Confessions Of An Escort – Episode 21

_21_

 

(Unedited)

 

FRANCIS

 

I don’t know what I like most about Katie; maybe it’s the fact that she doesn’t give jack about what people think about her, or that against all odds she has overcome it all. Or maybe it’s even her midget height that gets me smiling all the time, I really can’t put a finger to it because she is this little human that I want to keep close.

 

She thinks I don’t know her but she is wrong, i haven’t had time to find out about her family but from the little information Mark gave me, she was disowned just after getting pregnant. He seems not to know much as well and I can’t be surprised because her and Urah seem to be too secretive and I wouldn’t be surprised to know that she too is an escort.

 

I have met Jo’s parents before, they are nice people though George has told me more than once that they are not that close and he really didn’t disclose why and I didn’t push either.

 

The door opens and I know it’s them, Jo seems very excited and goes to meet them.

 

‘Mummy.’ She screams

 

‘Hey baby.’ The older lady says

 

‘Dad.’ George says to the old man

 

 

‘Hey son, I hope you are taking care of my girls.’ He says in his fatherly voice

 

‘Baby this child is going to be a boy.’ His wife says

 

‘Nop, this will be my little girl.’ He says

 

I stand up, it would be rude to continue sitting, I notice how cold Katie gets. And this has me thinking that whatever happened between them is really deep

 

‘Mum, dad.’ I say

 

‘How dare you come back into the country without letting me know? I should call your mother.’ Jo’s mother aunty Edith says embracing me

 

‘Edith leave the boy alone will you?’ Uncle Cuthbert says

 

‘And I heard you took her a lovely girl too.’ She says all smiles

 

‘Baby come over here.’ I say to Katie

 

I watch as she stands up, there is an elephant in the room as no one seems to be talking. I see how uncle Cuthbert looks at her, between angry stares and what seems like hurt; he hides it all perfectly. Aunty Edith has this lump on her throat and I can see she is tongue tied.

 

‘Katie, aunt Edith and uncle Cuthbert.’ I say holding her waist

 

‘Nice to meet you.’ She says after clearing her throat

 

‘Same here my dear.’ Aunty says

 

‘You didn’t tell us you had a guest.’ Uncle Cuthbert says to Jo

 

‘It was unplanned.’ She responds

 

‘Okay.’ He says walking to the living room

 

 

We all join him and take seats, I can feel the tension in the room. Looking at Aunty Edith now I can see where Katie got her features from

 

‘Let me just finish up in the kitchen.’ Jo says standing up

 

‘Okay baby.’ George responds

 

‘Can you kindly come and help us.’ Aunty Edith says to Katie

 

She sighs deeply before getting up

 

..

 

I don’t know what to feel, it has been eight years since I saw my parents and being in the same room with them I can feel that even if we talk things out today it will never be the same.

 

I walk behind the woman who I once called my mother into the kitchen, I look around and I can see just how perfect it is. Jo has always been a perfectionist, always putting things in order no matter the circumstances.

 

‘What do you need help with?’ I ask when we all stand there awkwardly

 

‘What do you want here?’ My mother asks

 

‘I came here with Francis.’ I respond trying not to be intimidated by her

 

‘Katie eight years and nothing from you, you just show up here today and you think we can just welcome you?’ She asks

 

I want to laugh, I have always played how this day would be in my head a million times over and yes it did sound like this.

 

‘What makes you think that I am here for you? Or her? Or her father?’ I ask

 

She opens her mouth to say something but closes it

 

 

Growing up I was the quiet child, the innocent one. But life beat me in the butt and here I am now.

 

‘How is your child?’

 

‘I know you don’t care about us so why do you want to pretend like you care? You and your husband trashed me when I needed you the most, you thought I was going to die alone? You wanted me to get rid of my child in order to protect your family name and when I couldn’t you declared me an outcast, so why pretend now like you care?’ I question

 

‘As far as I am concerned my parents died eight years ago. My family died eight years ago and that is the truth that my child will carry with him till my last breath.’ I say walking out of the kitchen mad

 

‘George thank you for having us but we will be leaving.’ I say grabbing my purse from where Francis is sitting

 

‘Oh, okay.’ He says

 

I don’t even look into my father’s direction

 

‘Man thanks for coming.’ George says to Francis as they hug manly

 

‘Katie.’

 

I stand, his voice firm and with command.

 

‘I am proud of the lady you are today.’ He says

 

‘Thank you.’ I say in the smallest voice I can master then walk out without even looking at him

 

We get into the car and none of us say a word to each other, more than ever I appreciate this silence because I really need it. All the while I have been so sure

 

 

that my father hated me and wanted nothing to do with me, but to have him tell me that he is actually proud of me is surprising.

 

We stop just somewhere in Chongwe, I didn’t even realize that we had driven this far.

 

‘Get out of the vehicle.’ He says

 

I do as told, and walk behind where he is.

 

He opens the back and lifts me so that I can sit with him.

 

‘For the longest time I blamed myself for how my family treated me.’ I begin

 

‘I thought it was my fault that they treated me that way, that I shouldn’t have gotten pregnant. I really wanted to them to accept me as I am but hey we can’t all get a blissful ending.’ I say

 

‘Are you okay?’ I ask when he is quiet for a while

 

He sighs then stands up

 

‘Katie.’ He says now facing me

 

‘You know I like you right?’

 

‘Okay.’

 

‘I have come a long way with my friends and the last thing that I would want is to betray them.’

 

‘Am not asking you to do that.’

 

‘You are not listening.’

 

‘I am.’ I say

 

He says with defeat

 

‘Okay go ahead.’

 

‘If Jo is your sister, it can only mean one thing.’

 

‘What?’

 

‘Ezra knew about the pregnancy.’ He says