The following morning Tinashe was first to wake up and she walked away from the group with her bag. She found a way to fix the torn part on her chest and decided to look around. It was before sunrise and she looked to the east, the sky over there was turning to an orange colour. She took out her camera and took a picture. "So beautiful." She sighed looking at the picture before looking up again.
"If you hadn't been so clingy you'd be at the hotel in Cape Town right now." Jin's voice sounded from behind her and she didn't turn around. He added, "Maybe you are the bad luck." His voice sounded a little bitter when he finished speaking.
The young woman jumped off the rock she was sitting on and almost tripped on the long dress. Instead of trying to catch her, Jin reflexively avoided her by taking a step back. A self derisive smile lifted her lips. She picked herself up from the ground and raised her hand that had the sparkly large blue diamond, "Were you serious when you said that you were off limits to me and I'll only ever own this ring in our marriage?"
The man's cold eyes landed on the diamond then back at her face, "What do you think?"
She nodded, "I think you're right. It's been months that I have tried and at the end of the day I still own this cold ornament but I like it. I like pursuing you and wearing this thing and show it off to my comrades." she looked at her hand with a smile, "No matter for how long I look at it, it's just a shiny cold thing that belongs to your family and I own it now." She chuckled then looked up at him, "Just like you, a shiny cold thing that I own."
Jin laughed coldly, taking a step forward and suddenly pressed his hand on her neck making her choke, "You don't own me, woman. You're just some little bitch that my family blackmailed me into marrying. You should listen to your new friend's story. He makes a point." He pushed her away freeing her from his grip. She was so stubborn that she didn't even cough when he let go and just pulled herself up from the ground and dusted the ugly dress.
"You're right, Jin Nan." She looked up at him stubbornly, "But you're just going to have to be owned by me." She turned around and sat back on the rock. The sun was already coming out. "Go back, if she wakes up and doesn't see you she might get scared. She is like a baby." She said and continued taking more pictures ignoring him. After some time when he left she jumped off the rock and took her back then walked away.
*
It has been almost two hours since Tinashe left and Gavriel was pacing around near the fire anxiously. He ran a hand in his hair in frustration, "We looked around everywhere, where did she go? What if she was eaten by lions?"
"Shut up." Jin's cold voice sounded. He seemed spaced out as he looked the direction Tinashe had been sitting when he saw her earlier. A pair of slender arms wrapped around his waist and he turned and saw Amy, "What are you doing?" his voice was just as cold.
"You seem worried about her." she said coyly, "I'm jealous. Did you forget what she did?"
"I'm responsible for her." He told her flatly. "I'll have to answer for it if she goes missing."
The woman shrugged and bit her lower lip then in a cute voice said, "I just don't like it."
Jin smirked and didn't say anything. Amy leaned her head on his chest smiling. It didn't take long and she spotted Tinashe from the corner of her eye and she screamed holding onto Jin even tighter. Everyone turned to look only to see Tinashe walking back holding a bloody dead rabbit upside down.
She was even more surprised with everyone's shocked expressions as it was normal for her. They had to hunt for food at the end of the day.
Jin pushed Amy away gently and walked closer to her looking upset, "Woman, don't you know to report your whereabouts? Did you have to worry everyone?"
She smiled raising her eyebrows teasingly asking, "Is that a step up? Were you worried about me?"
His flat "No." made her fall from the clouds. "Your new friend was. I was just worried about what I would tell your parents if anything happens to you." He added coldly then eyed the rabbit in amusement, "Woman, how did you know to do that? Did you just kill an animal to eat it?"
A genuine bright smile lifted her lips as she looked at the little rabbit, "What does it look like? Isn't it obvious?" she said cheerfully unlike the person he had a fight with earlier, "We have no food. We can't live on nothing. This little animal tastes so nice so don't worry."
Amy was almost breathless hiding behind Jin looking Tinashe's way.
The Tinashe in the safari was a complete stranger to Jin but he realised that somehow he didn't hate seeing her like that and like she was in the morning fighting him and standing up for her own opinion than when she was all nice and agreed to every of his word carefully trying to kiss up to him every time when she clearly didn't like whatever he was saying.
