by Ony Bond
“Joel hasn’t returned. You fooled me, never indicated you knew you’d beat him. Why didn’t you let me know?”
“Had to let him think I was scared. It’s a weapon of war. His weakness was over-confidence. He underestimated the opponent. How do you know that Joel, anyway?”
Rose and Joel had had been classmates at primary. His was one dysfunctional family. An older brother in prison. A father who ran around with women and got killed when caught by an enraged husband in bed with his wife. Joel’s mother drank and died when he was eight. Strangled by a jealous boyfriend. An aunt who peddled drugs raised him. He fell out of school in year six and been in prison because of drugs.
“Real sad. Had no idea. What he called you didn’t sink well with me, and he was lucky I didn’t break that arm.”
A sound erupted. She pulled her mobile phone from her bag.
“Hi, Dad. Yeah, I’m still in town at the boot-fare. You’d have wanted to come too? Sorry, you were fast asleep when I left. You missed out. I struck great bargains. No, I won’t tell you what I bought. See you soon. Love you too, Dad." The call ended. She smiled at Godfrey. “By the way, I forgot to tell you my parents and Loyce really enjoyed the food you bought. It was unfair, wished I could tell them who had provided it. I got the hugs which should have gone to you. Felt a cheat. Sorry, got to take another call. Don’t leave.”
Holding his arm, she retrieved her phone again.
“Hi, sis. Having a great time at the boot-fare. Met someone yet?” Rose glanced at Godfree and winked. “Just like you to ask if I met another guy. I have this guy sitting in my car. He is a real hunk. You’ll swoon when you meet him. It’s no joke. No, you can’t talk to him. I’m not sharing him. See you later, sis.” She glanced at him, entwined her fingers in his. “My sister Loyce. She’s always teasing me for not having another boyfriend and wanted a word. Couldn’t let her talk with you because she’d ask your country.”
“My accent will give me away.”
“I’m going to let everyone at home know how you helped me with Joel today. That’ll make my dad change his attitude.”
“Does he need to know?”
“Why not? Wouldn’t you say thanks to a guy who helped your daughter?”
“You think that’ll change him?”
“It should. He must know.”
“Do you tell your dad everything?”
“No.”
“What can I do to stop you?”
“You can’t, so forget it.” She waved. “We got company. Check your window, smile and wave.”
He glanced sideways, smiled back. The married couple from the food caravan was smiling and waving, walked to their car, got inside and then drove away.
“I call them the pinching couple. They seemed to like us.”
He raised his eyebrows. “The pinching couple?”
“They pinched each other, didn’t they? But it’s good for a husband and wife to be friends and have fun. Only for some it lasts a few weeks after the wedding night. After that you have a negative graph that reveals boredom, quarrels, fighting, and finally divorce. A husband and wife must be best friends.”
“You want several children?”
“Yes.”
“Why aren’t you married? No one’s good enough?”
Her previous boyfriend was a fellow doctorate student. He was tall, broad-shouldered and blonde and wanted to move in with her. She refused. He said he would wait for marriage, proved a liar and cheat. Was having something on the side. Rose dumped him. That happened two years ago. What was Godfree’s story?
He could have married back home. But his girlfriend met a married businessman who promised her a package that included leaving his wife for her. Soon he got her pregnant and refused paternity. She ran back to Godfree, begged he take her back with her unborn baby. He refused, told her she had made her bed and must sleep on it.
“Serves that evil woman right,” Rose said. “How could you trust her after that?”
“No way. Good there were decent girls around. So what happened to the cheating guy?”
“Oh, him. He stayed away for a while but has started calling, begging, saying how sorry he was and wants me back. I’m going to tell him I have a new guy who is a karate black belt. Let him know he just ran the town bully out of town. That way he won’t bother me again. The calls are getting to be a real nuisance. Mind pretending you’re my boyfriend for a while? Tell me of your family.”
