Delayed Diagnosis Episode 20

Delayed Diagnosis Episode 20
Written by Kingsley Olanrewaju Efughi

Downstairs, I met Olivia laughing.
“What’s up?” I asked her as I rounded the stairs.
She pointed at Andy in response.

My guy was drinking soup from the pot like it was water. He put the pot down and smiled with his oil smeared lips.
“Oba Mumc sabi wella. Bleep! This soup sweet, But the hunger no gree commot o”
He continued drinking from the pot again and I had to laugh.
“Garri is the key..once you drink garri with no sugar your head would come down”
“You’re right! I should turn garri and eat it with the soup”
He hurried to the kitchen with the pot in his hands.
Olivia was cracking up.
“I think he’s going to make EBA o”
“Na him sabi”
I wheeled her into the parlour.
The a/c was still switched on.
“What would you like to drink?”
She looked around “I thought this wasn’t your house?”
“Its mine for the weekend. And I have a fully loaded fridge”
She smiled. “This still feels like a movie..if you have any energy drink that would be very nice”
I got one from the fridge.
I checked Andy in the kitchen.
He was boiling water on the gas cooker.
I switched it off.
He looked at me accusingly with red eyes. He was chewing a piece of chicken and I saw the pot he still held was empty.
“What are you boiling water for? You’ve licked the soup finish na!”
He burst out laughing “Omo..wetting Mumc go talk?”
I poured garri in a plate, opened the fridge and finished a tin of milk in it.
“You got high to save her sons life..I’m not sure she would mind the soup is finished.”
I set the plate in his front. “Oya mix cold water and drink it..I want to brief Olivia about the widows initiative…we would be in the parlour”
“I’d be with you shortly” he hadn’t taken his eyes of the plate.

I handed Olivia the can drink and switched on the TV but muted it. The colours danced in the background and gave the parlour a homely feel.
She sipped from her drink and seemed relaxed.
“So Mr Rex. What have you gotten me into?”
I paced round the parlour looking at the paintings for a while. (Ariyo was an Art freak) and different paintings hung on the walls.

Finally I sat down on the chair closest to her.
“I used to be engaged to this woman…and my friend ( I pointed towards the kitchen) used to be married to her sister. We never knew they were siblings. Everything started three weeks ago…”
Andy came into the parlour.
“How could you start without me?”
“Jesus Andy..why’s your plate steaming?”
He looked down and shrugged. He sat down and I saw his plate wasn’t garri anymore at least not the drinkable type.
He must have mixed it with the water he had been boiling.
I couldn’t even laugh.
I ignored him and faced Olivia.
“Everything started three weeks ago Or four weeks to be precise, my fiance had previously introduced me to a man who she said was a father figure in her life..his name is Amunike, chief Amunike but we call him chief”
“Wait…so sorry to interrupt but this Amunike he’s the owner of one alcohol..Amu something right”
“Yea ammunition how did you know?”
“My husband practically worshiped the man.. Ever since he interviewed him for the business section on his paper he could hardly keep quiet about the man”
“Hmmm..well that man is pure evil..he doesn’t just make his money from the rum business or any other legal business he has. He is involved in arms dealing, drug dealing and much worse human trafficking”
She was silent as she took it all in.
“Don’t forget the human trafficking too” Andy added with his mouth full.
I shook my head “Andy just focus on your milky EBA and leave the talking to me biko”
He frowned at me and continued his food.
“So..what happened three to four weeks ago?” Olivia asked stifling a laugh.

My phone vibrated before I could reply her. I checked it and saw it was a message notification.
I read the message quickly but was determined not to give anything away and not to show how the message had shook me.

