My Promise To You

chapter six

                   Antonio led the horse back to the stable, after he'd guarded it to its shed and braced it with a plank, he whirl round to find Jeremy lay sprawled on some stacks of hay. 

He glanced wearily at him and turned to go. He stopped when Jeremy called. 

              ''pretty huh, the boss' muchachas?'' when Antonio glanced back at him, he was sitting against the wall. 

                  ''what do you mean?'' 

                ''don't you find them pretty?'' 

               ''la Mari macho or the lady in the flowery dress?'' 

              ''both. What do you say we hook up with them?'' 

             ''I'm not interested.'' Antonio told him flatly. ''besides, they're not my type.'' He began to leave. 

           ''I think la Mari macho suits you better.'' Antonio paused at that, scoffing at Jeremy's hilarious match-making before taking the remaining strides out.

             Much later after they'd freshened up, Indira took a walk into the fields. The land was vast she couldn't see the end and the sun wasn't so hot now. 

          She treaded the grids between the rows of coffee trees; its deep green leaves were damp. There were no fruits yet, only delicate white jasmine-like blossoms which she plucked and sniffed its highly scented fragrance. 

         She smiled to herself and then proceeded deeper into the plantation. She saw the worker at intervals prying out weeds from underneath the coffee trees; some stopped to greet her while others cared less. 

          As she went deeper, she pried her way through clusters of tree branches, her boots sinking into the muddy earth. With both hands, she pulled away the last branch and found herself starring at the enormous waterfall; she grinned widely, she hasn't heard the side of rushing water in a while and hasn't seen its veil-like surface that was as white as a wedding gown. 

        She closed her eyes, and imagined a dress in the form of a waterfall cascading on the ground below. The cool breeze fell smoothly across her face. She opened her eyes and went closer; resting against a large tree with roots the shape of a mandrake. 

And then she saw him again-Adonis, and he appeared to be taking his clothes off apparently getting ready to dive in. instead of looking away, Indira stared wide-eyed at his strong masculine back; strong enough to carry ten sacks of coffee beans. 

Her heart was thumping violently in her chest; it was a weird feeling. And when his fingers began to work on his burlap pants, she gasped, surprising herself. 

She wasn't ready to start having nightmares about naked guys especially not her father's foreman. 

        And as if he heard her gasp, Antonio whirled round almost immediately but she'd plastered herself against the tree panting heavily as if she'd ran a marathon. He resumed skimming the last piece of garment and Indira not wanting to see anymore bolted away; he looked back to see her cream colored jacket before she disappeared into the coffee trees.

        Indira closed her eyes and breathe out a ragged breath while placing her hand over her chest; her heart still beats faster-maybe its shock, she thought. 

When her eyes flew open, she found herself face to face with a worker who looked like he had not taken a bath for a week. 

       ''hello beautiful.'' He grinned, showing off a set of yellow teeth that was probably tobacco stained. Indira opted to walk past him but the path was too narrow and his broad bare chest seemed to take up all the space.