Confessions Of An Escort – Episode 46
FINAL
I stand looking at myself on the mirror and wondering if my baby bump is already showing, Arthur makes a funny face before laughing.
‘Babe you are going to do this for the next nine months huh?’ He asks still laughing
I don’t mind him, he is not the one that will be carrying this child.
‘You know I think it would have been best to just go to civic centre and sign our marriage certificates.’ I say trying to put some clothes on but my back aches like crazy
‘Let me help you with that.’ He says getting the dress that I have thrown on the table
‘Babe the wedding is tomorrow and you really want to change your mind right now?’
‘Babe the pressure is too much, maybe if we weren’t having so much sex and I didn’t turn out pregnant I wouldn’t be this tired.’
He sighs deeply, I have been such a baby of late.
‘What do you want?’
‘Call me babe.’
‘What?’
‘Call me babe.’ I repeat looking at him with puppy eyes
‘Babe what do you want?’
‘Nothing.’ I say with a huge smile and he laughs
He helps me with my dress then my shoes.
‘You are good to go now.’
‘You will drive me?’
‘Anything you want Mrs. Marcel.’
I smile, every time he calls me Mrs. Marcel it’s like he is doing something to my ovaries.
‘I love you Arthur.’
Now he is the one smiling
‘And I love you little mushroom.’ He says kissing the tip of my nose
‘Let us go before we run late.’
I grab my bowl of grapes and walk outside, whilst he follows behind with my hand bag and car keys.
‘I miss the farm hey.’
‘So do I, I never thought a day would come when I would want to leave Lusaka for good.’
‘Look at you now.’
‘You bewitched me am sure.’
He laughs
‘Don’t you think I would have done it sooner, two years was a long time waiting for you.’
I laugh
He starts the car, we are going to meet Francis. He has been calling none stop asking to see me and even though it was against my wish Arthur said it’s best I hear him out.
We drive to the corner cafe whilst singing along to I Love You This big by Scott McCreery, funny how I am now a country music fan because of this man. My man. Mr. Marcel.
‘But why are we doing this again?’
‘Babe this man has been calling you none stop, it’s better you hear him out.’
‘He left without saying goodbye, without a good explanation so why would he want an audience now?’
‘One of the reasons you should see him, ask him that question.’
I don’t respond, I just look out the window. I had loved Francis that is without a doubt, I thought that was it. That my search was over, he knew everything to do with me and I thought that would be more reason for us to last but he bailed out on me even before we started – at a time when I really needed him.
‘We are here.’ Arthur says bringing me back from my thoughts
I had zoned out on him.
I unbuckle and get out of the car, we lock it and walk hand in hand.
I spot Francis the minute we enter the cafe, I see the look on his face when he sees me with Arthur but that is none of my worries right now.
‘Good morning.’ Arthur says
‘Good morning.’ He responds uneasily
‘Francis.’
‘Katie.’
‘I will be in the car if you need me.’ Arthur says kissing my forehead
I smile, stand on my toes then brush my lips on his. He holds my waist and deepens the kiss before smiling between them.
He kisses my forehead again then walks away, for a minute it’s like I am lost in my own world. He still manages to kiss the life out of me.
Francis clears his throat and that is when I remember where we are.
‘You wanted to see me?’ I ask settling into the chair facing him
He looks at me without a word
‘Katie I am sorry.’ He begins and I want to laugh but I hold myself
‘For what exactly?’
‘Leaving you, not saying why I did. Walking out on Sean when I had assured him that I would be around, not protecting you from Jo and Mer’vis, allowing Leonie back into my life. Letting Mark leave Urah, not convincing Ezra to donate blood for Brianna’s surgery.’
‘I am sorry.’ He adds
‘And it took you seeing me with another man for you to realize just how sorry you are?’ I ask
He opens his mouth to say something then closes it
‘I have regretted hurting you for the longest of time but I didn’t know how to reach out.’
‘And now? Why are you here? Where did the courage come from?’
‘I guess seeing you this happy.’
I laugh
‘So you are hurting because I am happy?’
‘Katie I wanted to be your man, the only one who would make love to you. I wanted to marry you and make you my own but I chickened out.’
‘Cheers to that.’
‘I speak flaunt sarcasm too.’
‘Cheers to that too.’ I say this time rolling my eyes
Silence
‘I want you to know that I would have fought for you, had it been any other man I would.’
‘But?’
‘I have seen how you are around that man, you were never even like that around me.’
‘What is that supposed to mean?’
‘You genuinely love him and most importantly you are yourself, you don’t have to try. You just do you and that is what makes the two of you adorable.’
‘Thanks I guess.’
He keeps quiet
‘Mer’vis was deported back to Germany.’
‘If it isn’t God.’
‘Really?’
‘And you think that I like her?’
