SECOND CHANCES(A Lesbian Story)

Chapter 13

Mika climbed out of the water and stretched out on a sun lounger, leaving the pool to Vic, who had far more stamina than her. It was almost lunch time. During the morning, they had driven through the game ranch which is a transit center for wild games on translocation to other parks and zoos. Of course they had put the hood up on the car. They also had to stay inside the car for safety's sake. But it had been a wonderful experience. Mika had finally seen the animals... giraffes, rhinos, lions, zebras, elephants and a lot more.

"Hungry, Mika?"

She opened her eyes to look at her. Vic was wearing a white banded front closure halter top with matching black swim shorts. Her abs are to kill for. Her muscular yet feminine legs are to die for. She stood over her, laughing while she shook droplets of water on Mika. She did not mind in the least. It was so hot... absolute scorching, yet in the distance two peaks of Mount Kenya— Batian and Nelion, were capped with glistening white snow.

"I'm famished! Oh, Vic, look! Look! Your shadow... you have no shadow, Vic."

"Perhaps I don't really exist."

Mika grinned at her boss. "No such luck."

"Thank you very much."

"Of course!" She snapped her fingers, as if her thinking bulb lighted. They were on the equator. The sun was immediately overhead and for a short time at least, nothing and nobody cast a shadow.

"Oh, Vic, look!" She was saying it again when they went in for lunch. They were in the terrace restaurant where a buffet luncheon was being served. There was every type of salad Mika had ever heard of and a lot more she have not heard of. There were sea food, chicken dishes, steaks which were being cooked over charcoal to one's preference. The presentation of the food was an art in itself, and in the center of the main table, there was a carving of a ram which looked as though it was made from ice.

"It can't be, I realized that much. But what is it made of?" Mika was fascinated, inspecting it closely and deciding it was made from something edible. Vic suggested marzipan but she rejected the idea. One of the waiters settled the argument— it was curved from butter. It was the handiwork of one of the chefs and was kept in cold storage and brought out to grace the table at lunch times.

They took their food on to the shaded terrace and ate leisurely, drinking chilled white wine and chatting about the drive they have taken that morning.

"Mika, look..." It was Vic's turn now. She was pointing towards the gardens below them and there in all its splendor was a peacock with his feathers spread in a glorious array of color. He was not strutting, he was standing obligingly still, and Mika lamented not for the first time that she had not brought her camera with her. Her phone's memory run out that morning.

"Oh, for a camera! Just look at that! How often does one see that? I mean, they never do it when you want them to. Mga pang-asar."

"Bakit di mo kasi dinala?"

"Nakalimutan nga. Senya! Tao lang po."

Vic was enjoying the sight of her... the seriousness with which she made the protest. "You shall have a camera immediately after we're done with lunch. But I don't think the peacock will keep still that long though."

Vic got her a point and shoot camera— a Hasselblad Stellar Special Edition Digital Camera. The peacock did not keep still, of course! But there were plenty of other things to photograph— the scenery, the mountain, the lake with its little islands of gaily colored flowers and its swans. Mika was in her element, thinking this is the most beautiful day of her life. Late in the afternoon, there appeared as if from nowhere a flock of pink flamingoes— the delicacy of their color making her squeal with delight. A little later, just as the sun began its descent, a man with a wheelbarrow sauntered across the lawns, down to the lake. In no time at all he was being followed by birds of every description as he scooped a handful of food from the barrow, which he scattered around for his faithful entourage.