Stepping up onto the staff veranda I greeted Ella. She was sitting on one of the comfortable wicker chairs, cradling the satellite phone in her lap. She had a resigned look on her face. I was prepared for her immanent departure but I couldn't really prepare for how I would feel about her leaving. For me she had gone from unneeded nuisance to pleasant company and probably even more. The brief kiss she had given me the night before lingered on my lips and mind.
"Well, good doctor, it looks like you'll have an unanticipated house guest for at least three more days. Unless my people can better that, next Thursday is the best they can arrange. And even that's not guaranteed." That would mean Charles was unlikely to return before then as well. Despite the risk of not having my trusted colleague a wide smile broke out on my face. I would have Ella's company for a few days more.
I replied, "Okay, so before we begin your training in administering anaesthesia I would like to show you some of the features of the area. Are you up for a short hike?" Up in the hills above the village and the WRG, the MSF facility I worked at, were some small lakes and ponds connected by a series of picturesque waterfalls. The higher ponds and the streams coming out of the hills provided the village and the WRG with its water supply. The delightful setting and views were some of my favourite things of the western Rwanda highlands.
"Yes, of course. Anything to delay the start of my medical training. Could I start by administering tablets of aspirin?"
I smirked, "Sure thing. We'll have you running the drip in no time. Lets have breakfast, pack a lunch and head out."
***
Ella followed along behind as I made my way up the increasingly steep path towards the waterfalls. The trail was originally made to access the water supply for the village and the MSF facility. It was now falling into some disuse as locals rarely visited the series of waterfalls and pools high up in the hills above town. I, on the other hand, went up frequently for the peace and solitude as well as the views down the valley. The scenery was magical and I wanted to share it with my lovely guest.
After a few short steep scrambles we arrived on the shores of the pond below the largest waterfall. Ella spun around in delight at the beautiful setting. She exclaimed, "This place is amazing. In a way it reminds me of the tarns in the hills of Scotland. With lots of trees of course." Thank you so much for bringing me here."
"My pleasure," I replied. In truth my pleasure was really about watching this beautiful girl twirling around beside the water. She was dressed in the mid calf length native wrap skirt that, while hiding her legs, emphasized her slender but very feminine curves. She had on a light cotton top, also from the village.
We sat by the shore and lazed about after lunch. Ella got up and stuck a bare toe in the water. "OOH! the water feels wonderful. Is it safe to go swimming? What about crocs?"
"Nope, nothing with big teeth up here. Too high. I've swam in here on other hikes." In truth, I found the water a touch warm for my tastes that were developed in the cool lakes and streams of Northern Ontario.
She frowned, "Adrian, I have nothing to swim in."
"Well Ella, that is a dilemma," I said in mock seriousness. I then gazed into the sky as though looking for inspiration and continued, "Suppose if I fixed my gaze down the valley at the amazing scenery perhaps you could slip into the water in the suit of your choice. I would be none the wiser."
"Such a gentleman. Seriously though, no pictures please. There's enough salacious stuff about me out on the Internet already."
"The lady's virtue will be protected. I've really only seen a couple of small boys fishing in the pond and that was only once. The villagers don't really come up here. Why? I have no idea. I love this place."
After a short silence where Ella splashed ankle deep in the water holding her skirt up, she looked at me and asked, "Would you mind looking away for a few minutes?" I turned and propped myself up on a rock and gazed into the distant valley, filling with the afternoon haze. A couple of minutes later I heard the splash as Ella submerged into the water.
"Okay, you can look now," she advised as she floated deeper into the azure coloured pond. I noted the pile of clothing on top of a rock and then smiled at the vision of the golden haired girl, the sunlight shining off her bare shoulders. Oh my! I had to get closer to this.
"Ella, you make the water too appealing to ignore. Would you mind if I joined you?"
"Yes, please do. I will scan the forest in the other direction for rare birds in the meantime."
I appreciated that as I shed my clothes and I'm not sure why. I don't know what sort of men Ella encountered in her milieu. In fact, I knew nothing about her personal life or if she even had a relationship. However, while I really don't feel particularly inadequate in the male department, I had no idea as to what standard I would be compared against. And, after all, the woman floating in the water was clearly a beauty of international renown. I quickly scrambled into the shallows and dove into the water.
What transpired next was like a dream. Any thought of keeping my distance was overcome by an irresistible attraction towards her. We bantered back and forth as I swam circles around her. From behind I admired the flex of her shoulders and the long delicious neck. From the front I tried to focus on her eyes but she smiled as I gazed down at her breasts, only partially covered by the water. Small lovely nipples broke the surface, stiff and prominent in the cool water. My body literally ached to wrap itself around her.
"Can we swim over to the falls?" Ella asked hopefully.
"I thought you would never ask. Lets go," I said as I began swimming the short distance to the waterfalls which were more like a series of cataracts flowing over the rocks. Reaching there I hesitated and then turned to Ella and asked, "Do you want to try something really fun?"
"Umm, okay, What?"
I hesitated. I wanted to slide down the last rocks into the current and jump the last bit into the turbulent water, something I had done in previous visits but it would mean fully exposing myself to Ella. "Are you okay with me getting out and climbing onto the rocks?" I asked hesitantly, not sure if she got the real point of my question.
"Adrian, I'm really not a prude if that's what you're getting at. I won't be offended by a naked man. If I seem that way its really about how public my life is. I just try to hide from exposure in all senses. Go for it please."
