It's a Jungle Out There

Though Nephi looked like Rena and had certainly matured physically into a young woman, she was different from Rena. I think because she was the baby of the family and because of the extreme trauma the family had been subjected to, Nephi had been overprotected.

Nephi was not unintelligent and received good marks at SMP, there was just a naïveté about her. She did not have the street smarts that Vikal and Rena had. But her innocence was genuine and pure and she was a delight to spend time with.

I could tell she was nervous about one aspect of my marriage to her sister.

"Are you and Rena going to move to America?" She asked me.

I watched the worried expression on her face as she waited for my answer.

"Nephi," I began, "wherever Rena and I decide to live there will always be a place for you." I told her.

Immediately the lines of worry smoothed out on her face and a big smile appeared. She just kept staring at me and nodding her head. Approving my answer to her worried question.

My concern about Nephi came from another direction. I knew Rena and I would need to help protect this beautiful sheltered young girl from the more unpleasant aspects of life.

The wedding day finally came and six members of my family, including my mom and dad, made the trip to Indonesia. They stayed at a motel in Bima. The ceremony was non denominational in a rented hall in Bima. Vikal arranged all the food and actually helped in the cooking and preparation.

It was a fun event and I was pleased that my parents got to spend some time with Vilak, Bhakti, and Nephi. Everyone seems to get along great.

At one point it was just my dad and I.

"Son," he said as he put his arm around me and steered us away from the crowd, "I think you married yourself a fine young woman."

"Thanks Dad," I answered.

He was silent for a minute.

"You know with Jasmine," he began.

"Dad," I interrupted, "let's not talk about her."

"Now, hear me out," he said, "I never quite thought she was right for you. But you seemed so happy for a while. And she was so,..., physical with you. I guess I thought if you were," he paused trying to find the right words, "sleeping with her, you needed to be married."

"Dad, it's okay." I said.

He ignored me and continued.

"Anyway, I apologize for giving you the wrong advice." He said and we just stood there comfortably for a moment, my dad's arm around my back.

"Son, I guess I just wanted to tell you," he said to me, "I think you picked the right one this time." And with that he clapped me on the shoulder and walked off into the wedding crowd without a glance back.

All too soon the wedding was over, my family had left, and normal life once again began.

Though it was different now. Rena and I were living together on a small building on Bhakti's property. It was fairly primitive but that didn't matter, we were together, and close to her family.

I would work my normal schedule during the week and continue my studies for my Masters in the evenings and the weekends. We would spend time with Rena's family and I would take extra time with the Effendi's, my first host family.

And of course we would spend time with young Nephi. She really was turning into a beautiful, young girl. Her innocence and trusting nature was refreshing, but both Rena and I couldn't help but worry about her. We both knew the world could be a rough place. In many ways it was a blessing that she was so young when tragedy had struck her family.

The months stretched on and I was surprised to realize I was going on my fourth year in Indonesia. There were moments I would come from working all day on a farm, hands filthy, mud on my boots, and wonder would I be doing this the rest of my life?

One day I received an email from Tim Kerwin at Taft about an opening for a professorship. I had completed my Masters, and Tim urged me to apply. That night I discussed the opportunity with Rena.

Though she had some reservations about leaving her family she was also excited to think about the opportunity to live in America. She told me she wanted to discuss the possibility with Bhakti.

A few days later she told me she had spoken with Bhakti. True to his kind nature he urged her to live in America. Deep down, Rena told me, she could see the sadness in his eyes as he smiled and urged her on to a new life far away from her family.

About a week later I received an email from Tim telling me I was their number one candidate for the position and could I get my affairs wrapped up in Indonesia by the first of August. That was only four weeks away. I told him I could.

It was a sad farewell to all my Indonesian friends. The hardest part was leaving Bhakti, Vikal and particularly young Nephi. Rena was like a mother to the girl.

The night before we were to leave, Nephi came to our room while we were packing. You could see the tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Remember what you promised," she said to me.

I stopped and looked at her searching her eyes for a clue to my forgotten promise.

