Chapter 2

After we finished I asked Vicky if she’d like to take a dip in our new pool. She grinned and said, “I’d love to. I’ve wanted to jump in since I saw that thing.”

Despite Kisi’s protests Vicky and I helped clean up the kitchen and I asked Kisi if she has a bathing suit. She replied, “No. I bathed in a creek when I was younger but I’ve never been in a swimming pool and I don’t know how to swim.”

“Then it’s about time you learned. Vicky, you must have a suit that will fit her.”

Vicky grinned and said, “I’m pretty sure I do. Or we could go skinny dipping.”

I rolled my eyes and replied, “Maybe not. Kisi is uncomfortable enough around us weirdos. Take her to your room and see what you have that might fit her.”

Poor Kisi tried to reason with us all the way upstairs but we ignored her. I followed them into Vicky’s room and watched as she went to her dresser and pulled what must have been a couple dozen bikinis out of her drawer and dropped them on the bed. She turned to Kisi and said, “Please just relax, Kisi. I promise, this is going to be totally painless. And besides, you work much too hard. You need to relax now and then. You’ve earned it. Now get undressed while I pick out what you’re going to wear.”

Kisi is obviously extremely uncomfortable about this entire situation. I moved up behind her, wrapped my arms around her and said, “Sweetheart, relax. We aren’t planning on torturing you. You work very hard and you do an excellent job. You deserve a little break. And besides, we like you. We want you to be a part of our family.”

“But Lexi! I’m just a...”

“You aren’t “just a” anything. You’re my friend. I’d like to hang around the pool for a little while and get to know you better. I want you to be totally comfortable with us. Is there some reason you aren’t comfortable putting on a bathing suit and lounging around in the pool for a while?”

She was almost whispering when she finally responded, “No. I’ve never worn a bathing suit or been in a swimming pool. But it isn’t that. It’s the situation. I’m the maid, the cook, the help. I’m just a poor black girl. I have known all my life I’m not ... I could never be good enough to be friends with wonderful people like you and your family. I don’t belong...”

“You’re wrong Kisi. You’re more than good enough. I’d be proud to call you my friend. I admire you for working so hard from such an early age. I admire you even more for getting an education when one was denied to you because you’re a girl. You have impressed me since we met you. So please, relax. Let yourself enjoy doing some of the things young women all around the world enjoy doing. I’ll bet it’s been years since you took a little time to just relax and not worry about anything.”

She looked into my eyes for a long moment and then, with tears running down her cheeks she quietly said, “I’ve never met anyone like you before.”

I smiled, kissed her cheek and said, “Then come on, relax, join us in the pool and get to know us a little better.”

I went to my room to change into my bikini. When I stepped out of my bedroom Vicky and Kisi were waiting for me in the hallway. I looked at Kisi and exclaimed, “You look beautiful! You’re sexy as hell!”

She smiled and said, “I feel funny. I’ve never worn a swimming suit. It feels like underwear ... except smaller.”

“Yeah, I think that’s the point.”

Before we went downstairs something occurred to me. I said to Vicky, “I just thought of something. We don’t have any lotion.”

She replied, “There are a couple of bottles in a cabinet out by the pool. I guess someone must have known how absent minded we are.”

We just about had to force Kisi to stretch out on a lounge chair so we could apply lotion to her skin. She tried to insist she doesn’t need it but I insisted. I explained that we often went to the beach back home with a black couple we’ve been friends with for years. They had explained to us that even though dark-skinned people are less susceptible to sunburn than light skinned people because their skin has more melatonin they can still get sunburned and even if they don’t the sun dries their skin out. She finally gave in but she was obviously very uncomfortable about it. She seemed to think that it wasn’t right for us to do something like that for someone who is our cook and housekeeper. I kept an eye on her as we all took turns getting oiled up. She didn’t seem to have a problem oiling Vicky and I up. By the time we were all oiled and stretched out on our lounge chairs she finally seemed to be over it.

We only spent about an hour on the deck. It was hotter than hell out there. I know it doesn’t work that way but I could almost swear Ghana is much closer to the sun than the east coast of The States.

We went back inside and headed for the showers. Kisi went to her room off the kitchen. Vicky went upstairs. I stopped to get a glass of ice water to take with me. I was just starting up the stairs to take my shower when the doorbell rang. I went to the door and was more than a little surprised to see Mr. Boateng through the peephole. I opened the door and he smiled from ear to ear when he saw me standing there in my bikini.

