Chapter 10

Two Sides

 

Wole sat in his car. His face was sullen.

He had spent most of his night awake. He could not sleep. He replayed the incident between himself and Fatima over and over again in his mind. He had played it so many times in his mind it had made him weary. He remembered who took the picture. It was supposed to be a simple friendly picture. There was nothing to it. It was supposed to be just a picture and nothing more. But how come? How did she get that picture? That picture was taken by a friend and there’s no way on this earth this friend could have been friends with Fatima. There’s just no way. Or maybe... it’s a case of friend of friends… He thought.

He looked at his wristwatch. It was 10:28am. He had thought of calling Bolaji but decided otherwise. He imagined the worst. Maybe she knew too. He was going to see Paul—his trusted confidant.

He started the engine. The engine came alive with a rather sudden shudder. Darn! This thing needs servicing. He muttered.

He turned the car around the corner and made his way to join the traffic. It was all bustling as usual.

* * *

The phone rang. Paul picked it. It was Wole.

“Hey guy what’s up?”

“Are you at home?”

“Yes, why?”

“I’m on my way to your house. I hope you are not planning to go out today? ”

“No. Wole what is going on? Is everything ok?”

“I will tell you when I get to your place.”

“Ok, then. Take it easy ooo.”

“Alright bro. I’d be at your place in like 5 minutes.”

“Alright. Drive safely.”

“See you then.” Wole ended the call.

Patience came in. “Who was that? I heard you saying, ‘Is everything ok?’ Is someone in trouble?” She asked.

“It’s my friend Wole, he sounded… upset.”

“Wole, upset? That’s like the sun in the night…” She quipped.

“Yeah that’s why I had to ask him. He is seldom upset about anything. And, he is on his way here…”

“Yeah? That’s good. Thank God I prepared a lot of rice this morning. The kids are still sleeping?”

Paul nodded and kissed her on the forehead. “I love you, Patience.”

“I love you too.” She replied. A smile was making the corner of her lower lip.

“You know our business has begun to yield us some returns. I just did the calculations now and you would not believe this…”

She looked at him waiting in suspense.

“Babie, we are going to make a profit of about 2million!”

“Are you serious?” She looked at him, surprised.

“Yes babie I am.” He grabbed her off the floor in a big bear hug.

He kissed her. She kissed him back.

“God is good honey…”

“Yes He is. And I’m forever grateful to Him for giving me the best wife and mother on earth.”

“He also gave me the best husband and father in the whole world.”

Their little daughter walked in.

“Hello Liz.” They both said. She loved been called Liz.

“Good morning mum. Good morning dad.” Her small lips muttered.

“Good morning angel” Her dad said.

She went to hug her mum.

“Good morning princess.” Her mother kissed her on the head.

And then she went over to hug her dad.

Their son also walked in almost afterwards.

“Hello Jeremy.” Patience said to their son.

“Good morning mum. Good morning dad.”

“Hello Jay Jay.”

He ran up to his father. He always looked forward to his dad’s morning hug.

They had their morning family prayer. It was their bond.

There was a honk outside the gate. There honk went on four times. Wole always honked four times. He had stuck to that for a long time and everyone in the Peters family knew him with that.

“Open the gate.” Paul called out to the gateman.

“Ok oga." He replied.

The gateman opened gate. Wole pulled in.

Paul was outside his door by the time Wole parked the car.

Paul walked up to him. They shook hands and hugged.

“So what’s the matter?” Paul asked.

“Is Patience at home?”

“Yeah and the kids…”

Elizabeth and Jeremy ran up to meet Wole. They had been waiting at the door when they heard his honk.

“Uncle Wole…” They chorused. They ran towards him.

Wole felt a lift in his spirit. The kids were lively.

He scooped Liz up. She got him first. Jeremy was fat one.

Wole rubbed Jeremy on his head.

“Look at you Liz, you are big girl now…”

The little girl giggled.

“Jeremy is a big man too. You guys want to grow as tall as daddy abi?”

“Yes.” They chorused.

They all walked into the house. Patience was in the kitchen.

She walked into the living room to join them.

“Hello Wole. Good morning.” They hugged.

“I can see why everybody is looking well fed.” He remarked making a gesture at the kitchen.

“I’m just doing my job. Ok kids, let’s go get you cleaned up. Uncle Wole and daddy needs to talk.”

Liz looked at Wole. “Uncle Wole, don’t run away oooo.”

“Don’t worry I’d be here when you have freshened up.”