"You told me there would always be a place for me with you." She said.

I looked at Nephi, recalling the conversation those weeks ago.

"Nephi," I began, "once we get settled in America, of course we want you to come visit and see America. Don't worry." I told her.

Nephi sat on the corner of our bed and digested what I had told her. You could almost see her brain processing my words. She then looked at us nodded, smiled, and left.

One of the things about my life in Indonesia was that I spent almost no money. I didn't make much, but what I did make, I saved. I lived rent free. Much of what I ate came from the farms I worked at, and any food I did buy was inexpensive. There really just wasn't a lot to spend money on.

The upshot of my nearly five years of savings was that I had nearly one hundred and fifty thousand dollars in my investment account. One of the things I wanted and I know Rena wanted was our own house.

Fortunately housing costs near Taft University were still fairly reasonable. We bought an older three bedroom house with a two acre lot about a mile west of the college. We were able to put nearly half the purchase price down as a down payment. One of the considerations when we were looking for houses was room for her family, particularly young Nephi.

Rena, with help from Tim, was able to get a position at the campus health clinic. Though she had the practical knowledge to be qualified to be a registered nurse she needed to complete some classes to achieve that designation.

Meanwhile I started Fall Classes and quickly found that I enjoyed my professorship and working with the young people in my classes.

The adjustment to life in America was mostly smooth for Rena. She was amazed at the quantity and variety of food at the grocery stores. I took her to a Costco once and she was amazed at their oversized packaging of everything. I recall her seeing a one and a half gallon jar of mustard and asking me who would need so much mustard. I tried to explain but even to me my answer sounded ridiculous.

The one thing that continued to be difficult was the separation from her family. She missed them terribly. I think because of the tragedy they all went through they became understandably closer than normal. There were more than a few tear filled phone calls especially in those first few weeks.

But beyond that our life together was wonderful. We both enjoyed our jobs, we spent time fixing up our own house, and it was fun to introduce Rena to the different parts of American culture.

Both of us worked Monday through Friday and we tried to make it a weekly event to go out to dinner on Saturday nights. We would try different types of restaurants from fast food to fine dining. It was interesting the different food that Rena would prefer. For example she loved Subway but did not care for Pizza Hut.

This particular Saturday we went to a nicer restaurant near the college called Iris-Farm. It was a small bistro style restaurant known for its wine selection. We had a glass of wine in the bar as we waited for our table.

It was about midway through our dinner when all of a sudden the commotion began.

"Well if it isn't my long lost husband!" The voice said behind me.

I turned to see who was speaking but I'd already recognized the voice.

Jasmine!

It looked like she and one of her friends were coming out of the bar.

"Well, well, well," she said with false pleasantness, "you look good Owen, you've filled out some and your normal pasty white skin is tan." She added.

I turned to look at her, I noted Rena had a blank puzzled look on her face.

"Hello Jasmine." I quietly said to her.

"So you kind of left me without telling me you were leaving," she continued with the same false good humor with a thread of negativity.

I didn't reply.

"And who is this little China doll?" She asked, turning her attention to Rena.

Her friend giggled at that.

Rena, always polite, stood up, smiled, and extended her hand in greeting.

"Hello, I'm Rena," she addressed Jasmine.

Jasmine's face turned ugly and she ignored Rena's outstretched hand.

The entire time Jasmine had been talking to us her voice kept getting louder. The other diners were now distracted by the commotion at our table.

"Are all the massage parlors closed tonight honey?" Jasmine commented toward Rena.

At that point I stood turned around and faced Jasmine.

"Okay, that's enough," I began. "Jasmine, I think it's time for you to leave." I told her.

And at that moment the manager also walked up and politely but firmly ushered Jasmine and her friend out the door. She was still yelling something at me as she was led out.

I looked across the table at a shocked Rena.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

".... so that's the story of Jasmine." I told Rena.

Rena just looked at me for a long time, trying to equate what she knew of me and our life with Jasmine and my old life.

"Hmmh." She said, continuing to look at me, still puzzled, as if it still didn't quite make sense.

