By Prince Gora
Chapter 1
The Raid…
"Come out! Come out and surrender now!"
"You are surrounded!"
"Try to run and you are a dead man!”
The police spokesperson warned from the loudspeaker while l sat quietly on the backseat of the police car, flanked by a pair of cops, one on either side of mine.
The car suddenly came to a halt and I stared into the darkness,saw blank at first, then, as my eyes aclimatised to the darkness, l began to distinguish figures of individuals which turned out to be a crowd actually.
"I wasn't expecting a gathering of this magnitude", l murmured to myself astonished by the number of people who had left the warmth of their beds just after midnight and braved the cold weather to cluster around - the police sirens must have woke up a multitude.
"Too bad...", l whimpered "...once again l will be the talk of the town for the whole week if not month." I felt so embarrassed! I knew right away that I would be on the front page of the daily metro the following morning and became nervous. I was a bad girl, but even I, couldn`t enjoy bad publicity. Many of the scandals in my life have been in the press but the press is that one thing that l will just never get used to!
‘What will the headline say…” l meditated “…maybe they will write, CHINGANO'S ROBBER CAUGHT - ALL THANKS TO BIANCA.”I knew that I was right, the headline would definitely be something along those lines, for these two names were quite popular at the time and would make any newspaper sale like hot cakes. Chingano, the flamboyant businessman and Bianca, the famous harlot. Everyone will be curious to know the connection between these two contrasting characters and will surely be tempted to get their own copy of the local daily metro.
The crowd was so huge...l inspected it for familiar faces and there...Oh yes! I busted into laughter upon noticing something that l hadn't noticed prior. Police troops were beating my neighbors - who so hate me - with sjamboks. The reason didn't matter to me...the scene did it for the day...a damn good turn that deserved another!
Enough with the small talk now!
"Bo...oo...om!", undoubtably the sound of a gunshot.
...wait, where is it coming from? My house! How on earth is that possible? Edward must have been very smart to hide a gun in there. I had checked all his things and hadn't seen a trace of it!
The gunshot caused a stampede. People panicked and confusion rocked the place. A lot of people just went back and forth like headless chickens, others shouted whatever came to mind and the worst were crying aloud like one year old babies. There was one thing in common though, they all didn't know what to do nor where to go. The police acrued their beatings...but that didn't help matters , if anything, it made the chaos even worse than before.
Another police division responded to Ed by firing from all angles and leaving apertures all over my house.
They only stopped firing after a minute had elapsed. Ed seemed not to be inside the house anymore-one gunshot was all that he could manage to hoax us with.
"This is your last chance! Come out now or we will come in for you!"
A long pause followed, then reluctantly...he emerged out of the house.
"Drop your gun,...
Hands up,...
Don't move.
Lie down on your tummy."
The constable gave a series of demands which Edward followed promptly.
Two policemen rushed towards the criminal with their guns stylused at him. One of them searched him, took the gun then handcuffed and legironed him - the police had no doubt that the person l had safely lived with for over ninety days was a very dangerous criminal!
They impelled him roughly toward the police van which had been 'patiantly' waiting for him outside the house all this while.
"Go criminal!", l shouted at the very top of my voice getting out of the police car and trying to 'buy' attention.
Elsewhere, the policeforce, having succeeded in their mission of capturing their 'most wanted hardcore criminal', drove off the dusty streets of Epworth and calmness reverted to the neighborhood's beautiful homes once more.
"Can you believe that l was keeping a felonious in my backyard for three months!", once again, l said the words at the very top of my voice trying to steal attention but like the first time around, it was all to no avail.
Everybody pretended as if l had said absolutely nothing. They ignored me and proceeded to inquire information elsewhere. Though at the heart of this anarchy, noone bothered to listen to me, they never did anyway...and l don't really blame them, this wasn't the first that l had brought drama to my household and it was always the norm, my norm to give a biased delineation of the account.
People went to heed the words of Mai Chipo, our landlady, she always had a better story to tell.
Mai Chipo was a single mother of two who lived with her two sons (both in their teens) in two rooms and leased the other two to my family. She was a cross - border trader by profession but once or twice a month, she could ask me to bring her a client home when her balance sheet was not balancing. That was one reason why she liked to stay with us!
Mai Chipo's place was my home for close to two decades. I arrived there when I was but a minor, aged five.
My mother died there, my sisters and I grew up there. We did whatever we deemed necessary, just as long as we paid our rentals in time.
Once, when I was twelve, l left this place , but as John H. Payne rightly put it across, "Be it ever so humble, there is no place like home!"
***
"Bianca has been staying with this man for the past three months...", called the familiar voice of Mai Chipo, loud and clear, from her doorstep.
"...during the first two months, they stayed together well, l actually thought that my daughter ( for she referred to me as her daughter) has finally decided to settle down. They lived happily, enjoying a luxurious life", she paused, it was only for a few seconds but it seemed like ages. There was an awkward silence that one could be forgiven for believing that this was a grave yard with corpses standing upright!
"Things have been very different of late, they have been fighting almost everyday this past month."
