Chapter Nine

Days steadily and quietly crept away as Esther packed some of her belongings into Joe's house, while Joe locked himself in the library located at the other end of the house. This was his habit whenever he had a case to handle during the coming days; he would stay there for seven hours provided his meal was prepared for him, and in spite of that, he hates disturbance. Little wonder why Lucky often teased him that he spent the whole day in the library invoking his father's spirit so as to give him clues and guidelines for him to follow when he is in court, but it wasn't so. Joe dug down deep into his law books in the process cramming the whole constitution in his head.

During the process Joe spent in the library, Esther controlled the house; everyone was subjected to her command, as she was a bossy type. Her way of approach, her characters and her lifestyles were classified as a proud one. When she arrived on a certain day after she brought in some of her luggage, she called Bianca and made it clear that her room which Joe gave her would turn to hers, despite the two extra rooms that were vacant. She told Bianca to pack all her belongings to the visitor room, which Bianca obeyed. Bianca never dared to disobey or flaunt her rules after she got to know that her name was "EK," and the stories Lucky told about Esther crippled fear into her mind.

"Bianca," Esther called out.

Bianca heard her name faintly but wasn't sure where it was emanating from. She waited longer, watching a movie on her phone.

"Bianca," Esther called again.

Bianca, this time, heard her name clearly and traced the voice to that of Esther, as she rushed out of her room. She knocked on the door where Esther was staying.

"Come in," Esther summoned.

"Ma," Bianca entered, bowing her head to the floor.

"You intended on not answering me, right?"

"I'm sorry, I heard my name so faintly…"

"Will you keep shut?" Esther continued, "Sometimes I wonder why he brought you here. Because your character is more of a prostitute and you behave exactly like them."

Bianca, on hearing the last word, broke down in tears. This was too much for her. She had endured this for days and how would she keep on enduring it without doing anything?

"I don't care to see those crocodile tears of yours. What I know is that thirty minutes from now my car has to be washed. I mean it must be sparkling. All my clothes need to be washed. No washing machine shall do the work for me, except you." Esther commanded.

"I will, ma, trust me with my words," Bianca voiced out, after cleaning her tears with her hands, "But please ma, I hate that prostitute word you call me, day after day."

"Wait," Esther stood up, squeezing her eyes almost to a piercing needle, with rage written all over her body, "Do you have the effrontery to challenge me, you mean that I don't know what I am saying because I'm mad? Or is there any difference between you and a prostitute? Answer me. Don't you deserve it? How many men have you slept with?"

"I am sorry ma, I never knew it would lead to an outburst of anger," Bianca replied, going down on her knees.

Esther moved closer to Bianca almost as if she was going to slap her, but she didn't. Perhaps instinct told her not to. "I hate non-entities replying back to me whenever I say something," Esther warned, "it pisses me off, not only that a prostitute, for that matter, replying is like a chick covering its mother from hulk."

"I am sorry, ma," Bianca repeated, still on her knees.

Nothing enjoyable would come easily, Bianca realised. Before you can be elevated, they must treat people as though they were rags. The crucial factor is humility and a forgiving spirit, which Jesus exhibited, without which Jesus' name would not have been exalted above every other name.

"Walk out of this room and give your body to the work I ordered you to do." Esther stormed.

When Bianca got to her feet and tried to unlock the door, she was helpless and simultaneously felt denigrated, abused, and dejected. Lucky was, however, lingering nearby, watching what was happening, which surprised her. Lucky drew up to her, dried her tears, and gave her a hug.

"Don't mind her," Lucky whispered into her ears, "She is like this. Come, let's get to the room."

When she made her way to the visitor's room, Lucky held her hands. Bianca was crying uncontrollably. When Lucky continued to dab her tears from her eyes, her tears fell to the floor tiles.

"Bi-bi, don't get angry," Lucky said, "It will soon be over, I assure you that. I love your humility towards her, despite her nagging, calling you a prostitute, giving you a workload like a machine and you kept on saying sorry. In fact, I am impressed with you. It is just unfortunate that Joe locked himself up in the library. I would have called him to his attention on what you are passing through."

