Hmm lovely update. See pa & ma william, are dey not aware dey are getting old dey sud leave everytyn to Samson o.

and dt ws beautiful. loving it pls more more more update,kudos to u

My favourite sheldon book is master of d game. I so luv dat part where d plastic surgeon reconstructed his wife's face (kate's granddaughter, cant remember her name). Bt Girl i'm not happy wit u o, u jus put me for long jump. Update na, pleeeeeeease, jor, biko, abeg, doo

Bimcious: Hmm lovely update. See pa & ma william, are dey not aware dey are getting old dey sud leave everytyn to Samson o.

Lol Bimcious, Samson got his moves from Pa Williams, he is the best in the game. Tnx for reading and enjoying

beckytunde: and dt ws beautiful. loving it pls more more more update,kudos to u

Glad u likey Beckytunde, will try to post more for you

buyles: My favourite sheldon book is master of d game. I so luv dat part where d plastic surgeon reconstructed his wife's face (kate's granddaughter, cant remember her name). Bt Girl i'm not happy wit u o, u jus put me for long jump. Update na, pleeeeeeease, jor, biko, abeg, doo

Ahhh Babes, I wish I could post 24/7 but I cant O. I am glad you are enjoying this story to want more of it and I wish I could sate your hunger in time, but something always creeps up and I am always ending tired. This weekend i took a break from all activities and that is why I can post small. The Craze will start again next week, but I will still try to post when I can. You read good books dear, I will go read master of the Game again when I can, I have forgotten it

Yinka, Saturday, 7th December 2012

Yinka had gotten herself all polished and subjected herself to some Brazilian wax torture. She had sent a naughty text message to Samson while she was crouched in the most indecent manner enduring the pains of every hair pulling strip. She had texted him saying. “Going to Brazil, the weather will be steamy and wet tonight, can’t wait to see you!!!”. She got no reply, he must have been busy. He rarely replies her nowadays; he had buried himself on shelves and files of work and rarely got to see her. She had put her foot down today and said they had to clear each other’s schedules and have a romantic dinner, he had agreed, it would be a relieve from work, so she was in his house now and her future mother-in-law had been so kind to come to see her there, she wanted to go to her but, the stubborn woman kept on insisting that it was better to come to her, because she would be going to some meeting in that same area, something about the launch of a coffee table book on tourism. Ma Williams knew all the best people and belonged to the best societies, she knew it would only be a matter of time for her to have such an extensive list of contacts, she already had some already.


Yinka knew she did not have the gold band just yet but she had the engagement ring on her finger, besides the pictures of their fabulous engagement ceremony was everywhere. So she felt comfortable not only because of that but she had Ma Williams and Sesan as her ally. She didn't need to fear or did she? She didn’t believe she needed to fear. In fact one of the reasons she had come here today was to prove to herself that she needn’t fear. That Zandra was only relevant because she had a son and she was his ex. Even if he still had a string of loose feelings for the girl, she was more than woman enough to make it disappear. She was fine, she hoped she was fine.


Ma Williams entered wearing an intricately designed two toned chiffon kaftan Yinka absolutely adored. She had complimented it at least twice since when Ma Williams arrived. Ma Williams had been to the vegetable garden to pick some vegetables, she had kept on saying that she wanted fresh vegetables, she didn’t trust the source of the one’s her maids got, they didn’t look fresh enough. When Yinka offered to help get them for her, she had waved her hand in the air saying,


“No No I worked in the farm as a child, you won’t know what you are doing there.” She then murmured how she will get the gardeners to start a small vegetable patch so that Pa Williams would be eating the fresh goodness. Ma Williams was talking to her, she had better listen.
"Darling, did I keep you waiting? Sorry I had to make a load of calls, it turns out that the meeting won’t be holding again today, so I will just go back home. You look radiant, how come I didn’t notice that before.”
“MaMa thank you, you look beautiful also.” Yinka replied with a chuckle, she didn’t add that the reason why she hadn’t noticed was because since she walked through the door Ma Williams had been talking about two parties she was planning and how she wanted to pick vegetables in the garden.
“Anyways dear I don’t have to leave early anymore, my meeting is cancelled, we can catch up, and we have not had a very good talk since that day. I know it seems I have abandoned you, but I have not. I pray for you and my son, so that Jezebel does not mislead him again. I have been begging your parents also, we normally do not have bottle necks like this, but you know anywhere a weed firmly plants itself trouble will be. That girl will be dealt with.”
”“Mama, I cannot lie it has been heart wrecking. Samson will not even spend time with me after that night, that is why I am here now, to try to reignite the fire, he seems lost. Mama I am scared that girl will do something and the whole thing will come tumbling down. I heard you were in the hospital with the sick boy. How is he? I wanted to come but you know who is there and I didn’t want any frictions.”
“My dear you have to be strong, you know there is nothing that will be good that will not have hitches. And if Samson suckled my breasts, there is no way he is going back to that girl. The only thing she wants to do is bring him down.” This was her cue she had to remind her of the wrong Zandra had made him do in the past.
“I am always scared about the power she has over him, you remember that time, he got into a fight with that governor. It was because of her.” Ma Williams placed her two hands instantaneously on her chests and opened her mouth ever so slightly as if she had been whispered to by a ghost.
“It’s a lie, he said it was because the man provoked him and he had been a bit tipsy......I knew it, he could hold his drink .”
“He told you lies. He had gotten into a fight because; Zandra was in the governors arms when he arrived at the meeting. The governor kept on touching her and caressing her and he just punched him.” That wasn’t the entire truth she had left out some details for effect. Zandra had made a pact with Samson to never go whoring again and he would pay her. She did this for a while till the governor’s request. Sesan had called Zandra and warned her about missing another appointment with the man, So like a good girl, Zandra had gone only to find Samson was a dinner guest. The sight had not been pretty, Zandra had narrated to her amidst tears. She was seated on the governor’s laps, one hand under her skirt and she had been pouring down his throat a flute of champagne.


Samson had been the three C’s when he came in, he was cool, calm and collected and did not fret, at least for six whole minutes, when he stood up abruptly and left without any explanation. Just as soon as he walked out of the door, he came right back in and grabbed her. This was of course very offensive to The Excellency and the guards were there to tame the mad man. That description was right. He was indeed a mad man, because nobody could hold him down. Two of the guards got kicked in the groin, and the Governor got a broken nose. The sight was not pretty, the funny thing was he didn’t even leave with her; he just looked at her with disgust and walked away. Nobody had understood what happened. Only Zandra and he did.


Zandra had been pathetic after then. He had locked his gate firmly and told his old security man if her shadow was allowed in the premises, he was fired. She knew this because Zandra had told her, there was no way she could ignore the constant vomiting at night and the sobs of a crying woman on the lounge floor. It was impossible. That had surprised her because she knew they were not dating, but here Zandra was acting like, her first love had abandoned her. She heard the tale too many times it sickened her. She knew she wasn’t meant to be judgmental, but she was a prostitute, crying foul that a man was pissed at her because she was a prostitute. Not just any man, a very eligible one who had taken care to be her friend, to Yinka that was trying to eat your cake and have it. So although she consoled her, she didn’t feel she deserved it. It was a good for her thing.



“That girl will cause trouble , what did he see in an Ashewo, what does she have? I will tell his father about this.” Ma Williams was saying.
“It won’t change anything. When it comes to her I am scared. You know the night she re appeared he made love to me differently. Very strangely, he was wilder. I found a video tape of her undressing. He has a tape of her undressing Mama....” She busted into tears she didn’t know she had kept so much to herself for so long. It hurt, she had been loyal, diligent, been the nice little girl, gradually withdrew him out of the cave he had gone to bury himself, she comes back at her crowning moment and with a bastard.
Ma Williams was now by her side, she put her head on her shoulder started to pat her back, she didn’t realise how much she needed that, how much she needed to tell somebody how she felt. She couldn’t even tell Sesan, this woman would make a good mother-in-law, she had to marry this woman’s son.


“Mama I am sorry, I don’t want to bore you with shameful tears but it is too hard for me. I swear I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night and feel like going to choke her. Why did she have to pick now to come back?”
“Please calm down, I know how you feel. I too had to fight a woman for my man, you are a nice girl me I fight dirty. I poured some itching sand on that one and let her know that I did it. She reared her head when we started making it. This is different though, this is my son and I will make sure that he does not make a mistake okay, I am with you.” That reassured her, she was a bit happy now.
“Thank you Mama.” She knelt down to appreciate her kind words.
“Ahn ahn, it is nothing now, you know that it is nothing. I cannot open my eyes and let an insect enter it. Don’t worry okay, this case will be settled......on another matter, I saw that red bag in the corner, is it what I think it is?” There was a hint of teasing in her voice, this old woman will not leave young girls issues to them now, she thought to herself.
“Well they are for later tonight; I bought some lingerie, which I thought he might like.”
“Lovely, what are you cooking?”
“No I am having some Chinese delivered and will be a very casual dinner. We would stay and watch movies; I got some I know he has been dying to watch.”
“Why didn’t you tell me I was delaying your plans? Please let me take my leave so you could get on with it.”
“Ma Ma, you can stay, the food is not even here yet.”
“No, please let me go, I am not the one that will delay this one. Call me tomorrow to tell me how it went okay.” Ma Williams was up gathering her things especially the vegetables. She couldn’t wait to be this woman’s daughter-in-law, she just couldn’t wait.


It was late in the night when Samson got back, some minutes to twelve, and the Chinese was cold. She had opened a bottle of wine, fished out some Ferraro Rocheres to calm her nerves. She had kept on texting to find out how he was and he replied a couple of times, letting her know he was sorry he was getting late and his clients were being a bunch of morons. She was a bit upset, but the wine, the chocolate and the company of Bridget Jone’s Diary I and II kept her up, but she couldn’t resist the sweet lull of sleep, so she closed her eyes for a little while and when she woke up, he was there standing over her. She didn’t understand how he could still look very sharp at some minutes to midnight. He was standing there like, some greek god smiling down at her.


“Do you want rats to chew your fingers off?” he said commenting at the stain of chocolate on her hands. She got up and stretched, taking care to let an arm of the lingerie she was wearing fell off, she didn’t know if the perfume was still potent but she wanted him to feast his eyes.
“I didn’t know you started breeding rats” she said licking her fingers and then rubbing her eyes. He dropped down and came to her level.
“Babes am sorry, those guys, there were acting like a bunch of donkeys in suits, one just wanted to keep talking over a particular irrelevant bit of the contract and another had his panties tied in a bunch about the conversion rate. It was terrifyingly annoying.”
“I didn’t even listen to anything you said, just glad you are home.”
“I am also, I already kept the Chinese in the fridge it is too late to eat now, will microwave it tomorrow and, I see you got me some movies. Can we watch that tomorrow morning also?”
“Sure.” She said a bit defeated. The night did not go at all in a way she planned, but he was now here. That meant something. He kissed her fore head and said.
“I am off to shower , will you come to the room?” She nodded and she followed him to the room, just after switching off all the electricity. She toyed with the idea to enter the shower with him but she let it go. He was out in a matter of minutes and she could not help but wonder how he would look if he were a woman because he was a beautiful man, a well chiseled beautiful man. It was best he was a man, no need to think about it.

“You are watching me.” he said very coolly
“Yes I am, do you have a problem with that?”
“No......is that a new lingerie, never seen it on you before”
“Yes it is.” Samson removed his towel leaving him unclad, he came to her front and knelt in front of her.
“I am sorry, my past mistakes might be causing troubles for us right now, I know we are meant to be on an Island somewhere having our honeymoon and I will be the one planning romantic evenings while you go shopping. I promise you, once the boy gets well, she and him will be relocated to the United States, the boy only visits. I have thought long and hard about this but you deserve to be happy. You have gone through so much for me I cannot let it get to us. I love you.”
“I love you too.” She bent down and kissed him on the mouth. She was happy, she was winning. That hope soon got dashed when he started to touch and make love to her, it wasn’t the same way, she was used to. He did it as if she was somebody else, and she was standing in for the person. His gazes into her eyes were deeper, he spanked her, he never spanks her, he only started when Zandra got back.


