by Grant Hunter
‘No,’ I lied.
‘Have you ever seen animals being ashamed? Believe me. You’ll get used to it.’
I bit my lip and had to do my best not to put him right. How could he compare people with animals? I thought.
‘Naomi?’
I was surprised as he was already at the door. Slowly I stood up from the chair. My legs were shaking, and a nervous tic made the corner of my mouth twitch.
‘Before I give the tour, there is something I need to tell you. In a line in the contract there is a small legal thingy about non-disclosure. You were so quick to sign that you might have missed it, so I will say it. Nothing special, just that everything that happens on the Net X, also remains inside Net X. Is that clear?’
‘No problem.’
‘Great. That’s what I wanted to hear. Follow me; I’ll introduce you to everyone.’
19
Relieved and exhausted I flopped on my bed. By now I was sober, too sober. Maybe it was because of the tour, where Jack Willow actually presented me to everyone as "the new waitress," as if I had become some accessory. The tour and everything I knew now had deprived me of all my enthusiasm. After having shaken a lot of hands, because Jack also introduced me to all his guests, I went from champagne to spring water, even though Jack tried to push a glass of champagne in my hands.
“Everything for appearances,” he had said.
Back in my room I stared at the ceiling, where the shadows of the summer breeze made dancing figures on the curtain. In the room next to mine I heard Jen and Josh moan.
‘Damn...’ I put my hands over my ears. I could still hear it. Like a beat it throbbed through me, until it blended with the beep in my ears. Sighing I grabbed my cell phone and the earbuds from my bedside table. The time said ten to four. What a silly time to wake up!
Just when I wanted to find a suitable song on Spotify, I saw a message coming in. Without thinking I opened it.
‘Bitch. I will knock your damned head off your body.’
In a snap reaction I threw the phone away from me. It bounced with a thud against the closet and I heard the glass breaking. Maybe it was better if it was broken. While I was crawling under the blankets, I heard Jenny let out a high scream.
‘Damn!’
In the corner of the room I heard a soft buzz. I jumped out of bed and walked to the phone, which lit up and produced a sound like a hundred bees. On the screen appeared an almost indefinable message:
‘B8tch y74 a43 d3ad’
I blinked my eyes to hold back the rising tears.
‘Not again...’ I whispered and I ran back to my bed, pulled my blanket off and ran down the stairs. Anything was better than staying in that room.
The couch downstairs was hard and it took me a lot of effort to find a comfortable position. I closed my eyes and tried to forget my fear by thinking back to the party. All the people I had met. The red-haired woman - who Jack had previously called Goldie - was the most complete memory. When I saw her in the flesh I found her much smaller and friendlier than I had remembered.
She had full pink cheeks, long curly hair and green eyes. She had presented herself to me, with a wink, as the star of Net X. I put my hand to my neck and felt my heart rate slowly calming down. I thought back to getting acquainted with the Japanese twins in the anime outfits. Actually, I wasn’t even sure if they were twins and if they were Japanese at all, it could just as well be makeup. I had assumed it because their names were Japanese. One of the two, I recognized as one of the girls who was flirting with Josh on the deck, earlier. And then there was the chubby woman, who drew all the attention to herself with her red dress, that liberally revealed her well-rounded bosom. Was it Lola?
The staff in the kitchen were a lot less colourful. They were young Asian men in spotless white suits, who were busy and didn’t even notice me. They nodded when I walked past and was introduced by Mr. Willow.
‘All these people live for pleasure, remember that,’ he repeated continuously, like a mantra. After the tour I had seen a striking door at the end of the corridor. There was Access Prohibited written on it. I immediately realised that that door gave access to the lower deck that Mr. Willow had talked about. ‘Strictly forbidden,’ he had said with a strange smile on his face.