"Please, don't tell him," Bianca pleaded.

"Why? Do you want to die untimely?" Lucky said impulsively.

"JK said that we should settle our problem amicably, and I love Esther, I don't want her mind to be spoilt on Joe."

"You are kidding yourself, Bi-bi, as for me, I can't watch a beautiful lady, a pretty lady like you, die miserably, God forbid it."

"I see," Lucky said, flashing back, "When Joe asked you about your bad countenance you simply said, 'I am alright, JK.' not to give him problems. Is that what you think?"

"Lucky, I think it is over, allow me to do the job she has assigned me to do?"

"Hmmm, okay. You know what?" Lucky asked, not waiting for her response. He continued, "I will take care of the cars while you do the washing and if I am through with that, I will come to assist you."

"Thank you," she said, "But what if she finds out?"

"She can't," Lucky responded.

Both of them stood up from the bed at the same time. Lucky embraced her again, then opened the door and walked out while Bianca stood behind in order not to arouse any form of suspicion from Esther. She made sure a minute passed before she went out of the room.

Bianca packed all Esther's clothes with the detergent provided for her and soaked them in a bucket of water. The word "prostitute" came back like a mighty rushing wind.

She stopped the washing and stood up and pondered:

She didn't know when she became a prostitute, probably because of her constant begging on the road might have instigated Esther to call her a prostitute, perhaps she might have seen her standing at the side of the road, maybe that would have given her a name as such. But a prostitute doesn't wear a complete cloth like how she does? A prostitute almost goes naked at night, hers wasn't the case. She then began to ponder where and how does Esther claim to know what she was saying, to be bold enough to call her a prostitute. Or is there anyone who seems to resemble her in complexion, face and size that she had seen as a prostitute? Or is she trying to frustrate me so we brawl with each other? God forbid it. Bianca will never try to do that.

She proceeded to wash the clothes while thinking in an offensive manner and acting benevolently. She was prepared for the next issue to arise because her mind was already made up about the fate that had befallen her. Esther's demeanour during these days may be summarised as a jealous lover, although she had only been with her for a month when she understood who she might be. The issue was how she was going to tell Esther that she never came to compete with her without making her feel uncomfortable. She ceased washing the clothing. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she stared at the shower stall. When will she be free of all these spiritual issues? She feels that she has been treated like a puppet, enduring all of her years in this world without ever tasting pleasure. Her mother had vanished and her father had passed away. Joe is now appearing as a heavenly aid, but he also brings calamity.

"Lord, bring in an enduring spirit to me, but let your purpose for me on earth be accomplished," she thought, cleaning her eyes, and then continued the washing.

After she was free of the issue she was experiencing, she constantly hummed a song she didn't recognise. She had been instructed to create positive emotions in her thoughts with the tune she hummed.

The thirty-minute mark passed. Unaware of it, she had finished the laundry. She saw it was completed when she turned to look at the bathroom tiles. She was very happy that she had adhered to Esther's schedule. She felt like chatting with Esther because her affection for her had grown so much at this point. So how was she going to begin? She spent a lot of time thinking and finally came up with a strategy that she intended to carry out, but she was immediately reminded of her father's words of wisdom: "Always have plans A, B, and C. If plan A fails, plan B will work; if not, plan C will work or vice versa." She giggled to herself as she heard the voice.

"I have always stuck to only one plan and it has worked perfectly well. Why bother about B and C," she thought within herself.

As she was about to turn, a hand covered her eyes. She knew it was always Lucky who behaved that silly, but made everyone laugh with his silly behaviour.

"Guess the person," Lucky said.

"You made your identity clear by talking." Bianca replied.

"Never, it is not Lucky, it is someone."

"A ghost?" Bianca said.

"I think it is a spirit." Lucky replied.

"From where?"

"Okay, it is a ghost."

"Lucky, so you are a ghost in human form."

"I reject it," Lucky responded, uncovering her eyes immediately.

Bianca smiled at him. Lucky was expecting the reverse of her action, since he knew she was in a bad state of mind before he left her. Perhaps what he did made her smile. He was so elated to see her joyful all over again.