When they were done, they crouched up and cuddled, but she was dissatisfied. He might say he loved her but Zandra was still there in the shadows, she knew she had to be content with this but she couldn’t bear the thought. What if an affair with Zandra started after she weds him, she would have to deal with it also. She had to nip it in the bud, but how? The answer came to her as a revelation, it was a bitter truth. If she had to replace Zandra completely, she had to learn what she did and improve on them; She had to learn from Zandra.

Samson, (Midday)Sunday, 9th December 2012

“You are late!” Samson said chiding Sesan as he joined him, Sesan obviously could not hear him over the loud clomping of the horses hooves , the minor grunts of the players plus the insignificant chatter and cheers of the small audience. He was getting closer and drawing near placing his left ear forward with a tiny squint on his face.


“I said you are late.” Sesan heard properly now, as he lowered himself to a seat next to Samson.
“Ah, Yes I am. The wife has made it a rule to go to churches every Sunday, she says we must be grateful to God for this baby she is keeping. She fears that if she doesn’t go to church, she will mis-carry it. So when I said I was going to the polo club, she started this tirade of misplace priorities rant. You know women…I gave in.” Samson chuckled, he could imagine the scene, he sometimes pitied Sesan, he was a brilliant man but he had to always prove himself to his wife and her family. If he hadn’t gone to church with her, she would have made it a big issue that her father would have to ask Sesan.


“I don’t wish to be you, my man.”
“I know, but I don’t want to be you also, your drama. I won’t be able to handle it.”
“Well said my man, well said.”
“Seems we won’t be playing today, just spectators.”
“Yes obviously, but I wanted us to meet here for another reason.”
“What is that? Isn’t this place a bit too public?”
“No, here is perfectly fine, chose it because everyone is too self obsessed about themselves no one would care.” Sesan shifted his forward, simultaneously shooing away the attendant who was about to ask if he wanted anything.


“I think I might believe Zandra that something led her to go and she might not have taken the money.”
“Why do you say this, you know her don’t you ? You know deep in you that she is beyond redeemable. Her running away with your cash, only cements that fact.”
“Yes, but I didn’t tell you, she had someone else, who made her do what she didn’t intend. You could call him a love-vendor. His name is Sean John. I think he made her do it, run away.”
“So! Pardon my language. The biatch ran away, she didn’t deserve you anyways. What are you talking about.”
“Don’t call her a biatch...I mean you don’t get it. She said to me one night that she wished we could elope, move out of the country. Stay abroad for long, then she sulked and said. It will be useless I was a rich man’s son I would be easy to track and she will eventually be gotten.”
“Who would get her?”
“This Sean character. Trust me I tried to get her away from him, it will seem to work but then again, he would come up with a scheme or threat. We fought a lot about him. She felt she owed her life, her entire existence to him....you do not understand, loving her is like opium, she intoxicates you and you find out she has become a bad habit you have to make good, you have to deal with her bad habit. She dug into the very depth of my soul, would make me extremely angry, boy she could infuriate me, but she would say and do something that would make me laugh and laugh and I would have to hug her. She was so wild; yet so innocent....I punched a governor because of her you know, right in the face. Felt his nose crack behind my knuckles…. What I am trying to say is, I need to know the truth, I strongly believe, Sean john was behind her disappearance. I want to find that son of a biatch and castrate him,” Samson knew he sounded like an angry delusional mad man, he was angry, frustrated and you can maybe say delusional. He did not understand it, he had thought the feelings had gone, but he found out that it was only anger that buried it. He wanted to be sure. He just needed to be sure. Sesan asked the question he had been dreading.


“What about Yinka?”
“She is home, she said she would pop out later, but she was still home before I left.
“You know that is not what I mean.” Samson sighed.
“I know, I don’t know. You know she is a good girl, my parents love her and she is perfect to marry. I love her in fact.”
“So, why are you talking about Zandra?”
“I don’t know. I mean, it’s hard to get rid of her. Very hard.....she ruins everything doesn’t she? First Francesca and now Yinka. You know this morning I was considering having her as a mistress. I have never in my entire life thought I will ever consider a mistress but I am considering seducing my wife as a mistress.”
“And what is wrong about having her as a mistress, you could have a wonderful home and still satisfy whatever confusion you are in outside. Even if Yinka finds out, she will only cry and you tell her, it was a mistake and continue. Trust me, between you and I. Yinka would never leave you, even if she found out you were a murderer.” Samson couldn’t believe his ears. Was Sesan really saying all these things?


“I can’t believe my ears, are you really telling me all these things are okay. You can’t be a reverend father, your confession sessions would be terrible.”
“I am just giving you an easy way out, better for you to make a game plan now, than hating yourself when you mistakenly bon kher on the kitchen floor and you feel immense guilt.”
“No, I am not going that route. I think she and her son will have to go abroad, the boy will visit on holidays.”
“That sounds like a good plan but it doesn’t mean, you won’t bonkher on a kitchen floor, since you are feeling this way.”
“I Know. That is why I need you to do something for me also.”
“What is that?”
“I need you to find out about this Sean John for me. I asked Yinka about him long ago but she barely knows anything about him, and asking her now would raise her suspicions. I need you to ask her again, have her remember any odd detail and send some people to investigate. I don’t want to ask any of my people, they all are my father’s loyalists and I do not want him to know anything about this. He has a strange way of handling things that I do not always agree to. I need this favour from you. I need to know what really happened, who Sean is, is he pulling the strings here again.”
“Why didn’t you try to find this out, when you were married to her?”
“The problem wasn’t like this, I had her for certainty. Or I thought I did.”


“I will look into it, don’t worry I will sort everything out.” Samson nodded his head, he was relieved. He should have done this in the past. He frankly did not know what he was looking for, why he wanted to know this Sean, he felt it would help him answer some of his questions and he could not trust Zandra to just ask her. He felt she would tell him the truth, but the pain and hurt she caused him, branded her a dangerous conniving liar. His father would shout at him, brand him weak and indecisive, but when he thought about her huge smile, and the special way she used to call him baybee instead of baby, he could not help but be curious to find answers. After all he knew his father would sooner or later.

Sesan (Midday) 9th December, 2012.
Burying his urge to laugh in the face of this fool, was the hardest thing he had done in a very long time. Talk about being blind. So Mr perfect still wants to use his little willy on a woman different from his wife in the future. What a confused fool, this was too interesting, there was so many dimensions he could go with this, he could completely remove Yinka from the equation and reinstall Zandra. No. Zandra was an unstable element, she needed to be tortured back to submission, but he knew he was going to Kill Sean John. After his conclusive research, he will inform Samson that Sean John was dead but he wasn’t sure he wanted to play to his dreams and tell him that Sean John made Zandra do it, or make Zandra a cold blooded manipulative mistake. It all depends if Zandra would cooperate. He can see where this is going, front page scandal on national newspapers and multiple hits on gossip blogs. SAMSON WILLIAMS IN ADULTEROUS AFFAIR WITH HIS EX-WIFE, and two weeks later Samson will mysteriously drown on his yacht, a suicide because of the shame he brought on his family and aha, Yinka will have it all, meaning he would have it all. It was too easy, but Zandra had a son, damn it.


“You know I have been thinking when is your son going for the surgery, when will their visas be ready?”
“It should be ready this week, why?”
“I wanted to question Zandra, you get, if I could get information from her about this Sean John. Has it ever occurred to you that she might have made him up?”
“She wouldn’t, would she?” Sesan scoffed, was he really that naive that he didn’t think that there was a possibility she might have lied to him, did he have to teach him how to mistrust people?


“I don’t trust women, she could be lying.”
“I don’t think she is...see I wish you were my friend way back then. So you would have met her. She was incredibly truthful for who she was. She was a skilled thief and pickpocket, but she told the truth so easily. I know I sound so stupid, but when we make love, she becomes this sweet innocent girl. I refuse to believe that woman would be manipulative and lie.” What is this one saying, she is a LovePeddler, you pay her money and you bonk her, what is he saying about heavenly experience making him to believe that she was not capable of lying, when did she become George Washington?

“She was a prostitute, you paid her to make you feel good.”
“No, not like her. I tried paying her once and she went mad, she brought the money to my office and flung it on my face. She walked out and two minutes later walked in and threw the documents on my table to the ground, just to prove her displeasure.” Samson chuckled then continued “She turned back as if she was going to walk out of the door but instead she started to cry. That single moment made me feel like the most horrible person in the world. She might have been a prostitute, but prostitutes also have hearts.”


Sesan could not believe his ears, this entire nonsensical love story was going on right under his nose, and the bitch had the guts to return money, he was going to slap her around this evening when he goes to see her. What on earth did Samson see in her? She was a slut, nothing more to her, she wasn’t even that smart , he made sure she did not go to school or learn the basic things that would make her feel she should be independent, she was only useful for sleeping with, counting money and looking pretty. So what was this all about?

“So, what was special about her?”
“I don’t know... she was different. She needed help, she was her.”
“Okay bro, you have a serious problem, you know what am saying?”
Samson didn’t have time to reply because, the match had come to an end and everyone was clapping, they had not watched it and so decided to continue in their conversation but for a loud thick rich voice that called out Samson’s name it was Patrick Filani.


“Samson, is that really you? You mean you are in this Abuja?” Samson got up to hug him, his face brightened with excitement.

“Pat,Pat, you are the one I should be asking if you are around. Always flying in and out of the country, I thought you had relocated to Sicily. The last time we saw you said you were going to stay there.”
“Oh yes you are right, but I am back home for some projects, I am moving round Nigeria. We are setting up a television station and we are focusing first on Nigeria, then the whole of Africa, We grow from there.”
“That is fantastic, you people will not stop till you rule everything, just don’t come near the oil business, we won’t be able to stand you.”
“That is absolute nonsense; anyone who competes’ with the Williams, simply wants trouble.”
“ True” There was general laughter. “Please seat down with us, meet my friend Sesan. He is the managing director of Nwosu Holdings; he is also married to Richard Nwosu’s daughter.” Patrick looked at Sesan with curiosity.


“Ahhh you are the lucky bastard married to the Nwosu’s household, less pressure than we who are born into it right?” Is this meant to be an insult? Sesan thought. He couldn’t believe that somebody that broke up his brother’s marriage by sleeping with his wife would open his mouth to say such stupid words. He had to hit him where it hurts.

“No, it means I work hard and not take what I feel like, like my brother’s property.” Patrick let out a hearty laugh, he expected him to be cross but he was laughing, he might be trying to disguise his pain.


“So my little comment bruised your ego Sesan, I was about to shake you but I feel you wouldn’t take it. I admire that you told me to my face by the way, I like honest people. I think I should be honest also that you have the stench of a man who wants to fit in at all cost, only God knows what you might have done to achieve the position you are now...oh yes Marilyn. I rest my case. Please forgive me, I am not usually rude. I just won a fantastic game and you felt insulted by ......”
“Stop it, stop it” Samson cut in “Civilized or not, no insults here, I won’t watch grown men, talking to each other like school boys and acting like dogs sniffing each other’s butts.” There was an inconvenient silence, and then Patrick broke it.


“That reminds me, I have a fantastic lady around here, who has gushed about meeting you in the past. Isn’t it her lucky day that you are here and she is here?”
“I don’t want to meet any lady Patrick!”
“Oh, you’ll love her, she is my wife’s friend.” Patrick was searching the crowd for somebody, but Sesan sat there angry and furious. He hated being put down like this. If it was back in his youth he could stab him, right there and then with a bottle. He wanted to stand up and leave, he was angered, belittled and was fighting the urge to strangulate this obnoxious spoilt brat.


“Here she is!” Patrick was saying, introducing a woman in a pale pink gown, she looked very familiar but all beautiful women look familiar in a way that you want to know them or that was his thinking.
“Meet Cornelia Musa, she was the reigning Miss Nigeria after my wife, and she has been gushing about meeting you, and you know we were just reading in the papers that you cancelled your wedding, for some obscure reason. This might be the official reason right here.” Cornelia took her purse and smacked Patrick, while stretching her hand to greet Samson and Sesan.


