Chapter Sixteen
Sophia couldn’t believe Stasia would be so open at the very time when she’d much prefer her to remain secretive. Yet Sam had a way about him… of gaining trust.
He stepped in before Sophia could speak. “Come and have a sandwich, Stasia. Then you can tell us about your trouble, and we’ll help you stay safe.”
Stasia came forward slowly, looking first at Sophia as if she sensed her displeasure. No doubt, the kid had perfected her sensitivity for any kind of tension, and she’d picked up on Sophia’s disgruntled emotions.
She stepped close and whispered, “Should I not speak with him, Sophia?” Stasia waited for her answer and would no doubt have done exactly what Sophia wanted.
But she couldn’t refuse this kid his protection. Though the very last thing she wanted right now was to have this discerning, sharp-eyed sex toy anywhere near her, how could she refuse for Stasia to get help in any way possible? “It’s fine. Tell us both why you were trying to get away from the men who came to force you back to the hotel.”
At this point, Sam stopped her and headed to the small table where they could all relax. “You’re shaking, Stasia. And there’s no need for you to be frightened any longer. You’ll be able to think better after you have something in your belly. Eat, and we’ll pick up the story after you’re done.” He placed her plate with the sandwich down in front of her and added a cup of the steaming hot coffee.
Sophia fetched the sugar and cream and added a dish of her favorite apple pastries, a sweet treat from Barney that she’d noticed wrapped in the brown, grease-soaked bakery bag on the counter. Then she took her place.
Once they’d all taken a first bite, Sam kept them amused with his first observations of Rhodes and how he’d taken to the historical location. “I guess one of my first shocks was seeing shops where they had fish tanks for people to submerge their feet so the fish could eat all the old skin. Never saw that before.”
Sophia laughed. “It’s rejuvenating. The tanks are cleaned every day and the fish are well fed each morning. Some people think the owners starve the fish so they will clean the feet, but it’s not so. It’s just what they do.”
“Not with my feet they won’t.”
“Big baby. You really can’t be afraid of tiny little fish.”
“I can if I’m ticklish and would react like a giggling idiot if anything gets near my toes.”
Sophia caught on to his joking manner and teased him more. “Then I guess snorkeling in the incredible bays around here is out of the question. There’s millions of fish there.”
“Oh, no you don’t. We both know the difference. Those fish don’t dine off your body.”
Sophia had to laugh at his expression. “Okay, you got me there.”
They finished their sandwiches and Sophia could see that it had helped calm Stasia enough that she’d reached for another of the delicious apple fritters.
Finally, Sam started the serious discussion. “Start at the beginning, Stasia. Where you’re from and why you’re in Greece.”
“My name is Anastasia Dedov. I was born in St. Petersburg, but when my mother died last year, my father brought all his children to Sochi. There are seven of us. I’m the oldest girl.”
“Were you in school there?” Sophia wanted to get an overall picture of this girl’s existence before she was brought to Greece.
Settling into her story, Stasia sat on her hands and leaned forward, her expression grim. “No. My father can’t afford school for us all. I work at garment factory. One day, two men come to factory and promise us better life. A future in Europe where we earn good wages and live happy life. We believe them. My father use his small savings to help me pay fare so I can come.”
Sophia couldn’t imagine a caring father allowing a young girl to go off with strangers. “Did he meet those men?”
“No. They didn’t give any time. We have to follow orders, have money with us and be ready to leave next day.”
Sam asked, “And you believed them?”
“Yes. Until we arrive at ship. It was horrible. Trapped in a box for many days. Lucky, we were small group, only fifteen of us. We had little food, a small toilet with curtain that become a… an ugly mess, and foam mats to sleep on. There were more girls, and so we were safe from boys even though they tried to corner us and act like… like dogs.”
Sophia couldn’t begin to comprehend the nightmare trip, yet she knew this kind of unimaginable horror happened in many places in the world.
“Some of girls from same factory didn’t make it. Two died on way over. Stella lost her mind and kill herself. And Alice become sick. We find her dead three days before we arrive. It was worst thing, not being able to bury them. We had to use plastic curtain for bodies and to stop smells. God help me for hating these… those poor girls by the time they let us loose.”
Wanting to turn her away from the mental pictures and painful memories that showed so completely on her small face, Sophia said, “You speak English very well. Were you taught it as a child?”
“Oh no, while we recovered from trip, they make us learn English emersion classes. They beat us if we don’t learn to speak quickly. They don’t let us sleep more than a few hours each night. The rest of the time, we take lessons. Even now, after they put us to work, we must take lessons when not with customer.”
Sophia knew the answer, but she had to make sure. “What exactly is it you’re made to do?”