"Have you finished the work?" Lucky asked innocently.

"Why not?" Bianca responded, with a smile, taking her dimples down again.

"What an amazing lady did Joe bring in here. In fact, can you tell me how you captured Joe's mind towards you or vice versa?"

The question brought Bianca into a state of confusion or dilemma. Would she tell him that Joe saw her begging for money from a driver behind his car or had she begged Joe for money when she approached him? What would he think, she thought, a gold digger?

"Why are you taking ages to talk?" Lucky asked.

"A long story though," she said, feeling a little bit of pricking in her conscience.

"A long story starts from the beginning to the middle and to the end."

She looked at him surreptitiously.

"Why the question?" she asked.

"I asked because you came from heaven, your character is so perfect that I do not want to think that I am talking to an angel sent to monitor everyone here."

She laughed.

"Wow!" Bianca exclaimed.

"I am being serious here. How did you meet Joe? Tell me! I am eager to know and hear."

Bianca pondered on what to say. The question was expertly screened before Lucky asked it.

"Okay, I think the answer is with JK, ask him when he comes back" Bianca replied.

"Hmmm," Lucky reacted, "Bi-bi, you are all over again with you being intimidated by people. I will try asking him, but I would prefer to hear it from you directly, but no need for that. I think it's time to play a game."

"But wait, before we go for the game, I feel like chatting with Esther," Bianca said warily.

"Don't behave this babyish. I know Esther more than you do. What you said might affect you forever in the future." Lucky warned, "She thinks in an alien mode."

An alien mode? How? She pondered. How would chatting with her affect me? Just then her father's voice came back like a recurring decimal "Have plan A, B, and C." The voice diminished back again.

"Lucky I can capture her mind, let me free, stop withholding me, I love Esther" she said, dashing out of the bathroom and walked straight to Esther's room.

She knocked on the door. Esther first remained silent. Bianca gently and quietly knocked once again. The second time, nothing happened. For almost twenty minutes she kept knocking, but no one answered. She didn't hear the door creak slightly or open until she was about to give up. Esther treated Bianca like a caricature, looked at her in a degrading manner from head to toe, and then almost silently laughed drily at her. It was as if she knew it would be Bianca.

"What do you want?" Esther asked.

"I just said…can…I…have a…"

"Be clear, stop gibbering nonsense in my ears or walk out of my sight."

"I am sorry ma," Bianca pleaded, "Please, ma, with all due respect and honour, I just feel like we could have a chat with each other."

"Are you through with the errand? You devil incarnate." she said.

"Yes ma."

"Okay, I think it is your idleness that gave you the authority to come here and disturb me, right?"

Bianca didn't reply again and regretted the action she took.

"I stand here to make it clear to your ears, that if you mistakenly pass through my door, not to talk of knocking on my door. I will..."

Just then, Joe came in, it was a shock to both of them, he didn't waste any second as he rushed into Esther's room.

"Love, I really miss you. How was your day in the library?" Esther asked, changing her countenance quickly to a happy mood.

"Why is she standing here?" Joe asked, pretending not to hear what Esther said.

"Love, I was about to usher her in, I called her so we could chat together and discuss like blood sisters in the family."

"Who do you think you are deceiving?" Joe asked, looking grimly at Esther.

"How? What do you mean by that?" Esther retorted.

"Hey, I told you that you should treat Bianca as a sister. Why all these maltreatments are you taking her through?"

"Joe, it seems you want to play a trick on me, right?" Esther said, taking her hands up in a girlish manner, "You brought in a prostitute to satisfy your sexual desires while I am away on duties."

"This word 'prostitute' you refer to Bianca as. Have you ever caught her with any man?"

The question confused Esther a little and she pondered. If she says in the affirmative, then Joe will suspect her as a member and trying to evacuate Bianca from exposing her evil deed. And she can't say the opposite because she will expose herself as being wicked to Bianca.

"Her behaviour describes her as such, her character is like them." Esther answered warily.

"Bae, I'm sorry to say that you can be arrested with this word you frequently call her if Bianca was ready to hack you out. Do you know that?"