“Please ignore Patrick, he is a loony. I wonder how his wife copes with him.” Patrick answered in a very still voice.


“She has to cope, with me, she has no choice.” Actually this man was annoying but he admired him, they had now made room for Cornelia. He ordered for a couple of drinks so he could relax, he had a lot to think about.

.

I wonda where d story is going. I cant wait for Yinka and Sesan real colour be reveal o. Hmmm hope nxt update is coming really soon

Bimcious: I wonda where d story is going. I cant wait for Yinka and Sesan real colour be reveal o. Hmmm hope nxt update is coming really soon

Hi dear, glad you still following. I am posting today but unfortunately this would be my last post for this week. No holiday for me O. Please bear with me.

The Guard (Evening),Sunday 9th 2012.
People didn’t surprise him anymore he had seen it all, that was his thinking,but his findings most definitely surprised him. He had never wanted to tell anybody anything with such excitement like this so there he was seated in front of his computer typing a mail he was going to send to Pa Williams. He had called Pa Williams earlier to inform him that his investigations were finished. Pa Williams didn’t want to wait as he had earlier suggested instead he suggested a short debrief via mail. He had already typed out the mail, but he had to proof read it.


To: Damola Williams
Subject: Task to investigate Mr X


Background: Mr. X is the CEO of N Holdings, married to Lady M and friend to Mr S.


Double Identity: Seven years ago Mr. X was known by a popular designer label name owned by the artist P.Diddy. After his marriage to Lady M, he contacted his friends and clients to inform them this name was to be dropped. He was very actively involved in a highly lucrative business that involved the selling of a particular woman (Lady Z) for pleasure. Further details will be passed to you by word of mouth. There is doubt that Lady Z has been in contact with Mr X in the past six years, the sickness of her child, her state of poverty and hermit lifestyle is attested to by her neighbors in Otukpo.

Abnormal Activities: Spies at the hospital inform me that, Lady Z is always visited by Mr X every day, intercourse is reported to transpire. She was visited by Miss Y and Miss F this evening, at separate times today.


Conclusion: While Mr X and lady Z, might know the other, it is still unclear why she disappeared for the period of time she did, but there is definitely a game being played .

He clicked the Send button. Sixteen minutes later he got a reply and it read.

From: Damola Williams
To: G Security

I don’t think Samson would be too stupid not to realize this mail was about him if he reads it, so no need for codes. My mind had told me the story was along this track. This is certainly interesting, I wish it were me Sesan was playing this game with, I already have in store all manners of fiery delights for him and it would ease boredom. We will wait a while to see what Samson would do, I have already sweetened the deal by asking a favour and introducing an ex beauty queen by the name of Cornelia, who would seduce him aggressively to him. Strange occurrence Francesca and Yinka visited Zandra today? See me in my office ten am tomorrow morning. This email will be deleted at my end, I expect that you do the same also. Good job and Merry Christmas in advance.

The Guard poured himself a glass of cold water. He could not help but whisper into the air.
“Zandra, what have you gotten yourself into?” He clicked the delete button.

Zandra. Monday ,December 10, 2012
The dream she had kept replaying in her mind. It was like she was watching a movie someone had told her about but she was uncertain about the ending. She saw herself as part of a large drama troupe playing for a large audience, she was the star, the star didn't look like her but she felt that person must be her, because she felt strongly connected to the lady. She knew from instinct that there was a demented character she liaised with. He could go crazy anytime but she knew how to talk to him, calm him down, ease him and he was her friend. Instinct told her that he was going to kill everyone, but she didn't know if she would survive.


She played her part in the play, did the rehearsals till it hurt in a small quite area covered with dead tree leaves from the trees that surrounded the place and on the big day she performed her heart out to a standing ovation, she felt adored, she felt beautiful, yet she knew she had to quickly leave the theatre, the mad man's attack was imminent. She picked her coat, walked out, she admired the flowers and the green hedges, then advanced towards the decorated exit. At the gate she saw the man. Her heart thumped, he was wearing a hood, she couldn't make out his face, she asked him, scared.

"Are you alright?" It was a strange question to ask, but nothing else would leave her lips. He didn't reply, he grinned and passed by her, shoving her a little to the side. She knew she was meant to leave, but she couldn't bring herself to go, she was at the gate, she felt glued to the spot, she knew something was wrong, she had to do something. It was not long she heard the loud scream, she knew this man had struck, she felt compelled to go and help. She ran up a staircase she couldn't remember getting down from and right there in the corner she saw the man stabbing someone, she tried pulling him off, but he turned to her and stabbed her, she grabbed her stomach, it didn't hurt, but she bent down from the effect. She woke up, grabbing her stomach.


Her heart was still thumping, she had checked to look at her boy if he was there. He was playing with a game his grandmother had bought him. She looked around the room littered with toys and gadgets. Some months ago the boy could not have dreamt of having. He was so quick to learn all their functions and she felt the strings in her soul being stitched together at every laughter of excitement he had over them. But now she was scared, she didn't understand her own dream. This was a strange one, she had her bouts of nightmares, but this was strange. It worried her.


It was nearing 1pm, Sesan always got there between the hours of one and two, he never missed his lunch fix as he called her. She was scared, worried, and angry. She might be the one to take a knife to him, maybe that was what the dream signified, but she knew she would never have the guts. A tiny thought whispered into her mind, but she ignored it, there was no way that could happen, she was doing her best to prevent that, but.....she chased the nagging thought which wanted to be heard back.


What if Sesan still killed your boy? The voice finally declared, clear as a gong, chasing all other thoughts away. She chased it back again. It was impossible, She did as he told her, he wasn't too wicked, vile or evil. He will only do it if she pushed him and only for their own good.


But you wanted to abort the child when you first discovered, he was growing in you, you were even at a doctor's office. What changed? A voice quizzed, she had never asked herself that question, she remembered walking into that doctor’s office, she had done a couple of short cons to get cash and there she was clutching her purse to herself, this was the second time she was in a hospital because of an unwanted pregnancy, but this time she had a choice. This time she could walk out, she had that choice, to cut out Samson, severe whatever ties might want her to go back there, she had made up her mind. But the idea of having a little Samson or Samsoness if it were a girl to cater to, she wasn’t sure if the term Samsoness was right but she remembered the thought warmed her , it made her smile, it would be a gift to herself. A proof that she could do something right and not destroy it. At that time she didn’t know where the Barney is a dinasour theme song started playing from but she found herself nodding to the tune. She could do that legitimately with her child and not feel ashamed, sing and dance and be happy. She could be a responsible person. A Nurse was calling out her name, it was her turn to go in to see the doctor. The woman was mumbling.


“Which kind name be this sef.....Zandra, Zandra.” The nurse fixed her gaze on her and asked.
“Madam are you Zandra?” She shook her head, implying the negative, picked up her purse and walked out of the hospital. There was no moment she had been prouder of herself than that. It was also the first decision she made for herself, with no one influencing her. She felt blissful, her congratulatory pat on the back stopped half way when she realised she was going to be poor. Who were suckers and would feed her free of charge without expecting anything? Of course it was a convent; those religious people were goody two shoes and would fall for her genuine sob story. She didn’t have to turn tricks to be okay, she just had to meet those Sisters, the only thing was that she wasn’t going to tell them that she had married a well to do man, she would say she didn’t know how she found herself washed up in Calabar, the last she could remember was her village being attacked by herdsmen and burning everything to the floor, she got raped during this process and she has lost her period, nobody could find it for her and she was suspecting she was pregnant.


They bought the story at the convent like goats chewing cassava, they made sure she showered, was fed and they began to counsel her, ran tests on her and told her she was indeed pregnant. She knew the act she was putting up meant that she should turn on the tap of tears when they gave her this news. So she did, it was beautiful, they gathered around her, quoted bible verses of hope to her, prayed for her and took turns hugging her. They assured her she could stay till she had the baby. She couldn’t lie to herself the Reverend Sisters were splendid, they thought her how to sew, make hats, mats, and beads, but it was hard work and prayers there, she had to wake up at unholy times and sleep at the holiest of times, attend mass and prayers and do chores, but she strangely enjoyed it.

When the baby came, everyone were on their toes, even Sister Rebecca who was highly suspicious of her and always had her face scrunched up like a local sponge gave in and started running around, calling everyone. The nurses and doctors amongst them did not even want to deliver the baby in the convent, they wanted a proper hospital, none of them waited for a driver, Rebecca got out her car and had the Sister who was a Doctor stayed with her in the back, just in case the baby decided it could not wait any longer. She didn’t think she qualified for such love she was getting, but there she was getting it. Her own mother had repeatedly told her that she delivered her in the silence of her home and cut off the placenta chord attaching them by placing it on a grinding stone by using a knife to snipe it off, especially when her mother threatened her with the same grinding stone to end her life. Here she was in the presence of people who genuinely love her and wanted her to get proper care. The only thing missing was Samson, they had planned the kids they would have, if she was pregnant she was to follow him anywhere on any business trip to be close to him and they were to immediately open an account for her at a top notch hospital . He promised to drop whatever he was doing when the baby starts its fight into the world to be there to hold her hand. Instead of that, she got about twenty nuns praying on the rosary. The odds of life.


It wasn’t after she gave birth to the child that she found out that the whole convent including the gardener had come to the hospital for her. Everybody brought a baby gift, a few gifts for the mother, and there were prayers, singing that the hospital authority had to send in some staff to quite them, but that did not stop anything. People were laughing heartily, some brought cakes and small chops, people passed the baby around, gasps of “Oh such a lovely boy” rented the air others added “He must be a reverend father.” That moment was priceless and she wept tears of joy. The hospital discharged her that night, something to do with the noise of the sisters.
*********

The trouble at the convent started at the naming, they had named her boy Christopher but she knew in her heart that he was Damola after Samson’s grandfather. She had given them the names they added it to his names they gave him, Christopher, Damola and Durotimi. They gave him Christopher because they hoped he would carry Christ over. That was a minor problem but the Reverend father was a big problem, he was a visiting reverend father who resides in Lagos and was Sister Rebecca’s brother, he did the christening. While the sisters served chin chin, puff puff, jollof rice, zobo and fruit juices he walked up to her asking if he knew her from anywhere. She had denied, she had indeed never met him before, so what was he saying? But he kept looking at her, and staring till she felt like she was a mirror and he could see his reflection on her. Lucky for her she had to remove the new set of meat pies from the oven and so off she went.

He had followed her, he wanted to take water he said, she had told him she would get it for him, but he followed her. She had put on a pair of gloves to take out the pastries when he called her, her full name.
“Zandra Williams.” she had felt the tingle of shock mixed with fear.
“Excuse me?” She had said
“You are Zandra Williams aren’t you?”
“No I am not.” She had just turned off the oven and was finding it difficult to open it, she was nervous
“Well then, that is strange, you have a striking resemblance to a woman named Zandra Williams, who is missing. I married a woman recently who had the picture of the wedding dress in a magazine, she always carried it with her, she wanted an imitation of everything the Zandra had. Zandra is a very weird name and funny that you look like the woman and bear her name.” He was now very near her, her back was turned to him. She finally got open the oven, this thrust her backwards a little, having her bent over, the Reverend held on to her waist to unnecessarily support her, slightly stroking her bum, she closed back the oven.


“What is all this? Do you want me to scream?”
“Oh, Sorry, sorry, sorry. I didn’t mean it that way, I was just helping.....but you know a search is on for this Zandra Williams. I do not even know why the people here have not heard the news. Maybe I should call them that I saw somebody like her here. You know just to be sure.” Her throat dried, he was threatening her, well she had what to say. She bent back down to open the oven and stopped when she knew her buttocks were ever so slightly near his crotch area, she brought out the meat pies and elegantly, used her legs to close the oven. She dropped the pies on the counter, then removed her gloves and gave a wicked smile.

