Chapter 31

Marie was almost unable to focus on her daily activities of food shopping, cooking, and cleaning as she waited to receive a phone call from Hiroshi giving her instructions about where she should go for the video shoot. In fact, she had to wait for almost two weeks before her phone rang with the information that she needed – and longed – to hear.

The instructions were clear and precise. Hiroshi gave her an address, a day, and a time. He told her not to wear anything special – her outfit would be provided. Hiroshi did not mention whether he wanted Jane to be present, and Marie mentally wrestled with herself about whether to tell her daughter that she had received the call from Hiroshi. In the end, she said nothing to Jane.

When the day of the meeting came, Marie was glad that Jane was not at home because she had class. The jeepney ride to the address Hiroshi had given her took almost 30 minutes, during which Marie had time to try to imagine what Hiroshi and Brad had planned for her.

The address was a warehouse in a small industrial estate. The sort of place that had people coming in and out during the day, but that was quiet in the evening and at night. Hiroshi had told Marie to be there at 6 pm which was after most premises had closed and most workers had gone home.

As she descended from the jeepney, Marie wondered whether she was doing the right thing. This place looked slightly scary and almost deserted. In spite of her trepidation, Marie searched for the address that Hiroshi had given her. Finally she found the nondescript warehouse with the name “Japan Import and Export” on the faded nameplate.

Marie tried the door handle, but it was locked. Knocking on the door, she again felt that maybe it had been a mistake to obey Hiroshi’s summons. However, she did not have much time to change her mind as the door opened slightly and a face peered through the open gap.

“Yes?” enquired the person.

“I’m Marie” Marie stuttered in response to this unwelcoming greeting.

‘OK” was the only word that acknowledged that Marie was indeed at the correct address.

“Come in” and the door was pulled open just wide enough for Marie to slide through sideways.

As she entered, what Marie saw was a typical large open space which could be found in any warehouse in any part of the world. However, one end of the warehouse seemed to be partitioned off from the rest of the space, and it was to this partition that Marie was guided by the man who had opened the door for her – and who had locked it behind her, Marie suddenly realised.

She was alone in a locked and seemingly deserted warehouse and nobody knew where she was.

However, she need not have worried as a door in the partition opened and Hiroshi came out. As he came out of the door, Marie inwardly sighed with relief at the sight of a face that she knew, even though she had no idea what she was supposed to do there. “Marie, welcome” Hiroshi said with a smile.

“Thank you, Hiroshi” Marie replied.

Hiroshi gestured to Marie to enter through the door that he had just emerged from, and he followed her as she did so, closing the door behind him and leaving the other man outside.

When Marie entered the room, she was amazed to realise that this was a fully-equipped movie studio. There were cameras and lights and other equipment that Marie did not recognise. However, now that she saw where she was, Marie understood what she was going to have to do. She would be filmed doing whatever Hiroshi and Brad had decided for her.

Turning to Hiroshi, who appeared to be the only person in the studio Marie asked “What is going to happen, Hiroshi?”

Hiroshi smiled and replied “We’re going to make a little movie – and you are going to be the star!”

“Don’t worry” he added, “You won’t have to do anything. There isn’t much acting required.”

Marie still felt nervous and anxious about what role she would have to play and what was going to happen. However, she kept quiet and waited for Hiroshi to continue his explanation.

“There is an outfit in the wardrobe in the corner. Please put it on and then I’ll explain what we are going to do.”

Marie looked around and saw the wardrobe Hiroshi had pointed at. Hiroshi gestured that she should go there and so she obeyed his unspoken command.

When she opened the wardrobe, she saw what appeared to be a white wedding dress hanging inside. She turned to Hiroshi in surprise, but he called out “Take off your clothes and put the dress on.”

Marie looked around for a screen to undress and dress behind, but there was none, so she reluctantly began to slowly undress with her back to Hiroshi. First she slipped off her shoes and then unbuttoned her blouse, but kept it on. Then she unzipped her jeans and pulled them down and wriggled out of them. Finally she took off the blouse and reached for the wedding dress.

Hiroshi’s voice startled her for a moment. “Better take off your bra and panties” he said. “You will want to wear them going home and this movie might make that a little difficult.”