Chapter 14

His mind drifted, focused on the violet orchids dotted with white spots took up the centerpiece.

“Beautiful, aren’t they?” asked Ann, who stopped watching the dancers.

“Yes,” answered Pad. He felt Ann’s eyes. She studied him.

Ann took two orchids, used her table knife to trim the ends, then put one behind her left ear.

“Here, this is for you, Pad, the most beautiful man here.”

“More beautiful than me?” asked Chaz.

“Your beauty is inside,” Ann said, elbowing Chaz as she said it. “Pad is as sweet as the flower here.”

Pad took the flower and followed Ann’s example and put the flower behind his left ear.

“You know in the Hawaiian tradition, when a woman put a flower behind the left ear meant she was married or taken,” said Chaz, who smiled as he said this.

“Well, I guess I’ll switch it to my right because I’m neither,” Pad laughed.

After he changed it from left to right, he continued to watch the show but his attention waned as he watched the river and the boats they passed.