His girlfriend was also becoming a familiar sight on the bay. Augusta may have been chronologically 20yrs old, but Ton-Ton at 17yrs old knew far more about the ways of men and women than Augusta could have imagined.

Ton-Ton took them to the largest bahay isda, it sat closer to the island than the others. It was also the largest of the four bahays that the Lopez family had. It was by bahay isda standard, a luxurious space. This had three walls to protect the watcher from the bright sun and it had a deck that extended a bit more so this bahay isda could accommodate at least four men.

Ferio had already made arrangement that permitted Augusta out there so she could set up to paint. Ton-Ton would do his job and watch for any poachers. His plan was simple; Augusta could stay on the deck while Ton-Ton and Chita stayed in the shack, as he usually always did when Chita was available.

Augusta had given Chita a shy smile when they first met. Chita gave her a suspicious look. Samburans favor lighter skin, nurturing the porcelain fineness of their past colonial masters. Chita was a country girl, working in the pineapple fields when they came into season. Her skin was dark, Augusta’s was a light brown and she was so ‘girly’, no calluses on her hands and her clothes were neat and clean.

But Augusta’s sincere smile and naiveté were obvious by the wide-eye way she stared at everything as if for the very first time.

“Gaga ni siya?” Chita asked Ton-Ton when they settled next to each other in the back of the bahay. Is she stupid?

“Sshh, “ He said. “Murat murat lang.” He answered, just a little slow.

It was 9 o’clock in the morning and the sun hung high above already. But it hadn’t gotten to that white hot vertical glare of noon that usually consumes all colors. Augusta sat with her painting supplies at her side, her feet dangling in the water and was mesmerized by the sea. They were the color of Jack’s eyes. Ever wave that passed mirrored Augusta’s sighs.

Three weeks of being away from Jack, just when she thought he was starting to like her. She wondered if Jack was thinking about her. She closed her eyes and concentrated, she heard the surf, the errant seagull, the slow slap of a wave on the bamboo hut and the soft giggles in the back of the hut. She shut them all out and searched for Jack. As if in concentration she could feel him. Perhaps it was simply wishful thinking or perhaps already, they had paired and were truly connected. But Augusta felt Jack’s smile and a warm glow surrounded her.

She opened her eyes and sat back on her hands and soaked in the sky, the sea and the green tangles of coconut trees. She began painting in her mind.

Jack came to Casina’s booth just after lunch. It was now becoming a part of his routine. This time he brought with him an accountant from the main office; who needed to audit the dam project. They would leave in a few days to go up into the mountains and he wouldn’t see Augusta for a few days and had wanted to say good bye.

His eyes immediately darted about the booth looking for Augusta, he scanned the area, maybe she had just stepped out for a snack. He’d had the good luck to come upon her as she was buying something to drink one day and he walked her back to the booth. Neither one of them noticed the steam coming out of Casina’s ears.