Chapter 3 Appointment With Mr Xander

• Saturday arrived sooner than I expected.
• Andrea already sent me a text with the address of the restaurant in Macdonald's where I will be meeting with Xander at 4 p.m. I told my parents that I was going to a friend's birthday party. They consented with hesitation and asked that I returned on or before 9 p.m. I wasn't surprised that they let me out without asking too many questions as they usually did. The situation of the school fees is weighing heavily on their mind, among Andreas the many other challenges they already had to deal with, poverty can be such a bitch.
• It ripped them off to their thoughts. I carefully applied my makeup and slipped into one of the dresses given to me and put on my new sandals. They look as cheap as they were, but they would have to. The wig Andrea lent me was so long, silky, and curly, and I knew it had cost her a lot of money. Running my fingers through it, I wonder when I will be able to get away. I was looking stunning. I stared at myself, amazed at the transformation a gorgeous wig and elegant dress could bring about. Into a life of struggle, I thought as I lingered at the mirror, then I picked up my purse and headed out.
• Since I had spent $400 on lingering and cheering Martha and Michael up, I was left with $100. I have to take several taxis and walk the rest on the way to the restaurant.
• Andrea will not be pleased, but then, she will never find out. I got to the restaurant and I followed the instructions Mr. Xander had left for me. He had sent me a text
• message earlier that he would be about fifteen minutes late but he had already booked a table for us. All I have to do is to give my name to the waitress, sit tight and wait for him to arrive. I followed his instructions and did as I was told.
• "First time here ma'am?" The waitress asked me.
• "Yes…" I replied.
• "Would you like to order or wait?"
• "I would like to wait, but please can I have water?" I have become thirty while hopping from one taxi to another, I was dehydrated.
• "Room temperature?" She inquired.
• "Yes," I retorted.
• I glance around me. Everyone looks so sophisticated and coordinated. The waitress returned with my water and I quickly gulped down the content down my throat, then leaned back in my chair and waited patiently. It wasn't long before a handsome man walked up to me.
• "Are you Maddison?" Yes, "I said.
• To be honest, he was not what I imagined.
• I expected someone old and ugly, and I had prepared my mind to endure his company and whatever else he needed just so I could achieve my dream, but the man standing right before me was the complete opposite of my thoughts. Andrea said he was in his 40s, but he looked younger and dressed in a fitted black suit. His nice full beard and neat haircut enhance his youthful good even more. I was happy with his physical appearance as he was better than average. That gave me the pressure of hope.
• "Hi. Why didn't you order anything?" he asked as he took his seat, his eyes never leaving my face.
• "I was waiting for you. Good afternoon, Mr. Xander."
• "Please call me Xander."
• "Ok. Nice meeting you, Xander," I said, trying it out. It felt strange calling him by his first name. After all, he was at least 20
• years older than me, and we barely know each other, neither were we friends.
• "You are looking very young. And naive. Not what I expected at all. So tell me, how old are you?"
• I didn't forget that Andrea told me a lie about my age, but what was the point of lying? The truth will eventually come out someday, so why not tell me from the start?
• " I'm 19 years old sir."
• "You are young, too young. You shouldn't be here, where are your parents?" They are at home."
• "Do you even know why you are here?"
• "No sir."
• "A naive Little girl, all right. Well, you are too young for me, and honestly, don't have the time or energy for the childishness and drama that would come dealing with someone of your age. Here is what is going to happen. Well have a nice meal, you are going home, and you have to lose my number. Ok?"
• "I was so intimidated by his confidence that I simply nodded, unable to say anything in my defense. At that point, I realized that I had sabotaged myself by telling the truth. It was unnecessary. I should have listened to Andrea.
• He beckoned to the waiter and ordered fried rice, chicken, Moi Moi, and salad.
• "What will you have?" He asked me.
• "Same," I said, feeling smaller and smaller by the minute. I lost confidence. We talked over lunch. He talked and I listened, speaking only when I had questions. I said nothing about myself. I found out that he was a divorcee, and that he and his ex-wife had no children together. He worked for an oil company, spending two weeks on the rig in California, and his two weeks off in Los Angeles where he owned a home. He didn't have many friends, and he went on vacation twice a year.
• Listening to him, I concluded that he was a hardworking man who had a lot to say. I could see that he needed company. Unfortunately, I had blown my one chance at escaping my life in California and embracing a promising new life in Los Angeles, which I had always dreamed of. What would I tell Andrea? Who would help me now?
• I will get a cab now."
• His voice snapped me out of my thoughts. He was on his feet already. Our date was over.
• "Here," he said, handing me a bundle of $100 notes. That is $1000. Take care of yourself, and never call me again. You understand?"
• "Yes. Thank you very much, Mr. Xander."
• "I asked you to call me Xander," he said as he walked towards the reception." Anyway, it doesn't matter."
• He was right. It didn't matter. I would never see him again. Tears threatened to embarrass me, and I blinked them back furiously. The last thing I needed was his view of me as a "little girl". I Had to admit everything slides.
• He stopped a cab outside the restaurant, I got in without saying anything.
• " Be careful, "he said softly and the truth ended back toward the restaurants.
• As I watched him retreat, I finally let the tears I had been holding back.
• "Sister, where are we going?" The cabman asked.
• "I sniffed and wiped myself with the back of my hand.
• Macdonald the Macdonald's, I continued to lament the way I fucked up and how I will never going to leave California because I messed up following simple instructions and not telling him my real age.
• If I could get this amount of money from him when we had nothing, how much could I get if we are together? I decided to obey his rules a week before calling him. I could convince him to help me. Probably, when he gets to hear my plans for school and life, he might think about me.
• He would say yes, or he would probably say no.