Chapter One - Richard Lewis

She got Reed settled in the visitor's sofa, under the blessed cooling stir of the
overhead fan. The sister brought in a tray of tea and retreated. They chatted briefly about
Bali and Father Louis. The small talk dwindled. Mother Agnes clasped her hands across
her habit, her thumbs on the small cross at the bottom of her rosary, her calm gaze steady
on him.
"I didn't stop in just to say hello," Reed said.
"I didn't think so."
Reed opened his briefcase and on the table placed a photograph, the one he'd
taken at the rally. "A Gerwani member from Djakarta," he said. "Now in Bali. Her
name's Naniek."
"And?" Mother Agnes said. Her guarded tone was something new. Perhaps it
came with her added responsibilities
"This doesn't have anything to do with politics," Reed said.
Mother Agnes smiled. "Ah. I see."
"Do you know her?"
"Gerwani is a large organization. But I knew her as Yuyun. That was her
nickname. I didn't know her well, but she struck me as earnest and dedicated. She had
patrons in power, but never used that to her advantage. I thought highly of that."
"Why would she be sent to Bali?"
"I don't know. What are her feelings for you?"
Reed grinned. "I'm not sure, but I'm hopeful."
Mother Agnes escorted him convent's front door and there took both his hands
and said she would say prayers for him.
Across the road, a crowd had gathered to watch a medicine man hawk his special
herbs and amulets. A rusty sedan was parked on the edge of the crowd, and the man in
the passenger seat raised a camera and aimed its telephoto lens at the nun and her guest,
clicking off several shots.
. In Djakarta, Reed professionally printed and framed the best of the photographs
that he'd taken of Parwati's daughters, of the girls in mid-jump as if leaping away from
their shadows, the afternoon bathing their faces with light. The older sister was intent on
her landing, and the younger flew with a smile wide as wings.
The day after he got back to Bali, he puttered in his jeep to Batu Gede, arriving
late afternoon. With a rush of elation, he noticed Naniek's bicycle in the carport, which
also sheltered a sedan car with official plates.
Stepping up to the residence's porch, he called out hello. Parwati's two daughters
rushed out and stopped in mid-stride to stare at him.
"Is your mother home?" he asked.
The youngest turned. "Mama! That American is here!"
Parwati emerged, an apron around her. "Yes? What can I do for you?" she said,
coldly polite.
"I promised you these," Reed said, showing her the framed photographs.
She took them with a puzzled frown that eased to delight. "Oh, my. They look so
lively! And look, that is just like Endang, always so serious, and Sri, always so happy."
"They're lovely girls," he said. "You must be very proud of them."
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