By the Municipal Office of Antwerp, the Filipinas just stayed seated, and it was Pieter who arranged everything. They saw Pieter talked to a man, then later Pieter handed to the man the papers the girls signed and their passports, then Pieter came and sat down near them.
After a while, the man came to Pieter, they talked and then handed to Pieter back the papers and the passports of the girls.
Herman who was waiting in the square or the plaza in front of the Municipal building saw them coming out. Pieter came to Herman and they talked, then they walked toward where the car was parked. The three girls just followed. There is no talking.
Pieter was brought to his house. When he stepped out the car of Herman, he said to the girls. "There's no problem anymore about visa and working permit. Herman will bring you to your apartment. You have one week free before starting to work, Herman will explain the rest!"
The apartment was small and simple. It was furnished with most needed appliances, a refrigerator, washing machine, gas range and a TV. It had two bedrooms. For the three girls the apartment was more than comfortable for them.
"Girls I have serious things to explain about your work and situation here!" Herman requested the girls to sit down.
"Your work is to be an entertainer, right?" Herman asked the girls and they nodded. "Every night you must dance your cultural dances, and then the rest of the time until the closing time of 4 o'clock in the morning you entertain customers, means if a customer asks you to sit down by their table, you must do it, you cannot refuse! Orders as many ladies drinks you can order, because you can earn extra with the drinks by commissions. Some customers want to pay for sexual pleasure, now it is up to you if you do it or not. No one can force you to prostitute yourself. But if you do that, it is only allowed inside the club. Theirs a room upstairs! Going out with customers during working hours is strictly prohibited! After working hours you can do what you like, but remember you are then not protected!"
The three Filipinas understood very well what Herman was saying. It is the same story as what had happened in Nicosia and Lanarca. Now, they thought that there in Cyprus, no one forced them to prostitute themselves, but they did it. Why? Okay, nobody did force them, but there's suggestion, coercion, and manipulation filled sphere. The story about the six Filipinas murdered in Lanarca maybe was just used to imposed fear, maybe it was not true, maybe it did not happen. They tried to forgot Cyprus but now seemed it will happen again. And the way Herman said it, implied the truth that they were prostitutes. It hurts!
After he explained to the girls about their work, Herman waited for their comments but no one of the three girls reacted.
"No comments, no question?" Herman asked them. He saw on the face of the girls that they were worried. "I explained only the works you have to do, I am only the messenger so if I said things that you did not like, I am sorry."
"We understand!" Luisa with no emotion answered Herman.
S I L E N C E
"I have a suggestion or take it as an advice." Herman after a while said. The three girls looked at him. "But please don't tell this to anybody, even to Pieter and Maria."
"What suggestion?" it was Carla who responded.
"Tried to find a man that will marry you and will pay the syndicate an amount for your freedom!" Herman said.
"Buy our freedom? We are not slave?" it was Thelma who reacted to what Herman said. She was shocked.
"I don't mean that, sorry, maybe I just cannot express myself well in English. What I mean is that you have a year contract, that year contract is to work in a nightclub. Maybe you like to work in the club or maybe not. What I mean is be practical. Use your head. Find a man you like that will marry you and will free you from your contract!"
The girls were silent. Herman was just straight forward with his words. He was right to said that they must be practical, they must use their brain.
"Thank you, Herman." Carla said to Herman. "You are right, there's nothing wrong with what you suggested. Our friend Grace was free from the contract because Dimitri paid the syndicate and then they got married. Lorna, I guessed the same happened. Gunther bought her out from the contract!"
"That's what I meant! If it happened to them, you could let it also happened to you!" Herman was relieved because the girls understood him.
Luisa laughed. If it was a sarcastic laugh, she knew it by herself.
"Something funny, Luisa?" Herman asked Luisa.
"It's easy for you to say, just find a man! Where will we find a man, in the garbage can?" Luisa answered Herman.
"Now, in your case, you don't have to look anywhere." Herman said with a teasing smile in his face.
"What do you mean by that?" Luisa raised her voice slightly.
"Because at this moment, you are looking straight to the man that maybe will marry and will help you! And I am not joking!" Herman answered Luisa, he was serious.
Luisa did not expect what Herman said to her. She looked at Herman and she looked at the two, Carla and Thelma, who also could not believe what they heard.
"As I said, I am not joking, Luisa. I am the man that will help you. I will marry you!"
"I will not marry a man I don't know!" Luisa answered Herman.
"You know me, I am Herman!"
"I know your name, but I don't know who you are, maybe you are a psycho!"
"Then know me. How? Have a date with me, but not now, first I will invite you to eat outside, you like mussels or waffles?" Herman asked the girls.
"We are not choosy with foods!" Thelma replied.
"Okay, we go to Linkeroever, a part of Antwerp, we eat in there mussels and waffles!"
The three Filipinas enjoyed their food. They ate mussels first and then the waffles which Belgium was known of. The eatery was besides the Scheldt river. It was a moment of pleasant time in a new country, a new environment. For a while, the three girls forgot their worries and their problems.
While eating the three girls were engaged in conversation with Herman who was very eager to know about the Philippines and vice versa, the girls also was very eager to know about Belgium and The Netherlands.
From the Linkeroever, after their meal, Herman droves back the girls to their apartment. When the car stopped, Herman asked Thelma and Carla if he can have a moment with Luisa. So Carla and Thelma stepped out the car and waited at the door of their apartment.
"Luisa, please don't be angry with me. I just want you to know that what I earlier said about marrying you was not a joke." Herman said to Luisa.
"As I said I don't know you." Luisa answered Herman. "And you also don't know me!"
"Then let us know each other. Have a date with me. I will drive home to The Netherlands now, but I will come back a day after tomorrow. I will invite you to The Netherlands."
Luisa pauses for a while then said, "Let see when you come back!" and Luisa opened the door of the car.
"Wait!" Herman takes money out from his wallet and gave the money to Luisa.
"What is that for?" Luisa asked.
"Take it, Luisa. No string attached, just a little help from me. I Know you needed it!" Herman said.
Luisa hesitated. Herman was giving her money, was Herman buying her love or something else?
"Please, take it. I am giving you this with no meaning at all, as I said no string attached."
Luisa looked Herman straight into his eyes. She felt a little ache in her heart. What was the ache for? Self-pity? Humiliated? Insulted? Luisa stepped out the car, she did not accept the much-needed money Herman gave. She walked toward Carla and Thelma who were waiting for her at the door of the apartment.
For a while, Herman did not know what to do. Then he called Carla. Carla came to him.
"Carla, maybe Luisa was angry with me, but will you please give this to her?" Herman gave the money to Carla and asked her to give it to Luisa." I am driving home to The Netherlands and will come back here the day after tomorrow.
Carla accepted the money. Then Herman, after waving goodbye to the girls drove away.
"It's for you!" Carla said and handed to Luisa the money that Herman gave.
"I did not accept that."
"Why? You have no money?"
"Yes, but why he gave me money? He asked me for a date and then gave money to me? What does he is trying to say? Buying me?" Luisa said. Carla and Thelma looked at each other. They thought about what Luisa said. Yes, one year in Locarno restored their dignity, if not to the eyes or perception of people that knew what they did or what had happened in Cyprus, at least to themselves. The reaction of Luisa to what Herman did proved that, but could Luisa or they, Carla and Thelma hold on to maintain their dignity they thought have back acquired? **** to be continued ****Remedios Dorio