Dark Price of Paradise

Fear, Anger, Smile

Teuila left the clinic and managed to bicycle back to her bungalow without incident. Teuila hadn't needed a pill to sleep through the night. She had fallen asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. She woke up after the sun had risen that morning.

After a breakfast of sweetened coconut milk, pancakes made from the same coconut milk, and pork sausage Teuila walked along the beach. It had been years since Teuila had taken the simple pleasure of walking along the beach and picking up shells.

Since the tourist industry began on the island earlier in the year, the so-called 'shell mongers' have made it a habit of gathering up shells washed on the beach. What had been a casual activity of gathering and collecting shells or making jewelry from shells was now a commercial industry on the islands. The Council had to actually make a ruling that some shells had to be left on the beach for tourists to pick up on their own. More importantly, for native islanders to pick up.

Teuila picked up a large conk shell, some smaller shells, and some bright coral. Not that she needed them, or even really wanted them, just because they attracted her at the moment. Teuila felt she could give them away to people she knew. Sefina wore shell jewelry during her dances.

Teuila washed the sand off her bare feet, slipped them into sandals. She brushed her windblown hair. Straightened her red blouse. Checked her white capri pants for stains then slipped on a simple gold chain necklace. The pendant at the end of the necklace was a gold plated heart that opened up to reveal pictures of her Father on one side and her Mother on the other.

Teuila went out to the garden as she left the house she picked an orchid and placed it in her hair, behind her ear. She didn't bother with her bicycle, preferring to walk to the Police Station.

Mitch and Tommy were sitting in the Police Station looking nervous. Tim was working the reception desk when Teuila came into the station. He had seen the two men come in looking guilty of something, but they didn't want to tell Tim what all of this was about. When Teuila appeared, both men stood up to face her like children who had been caught stealing biscuits from a jar.

"Miss Tay, I want to apologize for our behavior last night." Tommy said. "We don't usually behave so poorly."

"I don't intend to discuss this in the lobby." Teuila made sure the anger she felt seeped through her voice. "Tim, I'd like to talk to these two men in private."

Tim knew Teuila well enough that when she used this particular tone in her voice she was deadly serious. If she wanted something when she used that tone you gave it to her.

Zach watched from his office as Tim Lagi escorted Teuila and the two men who had showed up in the lobby to one of the interrogation rooms. It amused him that a girl, dressed in capri pants, a red blouse and a flower in her hair scared two men stiff.

Zach still looked at Teuila as a girl. To Zach the woman looked in her mid-twenties, not mid-thirties. Admittedly, the incident with the malformed baby seemed to age her for a while, today she seemed to have recovered from the mental torture she had been through.

Once Teuila walked into the interrogation room with the two men she let loose. "How dare you two men attack a woman on the streets of my town."

Tommy started to say something. Teuila cut him off. "I don't want to hear it. If a woman says no to you. You accept it and move on. I don't care if that woman is another man's wife or a prostitute."

"You two are examples to the other men in this town. You are skilled laborers. That makes you important. Men to be admired and looked up to. How are other men in lesser positions going to accept your actions from last night? If it's okay for you to behave like criminal outsiders then why should they be any different."

"Miss Tay, we were just letting off steam." Mitch complained.

"I know people on the island drink illegally. For the most part I turn the other way." Teuila admitted. "I let you let off steam. That is why I made prostitution legal in the first place, because I felt that was one way men like yourselves could 'let off steam' as you put it. In time I will legalize alcohol, since banning it seems useless, but at present drinking is illegal. Rape will always be illegal, I don't care if it is a prostitute, if you rape someone you will be executed."

"We understand, Miss Tay, but---"

"No excuses are acceptable. This incident will not happen again. If it does, I will not be this lenient. Am I clear!"

"Crystal clear, Miss Tay." Mitch said.

"Get out of my sight."

Teuila had learned from drill sergeants and officers how to address disobedient men. She merely skipped the curse words that the sergeants used and some of the officers did at certain times. She did adopt that commanding authority that the men had.

Watching the two grown men some inches taller than Teuila was practically stumbling over each other to get out of the door of the interrogation room reminded Tim Lagi to never mess with Teuila. If Mike Hatta had known who he was messing with he would never had tried to take out Teuila on a political level.

Teuila walked out of the interrogation room calmly, collective. As if she hadn't just ripped two men apart with her words. She smiled at Tim and waved goodbye to him. Just the smile and gesture was enough to make Tim feel special. That was the effect that Teuila had on most islanders. All it took from her was a smile and a wave and she made them happy.