by Cat Shinier
“But I was only outside having a look at the garden. All I wanted to do was walk around and have a good look at everything.” I’m honestly pretty confused.
“I tried to call you on your cell phone when I was driving back to tell you when I’d be arriving. But apparently you did not have your cell phone with you. So I called Annie and Matthew, and they said they didn’t know where you were, either. And that is when I started getting worried.”
“Shamar, I was only in the garden. Everything is just fine. Nothing to get worried about. And nothing to get excited about either.”
I cannot understand what all this is about. Where would I go without a purse and my cell phone? “Luna, people like me are constantly in danger of being abducted. And so when you disappeared like that that is all we could think of.” He takes a deep breath and then lets go of me.
“But I didn’t know that. And nobody knows that I’m here anyway. Who would think of associating me with you? But next time I leave the house I will take my cell phone along.”
Holy crap, now I have to sign in and sign out when I come and go. Like when I was a kid. As if someone could kidnap me from this house without anyone noticing. I feel this does not have anything to do with safety, but more an obsession. And when I tell them where I’m going it will really feel like giving up my independence. I’m not thrilled, but how am I supposed to know what people here do for safety precautions? Back home, there is actually no one that interested in my safety. I don’t have a lot of money, and I’m not from a wealthy family. I don’t have an influential name, and nothing that could make anyone jealous. So I will have to change my ways here, whether I like it or not.
“Hey, it’s not as bad as it sounds. We just have to be able to reach you. Just take your cell phone along next time, okay?”
“Do you do that, too? Tell everybody when you are leaving and when you return home again?”
He caresses my arms.
“You get used to your people knowing where you are all the time. It is routine for me. And anyway, I’m tagged.”
“Tagged?” I don’t even know what that means.
“Tagged means that I have a chip inside my right upper arm. It can be used to locate me at any time, and it contains my medical data. So that means that I’m of no interest at all to potential kidnappers.”
“You mean you have a tag like a pet?” I can’t believe it. Tagged people? Apparently being rich involves really weird things. I sure wouldn’t want to be tagged like an animal. Shows how far we have gotten in our world.
“Who did that to you?” I’m really shocked, and apparently it is showing.
“Nobody did this to me. When I was old enough, I decided that I wanted to do it and so I did it. The codes are only known to family members, like spouses and parents. A lot of wealthy people are tagged and thus they minimize the danger of being kidnaped. You cannot prevent it from happening, because kidnappers have ways of figuring it out and removing it. But it is not easy. And so it continues to be a really good way to protect yourself.”
I understand what he means. But still I’m shocked that people are registered like an asset and have an electronic coding. I never knew about this until now. Would I ever want to have a chip implanted? I cannot imagine that I would ever want to have that done.
“Does it hurt?” I imagine that you can feel a chip like that, and I cannot even visualize what having it put in must have been like.
“What do you mean? Having it implanted or wearing it?” Shamar acts like it is the most normal thing in the world to have a chip implanted.
“Both, actually.”
“The chip is small and is applied with a needle, like an injection. You get a shot so that you don’t feel anything. Afterwards, it takes a few days to get used to it, and then you completely forget that it was ever implanted.”
I really feel bad about upsetting everyone like this. If Shamar takes these kinds of precautions, these measures are probably really necessary. I wonder how much this is going to curtail my freedom. And will I be able to get used to this kind of control? I’ve never had to think about things like these before, and so my instinct tells me that I’m going to have to get used to dealing with the topic of safety and security measures.
“Oh, Shamar, I’m so sorry that I didn’t tell anybody where I was. Next time I will tell someone or leave a message. And I will be sure to take along my cell phone. Okay?”
“Yes, that is perfect, darling,” he smiles at me.
“Okay, and now let’s change the subject. Do you want to leave now and eat later or do you want to eat now and leave later?”
“I’d love to leave right now and eat later,” I answer.
Shamar exchanges his suit for jeans and a T-shirt. Annie has stashed a few food items into a small portable cooler for us to eat in the car. Shamar grabs the bag and we head towards the car that has been taken out of the garage and is parked in front of the entrance. It is the Cayenne. The motor is on, probably so that the air-conditioning cools it down for our drive. Somehow I had assumed that Kieran would be driving us.
“You’re driving? Does Kieran have the day off or what?” I ask. Shamar opens the door for me, and I slide onto the passenger seat while Shamar walks around the car and gets in the driver seat.
He inserts the key in the ignition lock and flips it. The motor revs up and sounds almost a bit aggressive, even from the inside of the car.
“Sometimes I like to drive myself,” he answers. “Kieran drives me to the office and to events like last night. But on a day like today I like to drive myself.”
We head along the driveway and towards the street.
“And so why do you need several cars? I saw an Audi in your garage, too.”
“The Audi is for Matthew and Annie, for when they go shopping or need to do things. It is their car to use for those things.” Aha, so that is why there are so many cars, I think to myself.