“What if I told everyone, what just happened, it is obvious you want to betray God with me.”
“You are free to tell people, they wouldn’t believe you, but they would most likely believe when I get your picture from the internet and I call the Williams. No woman runs away from such luxury without having something to hide. You have something to hide, and I have something to hide, we can both help ourselves out”. She felt like dumping the hot pies on his head and smack him with the pan, but she couldn’t. They always had her like that, she always had something they held against her, they came in various forms, one of the first ones was “you stole meat from your mother’s pot, if you don’t want me to tell her do as I say”. Another was “Well you have to do it, you will not be able to escape if you don’t.” They all wanted something, and she always had to give it to them because there was a condition she was not willing to risk.


“What do you want?”
“Simple, I am in this town for eight more nights and it would be a crown for me if I could tell myself that I slept with the wife of Samson Williams.” What was eight nights, she could get away with it, it was not forever. Eight nights for an extended stay in the convent, it was an okay deal. She opened her mouth, but the screech of the kitchen door interrupted her, it was one of the Sisters seeking to find out why she delayed in the kitchen, she had her boy who was crying with her.
“This one likes food, you need to breastfeed him....Father John you have still not found your water?”
“Ahh no, I became interested in counselling Zandra here, you know I like to talk.”
“Yes, you do.” had come the reply. She had grabbed her baby and went to a room upstairs to feed him. Not long after that, there was a knock on the door and it was her new found friend the Reverend father. He had come to find out what her decision was, she had calmly explained to him that she was still breastfeeding her child, when he asked if he could just taste the milk on the other nipple, she felt like screeching but she didn’t. That was when a race around the room started, she would run away from him and he would pursue her like a game of police and thief.

She finally managed to make her way to the door and out of the room and into the lounge, the child was crying and the Sisters began to chide her for not feeding him well. The Reverend came out and began to ask for the people’s attention. He had something to announce obviously, he was looking directly at her and she knew what he was saying. She in turn got up and volunteered to show him where the milk was, she led him to the kitchen and into the store, she let him know she was only generous to give him breast milk right now, because of her child any other pleasantries would have to wait till later, she had duly accepted his proposal. He was more than happy to oblige to take his milk.


Reflecting now, she wished she had been bold enough to tell everyone the truth, but she wasn’t, she was a lying scumbag and her lies dug more holes for her than she could ever imagine. It was pretty much the same situation as this, if she told the truth she would not have to lie and go on like this, but here she was again burying herself in a grave of lies. She had done the best thing she knew how to do then and that was to run away from from the convent after that night, it saved everybody everything including her. Now she was back, running was not an option she needed to deal with it. It was either she lied again or she told the truth and frankly lying is going to be much easier.


Her eyes caught the dangling of the window blinds, it reminded her of Francesca. Francesca had been struggling with a particular piece of jewellery, her necklace that was tangled more than the definition of tangled itself. It made her laugh because Francesca on the screen was the picture of grace but she had never stopped being that girl next door, who messed things up occasionally and very occasionally get things tangled up. She was there because she had asked her to come, she needed a friend in these trying times and she had called her to a room and wept like a baby to her. She told her everything, told her how she wanted to wait till her baby was treated before they spoke but she felt like she needed to share or she was going to burst. Francesca had held her hand, she wept with her, asked her questions like why had she not contacted her earlier, she could help her start a business, do things to remove the stigma, relocate her to somewhere better.


The answer was still the same; she feared if she contacted anybody from her old life, Sesan would find out and get her to do what she had been running from. She had been right, he didn’t need to find her when she came back, he was there waiting for her. She felt trapped and the only way she could get out was to tell all to Samson or Pa Williams but she would be a snitch if she did. But she was relieved she had Francesca to tell most of the details, the lady kept on looking at her and shaking her head, occasionally gasping. It had been a long time she had a sympathetic ear, she never told anybody anything in Benue and even though she was close to The Guard, she never revealed anything to him. It was an unspoken rule not to. Having Francesca there let her dump a whole load of toxic waste. It was good for her soul, at least she had a friend she could talk to, although she was her soon to be ex husband’s ex. The drama she created around herself, only God knows.


Francesca left a bit early , she promised to come back, and they would discuss plans together, she had no idea Yinka had been waiting for the little meeting to finish and in she strutted minutes after Francesca left. She had not known that Sunday was the day for all the women who had slept with Samson to converge, at least the women she knew. She had told her those words.
“I didn’t know that today was the day that all the women who have slept with Samson would converge.”
“Haha, very funny” Yinka had said dropping her purse on a table and flinging herself to a couch, making herself at home.
“You don’thave maids here?”
“I don’t”
“Strange, means they think you are not worth it.”
“Yinka, did you come here to sneer or you missed me?”
“ You are leaving right after all this, you are not going to cause any trouble.”
“Well I have heard rumours that I will be relocated to the States...I know you do not want me to spoil your little fairy tale.”
“Good.” There was a little bit of awkward silence in the room, then Yinka spoke.
“Where is the boy, I have not seen him .“
“He is two rooms away, he is being attended to, I was on here because I had Francesca here. Do you want to see him?”
“No no no, I do not” Yinka said waving her hand to signify disinterest. ”I will see him a lot in the future, I do not need to do so now.” Yinka motioned to her purse and asked her to pass it towards her, she picked up the gold purse and transferred it to the owner. Yinka started to fumble through it and produced a pack of cigarettes. She withdrew one and lit it.
“Since when did you start smoking?”
“Since ever... I only do it when I am nervous or stressed, it calms my nerves.”
“Have you considered an electric cigarette, it is better for your health”
“That is for the kitties.” There was a little silence, but both women broke out into a short laughter following with a slow smile. That was an in joke between them, they had mistakenly killed a neighbor’s cat, and they had kept the corpse in the house for the day, because they did not want anybody seeing the evidence. The owner was very notorious for involving the police in the most minute of cases. She had once arrested a relative for stealing a tuber of yam, They had not wanted to have anything to do with the woman let alone kill the precious cat. They waited till late in the night to go an bury the poor kitty. Then feigned ignorance when the woman kept asking from door to door with the police, Since then anything that was termed a mistake, accident or a scared person was referred to as a kitty.

“We did have fun then didn’t we, you would send me after some of your clients, you remember the man you begged me to sleep with so that his wife would find out and divorce him, so she could marry her old school boyfriend?”
“Ah, yes and the time you came into my bible study group, wearing nothing but fishnet stockings and nipple covers, you told us to hurry up, because you had a client coming soon. Thank you for that they never came to the house again.”
“What were you doing in a Jehova witness study group anyways.”
“I do not know O. I just know that some of their scriptures had convinced me but when they started saying we had to go out for evangelism I had to recruit you. I can still remember that old man’s face. Looked like he was going to have a heart attack.” They were both in stitches now, the old times were indeed good but they were in the present .
“Well, what is making you nervous to be here?” Zandra asked crossing her legs and focusing her gaze on her. Yinka cleared her throat and dropped some ash on the table she was using as her makeshift ashtray.
“Zandra I need help.”
“Okay, how?”
“I need to know how you do it with Samson, how you bring out the monster in him. I mean you two back then, you would be at it like rabbits everywhere, he would drag you around the house, get carpet burns and scream. For us if it is not in the bedroom we are not getting anything done. He is so mechanical and sometimes when he puts in extra effort, especially recently, I think he is really thinking about you. I really can not lie about this, I know that it is happening and you are the expert ad I need you to teach me.” Zandra was silent, the new information she got made her happy. So Samson still thought about her, she disregarded the rest of the information and let her eyes shine. The thought warmed her and for a brief moment she thought about making love to him. Nah it wasn’t possible anymore.
“So, what do you want me to do, give you notes on what to do? This your request is very strange”.
“Well I am open to anything, you can even have you and Sesan go at it and I watch.”
“Excuse me?”
“You and Sesan, are you two not sleeping together? I could watch. Look if it is the money factor I know I will pay, know you used to do such things back in the days, I think a practical view will be better for me.”
“Get out.” Zandra whispered
“Pardon? ”
“I said get out.” She didn’t let her voice go high, if she raised her voice higher she might be forced to bite her.
“Why ? Are you angry?”
“I write tips for you and send it to you through Sesan.” At that she calmly stood up and walked away, disregarding the smoke from the cigarette and the voice of Yinka beckoning for her to come back.
“But what is wrong. Are you not sleeping with Sesan? Why does that upset you?” She didn’t reply. She had to get away from there, she was angry, she needed to hit something on the head, she bit her lip so hard, she wanted it to bleed. She was hurting. She was now in a room where her son was surrounded by a few doctors, some were in training. She slowly watched them and rested her head against the door pane, she cleaned the single tear drop that managed to escape. It was alright, she was alright, and her son will be alright.


Samson. Monday Evening, December 10, 2012.

Women amused him, he was having a strange case with Cornelia, she called incessantly, every morning and night, she wants to have a meeting it seems, something about supporting her charity, but the sexy female television commercial voice she used in speaking to him implied something else, perhaps she took the future Mrs Williams joke a little too seriously, he might be wrong .


He was now standing at the front door of his son’s hospital suite. His son, those words were still strange to him but they were comforting and he was gradually accepting the fact that he had a son, but he felt cheated because he didn’t watch him grow, watch him loose his first tooth. He didn’t think that would still happen in the future because they would only spend little holidays together, he could still show him some things though. But still he had a son, he was gladdened.


He was in the room now, Zandra was kneeling over resting on a couch and the boy in his usual fashion was asleep. He heard soft murmurs and realised she was praying, he didn’t believe it, now that was a rare sight, but he could also hear the soft sniffles and realized she was in tears. He didn’t know what to do, he felt like scooping her up and carrying her like he always did when she was crying. He had carried her once and carefully started to cuddle her till she stopped. That was the first time they made love, her tears were kryptonite to him, and even now he didn’t know what to do. He reached forward and touched her arm, this jolted her and she raised her head, her eyes were moist and red and he had to fight the urge to hug her.


“Oh, when did you come in?”
“Just now, I see that you are praying.”
“Yes, it helps to talk to someone who you think cares and understands.”
“Really?” there was a hint of sarcasm in his voice, he was more than amused, she had gotten up now and was seated on the Sofa, she quickly used her sleeves to wipe her face.
“Please lets go to the other room so we do not wake him.”
“Sure.” She was very polite, when they were together not in a million years had he thought that she would talk to him in such a manner, she was always vibrant and with passion, it made him suspect Sean John the more, he wanted to ask her but he knew she was going to deny it. That pissed him off, it pissed him off to the skies. They were now in the next room.
“Do you want anything? Tea, juice, anything?”
“ No I am fine thank you, it’s you I should be asking questions .What is troubling you?”
“Hmm?”
“ You do not look good, what is troubling you?”
“My son is sick, I am worried.”
“That’s just one of them what is it?”
“Pick a number.”
“You want to cheat; you would tell me something random.”
“I promise.”
“ The last time you promised me something, you said till death do us part, but in reality, death was too far off for you.” She turned her head away from him, he had upset her, he felt like a retarded housefly, what he had said was highly unnecessary. They were both adults and they had moved past it.
“I am sorry. I was out of line.”
“Its fine I deserve it.”
“Fine, you can tell me anything you know?”
“What do you care, all you want is for me out of the way, so you can get married.”
“Yes I do want you out of the way, but I also care about you. I worry about you. Wonder if Sean John is behind all of this.” She gave a soft sad laugh.
“You remember Sean don’t you? “
“Yes I do, is it him, is he threatening you, do you need help, so help me God I will deal with him for you.”
“I wish....you are getting ahead of yourself Samson. I am fine.”
“You are hopeless; this is what you say all the time. Yet it is vivid something is wrong somewhere, look am over it, am over you, I have moved on and over the pain, but I do worry about you.
“Yes I am hopeless. Very hopeless it is scary.” He starred at her, she looked frail, she looked worn out, she looked like she carried the planet on her shoulders, she was a shadow of the woman he knew. This woman right here had shed all her disguises, or she was wearing an extremely good one that he could not tell. She sat down on a sofa and crossed her arms, he couldn’t tell what she wanted, he used to know what she wanted before she said it, it was a long time ago yet very strangely he missed those times.