I apologized and explained we were just coming in from enjoying the pool. Then I asked him what I could do for him. It seemed to take him a long time to answer. I could almost feel his eyes crawling all over my body. He finally said, “I was visiting one of your neighbors and since I was in the area I thought I’d stop by and make sure you’re settling in okay.”

I assured him everything was great. We are settling in just fine. I didn’t want to invite him in. The way he’s looking at me makes me very uncomfortable. After a rather long silence while his eyes continued to scan my nearly naked body he asked if he might have a glass of ice water. I had no choice but to invite him in. I gave him a glass of water and apologized again for my state of dress. I explained that I was on my way upstairs to shower and get dressed when he rang the bell. I was shocked when he asked me if I need someone to wash my back. I was so shocked that it took me a long time to come to my senses and decline his offer.

He just stood there then, sipping on his water. His eyes were continuously wandering over my body like he’d never seen a woman in a bikini before. We must have stood there like that for ten or fifteen minutes before he said, “You’re very beautiful. Very sexy. I knew you would be. I’m so glad you’re husband has come to work for me. I think we are going to be very close.”

Despite his friendly but far too lecherous behavior I tried to act like nothing unusual was happening here. He finally finished his water, put the glass in the sink and said, “I’m looking forward to seeing more of you, you and your beautiful daughter.”

Then he turned and left. I stood there in shock until I heard the front door close behind him. I couldn’t believe that was the same man who treated us to dinner when Todd took us with him to his hotel to interview for the job. I hurried to the foyer and peeked out the window to make sure he was leaving. His driver opened the door for him. He got in and I was finally able to take a deep breath when the limousine backed out into the road and drove off.

Holy shit!! What the hell am I going to tell Todd?!!

My brain is whirling around in vicious circles as I climbed the stairs. The man who owns all these houses and the business that brought us to this country pretty much just came right out and told me he intends to have sex with me ... and my sixteen-year-old daughter!! And we’re trapped here! They have our passports. The nearest American Embassy is more than a hundred miles away. He owns our only vehicle and employs our driver. Mr. Boateng pretty much own us. If I tell Todd what just happened he’ll go nuts. There’s no telling what he might do. But if I don’t I’m as good as surrendering myself and my daughter to that pervert. Oh god! I don’t know what to do!

I showered and dressed but it took me a long time. I’m unable to concentrate on anything. When I finally went back downstairs Vicky and Kisi were sitting at the kitchen table. For some reason they look stressed. They looked up at me when I entered the room and came to a stop. The three of us looked at each other for a long moment before Kisi said, “I heard what he said. Vicky saw how upset I was and I felt like I had to warn her. We were trying to think of some way for the three of you to get out of Ghana but there doesn’t seem to be any way to do it.”

I joined them at the table. No one spoke for several minutes. More than anything else I want to give in to temptation and cry my eyes out but that would only make things worse. I have to be strong for Vicky.

We sat in almost total silence like that until Kisi stood up and said, “Your husband will be home soon. I have to start dinner.”

I can’t imagine being able to eat a meal and keep it down. But I suppose it’s best to let Todd eat before I tell him what happened today.

My first impulse was to wait until Todd and I are alone. But since Mr. Boateng made it obvious his plans include our daughter I decided she needs to be a part of the conversation. I suppose Kisi needs to be made aware of the threat hanging over our heads as well since she’ll undoubtably witness some of the terrible things Mr. Boateng and god only knows who else have in mind for me and Vicky. I tried to plan what I’m going to say but my brain just doesn’t seem to be working. One thing did occur to me. We don’t have access to the internet but we have been supplied with computers and printers. I printed out two notes. They both say the same thing.

“Be very careful what you say. Kisi and I think all the houses in this compound may be bugged, sound and possibly video. One of our neighbors informed me she has those same suspicions.”

I waited until after we ate and the table was cleared off to hand the notes to Vicky and Todd. They both looked shocked. Now for the hard part. I told them what happened in our kitchen today when Mr. Boateng showed up and explained the way he behaved and the things he said to me.

By the time I was finished telling them what happened they both sat there looking like they’d just been hit with stun guns. It took a minute but Todd finally started to speak. Before he had two words out of his mouth I pointed down to the note I gave him. He stopped talking in the middle of a word and we sat there in silence for several minutes before he said, “I think we should all go for a walk to clear our heads.”

He stood up and whispered to Kisi, “You, too ... please.”