Caged Heat(3)

“Thanks, Jonas. I loved her…a lot.” Her voice wobbled. Ginny had been the only mother she’d ever known. She swallowed against the knot in her throat.

“I know, dear. She wanted you to have her house. And she made me promise to tell you that if you were to run into any trouble, you should call on your neighbor. I have his information around here somewhere. Give me a moment to get it for you—”

She cut him off with a negative shake of her head. “Leave it. I need some sleep, or I’m going to pass out on the floor.”

“I’ll come by and visit you in a few days. Bring any papers that are relevant for you to keep. You should consider finding a lawyer.”

She stood, her muscles screaming from exhaustion, grabbed her bags, and followed Jonas to the door. “If you were good enough for Grandma Ginny, you’re good enough for me.”

Once again she hauled her luggage while dragging her tired body out of the room.

Outside the hotel, she stopped a taxi and gave him her address. As soon as she got to the house, she dropped her bags in the living room and walked up to her bedroom. The room was still clean and tidy, just as she’d left it before her first trip five years ago. After four years in Somalia and one in Brazil, she was finally home. Ginny had been happy to endorse the charity and support Sam’s commitment to volunteering. When she’d told her grandmother she was going to teach children in the jungle how to read, Ginny had doubled the donations for that program.

She stripped off her travel clothes and opted for a shower. The next day would be soon enough to decide what the information Jonas had given her meant. When the warm spray kissed her skin, she closed her eyes and sighed. Her thoughts drifted back to the last thing she’d done in Brazil. She’d been witness to a wedding. A man and a woman over a decade younger than Sam’s twenty-seven years were joined in marriage. The couple had been so happy, and exchanges of animals and other gifts had taken place.

At that moment, she focused on the fact that she’d been alone for a really long time. Her last relationship had been years back when she’d dated another teaching volunteer in Somalia. He decided to cut his time there, and they knew their casual relationship was over. She had stayed, and he never asked her to go with him.

Sadness and longing enveloped her, making her almost shiver with the intensity of emotions. She donned her short-and-tank-top pajamas and threw herself onto the bed. She missed her grandmother, and her family hated her because her mother had been the black sheep. Since she had no romantic ties, she was well and truly alone. After seeing so many children and helping care for them, she realized she wanted a family of her own. What was she doing?

She sighed and pushed away the depression. This was not the time for a pity party. She hadn’t met any men in the jungles of Brazil, but she was back in civilization now. The town of Black Meadows wasn’t very big. Still, she could always call on her best friend to help her meet some people. Yes, it would work. All she had to do was try and get out there, socialize, and something might flourish. But first, she needed to polish her social skills, and Natalia would help her.

As if summoned by her thoughts, her cell phone rang, and a photo of Natalia’s smiling face filled the screen. She placed the phone to her ear and opened a window to allow the air to circulate. While it didn’t smell bad, there was staleness inside the bedroom she needed to get rid of.

“Hey, Nat.” Exhaustion pulled at her, but if she ignored her best friend she’d never hear the end of it.

“Sam, I’m so sorry I couldn’t get you at the airport. I was stuck in a meeting out of town, but I’ll come see you as soon as I get back the day after tomorrow.” Natalia’s soft voice was clear across the line.

Sam sighed. “It’s all right. I’m about to get some sleep. I’ve been traveling for twenty-four hours, and I’m exhausted.”

“I’m sorry, chica. Give me a call as soon as you wake up. There are things I need to fill you in on. You’ve missed out on a lot while you were gone. Have you seen your neighbor yet?” Nat’s voice sounded excited.

Sam yawned. Now that she’d taken a shower she felt ready to drop. “No. I just got back from seeing the lawyer and was about to fall into bed when you called.”

“Call me after you speak to him!” Nat’s enthusiasm traveled through the line. “Anyway, get some rest. I’ll talk to you later. I’m glad you’re back safe, Sam. Te extrañe. I missed you a lot. Video conferencing once a month is not the same as having you here.”

“I know. I’m glad I’m back. I’ll call you later.” She shut off the phone and fell into an exhausted and blissful sleep.