“This is a really nice car,” I say, although I know nothing about cars. All I know is that Porsche is probably the most expensive car made in Germany, and something every German would be proud to drive. Probably one of the first racing cars ever designed. I glance around the interior of the car at the black leather, noting that the steering wheel and the side panels are in the same black leather also. The dashboard and the door sills are chrome, which really is a nice contrast to the black leather.
The windows are tinted, and there is a huge glass roof which gives you the feeling of sitting in a cabriolet. The sound of the motor is dark and quiet, as if the motor has tons of horsepower. I have the distinct impression that this car was not a serial production. It looks more like someone’s favorite toy.
We are heading towards Interstate 45.
“The car is great. I’ve been admiring it this whole time. Did you have it custom made? It certainly does not seem like a standard version.”
He eyes gleam. “Yes, sweetheart, this car is one of its kind. I designed the interior, and they manufactured it accordingly.”
That is what I thought. Boys and their toys. Men and their toys, actually. Shamar is eyeing me from the side as if something had just occurred to him.”
“You are planning on driving here when you live here, aren’t you?”
I look at him and nod. I cannot help from smiling mischievously.
“Absolutely. When I live here, I want to have my own car and drive, even though I don’t drive that much at home on account of public transportation. But I have a driver’s license, so I just have to get an international one to be allowed to drive here. And after what happened before I would assume you would prefer that I drive my own car, right? Instead of public transportation?”
“Well, the public transportation here is not the same as in Europe. So you will will need a car, so you’ll get a car. Do you have any preferences?”
“Yes, a car I can afford. A nice German VW Golf or something like that.”
“Honey, what I meant was that I would like to buy you a car. A ni
ce one. So please tell me what kind you would like to have?”
Sure, the millionaire Shamar Shalazar can talk about buying cars the way I talk about buying groceries.
That is how different we are. Up until now I tended to use public transportation – trains and buses. I have a driver’s license, but I have always bought cheap used cars. And so that is why I never really contemplated what kind of a car I would get if I could afford a really nice one.
“I never really thought about it, Shamar, because I bought myself a used car when I needed one. If I could, I’d love to have a German car, maybe a VW. I have always liked the way they looked. Maybe an automatic, and maybe a larger version, bigger than the ones I see here.”
Shamar nods his head. “That is right. Bigger is safer. A good aspect.” He nods his head as if he is thinking of something and then confirming it.
Even though Shamar is filthy rich I really don’t want him to run out and buy a car for me, just like that. I don’t even know what kind of car I want and my idea of a car could be totally wrong.
“Please promise not to grab your cell phone and buy me a car and have it waiting for me when we get home. I don’t want that. I’m going to be gone soon, and I won’t be back until late November or early December. Until then, Kieran could drive me when you don’t need him. Otherwise, I could probably borrow your Audi or have Matthew and Annie take me somewhere. And then I could rent a car and see what it is like to drive here. I’m not an experienced driver, and certainly not here.”
“Okay Luna, whatever you wish. But you should know that I don’t mind buying you a car at all. I’m kidnapping you from your familiar surroundings, and I don’t want you to have to do without anything.” He looks over at me, probing.
“Hey, I’m not doing without anything, quite the contrary. I have gotten gifts from you every day. I wear dresses that I would never have dreamed of wearing. And thanks to you, I’ve even had the luxury of a personal shopper and style consultant. And the best part of all of this is you. I would be together with you, even if you were broke because I really don’t give a hoot about all your money.”
We take a right and then another right and head in the direction of Kingwood.
I like the area. It is lush and green and expansive. After a while we stop in front of a white building which is surrounded by huge, fenced meadows. There is even a part that has polo markings.
We park the car in the parking lot and walk over to the first stable, which is open. It seems airy, and there is a wide hallway that leads right through. On each side there are large and spacious horse stalls, each of which is roughly the size of a garage. Horses at home would love to have this much space, I think to myself. When we enter the stable the narrow heads with their intelligent dark eyes turn in our direction and the horses peer at us with curiosity. I can’t resist and walk right towards the horses to pet their necks and nostrils.
But most of the horses retreat when they realize that I don’t have a treat for them. Shamar watches me and smiles. The animals are grand and I don’t think I’ve ever seen such beautiful and well-proportioned horses. Their coats gleam and I think to myself that these animals really are the picture of health. There are twenty stalls in this building, and there are two more buildings that are at least as big as this one.
“Are all of these horses yours?”
Shamar nods. “Yes, all of the horses in this stable and five more that are in a different building. The other animals all belong to a business partner of mine, all of them except one.”
“Only one other horse belongs to someone else? Is it a special horse?” I ask while I continue to pet the velvety softness of the horse’s nostrils.
“Yes, actually it is,” Shamar grins at me. “It belongs to Raoul and it is a donkey.”
“What? Raoul has a donkey?” I laugh.
“Actually it’s his little daughter’s. His little daughter was a good luck fairy during an auction at a charitable event. She drew lots, and the last one was for her, and it was a donkey.”
“And now the donkey entertains the horses?”
