Secret Passions (12 page)

“I’m sorry about all this. I never thought that when I helped you escape your family that they would go to such lengths to harm you. I never thought past my own selfishness.”

“How was your helping me being selfish?”

“I wanted my hands on your art. All I can say is that when I saw that first piece, the one you had mailed to Singleton, my friend in the UK, I knew you would be something special. When I had Ric Derby contact you and get you to agree to sell several pieces, I knew we had to get you out of India in order for that to happen. The night you called me, I was drunk because Ric had just called and we’d just heard the final word from your government that they wouldn’t allow your art to be shipped outside of India.”

“I’m happy things happened the way they did. I wish my father and cousin weren’t looking for me, but I’m happy you did what you did.”

“I know.” He reached over and took her hand. “I’m happy, too. We can stop somewhere and buy us some more clothes, again.” He smiled over at her.

“So, this place we’re going? It belongs to…?”

“It was Carter’s grandparents place, now his. I don’t think anyone will figure out where we’ve gone. Carter is the only one who knows where we're going. I trust him with my life. The place sits on the end of a cove in a small town in Maine. The nearest neighbor is a few miles away. There’s even a lighthouse just down at the end of the bluff.”

“I’ve never seen a lighthouse before, nor have I been to Maine. Do you think I could get some paints? I’d love to paint again while I’m there. You don’t have to buy me all the supplies like last time, just some basics.”

“Sure, I think they have a shop in town that will have everything you need.”

They stopped for dinner at a small place outside of White Plains. They ate sloppy joes. She’d never had sloppy joes before, and Mitch laughed at her when she tried to eat her sandwich neatly by using her fork and knife. Finally, he had picked his up and shoved it in his mouth and smiled across the table at her, meat and sauce dripping from his face. She couldn’t help it, she laughed at him, then picked up her sandwich and did the same.

He’d told her. “The sloppier the joe, the better.”

By the time her plate was empty, she had to agree with him. They got back on the road and after an hour of driving and talking, her head started to feel dull. She wished she could see some of the sights, since she’d never been anyplace but home and New York City before. Being stuck in a car for a few hours with Mitchell didn’t seem like a bad deal to her. Over the last five years he’d always been the ideal man she’d been searching for in the crowd.

It was hard to explain, but the three days that she’d spent at his place when she’d first arrived in America had been the first time she’d felt free.

Even though her hair had been cut short by Ethan, she had felt like a true woman. She had taken a chance and she was free. Free to be whom she wanted, to live the life she’d always dreamed of. To marry who she wanted.

Looking across the car at Mitchell as he drove, she knew exactly who she’d put in that role.

He was easy to talk to, and
the entire drive they talked and laughed with each other. They made it out of Connecticut and Massachusetts quickly and before she could blink her eye they had passed through New Hampshire. Just inside of Maine, Mitchell pulled into a small motel and stopped.

“Sorry, it’s the end of the road for me tonight. We’ll catch a few hours and get back to it.” He smiled at her. “Stay here.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” She smiled and watched him run through the light rain that had started when they had entered Massachusetts.

The motel was on the small side and since it was so dark, she couldn’t tell how many buildings sat off to the side. They were all painted a dark gray with white and red trim. She supposed it looked very picturesque in the day.

Mitchell strolled back out swinging a key, smiling at her.

“Come on, we can walk from here.” He opened the door for her and locked the car.

They walked down a narrow path behind the main building and stopped at the last small building, in front of the last door. She turned and could hear the waves crashing on the beach, but couldn’t make out anything in the dark. She wished the clouds weren’t
blocking the moon and starlight so she could get a glimpse of the view.

“Come on.” He waved her in. The place was small and only had one bed.

M
itchell enjoyed the nervous look on Sandi’s face when she walked into the motel room. He didn’t know what she had to be nervous about. After all, they had slept snuggled together twice now and he had enjoyed the feeling of lying next to her. Besides, there was no way he was about to get another room just for her. He wasn’t going to let her out of his sight.

“Come on, I promise not to eat you alive.” He chuckled at the look she gave him. Finally, he took her hand and pulled her into the room so he could shut and secure it behind her.