“I guess you are here because you want to tell me something.”
“Yes , your visa’s are ready, you leave tomorrow in the evening.”
“Oh, okay, that’s good news.”
“You do not seem excited about it.”
“You have no idea how much I need a break from here, I need to get out.” She always wants to get out, always wants to leave. She left him.
“Why did you leave? Seems you won’t give a reason till I ask.”
“I couldn’t stay.”
“Why?” She looked away from him, out of the window. It looked like she didn’t want to be there, she didn’t want to answer the questions, but why did she really leave.
“It’s too complicated.”
“Un-complicate it.”
“It’s not that easy...look I loved you ever since, with all my heart. You know it wasn’t when I told you I loved you I realised it. It dawned on me when ....can you remember when you brought that balloon for that little girl ,my neighbor. She had been staying with us because her mum was not back from work and she was playing with this balloon, she let it out of the window and she just sat there sulking in the corner. I was making fun of her but you walked up to her and said you were going to go up there in a plane and bring it back to her. I thought you just said that to make her feel happy. But the next day you showed up with a balloon, same colour, same size .” She sighed then continued. “ You didn’t want anything from her, you just wanted her to be happy and you didn’t lie to her to make her just feel better. It was there, then and at that moment I knew I was in love with you, you were so different, you have a kind heart. I just want you to know I didn’t leave because I was unhappy or I didn’t love you, but I had to. I just had to and I am afraid I can’t tell you why, there is too much at stake if I told you.”


He remembered the balloon, he remembered the look she gave him when he gave the girl the balloon, he remembered everything. This woman screwed with his head, she loved him but she

wouldn’t tell him the problem. She loved him but she couldn’t share what was in her heart with him. It killed him.
“Tell me did it have to do with Sean.”
“Yes.”
“You love him also don’t you?” She was breathing heavily, he could see it, he had hit a nerve, so he continued quizing.
“Tell me, you loved him that is why you left.”
“I am scared of him and what he might do, I am terribly frightened Samson. I don’t know what to do, I am trapped. I stopped loving him a long time ago. He lied to me, he used me, but I owe him a lot. I owe him my life. I don’t know.” He could see that she was on the verge of breaking down, he had pushed her. But he had to, she couldn’t continue conducting herself like that, she had to speak out for help, he felt like going forward to comfort her, he didn’t know if it was wrong to touch her, but it was the right thing to do. So he got up and went to her. He touched her hands and looked deep into her eyes, he could see the pain, the anguish the fear, it was all written there. It made him reminiscence about the past. She had broken down in the middle of the road; he had gone to fetch her, calm her down in a big hug and told her everything would be alright. He put her in the car and she slept off, when they got home he carried her into the room and watched as she slept. He had kissed her then, her soft lips, he missed her lips.
“Where can I find him, Sean?”
“Trust me you do not want to know who he is or find him.”
“Look you know who I am, am sorry I have to use the name card, but I am a Williams. We resolve issues. I have been begging you for years to let me know who he is. It frustrates me you know and it only creates more problems. Look at where we are now. Thanks to him we are apart, I don’t see my kid for long, you are the way you are. Please share with me, who is he. I want to punch him in the face. We now have a son, do you want to expose him to that amount of negativity from a demented man?” He watched her eyes, he could imagine the conflict going on in her head, he had watched as she tried to open her mouth but it wouldn’t open, her grip tightened and she fell on his shoulders. Her tears were out now, his suit was getting damp and he didn’t mind.

“I am so sorry Samson, I am so sorry. I wish I hadn’t come into your life to complicate things, you have been so good to me. You cared for me, you showed me the best things in life, you married me. I have brought pain to you, even if I leave here it would still stay with you, I have so much to tell you but I cannot. I wish I could but I cannot. I am such a terrible person; I only bring unhappiness and destruction where I go.” She was hyperventilating now. He patted her , then slowly pulled her back. He remembered this scared girl, he thought he had gotten rid of her years back, but her shadow remained and over took her again. He couldn’t bear it, her lips were trembling so he kissed it.

It dawned on him he had been wanting to for a long time, she went stiff at first but then she clasped his lower lips and gently began to work her way around it. It was sweet, it was delicious, he forgot everything and she wrapped her hands around his neck, he felt her whole body surrender, he heard her moan that he missed, it made him loose his mind. He wanted her. Oh her tongue, they were moist, they contained the most appealing aphrodisiac he had ever tasted, it has been ages since he felt like this, he wanted to take her, tear off her clothes, make love to her till she gasped his name the way she used to. He might have, but then she pushed him away.

“You have a new LovePeddler now, you need to marry her and have your precious life with her. Please drop my son and I’s visa’s we need to get ready for the long journey tomorrow.” The euphoria of the moment had found a hole in the ground and drained itself. He was in a state of disbelief, had he just done that? Had he just kissed her?
“The guard will deliver them to you. I just came to give you the news”
“Thank you.”
“You were never a LovePeddler to me, and my future wife isn’t one also. I am sorry I was out of line, think about it if you want to come forward with information about Sean.”
“I will”
“Thank you and good bye.” She didn’t reply, she didn’t have to, he still did not believe what he had done. He had vowed never to touch her, but there he was kissing her, if Yinka found out he was in trouble, she was insecure about the whole situation already. Damn, how stupid could he get.
“Please don’t tell Yinka about this.” She nodded, “I have just come to a decision now, I will not come in contact with you again. Just know if I sense our child might be under the influence of the man you dutifully protect, I will have him taken from you.” Now that sounded more like him, he was getting back to his usual self.
“Yes, that will be best I presume.” She answered ever so softly. It struck him, she always struck him.
“Zandra.” She raised her head up to look at him.
“For what it’s worth, I still love you, but this is the end, goodbye.”
“I love you too and yes goodbye.” The doors closed.

Wow this thread is hot. Girl u re gud

this piece of work is.... just too good, i was really shocked when i found out u were a gal.. keep it up.. waiting for more updates

Thanks for d update. Pa williams should make zandra openup to him o.

#singing# You driving me crazy.
Am so in love#ije love o sariwa#
Thank you sweet for making my morning.

Thanks for d compliment. Jus 4 d record, i come on nairaland jus to read ur story. More grease to ur elbows gal

Haaa pllllsssss ooooo come an update lol. Oh u said till nxt wik. But u can till find tym to update b4 nxt wik cos nxt wik is too far o. Haaa pllllsssss ooooo come an update lol. Oh u said till nxt wik. But u can till find tym to update b4 nxt wik cos nxt wik is too far o.

ur makin me go crazy....dis is so lovely n touchin...kip it up

Lovely piece, update plzzz..

*cleans tears*
Oh Zandra,Oh Samsom
Am sori Xenia for av bin away for a while buh asure u we r goin dere 2geda til ds story ends,u such a lovely writer,tnx for ds 1daful piece

Pls xenia cum nd update... U promised a long update dis wek nd today is thursday, ur story is one of a kind

Ice4jez: Wow this thread is hot. Girl u re gud

@ice4jez thanks darl glad you enjoying. Xo

Culin: this piece of work is.... just too good, i was really shocked when i found out u were a gal.. keep it up.. waiting for more updates

@Culin, I don’t know if it’s a bad thing to be a girl O?! Do bosoms make a difference in writing? You know so many people approve what we are saying because of those things right? Jokes aside, thank you so much, I am always gladdened when someone gives me positive feedback. Enjoy.

Bimcious: Thanks for d update. Pa williams should make zandra openup to him o.

@Bimcous, thank you my darl. We shall see wetin Pa Williams go do, he is a wild card like Zandra also.

Bimcious: Haaa pllllsssss ooooo come an update lol. Oh u said till nxt wik. But u can till find tym to update b4 nxt wik cos nxt wik is too far o. Haaa pllllsssss ooooo come an update lol. Oh u said till nxt wik. But u can till find tym to update b4 nxt wik cos nxt wik is too far o.

@Bimcious, Darling that got me laughing O. Babes I am so sorry I could not update. I wish I could have but I couldn’t. Please bear with me you hear. Btw I am really glad you are enjoying the story lots of love.

buyles: Thanks for d compliment. Jus 4 d record, i come on nairaland jus to read ur story. More grease to ur elbows gal

@buyles, Wow I am so flattered. Smiling I will not chop again today this has belle full me. Sincerely darling, I think you should check out other lovely stories on this forum. Wesslier, Bukkydan, Omolola1 and repo girl are people I am currently reading their stories and they are lovely. A trial will convince you… lol I just had to add that cheesy marketing line.

Sophiatabitha: #singing# You driving me crazy.
Am so in love#ije love o sariwa#
Thank you sweet for making my morning.

@SophiaTabitha, so you my runaway baby is back, dancing skelewu. Glad you enjoying the story.

gandyluv: ur makin me go crazy....dis is so lovely n touchin...kip it up

@gandyluv, babes thank you so much. Thank you for the encouragement. Mwahh

Joanee: Lovely piece, update plzzz..

@Joanee thank you for loving it. I wish you didn’t have to say pls for an update, its something I so enjoy doing but time no dey. I am currently talking to my friend Bill Gates to help develop a computer that that will connect my thoughts to the laptop and update immediately. Please bear with the slow updates for now. Did I mention how thrilled I am that you are enjoying the story?. Xo

Candis009: *cleans tears*
Oh Zandra,Oh Samsom
Am sori Xenia for av bin away for a while buh asure u we r goin dere 2geda til ds story ends,u such a lovely writer,tnx for ds 1daful piece

@Candiss009, my love you are back. Awww I want to dance o, where you go too? You been mad busy right? Sorry dear. Glad you are back and I am glad that you are still following this story darling. Wish could send you a welcome back gift but please take a kiss for now. Love you sugs.

SPLENDIDFLOZZY: Pls xenia cum nd update... U promised a long update dis wek nd today is thursday, ur story is one of a kind

@splendidfloozy my dear Chimo I didn’t know I promised that O. I must have been high when I wrote that. Funny enough this week I had some free days but gave way to laziness cos I have not rested in a while. I am happy you are enjoying the story and I will try my best to update as soon as I can. Really do wish Bill Gates was done with that customized thoughts uploader he promised me so updates would be easier. Thank you sugs hope you enjoy the rest of the story.

Samson, 8th April 2005.
It was a Friday and Zandra was waiting for him in the lobby, she had now moved in temporarily with him, it was one of their new plans. He didn’t trust that she would resist an enticing offer, he didn’t blame her, he was paying the cash for the clients so she wouldn’t go to them and he could say he understood why she wouldn’t want to drop such a lucrative job. What bothered him was that she had told him that she was happy taking a break but she was sure when Sean John got back she would get back in the game. He was curious about this Sean fellow, he felt like this individual had a mind map of Zandra’s and he used it to navigate her mind at will. When he asks her about Sean, she would quickly shove it under the carpet skillfully. It had bothered him, he felt like Zandra wasn’t the enemy but this character in the dark was. He had a plan to get it out of her today, he was going to get her drunk and have her do a lot of singing that would get her tired and loosened up .

“You are leaving work early again?” One of the directors who had just popped his head into his office while he was clearing his desk observed.
“Yes is that a problem?”
“At all....just that, is it because of that girl downstairs? I have been hearing a lot about her.” The man had now found his way into the office, he was greasy and oily. Samson hated chatting to him because it seemed he was a victim of an over active sweat duct.
“Well the rumour is that she has moved in with you.”
“Yes is that a problem?” He asked again just in case he had missed it earlier.
“The stories I have been hearing about that girl, they are not good at all. It is like that girl is an Ashewo”
“Okay and?”
“She is an Ashewo...” The director rose up his hand into the air as if he was looking for inspiration so that his words would fully sink into Samson’s thick skull; he seemed to have gotten something.
“I have heard numerous stories about this woman, your father will not be happy if he finds out both of you are friends, the rumour is that you are sleeping with her, haven’t you thought about the health implications of this, even if you are going to damn whatever negative publicity this would give you and the company.”