The man looked at her as if he had just met the woman. She was completely different from the woman he had married who was all blunt and boring. Smiled when he told her to and waited for orders at every turn. She didn't seem to have any hobbies or dreams or passion for anything. She looked like a pampered little princess living a cushioned life but the one he was seeing now seemed to have a bit of depth that he had been eager to explore since their first real fight this morning after marriage.
He found himself walking towards her and took the dagger she seemed to hold close to her heart and started skinning the animal.
Tinashe was shocked at first then frowned, "You know how to do that?"
Jin seemed amused with how serious she was. "Go cut a few sticks to make skewers." He ordered and skilfully started cutting the little rabbit. All his life he had known about girls who could not even kill a chicken but would eat it. It made him feel proud that his wife was not disgusted with animal blood or touching the meat she wanted to eat as she prepared it.
Tinashe returned with the sticks and started cleaning them with the other dagger she kept. Gavriel came to kneel next to her and watched as she placed the neatly cut skewers on the grass. "You know, you are going to find it hard to marry a man who can tolerate your manly nature. How will you get married then?" he asked watching her in awe, "You are even better than me."
The woman rolled her eyes, "You don't have to worry about me. I'm already married." She stole a glance at Jin who was pretending not to hear them.
"To who?"
Amy placed a hand on Jin's shoulder cutting out whatever Tinashe was going to answer by saying, "That rabbit looked so cute. Don't you think it inhumane to kill it?" she looked sad seeing the meat Jin had already cut then turned to Tinashe as if she was a monster.
Tinashe looked back at her then shook her head saying, "No, it looks quite delicious in my head. After cooking it I think I'm going to love it even more." She said and everyone except Amy laughed. It wasn't like she had killed for fun anyway. Everyone knew rabbits were eaten for food and even bought them in butchers and some hotels.
"Their little families must be so worried about them right now. I can't…"
"Amelia," Tinashe cut her off, "The chickens you eat probably have children and a husband too. The eggs you eat are another chicken's children and the beef you eat is another's child, husband, wife or even parent but I've never heard you crying while holding a burger or egg sandwich that their families must be missing them." She rolled her eyes, "Stop being goody, goody in front of me. It's disgusting especially coming from someone like you."
"But how can you be so mean as a woman?" Amy's voice sounded again but a bit more accusing and aggressive which Tinashe just rolled her eyes to.
"Is that a sexist comment there?" Kylie walked over with her hands in her jeans pocket, "Come on, you should just be thankful that we are lost here with someone who is able hunt with minimum tools." She smiled at Tinashe, "How can I help?"
"You can help your husband light the fire." She turned to Gavriel, "Gav, take the herbs I brought in my bag and try to make them roast without burning them. They can work as spices and find a way to clean the wild sorrel, it's a substitute for salt."
Gavriel looked at the herbs in confusion, "Aah, which one should I roast and which one should I not?"
Tinashe left her spot and went to show Gavriel the herbs explaining their names and uses making everyone feel ignorant. When she was done she returned to her spot with a few herbs and Jin was already putting the meat he had neatly cut on the skewers. She asked, "Where did you learn to prepare a rabbit?"
"My dad taught me, you? How did you know how to hunt?"
"It's a hobby of my dad's. He used to take me to hunt all the time. You know that I grew up on the Safari because my dad loved the wild." She had a nostalgic smile when she spoke, "I took after him."
He looked at the woman feeling a little strange. She really did seem like a different person and it was hard for him to wrap his head around it. "Your mom doesn't."
She nodded, "Nope, that's why dad built a city style mansion before he married her. Our house seems half Safari and almost city." She laughed, "My mom refused to move to the city completely because she found that she loved the quite life at the safari with dad and me." She carried the skewers that were ready and got up, "You are staring. It seems as if we just met." She smiled then joined, Gavriel, Kylie and Ash at the fire.
Ash had made a nice place to braai the meat. The three men took over and prepared the meat. Although Gavriel was completely clueless he was eager to learn so Ash and Jin taught him patiently.
****
Please comment and give a review if you enjoy A way to your heart.
Love Millie❤❤