A Place Beyond The Horizon

14. LOOSE ENDS

At Mara's suggestion, Aidan has agreed to take Indi shopping in the Ginza district. Andrew is away with his business associates and Mara is busy with filming, pulling long days on set and coming home exhausted. Mara had offered a car to take them, but they take the subway instead, just two people in the crowd. Indi is in a tight t-shirt and she's wearing jeans, with minimal makeup. She looks like she dresses down when Andrew's not around.

"We get the day off," Aidan says to her, "What do you want to do first?"

They're standing outside a towering department store surrounded by people. It's mid-morning on a weekday, but the streets are still busy.

"I don't know," Indi replies, "What do you want to do?"

"Mara thought you might like to have a look at some of the boutiques."

"I guess."

They enter the department store, but Aidan feels like it's because he's suggested it, rather than from any desire on her part. He watches Indi as she moves through the clothes racks, the way her eyes shift from piece to piece, occasionally touching but never picking anything up. He's struggling to make conversation with her; the subway journey had been the same.

Aidan remembers how she looked on the coffee table, stretched out naked on the glass, waiting, the way she had closed her eyes as he drank sake from the cup. He doesn't know what to make of Andrew's peculiar offer: mi casa, su casa, that Indi wouldn't mind. Already, he has the impression that she doesn't care if he makes advances on her. It's not as if she has her defences up around him, it's more of a gap, a no-man's-land between them that he would struggle to cross.

"How long is Andrew away for?" Aidan asks, breaking the silence between them.

"He's back in a couple of days."

"Just the one night away?"

"Yes."

Silence again.

"Where's he gone?"

"Nara."

"Is that where his deal is?"

"No."

Indi picks up a dress and appraises it. Aidan is trying to work out what to say next.

"The deal's in Tokyo, but he's been invited to Nara as part of it."

It's the first time Indi has volunteered information.

"So, what's in Nara?"

Indi replaces the dress on the rack and moves on. Aidan follows behind.

"He's been invited to a traditional evening," Indi replies.

"Traditional?"

Indi nods. "They'll all get together in one of the entertainment houses for dinner and drinks. It's a chance for them to get to know him and vice versa. It's all about building the relationship."

"Entertainment houses? I never knew about that."

"They're wined and dined, attended by geisha. Andrew says it's an important part of the deal."

"What do you think about it?"

"About what?"

"Attended by geisha, you said."

Indi turns to him, her eyebrows raised. "What would I think about it? It's his business."

"Uh, sorry. I didn't mean to sound like I was criticising."

"Do you know what geisha do?"

Aidan shrugs, feeling suddenly uncomfortable. "No," he admits.

"It's not sex. It's about being the glue. Their job is to bring people together, smooth the friction. They're there to make sure everyone has a good time and enjoys themselves. They talk and entertain, they break the ice."