The Thorn Tree Cafe

"I don't know. Can you live in the bush? I don't have a house."

Lisa grinned.

"If you get a bigger cot for your tent I can."

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We did get a house on the outskirts of Nairobi, but that was after we were married six months later. Lisa still goes on safari with me, and she's always a big hit with my clients. At first, they think it's a bit odd for a woman to subject herself to the rigors of long marches through the country, but they quickly change their minds once she shows them she can not only keep up, but usually outlast them.

It doesn't hurt anything that she always wears the same type of bush clothes with the tight trousers and open buttons at the neck. Most of my clients have never seen a woman dress like that, and at times, it's difficult to pull their attention from her to the plan for the next day. I'm sure Lisa enjoys the attention, because she never tries to change how she looks, and she smiles when she sees a man staring at her.

She did stay at our house for four months three years ago. The doctor in Nairobi was adamant that a woman in her sixth month of pregnancy had no business tramping around in the wilderness. Lisa was just adamant that there was nothing wrong with her and that if Maasai women could continue to work up until the birth of their child she could do just as well and wouldn't be working hard at all.

She argued with him for half an hour until he threw up his hands and said he couldn't be responsible for her welfare and that of the baby if she didn't stay home to rest. I finally convinced her that staying home was best by telling her we'd hire a native girl once the baby was born and she had recovered enough to come back to the bush.

Little Jack was a month old when I took them both to my base camp and introduced them to Naeku. She's a widow from the local Maasai tribe who didn't want to be second wife to her dead husband's brother. Except for nursing him, Naeku took care of Jack and while Lisa taught her English, Naeku taught Lisa to speak Maa. Now that Jack's three, they both have their hands full keeping him out of trouble. Lisa says that because he's like me, but she wouldn't have him any other way.

Last night, while we watched the sun go down over the thorn trees, Lisa put her arm around my shoulder.

"Remember that day when I told you what life really means to me?"

"Yes, I remember. I used to think about that a lot. You said it was knowing where you fit in everything. Why?"

"I came back to Africa because I thought I'd figured out where I fit. I wasn't sure, but I thought it was with you."

"That was over four years ago. Have you figured it out yet?"

"Yes. I fit right where I am, beside you in the middle of Africa with Jack being a pest to the gunbearers and porters. There is only one thing missing."

"Oh...what is that?"

Lisa stroked my cheek.

"It would be nice for Jack to have a sister, don't you think?"

"That would mean you'd have to stay home for a while again."

"I know, but it would still be nice. Do you think we could figure out how to make that happen?"

I reached over and fondled Lisa's full breast.

"I'm pretty sure we already know how. We could go to our tent and see."

"Will you take me like the stallion takes a mare?"

"As many times as it takes, Lisa, as many times as it takes."