He sighs
‘Anyway it seems her crimes caught up with her, she has a hearing next month but in the mean time she has to be there under house arrest.’
‘And Ezra?’
‘He genuinely loves Mer’vis you know, he traveled there too and I am sure he will be there through it all.’
I don’t say anything
‘I know he did wrong by you and you will probably never forgive him for refusing to donate the blood but Ezra is a good man and Joan just messed up. If anything he could have her sued for what she did because it was a crime.’
‘I know.’
‘My sister was wrong and maybe getting mad was extreme but somehow we all pay for our mistakes and there she is paying for has.’ I add
‘Am sorry about your parents, it must be hard for them to separate after so many years of being together.’
I look at him with a small smile, one that doesn’t reach my eyes. I am not even shocked that he knows about the separation. Who doesn’t talk about anything and everything here in Zambia.
‘They came to that decision with sound minds, I am sure somehow they will both be okay.’
‘I bet your man is waiting, I should let you go.’ He says with a sad smile
‘Are you okay though?’ I ask
It’s only now that I am noticing old age catching up with him and it can only be because he is not happy.
‘It’s my punishment I guess.’
‘What is wrong Francis?’
‘Leonie isn’t at all perfect, I think she is worse than Mer’vis. He says with a chuckle.’
‘What is the problem?’
‘She just had a second abortion.’
‘Whoa.’
‘Yep, my life.’
‘Why would she do that?’
‘She doesn’t want to be a mother.’
‘Then why not have her tubes removed or something? Why does she have to go through all that? And you know you can divorce her right?’
He shakes his head
‘She is my wife Katie and funny as it may sound but I believe in the sacred union of marriage just like my parents, I just can’t leave like that.’
‘But you are not happy.’
‘For better for worse.’
‘You are yet to experience more bitter days then.’ I say with a sigh as I stand up
‘I should be leaving now.’
‘We all got a share of heartaches Katie, don’t hold back on your happiness because of what we all did to you.’
I smile
‘I mean it; look at your parents, Joan, Mer’vis, Ezra, Leonie, myself. We might not be paying like we ought to but see how our lives all turned out.
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You and Urah are the only ones genuinely happy and yet we had hurt you deeply.’
‘If it isn’t God.’ We say at the same time and we both laugh
‘One way or the other we all paid for how we treated you and I am just glad you came out stronger than everything we ever put you through.’
I don’t know why but I go and hug him
‘Thank you.’ I say a tear escaping my eye
‘For what?’
‘You were the first person to ever accept me the way I was, it was a very hard time for me but you still accepted me. Yes you left when I needed you the most but not once did you ever judge me and for that I will always be grateful.’
He holds me
‘You have always been a Phoenix Katie, and I have been cheering from the sidelines. Now go on and prepare for your wedding tomorrow.’ He says letting me go
‘But I do wish Ezra’s mum got a beating from satan for treating me the way she did.’ I say
He laughs
‘She is getting more than that, because the only grand child she will ever have is Sean and how will she come back to you?’
‘She wouldn’t dare.’ I say with a laugh
‘Am glad to have talked to you.’
‘Thank you for opening up, I needed the closure.’ I say
‘Go ahead now and be happy, you deserve it.’
I smile then walk outside where Arthur is waiting standing next to the vehicle
He opens his arms wide for me and I get into his embrace.
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‘I love you.’ I say with every fiber in me
‘I love you.’ He responds kissing my hair
..
Dan + Shay’s from the ground up starts to play and I know it is our cue to walk down the aisle, I look at Urah who is trying so hard not to cry. Mweemba and Arthur are already waiting for us, surprisingly Mark and Urah got to talk and sorted out there issues and he is Mweemba’s best man. Arthur’s brother is his.
I look at dad who is giving me away looking all handsome and I want to cry but I also don’t want to ruin my make up, Mum smiles lovingly as she holds on to Urah’s hand. She is giving her away, we don’t have the best relationship right now but we are trying to build on whatever good thing we can find.
‘Right behind you.’ I say when the church doors open and the two begin their procession, as dad walks me to my husband to be I can’t hold back the tears.
I cry for the time I got pregnant at eighteen and had to pick myself up with nothing, I cry for the years I was an escort, I cry for my son who would never have a relationship with his biological father, I cry for all the people that hurt me. I cry for the lady I turned out, I cry for Francis who showed me that despite my flaws I could still be loved, I cry because not once in my life did I ever imagine being loved by Arthur and walking down to be given to him in marriage.
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I cry because despite my faults, despite my free will, despite my ways, despite the many times I fell and picked myself up, despite the heart aches and the pain, there is a God whose plans he had for me. Plans to prosper me and not to harm me, plans to give me hope and a future. My future, my perfect ending. My name is Katie, and I am a former Escort.