"Rena, you knew I'd been married before." I said. "It ended badly, it was a bad time in my life, as I just told you, I tried to block it out. I guess that's why I never said much about her before tonight," and I nodded toward the exit where Jasmine had been kicked out.

"I know!" Rena said, "I just didn't know she was that mean!"

"Our marriage ended badly, and after the fight with her brother, I just wanted to get away from her." I said. "With any luck we'll never see her again." I added, hopeful that what I said was true.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Jasmine was furious.

That bottled up anger at Owen leaving her all those years ago erupted. She didn't care what the lawyers said, he was her husband.

And then to show up with that Chinese chick, or whatever she was, in her town! She was angry and humiliated.

Jasmine decided to go to Papaya and talk to Claude. She wanted payback on that asshole Owen. Maybe Claude could help, she thought.

Claude was at the normal back table talking to Armon with a couple of girls hanging around. Regulars at Papaya. She marched straight back to the table and began telling Claude what had happened.

".... and there he was with that chick acting as if he was so much better than me!" She concluded, telling her version of what had happened at Iris-Garden

Claude sat quietly drumming his fingers on the wood table trying to digest the information his little sister had given him. Honestly, he thought she was better off without the pencil necked farmer.

"So who was the girl he was with?" Claude Francis asked.

"I don't know! I just saw them for a minute." She nearly yelled back at Claude.

"Easy, easy, I'm not the enemy," Claude began, "just calm down and tell me what she looks like at least." He said.

Jasmine took a deep breath and told her brother as much as she could remember about the chick with Owen.

"I think she said her name was Rita, no, something like Rita." She told him.

"Okay," Claude said. "I'll ask around, he used to work at the college didn't he? Hey Denny," Claude yelled over at the long term bartender Dennis Libby, and with his arm motioned him over.

Dennis came over, "what's up Claude?" Dennis asked. He was still taking classes at Taft, finally on the verge of getting his degree.

"You remember the dickwad that Jasmine was married to?" Dennis nodded. "Keep your eyes open around campus, let me know if you see him."

"Will do." Dennis replied.

Claude just nodded his appreciation dismissing Dennis with the same gesture.

"Jaz, don't worry I'll ask around, try to find out what he's doing here." He calmly told her."Okay?" He asked.

Less than a week later Claude Francis got the information he needed on Owen Isaacson. He found out that he was now a professor at the college and he was married to the Asian woman. Her name was Rena and she worked as a nurse somewhere at the college too.

Now, Claude thought, what to do about all this. I kicked his ass once, Claude remembered, maybe I need to do it again. Also, if the Asian wife is as hot as he'd been told, maybe he could have some fun with her too.

Smiling, Claude began to put his plan together.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Later that week Owen got home from the university to see Rena sitting in the kitchen. She looked troubled and deep in thought.

"Rena, what's wrong," I asked her.

She said she had called home and Nephi was upset about being apart from Rena. Rena had been like a mother to Nephi and now they lived halfway around the world from each other. Nephi wanted to see Rena and she was sad.

I sat there thinking about the situation and I began to wonder if we could get her to live with us. She was now nineteen and had graduated from SMP. I could begin to look at the possibility of her enrolling next term at Taft. I knew people in the admissions department. I could find out what we needed to do to get Nephi enrolled.

I thought back to the conversation Nephi and I had in Indonesia. I had promised Nephi there would always be a place for her with us. I couldn't let her down..

Rena and I discussed it. She was happy about this possibility, but also a little concerned.

"Nephi is so innocent. Do you think she will be okay here?" She asked me, a look of concern on her face.

I thought for a moment. Rena made a good point. Nephi was so trusting of people and I knew there were some bad people in the US. But then I thought there are untrustworthy people everywhere and as long as we were around we could make sure she was safe.

"I think," I began, "that we will take good care of Nephi. I'll look into it tomorrow." I told Rena.

I talked to some people at Taft. It looked like there were a few hoops we would need to maneuver through but likely by next term we could get Nephi enrolled.

