Sammy in Bali (Single Wide Female Travels #7)

by Lillianna Blake

  I waved to him and nodded. “I’m okay. I’ll be right over.”

  “Looks like you two were having quite a bit of fun.” The man winked at me.

  “Yes, we were.”

  “I’m sorry that I interrupted it. I didn’t think I’d swing so close. Honestly, I didn’t see you there floating.”

  “It’s alright—like you said, no one got hurt. I’m just going to get back onto our boat.”

  “Sure, let me give you a hand.”

  Chapter 17

  Before I could even comprehend what the guy meant he scooped me up in his arms, as if I were nothing more than a feather. He leaned over the gap between our two boats and placed me safely down inside next to Max.

  “Wow.” I laughed. “I wasn’t expecting that.”

  “It’s the least I can do.”

  I grabbed a towel to cover up and Max nodded at the man. “Thanks for the help. You scared me, though.”

  “I know I did; I’m sorry about that. To be honest, I just wanted to come over and say hello, but I didn’t realize you were in the water. Most don’t swim so far out. You two are brave souls.”

  “Oh thanks.” I began to wonder what might have been swimming in the water with us. “We just got so hot we thought we’d go for a dip.”

  “Can’t blame you there, the water is always tempting. Are you two on your honeymoon?”

  “No.” I laughed.

  “Sort of.” Max grinned. “Seems like it hasn’t ended yet even though it’s been awhile now.”

  “Hang on to that. You two will be as happy as you let yourselves be. Too many people jump ship at the first sign of trouble. I can promise you, there will be trouble—potentially lots of trouble. But as long as you hang on to one another, you’ll be just fine.”

  “Are you married?” I studied him intently. Even though he wasn’t my type, he was attractive in his own way. But from his unkempt hair and the scattered holes in his clothes, I doubted that he had a wife at home.

  “Not any more. I had one love and I lost her.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “Oh, no.” He shook his head. “She’s alive and well with her new husband and three kids. I lost her because I never gave her the attention that she needed. I spent all my time on this ocean and she got lonely. It wasn’t her fault.”

  “That must have been very hard to realize.” Max frowned.

  “In some ways it was; in others, it didn’t surprise me. I’ve never been the type to open my heart to anyone, and that was what she needed. I think some people are just meant to be alone.”

  My heart ached for this man who had settled into a mentality I’d once shared. I didn’t agree with it any more.

  “Or maybe the right person just hasn’t come your way yet. If you keep an open mind, that might change.”

  “Maybe.” He shrugged. “I’m a little old for it now, though.”

  “Never.” I smiled. “The only limits we have in life are the limits we give ourselves.”

  “That’s a wise thought. I’ll consider it.”

  “Here.” I plucked one of the leftover custard apples from a bag and reached across the water to hand it to him. “If you don’t break through the skin you’ll never experience the sweetness inside.”

  He smiled at me through his bushy beard. “I like the way you think, young lady. Now you two get back to shore. The clouds are telling me that the water won’t be safe for long.” He waved to us, then turned his boat around.

  I glanced up at the sky, which was just as blue as ever. “I wonder what he saw that I’m not seeing?”

  “He’s probably just a little crazy, Sammy. The sky looks fine to me.”

  I searched through the spotless white clouds. “He said the water wouldn’t be safe much longer, Max. Maybe we should go back.”

  “I rented the boat for another three hours. It’s perfect weather.”

  I nodded and considered that he might be right. But the man on the boat had a lot more experience than either of us did, and my instincts told me to trust him.

  I dressed and packed up the remainder of the food. Then I looked up at the sky again. It was still bright and clear. “Max, I think we should head back.”

  “Sammy, are you going to let a little comment bother you?”

  “It’s not that. My instincts are telling me something isn’t right.”

  He sighed and shook his head. “Maybe it’s just some leftover fatigue from the dive yesterday. Let’s give it a little more time.”