“Ok.” She joined her brother and her mum.

“They are really cute.” Wole remarked.

“Abi. So how’s work, the company and everybody?”

“Everybody is fine jare. And how have you been?”

“My brother, God is taking good care of us.”

“Great.” Wole was flipping through the pages on an Ebony magazine he found.

“So Wole what is the matter?” Paul got the conversation into gear.

“Hmmm…” He sighed.

“I have not seen you like this in a very very long time. I doubt if I have ever seen you in this mood at all…”

“E get as e be Paul. Pappy, I’m in a situation now…”

“Tell me. What is it?” Paul asked looking attentively at his friend.

“I don’t know how to say this but… I think I need counseling…”

“Counseling? What is the matter Wole? Stop beating around the bush.” Paul asked looking confused.

“Ok. Fatima has found out about Bolaji…” He put his face in his hands.

Paul relaxed on his seat. He said nothing for a moment. This definitely was something.

“I knew this would happen eventually. I’m sorry Wole, but I remember telling you to prepare for this… So how did it happen…?”

“She came to my house and showed me some pictures of myself and Bolaji…”

“Pictures of yourself and Bolaji? I don’t understand…”

“Bolaji and I went to the beach with a group of friends and pictures were taken. Somehow the pictures got to Fatima…”

“What kind of pictures could have caused so much trouble…?”

“I was in my shorts, she was in her swimming trunks and pictures were taken of us holding each other, kissing…. You know that kind of thing…”

Paul sighed. “Wooow! Well, it’s one of two things, you either make a decision who it is you want or you leave both of them alone…”

“Paul, I’m dying here and you are driving the blade deeper…?”

“You came to me because you know I will tell you the truth. I would not spare you this time Wole. You are wasting your time and the time of the poor ladies. They would both believe they have found a husband. But, there you are playing both of them. It’s not fair and I have always been telling you.”

“I’m just confused. You don’t know how hard I’ve tried to make that decision. It’s so difficult Paul…”

“Wole, it is not. You are just being greedy and selfish…”

“Paul, abeg take it easy on me naaa…”

“Wole, we are good buddies and if I don’t tell you the truth, I won’t be doing any of you any good…”

“I understand what needs to be done but Paul its hard. On many occasions I have often thought that Bolaji would be my best bet but, when this incident happened, I realized how much I love Fatima. Paul, my heart is broken…”

Paul held back his laughter.

“Your heart is broken? What do you think has happened to Fatima’s heart?”

Wole did not reply. He let the question pass.

“You have got to decide. Maybe it’s best you let both of them go and start afresh… I think that might be what you need if as you say, it’s hard to let either one go.”

Wole sighed. “At one point, I figured I will be good with Bolaji. But Paul, Fatima is an angel. That girl will do anything for me. I mean anything. When she came to my house and I looked at the sorrow in her eyes, my heart crushed inside. I felt I had killed someone…”

“See Wole, I think you should do this…”

Wole looked up at his friend.

“Go to Fatima and apologize. And this time, be sincere. Tell her the whole truth. It might crush her and she might hate you for a very long time but she will eventually come around, and appreciate your honesty. If you leave without a word, then she would assume you played with her heart and that isn’t a good thing at all. Even though we both know that that is what you did.”

“Paul, I came here for a friendly advice and to listen to your counsel but here I am sitting in your house feeling like the most miserable guy on earth.”

“The truth is bitter.”

Wole stood up. He walked to the window and looked outside. He was deep in thought.

“Paul, what exactly am I going to tell her when I see her? I can't stand it mehn. Honestly, I won’t be myself again afterwards…”

“Your choice bro. Your choice.”

Patience walked into the living room. The kids were dressed up.

Elizabeth ran up to Wole.

“Look at this beautiful princess. And Jeremy, you look like a prince.”

“He is a prince and she is a princess.” Patience said.

“Sure. Liz is a princess and Jeremy is a prince.” Wole responded with a smile.

The kids chuckled.

“Ok, gentlemen, I’d love to serve the food now…”

“Yes ma’am” Wole replied.

“Ok that’s fine.”

When she went into the kitchen, Paul said, “Wole, do think about what I told you. It is really important you make a decision soon.”

Wole nodded to show sign of consent.

* * *

The cool evening breeze blew across the street. The atmosphere was lively. People were going back and forth as usual.