“Almost four weeks ago..my fiancé broke off the engagement and took off..said she was in love with someone else…as you would expect I took it badly and turned to alcohol.. ammunition…its ironic that the very same person who is the cause of my woes was made richer because I can’t count how many bottles have been cancelled by Andy and I”
“Even last night..you should have seen us” Andy chipped in.
“Anyway the chief called me and I went to see him..I woke up with a splitting headache and I couldn’t remember what had happened the previous night…I hadn’t been in that his house and I snooped around”
She was listening vividly and when she took a long pull from her canned drink I glanced at my phone again and read the message hurriedly..how on earth did he get my number?
“You know what curiosity did to the cat…well what happened next?” She prodded.
“I saw some documents and bank transactions and bonds approximately 250 million naira..”
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
“Just lying around?”
“I tell you..just lying around..I’m sure you can guess what happened next”
She didn’t waste time “you took it didn’t you”
“Exactly and that was the moment all my trouble started”
“So lemme guess..the chief wants his money back?”
“I wish it was that simple..mixed with the documents was a particular paper which I took for just random numbers but it actually contained coordinates”
“Hmmm..this is sounding like some spy stuff” she put her drink on the cup holder on the chair.
“The coordinates contained what?”

I stood up and began pacing “I was made to believe the numbers were coordinates of terrorists location that the chief dealt arms with and I went through some horrible times trying to get it back”
“Get it back?”
“Oh yes..the papers were stolen from me…I didn’t even know when, I just checked and it was gone…anyway not until yesterday..after I met you I found out it wasn’t connected to any terrorist at all”
I could tell she was caught up. “So..what where the coordinates for?”

I sat down again..I knew I cut a restless figure but the message kept messing with my head.
“First you need to understand something”
“Okay I’m listening”
“Be right back..I need round two” Andy got up and hurried out.
“My fiance and Andy’s wife were sisters and when they were little their dad was killed(although hw was still alive and i had a note in my pocket to prove it)and growing up was very rough..incidentally their dad and this same chief had been close friends and business partners..when their dad was killed the Chief manipulated his friends wife, their mother and bought the major shares of the business and the family of three ended up on the street and had a very horrible and poverty stricken childhood.”
She gasped “you mean he didn’t look after them? What about the money he bought the shares with?how did they spend it?”
“Everyone who can answer that question is now dead”
Her eyes grew wider which I thought was impossible.
“You mean..the sisters. They’re…”
I nodded “yes they are. 72 hours now…things were not always bad however and the chief still came through for them and took care of them from their teenage years and sponsored them to school and also settled their mother..through an organization run by his wife known as the widows initiative”
“The widows initiative?”
“Yes..basically it is aimed at taking care of widows who have no source of help and nowhere to turn and have children but no suitable capital to take care of them”
“Wow that’s very noble..very caring and thoughtful”
“Yes it was meant to be..but along the way the chief saw it as an opportunity to traffic vulnerable and defenseless widows with their children and over the years he has successfully trafficked countless widows out of the country to God knows where”
She was in shock. The pain on her face was so real.
“Oh my God..how can that even be possible? How can someone get away with something like that? How can someone be soo heartless?”
I shook my head.
“Those are questions only God can answer”
She was silent for minutes trying to digest the information which was hard to swallow.
I was also quiet but my mind was back on the message.

“So what were the coordinates really about?”
“From what I found out they contain the location where these widows are held prior to them being shipped out of the country”
“And you have the location..we have to do something! I have contacts from my late husbands newspaper we send it to them”
I saw the perfect opening for the proposal I was gearing to make. She had just said ‘late husband’ and told me she was a widow.
“Late husband? Your husband is dead?”
“Yes..a week ago yesterday..it was a car accident” she seemed to lose steam and forget about the initiative for a minute. “Look at me..a widow at 26..married for just a year” she stared into space again and I feared the depression would come again and it would be extremely insensitive for me to say..’so I was thinking if you’d agree to use your widow status as a bait for us to take down the initiative’
As a matter of fact I was getting against the idea…I had no right to expose her to that kind of danger and frankly speaking I didn’t want to.

The silence stretched for seconds then she asked “why not send the information to the papers? Once it hits front page other newspapers pick it up..before night the president would have gotten enough phone calls that the Governor himself would supervise the team that would Burst each location”
“That’s what I thought too but a federal agent had this same information and his superiors told him to stand down…I feel if we give this information to the papers, before it hits the stands the locations would be emptied! And the widows lost forever!”
“So what do we do?”
This was a good opportunity but I was beginning to have second thoughts.