Samson hated shallow minded people, they only think about what they would be doing in a particular situation and how it would affect them, this man was a bit genuine he knew, but his concern was in the wrong place, he was meant to be concerned about the investigation going on underground about his misuse of company funds. He was done clearing his desk now and was lifting up his briefcase.


“Mr. Komolafe, Zandra I know has slept with at least two people I refer to as friends and taken cash from them as compensation, she has quite a high rate you know but you will address her as Miss Zandra to me. She is my friend and a particularly good one. I might be forced to start referring to you as a thief if you would continue to refer to somebody by a negative action of theirs.” Komolafe was obviously offended, what this boy was spewing like a ruminant chewing the cud.


“What do you mean? I will not have you talk to me in such a manner, I am older than you are and you will not be in such a position if not for your father.”
“I know I am privileged Mr. Komolafe, I would like to rub that in your face more, but I have a more important place to be right now, but I will like you to think very well about how two million dollars of the Williams foundation found its way to be linked to the building of a hotel in your home-town. You see where the description of the hard working thief is coming from. Please do not try to defend yourself, your old age and your merit will. You see how lucky I am that I come from a wealthy home and I have no real motive to steal from my company which I am going to own....I am sorry did I just rub that in your face? Please forgive me, it’s an old habit of mine, to put spineless individuals in their space. I will see you in the board room on Monday. If I call you a thief, you may refer to me as arrogant or spoilt I will accept it as true descriptions of my nature.“
“Wha, wha, what do you mean? What kind of stupid allegation is this, I will have you ...”
“Have a lovely weekend Mr. Komalefe.” Samson was already at the door, he did not want to keep Zandra waiting, leaving her too long on her own especially in a place crawling with men often cost him money. Samson appreciated one thing though; she had stopped announcing to people her work and her price list. Instead she would say she was in the market for a new job after quitting her old one, when asked what her old one was, she would say customer services then change the topic. She was a good topic changer.


Was he really becoming defensive about her? His skin kept on crawling when Komolafe was talking about her with such disdain, he felt like bashing his head with the briefcase he held. He had been over sensitive there, he even let out very important details about an ongoing investigation, that was not wise, luckily enough something could be done about it. Samson immediately texted the security department saying, “Keep Komolafe on level one surveillance, he may attempt to leave the country, forward message to father.” He hated relaying messages like this to his father, he would immediately get a reply he wasn’t looking forward to.


So many times he had been wrong about people, but something really told him that he wasn’t wrong about Zandra, to him she had merely taken a wrong path and she needed somebody to direct her in the right position. So far he had been a little bit successful, she was teaching him how to cook and he was teaching her how to read and write with the Alice in wonderland story book. He felt sorry for her because all the education she seemed to have gotten were only based on the selfish leanings of one man and movies, including the pornographic types. Most of the extreme sexual positions she knew came from these movies and yes they were practiced first with this Sean John character. She behaved the exact way this person had molded her to be. Samson wanted her to be someone else, a woman of her own and not a slave to a desire, not even his own.

Aha there she was, seated in the lobby, her hands were doing some kind of conjectures, he had seen a couple of kids do, she had a tiny string wrapped around her fingers and she was pulling each one with a finger or more, trying to create something, she had tried to teach him how to create the sun once but he couldn’t get it perfectly. That was one thing about her , she retained a childish quality that endeared her to him, he knew she was going to attack him for being late, he loved her raising her eyebrows.


“So that was your five minutes ehn?” she raised an eyebrow.
“I’ts one man like that that stopped me with small talk o, sorry you hear, why do you look like you have not bathed today?”
“Because I have not bathed today, why you are trying to embarrass me in public? Ahn ahn, warn yourself o.”
“But if I see you have not bathed, everybody else will see also.”
“Na you sabi, see take your car key, you are the one driving today”
“What happened? Thought you enjoyed driving me and not having me do the work.” He gave her a sad face.
“I would have but see, I no longer have a driver’s license.”
“What happened?”
“Some traffic official took it off me.”
“How?”
“I was stopped, was asked to provide all these papers I didn’t have , I even thought I had forgotten my driver’s license, so told them I didn’t have that also, those people dem just they shake head, dey ask madam wetin happen now? Wetin we go do? I was like, see power dey your hand, you fit free me so? Then I remembered I had the license in the purse I was carrying, so I gave it to them and it was like they wanted to seize it from me, but I didn’t have time for that now, so I left it for them to eat. It will soon expire. So o me I know how goody two shoes you are and how you are the son of Obatala, so you better drive your car, no be me go put you for trouble.”


Samson couldn’t believe his ears he bursted out laughing this woman is a criminal
“You are a criminal you know that.”
“Ahn Ahn, did you expect me to seat there and be begging them or give them money? You know I don’t have time now, if I got here late, that is how you will be telling me story of how monkey gave birth to a fowl and how they roasted the fowl.” He sometimes felt like kissing her when she made a mockery of him, she did it so naturally and beautifully, he guesses these feelings were normal if you become fond of somebody but there was no way he could date her, she was like a sister he never had. He was even silly suggesting it to his thoughts that he might date her, that was offensive She seemed to be saying something, he had been lost in his thoughts.
“So who is that greasy man, he said his name was Komolafe or something he came here and was asking me odd questions”
“What did he ask you?”
“You would have to pay me if I told you.” Samson gave a smile, so Komolafe had come here to try his luck with her, now that was a special kind of funny.
“Did I just crack a joke? you are smiling.”
“I’ll drive; you give me the car keys”

****

They had finished dinner and Zandra was singing along to a Diana Ross song, she had her hair up and she was swishing and sashaying her hips to the song, he was almost drunk, they had finished a bottle of wine and half a whiskey bottle, he even joined her in singing and dancing but unfortunately he was mixing the words and she had sent him to seat down. It was time to ask her.
“How come you sing so well, did you ever get training, you sang beautifully at that party I invited you to also?” Zandra shrugged,
“I just listened to a lot of songs and Sean John believed I had a good voice so he would make me sing to his satisfaction, he wanted me to be a singer at a point but it didn’t work. The other business was more lucrative, there was so much work to do in the music industry.”
“How did you meet this Sean fellow?”
“Is that why you have been making sure I was drinking so I can spill my secrets.” Zandra was still dancing, but she had stopped singing and she was looking at him, she made him feel uneasy sometimes, especially times like this.
“Yes I thought you could loosen up a bit.” Zandra stopped completely now, she was looking at him still, intently and disturbingly.
“You are trying to trick me, I can’t believe it Sean was right. He said you would do this, try to trick me. I need to go to sleep I am moving out of here tomorrow. I thought you were being a good friend to me”
“I am being a good friend why would I want to just trick you. I felt it would be easier if I loosened you up a bit and you talked to me.”
“What if I did not want to talk about it. Sean already told me, he said you were going to paint him as bad, no matter how I explain to you the way he helped me. He said you will tell me a man that didn’t let me learn how to read and write was not good for me, while the truth is I make more money than the people who can read and write. I have done very well in life without learning how to read and write” was this girl listening to herself; she sounded like she swapped her brain with a bird’s. How could she believe that hogwash?


“How old are you Zandra? When is your birthday? These are simple questions I know you cannot answer about yourself and here you are brandishing your illiteracy like a badge of honor.”
“He told me you would think you were superior to me because you had the privilege to go to high end schools. I did not have that okay; I had to fend for myself. I went to a public primary school, yet I had to go sell every morning before school started and after school started. That was the life I had not a Cerelac and tea life like you had. You think you are high and mighty because you had the best things in life. For your information there are people at the other side who weren’t lucky. I am one of them and if you want us to continue being friends, you will have to respect me that way.”
“Look Madam, I am sick of this inferiority complex talk you keep on spewing. So because I am educated and I see sense in you getting a proper education it means I feel I am better than you....”
“You didn’t...” Zandra cut in, but he would not have her stop him in mid sentence.


“Let me talk woman...oh yes that is the kind of language you like don’t you. I should be stern and not soft and nice, You like being treated like a rag Zandra I don’t know if you were conditioned that way or you take a sick sadistic pleasure from it.....” There was a loud sound, and it was the sound of Zandra’s palm hitting him hard across the face, he didn’t know when she bridged the gap and it was as if she was the goddess of thunder herself because the slap was fast and hit him like he was struck by lightning.
“You do not have the right to talk to me like that.”
“No but if I was Sean John I would right?”
“Sean and I are none of your business.”
“Look I like you and that kind of makes everything about you my business.”
“So it is that you want to sleep with me?”
“That is your problem; you think all men want something from you”
“You know it, I know it that you are going to sleep with me in the future, Sean already told me. You cannot be giving me such amounts of money in the name of just being nice. You want me as your personal bottycall.”
There was deep silence, it was such a drag keeping a professional prostitute as a friend, the intercourse thing would always come up and usually at uncomfortable times.


“ Zandra, I need you to pack your bags. I will drop you at your place tonight, you obviously think this... what we have here is more than what it is. We need to terminate this friendship, it would be like we never met, you can go back to your work and I will leave you in peace...you know it is funny how you think I had not tasted the other side. I used to run away from home, my dad had too many rules, I experimented a lot, would steal, do all kinds of dangerous stuff. When my mother couldn’t bear it anymore she cut me off my chief influencer and sent me to my grandfather, may his soul rest in peace. That man could understand every aspect of my teenage rebellion, he knew just what to say to me and when to say it. Gave me tasks where I could learn a lesson, he became my best friend. Unfortunately I am not my grandfather and I do not have his style. I have to give up on you.” He didn’t want her to go, it was a bluff, he uses this a lot during his business deals, his grandfather was a master of this art. He dared you to do what you said you wanted to do, to show that you didn’t have the guts or just to show that you will make a mistake and he knew better. Right now he didn’t know what he was doing, he didn’t know if he was going to receive another slap. What he knew was that he didn’t want her to go, he liked her too much to have her ruin her life.


“He was the first person who ever helped me” Zandra murmured in a sober voice
“What?”
“Sean, he was the first person who ever helped me” It worked she was talking, calling her bluff worked, he wanted to give a victory punch, but it would kind of spoil the moment, so instead he asked.
“Help you do what?”
“Promise to never use this against me”
“I won’t” Zandra sat down on the floor and crossed her legs like a Buddhist’s, he knew he was to be regaled by a tale and he was more than interested.
“Sorry I slapped you, I was angry.”
“It is fine, I know” There was another awkward silence; he was shocked that she was shy, Zandra and shyness did not go together. Zandra poured herself a small glass of whiskey, she took a shot and began to talk.


“After school, I would sell drinks to passengers travelling in buses , there was this particular day I had not made a sale all day, I was a bit sick, I had menstrual pain, so I couldn’t run as I would like to but fortunately or unfortunately for me a car came by and I was the nearest to it. I managed to run, a passenger demanded for water, I gave it to him and before I knew it the bus was off, I kept on shouting, drop the money, drop the money but he was saying bring change bring change. The bus did not stop, I had lost that... You see my mum, she doesn’t take nonsense, she was going to use my mouth to scrub the floor, design my body with fresh cane which I would have plucked from the bush myself. It was inevitable, I had pain in my stomach and I was soon to have pains all over my body. It was at the realization of this I fell to the floor and started crying, even snort was coming out of my nose. It was a dusty road, I was at the side, my mates would just pass by and run after the cars that were passing to make a sale, some stopped occasionally to pat me on the head, but nothing worked I was going to have to face my mother. It was then my saving grace came on a bike. You see Sean was a bike man, no let me say bike boy then. He parked his bike next to me and started asking me why I was crying, but I just couldn’t stop. I wept and wept and wept and wept. He then told me he wanted to buy water, I gave him the water amidst tears and snort, he brought out a denomination I didn’t have change to also, my tears increased. I don’t have change, go away I told him. He wouldn’t go, he stopped his bike and got down, he asked me why I was crying, could he help? Then I started to tell him what had happened, when I was done, he just hissed and fished out an insane amount of money from his pocket. It was insane then because I hadn’t seen that much money in my life. It was a couple of hundreds actually. He bought every single thing off me and gave me a ride home that day. That was the beginning.”
This was incredible Samson was thinking, his eyes were fixed on her, she was now lying on the floor her eyes watching the ceiling, she was baring her soul to him and he felt incredibly lucky, for some reason he wished it was him that met her by that road side at that day, but he wasn’t sure what he would have done, yet he still wished he had met her way back when the agony started, so he could help remove it.