  “No.” For once I didn’t worry that Max would be angry at me if I disagreed. I didn’t let my voice get drowned out. “I want to go back—now.”

  Max seemed to be studying me for a moment. “If that’s what you want, alright, but we won’t be able to get a refund.”

  “Then it’ll be my mistake. But I think we need to go back.”

  “Then we will.” He started the engine and turned the boat around.

  Within minutes of travel I noticed that several other boats on the water were headed back as well. The radio crackled to life on the boat with a warning from the rental. “Inclement weather approaching, return to shore.”

  Max glanced over his shoulder at me. “Good thing you trusted your instincts.”

  I looked up at the sky and saw that the clouds were thick and heavy.

  Mere minutes after we docked the rain started. It wasn’t just a few drops, but heavy, wind-driven rain.

  Max did his best to shelter me as we ran for the office to return the boat keys. Several dock workers shouted at each other as they began to prepare all the boats for a storm. Once we returned the key we stepped back outside to find the weather was even worse.

  “Max, we’re not going to be able to get back to the island.”

  “Let’s find somewhere to get dinner.” Max tried to hail a cab but there were very few on the road. In fact, it seemed that everyone had hunkered down. “Looks like we might have to walk for a while.”

  “I don’t mind.” I grabbed his hand. “I love walking in the rain with you.”

  Except it wasn’t quite rain. It was more like pelting angry drops of moisture, launched at our skin by a fierce wind.

  After a few blocks I ducked under an awning. “Let’s wait here and see if it passes.”

  Max wrapped his body around mine and put his back to the wind and the rain. As much as I wanted to tell him not to, I trusted that his desire was to protect me.

  Within a few minutes we heard the beep of a horn. Max turned to look.

  “It’s a taxi! Let’s go.” He tugged me toward it.

  Chapter 18

  The taxi driver shook his head as we piled into the back. “You’re wet again.”

  I laughed as I recognized the driver from earlier. “Thanks so much for picking us up.”

  “No one should be out in this. Didn’t someone warn you?”

  “We have nowhere to go.” Max frowned. “We’re staying on the island.”

  “Oh yes, you don’t want to be over there right now.”

  “Are there any nearby restaurants that we could shelter in for a little while?”

  “Closest one is a bit pricey.” He looked in the rearview mirror. “And fancy.”

  “That’s alright.” Max nodded. “Take us there.”

  “If you say so.” He drove the car through the rain as if it were just a summer shower. When he pulled to a stop in front of the restaurant I could tell from the style of it that it was more than just fancy.

  “Max, are you sure you want to eat here?”

  “Sure. We can enjoy an expensive meal once in a while.”

  “But we’re soaked.”

  “It’ll be fine.” He paid the driver and gave him a nice tip. Then we headed into the restaurant.

  A hostess greeted us at the door. “Are you lost?” She scrunched up her nose as she surveyed our soaked clothing and the bag I grasped in my hands.

  “No, we got caught in the rain. We’d like some dinner.” Max looked past h
er. “Seems you have tables available.”

  “Sure we do, but we have a dress code.”

  “You’re going to turn us back out into the storm because we aren’t dressed well enough?” Max chuckled. “That’s ridiculous.”

  “I’m sorry, there’s nothing I can do. It’s a very strict policy.”

  I could tell from the red in Max’s cheeks that he was about to lose his patience. It took a lot for Max to do that, so I knew he must be tired and frustrated.

  “Don’t you have some extra jackets or something?” I said, crossing my fingers behind my back.

  She sighed and rolled her eyes. “Alright, fine. There’s a closet over there. But I doubt you’re going to be able to find anything in your size.” She lifted her nose.

  “That’s no way to speak—”

  “It’s okay, Max.” I smiled. “I’m sure I’ll find something.”

  As we sorted through the closet Max sighed. “I’m sorry. I guess we should have gone somewhere else.”

  “No way, I’m sure this place will be great.”

