A FOREIGN ENCOUNTER

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 i********: account. I sit back and watched my photo attract more than fifty likes in thd space of a minute because I had a large number of followers. When I first created my i********: 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 ruins 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 felt like punch to the stomach, his bereavement being the first I had experience up close. With my dad now 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, my manager calls me in for work at the Spanish court hotel for the launch party of TheEstateJamaica. My attire includes 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 danced and chatted 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 finishes with a humorous gleam in his eyes. "Last I heard Jamaican girls are very wild"