CPOV

I've never underestimated the power of technology in the past, especially now as I see the woman smiling before me, one who was not in the next room or even the next state but was a few continents away, a few worlds away if you compared where she lived to where I did. I will never underestimate the power of people again either, especially those who have so little but can achieve so much.

"How is Beauty," Dembe asked me.

"As beautiful as ever," I told her, unable to control my smile when I thought of my girl. "She's started back at the university now, teaching the next generation how best to work the land."

"Ana was born to teach others, she has that, that…. She speaks from the heart, is passionate about what she talks about and has that natural ability, that's what I was trying to say before. The natural ability to pull people in. She gets them interested in what she has to say, even if they weren't before they entered the room."

"I agree, how are things there. The items that left here last week, have they reached you yet."

"Yes, they are filling many mouths and bellies, not forgetting the minds to how best to help themselves. I thank you, there are thousands here that thank you as well, Christian."

"It's Ana's work, I'm just helping as much as I can. That's why I wanted to speak to you, find out what more I can do."

"You could pick up a spade, plant some seeds" she teased.

"I wish I could do that, spend some time in the memory garden."

"It will always be here Christian, whenever you want to visit."

"We'll be back," I told her, probably sooner than either Ana or Dembe realises, if things go the right way.

I ended my video call with Dembe after we had spoken about the project her town was doing to get proper sanitation that could do with some more funds, funds I assured her they would have. Pulling the file I had been working on from my drawer, I headed over to the couch and spread the papers from the file out on the coffee table before me.

So much had changed since Ana joined me in my office and we had sat nervously on this very couch, so much had changed for the better.

There are still something's that never change though, some people who would like nothing more than to knock me down a peg or two and they are happy to take anyone with me on the way, the gutter press, the Nooz, in particular, leading the way. They believed the lies that were put out, revelled in the stories they published about me being with a different woman every night. Being with one woman, the only woman I have ever loved was of no interest to them so they continued to dig and were now being slapped with a lawsuit for continuing to write lies about Ana, those amongst others that said she was only with me for the money I had.

Anyone that knows Ana knows that she is interested in nothing like that and if I gave to her every penny I had, she would only give it back.

"You're so lost in thought that you didn't hear me enter, that's got to be a first" Ros spoke, making me jump. She was right as I had been reading and rereading the papers before me.

"Shit Ros, knock next time."

"And miss you jumping, no thanks" she laughed. "T. R. is this a new company you're pursuing," she asked, seeing the initials at the top of the page.

"No," I spoke quietly, pulling the papers together before placing them into a pile on my lap.

"What is it," she asked as Andrea entered with my cup of coffee before I asked them both to take a seat on the chairs before me.

They knew about Ana, about my trip to Africa but up to this point, neither knew about my child. I wanted something in addition to the memory garden to remember my child by, something that in turn will help others. Don't get me wrong, I love the pebble, the initials on the tree that are there, I just wanted to add to it. To do what I planned though, I need Ana to agree.

"I want to set up a charity, one that helps the underprivileged including helping girls go to schools who live in far off countries, to helping those who need that bit of help here. I want to put food on the tables of those who have none, create jobs for those who are desperate for someone to just give them a chance. We have job openings in many of our companies, all with experience needed written in the advertisement, I want that removed. None of us started a job, knowing every detail. So many have the skills out there, they just need the opportunity, for someone to have faith in them. In Africa..."

"That place changed you," Ros said, smiling at me.

"More than you could ever know. I met people there, Akiki, he must be close to my father's age but he was still fixing things around the home, still carrying heavy loads and was always eager to learn more. Youth is something we've always looked for especially when it comes to IT. job opportunities, the bright minds of the future, the freshest faces straight from the classrooms. It shouldn't be like that though, age shouldn't be a barrier to achieving a good job even if someone has to take the time to teach them the skills first. Eagerness, punctuality and a thirst for knowledge are what I want to be looked at first when we employ people in the future."

"Are you sure?" Ros asked.

"Of course."

"Good, when I leave here, I will be employing a proper assistant."

"What's wrong with…. what's her name" I asked making her laugh.