  “How can you be so calm about everything?” Max glanced over at me. “You almost got run over by a boat, we almost got caught in a monsoon, and that hostess is quite rude.”

  “Because I get to choose how I react to a situation. I could have been mad at the man on the boat, but instead I forgave him and he shared some of his life with us. I could have been upset about not finding a taxi, but the best taxi driver in the area found us. I could have been hurt or angry about the way the hostess spoke to me, but look what I found.”

  I grinned as I held up a deep plum smoking jacket. It was meant for a man to wear, but with its length, it covered my shorts and could have been mistaken for a dress of some kind. “I think this will do just fine. Let’s eat.”

  Max shook his head as he tossed on a tan jacket two sizes too big for him.

  When we returned to the hostess she looked a little disappointed that we’d managed to find anything to wear. Still, she led us to a table and gave us menus to look over.

  As she started to turn away, I touched the back of her hand and smiled at her. “Thanks for bending the rules for us. It was nice of you.”

  Her annoyed expression faded into a mild smile. “It’s okay. It’s slow anyway.”

  As she walked away I glanced over at Max and smiled.

  “Why are you being so nice to her?”

  “Why not?”

  “Maybe because she was rude.”

  “Maybe she was. But that’s not who she really is inside. That’s who she’s been taught to be. I see that now. Underneath, we’re all beautiful creatures, but we’ve been given these costumes to wear that can separate us from one another. If we don’t see past them, then we believe the costumes are real. But if we do, then we recognize that they are only masks.”

  “I’m not sure if I can be as accepting as you are.”

  “I think you could be, but you don’t have to be. This is giving me peace, Max. You don’t have to feel the same way.”

  “Let’s see how the service is,” said Max.

  We ordered our meals. It was hard for me to find anything that remained on my diet, but I managed to come up with a salad and soup combination that would work. Max ordered the same and the hostess brought us bread. As she paused beside the table she glanced between us.

  “Did you two really get stranded in the rain?”

  “Yes. We’re staying on an island. It’s not accessible right now.”

  “Here.” She handed me a business card. “If you need somewhere to stay tonight you can call my cousin. She runs a little bed and breakfast. Not sure when this weather will blow over.”

  “Thank you so much. It’s pretty bad out there, huh?”

  “Worse than we were expecting. Hopefully it will pass soon.”

  Max and I enjoyed our meal. As we finished, the hostess brought us two glasses of wine. “Compliments of the chef.” She smiled.

  “Oh, thank you, but I’m not drinking. I’m trying to live a healthier lifestyle.”

  “Without wine?” The woman laughed. “I don’t know if I’d want to be that healthy.”

  “I know, wine is great. But I’m trying to only put into my body what will benefit it.”

  “Interesting—I never really thought about it that way.”

  “Here, why don’t you have it?” I offered her the glass.

  “Really?” She smiled. “Thanks.” She sipped the wine, then surprised me as she sat down at the table with us.

  Max eyed me over his glass of wine. “You don’t mind if I…”

  “No, of course not, Max. If you want to drink it, go right ahead.”

  He sipped the wine.

  “So you two are staying out on that little island with the cottages?”

  “Yes. Do you know it?”

  “Sure. Before they built the cottages there it’s where all the teenagers around here would hang out. Let me tell you a secret.” She grabbed one of the cloth napkins and began to write on it. “There’s this little cove—it’s really hard to find, but once you do, you’ll never forget it. This map will show you how to find it. If you get a chance, you should check it out.”

  “Wow, thanks.” I smiled at her.

  Chapter 19

  When Max finished his wine we paid the bill and returned our borrowed clothing. Then we checked on the weather. Though rain still fell, the sky was lighter.

  “I guess it’s blowing over.” I smiled.

  In the light rain we walked back toward the area where we’d left the kayaks. However, when we arrived, there was no sign of them.

  “Oh no, Max, what if they got blown away in the storm?”

  “That would be unfortunate.” He frowned.