I day dreamed away, trying to think of the relief, because finally something would change to give me my independence. At last I would be able repay all my debts. I closed my eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
Someone shook me roughly. I opened my eyes. It was too dark to see anything. A hand grabbed my throat and I gasped for air. No, they were not hands, there was something tight around my neck. A hood, a bag. It smelled of musty potatoes. As much as I tried to turn away: something stopped me! I was tied by ropes. When I opened my mouth to scream, my lips were taped over. I flared my nose as far as possible to get enough air. But it was blocked. It felt like cotton balls slipped further up my nose - at that moment I gasped for air. I made squeaky noises and then I felt like I was thrown out of a plane: I was falling from a great height. A voice sounded in the distance. Incoherent. Mumbling. “Naomi! Run...”
I choked slowly in fear. Then someone dragged the bag off my head. I looked into a bright white light that made tears to come to my eyes. Something came at me, lightning fast. No, I was the one who moved. I still fell, deeper, in a ravine. I screamed and suddenly felt the tape loose. A hard bang made me wake up – on the floor next to the couch.
Joy stared at me from the kitchen, in shock.
‘Are you all right?’
I took a few deep breaths.
‘I’m OK.’
She grimaced.
‘Did you have a good sleep?’ Before I could respond, she went on. ‘Well, that doesn’t matter actually. Do you know why I am in such a good mood, Naomi?’
I sat down and pulled the sheet over me. ‘You’re going to tell me.’
She chuckled and cut an orange in half which she then squeezed with a hellish cackle. When she was finished she dried her hands on a towel.
‘You know, Naomi. We could be good friends. We have a lot in common, Robin for example. I know your soft spots and yet there is this battle between us. Why don’t we stop?’ She poured a glass full and surprised I watched as she came to me and put it in front of me.
‘What do you want from me, Joy?’ I asked.
She shook her head. ‘Still such hostility. Surely that’s not necessary? I heard from Robin that Jen took you to Jack Willow’s party?’
‘Yes, so?’
‘Well... did you meet him?’
‘Who?’
She looked at me as if I was the dumbest person on earth. Then she sat next to me. Uncomfortable I moved away a bit.
‘Killian Spelling, of course. My favourite actor. From Fifty Feet Under Flat Earth. Surely you know it?’
To be honest I had never heard of him or the series.
‘Of course,’ I lied.
‘And? What is he like in real life?’ She looked at me almost begging for an answer.
‘Well, err, smaller than on TV. But not more unattractive, even though he has an accent.’
‘An accent? How do you know?’
‘I talked to him. He really seemed to like me…’
Her eyes were glassy, her mouth was open. I picked up the glass of orange juice and drank it painfully slowly, as she stared at me begging. I put the glass back, stood up and gave her a wink while I walked up the stairs, back to my room.
I sighed when I walked into my room and saw the shards lying on the floor. The screen of my cell phone was now completely black. Yet I picked it up and pressed a few buttons. Nothing happened.
20
I heard the bell, click of heels, the slamming of the front door and then a voice swearing that called my name:
‘Naomi?’
Oh God, how she pronounced it. As if suddenly I was her best friend. Goose bumps rose on my neck, but I put on a smile when I walked down the stairs. She was holding a huge bunch of red roses in her arms.
>
‘Secret admirer?’ she asked with a big smile.
‘Are they for me?’
She handed me the bunch.
‘But I don’t have a vase.’ I gave them back to Joy. ‘Put them in the living room.’
Surprised she grabbed the bouquet and pulled out an envelope that hung on the side.
‘Don’t you want to open it?’
I was certainly not going to read from whom this romantic bouquet came in front of my rival. Who knows it might be Robin even? I chuckled at that thought. If Joy knew that we had done it in her bath yesterday then she would not be so kind to me.
‘Come on... open it,’ she said impatiently.
‘Sure. Why not?’ I said.
Slowly I tore the envelope open and pulled the paper out. I read the handwritten note aloud:
‘This colour reminds me of your blood that...’
I stopped There. My hands shook uncontrollably and Joy became deathly pale when she looked over my shoulder.
‘... will flow from all your pores. Fucking Bitch! If you ignore me you will pay for it.’
