Our dirty little secret

CHAPTER THREE

His prayer to me was how I was myself, wearing a minted hoodie that covered my face, standing in front of a resort on a chilly Monday afternoon, my body was dried as a result of the harmattan in November and my lips were a little bit cracked from the effect of the wind blowing in my direction.

I applied my lip balm to keep my lips from breaking, other than that I wore no perfume, because he likes it when I smell natural especially when I was coming to see him, he once told me that perfume made me smell and feel older than I am. With my skin so fair and how slim I was, I could very well be mistaken for a ghost, I was so small and he loved how small I was, so many times I wondered if he was a paedophile or maybe he simply fancied me. He definitely liked me and he wasn’t a paedophile.

There are a lot of girls who would throw themselves at him but he chose me. Me! He cares about me not my gender, I exhaled deeply trying to get as much air as I could and finally I summoned the courage to step out of the taxi, I paid the driver the exact amount of money he asked without bargaining, he glared at me suspiciously but said nothing just as I thought then he drove off.

I stood at the gate for a few minutes, counting and waiting for my heart to stop racing uncontrollably, and no matter how much air I took in I still couldn’t control my heart beat, it was like my heart had a mind of its own and he was my master. Whenever I knew he was close my heart jumped for joy not minding that I would be affected by such joyful gestures.

It was fine though I didn’t mind as long as it only jumped for him and no other man, after some minutes of futile attempts to tame my heart I finally gave up on trying, because it was useless at the time and as long as I knew he was around I couldn’t be calm, so I walked into the resort.

The resort was just like I expected, big, safe and secure, it is a building massive enough to be awed by and at the same time small enough to feel at home, and besides I never expected anything less from the man of my dreams when he told me about the resort he built and here I am standing in the presence of this magnificent beast.

My body was covered with such carefulness that even I would not be able to recognize a picture of me if one was shown to me, and basically it was his idea to cover up so well, so that on one would fathom that I was the one seen going into a questionable place.

I would dress up at home then hide a big hoodie which belongs to my elder brother in my bag anytime I was going to see him, then wear it immediately I entered the bus taking me to a whole different state than the one I live in, he likes playing it safe and that I understand, moreover the thought of him trying to protect us both, sends adrenaline through my body and was out of this world.

To have an illicit affair was dangerous and f*******n but to have one with a priest? Oh you cannot even begin to imagine the danger, the trill, the adrenaline and thinking about it, I smiled mischievously to myself, a rush of confidence and power coerced through my veins as I walked further into the resort with sureness in my every step, there was focus in my eyes and wonder in my heart as I walked into heaven’s gate.

The receptionist looked at me like she knew me, at first the recognition in her eyes when I walked in through the door scared the f*****g hell out of me, my heart began to race as I thought of her really knowing me and she rating me out to one of my siblings. Then again I said to myself “Nah”, there is no way in hell she knows who I am, though I was scared because she looked at me with a smile that hid with it a thousand words and even more knowledge.

Anyways I couldn’t afford to start panicking, so I took further steps into the reception while closing the door gently. “Good afternoon” I greeted when I reached the reception table, holding on to my hoodie so tight making sure the wind does not cause it to s**t and reveal a part of me that could aid recognition.

She smiled broadly with her teeth as white as snow “Good afternoon” she replied, who are you here to see? “Matthew” I stuttered shuffling both feet. “Matthew” I repeated immediately this time around confidently.

“Oh Matthew!” she related with a hint of amusement in her voice, for a reason I didn’t understand what she found so funny and her countenance made me very uncomfortable, but luckily for me it ended sooner than it started. “Take the stairs it’s on the first floor, room 3” Thank you I said as I walked away before she could even reply.