The Escort

Chapter Ten

ROBERT HAS ASKED for my phone number as soon as he drops me off. It leaves me flustered, and when he sees my cheeks redden, he shoots me a mischievous grin. I perceive him to be different than he is with me right now, because the first time we met he seems aloof. Or maybe I’m just imagining things.

            “Thank God you’re here,” Janet says the first thing as I enter my penthouse. She is wearing workout clothes, her baby bump slightly showing out of her belly. She reeks of sweat, and a figure emerges out of her room. It’s her trainer. She is toned in all parts of her body, her stomach forming a set of six-pack abs. She has brown skin, and silky straight black hair tied in a ponytail. “This is my fitness trainer, Mia.”

            “Oh,” I say. “Hello, Mia.”

            “She was just heading home,” Janet says before Mia can greet me back. “But she wants to invite you and me for a girl’s night out. Right Mia?”

            “Yes,” Mia gleefully confirms. “A girl’s night out is definitely what we all need right now. Detoxify ourselves from boys and men.” Mia sounds just like Janet, and it seems like she has adapted my sister’s personality. Her aura bounces off positively which wears me out more after spending the entire evening with Robert.

            “I have work to do—,” I reject but Janet interrupts me before I can decline.

            “Nope, you have to go with us. You need at least a whole month off from working for eight years. You aged like grandma now Tilda,” she says, rolling her eyes playfully. I smile at the insult she has sent me, and roll my eyes back at her.

            “I’m really tired now,” I complain. Mia has already packed her gym clothes and is now wearing casual clothes. She waves us sisters off goodbye, and she looks forward for me to join them. I don’t know what their girl’s night out entails, but my gut tells me it may be a bad idea. “Can I decide about this tomorrow?”

            Janet has a teasing looks on her features. “What?”

            “I saw that you were dropped off by your fiancé. So are you finally dropping John Chu out of your life?”

            “Of course not. I’m not planning on marrying him or anyone at the moment. Besides, I barely know Robert.”

            “He seems quite the charmer though, and I heard rumours that he broke several hearts. Maybe he can ensnare you with his charms and great manners,” she says. She rubs her baby bump, her eyes lovingly staring at it. It looks like her maternal instincts are finally kicking in.

            “No, I know men like him, but he is a nice person overall. Anyway, have you gone to the doctor for an ultrasound?” She blanches at the question, and it gives me confirmation that she has no plans in going to the doctor, at all.

            “I’m not yet ready,” she says in a small voice. Her body language spells that she is petrified. Our parents do not know that she is pregnant, but I wonder if she’ll avoid seeing them so that they won’t know she is pregnant. I wonder if they want her to abort, or if they want her to keep the child. I don’t know if my parents are highly against abortion, but they may likely are.

            “You look like you want to give this kid your world.”

            Tears well in her eyes. She wraps me into an abrupt hug. It takes me off by surprise. I hear her murmur into my ear, “Thank you so much Tilda. You being supportive means a lot to me. I know mom and dad will kill me if they know.”

            “What will you do about that? I mean, what will you do with ma and pa?”

            She goes silent. After a pregnant pause, she says, “I don’t know. I’ll probably just hide from them until I give birth.”

            “You know that’s not gonna work.”

            “I’ll probably just tell them I’m swamped with a lot of projects.”

            “What will you do with the baby once you give birth then? I know you can’t from ma and pa forever.”

            She breaks away our hug and her eyes harden. Her lips are quivering, and tears endlessly pour out from her eyes. “Can you please stop being so pragmatic sometimes? I don’t f*****g know what to do and you asking questions don’t help me either. I’m not like you who is perfect and knows how to deal stressful situations!”

            I shoot her a deadpanned stare. “Okay. Maybe you should stop taking out your frustrations at me and start thinking realistically. You’re already twenty-five. You’re supposed to think about the consequences of your actions.” She stills, but she is still silently crying as I move past her shoulder and plunge straight into the bath.

IT’S THE WEEKEND and Mia, Janet’s fitness trainer, lounges in the living room. I think they’re still pushing through with the girl’s night out. Janet and I haven’t spoken for days, and my guess is that she is still upset at me. It’s exhausting sometimes to have to deal with a child who is carrying another child. She is so used to having fun without having to deal with any consequences if things go south.

            I’m not going to apologise to her. It’s not my fault she is in the situation she is in, and I’m just here to guide her and remind her what her responsibilities are. Though I do admit my words were harsh.

            “Hi Matilda,” Mia greets when she sees me emerge out of my room.