Andy barged in the parlour with a laptop in his arms and a modem connected to it.
“Things are falling in place now..i was browsing on the widows initiative and they have an online forum for registration. That is how the widows are selected..you register then you’re given a serial number its a first come first serve method” he brought the laptop and set it on the table in front of Gwen and I.
“Where did you see laptop and modem?” I asked him surprised. We hadn’t taken any such thing from his house considering we had left in a hurry chasing the female cleaner at the time.
“Mehn..it seems Ariyo is one big sick Bleep! You need to see the history on the browser..him and Gwen must really be into different weird stuffs”
“Who is Ariyo?” Olivia asked.
“Our boss” I replied
I looked at Andy trying to get his attention and tell him to stop.
He was apparently still in the clouds because he continued without looking in my direction.
“All we need to do is register Olivia to the initiative and we wait”
“Register me to what?” She asked looking at Andy then at me.
“Andy” I said in a warning tone
“You mean you haven’t told her?” He asked incredulously.
“No..genius I haven’t”
I looked at her but I knew she didn’t need an explanation. She knew very well what Andy meant.
“You want to register me to this initiative…the same initiative that is responsible for trafficking hundreds or thousands of widows out of the Country for God knows what…”
She looked at me and I couldn’t read her expression. I was getting uncomfortable.
“We don’t plan for you to get trafficked..its just a way for us to get in and we’ll know the next step from there” Andy assured her.
“Besides our first plan is to check out each location one after the other..this was just plan B..but I understand its foolishness to risk you in such a way”
“I didn’t say I wouldn’t do it”
I was suprised “Are you serious..this is really dangerous, for one we don’t how the widows get kidnapped”
“Oba what the Bleep! Do you want Mona and Fome’s death to be in vain?”

“Its okay you don’t need to fight…” She looked at me “Mona and Fome..those were their names?”
I nodded.
“Okay I’m in..how do we do this”

The website had the usual ramblings about the objective and goals. With pictures of various widows smiling and singing their praises for the initiative and how it had turned their life around and made things easier for them.
We logged into the ‘create account’ portal.
Filling up form after form and answering several questions. I got to find out a lot about Olivia.
She was an only child and her mother was alive but her dad was late.
“Bingo..it all fits perfectly..let’s see the number you would be given” Andy said as he hit the register button.
I wondered if it was the weed that was making him be so insensitive. How could you say ‘bingo’ when you learnt that someone’s dad had passed on.
But then I wondered if it was my feelings that was making me feel so sensitive.
I let the matter pass. Olivia didn’t seem to mind..she even seemed to be looking forward to it.
“If this is what it takes to save all those women and children so be it”

‘Congratulations. Registration complete.
Your number is 983.’

“This is not good..not good at all…nine hundred and eighty three!”
Andy looked at me then buried his head in his hands.
“Just imagine the traffic of women waiting to be trafficked out of the country” I shook my head in dismay at the irony but then I had an idea.
“Andy..remember Samuel from school?”
“Samuel….samuel..yes short Sam! How can I forget?”
“What was he good at?”
“He was good at annoying boys and always calling the lecturer and begging for assignments..” He looked at Olivia “can you imagine that..this dude would call our lecturer and be like..’sir we have a free period why don’t you come and take us statistics'”
“Andy..you’re missing my point..remember he used to hack into the school website and change results”
“Yea…thats true..that guy was good at that and they never caught him”
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” I asked him
He looked at me for some seconds as if he was deep in thought. “I think so brain…” He burst out laughing
I shook my head “just when I thought the thing has left your head alone..” but I smiled “we used to watch that thing in our hostel all the time”
Olivia smiled but was eager to get back to the topic at hand.
“So this Samuel..what’s the plan?”
“I’d call him..I should be able to persuade him to help us hack and do some rearranging…let’s say to put you on number…” I scrolled up the laptop
The waiting list started from 39.
1-38 were probably locked up somewhere if not smuggled out already. “Number 40 should be okay”
She nodded in agreement.
“I want you to know we’re in this together..we’ll be with you every step of the way”
She smiled at me.
“Rex…last week I survived something that was Impossible to survive with next to nothing..” she pointed at the cast her leg was in.
“When you consider the wreckage I walked away from..believe me this is nothing..I’ve been wondering why my life was spared…for what purpose…it couldn’t just be luck.”
She favored me with another smile again “Rex I’ve just found that purpose…please call your friend right now…women are going through unspeakable things as we speak and whatever role I can play to help them I am prepared”
My respect for her increased and I brought out my phone to search for Samuels number.
I had forgotten about the message I had been reading before and once I swiped my phone it opened.