He wondered if she was serious or flirting. Told her he was the youngest in a family with three older brothers, and a sister, all back home. One brother was a headmaster at a village school, another worked for the city council in the capital city. The last drove long-distance trucks from his country to South Africa and other neighbouring countries. His sister and her husband were both primary school teachers. His dad had worked as a labourer at a factory, was now retired and stayed at the village. His mother had always been a full-time housewife.
“Miss home?” she asked.
“Sure.”
“You came a long way. Must be hard so far from home. The weather, food, culture’s all different. So you’re the only one in your family here?”
“Yes.”
It was his turn to ask about her family. She had two older brothers; one a podiatrist married to an Australian podiatrist and staying in Melbourne. The other was married as well and worked in the Midlands. Her older sister Loyce worked for the city council. Her mother was a school-head at a girls’ grammar school. The talk meandered to university, engineering, music, books and more. They shared the same interests.
None was in a hurry to leave. He was the first one to check the time, realized they had sat in the car for over an hour.
“Rose. You really want me to pretend I’m your boyfriend?”
“Yes.”
“I can’t.”
She looked hurt. “Why not?”
“You can find someone else for that. If I’m to be a boyfriend it must be real, not fake. So if you want my help I will have to be your boyfriend from now. If you don’t, get someone else.”
“That leaves me no choice. Want my number?”
“You want to be my girlfriend?”
“Yes. Thought you were serious.”
“But I thought you didn’t like refugees.”
“A girl has a right to change her mind. I just made exception for one. You didn’t like whites either.”
“Did I ever say that? There was just one blonde girl I disliked a lot. Give me your number.”
“Thought you’d never ask.”
They swapped numbers. She saved his name as My Man Free. She grinned when he put her as Green-eyed Rose.
“The weather’s going to be fine tomorrow. Mind a trip to the sea if you’re free?”
“Brilliant idea! There’s this spot I want to show you. We’ll get ice-creams, sit on the cliff and walk barefoot on the sands. Here’s my ex, Nathan’s number. I’d appreciate if you call him and have a man talk so he leaves me alone.”
He called Nathan. Voice mail triggered in.
He left a message. “Hello, Nathan. This concerned Rose. I would really appreciate if you can call me back.”
Seconds later his phone buzzed.
“You left a message,” a voice said. “Is Rose ok?”
“Nathan, I’d like you to leave my girlfriend alone.”
“Who the hell are you? And my name’s Doctor Nathan. I’d like to be addressed as such.”
“Accept you’re a loser, Nathan, and I don’t want you calling Rose again. I’m taking her to the seaside tomorrow.”
Nathan shouted. “The hell you are! Rose’s my girl. Leave her alone!”
“Now you listen. I don’t want you within a yard of my girl, or you’ll crawl home with missing teeth, a broken jaw and ribs. How would you like to be thrown from the edge of a cliff into the sea, Nathan? Want to find out if I mean it? Why don’t you visit the seaside tomorrow? We’ll fight bare knuckle. The loser stops bothering Rose. Got it?
It’ll be just you and me. Man to man.”
“You don’t scare me that easily. You’re just a lowlife goon she hired for this. I’m not leaving her.”
“It’s you that’ll have the broken ribs and jaws, Nathan. I’m betting on two broken arms and legs. You’ve been enough of a nuisance. Maybe I should be the one to pay a visit. I’ll save you the travelling. Expect a visit from me soon. When you see a giant black Rastafarian guy spotting dreadlocks that hug the waist and a shaggy beard you’ll know I’m in town.”
“Rose’s interested in me and you’re no Rastafarian. Your accent is fake. I want to talk to Rose. Let me hear her say that to me herself. You’re not Jamaican.”
“Never said I was. I’m an African Rastafarian from Ethiopia. You heard of Emperor Haile Selassie, I suppose? Rose’s right here.”
He handed over the phone.
