IT was a question he asked Paul two days later after telling him what had happened. Paul answered him after thinking about it for a short moment.
“Maybe because he thinks she likes you.”
“Why would he think that?” Sachin asked surprised, “I mean, he’s wealthy, she’s wealthy and I’m just her driver. How do I fit in there?”
“Not everything is about money, you know?” Paul stated.
“Has she been nice to you lately?”
“Yes.”
“Does she smile with you?”
“Yes.”
“And there’s where the jealous boyfriend comes in.”
“Damn,” Sachin sighed deeply, “What am I to do?”
“Nothing, just play it cool and continue to do your job.”
“One thing I know for sure,” Sachin said.
“What is that?”

“She doesn’t like me the way he thinks.”
Paul looked at him and smiled as though doubting that, “Only she would know.”
Sachin shook his head and thought to himself, “I may have to leave this job before that crazy dude kills me. I have a family to take care of.”
Ahana came back and three days later, he saw her after he was called to bring the car around to take her out.
“Hey,” she greeted him with a little smile as he opened the door for her.

She had a refreshed look on her face that somehow accentuated her natural beauty and he thought to himself, “I’m sure I will miss her when I decide to stop working here.”
On the way to the Amazonia Mall on the East Bank, she asked him, “How have you been?”
“Kind of busy, but good.”
She said nothing more and on the way back that afternoon she told him to drive to Movietowne. He parked the car on her instruction and accompanied her to the movie theatre.
“Have you seen Fast 10 yet?” she asked him.

“No.”
“Well, this is your chance.”
“We’re watching a movie now?”
“Yep,” she answered and handed him a ticket.
He sat behind her two seats away and relaxed to enjoy the movie he had wanted to see but never got a chance to.
After the movie, the night it seemed, was still young for her and she went over to Kosmos Grill and Lounge for a cocktail. He brought the car around and parked not far away from where she was sitting, standing by the car waiting for her.

Two cocktails later, she was ready to leave for home but stood outside for a moment longer and said, “You said everything was okay whilst I was away.”
“Yes, miss.”
“And the morning at the resort in Essequibo?”
The question took him by surprise because he did not know she knew what had happened.
“Nothing really,” he answered casually.
“Getting badly beaten is ‘Nothing really’?”
He didn’t answer, not knowing what to say and she said to him, “Chris has a violent temper and that what he did to you was wrong. You did not cause my break-up with him.”
“I don’t know why he thinks so.”
“You don’t?”
There was something different in her tone, the look in her eyes, a brief moment of something incredible happening that needed no words. That feeling stayed with Sachin all the way home and throughout the night until he fell asleep.

The next morning he stood by his father’s picture and said to him, “Something is happening Pa, that may leave me with a heartache. Please give me the strength to deal with it.”
That same morning, Mr. Singh summoned him, “I will be out of the country for two weeks and I was reliably informed that a threat of unrest is brewing in different parts of the country. So before you take Ahana out anywhere, be sure the road is safe and always stay alert.”
“Yes, sir.”

“She is in your hands out there and I trust you to keep her safe.”
Sachin nodded and said reassuringly, “I will, sir.”
But what happened, no one saw coming!
Ahana did not go out much for that week so he was asked to work on Sunday to take her to Blairmont Estate to visit her friend. Sachin called a high-ranking officer in the Police force whose number Mr. Singh had given him to enquire about the situation on the road.

He was told everything was normal and given an all clear for the trip.
It was more of a relaxing trip than the last one, stopping for her to take pictures of nature, the landscape, farms and unique little houses and churches. She had brought with her a long-lens camera so added to his job of driver/bodyguard. He was now an assistant photographer.
That trip brought something new into their lives for it felt like they were not boss and employee but friends; a beautiful feeling even if it was for just that day.
On the way back, late afternoon, as they reached the East Coast, the police officer he had spoken to called and advised him to drive with caution because a sudden protest action had started.
“No, this is not good,” Sachin voiced.

“What’s happening?” Ahana asked.
“A sudden protest just started.”
“Oh no!” she exclaimed, “What are you going to do?”
“I was told to proceed with caution. Police are on the scene.”
The traffic was starting to build up because the main road was blocked and Sachin knowing it could get worse wasted no time. In a swift, precise move he left the line of cars and took a street to the embankment road and drove skilfully, handling the car through the traffic. He managed to reach Success village and turned into a narrow street then two more cross streets and stopped in a dim lit corner.

“Are we safe here?” she asked, a rising fear in her voice.
“Yes, we should be. This is my village.”
“What do we do now?”
“We wait until I receive word that the road is safe.”
She exhaled in relief and called home to tell her family she was fine, but may be home a bit late.
“Yes, he’s with me and he’ll keep me safe,” she answered her mother’s question.
After a long while, she asked Sachin, “Where do you live?”
“Further down the street.”

“What?” she asked in surprise, “So why are we sitting here in the dark?”
“Well, my house is small and may not be comfortable for you. Plus, your father may not like the idea that I took you to my house.”
“You know what,” she said firmly, “I don’t care about your reasons. Let’s go.”
“Okay,” he complied but somewhat doubtful.
His house was indeed one of those small country homes, but nice and clean with a fresh scent new to her senses.
His mother, quite pleased to see her, made sure she was comfortable on the sofa and offered to cook some hot food for her.
“No, no, I’m fine. Thank you.”

She looked at Ahana with a warm smile and said to Sachin quietly, “She’s beautiful.”
Sachin, for the first time said without hiding his feelings, “Yes, she is.”
Ahana looked at him and smiled, and for the first time he saw a touch of radiance in that smile. As it got late and no call came, she fell asleep and looking at her sleeping face from where he sat, he thought, “I wonder what’s the price I have to pay for falling in love with someone who can’t be mine? How did this happen?”

His eyes closed in sleep so he was unaware she awoke later and sat up looking at him for a long while, pain in her eyes.
“If only I can speak of my feelings for him. How did this happen?” she bemoaned silently.
Wealth, prestige and family would stand in the way, she knew, to deny her the love she wanted.
The phone rang at 1am to say the road was safe but he waited until the break of dawn to take her home.
He had kept her safe, her father’s little girl.

And as he turned to go, she called him, “Hey.”
He turned back and she said, “I did not say ‘Thank you’ for protecting me once again.”
“Doing my job,” he said but with a teasing smile.
She came closer to him and, touching his arm, she said quietly, “And this job is the only way I can see you, don’t leave it.” Until one day, nothing would stand in their way of being together
And that was when he saw the love in her eyes and for that love, he knew he could pay any price for.