So just maybe…maybe.. I didn’t over estimate you after all. I have a bleeding shoulder to show for it..nice one with the tanker also. The game just intensified.
I wouldn’t tell you what I’m going to do I can only advice you to watch out. Cos when next I would strike I promise you that you all will die.

“Empty threats…next time you’ll strike I would shoot you in the face…bastard!” It was easy to be brave when you were far away from the assassin after your life.
I deleted the message then located Samuel’s number. We still kept in touch and I was glad for that.
Andy must have been satisfied with Olivia’s enthusiasm and the way things were progressing because he was soon asleep on the sofa snoring loudly.

°•°•°•°••°•°•°•°•
Samuel didn’t pick the call.
I called him 3 times with no reply. I guessed he would be asleep. It was almost midnight
“Any luck?”
“I think he’d be asleep, he didn’t pick up”
She nodded.
Andy was fast asleep and I was beginning to think of sleep also.
“We should sleep too, tomorrow would be very hectic for us..I’d call him in the morning”
The words just left my mouth when my phone rang. It was Samuel.
“Obazino…how you dey”
“S.s how far?” (S.s for short Sam)
“We thank God o..this one wey you remember me today wetting dey sup?”
“Sammy I go need a very big favour from you abeg”
“Of course, na favour go make you call me”
“Stop that..you have my number too now..or must it be me that would call?”
“Which favour be that? By the way how Fome?” (Sam was the guy I was with when I first met Fome)
“She dey..look I need your help can we meet up tomorrow?”
He was silent thinking.
“Lemme know what this help is first before I’d know if I would be around”
“I need you to hack into one website for me and change something”
“Oba you know I don’t do that again?”
“S.s this thing is not for fun..I swear its between life and death!”
“The word on the street is that you’re the angel of death itself”
“Which street…you office dog mentioning street..look..thank God tomorrow is Saturday expect me in your house before 1pm”
“Oba..you have started again..what exactly do you want me to hack..I don’t do illegal things anymore”
“Don’t worry..its something small no big deal…see you tomorrow”
I knew I had bamboozled my way and I decided to placate him by hailing him before I ended the call.
“S.s. the shortest and sexiest..the smartest And smoothest..the shortest but strongest! I hail you bross! See you tomorrow!”
He was laughing as I cut the call.
Olivia was smiling “you’re something else I tell you..so he’s open to the idea?”
“Don’t worry he would be, now lemme show you to your room so we could rest well”
I made no attempt to move and we still sat staring at each other. I hadn’t meant to say ‘we’ and I thought it sounded like I planned to climb into bed with her.
The silence was getting awkward I had to say something.
“So how do we do your medications.. I mean your injections?”
She smiled as if she knew what I had been thinking “well I know the painkillers I was being given..I always make it my business to know something like that and we could get it from any pharmacy and you could give them to me”
My God..was she flirting with me?
Only she and God knows how my expression had been because she burst out laughing “I’m sure you’re scared of needles..even me after what I had seen today I wish I didn’t have to take another one in my life.”
I totally agreed with her.
“We can visit a private hospital later in the day for a checkup”
“That would be nice.”

I wheeled her to the room downstairs.
Thankfully it had been cleaned up. I didn’t remember Andy or myself cleaning it up. We had only made the gun suppressor in here and left. Maybe my mother or maybe Andy before he left to come to our rescue ..whichever one I was glad it was neat and dust free.