“Nathan,” Rose said. “You’d better take this guy seriously. He has a black belt in karate. You cheated. That makes you history. I care about this guy a lot. It’s about time he broke your arms and ribs. And don’t even think you can defeat him. Just amazed I ever wasted time on a wimp like you. If you ever call me again, leave a message or even text, then he’ll come. When he gets through you’ll wish you had listened. Now get lost! Find a shallow bimbo that likes your type. And my man’s educated too. An electrical engineer just in case you need to know. Now he wants a final word.”
“I’ll be seeing you soon, Nathan.” Godfree said. “We’ve done enough talk. You’ve been enough nuisance.”
“Look here, man,” Nathan's voice was unsure. “I’ll stop calling her. Didn’t know she had a new guy.”
“Now you do. You promise not to call again?”
“You got my word.”
“Stay away from my woman.”
The call ended.
Rose grinned. “All done?”
“Yes. You owe me a hug to show your gratitude, Miss Clarke.”
“With all these people watching? Alright.” She hugged him. “Free.”
“Yeah.”
“I’m getting to really like you.”
“Me too. Never realized sitting in a girl’s car and holding a girl’s hand can bring so much joy. You sure you aren’t a witch?”
“You acted tough with Joel and Nathan. But I’m getting to know you better now. You hate fighting, didn’t really hurt that man who tortured you when you had a chance. Those tactics were just to scare him. Another man would have killed him. Inside you aren’t cruel. Guess you got to burrow deeper under the skin to see what’s inside. Free, what did you see when you looked at me before?”
“You really want to know?”
“Yes.”
“You won’t like it.”
“Say it as it should.”
“I saw an arrogant, angry, rude, green-eyed girl with long hair and an attitude. I’m still puzzled though where she went. In her place is now a pretty, sweet, decent and humorous girl.”
“When you tell a girl that it will be hard to get rid of her. She might decide to follow you to the ends of the earth.”
“So we can go live in the jungle and mud huts together?”
“Sure. If that’s what you want.”
CHAPTER 11
Rose watched him walk to his car, wave and drive off. Her parents were home. She handed her mother her parcel. That earned her a hug.
“Dad, I got something for you as well.”
He liked his presents and hugged her. She pulled a chair and joined them at the table. Then she narrated the experience with Joel.
“Glad that martial arts guy was there,” her mother said. “Hope you thanked him.”
She nodded. “Sure, thought a hot burger and drink was in place.”
“He deserved it,” her dad said.
“Who’s this knight?” her mother asked.
“Dad works with him in the electrical department.”
“James? He never told me he knows karate.”
“No, Dad. It was Godfree.”
“That black refugee?” he thundered.
“Yes, Dad.”
His hands clenched as his face turned red. “You bought him food?”
“You should have heard the names Joel called me. I needed this guy.”
“Who’s Godfree?” Mrs Clarke asked.
“A refugee at the factory,” Frank fumed. “Remember your sister. That cheat isn’t a hero. Can’t you see he followed you, planned with Joel to appear the hero and win your favours? He’s a trickster. Such a person lured your sister. They’re experts at it. You must stop talking to him.”
“He came to buy tools for his allotment.”
“Enough! You want to suffer the same fate as Loyce?”
“It’s absurd to think he wanted to hurt me!” Her voice raised. “Thought you’d appreciate he stood for your daughter against a rude bully. You don’t care he called me a prostitute and more? My sister had that horrible experience, but Godfree’s not a rapist and never knew that bully. I really thought you’d appreciate what he did, even thank him on Monday at the factory.”
“I will not! He planned it, tricked you, hasn’t he? Made you think he’s a saint. I know these tricksters.”
“You’re acting like a bigot, Dad.”
“For trying to protect my daughter?”
Mrs Clarke spoke. “Hold it everyone! No need for this. Frank, that guy helped our girl. Wasn’t it decent of him?”
He stood, his breathing rugged. “I’m knackered with these refugees lying their way past out borders, thinking they can get everything free.”
“He did help your daughter.”
“It’s fabricated. Joel and him are friends.”
“Dad, Godfree doesn’t even know him,” Rose said.
“You’re just too naive to see he wants you. Don’t talk to him again.”