“So how did you two become lovers?”
“Some days after, we didn’t take too long, I liked him, he would always came to check on me, give me money, for the first time I was very happy. So when he asked if I knew there was a hole inside of me he could stick something in, I was glad to oblige. Alhaji had been doing it for years so, why not him.” Did she just say that nonchalantly, like it was not a big deal?
“How old were you? I mean with Sesan”
“I was fourteen and he was like nineteen.”
“How old were you with Alhaji?”

“I Think I was six or seven, I can’t really remember, but it started since when my mum started dating him. He was just bearing Alhaji sha, he had never gone to Mecca before, he was not even really a muslim, his fellow drivers just gave him that name, because he knew large chunks of the Quran. He would buy me sweets, biscuits and chewing gum. He bought me my first bra you know.”
“So wait what did your mum say about this and wasn’t it painful?”
“It was at first, but after a couple of times it wasn’t, I couldn’t tell my mum, she would beat me up, there were five of us, two each for separate men and only me for my father which I never met. I think my father duped her, because she would always say something like I was the daughter of a criminal and a 419, often times while she was flinging something at me. So you could say in a way, me sleeping with the love of her life made me think that I was getting back at her.... I got pregnant once you know and I boldly told her it was for Alhaji. He wasn’t around then, he had gone on his driving job. She beat me up like hell that time, threw all she could at me, that’s why I have that scar at the back of my neck, it was her throwing an iron bucket at me, she said I should not come into her house. I was a liar like my father, I was a witch, a redundant love peddler who wanted to end her life and God will not give me the Grace. I had to sleep in a neighbor’s house until Alhaji came back. He calmed her down when he came back and told her I was lying, I was not pregnant, I only had kwashiorkor, he of course took me to a hospital and got the baby aborted for me. He said all the big girls did it, it was a rite of passage. If I wanted to be a big girl I had to do it and I should not tell my mother as she would not understand. I didn’t tell her, I hated her more and I got a lot of gifts from Alhaji because I did it, sardines mostly because he knew I liked sardines.” Samson wanted to hug her, lift her up from the floor and tell her, what she was saying was not ordinary, nobody should go through that, but he didn’t, he feared she might interpret it that he wanted intercourse, so he quizzed her again.


“So Sean John was aware about Alhaji, did he do anything to stop him?”
“Ahh you don’t know Sean at all, it was an opportunity for him. He told me I was misusing such a chance by just sleeping with someone and collecting silly things, he told me to collect the silly things and demand for cash. You see he explained to me that the man preferred me to my mother because I was young and had a tight you know what. So he had to pay for that and if he wouldn’t pay I should not sleep with him and if he forces me I should report to him. Well when I wouldn’t sleep with Alhaji, he was obviously stronger than I was and he had his way with me. I reported this to Sean and he went after Alhaji to collect the money, he had pulled a knife to him and Alhaji was scared. He told Alhaji before he sleeps with me he had to come pay him money, same went for everybody else if they wanted to sleep with me, and they had to pay. That was how the business started and I was really good at it. I know your kind, you would judge me but that is what I am good at.”
“I am not going to judge you, I am rather sympathizing with you.”
“I don’t need your sympathies” she cut in.
“Okay, but you are very good in other things, you sing well, cook well, you are better than most of my accountants with money, you could make something out of that”
“Mtschew, are you saying I can be an accountant without school or I should start a catering business and die a pauper?”
“So instead you are selling your body and staying rich?”
“I am not selling my body?”
“What are you doing then?”
“I don’t know.... I really do not want to do anything else nothing”
It was best if he left it for now, she was taking a defensive position and if he pushed, she would probably shut down. He knew what to do, he would break down that wall of hers and reconstruct it, he would distance her from that Sean character. It would be a tough job but he had to do it. He noticed the light from his phone was blinking, he feared it would be a message from his father. He was right, it read.


“Got intelligence that you let slip of an undercover investigation on komolafe. Come to lunch tomorrow with that girl, I want to see you both. If you do not come, I will find my way to you. Your mum is cooking.”

“We have just been invited to dine with my parents.” Zandra sat up and gave him a puzzled look.
“I don’t want to go.”
“You have to, it is happening because of you, and think of it this way , you will get new outfits for it.”
“Now you are speaking my language.” He wanted to tell her he loved her, as a sister of course but again, she was who she was and would take it the wrong way, but he was so moved by what she had just revealed to him. He kissed her on the forehead and said.
“I never had a sister, goodnight sis.”
“No one has ever called me their sister before”
“Well get used to it, you are my new sister and I love you, good night.” He didn’t wait to see her reaction, he got up and left.

The Guard.Tuesday Night, December 11, 2012.
It was dark and misty, for some reason rain had decided to fall, soaking everywhere with its wetness. The guard was holding an umbrella over Zandra’s head as she walked towards the chartered air craft. The Williams had rented an air ambulance to lift them to their destination and for the first time in years he said a silent prayer for the kid to be okay and a prayer for Zandra, so she would not get herself into further trouble. He didn’t believe God existed anymore but he still prayed, just in case he was there. He wanted to ask questions, get her side of the story in the damning evidence he had gathered but, he knew he might be making a grave error.


“Would I be seeing you again?” Zandra enquired, her hands in her pocket, taking care to tread carefully on the increasingly slippery floor.
“I don’t know.”
“Okay.”
“Your son will come in about fifteen minutes, I will wait till his arrival and then leave you, do you have all your requirements? I gather that the good doctor will be following you on the trip.”
“Yes he is, and I am fine thank you.” They were now entering the plane and he felt his heart grow heavy, he wanted to help her. He wanted to tell her he knew about Sesan and he could help, but then again she was a cunning little fox. She could be in on the game and he would fall prey into her hands.


She was now examining the craft, it was spotlessly clean and had some medical equipment attached here and there, she was touching them one by one, examining them as if they were strange ingredients she wanted to use to cook a soup. She turned away disinterested and found herself a nice seat.
“You and I are alike you know.” She said frowning at him.
“What do you mean alike?” He wasn’t meant to answer that but he didn’t know why he did, he was meant to ignore it and let it slide, that was the safest thing to do. He realized that the time he spent with her, telling her odd details about himself and with her watching like a child who just discovered the joys of Christmas endeared him to her. He shouldn’t leave that window open anymore, but he was intrigued she compared herself to him and for that she had some explaining to do.


“Have you ever met a woman you really loved, would die for but because you were an Eunuch she had to leave?” He stared back at her, why would she be asking him such a question? The pain came back rushing in, he thought he had blocked it off him. He had never been asked this question, yet coming from Zandra they were like thousands of daggers piercing through his skin.
“Yes, Claudia.”
“Was she beautiful?”
“Yes she was.”
“How did you two meet?”
“Why are you asking me questions?
“Nothing, I am bored, sad and we probably won’t meet again. I am looking for company for my misery.”
“If I tell you will you share something with me.”
“ Deal.” He was standing towering over her, searching her eyes to see if there was a hint of honesty there, she looked like a woman who was fighting a difficult battle, who had lost hope in all of humanity and would only play a game of savages. Ah there was what he was looking for, that lost look, the scarred innocent little girl hiding behind. He would share his story with her but he would also teach her a lesson of note.


“I saved her from a kidnapping. She was walking out of a hotel and into a car she thought was waiting to pick her. They were kidnappers. I had overheard a conversation between her and her personal assistant, he had specifically said. Wait till I call you. These clowns obviously knowing who she was were waiting outside the hotel with cards with her name on it. That was not a wait till I call you, besides I was quick to glance into the car when the first man got down, I could see a sharp machete in the car. I wouldn’t have cared but I launched forward and dragged her back, just as she was about to get in. The one in the car took the machete and waved it at me in an attack. I wasn’t too quick because the one outside was dragging the girl with me, so he landed a deep cut on my arm, if I were two seconds slower, he would have cut my arm off. That pissed me! It pissed me!! So I took out my gun and shot them both in the foot. While all this was happening, everyone ran away, even the police. I wasn’t a police man, so I left the scene with the girl.” Zandra was smiling she was obviously amused, and she should be, he very rarely shared that story.

“Hmm, So you were her hero?”
“Yes”
“Was she beautiful?”
“Yes”
“No wonder you took note of her, beautiful girls get it all, Francesca, Yinka, Claudia.....”
“What do ugly girls get?”
“Ignored”
“What do slutty girls get?”
“ Male Privates.” He didn’t want to smile, but he had too, her truth was funny.
“So who was she that they wanted to kidnap her?”
“She was a diplomatic attaché from Greece.”
“So not some rich princess”
“Yes”
“How then did you fall in love when you only met once”
“She invited me to dinner several times and she kissed me.”
“Was she the first girl you ever kissed?”
“No.”
“Have you ever considered kissing me?”
“No.”
“Shame, because I love your lips.”
“Are you flirting with me Zandra?”
“I don’t flirt, beautiful girls flirt, am slutty I ask for male privates.” Was he meant to answer that? This was where to lay his sting.

“Did it bring back old memories sleeping with Sesan?”
“What?”
“Did it feel good sleeping with Sesan, did it tickle you down there, knowing that the man still wants you?”
“Why ? Are you Jealous, have you wondered about sleeping with me, If I would like it except you have no instrument?
“She enjoyed it by the way?”
“What?”
“Claudia”
“Okay, what?”
“Cunninglingus, I am very good at it. Am good with my tongue and fingers”
“Are you trying to say that you are technically not a virgin?”
“No I am letting you know that you have probably not had good intercourse recently. Except Sesan made you come.”
“How did this conversation shift form Claudia to Sesan?”
“They both symbolize intrusion of our privacies...so tell me did you enjoy it?”
“I have nothing more to say to you .”


Is this where he was meant to apologize and say the dreaded three letter words, I am sorry? The game wasn’t as fun as he thought it would be, he was stunned by himself, he couldn’t believe he was playing mindless childish games with her and he even felt sorry for her. He needed her to realize that she was on no ground meant to be familiar with him. Yet he felt terrible he teased her. He was even more surprised at himself that he was examining somebody else’s feelings and considering how he might have bruised them, he did not think that a life of watching chick flicks back to back would do that to him. This Zandra’s situation was dangerously peculiar and he was never going to let it happen again.

“ I am sorry, I was unprofessional and I was rude, I would just like to say...... I can see your child coming. Have a safe trip.” He had wanted to give her a word of friendly caution because he knew once he got off the plane; he was going to have to remove himself from whatever friendship they had, if it could be qualified as that. He feared he could be ordered to do the worst. He changed his mind when he saw the boy being wheeled towards them, with a doctor , two nurses and a flight attendant. He was no longer going to get attached; he was going to do his job. He got down from the air plane just before the boy was carefully wheeled inside. He walked away knowing he might never feel the thrill he felt with the whole lot any more, he didn’t even turn back to see Zandra, he was done there.


The flight attendant was running behind him , he waited because he knew the poor lady wouldn’t catch up with him, he had half wanted it to be Zandra running after him, he didn’t know why, he might know but he didn’t want to admit to it. The attendant had finally caught up with him but the guard signaled to her to take a minute to catch her breath. She finally was able to string a sentence together.


“The boy insisted on giving you this”, The attendant said, stretching out her hand to reveal a batman action figure, the boy always referred to him as batman because of the way he was built. What a kind gesture.

“Return it to him.” The Guard said folding his hands behind his back.
“Sir?”
“Return it to him; he needs batman more than I do”. He walked away.

Samson, Tuesday 3rd May 2005.
“I have a surprise for you.” Samson said as their eyes were glued to the television. She loved surprises, so Zandra propped her head up smiling, simultaneously grabbing the television remote and reducing its volume.