"Paige. She's shit at her job and can't go to the copier without stopping for a chat at the coffee machine first. When you started this company, you wanted it to be fresh and new as there was nothing remotely like GEH around and the work we do. Bright minds you always told me and maybe I was wrong but I interpreted that as young and someone always on the go. A couple of months ago, when I was interviewing for the job of my assistant a man came in. He was lovely, very knowledgeable and didn't jump or run when I shouted at Clara who you know was leaving and told her to do her job. He just raised his eyebrows, ignored my tantrum just like Andrea here does with you and waited for me to continue. I didn't employ him as at the time, I didn't think he would fit into the company as well as some of the others I'd interviewed. It was that and the fact that he had just finished treatment for cancer and with how fast the pace can be here in this building, at the time I thought it might do him more harm than good."

"Call him, speak to him and see if he is still interested in the job if you think he can do it. I apologise if you've let people go because they didn't fit into the mould that I had set for this place, truth is it is all part of the facade to hide the man you see now."

"We realised that a long time ago Christian," Andrea said. "We've seen you even when you haven't been able to see yourself."

"She's right you know" Ros agreed, "Now who or what is T. R. that is written on those papers you're holding tightly in your hands."

"Theodore Raymond or Tilly Rose Grey, my child" I admitted, stunning them both.

"Your child" Andrea whispered.

"Yes, mine and Anas…. They're no longer here, Ana lost our child when she was seventeen. I didn't know until I found her again, didn't know she'd been to hell and back on her own. Even though they never grew to take their first breath, I want there to be something of them if only in their memory on this earth."

"I don't know what to say, except I'm sorry and how can I help," Ros asked.

"How can we help" Andrea added."

"I need to speak to Ana first as this is just an idea at the moment that has been running around my head but I would like to set up a charity, a foundation of sorts in my child's name."

"Anonymously," Ros said and I knew what she was asking.

To set up something through my company, something associated with me will bring forth questions of who T. R is. Anonymously would be easier even though most charities need publicity to survive. I had more money than I would ever need though and could fund anything I desired.

Would that be hiding though, I didn't want that, I'd done enough of that throughout my life. I needed to speak to Ana, hear her thoughts on my plans because T. R. wasn't just my child.

"I'll let you know" was my only reply.

I left work, heading home to an apartment that was too quiet. I planned to leave early after a meeting tomorrow, arrive on campus and surprise Ana before she left for the day. One weekend in Seattle and one weekend at her home was how we were managing things at the moment, something Rose loved. While I was there and Ana tended to the animals, the shop as well as going through her students work, Rose was finding all the little odd jobs she thinks as a man I should be able to do around the farm, the home. As of this moment, apart from trying to fix the outdoor tap that was still leaking, one that gave me more than a shower much to the ladies amusement, I got stuck in and fixed and mended it all.

I was unsure at the moment if Rose just enjoyed having a man around the house or if she was making me prove in the little things that she asked me to do that I could look after Ana. Not look after her in the monetary sense but in the lifestyle, Ana chose to live. To spend my life with Ana even if that was knee-deep in the dirt or shovelling animal shit, I welcomed it all.

"Would you like a glass of wine with your dinner?" Gail asked, placing my meal before me.

"No thank you, just the water" I replied as she quickly returned from the kitchen and placed the cooled bottle of water and a glass before me. "I will clear away once I'm finished, go and enjoy dinner with Taylor, Gail."

"Thank you" she replied, not needing me to repeat that she was relieved not just for this evening but until I returned from Vancouver on Sunday.

I was eager to speak to Ana with no interruptions from anyone but as she was back at work now and once the day was done would still spend time in the greenhouses before going home to spend time with the animals, I would wait for her call.

Thankfully I didn't have to wait long as her breathless voice came down the line.

"Ana, are you alright, what's wrong," I asked, worried at how out of breath she was.

"I'm fine, I've just been running around the yard."

"What, don't you get enough exercise during the day going back and forth between buildings."

"I do, but we had an uninvited visitor here."

"What's happened, are you ok," I asked.

