The next day, all seemed normal. Gina and Tinba were still in the capital. Gina called saying they were getting a lot accomplished and asked where Yoni was. I answered, "Right now, I do not know. Yesterday, she was over at Kinba's working. She may have stayed there last night. I don't know where she is right now. But I sure do miss you."
I got the obligatory, "I miss you too. Have to get back to work. I'll see you tomorrow."
Tomorrow came. Kinba and Gina returned. Yoni was still missing. We all searched for her, worried and thought the worst for a week. Then word came through her uncle's family that she had fled the country. Another week passed and Yoni called Gina. The call was forwarded several times, finally coming from France. "Gina, I'm so sorry, I could not tell you. I was afraid that you and Dave would finish the project, leave and I would have to go back to my old life. You and Dave showed me how wonderful life could be. I could never go back to the beatings, pain and sexual slavery again. Please forgive me."
Gina and Yoni cried on the phone together. The line went dead after exactly four minutes. Gina was very depressed for days. I had hoped against all hope, but now I knew, I could not keep her. I had to let her go.
"Gina, go with me for a drive. I have some very important things to discuss with you."
Without life, Gina got dressed but did not respond to my playful touches. She made no attempt to put on make-up.
We drove all the way into the capital just to find a green park with a bench. "Gina, I have so many things to tell you. First I love you with all my heart, I would love to marry you and be with you the rest of my life." She did not flinch, smile or blink. There was no chance for conversation right now. I handed Gina her I.D. and Passport.
She took them and looked puzzled at me. I added, "You leave for Portland in four days." I watched the last part of her breakdown. She sobbed and shook uncontrollably. Half way through her thirty-minute cry I heard, "Thank you."
The feelings I had were neutral. When she used to respond to me years ago in the bar, she used all the right words but the well-practiced responses were canned and flat. I never felt I could believe what she told me even though she insisted how special I was to her. I always knew something was not right.
I loaded her into the car. My heart was breaking. I reverted to thirty years of experience protecting myself from hurt while succeeding in business.
Half way back, Gina asked, "How did this happen."
"Prince Tulan was so happy with the project's progress, he asked me if he could do anything for me. I told him your health was suffering and I requested, he let you go home. He made me promise that you will never discuss your time in Albai. I said you would honor that and that I would be responsible for your silence."
"Did you have other things to tell me?"
"Gina, there are a million details, but in a nutshell, I wanted to apologize to you for a secret I've kept from you about something I did. I arranged for Yoni to escape the country."
Her eyes flashed and her demons took over again. "You got her out before me. You could have gotten me out months ago, couldn't you? You were hoping I'd just give up and stay with you. You said you loved me. You just lied and lied." Her voice was quivering in rage and sarcasm. "Well thank you for this, anyway." She waved her passport at me.
So much for happy departures.
For the next two days Gina avoided me. On the morning of the third day I forced her to listen. "Gina I need to tell you what is arranged." She sat and listened.
"Your bank accounts have been reopened and some funds have been deposited to help you get started. In a few months, I'll have a friend contact you and tell you how you can visit Yoni. You each know things the other does not know. If you compare notes, you both will understand a lot more."
"Is that all?'
"Your plane leaves at eleven tomorrow night."
"Can I take some of the presents and clothes you gave me?"
Her anger and coldness were destroying me. I started for the door, "Gina, I'm not your enemy. Anything you want is yours."
"Yeah, I'll bet. How much do I get paid for being your whore for four years?"
That did destroy me. I turned my back to her, "Five Million." I closed the door behind me, went to the car and drove to the nearest pump station to hide.
I didn't see Gina off. The chauffer gave her a ruby heart pin and a note from me, "I wish we could have had a kiss goodbye. All my love, Dave"
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It had been seven months since Gina returned to the good old comfortable USA and her home in Portland. One morning her telephone rang and a very professional man's voice asked if she were Gina Claxton. The man said he was a friend of Dave Carter's and had a message for her. She was elated. Dave had promised to get in touch with her and tell her how to get in contact with Yoni. The man gave no information except when and where to be.
Waiting another month and a half was going to be difficult. Gina had quickly settled back into her comfortable life in Portland. Life was even more comfortable with the fortune Dave had put into her accounts. Her son and his family were secure for life, she had helped some struggling friends and had become active in several organizations to help abused young girls. She was even dancing a day a week again, just to stay busy and get back into familiar activities. But something was different now, the desire wasn't there. Truthfully, Gina had to admit her age was catching up with her. Her priorities and what was important had changed.
She missed Dave, all his energy, his ideas, his passions and his strength. She often remembered her times with him in Albai. She could remember the love in his eyes. She had not wanted him to love her, just keep her safe and get her home. Every day she had wondered, "How much does he really love me? He has other women. Other women want to cater to him; he has so much work, pushing him to exhaustion."
Now safe at home, when she tried to sleep, Gina could feel Dave's arms around her, wanting to protect her through the night. She remembered the almost daily silly little gifts he found time to bring to her. She remembered how she would pretend to be asleep, when Dave would snuggle against her, wanting her. Those nights, he would touch her, trying not to wake her. He would press his dick into her ass or thighs a few times and then just lay close until he softened and went to sleep. Once, when he got no response, he turned over and made love to Yoni. Before he went to sleep, he whispered to Yoni, "Gina is so wonderful and special, I wish, she could love me."
The April morning was clear and comfortable, as Gina walked off the plane in Dallas. She wondered if Yoni would look the same. She didn't. Running, pushing through the passengers to get to her, was a smiling, crying, very American looking Yoni. She was wearing shorts and a blouse tied just under her breasts. She was as tiny, beautiful and desirable as ever. Her outfit would have gotten her fogged in Albai.
As they hugged, Gina could see a small bald man back in the crowd. Each of his hands held the hand of a beautiful, tiny, priceless art object. Objects, too beautiful to be eighteen-month old children.
On the drive to Yoni's, Gina learned the basics. Yoni's name was Joani now; she was married to Trey and she was the consummate stay-at-home housewife in their new sprawling, four thousand square foot home. The kids couldn't get close enough to their newly found Aunt Gina. There was so much to catch up on, the words flowed and flowed.