Mai Chipo tried to be very brief, but the crowd couldn't let her, they wanted to hear more and asked a lot.
"So what happened today? What brought the police here?",a short ,stout middle aged woman inquired.
" Edward and Bianca had a fight, and Bianca reported the case to the police."
"You're lying! The gunshots? If it was a domestic affair, as you say, then why did the police come fully equipped?" People protested, they suspected that there was more to this, and they were right!
All the same, their protests were in vain because Mai Chipo was long gone, shutting the door behind her as she disappeared into her house.
She had narrated exactly what she knew, her description of the events was the best she could have ever gave...but it was clearly evident from what had transpired earlier on that there was more to this.
To add on her lack of knowledge on what had betided , she also hated explaining about my shenanigans. She was tired of doing so over and over again, altercations were the order of my days back then! It's not that I liked controversy, as many people might think, but it was simply inevitable to stay away from it when I was in the world's oldest profession.
A profession that I hated so much, a profession that caused me loads of trouble, pain and misery. A profession that I had been forced to join - a misdeed of poverty. This was a profession that I would virtually do anything to get away from it.
...but for close to two decades, l was stuck in there, with no hope of ever escaping. The gods seemed to have forsaken me and I asked them every single day of my life, WHY ME?
My heart used to bleed from inside. I knew what l was doing to myself, my health, my social status, my dignity, my future - but then, what can a young lady like me, - unmarried, uneducated, unemployed and not even dignified, - do to sustain a living? I had no option but to resort to prostitution in my struggle for survival.
***
I sighed in relief when the mob began vacating the yard, l liked peace too!
Now l could focus on getting my mind together and readying for the court hearing the coming Monday. I needed to give a flawless story that would nail Ed to the wall. I didn't have much of a choice anyway, it was a do or die scenario, either Ed would go to jail or l will be damned.
I changed into my nightgown, climbed onto the bed, closed my eyes, tried to sleep...and failed...then without realising it, l was absorbed deep into Edward's thoughts!
I remembered the first time we met at Champions Night Club, almost three months back. What a charming gentleman he seemed to be.
I was on the dancefloor with friends trying to solicit clients. Ed had been looking at us for quite a while when he suddenly came to dance with me.
"Can l dance with you?" He requested.
"Oh sure you can", l answered in the sweetest way possible to my potential client - l am sure you all do the same at your work places.
To be honest with you, on this particular occasion, it wasn't really that simple for me. Behind that sweet voice, was a startled soul. I silently asked myself, Why me? I wasn't the best dancer on the floor, nor the prettiest and certainly not the youngest, for my two younger sisters, Alice and Miranda, were also there with me. It really didn't make any sense, this wasn't even my type of customer...but for the love of money, l had to do it!
It was during that dancing session that he had negotiated for a 'quickie', l overcharged simply because he looked like a gentleman and like one he didn't ask for a reduction.
"Ummm, aaah thanks Miss....?" ,he said clearing his throat.
"Nevermind my name, okay, and forget that we even did this", l didn't mean to be rude at all but I was at work and had to be professional in every sense of it!
"Sorry if I offended you by that...but l think I like you and would love to book for the night. I am Edward by the way. You can call me Ed."
"Okay, you got me, l'm Bianca" , l had to smile because I knew that I had just secured breakfast for the next morning.
"Nice to meet you Miss Bianca", he said the words flashing a smile.
His remarks were so tempting but I still ignored him and acted as if I hadn't even heard them. I had always compared myself to a toilet paper when dealing with men, you know, after using the toilet paper, you flash it - never wanting to see it ever again until, of cause, the next time you visit the 'smelly' house again. It was almost the same with me, they used me and erased me from their minds after satisfying their desires.
It was so heartbreaking, l, like any other woman, needed to be loved, to be cared for and to be respected but then I was a nobody, probably a toy because even teenagers would do their experiments on me...life can be so cruel at times.
"So can we go to your house? " Ed made another inquiry.
For close to a minute l was silent, the issue of whose house to use for the 'ungodly' act was always tricky.
In the end, l chose to respond with another question, "What about your house? "
"I don't live here", he answered quickly.
I had been expecting him to say 'I can't take you there because my wife is around, etcetera, etcetera" - guess I was wrong!
I wanted to ask him where he lived, but then remembered that wasn't part of my job description, l had to stay professional remember.
"Wait for me here, l will be right back."
I went back into the bar to notify my guys. I needed an extra eye for the night, it was never safe when having strangers at the house.
On the contrary, he behaved well, just exactly how a gentleman should. We actually had a wonderful night, so romantic. That particular night stands out as one of the best in all my hooker life.
He shook me early the next morning, "Can l ask you a favour?"
"Hmm , what favour?"
Under normal circumstances, l would have said NO there and then. I still don't know why I chose to consider his request up to this day.
"Can l stay here privately for a few days?"
He had been nice to me, l wanted him to stay...but then my job. I was quick to remember that love brings a smile on one's face but rarely, if ever, does it bring food on the table.
"I'm sorry you can't do that!"
"Please, l will pay for everything", he pleaded.
I scratched my head, with money part of the deal, it became very tricky.