‘Jesus Christ.’ There was a silence. ‘Naomi. Are you OK?’
I shook my head. Turned the note and the envelope around.
‘Did you see which company brought these flowers?’
‘Well no. It was just a messenger.’
I ran to the front door and pulled it open. There was nothing to see, nothing more than the usual hustle and bustle: a neighbour with a stroller, a cyclist, but nowhere a delivery van. Disappointed I closed the door.
‘What are you going to do?’ Joy handed me the flowers as if she wanted to get rid of them.
‘Throw them away, will you? Can I borrow your mobile phone?’
She walked to the kitchen and came back a little later with a white, flat ‘phone.
‘Here, I haven’t been using it for a while. You can have it.’
‘Thank you.’
‘Oh, by the way?’
‘Yes?’
‘If I can help you with anything...’
I swallowed a lump in my throat and suddenly felt disgusted at the betrayal with Robin. Had I misjudged Joy? Why did she suddenly want to help me?
‘Thank you. That’s very sweet of you, Joy.’
‘I’ll talk to Justin. Because, well, you know. Because you think he is obsessed with you. That’s all I can do. According to the agreement I can’t throw him out of the house. Even though I would definitely do that for you...’ She looked at the floor. Pointed with her nose. A nervous trait that I had noticed before.
‘… if necessary...’ She started hesitating.
‘Yes?’
‘If necessary, we accuse him of theft.’
‘Can we do that?’
Joy gave me a smile. ‘I can do anything if you introduce me to Killian Spelling.’
That was it. It was not at all about me. I was her new best friend just because I had gone to the party and now I felt lousy. She almost got me, I almost believed her. I had almost told her about Robin. Now I would keep it to myself.
‘Thank you for the phone.’ I turned around and walked back to my room.
21
‘No, Gabriel. Of course not. What is the point of that? Joy has told me that she will try to get him out of the house. You know? I’m not afraid. He is just pathetic, so you don’t really have to come over.’
I looked at myself in the changing room mirror, claustrophobic because I was unable to move. I turned around again to see how the dress - or the white uniform, as they called it here on the ship - was seamlessly welded to my slender figure. I pressed the ‘phone more firmly to my ear.
‘Listen,’ Gabe’s voice said. ‘If you don’t want to see me anymore, you have to say so.’
‘That’s not it, Gabe. My life is so chaotic. First of all, I have to work everything out...’
‘And I’m not part of it?’
‘I didn’t say that.’
‘That is it though, Naomi. I am not in the list.’
I sighed deeply and glanced at my watch.
‘But I have to hang up.’
‘That shitty loan is between us.’
‘Sorry, I really have to start working now. Bye.’ As I hung up, the door swung open.
‘M-Mercedes?’
‘Dios Mio!’ screamed out the older woman. ‘Hija, why you here?’
‘I-I work here.’ A feeling of shame came over me, although I had done nothing wrong. ‘In the restaurant,’ I added quickly.
‘No. No. You not worry. Mercedes only cleaning.’ She made a gesture to indicate that she didn’t see anything.
‘No, really. I’m going to be a waitress, but what are you doing here?’
‘Miss Jen looking for a new job for Mercedes. I’m happy.’
I nodded and smiled to the old housekeeper of the house at Van Burgh Park.
‘Jen is great. It’s also thanks to her I found this job.’
It seemed like I had said something wrong. Mercedes shook her head rapidly. ‘You away. Go away, Hija.’ She flapped her hands nervously.
‘I don’t understand you, Mercedes.’
Jack Willow stepped in. He looked at me amused and winked at the maid who quickly left us.
Oddly enough, he looked better than I remembered. Maybe it was because he was dressed casually today. Everything about him was looser, except his muscular, tanned skin.
‘You are a picture in my costume, Miss Quinns. However, I notice that you look a little hungry. Have you eaten anything?’
My mouth opened in amazement. How could he know that I had forgotten to eat? My "err" was apparently sufficient answer.
