We stood side by side in the dim lights beside the canal. The pastor intoned the sacred words from his red book, solemnising the union that had started as a liaison many years before on a different continent. Had I listened to the backward opinions around me, I would never have arrived at this moment. Let me tell you something about that.
I was born in Rwanda in central Africa. It is a land known for being very hilly, a high population density, and the genocide that happened when I was a little child. I know as much as about the genocide you do, from having read about it. I grew up in an orphanage so I never knew whom my parents were. On Sundays they used to take us to the church whose members used to come to visit us frequently. It was only natural that we belonged to the Sunday School there, and when we became teenagers were absorbed into the youth choir. In time two or three of us girls somehow slid into the largest choir of the seven that church was host to.
I began to realise that some of the members of this choir were wealthy people, when I heard others talk about them. One was a building engineer whose son began to take an interest in me. A little later he was found to have impregnated one of the girls from my orphanage. I was deeply hurt that my dream of belonging to a big family by marriage was snuffed out so soon, almost before it began.
One day in March there was great excitement in not just our choir, but the whole church was astir. A parish in far-away Nairobi had invited us to visit them. A committee was put together to organise this exciting trip to that country we thought of as almost being European. We had been told that the city of Nairobi was so large that our own capital could sink into it several times over. It was said that the buildings were so tall that you could not see the top of them. This was hard for me to imagine. Then the committee announced that each member would need to pay their way; the amount involved meant that I and the other orphanage girls were out. But the church minister welcomed those more able to pay a little extra to cover for those who may not be able to put up the full amount. Even putting up a small amount was beyond our reach.
One evening as we left a practice session the chairman of the organising committee pulled me to one side.
"Have you found anyone to support you for the Nairobi trip?" He sounded completely unaware of my situation. Where would I have got even the small amount to qualify as one who deserved support?
I shook my head mutely in great sadness. The full import of my predicament then seemed to sink into his mind.
"How would it make you feel if I paid 50% of the amount so that you qualify for assistance?" he said next. Despite this being an idiot question to my mind, I tried my hardest to be polite.
He was so wealthy according to the stories I had heard, that he could very easily have paid the full amount, maybe even pay for another of the orphanage girls while he was at it.
"That would be very welcome, Mr. Lambert."
During the next meeting when my name was read out as having completed half, even the minister sounded surprised by her own words. Many members looked behind at me in wonder. I tried my best to keep a straight face, and I must have succeeded. I did not even glance in the direction of the chairman.
How the committee decided who deserved help I never discovered, but a fortnight before departure the names of those who had paid up included my own. Trying to hold myself in control, I still felt warmth spread through my being. It was all due what Mr. Lambert had done for me. I had never been outside our city of Kigali and now, because of him I was on my way to Nairobi! It was said the journey would take two days. Excitement built in my being with each passing minute. At the end of the meeting, I sought my benefactor out as he headed to his left-hand drive metallic-blue Mercedes.
"May I speak to you, Mr. Lambert?"
He turned round with a startled look on his face but when he saw it was I he relaxed. "Yes of course. What is on your mind?"
I grasped his hand in both of mine, even though I really wanted to hug him bodily. I am a short person all of 5 foot two inches tall, while he is nearly six feet. "I am very grateful for what you have done for me. Now I will go on this mission trip, thanks to you!" I held the hand tighter.
I was startled in my turn to feel his free arm around my shoulders as he pulled me closer to him. "No, my dear Bria, it is my great pleasure. After all you heard Rev. Therese announcing that those who felt able should add to the amount they paid to help those who need it. I wanted you to benefit from that kitty." Thus did I end up in the hug I had hungered for. I did not want it to end, and I felt my pussy throb with desire.
His next words surprised me more than I could have expected. "Do you have a travelling bag?" I wondered how he expected me to own such an article.
"No, Mr. Lambert," I said more into his chest than his face.
"Do you know my office in City Plaza?" I nodded and he went on, "Come over there day after tomorrow at 11 o'clock." With that he let go of me gently.
"Good night Mr. Lambert!" I wanted to be with him longer but the time to part had come.
On the appointed day and hour I was at the appointed place. I discovered that he wanted me to collect a set of matching travelling bags of a grey, green and light brown pattern. There were three of different sizes. When I got back to the orphanage, I asked the sister in charge to stow them away for me until the day of travel or the one before to allow me pack my few clothes. I was not even sure I would fill the larger of the bags; I thought I would use the smallest of them as hand luggage to put my smaller belongings.
The day of departure arrived sooner than I expected. The night before I hardly got any sleep, what with numerous butterflies in my tummy. Admiration of Mr. Lambert combined with an attraction in my heart. I felt a strange desire I could not explain even to myself: to have Mr Lambert's baby.