"Why do you want to stay private, what are you hiding from? "
"It's probably better if you don't know", Ed declined to answer
"Hey, listen, do you want to stay here or not?"
"I have nowhere else to go",he answered beggingly.
"...then tell me exactly what you are hiding from?", l insisted
"If you insist, l will have to tell you...but l warn you once more, it is better if you don't know."
In response, l simply gazed at him, l wanted to know, simple as that.
"First, promise me that you won't tell anyone."
"I promise..."
"The police are looking for me...", his voice suddenly changed, glancing up, I was stunned, with the changing voice was the man himself! Gone, was the gentleman and now sitting before my eyes was a real monster. I could hardly believe it!
"...l should have left for South Africa already but I have to sell my car first", a long pause followed, he gazed at me all that while. I wanted to ask for tthe reasons, but restrained myself ,l was way too scared.
"So you see, l won't be here long. Be a good girl and I will leave you money when l go." His monster-like voice tried to cheer me up but my spirits had already drooped.
I didn't ask any further questions, not that I had none but simply because I wouldn't dare ask. The money part of the deal was surely very sweet but isn't it an open secret that everything else wasn't!
A few days later, a touching story was published in the leading newspaper. The paper reported that Chingano, a young businessman was robbed at gunpoint. He had lost his latest iPhone mobile cellphone and laptop, his wallet with a lot of cash and his latest Mercedes Benz. At the bottom of the article, there were pictures of the alleged robber and Chingano's handsome reward to anyone with information that could lead to the capture of this man.
After a careful cross examination, l was shocked to discover that the man in the picture was non other than - your guess is as good as mine! He was, however, hardly recognisable. He had already replaced his shoulder-high dreadlocks with a 'perfect zuda' and the huge moustache that hang below his chin was nowhere to be seen now. He had changed from a complete monster to a perfect gentleman overnight - no wonder why he was able to do the vice versa quite easily.
For the two months that followed, we stayed together very well, he paid for everything - my rentals, food, clothes, beers, just about anything l needed. In return, l kept his secret. Then one evening, he gave me a very strange reply
"I gave you money to buy another dress last week, why do you want to buy another one so quickly?"
His reply summed it all, the first time that he had ever replied to me like that!
No doubt, two months on and the pool of cash must have drained... and my fears were about to become a reality.
Money was part of the deal, no money, no deal. l didn't want to mess up things with him. The best option for penniless Ed was simply to decamp!
"Bianca, we made a deal."
I glared at him and replied "Sure, and you promised to pay for everything, didn't you?"
"Just be a little more patient till l sell this and I will give you your money", for the umpteenth time , he pleaded. Apparently he hadn't been so lucky in selling the car. None of his buyers wanted to buy it, it was too risk, not many people had the latest Mercedes Benz and those who had one were subject to police interrogations.
First rule that my mom gave me when she introduced me to the trade was 'Cash upfront, the sucking of nectar afterwards'. Was Ed exceptional to the rule? Should l save him from the police and also let him live for free at my house? Ain't that too much to ask for? - Questions without answers troubled my little mind.
" I don't care about your car! May you please stop wasting time and get out of my house, now!" I demanded.
"Forget it, l'm not going to leave. Where will l go? You will have to give me my money back!"
This typical conversation went on for days. A week and half into it and I was almost starving, l had to get back to my old ways, there wasn't much of a choice here.
l got back to my old self, say goodbye to the walls of my house at around seven in the evening and return at midnight or even at dawn, at least l didn't bring any clients home.
Ed, although bothered a little at times, ignored most of it. Rarely did we engage into mini fights of words but even then, they never really materialised into anything worth talking about.
A fortnight passed, no progress from Ed and as fate would have it, l wasn't doing well at work. The fact that I wasn't bringing any clients home meant that I was losing out on many potential 'sex buyers'. I was being denied freedom in my own house and that was unbearable, to put it in simple terms.
One of the nights, high on drugs, l finally found the guts to bring a client home.
I do remember it very well even to this date. It was around ten, Friday night. Ed got furious and lost his temper.
My client for the night was on the receiving end of a strong blow in the face and I was kicked by the chest. Ed bragged about it and chased us away. I bet, he didn't even for a second, think about the consequences of such reckless actions.
Heyyy,stop worrying about the kick and forget about the client. Can't you see that this was the perfect excuse that I had been looking for all this while. For one, l had long set my eyes on Chingano's handsome reward and Ed was becoming a real nuisance to me. There is no better time to sell-out than when you are being chased away from your own house by a stranger. The promise? Well promises are meant to be broken, l have had my fair share of that and have been disappointed a lot.
I immediately texted a good friend of mine who was a police officer. I lied to him of course, pretending to be a responsible citizen of the nation. I wouldn't have dared to tell him that I had been living with Ed for three months. Instead, l told him that he had hired my services just for that night.
My good friend pushed the dial button and communicated the message to the police headquarters and all hell broke loose for my dear Edward!
By Prince Gora.
Chapter 2 out next Sunday, the 13th of October 2019.
Let me know of what you think on:
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Twitter: @goraprince15
Email: goraprince15@gmail.com