Bola Matomi Street was popular for being the longest and most busy place in Lagos. It had a big shopping mall and a market that invited lots and lots of people to the neighborhood. It was rarely quiet. There was also a popular night club at the end of the long stretch. The road was tarred and clean. The drainage was properly done. It was one of the most sought after neighborhoods in town. There were residential apartments that cost a fortune on both sides of the street. There were four banks along the street as well.

Jennifer’s apartment was two blocks from the beginning of the street.

“Sometimes, I almost think your hatred for me is genuine.” Jennifer said.

“No. Not at all. I have to put up that kind of attitude. You know the chief is a very suspicious man. I always have to put up that attitude with all his mistresses else he might think I like one and I could loose my job.” Martins swallowed some of the contents of his cup.

“Even when he is not looking, you still carry that your long face…”

“jenny, you really don’t know chief. He is a very smart man. He can read you like a book. If you are speaking with him, you better be sure you know what you are saying…”

“I figured too.”

“I remember one time, one of his drivers came back home saying they had stolen the chief car at gun point. When the chief finished with this guy, he confessed where he had parked the car. That guy is something else I tell you. He can see right through you.”

“Mhmmm. Interesting.” Jennifer muttered.

“If he knows we are friends, he will put one and two together and find out we are sleeping together.”

“Forget that jhoor. He won’t know anything.”

“Let us just be careful. And by the way, there’s the heist we need to pull off. I can’t do it without you.”

“Heist ke? What kind of heist oooo? I don’t do ritual things oooo”

“Common, stop talking rubbish. Who is saying anything ritual?. I’m talking about money…”

“What money?” Jennifer was curious.

“See Jenny, the chief is a stinkingly rich bastard. That guy has so much money, he stinks of it.”

“And so…”

“We need to steal some of it…” He allowed his words to trail.

“Steal from chief? What kind of security head are you sef? You wan to steal from your oga?”

“Common, no be thief all of us dey thief. You sef dey thief na. The only thing be say, na body you dey use steal your own…”

Martin chuckled.

“You dey craze, Martins. You dey craze.” She stoned him with the throw pillow.

“Na true I talk naa…”

“It’s not stealing my dear. It’s hustling.” She corrected.

“Ok, we are all hustling then. The senator stealing Nigeria’s money is hustling. The police man collecting bribe is hustling. The cheat pump at the filling station is hustling. All of us for Naija dey hustle my dear. You sef you know…”

“So what do you want me to do?” She asked ignoring his last statement.

“Ok, first of all, this thing I’m telling you now, if we can pull it off, we would make a lot of money.”

Jennifer nodded.

“Chief has about seven luxurious houses all over Lagos. But his main apartment is the one at Ikoyi. He hasn’t taken you there before. That’s where he and his family live.  The house has a penthouse where he spends most of his time whenever he goes there. I have a feeling that that is where he keeps all his cash. You know with this whole Anti-Laundry business and the Bank, he does take a lot of cash to the bank at once. So I think he has a safe in his apartment. And I suspect it must be in the penthouse.”

“Have you been there before?”

“You mean the house…?”

“The house and the penthouse?”

“I’ve been to the house many times but I’ve only been to the penthouse three times. He rarely lets anyone go there. Everytime we go to that apartment, he spends sometime in his penthouse. He goes there with loads and loads of cash. You know the guy is into all sorts of business. He imports cars. He has four filling stations. He is the co-owner of this shopping mall on your street. He has four apartments in Abuja. He runs a transport service. He has a farm in Osun state. A very big one. He co-owns BeatFM and City Television in Benin. He sponsors Governors during election. I mean that guy get money die!”

“Really?”

“You don’t know the Chief you are dating. Trust me.”

“How you take know all these things?”

“I'm his chief security officer in Lagos. He has different chief officers in different states. The guy is a crazy wealthy fellow I tell you. Shebi I tell you now say I don go his penthouse three times. The room is big and beautifully furnished. It has a big painting of the east side of the room. I think say na there one big safe go dey…”

“Safe inside wall painting. Be like say this Blue fuel dey rub you of common sense…”

He ignored her.

“We need a plan.” He said eventually.

“Martins, I no dey do dat kind runs with you. Where I dey, I dey happy…”

“Jenny, until you see loads of fresh clean bucks, you never know how happy you can be…”

“You see, na greediness dey run belle. When you thank God for wetin you get, then you go get another one. Me I no like greediness abeg.”

She got down from the bed and walked to the toilet.

“Go find another person to do this one. I no do. The one wey he dey gimme do me.” She called out form inside the toilet.

Martins went to the toilet.