“Well, yes, actually. Strangely he has a very calming effect on the herd. They are all highly nervous animals, as they are pure breeds, and thus very sensitive. And our little gray friend radiates such a calmness that he has a strong effect on all the other animals. So Chantal’s draw really was lucky, in all kinds of respects.”
I shake my head and laugh as we continue walking. One of the stable hands approaches us and says hello. Shamar talks to him briefly and asks him to saddle two horses for us. Then we continue through the stable. The other buildings are just like the first one I saw except for the fact that we meet up with the little donkey in the third building. It greets us by braying heartily and tossing its head up and down heartily.
“He wants out,” Shamar says. “He is usually out in the meadow with the other animals. And he knows that they will be putting him out there soon.”
“Why are all these horses in the stables? The weather is beautiful. Or aren’t they allowed to be outside?” I ask.
“Sure, they are outside as often as possible. Today the veterinarian was here for their check-up, and that is handled better when they are in their stalls.”
As we approach the first stable, I notice that two stable hands are getting two horses ready for us.
My horse’s name is Flake, and Shamar helps me up into my saddle before mounting his own horse. We start out slowly and in the direction of a path that leads out into the open fields. After a while, we make the horses move faster as we trot towards a small hill that can be seen at the end of the field. I look at Shamar and decide to challenge him to a race, seeing that I have gotten used to being in the saddle on a horse again.
“Catch me if you can.” I see his eyes gleam before Flake takes off with a lurch. She is like a livewire, a real race horse. She seems to have been waiting for an opportunity to stretch and gallop. I can hear Shamar following us, so I give my animal more rein and Flake races up the hill. When we’ve arrived on top, I shorten the reins again and stop. Shamar follows me closely.
“I won!” I call. I’m out of breath, and the adrenalin is racing in my blood. It feels great.
“Say, why didn’t you tell me how good you are at horseback riding, Luna?” Shamar is genuinely surprised. “Then we wouldn’t have had to move at such a snail’s pace when we went riding in the desert last week.”
“You don’t have to know everything about me that there is to know. That would be boring. And I like to be able to surprise you for a change.”
“Well, you’ve really managed to do that well.” Our horses are nervous and jostle us around. Apparently their little sprint was not enough for them.
“So how about it? Are you tired yet?”
I laugh. “But we’ve just begun. Come on, darling. Let’s continue.”
So we continue our fast pace next to each other until our horses gradually tire. Actually, we tire, too. I’m thrilled to be sitting on a horse again, and I enjoy the wind and the sun. We’re both out of breath when we start looking for a nice shady spot to stop and enjoy the nice sandwiches that Annie made for us. Shamar spreads out a blanket for us to sit on and then takes the sandwiches out of his small saddle bag. I feel like I’m in a Hollywood movie. The scene is idyllic, and I actually never thought it was something that could happen to me. We are lying on the blanket under a tree, staring up into a deep blue sky, listening to the burbling of a brook while the horses graze nearby.
“Tell me,” I say carefully. “When I come back from Germany, there will be a couple of weeks when I cannot work while I wait for that temporary green card to arrive. Don’t get me wrong, but I don't want to sit around your house all day long doing anything. That would drive me absolutely crazy. Is there a gym nearby I could join? Or something where I can take a course in something I’m interested in?”
I’m thinking that Shamar is going to be busy at work, and he won’t be able to leave as early as he has been thi
s past week. So I’d be left to myself most of the time.
“But I have all the gym equipment at home. It has everything, anything you could think of.”
I sit up. “Yes, that’s true. But I’d be alone. I have to get out and be among people, which would also help me improve my English.”
Shamar looks at me and seems to be pondering what I just said. “Of course there are gyms downtown, and if you want to get out and go there, I’d recommend working with a personal trainer.”
“Wow, so now I have a personal shopper and a personal trainer?” I shake my head.
Shamar sits up now, too. “Luna, you probably think that all of the security precautions I take are exaggerated. But sooner or later the press is going to get really interested in you, and if the press is, potential kidnappers might become interested, too. The press has now gotten wind of you thanks to the charity event we attended. And of course you can do whatever you want to. I just wanted to warn you that there might be a few obstacles that you have not thought of up to now.”
He’s right, I think to myself. “I really hadn’t thought of that yet.” I gaze out over the beautiful landscape and the sky. “So what would you suggest for the future? How is it supposed to work?” I’m frustrated because it occurs to me that my life might turn out to be a golden cage and that I will lose the freedom to do whatever I want. And that thought saddens me deeply.
“Maybe it would be good to kill two birds with one stone, if you know what I mean.” He takes my hand as he says this. And no, I don’t know what he means.
“What two birds?”
“Well, it would be great if you could protect yourself. So it would be great if you had some self-defense training. Martial arts. And from experience I know that will require time and energy.”
Now things are starting to get interesting. “Does that mean that you have done that kind of training yourself?”
“Yes, but unfortunately I don’t always have the time, even though I try to train as regularly as possible. If you would like me to I will talk to my trainer and ask him if he has the time to train with you, too.”
