“I hope so,” Josie said, and meant it.
Chloe watched Erin walk away for a moment, then looked at Josie. “I’m so glad you came.”
His sister, Josie thought. What did she say to his sister—his baby sister, as he’d once told her? “I’m so sorry that—”
But Chloe shook her head, like she knew what Josie was going to say. That she was sorry Max had been with her, in his final moments. That she was sorry she’d taken him away from them—even though she wasn’t sorry, because she selfishly wanted those moments to herself. Wanted them, and moments she would now never get. “He would have wanted to be with you,” Chloe said softly. She glanced over her shoulder, beckoned someone over, then took a breath and squared her shoulders as she faced Josie again.
Two more people were now coming to join them. A woman with the same auburn hair as Max and a man who had Chloe’s face, though a slightly wider-framed body. Max’s parents. Josie took a shaky breath.
“Josie,” Chloe said, “this is Valerie and Roger. My parents.”
Josie felt her chin wobble as she looked into Valerie’s eyes. Max’s eyes, though with a slightly softer edge. “I’m so sorry for your loss,” she said, her voice not as steady as she was aiming for.
Valerie shook her head, stepped up to Josie and took both her hands in hers. “Our loss,” she said firmly, with the hint of an American accent. “If you’re Max’s girl, then it’s our loss.”
Josie nodded, and felt the tears, never far away, start up again.
She talked to Max’s parents for as long as they all could bear, and promised to stay in touch. Chloe hovered for a moment longer when Roger and Valerie left, ready to accept more condolences from friends and family. “So,” she said. “How’s the photography?”
“Oh.” Josie lifted a hand to tuck her hair behind her ear. “All right, I guess. I did a course.” It felt wrong to be talking about something normal, something mundane, in the face of what had happened.
Chloe angled her head, the action almost birdlike. “I know. Max told me.”
That made Josie smile, just a little. “He did?”
She nodded. “He also told me about Botswana. Geoffrey,” she added at Josie’s questioning look. “My brother was good at getting information out of people.” The smile on her face shook, but held. Someone called Chloe’s name—a tall, muscular man with deeply tanned skin—and Chloe nodded over her shoulder. “I have to go and do the rounds, so to speak.” She blew out a breath, shook her head, and tears glistened in her brown eyes. “Sorry,” she breathed, and Josie shook her head.
“I’ll let you go,” Josie murmured, noticing Bia already on her way over, like she’d noticed that Josie was about to be left alone. Like she knew that she’d break if she was.
Chloe grabbed her hand before Josie could leave. “What I meant to say is, and I don’t know if this will make it better or worse, but he hoped you’d take it.”
Josie frowned. “What?”
“Botswana,” Chloe said. “He hoped you’d take the job there.” She paused, then smiled, her gaze going distant for a moment. When she looked back at Josie, her eyes were brighter. “He thought it might make you realize how much you shine.”
Part Six
December Again
Josie sat on the sand around the fire, her knees to her chest and arms around her legs. The fire was sparking as it heated up, getting ready to barbecue—or brai, as they called it here—the boerewors. To her right, Charlotte was chatting to one of the rangers, and on her other side the two helicopter pilots were laughing at something on one of their phones. For a moment, though, she was content just to sit, to let the sounds of the people around her mix in with the sounds of the night birds beginning to stir, as she watched the African sun set. The colors were incredible here, glowing orange that seemed like it was scorching the sky, fading to pink like it was being slowly extinguished. They’d picked a point tonight, for their Christmas brai, higher up than usual—though still in the safety of the park where no curious leopards could wander in—so they could watch it right until the last moment.
She took a sip of her ice-cold Savanna, allowed it to slide down her throat, grateful for the relief it brought after the intense heat of the day. Charlotte caught her eye and smiled, cocking her head as if to check Josie was OK. Josie smiled and nodded, and Charlotte went back to her conversation.