Ch 6, Best Laid Plans
James collected his deposit back from the bike rental place and put the cash away. Then said as nonchalantly as he could: "This was a great afternoon…Thank you…I really felt like …ahh…I had the day off!"
Teresa smiled the cute little smile she had given him when she had told him he would be working for her. And he loved it, the way it made his heart flutter! Then she said: "How about next time we rent motorbikes and go up the shore to the Big Bay?"
"Do you know how to ride one?" He was surprised by her adventurous spirit, but he had to admit that six months without any fun would be tough on anyone!
"No, but I'd like to believe you would know!" and she cocked her head at him.
He laughed genuinely: "Yes, I do…I have ridden a fair number of times before I went oversees …in the army…but in this case we can only rent one bike!"
Teresa smiled again and shrugged nonchalantly as the lineup for the Rib Festival came into view.
They waited patiently in line at the entrance of the huge park lawn that had been fenced off for the event. There were people of all ages who spoke a variety of languages and as they approached the gate where three staff were checking bags, James took out his phone and asked Teresa to stand a little further to the right. She turned back to check what had attracted his attention, and realized she was standing in front of a beautiful light blue blooming bush.
"You match the décor!" he said, raising playfully his eyebrows as she took a step to stand in the spot he had indicated. Her light blue top and light blue jeans did match the décor! The shot came out great and as she checked it on his phone, she realized all her premonitions from the other night had evaporated.
The Ribfest sported four long stands of BBQ grills that filled the air with aroma and made mouths water. Billy Bones, Sticky Fingers, Uncle Saves and Dixie Ribs, all advertised their special rubs and sauces on large billboards in front of and on top of the station grills.
There were burgers at the Tatter King Burgers, but Teresa took James by the hand and pointedly walked to the Ribs stands making it clear that they were not having burgers.
James felt starved, compliments of the aroma filling the air. He felt lightness in his heart, just as the hunger gave his stomach a light feeling. What a comparison! He smiled at the thought and looked around. There was the Slushy Arena stand selling colorful slushies, Iced Tea & Corn, Sundae & Shake, Super Churros, Best Beaver Tails, and of course the Beer Booth. He eyed the waiters coming out of there with full, sweaty pitchers.
"Maybe you should grab seats!" he suggested to Teresa as the lines of wooden tables and chairs, Oktoberfest type arrangement, were filling up quickly.
"Okay…and I'll order beer…", she quickly turned left, and he saw her go into the seating area.
His eyes fell on the Inflated Castle and the MiniGolf area where kids were running around, making noise, while cops in uniforms observed the crowd in front of the First Aid Hut.
What a great family event! He caught himself thinking. At this moment the hesitant sound of a guitar being strung came from somewhere behind him and he realized that there was a stage for a live band at the other end of the park lawn. He could see people lining up in front of it and wondered what music they would play.
He started digging out cash from his pocket as he had the unpleasant feeling that he was being watched. He looked quickly around but the crowd was the same as before, and he couldn't spot anyone looking out of place, if that concept would even hold at this venue.
The ribs had been delicious, the cold beer refreshing, and after topping up the pleasure with a churro, filled with dulce de leche, they took a walk to the other side where the stands with souvenirs and the shooting ranges were.
The live band had been playing hard rock music in English; the solo had an unplaceable accent, and as they got closer to the stage, James had no choice but to clearly hear the lyrics. I hate myself for loving you, and the things that you do…do…do.
He felt the strange whiff of eyes on him just as he realized that the lyrics somehow applied to him. Yes, he hated himself for having fallen in love with Teresa so head fast and he hated the biz she was in; the biz where they had met and where he had been years before her. He knew it was stupid, but that's how he felt now, and no amount of thinking was giving him respite as the flashbacks of the Douglas family accosted him every day.
"This music is too heavy for my liking!" Teresa announced.
"I don't mind it…but I prefer lighter rock too." He didn't mind any music and was getting a guilty feeling when his mood would drop a degree with the thoughts that bothered him constantly…because he wanted to be present, mind and body, 100% as she seemed to be enjoying herself so much.
"I'll take you tonight to this place on Main Street where they have local and…ahh… Latin music…a fiesta place…I know Pote takes Nora there…She works for Luciano, our distributor on the west end." Teresa said.
James raised his eyebrows! Pote was seeing someone! How interesting.
"Is there dancing at this fiesta place?" he ventured, and Teresa just shrugged, at which time James noted: "It seems like some of you HAVE been having fun here!"
"Maybe I'll call him to join us!" Teresa said.
"Nah…Pote won't enjoy my presence! As much as he enjoyed it in Rocco's bar when you met the Russian girls!" James noted.
Teresa seemed to think this over for a second: "You gotta have more faith in Pote!"
They had stopped in front of a souvenir stand with colorful scarves, key holders, badges, hats and whatnots. Teresa looked over the merchandise and suddenly picked up a wooden key holder in the shape of a dick and shook her head, eyes full of laughter.
James was about to say something to the seller as his eye caught a young woman with a strange beanie hat looking at them across the line of souvenir stands. The second his eyes moved in her direction, she pretended to be busy with the stuffed animals on the table in front of her. It's too hot for such a hat! His mind registered.
James discarded the uneasy feeling and looked again at Teresa's flushed face: "Are you buying this….special key holder…or just admiring it?"
She rolled her eyes at him and after leaving it back on the table said she'd like to try her luck at one of the shooting ranges further down. James nodded 'okay' and as he caught her hand in his, he used the movement to turn his head back and look for the suspicious young woman. She was two stands behind them browsing through stuff.
Teresa could shoot! She was pretty good and as James had an idea who possibly had taught her, he made the wise decision not to ask about it. But she was not good enough to win the top prize, a stuffed pink panther, and as the owner of the range made an apologetic face, that read 'I'm hitting on you big time' at Teresa, James took out another bill and told him to load the hand gun again.
"You should lean and take aim, man! That's a heavy gun!" the man was patronizing him, which somehow made James not even pretend to take aim, let alone lean like everyone else! He just lifted the gun and fired all three shots into the fast moving targets, hitting them all, one after the other.
The silence that followed was broken by the applause of the two teenagers who were preparing to shoot at the other end of the range. The owner looked funny at them, especially at Teresa's excited face, then said: "You want all three pink panthers?"
James seemed to get out over his weird moment, and said: "No, just the one!"
At this Teresa said: "Can I get the sheep pillow instead?"
As they slowly walked away, Teresa holding the soft pillow under her arm, James caught himself say: "Always negotiating, aren't you?"
She wrinkled her nose: "That's because I'm good at it…but I'm way better with you by my side!"
Rocco De La Pena was getting bored with the women around him and their constant agreement to everything he said. He wanted one that would have more spirit and would dare defy him, or at least negotiate like Teresa, the hot Mexicana, did all the time.
Then his cell rang, and he saw it was the other Mexicana, the older and scarier one. La Gobernadora!
Camila's voice sounded excited and strained at the same time as she repeated for the third time: "I rely on you …to get this done properly this time! I sent you the exact addresses where she and her team live…And your men should be able to locate where she has her cash and product before…they deal with the matter!"
"Yes, Gobernadora! My soldiers will not fail!" Rocco was certain that once Teresa was gone, getting product from La Gobernadora or his previous suppliers through Africa would not match the ease of working with the pretty Mexicana, but …What could he do when she had her pirate gang steal his girls! That was unacceptable!
"And make sure she and her men, are brought to me alive! Both her men: el gordo y el guapo! If you can get the white pirate, I would really appreciate it too! But she is a priority! I want her back in Mexico!" Camila reiterated before hanging up.