"I know you just came out of the library; stop bringing out law terms to put me under fear. Who would be that damned attorney ready to pronounce judgment on me except if you cooperate to send me to jail? You sonofabitch."

"I don't care whatsoever the name you call me. But all I know is that if Bianca gets malnourished because of you, I am gonna put you where you belong. Dare me. You can come up with any strategy you want to take to hack me down, but you can never prevail. I am a man. You are a woman. You got that, right?"

Despite Esther's yelling, he tugged Bianca's hands firmly out of the room as he was filled with intense wrath. Joe took Bianca into his room and closed the door, but Bianca, who was already crying, still wanted to talk.

"Why are you crying," Joe said.

"Nothing."

"Dear, there are a lot of private questions about your life that I want to ask you. Will you mind answering them?"

"Okay," Bianca answered.

"I believe all the answers you tell me are correct because I see you as a sincere lady," Joe continued, "Are you ready?"

"I am," Bianca said, preparing herself for the question.

Joe drew her closer to himself, he wanted it to be private and thereby refusing anyone to hear what he was about saying, even though one pinned his or her ear close to the door to listen to their conversation.

"Dear, do not answer loudly, make sure your voice is like a whisper," Joe said in a whisper, rounding his arms around her neck.

"Okay."

"You told me about your childhood days and everything about your parents, which I know of. But there are some key things I would love to ask to clear any form of doubt in my mind."

"Okay, what are the questions?" Bianca responded, brightening up her moody appearance.

"One, do you know I love you?" Joe asked briskly.

"I know." Bianca said.

"How? Explain." Joe said.

Bianca cleared her throat.

"It was glaring from the first day I met you. The way you approached me was quite different from other men I have seen and experience. In the sense that you didn't look at my attire though tattered and old fashioned it was. You didn't care about my appearance. You told me to enter your car and make any suspicious mindset I had towards you to disappear" a tear dropped down from Bianca eyes, "When I obeyed, you appreciated my ugly appearance and made me beautiful with the words you showered on me. Which type of man are you, JK? If not you, then what man would take a stranger as dishevelled as I was to a Shoprite. Additionally, you surprised me by purchasing clothes for me. You gave me a place to stay and food to eat. JK, you're like my second dad. I would never forget you in my life. I cherish you. I'd love to wed a man like you." Bianca finally started crying.

Joe dragged her to his chest and stroked her hair with a lot of verve and passion.

"It is okay, Dear. That is all gone. I just need you to answer this question for me. Do you promise me that?" Joe asked, as Bianca cleaned her tears and sat down upright quite in a tense manner.

"Ask me anything, I will answer you."

"Hmmm" Joe cleared his throat. "This is a question relating to your sexual life and how you fared during those periods."

"Okay?"

"The first question is?" Joe asked "Have you ever had a boyfriend before?"

"Promise me that all I will tell you, will be kept as a secret." Bianca responded.

"I promise."

"To be sincere, I had back then in my college days." Bianca replied.

"Okay? Then tell me what led you to having a boyfriend."

Actually, though, it was a play, when I was transported there? I'm referring to my college. In the classroom, we used to sit in pairs, a boy and a girl on a chair. My teacher told me to sit next to a boy, so I mustered up the courage and took the seat beside him, quietly observing everyone. Suddenly, the boy gestured to get my attention, smiled, and asked for my name. Without hesitation, I shared my name with him.

"Nice to meet you," he said.

He gave me his name during this process. After a week of my return, he began to notice that I wasn't bringing lunch to school and that during breaks I would likely leave the classroom or bow my head on the table. So, one day when I arrived at school, he greeted me, and I replied. He didn't say anything else to me until break. I was probably counting the number of tiles around me as I bowed my head to the table during the break when someone lightly touched my shoulder.