"We're fine, now. I don't think I've ever seen grandma move so fast. Remember that image of grandma with a shotgun, yeah I just saw that now." I wanted to laugh at that image but I was too worried about what had gotten them both out of the house in the first place. Thankfully Ana quickly continued explaining. "I'd put the alpaca's to bed, made sure all the other animals were alright and I was just making a cup of tea for grandma and me when I heard a racket from the barn. I opened it up, nearly getting knocked over by Barnard and the girls in their need to escape. Mike and Sully are alright, I think Barnard was protecting them all because in the hayloft of the barn was a coyote looking down."

"Shit Ana, are you alright."

"I'm fine, grandma's fine, it was just a shock seeing it in there. A blast from the gun in the air had it running. There was a little blood and none of the animals is injured so I think it must have come from the coyote and it had gone in there while the alpacas were in the field, maybe to lick its wounds, or more like lying in wait as even injured I doubt they would miss out on an alpaca buffet."

"All the animals are fenced in" I stated, knowing that area very well by now.

"They are and while they're in their enclosures, nothing can get in. The barn has other ways in, the main door we use to place hay, alfalfa and other supplies in is usually left open most of the day even though it's closed off on the alpaca's side. I need to go around the whole property, grandma said Robert's cattle had damaged one of the fences connecting our properties while I was in Africa but it had been fixed. I will go around checking everything tomorrow hopefully before I go to work. You know if there is something that needs fixing, grandma will assign it to you, your job for the weekend."

"Bring it on" I replied, hearing my girl giggle.

"I love you."

"I love you, Ana. I can't wait to hold you and kiss you and cuddle you in bed and make plans for when I get you back here."

"You know grandma can be deaf when she wants to be, has selective hearing too to what she doesn't want to hear. I'm sure if she heard any noises coming from our room, she would act as if it hadn't happened."

"Please Ana" I laughed. "She would grill me on my intentions regarding you before flicking me in the ear."

"Knowing grandma, she probably would" she laughed. "Now, how's work."

"Busy as always. I have something I want to speak to you about when I see you, about a decision we both need to make."

"Sounds ominous, should I be worried," she asked.

"No, god I hope not anyway."

"Well, I look forward to the conversation then, in between a few kisses here and there."

"I can't wait Ana" I replied, wanting nothing more than to hold her now.

….

Rising above Grey House, I waved to Taylor, hovering for a second before I turned in the direction of Vancouver. This was the perfect way to travel to Ana's, the quickest way and as I flew high above the city before me, I smiled remembering our journey here last weekend.

Ana had flown many times in a plane but it was her first time in a helicopter. I think she squealed and laughed for most of the way, especially those few seconds I let her take the controls.

I'd found a place close to the university where I could leave the helicopter, a helipad on top of a small building that was no longer used. Landing her perfectly on top of this building, I picked up the car I had left here, setting off in the direction of the university, knowing I will have to navigate the whole campus to get to Ana on the other side.

Ryan would be here somewhere, I had informed him about my plans before I left, with Reynolds they were Ana's CPO's. They kept their distance, thankfully being allowed to stay in a security office close to the greenhouses where Ana liked to spend most of her day. They looked out upon her unless she was moving between buildings, only going back to the security office once she was safely inside. My donation to the university had grown just so there would be no complaints from them at her having security here. I doubt I would've heard any though because Ana was too important to them, not just for the department she worked in but at the university as a whole. Her work had been read by people all around the world, some who have offered to fund the research too just so they can have quick access to the results as soon as they come in. They would never turn down a penny here even though other donations could never top mine. Paying the amount I do also gives me unrestricted access to wherever my girl maybe.

Spotting Ryan as I passed the security office and hearing about what Ana had told me about the coyote she had come face to face with the night before, I wished her CPO's had been there to deal with it, both though staying at a property down the road. I think they would've ruined Rose's fun though who the more I come to know her is more than capable of dealing with any uninvited guest, animal or human.

Parking as close to the greenhouse as I could, I walked the short distance, making sure I didn't disturb any classes that were going on inside.

"Christian" I heard my name called as I turned around to see Jasper with a smile upon his face as he approached.

"Jasper, how are you," I asked as he reached out his hand for me to shake, before quickly pulling it back.