“So, what is it?”
“Well I don’t know how you are going to receive this, but I made some plans.”
“Okay, go on”
“What do you think about a trip to your village this weekend? You know how you can remember so little about yourself and you don’t even know your birth date. Well I think if we went back, we would get proper information. I want you to have a small birthday party. Your very first one. “She wasn’t replying, her face was glued straight ahead at the magic box, she had swiftly turned her face away from him as fast as she had placed it on him.
“What do you think? We take my BMW or something else, buy loads of chocolates, drinks and desserts and hit the road to rediscovery.” They weren’t really taking his car but he needed her to commit to the plan before anything else, but any prospects he had about a trip were looking bleak. He must have said something wrong because, she got up and walked away to the laundry. He was just trying to be nice. She had improved so well, she could read the whole text of Alice in wonderland and he just thought she needed to reconstruct her past. Whatever demon she kept there she had to dig it up. She had to face it that was what his grandfather taught him. The more you run away from something, the bigger it gets. He followed her into the laundryminutes later she had gone in; she was stacking clothes that were done from the washing machine into the drier.


“Why did you walk away?”
“Why can’t you just leave it? Can’t you see I do not want to talk about it? I do not want to go on a stupid road trip with you.”
“Fine!”
“Fine!”

What was her problem? She acted like a child occasionally; she had to say what was in her mind when she was upset. This way he had no idea what was going on in that head of hers. All he knew was that she was upset about going back home. There was also a big probability that he was being an asshole.


“Am I being a jerk?”
“Not really” came the reply, she had now finished stuffing the drier with the clothes and had just closed it ever so gently, she then turned towards him. Her eyes were crystal clear piercing and intimidating, he might just be feeling that way. He was uneasy, he was confused, but that was not the first that she confused him. He felt like shaking her till she said something. He really wanted her to have a normal life.


“Ojuju Calabar.” He finally blurted.
“Urh?”
“Do you know Ojuju Calabar?”
“Yes I do.”
“Good let me tell you about my Ojuju Calabar”.
“ I do not want to listen to any of your moral stories or history lessons; I have a headache and need to sleep.” She was already walking out of the kitchen. This girl was a hard coconut it was

impossible to crack her sometimes, when she was in her funny state of mind, he followed her like a lost puppy.
“Hear me out okay, if you don’t like what I am saying I would stop midway and go to lock myself in the bedroom, then sleep in shame.”
“I am not going anywhere.”
“Hear me out.” Her hands were now folded, he could swear that she was eyeing him and her feet were tapping rapidly signifying her growing impatience.


“Talk, then”. She snapped, irritated at his nonstop pestering, he has to make his explanation count.

“Well the very first time I heard about it was here in Nigeria, We were visiting for Christmas and it was dark and late in the night. The generator had given way from overworking I think. Then I started to grumble because one of my favourite cartoons was on. My grandfather innocently hushed me so I wouldn’t alert Ojuju Calabar. He described it as a big menacing masquerade that ate small children when they made noise, especially in the dark. Boy was I scared, I have never been scared like that in my entire life, I always had been brave. When people were scared of clowns, I would go and kick them in the feet, sometimes pull their noses, everyone knew me to be brave, but my grandfather’s chilling voice and mannerisms that dark night pierced deep into my soul and I must tell you, I couldn’t even sleep . I kept on waiting patiently, thinking Ojuju Calabar would come, whilst I clutched to my mother. It didn’t but that did not erase the fear. My folks realised how I was scared of this monster and they too began to use it to scare me into submission. I had never seen this thing before but I was sure I never wanted to see it because I did not want to get eaten. When I was like say nine years, my grand pa had gotten fed up by the sudden paralysis the words Ojuju Calabar brought to me. Everyone had began to tell me that Ojuju did not exist, but I didn’t believe them, I had seen Ojuju in my dreams, it told me to stop bedwetting or it would get me. Apparently Ojuju could follow you into your dreams and this just made its power over me potent. My grandfather who started it hatched a plan, he came visiting, I loved it when he comes visiting, he always found a way to smuggle in those sweet Hausa sugarcanes for me. When he passed the sugarcane to me he had this grave look in his eyes. As I accepted it, I ran upstairs to eat it but my dad sent me back to go and prostrate and say thank you the traditional way. I did just that and my grand pa grabbed me and hugged me. He said Ojuju Calabar had told him that he was going to come for me that night, I may be having my last sugarcane.....am I talking too much for you?”


“No, listening.” She was indeed listening, her whole body was paying attention to him, he hoped this would help. He really needs her to face this crippling fear of her past, he was glad he pretended that he didn’t hear her snicker when he mentioned bedwetting, it would have changed the discussion.

“Thank you. I almost lost consciousness that minute. To me that was the end of my existence. Ojuju Calabar was coming to eat me up. I had immediately dropped my sugarcane and ran up to my dad to let him know I was going to be a victim of Ojuju. Tears were in my eyes, wailing like a lost child, my dad had been briefed on what was to happen, so he let me know there was nothing he could do about it. I was distraught, even my father couldn’t save me from the monster. You could tell my mother could not bear watching me cry, she wiped my tears, was telling me not to mind them there was no Ojuju, I so wanted to believe her that there was no Ojuju, but how could I when Ojuju was coming to eat me in the night? It never once crossed my mind to question my grandpa how he came to be best pals with the monster that it would tell him his schedule, fear paralyzed me. My father pulled my mum away, telling her to leave me alone. I have to pay my dues to Ojuju. That would probably be the worst day of my childhood.” Zandra was giggling, he was glad his story was putting a smile on her face but she had to take this serious, but thinking about it, it was pretty hilarious, he had to make sure Zandra wouldn’t go near his friends and even his children when he gets them, so she wouldn’t embarrass him in their presence. He had even never told Francesca this story before.


“What? Why are you giggling?”
“I am just picturing you crying, wide mouth, mucous coming out of your nose. That would be a priceless sight.”
“Ehhh, behave now let me finish my story. You would never see me cry in a suit by the way.”
“ I just pictured you crying in a suit.”
“You pictured and you didn’t actually see. That’s as good as it gets”
“Oh shut it, do you want Ojuju to eat you?”
“I see I might have made a mistake telling you this, do I need to bribe you to keep quite....”
“Hush, just go on.”
“Okay O……I was upset, sad. No one could help me, my mum was lying to me to make me feel better or so I thought and my dad had pulled her away. I hated him that night, he said I couldn’t sleep with them in the bedroom, my grand pa went to bed early, I was all alone. I just had two choices, and they were to hide from Ojuju or to fight it. I chose to hide from him. So after having a good cry in my room, after pleading for at least one of my parents to sleep with me and that proving abortive, I hid under the bed, scared, alone afraid my time was getting nearer and then I slept off. Late in the night some noise woke me, it was some kind of heavy grunting, I was angry at myself that I slept off, so Ojuju would have eaten me just like that while I was asleep. Now to think of it if Ojuju had eaten me while I was asleep it would have lessened the pain . But back then I was scared, I prayed all the prayers I knew, offered to give out some of my old stuff to the needy if God could answer me. I could see his legs, the ojuju was dressed in a flowing agbada that was ripped and he had something like palm fronds tied around his waist and head. If I had reasoned well I would have remembered that my father had earlier bought palm fronds and I myself had kept it in my Grand pa’s room, but the fear did not give me space to think . I watched form under the bed the movements of this Ojuju, it was grunting and moving up and down in the room. You could see it meant business. Then all of a sudden it stopped in front of my bed and dragged me out, I can tell you the fear I had at that moment would probably be the same with those sitting in an electric chair, having life snuffed out of them, only that mine was probably greater. I was yelling, screaming and kicking, then the Ojuju started to laugh. He let me go but I didn’t leave, I had noticed that the laughter was too similar with my grandfather’s. My mum had heard the cry, she rushed in, it was as if all the tears in my eyes had found a way to her eyes. She kept on saying, I thought we had agreed not do this, leave him alone. My dad came in also, he too was laughing, but my mum was by my side comforting me. It was really strange, Ojuju was laughing, my father was laughing, was I missing anything? It was when the masquerade started peeling off his clothes that all the clues came together. My grand father was Ojuju. That didn’t sooth me. It made me think my grandfather ate children, I went and ran behind my mum. It’s not everyday you find out that you realise that your grand father was a cannibal. He called me over but I didn’t go. I was crippled with fear. I didn’t know why I didn’t defecate on my body, that is what I should probably have done, maybe I thought it would give the monster the license to eat me.....so long story short my grandpa let me know that the fear was in my head. He showed me pictures of the actual masquerade. Informed me everything I needed to know even about other masquerades. He gave me power that day by forcing me to face my fears. I need you to have that same power Zandra, it will be scary but if you keep ignoring it, it will have power over you. You are a fantastic lady, nothing should have power over you.”
“Wow, no wonder you love your grand pa so much.”
“That is nothing, you should hear the other tales.....”
“I don’t think I can go back there Samson, all my life all I wanted to do was escape. I can’t go back there.”
“Are you going there to sleep? Are you moving back there? You are not; you are going to show your triumph. You have grown into a beautiful young woman”
“You mean beautiful red light district girl, my mother told me that I would never amount to anything, guess she was right”
“I can’t believe I am about to say this, but do you know the second time we met, how bold and proud you were of your profession?”
“That was a marketing strategy, I was selling my wares. I can’t go back there; my life is not the same childish story of Ojuju. I can’t go there. ”
“Zandra, look at me”. She was looking away, he cupped her face in his palms and that strange urge to kiss her resurfaced. He dared not carry out such a mission, he didn’t know how she would feel about it, besides it was wrong, they were mere friends and he didn’t want to spoil that.


“Zandra, you need this to heal, you are still hurting”
“Please spare me that , leave my face alone, your hands are icky, do not touch me for jeeves sake, do I look like Francesca? Follow her to her village and go and have a tour, leave me the heck alone.” She had thrown his hands off and was on her feet, her voice raised, she reminded him of a Banshee, but he didn’t dare tell her that. She had now walked away from him. It seems he now had a free weekend, he should call the biker boys who offered that he joined them on a ride from Lagos to Liberia, he would have to bring out the rusty thing from the garage and check if it needed any servicing. One way or the other he was going on a trip, he just wished it was with Zandra, he had to develop another plan for that girl.

Xenia please you're killing me with suspence. Can you just update something tomorrow? Pretty please
Amazing story I must say!

Thanks so much i really do appreciate it.

Wow! I wanted to get to the end so quickly and also wished it didn't finish because I was so much enjoying the story! I haven't been held spell bound and attached to a story in a LONG while! Please don't stop and don't let this be another uncompleted story on NL

Wow! Wow!! Wow!!!
Thought it wasn't goin to end.. Kuldn't stop lafin wen readin d ojuju calabar tales..
Ur story s captivatin

Hey Xenia, good story. Its bin a while though. Keep feeding us with ur exceptional lines. h

ijib: Xenia please you're killing me with suspence. Can you just update something tomorrow? Pretty please
Amazing story I must say!

Ijib so sorry I couldn’t update early as you asked. The weekend swallowed me! I am glad you enjoying the story though. I will update next on Thursday this week. Hope that’s okay by you?

Bimcious: Thanks so much i really do appreciate it.

Bimcious I am pissed there is no kiss emoticon. Sending u kisses.

zubis05: Wow! I wanted to get to the end so quickly and also wished it didn't finish because I was so much enjoying the story! I haven't been held spell bound and attached to a story in a LONG while! Please don't stop and don't let this be another uncompleted story on NL

Zubis05 Ojigbijigbijibi. That’s some encouraging words right there. Thank you my homie. Don’t worry I will finish the story. Its already completed in my head, its only laziness and lack of time that will make me not complete it. Here’s to hoping you like the ending.

Candis009: Wow! Wow!! Wow!!!
Thought it wasn't goin to end.. Kuldn't stop lafin wen readin d ojuju calabar tales..
Ur story s captivatin

Candis009 my babe, chop knuckle my dear, I know say you be my person, glad u still dey enjoy this tory O. Hope you good darl?

tijehi: Hey Xenia, good story. Its bin a while though. Keep feeding us with ur exceptional lines. h

Thank you Tijehi. Hug Hug Kiss.