Rena told me that Nephi was ecstatic about coming to America, going to college, and most of all living with Rena again. Over the next several weeks we began planning for Nephi's arrival. There was a lot to do and we both were still working full time.

When possible Rena and I commuted to school together. Rena didn't have a US driver's license yet, when our schedules didn't match and the weather was nice, she would ride her bicycle to the clinic. I had warned her to always use the heavy duty 'U' shaped bike lock when she got to the health clinic at Taft. Bike theft was common.

It happened to be a nice day and I had a late class that Wednesday, so Rena rode her bike. I got home a little after six and when I entered I could tell something was wrong with Rena. I found her sitting at the kitchen table, arms wrapped around her shivering body.

She didn't say a word.

"Rena honey," I rushed to her, "what's wrong?" I held her and felt the slight trembling, signaling her distress.

I stood back and from a few feet away examined her for any type of injury. She looked physically fine, just very shaken up emotionally.

"Rena, what is it?" I asked again.

"This man," she began, "driving a big car, pulled over in front of me on the street when I was riding home." She said.

And then she began to tell me the story. She was almost home when a big black vehicle swerved in front of her and stopped. Rena had to brake quickly or else she would have run into the back of the black vehicle.

A man got out and at first he seemed nice but then he started acting uncomfortably too nice and she became worried. He asked her, her name, where she was going, and where she lived.

Rena said she didn't really answer him, tried to be polite, and tried to get by him but he kept kind of blocking her way. One time he stepped directly in front of her when she tried to ride away, he even grabbed the handle bars to stop her. She finally maneuvered the bike away from him and quickly rode up on the sidewalk to get away.

But what really bothered her as she began to ride away he called out to her 'see you later Rena'. It took her a few minutes to realize it, but she had never given him her name.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Claude and Jasmine were sitting in the back of Papaya. Claude had just told Jasmine about his encounter with Rena.

"Yeah scared the shit out of her," Claude laughed and told Jasmine.

"Is that it?" Jasmine said. "You just scared her? Is that all you're gonna do?"

Claude was starting to get pissed at his little sister. He'd had his people track down her ex's hot little new wife. He found out where they live and some other stuff about them.

"What else is it you'd like me to do?" Claude asked with forced patience.

"Well you could start by kicking the shit out of him again," Jasmine began, "and this time I'd like to see it. And maybe have that little bitch wife see it happen too." She added.

Claude sat there thinking for a few moments. Yeah, if that's what Jasmine wanted he'd be glad to kick the guys ass again. He nodded.

"Okay." He told the now smiling Jasmine. "I know where they normally go on Saturday mornings."

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

That Saturday morning the weather was nice and Rena and I went to the park to play tennis. She is better than me. She grew up playing tennis and has far more skill. I try to make up for it with just the physical advantage. She normally wins.

At the park there are three courts, each fenced in with a tall cyclone fence. If we get there early enough at least one of the courts is normally open. This particular Saturday all of them were available.

As we played I noticed that one of the other two courts were now occupied but there was still one vacant court.

I then noticed something behind me distracting Rena, she had missed a shot she normally easily makes. Her gaze was over my shoulder and focused on something behind me. I turned to look and saw two people coming toward us, carrying tennis rackets. They looked familiar.

"Rena, let's keep playing," I called to her ignoring the two people.

Behind me I heard the squeak of the aluminum gate open into our tennis court. I stopped and looked at the two people entering our court. It was Jasmine and her brother Claude Francis.

"There's another court open," I called out to Jasmine and Claude, and pointed to the far court.

"We're just going to watch a minute," Claude replied, with a phony smile on his face, "maybe pick up some pointers." He added.

They sat on the wooden bench on the side of the court. Rena and I continued to play but the anxiety brought on by the two spectators' presence ruined our fun.

Rena walked to the net and I met her there.

"That's the man who stopped me on my bike," she told me in a quiet voice. "I want to go now." She said.

I thought about it for a minute. I didn't want either of those two to think they could intimidate us. I would not back down.