            “Hello,” I greet monotonously and head to the kitchen. Janet is devouring a breakfast burrito with such hunger in her eyes, while another one lays flatly on her plate. She does not notice my presence. Either that, or she is purposefully ignoring me. I don’t greet her presence either, and I prepare to brew my coffee in silence, and make some toasted bread and sunny side ups.

            It doesn’t take minutes when Janet asks, “Are you still going to our girl’s night out?”

            “No,” I reply coldly, and briefly. “I have work to do.”

            “About the past few days…” she trails off, but she does not say anything else after that. I don’t press her what she wants to say to me. “Will you at least take a day off and just go to a spa salon with me and Mia?”

            “Why?”

            “You deserve to relax and not think of work. It’s the weekends,” she softly explains. Mia enters the kitchen, an awkward silence hanging in the atmosphere. She takes a seat beside Janet, quietly doing something on her phone. She may as well just eavesdrop on our conversation.

            “The company can wait,” Mia chimes in.

            “I don’t know…” I trail off. The idea of just having a spa day sounds tempting. I’ve been slaving off for my parents’ company for years and I guess one day off won’t hurt. “But I guess we can do it today.”

            Janet’s eyes brighten. “Yaaay!” she squeals, like she has won the lottery. “I can’t wait to go on a spa with my two best friends!”

            Mia and I both smile at her positive energy. Even though I was a bit upset with her the last few days, all of those dissipate the instant she becomes the life of the party. Though, I guess I have to apologise to her, too, for hurting her feelings. I know I have come off as uncaring towards her, and she has a different outlook in life unlike mine.

            Before we leave to the salon, I trap Janet in her room. “I’m sorry.”

            “I’m sorry, too. You were right though. I’ve been so selfish of putting the responsibility on you. I know you just care about my well-being, but I got so overwhelmed with your questions. I haven’t thought much about how to break the news to mom and dad, and how to actually take care of this baby growing in my belly once they’re out.” She cries in-between her words. I wrap my arms around her in consolation.

IT IS RELIEVING to see that the spa place is barely filled with customers. At least I can have my spa in peace. Janet, Mia and I sit beside each other in their spa chairs, with Janet sitting the middle. They start massaging our feet, and it feels like a huge weight has been lifted off when the massager caresses my foot. I let out a low moan and Janet and Mia giggle.

            “Oh come on,” I laughingly say, “I’m still a virgin.”

            “Which makes it all the more hilarious,” Janet giggles. “By the way, Mia is going to teach you how to masturbate.”

            I choke on my own breath when she casually mentions it, as if the massagers aren’t even there. My cheeks flush in embarrassment, but Mia is not affected by Janet’s brazen words. “Jan, I think there is an appropriate place to say things like that… and not in front of our foot massagers,” I chastise in a yelling whisper.

            “OOPS,” she says, covering her mouth. “But still, I think it’s good to learn something about pleasuring yourself,” she says in a low voice. “Knowing your body is knowing yourself.”

            “Your body is a temple,” Mia adds. “You have to worship it like it’s a god. Your body is sacred and needs nourishment. Acknowledging your body’s needs is the first step in living a happy life.”

            I let out a low laugh. Janet and Mia are such a pair. Giving me s****l advice, when I don’t feel anything s****l about myself for my entire life, is like talking to a chicken to fly. “I don’t think I’m gonna think about anything s****l right now. I’d rather think about what my future holds if ma and pa will force me into marrying my ‘fiancé’,” I say in air quotes.

            “We’re just messing with you Tilda,” Janet jokes. “But we’re here if you need any help if you wanna know what it feels like the first time.” She sends me a teasing glint on her lips. I can hear our foot massagers lowly laugh at Janet’s words, and she seems oblivious that they are laughing at her.

            My phone pings, and it’s a message from Robert. Mia and Janet look at me, their eyes gesturing something dirty. I simply roll my eyes at them.

            Robert Go: Do you wanna go out for an exciting adventure? ;)

            Me: I’m at a spa with my sister and her friend. Maybe next time.

            After my reply, he doesn’t text me and I wonder if I have offended him when I declined his offer. It sounds exciting, but I rather prefer a peaceful day with the girls. I don’t know if they plan something rowdy and wild for tonight, and if they do, I will surely not attend. I’m too old to party anyway. And I don’t find any pleasure in joining it.

            “I can’t wait for our night tonight!” Janet exclaims, echoing her thoughts. “I promise you it will be fun Tilda! You will not regret it.” I do hope that her words corresponds to tonight.