THE charity organisation she was a member of was having an event the next day in Essequibo, and she invited me to go with her on the trip.

“It will be a nice experience for you.”

I had never visited that region and was happy to do so now, but happier to be in her company. She picked me up early the next morning from the hotel so we could make the first ferry crossing.

It was indeed a wonderful experience for me. I was awed by the vast expanse of the river, Guyana’s largest waterway. And from a little piece of history, I learnt that the river featured an astounding 365 islands and rich wildlife.

“Amazing,” I expressed.

She introduced me to the group of six women and two men from the organisation, and one of the older women jokingly asked, “Where did you find this mystique man?”

“I found her,” I answered.

“Interesting!”

We sat on the deck, eating the breakfast that the group had served. Sitting there beside her, with the cool wind on my face and the beauty of the river, filled my heart with a new kind of love. She looked at me and asked, “Liking it?”

“Yeah, it’s great.”

It was great working alongside the group of selfless charity workers, bringing relief and assistance to the differently-abled and elderly in the community. Everyone appreciated my help, and they all seemed to like me, which was good. Better yet, on the way back on the ferry, she said to me, “You’re quite a nice guy.”

“Happy to hear you say that.”

She dropped me off at the hotel. It was late, and as sleep overcame me, I reflected on the time spent with her that day: the laughter and smiles, how we worked together, and that moment on the ferry when she leaned her head on my shoulder in light sleep.

Two women from the organisation passed by and looked at me with approving smiles, and one of them said in a low tone, “She needs that.”

I awoke late the next morning, in time for brunch at the hotel’s restaurant, and I called her to join me, but she said she was busy at the shop. I went to see her later in the day, and the shop was still busy, but she found time to talk with me.

“We’re always busy at this time of the year.”

“That’s great. Business is booming.”

I was relaxing in the small sitting corner of the shop, looking at the pictures from yesterday’s trip on my phone as she attended to customers, when her ex-husband walked in.

He saw me and approached with a displeased look on his face.

“Hmm, look who is here,” he stated.

I got up and stood there, unbothered. At that moment, she noticed him and stopped attending to a customer.

“Hi, what are you doing here?”

“Just stopped by to see how you’re doing.”

“Well, thanks. I’m quite busy here.”

“Yeah, I can see that, but not too busy having him here?” he questioned, looking straight at me.

“Is that a problem?” she asked in a patient tone.

“Just hope you know what you’re doing with someone younger than you.”

“And that’s coming from you?”

He didn’t answer her question and gave me a harsh stare before leaving.

“See what I have to deal with?” she voiced.

“Yeah, it seems like obsessive behaviour.”

She shook her head, a little perturbed, then said to me, “Thanks for standing there looking unbothered.”

“Yeah, I don’t know the guy, and I didn’t want to say anything that could have caused any more problems for you.”

I left not too long afterwards and saw her later in the evening. Knowing she would be tired, I opted for a quiet spot on the seawall so she could relax in the cool atmosphere.

“This is so thoughtful of you,” she said. “I feel relaxed.”

We had a light meal and were feeling quite content when her phone rang. It was her daughter.

“Mom, where are you?” Her voice sounded stressed.

“I’m with a friend.”

“You need to come home now.”

“Why? What’s wrong?”

“It’s Dad. He’s not feeling well.”

“But isn’t he with his family? Why are you calling me?”

“I don’t know. I just thought of you.”

“Okay, hope he feels better.”

She sighed and shook her head in disbelief. “Another drama, and my daughter always falls for it out of concern.”

I had to laugh a little. “This guy is unbelievable. He really wants to continue exercising control over you.”

“Yes, although we’ve been divorced for six years because of his constant cheating with girls half his age.”

A flicker of pain crossed her face, and she said, “The last girl was my shop assistant, and he took her on a cruise.”

I could only imagine the pain and betrayal she must have felt, and I took her hand in mine.

“Hey, you have to forget the past to live your life and be happy.”

She sighed wearily. “If only it was that easy.”

Sitting by the seawall that night, I felt that little fear in her and knew I had to stay close to give her the strength she needed. She leaned her head on my shoulder, and we sat there for a long while.

At the hotel, as we said goodnight and she turned to go, I called to her, “I forgot something.”

She turned around. “What is it?”

I stepped close, kissed her lightly and said, “A goodnight kiss so you can sleep well.”

She reacted with surprise and looked at me with something in her eyes I had never seen before. I couldn’t sleep until late that night, thinking about it.

The first thing that dawned on me in the morning was that she was starting to listen to her heart.

We met for lunch that day at MovieTowne, and she looked bright, the tiredness gone.

“Slept well?” I asked.

“Yes, blissful.” She paused to sip her fruit drink, then continued, “That doesn’t happen often.”

“Maybe because something new is happening to you.”

She looked at me, smiled, then looked away. “Maybe.”

We couldn’t have dinner that night because she had to attend an event with her daughter, so I had drinks with the businessmen after the meeting, which was the final one.

With two days left of my break, we spent more time together. We took a drive over the new Demerara River Bridge to West Bank Demerara, then went back to the city for a few cocktails at Bistro before returning to the Marriott.

This time, I did not kiss her goodnight but looked at her and asked in a low tone, “Can you stay for a while?”

She didn’t answer but looked away, then looked back at me with that same look in her eyes, a desire not so hidden for something she seemed afraid to allow into her life. I took her hand, and we went up in the elevator to my room.

The door closed, and I could clearly see now the uncertainty in her eyes. Holding her close, I whispered, “Just listen to your heart.”

To be continued…