Page 20 of Hidden Depths

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t even think. I should have asked.”

“No,” the mom smiled. “It’s fine. I appreciate the thought, but we’ve been here almost a week, and he’s already gotten spoiled too much by his grandparents. Sorry, Luke, we’re going to have to put this one back.”

Luke tried to sprint away, but his mom caught the back of his shirt, taking the teddy and putting it back up on the shelf.

“Sorry, Luke. My fault,” Sara said.

“He’ll survive. You here on vacation?”

Normally, when someone asked her about her situation, she avoided giving any details, usually mumbling if she could get away with it. “No, I’m a local.”

“Lucky. This place is great. I couldn’t imagine living here full time. You must love it.”

“It has its perks.”

Luke had taken his mom’s hand and was tugging her to keep moving. “I better get going before I get my arm pulled off. We’ve lost track of the rest of my family.”

“Enjoy your stay.”

“I will. Thanks.”

Sara stared after them as they disappeared into the crowd. Even the joy of freedom she felt couldn’t quite cut through the memory of her lost family, so she put them out of her mind and continued her wander, fawning over homemade jewelry and vibrant paintings.

She stopped in front of a produce stand, pulling a list of ingredients up on her phone. She’d never done much cooking besides scrambled eggs and spaghetti but had decided now was a good time to experiment and improve. If this was going to be her forever home, she’d make the most of it, refusing to be stagnant any longer. This was no longer the place she was forced to hide. This was her life, and she could do as much with it as she wanted.

A full bag was already hanging off one arm as she picked up a large red bell pepper and ran her thumb along the glossy skin, then smelled it, although she didn’t know why. The aroma held the earthy scent she expected from a vegetable, but she couldn’t discern any more from it. The color looked right, so she paid the vendor and dropped it into her bag before moving on.

A large mug in deep blue caught her eye, and she picked it up to admire it. It would be a nice addition to her miss-matched kitchenware. She could imagine herself sitting on her deck holding this mug full of coffee, enjoying the sunrise.

She checked the price, then took the bills from her wallet and looked for the vendor. He was helping another customer, so she moved closer and waited, scanning the crowd.

Most people who vacationed here looked the same. Tropical print shirts, flowing skirts, and sandals were common. A man in a Panama hat was leaning over a table, looking at a selection of vintage salt and pepper shakers. When he pulled off his sunglasses to get a better look, a gold Rolex peeked from his sleeve. The same watch she’d seen on the man hiding in the shadows, watching as her parents were killed.

Fear dug deep into her heart unexpectedly. Cold beads of sweat appeared on her brow, and the hand that held the mug trembled.

Without taking her eyes off the man, she slid the mug back on the shelf, pushing a ceramic bowl off the edge. It crashed to the ground, and the man looked up. She ripped her gaze from him, dropping to the ground to gather up the broken pieces and hide, but could only huddle in place. Her singular focus was on the man with the watch somewhere behind her.

The vendor appeared, looked at the broken bowl, then at her. “You’re gonna have to pay for that.”

She tried to nod, but her muscles wouldn’t respond.

The shop owner squinted. “Let me guess, you don’t have any money?”

God, help.At least her thoughts still worked. Finally, her tongue released, but she spoke barely over a whisper. “I’m sorry. I can pay.”

He leaned toward her. “What?”

She wanted to shush him or shake him. Or better yet, the ground could simply swallow her whole.

The man sighed and crouched down to collect the debris, which he deposited into a plastic bag. “Here. It’s fifteen bucks.”

She kept her arms pulled close to her body as she handed over the cash.

“Thanks,” he said, tucking it in his pocket.

She nodded and swallowed as she turned, searching for the man with the Rolex, but he was gone.

The hunted feeling that had returned was fiercer because she now knew what it was to be without it. Her legs burned to run, but she wouldn’t do anything to draw attention to herself. It was easy to slip back into fear. She let it guide her out of the markets, checking everyone around her but looking at no one.

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