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He was her oddest client.
Every now and then, she would get a call from a man who called himself Roy. He was a tall, handsome, blue-eyed, blonde man who looked to be around early 40’s. Always well-dressed. Despite being middle aged, she knew he was fit underneath the three-piece suits he’d always wear to their sessions.
She was an escort, but she’s never seen Roy naked. Nor has he seen her. She’s used to fulfilling all sorts of requests for her clients, but Roy’s requests stood out because they were always the same and so…
Wholesome.
All he’s ever asked her to do was wear a wedding dress, look a certain way, talk to him, and not ask questions about why he was making her do those things.
He paid handsomely, so she made sure to strictly do what she had been asked to do.
Tonight was going to be no different.
She got the call from Roy. She asked if they were going to do the usual and he confirmed.
Roy always asked her to style her hair in a low, neat bun. She always arrived first in the hotel where they always rendezvous, so she would sit in the vanity and style her hair in the manner that Roy taught her on their first session while waiting for him.
He always knocked a few minutes past eight in the evening. And like clockwork, she heard the familiar three knocks. She rushed to the door and found Roy, his fedora in his hand against his chest, the worn out suitcase that contained the dress at his feet.
“Good evening. Sorry if I kept you waiting.”
“Not at all.”
Roy picked up the suitcase and entered the room. He put the suitcase on the luggage rack near the bathroom.
“I’ll be back in fifteen minutes?”
“Sure.”
He never stayed in the room when she changed. He was polite and respectful that way.
She opened the suitcase and found the wedding gown. It was an off-shoulder ivory gown with long sleeves that hugged the arms, a sweetheart neckline and a ball gown skirt. It seemed like it would be stylish a decade ago and not something she’d wear to her own wedding.
In any case, it fit her nicely.
In the previous sessions, at least.
“Fuck.”
She was halfway through wearing the dress when she realized that she may have gained weight since they last met because the dress no longer fit.
She removed the dress from her body. She’d rather not get paid tonight than risk destroying her client’s treasure.
She heard Roy’s familiar knock and opened the door. She wasn’t surprised that he looked confused upon seeing her in her casual clothes.
She moved to the side to let Roy in. His eyes darted to the dress on the bed as he went in.
“I’m sorry. It doesn’t fit me anymore. Too much wine or dessert, I suppose. “
Roy was quiet. She was sure he was upset, so after a few seconds of silence, she was surprised to hear him…
Laughing?
She wasn’t sure how to react.
“I’m sorry,” he said while laughing. “The absurdity of all…I’m just starting to realize it.” He continued to laugh uncontrollably. She just stood there, smiling awkwardly.
It took a few moments before he calmed down. He took a seat on the bed beside the wedding gown. “I’ll still pay you, don’t worry.”
“It’s okay. You don’t have to.”
“I insist.”
As an escort, she never disobeyed her client’s requests unless her safety was at risk. But after seeing his reaction, her curiosity was piqued more than ever.
“Was it…your late wife’s?”
“Hmm?”
“The dress, I mean.”
Roy looked at her. He was quiet. Calm. Cool. He didn’t seem angry that she’d broken her duty to not ask questions.
“Yes and no.”
“What do you mean?”
“She never got to wear it.”
Fuck. It was more tragic than she thought.
But…
“She was your wife but she never got to wear her wedding dress?”
“Let’s just say we got married…under less than ideal circumstances. It was really all spur of the moment.”
“So you had a dress made after you guys got married?”
“Pretty much.”
Okay. Weird.
“Was it for an anniversary?”
“No. We were walking about town and I always saw her admiring it in the window display of the tailor shop where we first met. I was hoping to give it to her as a surprise. Unfortunately, I never got the chance to do so.”
“What happened?”
“I died.”
What the fuck.
She was silent and Roy took note of her confusion.
“We had a daughter and they were waiting for me to get home. I got into an accident and they were informed that I didn’t survive.”
She could only react with silence.
“Why didn’t you just go back home and tell them you’re alive?”
Roy looked away.
“I wish it were that easy. Things were very complicated back then.”
It was his turn to be quiet and she let him.
“Do I look like her?”
Roy regarded her face before speaking.
“No. But you have the same hair and skin and you’re at the age when I last saw her.” He paused. “I could never find someone with the same color of eyes as her here in Westalis.”
She turned to look at the mirror then. Jet black hair. Brown eyes staring back.
“What color were her eyes?”
“Ruby.”
“That’s unique.”
“Indeed.”
She knew she needed to stop asking questions. But she just couldn’t.
“Is she still alive? Your daughter too?”
His silence was different this time. She immediately regretted opening her mouth.
“The last I heard, yes. Though sadly I can’t say the same for our dog.”
He stood. He fished for his wallet in his pocket and took out a handful of cash. He handed them over to her.
“I insist on paying for your time. Please.”
She stared at the money, wanting to decline adamantly.
“My secret is now your secret too.”
She looked at him one last time before grabbing the wad of cash.
“Fine.”
“Thank you.”
She got her bags, getting ready to leave.
“I’m sorry about what happened to you and your family.” She paused. “It’s worse than death. To be alive and be thought of as…”
“I know.”
She turned for the door.
“Goodbye, sir.”
“Farewell, miss.”
She closed the door to the hotel room. As she walked away, she felt sad. He was a nice client, that ghost of a man who called himself Roy.