"I'm fine, sorry, gardeners hand" he stated, holding up his filthy hand to me.

Holding mine out for him to take, he laughed, shaking my hand.

"I didn't know you were working here, last I heard on the trip you were going back to working at the garden centre."

"I do on the weekends but there was an opening here, an assistant of sorts. I get to help the professors teach and when the students act up, I sit back and watch the masters at work."

"Have you been in Ana's class yet?" I asked him.

"This morning, yes and I'm in one of her afternoon groups too. As with previous years, Ana likes to take on the ones who some class as challenging, she doesn't mind being assigned those who need a little more help. The schollies, the rich kids call them. Those on a full scholarship who wouldn't have been able to be here if they hadn't have gotten that. I myself was one of those challenging schollies once upon a time."

"You turned out all right" I laughed as we entered the greenhouses.

"Yes, thanks to Ana and that never-ending patience that she has."

"What's this year's group like then," I asked.

"Most eager to learn, a few quiet ones, as well as the usual, know it all's. Those are the ones who got in after each schollie had been offered a place in her class. Those that had daddy pay for their course. Everyone knows of Ana's work around here, all who signed up for this course wanted to be in one of her classes and because of numbers and how many can fit in the greenhouses safely, many didn't. Professor Richards has already had many wanting to transfer, many parents calling up that they want their brat in Ana's class and they should have priority over those they class as getting a free ride. Getting here without needing a scholarship is a free ride as far as I'm concerned as they never had to fight for their place."

"I'm sure Ana will have everyone working to their best, even if she has to knock some down a peg or two upon the way," I told him, making him laugh as we walked through the greenhouse to one where at the other end, the students were filing out.

There were a few that stayed behind wanting those last few encouraging words about the work that had been set for them, hearing Jasper say he will see me around, he too left before there was only Ana and me who at present was at a desk sorting through papers the students had left behind, a desk that had a large filled pot in the corner, one that made me smile.

"Tillandsia" I whispered when I was a few feet from Ana, making her spin around so quickly I had to catch her before she tripped and fell to the floor.

"Christian" she squeaked out my name before her arms came around my neck, holding her to me.

"Hey baby" I whispered, placing a kiss upon her lips. "Miss me."

"Always" she replied before crashing her lips to my own.

I had missed Ana this week, missed everything about her, from her beautiful smile to the taste of her lips on my own. It had been too long since I had kissed her last, five whole days since we had parted on Sunday night. It was a cough that broke us eventually apart, a cough and a chuckle from a friend. I had to remember where I was then as Jasper told Ana he was leaving for the day before his words of nothing's changed reached my ears. I also had to remember to hold Ana in front of me until my arousal faded away.

"You're a minx" I teased, taking her hand to which, I placed a kiss upon it.

"Excuse me, it was you who kissed me first, and in my place of work," she laughed.

"I apologise" I replied with a smile and she knew I wasn't sorry at all.

"You're early."

"I would apologise for that too but I won't. I had nothing on this afternoon that couldn't be moved or dealt with by another so I decided to come early, surprise my girl as you said Friday's are an early finish for you."

"Consider me surprised" she spoke, placing a kiss upon my lips. "So happy you're here too."

"Me too Ana, do you still have work to do," I asked looking at the papers.

"No, I have these papers to look over, mark, which I will do over the weekend."

Ana put away everything that needed to be put away as I held the papers she had been sorting out when I had approached. Making sure to find Professor Fielding on the way out who still had his final class to teach and would lock up this evening we headed over to the car or cars.

"I didn't think this through" I laughed, thinking what I could do with my car so I could drive with Ana.

"Where were you hiding this one," she asked.

"Where I leave Charlie Tango."

"Why don't we take it back then, we can use mine over the weekend and then I can drive you back when you have to go home."

I liked that idea, knowing that the journey was shorter to the helipad than it was to her home. Quickly dropping it off, we headed home.

"Did you get to look at the fence?" I asked.

"Yes, at first light. I found where it got in, it's going to need fixing. The structure, the wood of the fence is sound but the wire that keeps everything out needs replacing. The hole, it's not in the part where Robert said was broken so I need to go around the whole perimeter, check every inch of it to see if there are any more gaps, my job for the weekend as well as everything else that needs doing."

