaans voice. And I realized I wasn’t dreaming.

I nodded feebly, letting my aching body melt into the bed. I’d complained about it earlier, but right now, it felt like the softest most comfortable thing I’d even lay on.

I heard Riaan running some water in the bathroom and before long I felt a warm soft soothing rag being wiped across my back. His movements were slow, gentle. Why was he being so kind to me?

“I’m going to have to pull them out now,” He leaned in and whispered in my ear. His face way only a little way away from mine.

I realized that in that moment, he was in total control of the situation. I was like a baby bird with a broken wing that he’d rescued from the side of the road and was now trying to piece back together. I was utterly powerless. Physically helpless.

His previous animosity was gone. Instead it had been replaced with care and kindness. I wanted to cry for some reason- I was genuinely touched. The unexpected kindness was unfamiliar, but it was deeply moving and comforting.

I tensed my body as I felt his hand on one of the thorns.

 “It won’t hurt a bit. I promise’ He was trying to sound upbeat.

I smiled a little at his comment, “Oh please, that’s like when the doctor says, ‘Relax, you might feel a bit of pressure’.

And then something odd happened. Something quite peculiar actually. I heard him chuckle. Not a mountain shaking, earth shattering laugh or anything, but a small soft breathy chuckle.

“Or when they take blood and the nurse says ‘ You might feel a little pinch’” He offered.

“Yes. Exactly.”

“Okay then…” His tone was almost playful now, “Just try and relax Zara, this is going to hurt like hell.”

“Thanks!” I smiled to myself and wondered if he was smiling too.  This was definitely a strange turn of events.

“On the count of Three.” Riaan said, “One, Two---“

“OUCH! You said three!”

“Sorry, I’ll count to three next time---“

“OUCH” I yelped again, “Please warn me next time you--- OUCH!”

“I thought it would be less painful if you weren’t expecting it.” Riaan offered.

There was a short silence and I got the feeling he was hesitating, “There’s one in your…” He didn’t finish the sentence.  

“One in my where?”

“Your bum. I’m going to need to…It’s poking out of the bottom of your skirt. Maybe you can reach around and lift it a bit, so I can….” His voice trailed off nervously.

“Sure,” I’d never been the bendy type, even though I went to dozens of cool yoga classes, but no amount of Bikram this and yoga-laties that enabled me to reach around and pull my skirt up. My arms felt too stiff, weak and sore.

“I can’t reach. You’re going to have to do it.”

“Okay, sorry about this.”

He pushed the tight dress up slowly with one hand. The material clung to me and his fingers grazed the back of my thighs as he went. I couldn’t help but shiver. The contrast of his warm fingertips against my cold skin was intense. I was wearing a tiny red G-Sting, I’d picked it out especially for him, well at least he was going to see it now, just not in the way I thought he would.