I awoke, checked the time to see it was 9:30 am. I went back downstairs to check on Katie. She was still asleep, so I made myself some breakfast and ate it while sitting in front of the sofa. I turned on the TV but lowered the volume, my master piece was still on display. Katie stirred, I looked up at her. Her eyes flickered open, “Good morning,” I muttered. She yawned and sat up slowly, “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep.” She mumbled. “I don’t mind, as long as you give me a reason for your actions yesterday.” I stated. She slid off the sofa to sit next to me. “You’re right, I did just want you to talk to me…Just please…”
I sighed, “Fine, why are you feeling lonely, you work in a big firm. How could you not have any friends?” She made sure she didn’t lock eye contact with me, so I continued to watch the TV. She was quite slow to answer, “B-Because I-I’m not really a lawyer…” I turned to look at her, puzzled, “What do you mean?” She blushed, “I dress up as a lawyer for your brother…” I was so confused, “Why would you dress up like a lawyer for him?” She glanced around the room, she looked flustered, “Because he’s lonely… You know…” I shook my head, “No, I don’t know.” She huffed, “How do you not know? He pays me to dress up like a lawyer and spend the night with him… Do I really have to explain any further?” I crinkled my brow, “Why would he pay you to dress up as a lawyer, if he already has real lawyers?” Her faced an even brighter shade of pink, “I’m a fucking prostitute!” She faced away from me, ashamed. “Why would you lie… do you not enjoy your job?” I was very puzzled. She stayed facing away from me, “No! I do not!”
“Then why don’t you change your profession?” I asked. “Because I failed every exam I ever took… also your brother pays me lots of money…” She turned to look at me, her eyes seemed to become damp and red again. “I hate it! I lied, I’m not lonely, I’m stupid and used only for my body…” She wept. “Well your job is to have sex with people for money so that’s what they will use you for.” I stated, not really caring. She glared at me, “But that’s why I’m upset… I hate my job!” I sighed, “Well there’s not much I can do about it” She continued to glare at me, “But I thought you said you ‘help’ people with their problems.”
“I do, just not in the way you think.” I continued to watch the TV. She looked confused, “What do you do then…?”
“I cannot tell you.” I continued to stare towards the TV, but my mind was drifting. “Why not?” she seemed to be getting frustrated. “Because you are not in the state in which I would need you to know.” She processed this information, “So I have to be suicidal for you to tell me?” I nodded, “And you have to believable.”
She let out a sigh, and lent on my shoulder. She started to stroke my leg up and down. “That won’t work.” I said emotionlessly. She pulled away and glared at me, “Don’t you want me?” I shook my head, “I’m not interested in sex.” She had the expression of what might have been embarrassment. “Oh…” I glanced at her, “So is that all?” I asked. She nodded, “I just want to have a job where I’m respected.” She murmured. “Well I can’t help you. I suggest you go to a professional.” I remarked. She leant back on the sofa, “I’m so fucked…” I nodded, “That is your profession.”
She scowled and punched my arm lightly, then crossed her arms over her chest. I continued to stare at the TV. “You’re really interested in this case with the fairy man…” She observed. I nodded, “It’s an interesting case.” She sighed and then moaned, “I’m hungry… do you think you could make me something?” I frowned, “I didn’t realise you lived here now…”
“Well I think I deserve some breakfast after you were so ‘helpful’” She said sarcastically. I shifted my gaze to her, she seemed to get uncomfortable. “This is my house, I already told you how I feel about you and your condition. So either you leave or come up a better story.” I hissed.
There was a knock at the door, I stared at her for a second longer, then went to answer it. It was my brother… “What is it?” I growled.
“Lunch?” He smiled.
“What about it?”
“You want to go out for lunch together?” He lent forward, so I could smell his minty breath. I shook my head “I have a patient at the moment.”
“How about dinner?” He won’t stop asking me, I had to give in one day. I nodded reluctantly, “Pick me up at six thirty.” Then I closed the door, before he could say another word. I got back to the living room, to find Katie reading the files of the depressed and terminally ill people. “What is this… ‘Martha, age 35, terminally ill, depressed, no family or friends.’ Why do you have a folder of all these people?” She looked up at me while holding the files. “Because those are the type of people I help.” I said sternly. She looked confused, as if she didn’t quite understand what was going on. “What?” I questioned her. “It doesn’t seem right…” She mumbled. “Why not?” Now I was starting to get a bit confused. She shook her head, “I don’t know…” She murmured.
She knew something was up, so she left soon after that conversation. I wasn’t too sure what to do… I picked up the folder and went upstairs to put it somewhere safe. I sat in my room, worried. I didn’t realise how long I sat there, contemplating all the possible scenarios that could have happened. I heard a faint knock at my front door, which pulled me back to reality. I got up and went to answer it. For the first time I hoped it would have been Katie… but it wasn’t. It was my brother. He was wearing a dark red suit and had jelled his hair to the side. “Let’s go then.” He looked me up and down, “You’re not even dressed properly!” He pushed past me, into my house. He grabbed onto my wrist and pulled me up the stairs towards my bedroom. “Okay…” still holding onto my wrist, he opened my wardrobe and filtered through my clothes. He pulled out a crisp white shirt and a slick black jacket. Then he chose a pair of black trousers from the many I own. “Where are your bowties?” He asked, I pointed to the draw in my bedside counter. He picked up a handful of bowties that were all black, “You don’t really have much of a selection of clothes, do you…?”He chose one of the bowties and then left me to get changed. I didn’t want to… But I did.
When I had changed, I left my room and went downstairs to find my brother sitting on the sofa in the living room. He jumped up when he saw me and adjusted my bowtie, then wrapped his arm around my waist and guided me out of the house and to his car. He opened the passenger door for me then got in the driver’s seat.
It took about 10 minutes to get into the city and get into the restaurant. We ordered food and he spent most of our dinner staring at me. I think he expected me to say something but I didn’t want to. He often rubbed his leg against mine, but I told him every time that I do not enjoy what he was doing. Our dinner ended quickly, I needed to get back home, because I was worried that I might get a phone call from Martha or Katie. When he dropped me off at home, he tried to get me to let him stay but I convinced him to leave. I waited patiently by the phone, waiting. Hoping that at least one of them would call.