"My job for the weekend Ana" I stated, making her laugh. "How's Barnard."

"You mean now he's had his nuts chopped," she asked, making me wince.

"Yes, poor boy" I groaned.

"Up until last night, he'd been quieter than normal, not pushing his way to the front of the group for attention as he used to do. Last night though, it was like he was back to his old self, guarding his family. I suppose that's what to some he is now, no longer used for breeding but as a guard. To me though, he's my pal, my Barnard."

"I don't think anything would stop him from protecting his own Ana, none of you."

"I know, I do sometimes regret having him done but having to separate him from the others would've been more painful for him. If we had a big herd, one where we kept the boys and girls separate and he had others to bond with it would've been easier and the operation wouldn't have been needed but we kept the group small intentionally, they were meant to be just pets after all" she smiled.

Arriving home, Ana's home, well my home for the weekend, we passed the shop and drove around the back like we usually did. Ana told me on the way that the barn door the alpaca's use she locked this morning, the field shelters sufficient enough to keep them warm and dry should the weather turn. It had been calm though, warm enough that should they need to spend the night in them also, they would be safe until the perimeter fence is fixed.

I was happy to see the animals, excited to see the alpacas were just as happy to see me as I was them. Mike and Sully had grown even in the days since I had seen them and were happily by their mother's sides. There was no panic surrounding the girls and the cria's but Barnard was another story altogether, he was on guard.

He approached me cautiously at first once he had checked nothing else had entered with us. Running my hand from the top of his head down to his back, I smiled when he booped his nose to my cheek.

"Now that is trust right there" I heard grandma say behind us as she approached the fence.

"She's right you know. Barnard would never put his face to yours if he didn't trust you" Ana agreed.

"Well I'm very honoured" I smiled, putting my face close to his to which he once again touched my cheek. "We're in this together" I whispered so only he could hear. "We'll protect our family, together."

All the alpacas had been greeted before I left the enclosure, Mike and Sully making me laugh. They had certainly found their legs and liked nothing more than running around, keeping their mothers in sight at all times though. They also loved just like Mopsy was doing now, to roll around in the dust.

"You should see them with the hose" Ana giggled, laughing at the alpaca's antics.

"Hose?"

"Yes, when the weather gets too warm, we have to hose them down. Their bellies, their armpits, are they armpits if they're for legs" Ana said, looking to grandma who just shrugged with a smile. "Whatever they are, they love them being hosed down and I'm sure the cria's will too."

"You don't wet their backs," I asked.

"No, their wool is maybe four, five times warmer than sheep's wool and with it being water retardant, hosing down their backs will give them no relief at all. The pool" Ana said, pointing to the far corner where it looked like a children's paddling pool resided. "Barnard will get in there and cush down submerging his belly and legs under the water."

"I would love to see that" I laughed.

"You can fill it up over the weekend," Grandma said. "You could also help by..."

"Fixing the fence" I added, seeing her smile as we left the enclosure and I kissed the old lady on the cheek.

"Now I get attention" she laughed as we had bypassed the house and come straight to the animals.

"I save the best for last."

"Smooth talker" she laughed. "Come, I've made some iced tea."

…

The iced tea was nice and I'd had many glasses of it over the course of the weekend and like in Africa I certainly built up a sweat. I repaired the fence, many parts of it some that just needed a nail or two and other parts that needed replacing completely.

I had just finished my last part, a complete section that I had just replaced while Ana had been not only working in the shop but marking the college papers when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"You have my blessing son."

"What, to fix all your fences," I said to Rose who was standing by my side admiring my work.

"That and to make my granddaughter yours forever if that is what she wants."

"Thank you" I replied, looking down to the old lady, smiling as she too had sweat and dirt on her face. No matter the age, no matter the place whether here or Africa, we all got stuck in.

We left the fence line behind, certain now that nothing else could get in unless it could jump the fence. Anything that tried, I'm sure would meet the barrel of this old lady's gun, only after getting cut up on the top wire.

