"Why don't we stay at the aquarium?" I suggest. "It's open and looks pretty empty since it's a school day. Besides, no contractor will expect to find us here. We can relax while the team chases down leads and deals with cops."
I study Darla. "Want to look at fish?"
Her expression says no, but she remains silent.
"I like bears," Saskia announces.
"It's an aquarium, so I'm thinking no bears."
"I still like them."
"Is that a Russian thing?"
"I'm not Russian," she hisses.
"I'm from Virginia, Saskia. All Eastern Europeans sound the same to me."
"And all fat headed Americans sound the same to me."
We glare at each other until she gives up and smiles. "I have disguises in the trunk."
Saskia walks to the back of the SUV while I convince Darla to give my plan a chance.
"I want to go home," she whispers.
"We can. Or we can go to the aquarium. This place has a restaurant. I know that because a neighbor tried to get me to take her daughter on a date there. She said it's romantic. This could be our first real date."
"With Saskia," she mumbles.
"She doesn't talk much. We'll ignore her. Just think of us walking around and holding hands like normal people. A nice seafood lunch and learning about fish. The sign says there are sharks. Come on, who doesn't want to look at sharks?"
Darla's eyes warm. "I do like fish. Sharks too. Most of all, I'd like to hold your hand."
"Life is weird, Darla. We can't control what happens from day to day, so we ought to enjoy anything good that comes along. This asshole today tried to steal you away from me. Instead, we find ourselves at a fun place where we can pretend to be two normal people."
"Pretend."
"Only until we can make it real."
Darla studies the mostly empty parking lot. "It's not very busy."
"No, so it should be quiet."
"I heard they have a Ferris wheel."
Grinning, I take her hand and help her from the SUV. Saskia is still at the trunk, looking through her bag.
"I have hats, wigs, sunglasses," Saskia says to me before looking at Darla. "I can give you a fake nose."
Darla says nothing while I grab a ball cap and pull it over my hair. She takes a similar cap and shoves her hair into the back hole to make a ponytail. Saskia looks at us and sighs.
"Not much of a disguise."
"Feel free to use the fake nose," I tell her.
Saskia glares at me, but I know she's considering whether to disguise herself. This job is tame compared to her normal gigs, and I suspect she's bored.
For the first time since retiring into this security job, I'm excited to be in Houston. Darla holds my hand as we explore the small aquarium. Her eyes light up during the Ferris wheel, and we take in the view of the highway and parts of downtown.
"I moved to Houston to be with Shelley," Darla says as we walk past the parrots' attraction.
"I moved here because Minka wanted to. She was my partner, and I was too lazy to work alone. I'll be honest that I hoped she'd get bored, and we'd leave, but now I'm ready to send her a gift basket for going soft."
My fingers tracing her face, Darla smiles at me. She's not truly relaxed, though. I catch her eyes darting at any noise. Her body tenses whenever anyone approaches. Darla isn't afraid of an attack as much as she fears being out in the open.
Keeping her close, I pretend we're on a date. Saskia keeps her distance, never forgetting we're working. I trust her to keep an eye out for threats while I enjoy my first date with Darla.
Despite enjoying our time together, I understand deep in my gut about Darla's anxiety. My promises give her little solace when she's being hunted. Unlike her, I embrace the easy promises because Darla proves to be a light that won't let me look away.
26
~~~
Darla
Simply Surviving
Hiding under a ball cap, I don't feel very disguised. In fact, the woman at the stingray feeding station definitely recognizes me. I look to Troy for reassurance, but he isn't concerned with the aquarium employees. He's on the lookout for possible threats.
I'm so tense about being in the open that nothing we look at interests me. I think to buy my niece and nephew something from the gift shop but spending their father's money feels weird. In the apartment, I don't worry about bills or the money. Here in the light of day, I realize I can't support myself. If Vern cut me off tomorrow, how long before Locke reclaimed me.
Troy doesn't relax until we're at the aquarium restaurant. Saskia sits at another table, closer to the huge fish tank. My focus is on the front door and the passing employees when Troy kisses my neck.
"Stealth kiss," he whispers, nuzzling my throat.
His earlier tension still infects me. "I like it here, but maybe we can go back to the apartment after lunch."
Troy loses his smile. "You're in that apartment 24/7. Why not enjoy being away from it for a few hours?"
"I feel safe there."
"Do you feel safe? Or has Locke just put you in another cage?"
Frowning, I move away from him. "I don't know what kind of cage you were in those weeks, but my cage wasn't anything like the apartment."
"I know, but..."
"Shut up," I grunt, scooting out of the booth. "You're pissing me off."
Troy grabs my wrist and keeps me from leaving.