  “Hello! Hello!”

  The woman that ran the motel came running out. She waved her hand. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

  “I’m sorry if we lost the kayaks.” I frowned. “We had no idea that the horrible weather was coming in.”

  “Don’t worry, I have the kayaks. I’ll take you over on the boat. I want to make sure there’s no damage.”

  “Okay, thank you.”

  The ride over to the island was surreal, as the sky was turning a multitude of colors.

  “This was a surprise storm. Otherwise I never would have rented the cottage to you. Hopefully there was no damage. The good thing is that it’s already passed us, so everything should be calm now.” She docked the boat and we followed her onto the island.

  I was stunned by the amount of tree branches and large palm fronds that the wind had scattered across the island. When we made it to the cottages I was relieved to see that there was no damage to ours.

  “It looks like everything made it through okay. I hope that you’re able to enjoy the rest of your stay, but if you’d prefer a refund I understand.”

  “No, we don’t need a refund. We’re looking forward to our last two days here. Right, Max?”

  “Yes. I don’t see any reason why we can’t stay.”

  “Great, then I will leave you two alone. I will get the kayaks off the boat and leave them here with you, but make sure you check the weather in the morning before you take off in case there are any remnants of the storm.”

  “Thank you.” As she turned to walk back toward the boat I took Max’s hand in mine. “Do you realize how good it was that you made plans for us to go out boating?”

  “What do you mean? We could have gotten caught in the storm out there on the boat.”

  “Or we could have been out here all by ourselves. Instead, we had the guidance we needed to get to safety in time and we were able to enjoy a lovely dinner.”

  “I hadn’t looked at it that way.” He smiled. “I guess that does make sense.”

  “What makes even more sense is a chance to hang out on the beach during this gorgeous sunset.”

  “That’s a great idea.”

  Within minutes we were out on the beach. As the storm faded, the sunset colored th
e sky right behind it. I took a few pictures with my phone, then cuddled close to Max so that we could both enjoy the experience.

  His fingertips trailed through my hair and tugged at it a little. The sensation relaxed me to the point that my eyes drooped closed. I kept them open just enough to see the sunset as it made its final descent.

  Max slapped at a bug that landed on his arm. “Should we go in?”

  “Let’s stay just a little bit longer. I can’t believe we’re going to be leaving for Ubud the day after tomorrow.”

  “Do you wish that we could stay here longer?”

  “I don’t think so. I like it here, and I always love my alone time with you, but I’m really looking forward to seeing Wayan and her family again. I want the chance to talk about my experience here too. I feel like it’s something that needs to be shared.”

  “I think you’re right. Are you going to work it into your next book?”

  “If I can figure out how to, yes.”

  We spent the rest of the evening down by the water, then headed back into the cottage.

  It didn’t take me long to fall asleep.

  Chapter 20

  When I woke up the next morning I felt more refreshed than I had in a long time. It was as if a weight, or a pressure, had been lifted from my body.

  Max woke up with a smile on his face. He hugged me tight then sighed. “We’ve got a whole day ahead of us. What would you like to do?”

  “Let’s go for one more dive, Max. Do you think we can fit it in?”

  “Sure, I’ve not made any plans for us. I’m glad that you want to go again.”

  “I wish we could go every day. I can’t believe that there’s so much to see under the water.”

  “It’s like being on a different planet.”

  “Yes, it is. And the best part is that it’s actually our planet. We just had to look in the right place to discover it.”

  “Smoothies for breakfast?’

  “Yes, please.”

  “I’m really proud of you for sticking to your healthy eating plan last night. I have to admit that I felt a little guilty about drinking that glass of wine.”

  “You shouldn’t, Max. It’s my decision to keep an eye on everything that’s going into my body. It’s not right or wrong to drink or eat greasy food—or anything, really. I just don’t want to. I want to get to that Sammy that I’ve always wanted to be—fit, healthy, energetic, and balanced.”