"Dinner's on" Ana called out, emerging from the house, no longer in her jeans of the day but in a beautiful summer dress.

We will be in September tomorrow, Ana's birthday now only days away. The plans for that day have already been made and are known to everyone who will be in attendance, everyone but my girl.

"Thank you, dear" Rose spoke, walking into the house to wash up.

I wanted to pull Ana towards me, kiss her senseless now we were finally alone with not a chore or a task to distract us but I couldn't. I was filthy, she was clean and I didn't want to do anything to ruin the beautiful sight before me.

"I need to clean up" I whispered as I now stood inches away from her.

"You do, you smell as I normally do" she giggled. "Go clean up while I plate dinner up then you can kiss me like I know you want to do once grandma has gone to bed."

"Kiss you like last night," I asked, placing a chaste kiss upon her lips, keeping my clothes, my hands away from her though.

"And the rest" she smiled, kissing me back before I stepped away.

"I look forward to it."

I went up to our room, putting the shower on as I stripped out of my clothes. Being in here now, thinking of the room I had walked thought brought memories back of last night. I shouldn't have let my thoughts go there, thinking of Ana's body as I made love to her, trying not to make too much noise. Rose, I think has bat hearing despite what Ana said of her being dead to the world once she was asleep. From the smile or was it a smirk on her face as we went down to breakfast this morning, she knew.

Once I was clean, I turned the water to cold needing the shock to get rid of my arousal at the thought of Ana's body against mine in here. It did the trick until I was getting myself dry, pulling boxers from the drawer which were right next to Ana's panties causing thoughts of removing Ana's to once again fill my mind.

"I need to get out of here" I groaned, closing the drawer before I quickly got dressed and left the bedroom.

Joining Ana and Rose for dinner, a meal my girl had beautifully cooked my thoughts after went to the papers I had brought down with me, ones that had been on my mind all day but to this moment I had been putting off.

"What's on your mind," Ana asked as we sat on the porch, Rose inside the house now catching up on some mind-numbing TV.

"I wanted to speak to you about something."

"About what's in that file," she asked, looking back through the door and to the file on the table.

"Yes," I replied, getting up to retrieve it before I joined Ana once again placing the file in her lap.

"What is this."

"An idea," I said, nodding for her to open the file.

I watched as Ana opened it, taking out the papers from within. She read each one of them, each one a different idea or part of the charity I wanted to start.

"Christian this is wonderful, this could help so many people, not just here but across the world."

"I want to do something, I want to be a part as much as I can with the charities that you set up, with the work you do but I also want to do work in areas not just with feeding people but with jobs for these people too. I know I've only just put money into charities before, signed that cheque with no real thought of where it would end us and who it would help. Seeing the other side of that money, who it does help, maybe I was afraid to look before because I knew I would see a malnourished child just as I was."

"I love you" she whispered, placing a kiss upon my lips. "It's ok to look Christian even if what you see is your greatest fear. It just means we work harder to achieve your goal, helping them. With regards to setting a charity up, whatever you want to do Christian, I'm with you."

"I love you, Ana, so much" I smiled nervously before I pointed to the top of the page and the initials that represent two names.

"T. R." she whispered.

"Yes, I wanted to set up this charity, a foundation of sorts in their name. To do that though will no doubt bring questions especially if it's associated with my company, my name. I just want to do something, something like you've done to keep their memory alive, something to acknowledge they were here if only for a short time. I don't want to hide the fact that I'm a father, even though our child is no longer here."

"You don't have to Christian. If you want to do this then do it, you have my complete support."

I took the papers from Ana, pulling her onto my lap before I kissed her until we needed to take a breath. I know questions will be asked as to who T. R. was once this charity was set up, would we tell people, that would be up to us.

All I know is that their life will be celebrated and many will be helped upon the way. If people have a problem with that, especially when it came to teaching girls, with the struggles Dembe originally had, then tough. Every child has a right to learn no matter the sex, like a flower, they have a right to grow and flourish. Those that never have a chance to do that will never be forgotten, they will always be remembered I will make certain of that.

Thank you for reading.

We have Ana's birthday next chapter and all the fun that comes with that.

Until then, take care.

Caroline.