Turning back around he realized she hadn’t moved. “Why don’t you grab a shower first?” He went over and plopped down on the bed, tossing his shoes on the floor. He stretched his arms behind his head and rested back.

By the time she came back out of the bathroom, he was fast asleep.

The next morning when Sandi opened the door, she gasped at the view. The motel sat on a small hill that overlooked the ocean. She’d seen the ocean a million times in New York, but nothing compared to seeing the beautiful beach and water spread out before her now. The sky was clear and she could see forever. She felt the cool air hit her face as she stepped outside.

Turning, she looked back at Mitch. He stood leaning against the door jam, smiling at her.

“Do we have time to enjoy a stroll on the beach?”

He nodded, “Maybe after we grab some coffee and breakfast?”

“That would be wonderful.”

They stopped at a small bakery and had coffee and bagel sandwiches. By the time they made it to the water’s edge, the sun had warmed everything and the breeze was warm enough that she left her jacket in the car. They walked for a mile, holding hands and talking about the process of how she created her art, then they turned and headed back to the car.

She’d hoped to stop and enjoy some of the other sights along the way, but knew they were on a time schedule. They still needed to stop somewhere and get all the supplies they would need.

She’d been too afraid to ask him how long he planned on staying there. Instead she chose to imagine they were going to live there, together. Her new life, safe and with the person she’d wanted to share it with.

Almost three hours and a lot of winding roads later, they pulled into the small town of Rockport. Instantly she was charmed by the town, by the old buildings that lined the main street. She’d never seen American architecture like this before. The buildings melted together, starting before the other one ended. She’d heard stories of towns such as this, but had never dreamed she would visit one.

Mitchell pulled over as she craned her neck to get a better view of the town.

“I thought we’d stop and get our supplies and have some lunch before we head out to the house. The place is just a few minutes from here.”

“Oh, yes, please.” She opened her door and enjoyed the cool salty air that hit her face. She could get used to living near the water. Puri, her hometown, was on the coast, but instead of quaint little port with colorful boats bobbing in the bay, Puri had a large flat beach with an occasional palm tree. The beaches had always been crowded with people and she’d never truly enjoyed the beauty of it all.

Here, the water’s edge was covered with docks and buildings which sat right on them, over the water. The main street was higher up on a hill so the old brick buildings and street overlooked the bay. You could see to the end of the cove since the sky was crystal clear blue.

“
Come on, there’s a small general store over here.” Mitchell pointed at several buildings to the right. “Then we can eat at Shepherd’s Pie, one of the best eateries on the coast of Maine.” He pointed to a red brick building with large dark windows and gold letters above. It looked like any place in downtown New York, except its back faced the bay and its front faced the cute little main street of the small town.

They walked down the street and when they entered the general store, a bell chimed over the doorway. An older woman stood behind the counter, helping a woman who had three small kids who were running around, doing everything they could to avoid obeying their mother. Mitchell picked up a basket and started strolling through the aisles, tossing items in it.

She caught up with him and stopped him. “Is this how you shop?”

He looked at her and thought about it. “When I know what I want, I get it. What more to shopping is there?”

She chuckled. “Well, for starters, you picked a pair of socks for three dollars, when there is a bundle of five pairs of socks for just two dollars more.” She replaced the socks with the bargain set.

“
Why would I need five pairs of socks?”

“Well, I don’t know. How long did you say we would be staying here?”

He thought about it. “Good point. I guess I don’t know. What else do we need?” He took her hint and slowed down. They took their time walking aisle by aisle until they had a full cart of items they both needed.

“The grocery store is a few doors down. We’ll wait and stop there after lunch.” He paid the woman with cash and they piled their bags back into the trunk of the rental.

“It was smart of you to grab the cash. I wish I would have had access to my money,” Sandi said as they loaded the bags into the back. “I know my family is after it, but it would have been nice to not feel like I owe you everything.”

“Sandi, you don’t owe me anything.”

“I know. It’s just that—”

“No, don’t. You don’t have to pay me back.”

She looked into his eyes and saw that he was getting irritated. Nodding her head, she reached for his hand. “You’re right. I’m just a little hungry. Shall we eat lunch?”

