CHAPTER THREE

Nala was typing away on her computer when a small knock interrupted, "Come in," she said, not looking away from her laptop. The door creaked slowly and a small head with nervous blue eyes looked toward her. She looked back and smiled softly, raising her hand for a wave. The little girl got in and closed the door softly, nervously fiddling with her thumbs. Nala turned away from her computer and gave all the attention to this little girl, "hey, come sit with me. I'm Nala, what's your name?" The girl stood confidently and raised her hand for a handshake it would seem, "Irina Alvarez. You're the travel lady."

Nala giggled, nodding, and did shake her hand, "nice to meet you, Irina." Irina's eyes looked around the room that Nala had tried to customize into her haven for the time she would be around. She gasped, her eyes filled with admiration, she climbed off the bed and walked to the bunch of ornaments in the box, and fingered one necklace, "it's beautiful." Nala smiled warmly and walked towards her, "here let me help you put that on."

She had her turn and raise her hair above her neck, then closed the ring, turned Irina to face her, and had the curved face of Africa hanging on her flat chest. Irina rushed to the bathroom to get a look at her gift from this stranger she just met, Nala followed her and found her trying to get to look at herself in the mirror but it was too high.

"Need help?" she asked. Irina nodded, blushing slightly. She put her hands on the kid's waist and lifted her up, enough to see half of her short form in the mirror. Irina gasped and struggled to get down, Nala understood and let her down only to be engulfed in a hug by the little girl, "gracias, Nala. I love it." Nala relaxed and wrapped her arms around the little kid. She then pulled away and asked if she would like her to take a couple of pictures of her. Irina nodded her head, excited to be a part of whatever this lady had to bring to the table.

Nala grabbed her camera and sat back on the chair next to her computer. She asked Irina to climb on the bed and face her smiling. Click. They shared a few more pictures, with really inquisitive Irina asking about all the adventures Nala had gone on, with every picture she showed, Irina wanted to hear the story behind it. She chuckled when Irina complained about not liking her school because it was far from home, which was an hour or so, but when they took the train it would be faster, but she still didn't like it. She said she would rather work in the vineyard with her father. Before she knew it, Irina was sound asleep on her bed, she did the only thing she thought right at the moment, which was to cover her with her shawl and then later go and tell Olivia to call her father for her. But that wasn't necessary anymore, not when Olivia came in to get her some food since she missed dinner. Her smile softened when she noticed the girl on the bed, "she wasn't a lot of trouble, I hope."

Nala smiled and assured her that nothing happened apart from a little chat. Olivia nodded, laughing slightly, "bambina, it's fine. She is one curious little girl, she would have found you sooner or later." Nala breathed in relief, somehow the woman believed she only had good intentions, which she had, and she just didn't always experience the kind treatment in most places she would go to. Especially finding one of your own, unconsciously sleeping in the room of a stranger. "She mentioned that her father works the grape vines, I'd like to talk to him maybe and he would introduce me to the owner of the Rodriguez Farm for me to do an article on the wine. Or maybe you could introduce me?" Olivia simply shrugged and told her she would better ask Irina's father herself, a secret smile on her face.

Olivia sat on the bed, placed Irina's head on her lap, and played with her hair as Nala ate her dinner. "I heard what happened with Bully," Olivia gave her a once over. Nala blushed remembering the stranger, Matteo, she cleared her throat, "I was lucky your ranch hand came to my rescue." Olivia chuckled with an "our pleasure."

Nala washed down her food with a glass of water, then offered to carry Irina downstairs to the main house, so she doesn't wake her up. The older woman was grateful and led the way downstairs and to the back, where the main house was.