“Ok Joe. “ Casina interrupted.

“Jack, Mama, his name is Jack.” Augusta spoke softly.

“Jack, Joe…”She waved her hand dismissively. “Money?” She demanded.

He laughed and gave her three crisp $10 bills, in American dollars. He knew they would exchange it in the black market and get a better rate than if he just handed over pisos.

“I’d like Augusta to make more.” He added.

Casina gave him that cocked eyebrow look that bore into his eyes.

“You want bigger?” She asked suspiciously.

“Yes, but maybe this time a beach with the surf, but facing the island, not the sea. There are great beaches around here that would look incredible in a painting.”

Hmm. Casina thought. That would be a good idea, send her to my brother’s place out in Silay, have her go out on a boat and study the island. She’d never drawn that before. Plus, Silay is eight hours away by bus. He’s NEVER going to find her.

“Sure, sure. “ She made up her mind. “But fifty dollar now for hunnert dollar painting.” She crossed her arms in absolute finality. If he says no, good too.

“Mama! Ka mahal bala.” Augusta hissed under her breath. That’s too expensive.

“Kun daku gusto niya, ma gasto gid eh.” Casina spat back. If he wants it big, he pays big.

Jacks eyes caromed between the two women. Trying to find a clue as to what they were saying.

He could tell body language, Casina wasn’t budging. A hundred American dollars was a lot of money, but suddenly he didn’t care. He was enraptured by the singsong quality of Augusta’s voice as she spoke in her native tongue. Intonations rose and dropped like a song. And like a beautiful song, he wanted to hear more.

“A hundred dollars?” He asked. “I don’t carry that kind of cash with me, I’ll come back tomorrow and bring you fifty. Is that ok?”

“Sure, sure” Casina sneered. Maybe he’s not so rich. Maybe he’s just LIAR.

Casina could not understand her immediate dislike to this man. Her husband was a foreigner, her English was much better than this. But something about HIM, made her want to be less than what he thought. She wanted him to think she was stupid, maybe he’d think Augusta was stupid too and leave them alone. Thank goodness she was uncertain of her English and only answered in monosyllabic words.

But if her confidence grew, then he’d see that amazing mind Augusta possessed. Curious and voracious, he’d see how quickly she picked up on things and made them her own. In the same way she could paint from memory, Augusta had already picked up the way he talked and was already beginning to pronounce the English differently.

to be continued...