She was sitting on the bowl. She was easing herself.

“Jenny, I have thought this thing through. If we make this move and succeed, we would be made for life.”

“And if we don’t succeed?”

“He won’t know anything.”

“I mean if one of us get caught?”

“It won’t happen. That’s why we need to plan properly. I have thought it through but they say two heads are better than one. We need a rock solid plan. We can do this together Jenny. But, I wouldn’t rush you. Just think about it. Chief likes you the most among all his mistresses. I think that could be our leverage.”

“This thing sounds like it will turn out sour. I just don’t like how I feel about it.”

Martins walked up to her and kissed her on the head.

“Think about it Jenny. I will see you later.”

“Ok.”

Martins walked out of the toilet and then out of her apartment.

Jenny sat on her bed.

Was this a set up or was Martins really going to steal form his boss? How much money would they make if they pull this off successfully? What was the worst that would happen if it went sour? Was Martins playing her? Setting her up? What would he gain if he did that? Was it worth it?

She began to play all the scenarios in her head.

Jennifer loved to control men and she loved to win doing it. If this was going to happen, then it must be big. She thought.

* * *

Morris looked up to see his friend Jide walk into the bar. The bar was almost empty. There were very few people at the bar today.

The bar man was speaking with a young lady. He did not have many customers today. He thought to indulge himself.

Jide walked past them.

“Sup bro?” Jide greeted when he came close to his friend.

“Sup?” Morris replied shaking his friend’s hand.

“Whats happening? This place is empty today…”

“Maybe folks went sabitical.”

“Sabitical sha. So wetin dey?”

“Jide, you dey burn my cable with this girl. Every attempt I made, it seems she was a step ahead of me.”

Jide started to laugh.

“I’m serious Jide. That girl seems to see through me. No matter what calculated move I make, it seems she is always one step.”

“Oh really?” Jide was smiling now.

“What did you tell that girl Jide?”

“I have told you Morris, we are not equals when it comes to women. I am far above you mehn!”

Morris did not say anything. He gulped down his beer.

“That girl is totally in love with me. She is head over heels to say the least. I told you, I was born for women. I mean born to make women happy.”

“Yeah right. Na woman go kill you finally…”

“Woman no fit kill me my guy instead they would only make me stronger.”

Morris smiled.

“So do you agree now that I’m much better than you?”

“No. If you played fair then I would have beaten you…”

“Sorry bro, the world is not a fair place…”

The lady with the bar man laughed. Her laughter was loud.

They looked in her direction. The bar man must have said something funny. Very funny. She was laughing again.

“The brother is getting her groove on…” Jide commented.

“Hmmmm.”

“I can go get that girl from that barman…”

Morris had a smirk on his face. “Are you crazy? You woulod get yourself killed one day if you don’t stop chasing everything in skirt.”

“No brother. I was born to do this. I born to woo women. Fine boy. Sexy to def.”

Jide got up from his seat. He adjusted his collar.

Morris began to laugh.

“Now I know you are crazy…”

“Not crazy bro. Don’t get it twisted. I’m incredible. Call me Mister Incredible.”

“You need to do a brain scan. I have a feeling that something is not right up there…” Morris pointed to Jide's head.

“Last time I checked, it was intact and ready to go…”

“So tell me how's it with you and the girl?”

“Well, you know, she is a rich girl’s daughter and she spoils me with cash. You know… She bought me the Samsung Note 3 just for the sake of it. No big deal. She’s good.”

“I see.”

“The only problem is that, she’s been making nasty excuses…”

“Like…?”

“No sex.”

“No sex ke? Na born again? Abi na SU? Wetin lion and sheep dey do for the same yard? No be say make lion eat sheep ni? Abeggy. So wetin you come talk…?”

“Well, I tell am say no problem. But honestly, that girl sweet pieces. I get plans…”

“Ekun!”

“Guy, I was born to make women happy. If I don’t do that, I would be cheating my destiny.”

“I hear you. So what’s your plan?”

“I can’t tell you that…”

“Why?”

“Forget I mentioned it. So I saw Doris yesterday…”

Morris dropped his drink on the table.

“Walahi Jide, if you come near my sister, I will kill you. I mean it.”

“I was just asking after your sister. What’s the big deal?”

“Don’t ask me about my sister. Stay away from her. Jide, I mean it!”

Jide tapped Morris on his shoulder. “Take a chill pill. I don’t date my friends’ sisters…” He lied.

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CHAPTER 11 Coming Soon

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