“Did you do these?” He addressed Augusta. She lifted her chin slightly and nodded, her big brown eyes large and shy, but her eyes never met his. He watched as her nod rippled down her long black hair. It wasn’t needle straight like most Asians, hers was an effusion of waves that gathered around her face like moths drawn to a flame. He watched her full lips tremble with nervous anxiety. He was used to this reaction, it happened often. But it never happened before with this pang of bittersweet longing. What was it about this particular girl that so tugged at him? It confused him, it was in his eyes for all the world to see. He heard Casina’s sigh and turned to her.

“What’s her name?” He asked, almost pleading. He knew he had to get through the mother to reach the child. “She should be signing her work.”

“Well, I’ll make sure she does it next time.” She just wanted him to leave, leave her daughter alone. She could sense Augusta trembling like a caged bird seeing the door open and not knowing what to do next. Torn between flying to freedom or settling for security.

“Can I make a request?” He asked Casina. She answered with a frown. It took him aback, such unabashed suspicion.

“Can she make me a painting just like this one, “ He pointed to a sunset with a coconut tree sliding off to the left. “Except, can she make it bigger?”

“How big?” Casina squinted against his green eyes.

He spread his arms to about shoulder width, “And about 3ft tall?”

“Too much money for big canvas.” She waved her hands at the small painting. “Cheap scraps. “ She hated it when she got impatient, she lost her English and it made her tell more than was asked. “No.” She finally and firmly added.

“Oh, I’ll gladly leave a deposit. After all, it is a commission.” He watched Casina thinking it over in her head. “Will $20 do it?” As a deposit, I mean, for a painting that big? I’d pay another $30 when it’s finished.” He offered.

Casina’s head jerked up. So did Augusta’s. Her eyes flew to his and locked on. She had big brown eyes, not the black agate that colored Casina’s eyes, but a dark maple syrup brown.

“Okay.” Augusta said it before she thought it. That was a lot of money, US dollars was worth 50pisos, the local currency. Fifty dollars would mean P2,500. All she had to do was paint. Of course, she’d do it. Casina looked at her sharply. But Augusta smiled at her with a hopeful gleam in her eyes, pleading for Casina to agree. Such hope and promise filled those eyes. Casina for all her huff and bluff, could not say no.

“Where is your money?” She demanded of him.

He handed it over wordlessly and smiled. Score!

“Come back in a week, she’ll finish.” Then she turned away.

His eyes took in Augusta standing in the shadow of the stall, her face open and expectant with her big, clear brown eye; that perky nose. She didn’t have the flat noses usually common among her people, instead it was a nose a plastic surgeon couldn’t have made better. He looked at her carefully, she wasn’t a full blooded Samburan, she had to be a mestizo, mixed blood. None of the other Samburans had curly hair, they all had this needle straight hair that could be threaded through a pin. Her mother had it, long, thick and black. Augusta’s had hair that cascaded, when she stepped into the sun, they looked light brown. She smiled. And he felt the world slap him in the face. What was it about her that stunned him so?

He came back the next day and the day after that and the day after that. He said he wanted to see how the painting was coming along. He’d asked, did they have problems getting the canvas? Were her painting supplies low? Can he watch her paint? He had so many endless questions and he was so eager.

“She paints in her head, she doesn’t have to stand there and watch a thousand sunsets, she only needs to see it once.” Carina lectured him. Like I wish I’d only seen you once. She wanted to say, but was too polite.

But by coming everyday, he guaranteed Augusta’s acceptance. Gradually, she relaxed around him, beginning to wait for his visit. Returning his smile more openly and unabashedly answering his questions herself.