“Free hasn’t violated any girls.”
“I suppose he also bared his back, showed you his scars and talked of the torture he suffered, huh? He did that with James so he’d tell us. He doesn’t fool me at all. You fell for it.”
“That’s insulting, Dad. He came to the boot-fare to buy stuff. Your world has shrunk to one of suspicion and xenophobia. Godfree isn’t what you think.”
“Anything else I should know? Did you sit in the car and hold hands?”
“Can’t I choose my friends? I am over twenty-one.”
Frank sneered. “Don’t tell me you are friends now? I forbid it. It’s true that rat’s after you.”
“He isn’t a rat!” Rose jumped to her feet.
Mrs Clarke got between them. “Frank, there’s no need for such language. I don’t think that boy deserves that after what he did for Rose.”
He shook his head. “You can’t see it either. He’s fooled both of you. What’s next? Inviting him for tea?”
He walked up the stairs to his bedroom and banged the door.
“What’s just the matter with him?” Rose asked.
She explained dad and her had been nasty to Godfree at work. Now she was realizing after talking to Godfree some of these refugees couldn’t help being here. They had been caught in political turmoil and had to leave. The rapist in Loyce’s case was imprisoned, and deported to his country of origin. That did not reverse her sister’s horror. But should Godfree be blamed for that? Failing to appreciate what he had done was not the answer. Had her parents not taught their children to be civil?
“I agree, Rose.” She held her hand. “Let’s go for a drive.”
Mrs Clarke found a spot and parked.
“You got to understand your dad’s still upset, Rose. Loyce’s incident shook him.”
“Mom, he’s using it to hate every refugee.”
Mrs Clarke exhaled, glanced at her feet. “Rose… there’s something you should know. I don’t know how to say this.”
“What’s wrong, mom?”
“Your sister lied about being violated.”
“What?”
Betsy confided Loyce had lied in
court. She had a secret affair with Charlie, who was in love with her, and proposed marriage. But she was afraid of her family. Loyce went to a pub, got drunk and cheated on Charlie, who caught her and ended the affair. That tore Loyce apart. She wanted him to take her back. He refused. Angry and humiliated, she called him one night, lied her car had broken down. Charlie came. Loyce initiated the sex and then screamed rape. People rushed to the scene. He pleaded she called him, was his girlfriend. Charlie was arrested. The judge didn’t believe him. Everyone believed her word against that of a low-paid factory refugee.
“Betsy told you this?” Rose shook her head.
Her mom nodded. Guilt raked Betsy. Loyce’s depression was due to remorse. Mrs Clarke asked Loyce who admitted to the affair with Charlie and how scared she was of the family. Charlie hurt her when he rejected her so she planned revenge.
“Does Dad know?”
He did. Both her and Loyce told him. But he still refused to believe her.
“Nobody told me.”
“Loyce and your dad begged me never to tell you or anyone else in the family. He still believes your sister’s original version of events.”
“Why did you tell me now?”
“I wanted you to understand. He’s already hurt by what he thinks was Loyce’s ordeal. You’re his favourite child. Can’t you see he’s scared you’ll face the same fate? Already thinks you like him.”
Rose countered her. Her sister lied, got a guy imprisoned and sent back to the country he escaped. Her parents knew the truth. How could they sleep after this?
Her mother glanced at the trees. Rose opened the door, left and stood a distance. Her mother followed and asked. Did she think it was easy to learn her daughter sent a man to prison on a false allegation? Charlie wasn’t the only victim here. If this was known what would it do to the family? Mrs Clarke headed a successful award-winning grammar school and played a role in that success. Rose was a brilliant daughter with a PhD. Her brothers had respectable jobs. Did Rose expect the papers and news to smear the family name? They didn’t want Rose to know, or it would tear her apart.
“An innocent man was jailed, mom. What mattered to everyone was protecting the family name. Did you try to find Charlie after the deportation? Maybe give him money? Help him? That was the least you could do. Suppose I fall in love with another refugee? You expect me to accuse him too?”
