Free Drive and Determination by Kara Louise Page A

somewhat hilly area. As they came down the hill, Elyssa was in awe over how green everything was and the variety of flowers that grew everywhere.
            George suddenly swerved to the side of the road and came to a stop. He turned toward Elyssa, putting his right arm on her shoulder and pointing with his left hand across her to her right. “Look!”
            Elyssa turned her head and saw the volcano rising from the edge of the city and spitting out smoke. “That’s amazing!” she said.
            “Just for you!” George laughed. “I ordered it special!”
            “You must have an inside contact, George.”
            They sat quietly in the car, Elyssa’s eyes fastened to the volcano and George’s eyes fastened on her. Finally, he clasped his hands together. “Now! What are you in the mood for? A nice mall to shop for some of the finer things money can buy or are you in mood to do some bartering for handmade items at the marketplace?”
            “I would prefer to see the handmade items, I think.”
            “Excellent! Then to the marketplace we will go!”
            George looked behind him at the traffic and pressed his foot to the gas pedal, quickly placing himself between two cars that were speeding down the hill.
            Elyssa gulped, but did not say a thing.
            “Now, Elyssa, a word of advice. No one expects you to pay full price. Look at the listed price and then offer something lower. They’ll actually be offended if you don’t.”
            “Janet told me that bargaining was something she had a hard time getting used to.”
            “Well if you don’t want to do it, I’m an expert! I can wear down anyone’s defenses. Just leave it to me!”
            They drove into town and along the way Elyssa asked George if he knew about the preschool where Janet helped.
            “Sure! It’s a few miles from the marketplace. If you like, we’ll go there tomorrow. The preschool only has classes in the morning so there would be no use in going now.”
            “I would really like to if you don’t mind…”
            Placing a hand again on Elyssa’s shoulder, he said, “Elyssa, whatever you want, I’ll do.”
            “Don’t you have work to do?”
            “I have stuff I have to do, but as long as I get it done, it doesn’t matter when I do it. We’ll do that tomorrow morning and then in the afternoon you can get back to work going through your sister’s things while I go in to work.”
            “That sounds like a plan,” Elyssa smiled.
            “But…” George quickly glanced at her and then turned back to the road. “Tomorrow evening, we go out to eat. There is one restaurant that I really want to take you to.”
            “I’d love it!”
            George thought it would be a good time to press his luck. “The next day, we can visit Antigua. If you like history, you’ll find the monastery ruins fascinating!”
            “I do love history. I would really enjoy that.”
            “That’s settled, then. On Friday, I thought we’d drive out to Lake Atitlan. I have the weekend off and would love to show you around.”
            “I really don’t want to inconvenience you, George. Don’t you have to work on Friday?”
            He leaned in towards her. “Like I said, I have work to do, but as long as I get it done, it doesn’t matter when I do it… or where. Besides, I have contacts there. I’ll do a little work and can write off the expenses!”
            They arrived at the market place and walked around the large square before going down the steps that took them inside. People