Its four hundred and seventy six kilometers from Francistown to Kasane. With the flight, we arrive in no time. I can’t contain the excitement that bubbles through me. It is one of my dream vacation destinations. The phenomenal town surrounded by four borders. According to the brochure I held trustfully as we make our way through the Kasane International Airport.
Taylor takes my hand and smiles brightly at me seeing my excitement. I don’t know how he figured out that I always fantasized coming here (well when I wasn’t ambushing someone or something with my brain companions).
On the way to our accommodation, the elderly jovial driver indulges us (me especially) on all the cool places we could visit. He was born and raised in Kasane, so he says, worked here all his life and he knows the place like the back of his hand.
The car pulled up in front of a beautiful wood and glass cottage. Taylor explains that it is family property. My brain companions and I gawk in amazement as the car eases in front of a house sprawled on the greenly yard. There are a variety of trees in the yard. It looks like a paradise in the middle of the forest.
It’s a modern bungalow with large sliding doors and lounge chairs on the verandah. It looks much like the farm house back in Shashe but slightly smaller. I take off my shoes and my feet feels the rough/soft grass I step on. At the back of the house there is a wooden bungalow facing the vast green land sprawl for miles—well from this point actually.
A slow smile spreads on my face as the twilight moment has just begun. I take out my phone for a phenomenal picture as different hues of blue, orange and red outline the horizon. Without hills in sight it’s as if the sun is sinking below the grassland. It’s beautiful.
I turn to Taylor who walks over to me and wraps his arms around me in a slow dance to nonexistent music. I wound my arms around his neck and mirror his movements. The sun finally sets leaving us as silhouettes in the background.
‘Its beautiful thank you.’ because this has been the destination he refused to tell me about because it is his wedding present to me.
‘Glad you like it.’ He plants a kiss on my cheek, ‘this does not even compare to what you have given me.’ I turn and hook my arms around his neck and we continue to dance to a song that isn’t there. Celine’s playlist comes to my mind and I almost giggle wildly when I remember how they hovered over the DJ with Julian, one of the uncles.
‘You have given me something to look forward to in my life.’ he continues to murmur in my ear, ‘I love you.’
‘I love you.’ I whisper.
He dips me, making me gasp and giggle before he easily lifts me into his arms.
‘Put me down!’ I protest with a laugh.
‘I am carrying you over the threshold.’ He grins.
I laugh. I can’t believe I am married and I love it. I also love this place. Though a temporary escape. The serene woods and quietness does that. Provides a momentary sense of calm and safety that I know doesn’t exist in my lifetime—yet.
I am so going to stretch my arms at the back of my head and lift my feet on a stuffed stool once we get inside. All my brain companions nod in agreement.
Taylor set me down on my feet once we are inside and we take our sweet time touring the place. The cottage is facing blissful lash forests. From the large glass doors and windows we could catch a glimpse of wild life paradise.
With my heels in one hand I pad barefoot on the wooden floor enthusiastically as we tour the rest of the house. The living room is breathtaking with reed-weaved couches white couch pillows and brown pillows. In the middle is an octave shaped reed coffee table where a vase of flowers sat. Silky looking maroon-orange curtains cover the windows and pool easily onto the wooden floor. There is even a fireplace. Warm landscape portraits hung on the wall above it and I take my sweet time ogling them.
The first one is sorghum grains spilling from a weaved basket. I reach out to finger the small grains, mesmerized. The other one is a tall woman wearing a long skirt and carrying a basket on her head.
The chandeliers that hang from the ceiling is made of some coffee brown crystal which makes it look like wood and illuminates the room with a dim light that could be the replica of our own inside African sunset.
I inhale deeply before I slide the door open which leads to the back. A breeze caresses my face as I lean on the rails of the balcony and look ahead at the stretch of land. I can’t believe I will be living here all week. A chilly breeze wafts past prickling the part of my legs that my knee length swing dress isn’t covering.
I turn back to the house, Taylor is fingering the African woman carrying a basket on her head painting with so much tenderness. I watch as his fingers glide down the frame, a small longing smile I rarely see on him spread across his face. I lean on the glass door frame enjoying watching him.
His hand drops from the picture, he turns and meets my gaze his smile widens. ‘My mother was the one who had this house decorated.’ He says with a touch of sadness in his eyes, ‘I loved this place so much I wanted to make it my vacation house, she refused to give it to me. She said she would give it to me permanently when I get married,’ he scoffs, I give him a quizzical look, ‘at that time I could have sworn I would never settled down.’
I mirror his amused expression, I had the most blasphemous view of marriage as well. Until this hunk in front of me came, stole my heart and swept me off my feet at the same time. I walk over to him and kiss his lips softly.
‘I’m sure she would have given it to you anyway.’
‘Are you implying that I was a spoiled brat?’
‘Is that a bad thing?’
‘Very bad.’ He says seriously and I laugh as his fingers plough into my hair, ‘she would have loved you.’ He captures my lips in a deep kiss. I drop my heels on the floor and wound my arms around his neck and wrap my legs around his waist. He catches me and holds me in place, our lips still locked together in a slow breathless kiss. Outside the sun has finally disappeared down the horizon, its lingering presence leaving a dark orange blood red hue that signified dark fantastic dreams.
Taylor lets go of me, puts me down on my feet before hoisting me into his arms again. I plunge my twitchy fingers into his curly hair as he carries me across the room.