Page 11 of Fighting With Light

“Fine, then be ready to spend some money, even though I have no idea where we’re going.”

“I already was,” I say, leaning over the door of the Jeep. That beautiful smile shines back on me and I know I’m digging myself a deeper hole. But I don’t know how else to get someone who is a total stranger to tell you things she normally wouldn’t tell people at all.

I speed out of the parking lot and the wind blows through our hair as we drive past large fields of rice.

“Where are we going?” she asks.

I swerve around a man and an elephant walking down the street before getting back on the correct side of the road. Aelia grabs onto my forearm and I try to ignore how good it feels because I can’t feel anything. This is a job as far as I’m concerned. I just really wish I had finished that program for my phone because now would be the perfect moment to grab her information off of it. I glance at her and then at the road. “Into town.”

“Okay,” she says, her tone asking for more.

“Do you like to shop at the places you visit?” I ask her.

“I do,” she says and then pins her lips together. Her hand is still on my forearm.

I look away and back at the road in case something else pops up. “I thought you might like to go to the local market. They have food there, but they have all kinds of clothes and things you might like. Plus, you can really see the town.”

“Have you been before?” I nod and make a right turn.

“Yeah, I know the island pretty well.”

She doesn’t respond. I think maybe I’ve upset her, assuming she would like to shop. “We don’t have to go if you don’t want to shop. I just figured you might like to see the island from a different perspective.”

“No, I’d love to. I’m just wondering what I’m going to get my mom.” I nod, wondering why her tone changed. It sounded almost…sad.

“I thought you might like to get some coffee, too. Bali has some of the best I’ve ever had.”

“Is that what we drank this morning?” I grin.

“Yes, it was, but it’s not like what we’re going to get.”

She hums and her nails gently scrape up and down my forearm. I force myself not to pull away, and it’s not because I don’t want her to touch me, it’s because I like ittoomuch. I find a place near the main square of the small town. This resort happens to be somewhat off the beaten path, so it’s not close to the more modern city center. Most of the area here is residential and doesn’t necessarily cater to tourists. The majority of resorts in Bali are further inland and don’t sit on the shore like the one we’re staying at. I’ve always picked this one because it’s easy for me to get out on the water.

We hop out of the car and I lead her towards the outdoor market. I grab her hand, keeping her close because for all of Bali’s beauty, there is also a seedy underworld that I’m sure she’s more than familiar with. Just like any place in this world, everything you see may not be reality for many. Sex trafficking is bad here and Aelia would be a catch for them. Then it hits me.

I glance at her and she has a small smile on her face as she looks at the temple we’re walking past and various street vendors on the street. Buildings line either side of the road as people go about their business.

Maybe it’s not drugs or guns. What if it’s humans?

Is she scoping out the area for her father to start making inroads here? If he and a bunch of other mobsters came, it would definitely draw attention, but not a young, beautiful woman who looks like she’s just here on vacation.

My hand involuntarily squeezes hers while I try to get a hold of my anger. “Are you okay?” she asks, squeezing my hand back. I nod, clearing my throat.

“This way.” I point down the street and still hold her hand. The heat of the day has set in and I unbutton a few of my buttons because I’m sweating through my shirt.

Aelia stops and lets go of my hand to look through the garments hanging on racks. There are all kinds of bright colors. Some are embroidered, printed in gold, or have a pattern over them with beautiful workmanship on the edges. Aelia pulls a dress out from the rack and it’s a pretty cherry red, making me think of the way she smells. She turns around, holding it up in front of her. “What do you think?” I stare at the dress a little longer. It looks like it has one strap that ties around your neck and it’s made to drape over the body.

“I like the color,” I tell her and then look away for a moment, looking for the potentialfriendshe brought.

“I think I’d like to get it,” she says. I turn and go over to the woman, fanning herself under the shade of the umbrella. I point to what Aelia is holding and she tells me how much it is. I hand over the bills and she gives me a small cotton bag to put it in. Holding it open, she drops it in the bag as I take Aelia’s hand and keep the bag in my other.

“Thank you,” she says.

I wink. “You’re welcome.”

We stop at a few more stores getting closer to the coffee shop that sells beans that an animal eats, then poops out, but I don’t tell her as we walk in.

She steps into the cool air of the coffee shop and sighs. “It feels so good in here. Why are we getting something hot to drink?”