But seriously, was this a lost cause? She looked again at the calendar on the wall, at the big red X’s marking off the days, and she heaved a sigh. Somehow she had to find a way to speed things up…without Stone noticing, of course.
Ever since he’d found out she was a virgin he’d backed off. It wasn’t that he was ignoring her. He came by the school every day and greeted her with a warmth she should have no complaints about. Except that it wasn’t warmth that she wanted. It was passion, craving and even…love. But was she destined to ever find that elusive prize, particularly within the next two and a half weeks?
She set her lips in a determined pout and got up from behind the desk. If anything was going to happen she would have to make it happen. She’d always believed in creating her own destiny and she wasn’t going to stop now. She marched out of the cottage, intent on finding Stone. She had no idea what she would do when she saw him but whatever it was, it was going to take her a whole lot closer to getting married than where she was now.
But when she went to Stone’s cottage he was nowhere to be found. She went in search of Jenna.
“I’m sorry, Indie. He was called suddenly to the HBC office in Johannesburg. He wanted to tell you before leaving but you weren’t in your office or at the school.” Jenna gave her an apologetic look. “He asked me to tell you but I was swamped this morning. I didn’t get a chance to come find you.”
“No, that’s okay,” Indie said, her thoughts scattered. “I understand. I know you’re busy getting ready for the baby.” She bit her lip. She would just have to be patient. Stone would be back soon enough. Johannesburg was only two and a half hour's drive away. She turned back to Jenna. “Did he say what time he’d be back?”
“He said he’d be gone three, maybe four days.”
Three or four days. In Indie's world that was a lifetime. She was already down to the wire and then to lose that many days? Her heart sank. So near to her goal and yet so far. There was nothing she could do but wait.
But Indie did not have to wait long before excitement hit the compound. The following day she was in the classroom with the ninth graders when Kirk rushed up to the door.
“My truck won’t start. Where’s the driver?” He was breathing hard as if he’d run all the way from his house.
“Fenyang is away on holiday. He went back to his township but Dominic should be around here somewhere.” Then, seeing desperation leap into his eyes, Indie got up from her chair and hurried to him. “What’s wrong? Is it Jenna?”
“Yes, and the truck won’t start and…and…I just have to find the driver.” Kirk looked just about ready to pull out his hair.
“Boys,” Indie yelled over her shoulder, “I’ll be right back.” She grabbed Kirk’s arm. “Come on. I’ll find Dominic. You go back and stay with Jenna. Don’t leave her alone.”
Kirk ran off across the yard and Indie headed straight for the kitchen. There were not that many places on the compound where a young man could hang out and the kitchen was a likely place to start.
And there he was, resting in the back while Cook and his assistants chopped carrots on the counter.
As soon as Indie explained the situation Dominic dashed off to get his Jeep and then he was off to Kirk and Jenna’s place. Minutes later the van roared through the gate of the compound to the cheers of the ninth grade boys who had sneaked out of their classroom.
After that exciting turn of events nothing happened. Three days passed and Stone did not return. Then it was four days and then five. Meanwhile, the clock kept ticking toward her deadline.
Six days into the wait Indie heard the roar of the Jeep and it was Stone, finally back from his mission in Johannesburg. He’d called a couple of times during his absence but how could a phone call from over a hundred miles away help her?
And then, when she went out into the yard and saw him striding toward her, she knew that it hadn’t just been about the marriage. It had been about Stone. She’d missed him terribly and now, at the sight of him, she wanted to run into his arms.
But she couldn’t. Instead, she waited until he was standing right in front of her. She looked up and to her relief she could see in his eyes that he’d missed her, too.
That look in his eyes spoke volumes. It was a look well worth the wait.
******
It was three days later when they got the call. Jenna had delivered a seven-pound baby girl.
Indie could only laugh when she heard the news. “Can you imagine, they tore out of here a week ago, all because of a false labor. But I’m glad they didn’t come back. Joburg was the safest place for Jenna to be.”
“Particularly since she needed a C-section,” Stone said, then he tilted his head toward Indie. “What do you think about you and me going to the city to meet this new member of the family?”
“I think that’s the best thing you’ve said to me since you got back.” Indie knew she probably looked like an idiot with the wide grin on her face but she didn’t really care. She was dying to get off the compound, and she wanted to see the new baby. And to take a trip to Johannesburg with Stone – what better way to spend some alone time with him? “When can we leave? Now?”
He shook his head. “First thing in the morning. We can set out at sunrise and have the whole day ahead of us.”
She frowned. She would lose a whole day waiting for tomorrow to come. “What about this afternoon? After lunch?”
He looked doubtful. “None of the drivers can take us this afternoon. I would have to drive us in that case.”
Even better. No driver to get in the way of their conversation.
“No problem, though,” he continued. “I’ve traveled that route so many times I know it like the back of my hand.”
She chuckled. “You’d need to have a very big hand to cover that terrain. Just make sure you travel with a map. Better yet, get Cook to draw you one. I know there are some sections probably not on a regular map.”
He shook his head. “So little faith in me,” he tut-tutted.