The walked across the street and went into the charming building. She immediately wanted to sketch the place and the people in it. She normally didn’t lean towards drawing people and buildings, but something just called to her. They walked across the dark wood floors that creaked under their feet and sat by the long bar, where the chefs stood behind in plain sight, making their masterpieces.

Sandi ordered the grilled cheese and Mitchell had some Shepherd’s pie. She was a little leery about what a shepherd’s pie was, but when the dish was served, it looked delicious. Mitch had even given her a few bites. She decided then that if they ate there again, she would get the dish the next time.

The atmosphere seemed friendly and they ended up talking to the chef behind the counter for a while. She tried to hide her surprise when Mitch told the man that they were husband and wife, staying at an old friend’s place on the cove. She would have coughed again, but thankfully Mitch chose to wait until she’d swallowed the drink first before lying to the man’s face.

When they walked out, Mitch turned to her and kissed her right on the doorstep. She felt a little embarrassed, and when he held her hand and they strolled down the street towards the market, he chuckled.

“I had to hold up our appearances. I thought it best that if anyone ask, to say that we’re on our honeymoon staying at a friend’s. They don’t need to know the particulars. If someone were to come asking after us, it might throw them off the trail.”

They strolled through the small mart and grabbed everything from shampoo to fresh fruit. He said he didn’t know what was in the house, since the last time he’d visited was when Carter and he had graduated college, years ago. He told her the place was huge and had been well stocked the summer he had stayed. She still didn’t know what to expect.

She found a supply of colored chalk, water colors, and colored pencils. It was a lot like you’d use in school, but she could work with it. There were different sizes of sketch pads and she grabbed one of each size, knowing this would keep her entertained while they were in hiding.

Driving the winding road to the end of the cove, she enjoyed the sights. She’d never been somewhere so green before. Even the sky looked bluer than before. She itched for her oil paints and a blank canvas. When the road turned to dirt, Mitch slowed down as they bumped down the unused road.

“I think the last time Carter was here was a few summers ago. I know he has a neighbor watch the place. I thought at one point he had a cousin living here.”

They pulled around a sharp corner and when Sandi saw the massive house for the first time, she gasped.

“We’re staying there?”

“Yeah. It’s kinda big isn’t it?”

The large, three-story gray building had white trim and a bright red door. It sat near the edge of a small rolling hill that overlooked the water. The trees and bushes that surrounded the place were neatly trimmed and maintained. The white shutters on every window looked brand new, and there was an American flag flying near the front porch.

“Are you sure this is the right place?” She leaned forward, trying to get a better look as the pulled up.

“Yes. I guess Carter has had someone taking care of it.” Just then an older gentlemen stepped out and waved. “Hang on, let me do the talking.”

Sandi nodded her head and stayed in the car as Mitch got out and shook hands with the man. A few minutes later Mitch walked back to the car smiling.

“That was the neighbor, Mr. Johnson. He lives up the road. Apparently he’s been taking care of the place for Carter. Carter phoned ahead and asked him to get the place ready for us.” Mitch opened her door and helped her out as the older man drove back down the lane in his truck, honking and waving as he went. “He’s stocked the place, even made sure there was gas for the boat.” Mitch smiled. “I always loved going out on the water when I was here before.”

She’d never been on a small boat before. But if it was anything like the large tanker she’d taken to America with Ethan five years ago, she’d rather stay on land. They stood there and looked up at the house.

“What are we going to do with this much room?” She put her hands on her hips as he laughed. She turned to him. “What?”

“Nothing.” He shook his head and walked around to open the trunk. “Let’s get these supplies in and then I’ll give you the tour around.

She’d thought the place was huge on the outside. When they walked in the back door and entered a huge kitchen, she realized it was bigger than she had imagined.

“You said Carter’s grandparents lived here?”

“Yeah, his grandfather built the place when all their kids were young. Carter’s mother came from a large family of eight. Most of them are gone now, since his mom was the youngest. She lost two brothers in Vietnam, a sister died in a fire shortly after she was married. The rest are scattered around the globe. The house was left to his mom and when she died a few years back, the place went to him. He doesn’t get up here as often as he wants since our office is in the city.”