I had forgotten about the briefcase until she handed it to me.
“This case is filled with dollars..what’s the story?”
I switched on the a/c in the room then took the brief case.
“Remember the assassin..Tosin? Well this money was meant to cancel the hit that was on my head”
“So how did you take it? The problem would have been solved if he had the money”
“As at the time yes..but I have this bad luck that has been following me and I snatched the case from someone at the hospital…although it provided some much needed clarity I was unfortunate to have taken the money meant to call of the hit man off my back and now he’s taken it personal no amount of money can stop him now…I fear”
She looked at me and I knew I needed to get out of the room. My thoughts were doing summersaults in illegal territory.
“With me on your side your luck is bound to change..trust me”
“Amen to that” (it seems I said the ‘amen’ to remind myself that there was God o)
I pulled the curtain
“Lemme allow you get some rest..we’d see in the morning”
I headed towards the door but she stopped me.
“Rex…”
I turned.
“I left my bag and all my clothes at the hospital..I would have changed into somethng different..I wouldnt want to sleep in this same clothe I’ve had on since morning”
“I’d be right back”
The wadrope in one of the rooms was fully loaded with Gwens clothe obviously paid for by Ariyo..the sheer volume of the clothes could fit into a small shop.
Clothes wouldn’t be a problem for Olivia…not on my watch.
I rummaged the wardrobe for a suitable night wear. Gowns gowns and more gowns..all form fitting and some very low cut. I imagined a particular one on her as I held it. It would be smashing.
I made up my mind to bring her here in the morning to select any one of her choice.
I continued searching for a suitable night gown. I saw one finally but I shook my head. This kind of nightie was worn when a wife wanted to drive her husband crazy..it was almost transparent for one. Apart from the double linings that covered the boobs and the crotch part.
I imagined Gwen with her model body in this and I shook my head in amusement. Ariyo would just kill himself very soon..he should continue.
I turned the closet inside out but I didn’t find anything else apart from a very big shirt that I guessed would come to her knees when she wore it. That might be good enough. However I carried the two of them downstairs
“You make your choice..the one that would be comfortable”
“Thank you so much” she raised her eyebrow when she checked out the night dress and I smiled innocently.
“I think this shirt would have to do…but this night gown…” She looked at it as if considering and I knew it was wise to leave now before my little major began to have other ideas. Because even with the leg cast on she still looked 100% sexy.
“Okay Olivia..have a good night rest. We’d kick off tomorrow” I looked at the wall clock. “Or later in the day..its already past 12”
“Rex” she stopped me in my tracks again and I don’t know if it was just me, but her eyes said she knew why I was running.
“Help me to get this gown off..my leg cast makes it hard to pull it over my head..and one of the nurses usually helped me back at the hospital”
I swallowed, Oh boy….
“Okay…”

I helped her slide the gown down her shoulders then all the way down. It took all my willpower not to stare but I still failed woefully…her skin was next to flawless it glowed and I had this insane urge to kiss the skin from her shoulders as the gown slid down.
I continued easing the gown off, inch by painful inch..
At the main region now and I wondered what lay beneath…I was glad(or disappointed?) To see she had a bra on. I averted my gaze and focused on getting the gown down completely but I was painstakingly slow..and it felt like seduction although who was getting seduced I couldn’t say because I noticed the rise and fall of her breast had increased. I glanced up for a nano second and her eyes were dark and unreadable.

She shifted in her seat so I could get the gown down her hips and I noticed she had matching underwear on..the type of lace Victoria tried to keep a secret if you know what I mean.

Lust meets love I guess that was my case and I ogled her smooth thighs as I slid the gown down.
But then I got to the cast. And It shattered like glass. The cast was like a slap in the face and I remembered what it stood for…she had just lost her husband barely a week ago and here I was ravishing her body(delicious body) with my eyes and mind.

My movements were stiff and mechanical as I got her out of the gown.
She was able to wear the shirt herself and I only helped her to get to her feet partially so the shirt could slide down to her knees.

I looked at her and her eyes were clear now. Maybe the cast hadn’t affected just me. (Because it sure as hell ‘casted’ the mood)
“Good night Rex”
I fixed a slow country song on the stereo a Don Williams album, and I bade her good night as he was crooning about some broken hearts that never mend.

•°•°•°•°••°•°•°•
The next morning I was up earlier than usual. Andy had passed the night in the parlour and I felt bad for not waking him up to move to the room but my thoughts had been jumbled the previous night.
It was just 6am and I let him sleep as I moved around with a cup of coffee in my hand, thinking of my parents and how I would explain Olivia’s presence to them.

