Guest Blogger: Jo Hedges

A Special Celebration

Thanks for inviting me here, Carol. I needed a break from my writing. This is also an important occasion and Under the Tiki hut is the best place to enjoy it.

I’m a South African expat living in Kenya, East Africa. Departing for the US yesterday, I left a dejected husband, who, because of work commitments couldn’t join me. Behind him sat a string of sad-looking cats that, for obvious reasons have to stay home! Hubby has never been to Malibu. Neither have I but as a writer I go anywhere. I’ve visited many places in that secret place in my head!

I wriggle my toes in the soft white sand and watch lazily as the azure waves lap the beach a few feet from my chair. For a moment I dwell on the fact that this is a celebration; this moment should be shared by the two people who’ve made it happen!

Oh well, no use moping about what could have been. I sip my iced tea and lean back comfortably. I’m here; the weather is perfect and the sun rays feel balmy on my skin. I intend to enjoy every moment.

I close my eyes…

I awake slowly. I know I’ve only dozed for a few minutes. I feel rejuvenated and relaxed at the same time. Squinting up the beach I see a tall, slender man approaching. Something in his swinging gait reminds me of my beloved back home in Africa.

Although my husband achieved the big six-oh this year, to me he’s still the same gorgeous hunk as when we met at school back in the mid-sixties. He was a swashbuckling 17 year-old; I, innocent as a babe, was two years younger.

The man on the beach came closer. His hair was silvery-white and curled around the ears in that endearing manner just like my husband’s does. I could almost make out his features now - he was that close – but the afternoon sun on the water caused the image to shimmer. I could see he had craggy lines around the eyes and mouth which testify to years of smiling, sometimes of sadness but mostly enjoying life.

I was mesmerised by the approaching stranger. About three meters from where I lay, he gave a little bow, dipping one shoulder and smiled at me. My senses reeled and my heart missed a beat. He was just like…

At my chair, he sank to his knees in the sand, laid a muscled arm across me and hugged me close.

“You didn’t think I’d miss our 40th wedding anniversary, did you, my love?” he said as he looked at me in that special way.

Taking my hand, he eased me off the chair and pulled me towards him. That’s my man. After all these years, I still feel the tenderness as he encircles me with his love. Arms around each other, we walked towards the Tiki Hut and the romantic candle-lit dinner set out by the cabana boys.

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I'm a writer/magazine journalist living as a South African expat in Kenya. I've been published in several SA magazines. I regularly write about for an adventure magazine about our motorbike tour through South Africa when we're on leave; I've written for a health and wellness magazine and also had an editorial on pet travel, published in a travel magazine. Recently I became a help-writer for a weekly farmer's magazine. I've had two articles published to date, with on-going stories in the magazine fast-track.

In between I work on The Great African Novel.

I've been blogging since October 2008 and write about my experiences in the beautiful valley within the Great Rift Valley. My blog is www.memorablemeanders.blogspot.com