Stone was casually dressed today looking like an outdoors man in army-green slacks, khaki-collared shirt rolled up to the elbows, and boots. Indie couldn’t help staring, maybe for a few seconds longer than she should have. She liked this rugged look of his. It was how she’d pictured him from the first day they’d met – big and tall and imposing against a wild landscape.
Her attire was pretty much the same as it always was – jeans, denim shirt and boots. She blended in perfectly.
Today they would be heading out to the boys’ home in Enkosi and she would meet Jenna Pringle who had been running the place for the past year and a half. She would also be introduced to each of the boys. And, before the day was out, she would get Stone Hudson to kiss her.
Indie’s lips curled at her private joke. Now where had that thought come from? She hadn’t had that in her plans for the day. Not at all. But there it was. The thought had popped into her mind and now she couldn’t get rid of it. Tessa’s spontaneity and craziness was definitely rubbing off on her. And, as crazy as the idea was, she would do everything she could to make it happen. Time was going fast and she had to get this party started or she’d be on the losing end of this challenge. And Indiana Lane was not a loser.
The journey along the highway took a little over an hour until they turned off onto a smaller road that led into more rural terrain. Eventually the asphalt road ended and then they were bumping along a dirt road which became more like a track. That portion of the journey lasted almost forty-five minutes until finally they saw the compound up ahead. They pulled up in front of a long, low building painted white with a strip of red and yellow flowers running along the length of the wall. As the Jeep pulled up in the yard a very pregnant woman with fiery red hair ran out of the front door and headed toward them. Ran may not have been the best word choice, though. Waddled would be more accurate.
“Stone!" The woman didn’t even wait for him to get out of the vehicle. As soon as she got close enough she reached into the open-back van and gave him a fierce hug.
As Indie watched she cocked an eyebrow. She couldn’t help it. Strange employer-employee relationship, where the woman felt comfortable to hug her boss like that. But then again, she was pregnant. Indie would lighten up and give her that. When pregnant, anything was possible.
“I’m so glad you came back so soon,” the woman was saying. “You would not imagine.” Then she turned to look at Indie sitting in the back seat with her bags beside her. “And this is my salvation. Thank you so much for coming.” And before Indie could even reply the woman had come around to the back seat, leaned over and was hugging her, too.
Indie couldn’t do a thing but hug her back. She couldn’t be rude, of course. And it seemed that the woman was a natural-born hugger.
The redhead pulled back then grinned at Indie. “I’m Jenna, by the way. Jenna Pringle. We’re just finishing up lunch. Come on in and meet the boys.”
She stepped back so that Indie could hop out of the Jeep and then she took her hand, leaving the men to follow them. There was no shyness about Jenna Pringle, not an ounce of reserve. She seemed to be the kind of person who would just welcome you into her home, no questions asked, no explanations expected. Was this how she’d be expected to behave in this job – effervescent and bubbly? If so, they’d have a long wait because Indie didn’t do bubbly.
Jenna walked quickly but Indie’s longer legs helped her keep up quite easily. Soon the three of them – the driver seemed to have disappeared – were in a long, brightly lit dining room with about ten tables around which sat boys ranging from toddlers to teenagers around fifteen or sixteen years old. As the visitors entered they all stood and, in unison, said a polite, “Good afternoon.” They were smiling brightly and all eyes were on Stone. It was obvious to Indie that he was known and loved.
Jenna waved to them to be seated and as they did, the previously quiet dining room began to buzz with the chatter of sixty excited boys. One of the youngest, eyes bright as stars, jumped up from his seat and ran over to Stone where he wrapped his chubby arms around a green-clad leg.
“Mosola,” Stone said with a smile and crouched down so his face was level with the child’s. “Come give me a hug.”
He got a huge smile and a hug around the neck that looked like it would cut off his air but he didn’t seem to mind at all. Stone was laughing as he hugged him back then he stood up with the child still clinging to his neck. Soon another little one ventured forward then another, until Stone was surrounded by at least a dozen little boys, all demanding their hug. And Stone delivered.
Next, he went from table to table, greeting the older boys, addressing each of them by name. Indie wondered how he remembered them all but he seemed to have no trouble and it was clear that the boys appreciated the attention.
“He really loves those boys.” It was Jenna, right by her elbow, and she was whispering to Indie. “And you’ll love them, too, as soon as you get to know them. They’re all so sweet. You’ll see-”
She was cut off mid-sentence when a bell started to ring. "Lunch time is over," Jenna shouted over the din. “Time for the afternoon classes. Follow me.”
The boys formed a neat line and without Jenna having to say a word they filed out of the dining room and off to wooden buildings that stood at various ends of the compound.
Jenna took Indie on a tour of the classrooms. “We have eleven teachers,” she said, “covering the little ones in preschool right up to grade ten. For the higher grades the boys go on to high school in Johannesburg.” They’d reached a building cheerfully painted yellow. She held the door open. “Welcome to your new home away from home. After today, she’s all yours.”
It was a neat little bungalow that seemed to serve as Jenna’s office. A desk and file cabinet sat next to the sofa in the living room, partially hidden from view by a screen decorated with African print with stripes of orange, yellow and black. Surprisingly, the bedroom was the largest room in the house, with a huge four-poster bed with a canopy from which pale white curtains fell. A closer look told Indie those weren’t curtains but mosquito netting. Smart move. She knew from personal experience how vicious the tiny insects could be.