My dad was the first one down which was a first.
“Good morning dad”
“Morning my son…how was your night?”
I had expected questions from him about why I hadn’t come home the night before, at least before they went to bed but he was obviously in a good mood.
“My night was fine dad..how was yours?”
“Splendid…I need to fix myself with a cup just like that in your hand”
He headed to the fridge humming and I was surprised. He must have woken up on the right side of the bed. Then I remembered I had seen them cuddling last night. Which was the first sign of affection I had seen from both of them ever! Something was definitely up..because when I was growing up I had often wondered how they got together to produce four children they never showed the smallest sign of intimacy..they never even held hands. Maybe only during the grace.

I was determined to make use of the good mood.
“Dad…” I followed him to the kitchen were he was still whistling happily.
“I have a lady friend in the house..she’s just recovering from an accident and she’s upstairs right now..please please and please when you meet her don’t make her feel uncomfortable, I happen to care for her and she’s my very good friend”
“Very good friend abi? So that was the work you went for yesterday?” He mixed milk in his cup and studied me. “What can I say..you’re a grown man and its your house…but play safe” he winked at me then went to the dispenser to get hot water.
I shook my head..no need to correct him because last night I had harboured thoughts that were far from safe.

We sat in the kitchen drinking coffee and very soon Andy joined us. He kept on holding his head.
“Morning pops” he greeted my dad then opened the fridge. “I’m still so hungry”
“Andy how na…so your friend tells me he brought a friend home last night”
He looked at me “yea..Olivia..I thought that was a dream”
“So you know her?”
“Yes sir..she works with us…she had an accident and she’s on leave from work”
Sometimes it was like Andy’s brain and mine were connected.
My dad was satisfied with this and we spent almost an hour discussing football. We drank about two cups each apart from Andy who drank cereal with his. (The effects were still lingering this morning)

My mum came down before 7 am and Andy and I briefed her of Olivia’s presence. My mum was very emotional and once she heard Olivia had survived a motor accident she went into mother hen mode. I didn’t even mention her husband had died..that wasn’t necessary.
She stood at the gas cooker fixing breakfast and I was beside her. My dad and Andy were few steps away sitted at the table.
“The poor thing…where is she now..resting? Okay good..how is the leg? Hope she’s okay?”
My dad laughed over something Andy had said and she cautioned him.
“Al..lower your voice we have a guest that is sleeping Haba!”.
He raised his hands and smiled apologetically.
“You need to tell me this your secret o mama…you’ve finally tamed the beast!” I whispered and she smiled.
She opened the pot expecting to see the remaining soup but it was empty. She frowned but didn’t say anything.
“Watch the plantain…don’t let it burn o..lemme go and check on your friend” she left the kitchen for the guest room and I was tasked with frying the remaining plantain.

‘Check your friend’ took up to 30 minutes and I had fried all the plantain and even fried the eggs before she came back. She pushed Olivia to the kitchen and she had such a big smile on her face I knew she liked her. She had changed Olivia’s gown to one of the few unslutty ones from upstairs which confirmed my suspicion that it was my mom who had gone round the house and cleaned it up.
“Good morning sir” Olivia greeted my dad as my mum wheeled her to the table.
“Morning angel…so nice to meet you..how’s your leg?” My dad was apparently on his good behavior too and he smiled genuinely at her. It seems she had won them over without even trying.

We had breakfast like a very big family. The table was lively and my dad and Andy kept on trading tales and jokes. My mum had shared the extra eggs I fried for her and my dad into our plates.
“I’m watching your dads cholesterol level..even me too” I knew my dad loved anything protein. Eggs, meat, fish but he didn’t complain but agreed heartily. He settled on tea with his plantain.

Olivia and I had some eye contact and I knew she was remembering last night or early in the morning. I winked at her to prevent any awkwardness and she smiled.
I ran into my mothers stare and I could see the smile in her eyes and read her expression clearly. There was still hope for her boy!