I noticed him when I turned to look at him. "Bianca can we share our food together" he beckoned. What amazed me was that he called his food "ours" but guess what? I rejected the offer. He felt bad. I noticed it with his visage. He then asked which snacks I would love to eat. I told him not to bother. But he never answered and threatened that he wasn't going to eat his food until he sees me eating something. I thought it was a joke. JK, he was really serious, he almost poured his food to the bin until I told him the snacks he should buy. Then he stopped, hurried downstairs, and bought me twice as much as I had asked, and provided me with additional money during the closing period. As time went on, I realised that despite his good looks, he was the smartest student in my class. I started developing feelings toward him. He occasionally paid me a visit at the house where I was living, saying he was there to help me with any chores around the house. However, that wicked grandma chased him away with a stick under the pretence that he was coming for some shady reason that I was unaware of. When he saw me around the street. He ran to me and help in carrying part of the items I hawk alongside with me and made sure he finished selling all the item on the tray. Then he escorted me back home. One certain day, his mum told him that she wanted to see the classmate that made him come home at night. He took me to his mother in a very sincere manner. Inadvertently unaware that I was close to becoming an orphan, his mother welcomed me and urged me to always behave well and obey my parents.

After three years of friendship, he came to me one day and asked me out. I had no choice but to accept. From that point forward, he treated me as a sister and I treated him as a brother. Together, we expressed our emotions and found comfort in talking about our innermost thoughts. I didn't pick up on any odd behaviour in him until our final year of college."

"Like what and what?" Joe asked, interrupting her speech.

He started speaking vulgar language to me" Bianca continued, "What I mean, was that he was always telling me about sex and then switched to the aspect where he asked me what can I show as an appreciation to the good things he had done. That question was naïve to me. I didn't understand what he was really saying. Probably because my level of exposure to the words of the world was very little.I laugh at his word, once I hear that statement from him. But I never knew I was getting into his trap gradually. Until a day, came precisely on a Friday, after our second to the last college certificate exam. He invited me into his house but before then I noticed that he kept company of bad guys but whenever he saw me coming he tried to dodged me and when I knew he never wanted me there I took a U-turn. On one sunny Friday came, after our exam, I noticed that he was looking at me in a quite abysmal way. JK, I hope you understands what I mean by abysmal look."

A nod from Joe was the response.

"After that long awful look, he called me nearer to himself. I was shy at first, but when I knew the feelings I had for him, I obeyed him. He then stretched his arm around my neck.

"Will you follow me back home," he said.

"Why?" I asked suspiciously.

"So, we can prepare for the final examination and then we are going to enjoy ourselves, since my parents are gone for a summit."

"Hmmm okay" I responded.

He then took me to his home. This was the first time I had ever entered his living room; it was spotless, with everything organised neatly and the air freshened. But JK, you're in for a surprise. I was instructed to go to his room by him. In actuality, it was awful. When I walked in, I couldn't believe what he had done to me. The boy I adopted as my brother and boyfriend gave me a glimpse of the devil in human form. He quickly and gently closed the door. He didn't want me to ever wonder if I had a wild imagination. We got to talking and laughing for about twenty-five minutes. He wasn't the talkative type, and whenever he arrived at my house, he would talk almost exclusively about our studies. But this situation was different. He tried to look directly into my eyes with narrowed pupils, but every time he did that, I threw my face away. I developed claustrophobia. I had to inform him of the exam we would be taking the following day, and I then suggested that we return to reading our books. He hesitantly declined, continuing his usual chit-chat talk. He got up from the chair when he realised I wasn't interested. In front of the chair we sat in, there was a drawer. He went to the drawer and pulled out two glass cups and a juice, then returned to the chair beside me. He first opened it before pouring it into the two glasses. He then gave me the first one and took the second. JK, my father always told me not to take drinks from people who didn't seem sincere to you, and if I was taking drinks, I should wait for the other person to finish their drink before downing mine. I do, in fact, adore my dad. He had been the one that have safeguarded my life up to today. So, when he noticed that I wasn't drinking mine he pestered me to drink it, but I refused. This was the time he knew that I was already having suspicious ideas flowing up in my mind. And also, the absence of his parent worsened the matter. He got to his feet and adopted a furious—or should I say belligerent—face. Throughout the entire time we were friends in school, I recognised a face I had never seen before. He began shoving the beverage into my mouth while threatening to drown out any screaming I might decide to do.

