A FOREIGN ENCOUNTER

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With my Iphone 6S raised mid air, I quickly opened the camera and snapped a selfie of my self wearing a white underboob, belly baring monokini swim suit before uploading it to my instagram account. I sit back and watched my photo attract more than fifty likes in the space of a minute because I had a large number of followers. When I first created my instagram account, I had no intention of becoming famous considering the fact I only planned to use the platform for business purposes earning money promoting parties and clothing stores.
Growing up very poor in Saint. Catherine, Jamaica. I remember my mother, Teresa and I lived in a old board house with a zinc roof top. Our living condition worsen everytime it rains because the housetop often leaks and it ruin the furnitures causing the board to dry rot. Too ashamed to invite my friends over for visit, I made up excuses whenever they asked. My mom worked as a dress maker for the community and she planted fruit trees such as banana, pear, mango and callaloo at the side of the house. She then goes to town and sells her farm produce at the market. I accompanied her to take some of the load of carrying the heavy bags off her shoulders. My mom has never had an easy life. The sadness in my eyes when she had revealed to me that her mother, my grandma Leota died five days after giving birth, with no mother figure in her life she had to fend for herself in this dog eat dog world. I can say my mom worked hard and tried her very best with me because she always ensure I eat before I go to bed.

My dad, Dylan died of a heart attack. The shock of his death kind of feel like punch to the stomach, his bereavement being the first I had experience up close. With my dad out of the picture my mom played two roles in my up bringing, She becomes breadwinner. I admire my mom alot but I wanted to do other things than go to the market on Fridays and Saturdays.

I continued with my promotional job, showing my face at parties. I enjoyed my job for three basic reason: I. I had fun associating with people from all over the world including Jamaica's most elite business men and women II. I stacked up twelve thousand dollars by end of the day.
III. I traveled and dined at hotels and restaurants I only visited in my dreams. I also promoted clothing stores, which usually doesn't pay much but atleast I get to keep the clothes I modelled as an advantage. I earned enough money to rent a concrete one- bed room house in rural Jamaica.

Tonight just like any other Friday night, I was called in for work at the Spanish court hotel for the launch party of TheEstateJamaica. My attire inclued a blue solid ruffled romper with the company's logo embroidered on the front. Each door has multi- colored banners draped on top of it with the company's imprinted logo.

I uncork a bottle of Veuve Clicquot before I weaved through the crowd of party goers in the lobby, handing out drinks. A song by the name of 'Pine and ginger' blared through the speakers and every one was dancing and chatting up a storm. I stand, idly by the door for a few minutes, feeling the changes in the music and the story it tells, whilst also keeping my eyes open.

"Hello beautiful" a voice whispered hoarsely in my right ear. I turned to see a tall, silver hair, broad shouldered man. He smiled warmly down at me before saying, "I didn't mean to startle you, I was just admiring how beautiful you are" I watched in silence as his emerald green eyes passed over my face for a moment and I couldn't hide my blush. "Hi, I'm Henry Mallory" he takes my hand and gives it a gentle shake. "Nice to meet you... Coya Bennett" he adds, reading my name from the stick on badge. His foreign accent becomes oblivious to me the more he talks, as it serves as a reminder that he is not Jamaican born.

"Nice to meet you too Henry" my smile broadening with every step he takes towards me.

"Have a drink with me" he leans closer to me.

"No, I'm actually on duty" I replied, releasing my hand from his hold.

A snicker escaped his lips. "Just for five minutes" he paused, "I promise"

I sighed, "okay I kind of wanna sit down for a bit" I say, feeling weak in the knees. He leads me over to an empty square table in the corner and then pulls out a chair. I take a seat feeling uneasy as his eyes travelled from my feet to my face, wondering everywhere.

"I really like getting to know you" he states with a humorous gleam in his eyes. "Last I heard Jamaican girls are very wild"

I cleared my throat to ensure that he gets my point, "Sir let me tell you. It mentions no where in my job description about one night stand with the guest. I appreciate you for your visit and your support. I honestly hope you enjoy yourself here tonight" my instinct tells me to ditch henry and so I take a stand only to be moments later pulled towards him our faces mere inches from each other.

"I'm not done with you as yet" he sternly says, I shrugged him off. I did not like to feel imprisoned,

"what would you like to know about me?" He responded to my question by asking another question of his own.

"Where in Jamaica do you stay?"

"I'm actually from Saint Catherine" I answered.

"Oh" he exclaims, we continued questioning each other for the rest of the night taking drinks in between.

Malley as I affectionately started calling him gives me a ride home.

We exchanged phone numbers before I closed the door to his Honda Civic, waving a quick good bye.

He waited a little until I slammed my front door shut. I climbed into bed burying my head in my pillow drifting off to sleep. The sun shines through the oval shaped windowed almost blinding me. I carried on my daily morning routine which consisted mostly of brushing my teeth and spreading my bed. I ambled downstairs to the kitchen gathering the ingredients from the refridgerator to fix myself an egg sandwich. While in the middle of breakfast, my samsung cellphone pings indicating an incoming text message from none other than Henry. I sifted through memories for any details of the past night and then a sudden image of a stranger's face appeared in my mind. He sent multiple messages.

Henry: Hey, how are you?
When can I see you again?
And if I was to be honest, I'm in love with the curve of your body.
Remind me of your age again
I can't stop thinking about you girl.

I hastily responded to his messages while anxiously awaiting his reply.

A few moments later he answers me returning similar information about himself. He followed up asking if I had any problem with our age difference. I answered no without hesitation and it set the tone for future conversations. After a week of messaging back and forth, I developed a feeling of intense attachment. Feelings I had never experienced brimmed within my soul. I wanted my mom to be aware of my deep feelings for this person. After receiving the news my mom seemed a bit taken aback while being apprehensive about the whole encounter.

Henry insisted that we meet at the Terra Nova hotel, as it would be convenient for us both and I really liked the sound of it all. I showed up and Henry ordered two dishes of mushroom risotto, a fine bottle of yellow tail Chardonnay red wine.