She wheeled Olivia to the parlour and I could hear them talk and laugh. Andy and I cleared the dishes while my dad wondered to the bar ready to start of with some ammunition probably.
“How far with Samuel?”
“We’d go to his house by noon”
“How far your parents?”
“I’d think of something to tell them”
“Okay..the three of us would go then”
I nodded but then I remembered the message the shadow had sent to me.
“Bro..I think you should stay with them…I’d leave the gun with you..just to be safe”
He nodded..”no problem..since they’d be leaving tomorrow its best to make sure they’re safe”
“Thanks bro”

We all relaxed in the parlour with my dad merry from the meal and the ammunition telling us stories of his ram ‘Rambo’ and all his conquests.

By 11:15am I announced “Olivia has an appointment with the doctor by 12 we’ll need to get prepared”
My dad perked up. “I need some fresh air..I’d go with you”
I looked at Andy…this wasn’t good..this was bad news..
Trust my friend to come through once more. “Sir..I thought we were going to watch Chelsea’s match today?”
“But its later in the day now”
“Yes but….we could watch arsenal first…nothing pleases Chelsea fans more than seeing arsenal lose”
My dad burst out laughing…”that’s true..that’s true…I think I’d relax with this bottle and enjoy the game”
I breathed a sigh of relief then joked about arsenal shocking them and we all laughed.
My mum came from the kitchen..”what would be for lunch? I don’t know the ghost that finished that pot of soup”
“Martha breakfast hasn’t even digested you’re thinking of lunch. Come and sit down biko.” He pulled her to the chair and they giggled like teenagers.
Perfect time to escape
“That’s it…I’m out of here…Olivia let’s go please..before they spoil us”
“Hope you’d be back in time?” My mum called after me.
“Yes we would”
Andy escorted me to the car.
“I’d bolt the gate. If anything turns up..you call me”
“Sure thing..see you later”
“Take care Andy” Olivia waved him and I sped off.

°•°•°•°•••°•°•°°°
Samuel lived at the other end of Lagos. Towards badagry but the good news was there was no traffic. The BMW ate up the distance like a snack and very soon I was at Agbara already.
I called him
“S.s hope you dey house…I’m on my way”
“You just dey carry your wahala dey come sha…I dey house, I dey..bring something come o”
“Taaar! Are you my child…you don’t know I’m your guest” .
He laughed and cut the call.
Olivia smiled “The way you and your friends relate…I admire that.. like you have every right to demand something from them and they always answer you…he will come through right?”
“He would..don’t worry..That’s what friends are for…how about you…any close friends?”
“Pfffft…friends? More like acquaintances”
“Really?Why is that..you just have bad luck picking good friends or what?”
“The only person I considered my close friend turned out to be fucking my husband behind my back..imagine that!”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing…what manner of man would cheat on this woman

?
“You mean he was cheating on you?”
“Yes…as a matter of fact we were going for marriage counselling when a trailer ran us over”
I was quiet..”I’m sorry for that”
“For him cheating..or for the accident?”
“For all of it”
She smiled “you’re really sweet you know that?”
No I didn’t, but I kept quiet. I kept on replaying last night…my thoughts hadn’t been sweet then and I had a feeling she knew.
The car was silent the rest of the way as we were lost in our thoughts.
Finally I entered Samuels estate. I hadn’t been here since his baby’s dedication about three years ago. I located his house easily and I called him as I parked in front of his house.
“Come in” he said the moment he picked “you know the gate is never locked”
“Nice try…come and chain your dogs first abeg”
“They don’t bite na”
“Oga answer me abeg”
He laughed “I’m coming”

Short Samuel had really changed from the book loving student to a more social man. He opened his gate then smiled with open arms.
I lifted him easily till he kicked the air.
“Obazino!! Baddest man!! Where Fome na?” He saw Olivia behind me then whistled “Nna forget Fome…put me down and introduce me to this person”
I winced when he said that, and my conscience was pricking me…had I truly forgotten Fome so soon?
I introduced them and he smiled and kissed her knuckles.
He nudged me out of the way “shift my friend!” He took control of the chair and wheeled her in.
“Hope you didn’t hurt yourself by tripping for this dog” I heard him ask her as he wheeled her inside.
I shook my head but I smiled. I went to the car and retrieved the laptop and modem.
Samuel was a joker but he was a genius with computers and once he hacked into the website and altered the number, the real work would begin..