That surprised me. I called his name to confirm that he was the one acting in this way towards me. He claimed to be the one and that his decision would not be regretted. I told him to calm down after he tried to force the drink into my mouth, and he did as I asked. I enquired as to his true needs from me. He added that getting to know me deeply was his greatest wish. I informed him that we are already acquainted and asked him what else he needed from me. Surprisingly, he grinned and suggested that I start taking off my clothes, but I declined. He threatened to do it himself if I didn't do it myself. I told him "never" as I cast him a strange gaze. He laughed and then lunged at me, trying to knock me to the ground, but I had built up enough strength to resist him. I could see the fury in his eye, and I was also ready to face him. He began to hold me tightly right away, almost suffocating me. I was battling with him, veins showing. The glass cups dropped and broke into pieces. JK, he was a devil. He said he must taste it even though he dies the next minute, that wasn't his business. All his mindset was that he must have a taste of it. The fight got stronger when he knew that I wasn't going to give in so cheaply. My foot became stuck to a piece of broken glass, but I never gave up. My father warned me to never let a boy get inside my "shades." He pushed me to the ground and began releasing the cord on his trouser when he realised I was already frail. I was powerless to change the situation; all I could do was to pray to God. He drew nearer and attempted to widen my legs, but I refrained. He repeatedly punched my legs while also attempting to pull them apart. My nose was already bleeding from the numerous punches I had taken there. My eyes and lips were both swollen. My lips were swollen alongside my eyes. In fact, JK I could no longer talk. I just have to cooperate with him by allowing him separate my legs. He pulled my skirt down to my knee and was almost about to remove me under wear when strength came up within me, and I kicked him straight at his balls. He stumbled back while wailing in pain. The best opportunity I had to attack him was now. Despite my frailty, I got to my feet and kicked him repeatedly in the same place until, before he could react, he fell to the ground writhing in agony. I gathered myself and limped out of the room. That was how our relationship dashed to the thin air."

Joe breathed in and out in a way of expressing his sympathy.

"What then happened after you escaped his trap?" Joe said, almost forgetting that he had promised to speak in a whisper.

"I never went back home. I had to go to a general hospital for treatment and I slept there until the next day."

"Did they ask you anything?" Joe asked.

"Yeah, a lot, but I told them that I was almost raped," Bianca responded.

"By who?"

"I never wanted to betray him, so I dodged the question by saying to an unknown person."

"Did they carry out any investigation?"

"They wanted to, but I never helped in the matter."

"So, the next day when you went to school did he see you? And how was the exam, since you never prepared for it?"

"No, I didn't see him, but after a week I heard that he had gone to glory. May his soul rest in peace," Bianca said, "But for the exam it was simple because I had prepared for it several months back and the questions were repeated."

"With the wound?" Joe asked.

"Why not? That was my life."

"Have you collected your results?"

"No, because I never paid a dime for it. So, it is still with them."

"Okay, but have you ever had a female friend," Joe said.

"Yeah, Mary, she behaved in a motherly way, she is always my second father in the form of a girl when it came to advice."

"Do you know her whereabouts?" Joe continued asking.

"Never, because she went to a private school during our final year."

"Okay," Joe said, "Do you know that I love you as I love Esther?"

"Maybe," Bianca answered warily.

"Strategic way of answering," Joe responded, and then chuckled, putting his hand into his ears. "I love you. In fact, any good thing I do to Esther I will also do it to you. And I will make sure that she doesn't maltreat you again? Have you heard me?"

"I appreciate it, JK."

"But mind you, I will be leaving very soon, so during my departure I will summon Lucky to teach you how to drive and when I come back we will discuss about you continuing your school at a higher level. Would it be great?"

"It will," Bianca said, her eyes almost getting misty, "I really appreciate you JK."

"No problem," Joe said, getting up from bed.

"Thank you. JK."

"Oh! I remembered I would severely warn Esther not to hurt your feelings. I hope you've heard me, right?"

"Yes JK."

"I love you," Joe said, blowing an imaginary kiss to her as he opened the door and went away.

End of chapter Nine