‘I can’t have my staff getting ill. Come, I invite you to the Captain’s table. I have to eat something as well.’
‘B-but what about my work though?’ I stuttered.
‘Don’t worry. We are just one big family. It is quite normal to eat together. It is not polite to refuse, so what do you say?’
‘Well, OK...’
Silently, I walked behind him through the long corridor of the yacht, until we reached the broad staircase that came out on deck. Occasionally I nodded to a passenger, who then stared at me uncomfortably. Above deck I followed him to the restaurant section.
Behind a large screen, between palm-like plants, stood a table with white linen. Mr. Willow sat down and gestured me to do the same. There was a champagne cooler on the table, from where he picked up a bottle, which he immediately uncorked. Even before I could refuse he filled my glass, lifted his and shouted so loud that everyone on the ship had to hear it: ‘Welcome to my family, darling!’
A man in a sailor suit came in and started to lay cutlery, moodily.
‘Are you allergic to anything? Otherwise I will just order the day’s menu for you.’
I shook my head.
‘Then my normal lunch.’
The man nodded and turned away in a hurry.
‘Darling. You look rather distracted. Is everything in alright?’
‘It’s... well... actually I’m quite overwhelmed. I, err, I am not really used to this.’
He smiled, crossed his arms over each other and leaned back into his chair. ‘That makes you so much fun. Tell me something about yourself. You are mysterious, Quinns, and I would love to hear about it, I want to know who I am dealing with.’
Restlessly I grabbed my glass to give myself some time. What should I tell him in God’s name? I thought. Something business-like, just something superficial.
‘Well, err. I’m studying English literature at Greenwich. I’m from the Netherlands.’
‘Ah, the country of freedom, tulip bulbs, drugs and prostitutes.’
‘That’s what it’s like,’ I said softly. I had to pay attention to what I gave away. Something that was balanced. ‘My dad owns a number of businesses. He owns the largest chain of bookshops in the Netherlands, but he is also in real estate.’
He lifted an eyebrow. ‘Really? A rich heiress?’
‘No.’ I felt my cheeks colouring. ‘I try to do everything on my own. Dad only pays the costs for Greenwich.’
‘You want to prove yourself? I appreciate that. I bet he is a self-made men, like me. Finally I have found an equal, and now I have to employ his daughter as a worker?’ He laughed with his teeth showing.
I leant over. ‘Don’t tell anyone please. Here I just want to be Naomi.’
‘Well then, just Naomi. I’m honoured that someone like you, works on my ship as a waitress.’
Maybe I should claim that it was the excitement, the sensation I had noticed during the party yesterday and that it fascinated me. That it was so different from my life in a golden cage. I tasted freedom, real freedom, to do what I wanted. For the first time I earned my own money and that felt good!
‘I promised Dad that I would support myself. If I fail I have to go back,’ was what I eventually said.
Mr. Willow went back and filled his glass. ‘Strict father. Fair enough. So you only get one chance?’
‘I have ruined things in the first few months. That is why he said that I had to come back.’
‘But you want to show him that you can stand on your own feet,’ he said. ‘That’s why you were looking for a job. Right?’
Shit! I must not give too much away, I thought. So I nodded briefly and drained my glass. Relieved that the waiter - or sailor, or whatever they called someone serving on a pleasure yacht - brought two plates with sea food.
‘Is everything satisfactory?’
‘Fine.’ Mr. Willow waved him away.
‘Darling, your secret is safe with me. Now that I know who you are, I will have to keep an extra eye on the crew.’ He gave me a wink.
I pulled a face when I shoved a tentacle in my mouth. With difficulty I swallowed the rubbery mass and I smiled gently when he offered me a toast covered with a black substance.
‘Try it.’
It smelt brackish and it tasted exactly as I had expected.
‘Caviar. The best.’
‘Delicious,’ I lied.
He grinned showing his teeth again and leant over. ‘I have many friends to pamper and they also help me to meet other people.’